Opinions of the Medical Press.
“Mr. Harrison, the author of the very interesting little work before us, has succeeded in his attempt to add another stone to the pyramid so well commenced by previous inquirers. The first essay on the ‘Medical Aspects of Death’ is a truly masterly account of all those appearances which simulate death, and of death itself;—and it is written in so philosophical a spirit, that it cannot but tend to fulfil the dictum of Johnson, that ‘he had found physicians to be amongst the most intelligent and well-informed of his friends.’ From a production like the present it would be most difficult to find a quotation which would convey an idea of its general tendency; but we extract the following as a specimen of the author’s mode of treating the subject. * * * * * * The second essay, which is one of rare merit, has been reprinted from Dr. Forbes Winslow’s ‘Psychological Journal.’”—Lancet, January 10. 1852.
“‘The Medical Aspects of Death’ is an excellently-written essay on the signs of death, the changes the body experiences after death, premature interment, the bodily changes which immediately precede death, the mode in which death takes place, the way in which the various suicidal agents act in inducing death, and the signs of dying. Each of these sections is illustrated by well-told anecdotes, and ornamented with most appropriate quotations. The following extract will convey to our readers a good idea of Mr. Harrison’s powers and style. * * * *
“The second essay ‘On the Human Mind, considered in some of its Medical Aspects,’ is well written, and will well repay reading. It was originally published in the ‘Psychological Journal.’”—Medical Times and Gazette, January 24. 1852.
“In the elegant little volume now before us, bearing the above title, Mr. Harrison, of Manchester, already very favourably known as a medical writer, presents an interesting view of two important aspects of mortality. The latter, ‘On the Medical Aspects of the Mind of Man,’ a most able essay, has already appeared in the pages of our excellent contemporary, the ‘Psychological Journal,’ and we doubt not has there fallen under the observation of the majority of our readers. The former contains first an excellent resumé of the signs of death, a subject which has lately been very fully investigated, chiefly by the French physiologists, and the important results arrived at by whom we have recently noticed at length; second, a review of the causes of death, or the mode in which life terminates; and third, a notice of the antecedent symptoms of death, or the bodily changes which immediately precede it. The entire is written in a highly philosophic spirit, containing throughout, not alone judicious observations on the intimate link between life and death, which do honour to the author, but valuable medical hints. We cordially commend the tone and character of these essays, and we earnestly press their perusal on the profession. Indeed they may be read too, with advantage, by the non-professional public.”—Dublin Quarterly Medical Journal, February, 1852.
“In this little volume, Mr. Harrison presents us with a couple of remarkably readable and pleasantly-written essays on two subjects, neither of which it is easy to treat pleasantly. In his preface, the author naïvely observes that he has ‘never thought it essential that a book should be dry in order to be useful.’ We think that he has produced a useful book: we are sure that he has not added to the stock of dry ones.
“In the first essay, the premonitory signs of death, the several modes in which death is occasioned, and the indications of death having really taken place, are discussed with an absence of disagreeable detail, and yet with a fulness of description, that bespeak a skilful and not unpractised hand. We do not know of any other work in which the unprofessional reader could meet with the same information so intelligibly and pleasingly conveyed, nor in which the medical man would find the subject so appositely garnished with anecdotes and classical illustrations. * * *
“The second essay touches pointedly, but gently, upon the slighter deviations from health of mind, such as, not constituting acknowledged insanity, are still indicative of disorder of the mental balance. To do justice to Mr. Harrison’s mode of treating his subject, we should have to transcribe his essay. We need scarcely say that we commend this work to our readers. It is such as we may frequently find convenient to place in the hands of our more intelligent patients. The author has managed to combine the utile with the dulce in a way which must ensure success.”—Provincial, Medical, and Surgical Journal, March 3, 1852.
London:
LONGMAN, BROWN, GREEN, AND LONGMANS.
By the same Author,
POPULAR MEDICAL ERRORS.
Price 3s. 6d.
London: LONGMAN AND CO.
SOME REMARKS
ON
THE CONTAMINATION OF WATER WITH
THE POISON OF LEAD.
London: CHURCHILL.
LETTER TO THE EARL OF SHAFTESBURY
ON THE INJURIOUS EFFECTS OF
THE MANUFACTURE OF LUCIFER MATCHES,
&c. &c.
Manchester: HAYCRAFT.
Transcriber’s Notes
Perceived typographical errors have been silently corrected.
Footnotes have been moved to the end of each chapter.