Although we have seen abundant evidence of the contagious nature of the disease, yet the contagion has not appeared to be very active. In various instances, in which tolerable at tention has been paid to ventilation and cleanliness, single individuals of families have gone through the disease without communicating it. The progress of the contagion has likewise been in general slow; the virus appearing to lie latent for a considerable length of time in many of the patients. In two or three cases, nearly three months elapsed after the seizure of the first individual of a family, before a second has been taken ill. According to Dr Haygarth's mode of reasoning, the poison would be supposed, in these cases, to have lain latent for about 80 days. But it seems fully as reasonable to suppose, that the disease would not have been produced, in these cases, without a long continued exposure to the contagion; and therefore, that instead of reckoning, as he does, the period during which the contagion lay dormant in the second patient, from the fifth day of the disease of the first, we should reckon it from a much later period of his disease. It appears favourable to this idea, that the contagion spreads, as far as our observation goes, not only more extensively, but likewise much more rapidly, in close and dirty than in clean and airy situations ;— indicating, we should conceive, that a short exposure to the contagious effluvia, in a concentrated state, produces the same effect on the constitution, as a much longer exposure to them in a state of dilution. A great number of the patients fever, visited from the Dispensary, were sent to the Infirmary without loss of time. In the remainder, the disease has been very generally mild, seldom exhibiting any of the syp toms described under the name of Typhus Gravior. In a few cases, an eruption appeared about the fourth or fifth day, extensively diffused over the body, somewhat elevated above the skin, and bearing a very near resemblance in colour and figure to th advanced stage of the measles. This eruption seemed to be much favoured by warmth, and was seen, in more than one instance, to fade and disap pear under the cool regimen and the use of laxatives, where no wine or other cordials were employed. Edin. Med. Journal Account of the fatal Accident which happened in the Leadhills Company's Mines, the 1st March 1817.By Mr JAMES BRAID, Surge Leadhills. Read before the WL NERIAN Society 7th June. ON 1st March last, I was sent for, about 7 o'clock A. M., to try any thing could be done for a number of men, who were found in the Leadhills Company's mines, who appeared to be suffocated. On the 30th December 1816, a young man, who kept a fire-engine nearly 600 feet below the surface, was found dead, and the air when he was, not to be at all agreeable.— The usual modes of resuscitation were tried, but without any good effects. On 24th of February 1817, ther were several men very severely affecte ed from the bad state of the air, but, by giving them gentle laxatives, Lai keeping them quiet, they got pret well again in the course of a few days. On the 1st of March, none of the en had got to bank, when I arrived, xcept a few who had been down only very short time, and returned upon nding the air so bad. By-and-by, number of those who had been down or a short time at 25 fathoms, were rought up, and most of them quite rious. Some were disposed to fight, thers, supposing every one they saw isposed to lay hands on them, made forts, under the most extreme teror, to escape-others, quite listless, ppeared to take no notice of what as going on around them. Some ere singing, and some praying.lany were as if intoxicated with arent spirits; those who had seen them 1 that state assured me that their ctions were very much the same. Many of them vomited, and others ad the inclination, but could not do o. Some evacuated the contents of be rectum, and others had the desire, without effect. The pulse was differnt; in some, remarkably quick and zeble-in others, slow, feeble, and regular. Most complained of insufrable headache, which was somehat relieved after vomiting. To ose who had a desire to vomit withut effect, I gave an emetic of sulhate of zinc, and to those troubled ith tenesmus, a laxative glyster :oth were followed by an alteration F symptoms. In the course of two or three hours rom the time they were brought to ank, the pulse was greatly acceleraed and hard. I prescribed a brisk urgative, after the operation of which jey found themselves greatly relieved, nd by enjoining a cooling regimen, ost of them got pretty well, in the ourse of a few days, without any ther medicines. Upon enquiring at e men how it affected them, they id, they first felt a difficulty of reathing, and had frequent involunry deep inspirations-then a violent ain and beating in the head, and nging of the ears-the inferior ex tremities became weak, and very painful immediately above the knees, and they could with difficulty support the body-the heart palpitated violently-great anxiety, and in some followed by vomiting. They now became giddy, and lost all recollection, and were, as has been remarked, affected as if they had taken a large dose of ardent spirits. There were four men, however, at 25 fathoms, who were irrecoverably lost through their own imprudence of going to work at irregular hours.Though six o'clock A.M. was the proper hour, two had gone before four, and other two a little after, in order that they might get out so much sooner. Such practices are not sanctioned by the masters. When they came to the bad air, they had thought to force their way through it, expecting it to be better below; but it had soon produced its deleterious effects upon them, so as to make them unable, either to go further, or to retrace their steps; and then, unable to support themselves, they had fallen, and remained amongst the bad air till assistance came too late. Animation must have been gone two or three hours before they were brought to bank, for they had been down not less than four hours. Had they not gone till the regular shift, when the air was found to be so bad, they would not have proceeded so far; and if one or two had fallen, the others would have found some means to have rescued them, before they had been irrecoverably gone. It is presumed, the accident happened from a quantity of smoke escaping from the chimney of the engine under ground, into the way-gates, about the 25 fathoms, and so contaminating the air in the workings, from the quantity of sulphurous acid gas which the smoke contained, such as to render it unfit to support animal life, or rather highly deleterious. The men described the air to be the same as where sulphur is burn. ing slowly, and consequently, sulphurous acid gas forming. At the time the accident happened the atmosphere was foggy, and there was a want of a proper current of air in the workings, and, in consequence of the stagnation, the air in that part of the way-gates where the smoke was escaping became so contaminated by sulphurous acid gas, as to render it highly deleterious to animal life. A trap-door being opened, in order to save those who were still alive, about the 25 fathoms, (that is, those who went at the time for a regular shift, the four who had gone in before were dead when these men went to them,) and to enable others to give them assistance, with safety to themselves, the bad air immediately rushed down to the lower workings, and began to exert its deleterious effects upon those at 80 fathoms, who were effecting their escape by another shaft. All who were any length of time in this situation were violently affected in the manner already mentioned, and three (two of whom went down to save others) perished at the 80 fathoms, from the air all below the 40 fathoms becoming so bad as to render it imprudent, or rather impossible, for any person to go down to their assist ance, and by this time they were unable to assist themselves. Those in this situation were drawn up by an engine, and the last who got on the rope, from the others, either, by this time, not being able to secure him properly, or not having time to do so, from him giving the signal too soon, fell from the rope, after he was within 20 fathoms of bank, and was thrown into the landing-box of the water engine, which threw the water from the landing-box (which is situated at the 50 fathoms) to the bottom of the shaft, so that it had 40 fathoms to fall. Water was also thrown from the top, with buckets, before the engine water was diverted by this poor fellow tumbling into the landing-box. The water, by falling down the shat caused a circulation of air, and like wise, by absorbing the sulphurous acid gas, improved the air so much, that one who had lain at the side of the shaft, in an insensible state, for more than an hour, was restored. Other twe who were only at a very little distante from him, but were by so much further from the shaft, and consequently when the air could not be so much improved h by the waterfall, were brought up in mediately after him; but, though the usual modes of resuscitation were tried neither of them could be restored.One of these last had had a very florid countenance. I took away a consi derable quantity of blood from the jugular vein. Those of a plethoric habit were much sooner, and more violently af fected, than those of a spare habit and, from what I saw, I make doubt but one of a spare habit might remain in some degree active, whilst one of a very plethoric habit would be irrecoverably lost. When it becomes necessary for men to go into such si tuations, would it not be proper take away a quantity of blood from those of a plethoric habit ?—I stað certainly be disposed to try it, if ever the air shall again become bad. The candles burnt, though fainti where the men perished, which was generally considered as an extraordi nary thing; and the only hypothesi which I can conceive proper to advanced on the subject is, that, in a mixture of sulphurous acid gas an atmospheric air, the acrid nature the sulphurous acid gas prevents res spiration, or rather produces pecuiras ly deleterious effects, which, contince a certain length of time, will destra animal life; whilst it has no further effect on combustion than merely chanically preventing the more fr supply of oxygen it would have from pure atmospheric air, and consequest ly causing it to burn more faintly. Leadhills, 3d May 1817. Account of the Trial of NEIL DOUGLAS, Universalist Preacher, for Sedition, before the High Court of Justiciary. Monday, May 26, 1817. THE Court proceeded to the trial of Neil Douglas, Universalist Preacher, residing in Stockwell Street, of the city of Glasgow, indicted and accused of sedition. The following extract contains the charge against the prisoner : "True it is and of verity, that you the said Neil Douglas are guilty of the said crime, actor, or art and part; in so far as, on the 9th day of March 1817, or on one or other of the days of that month, or of the months of February or January immediately preceding, in a house, hall, or room, called the Andersonian Institution Class-room, situated in John Street of said city of Glasgow, you the said Neil Douglas, being a minister, or exercising the functions of a minister, did, in the course of divine worship, wickedly, slanderously, falsely, and seditiously utter, before crowded congregations, chiefly of the lower orders of the people, prayers, sermons, or declamations, containing wicked, slanderous, false, and seditious assertions and remarks, to the disdain, reproach, and contempt of his Majesty, and of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, in their persons as well as in their offices; and also to the disdain, reproach, and contempt of the House of Commons, and of the administration of justice within the kingdom; all which wicked, slanderous, false, and seditious assertions and remarks, were calcuLated and intended to the hurt, prejudice, and dishonour of his Majesty and of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, both in their persons and of fices; to withdraw from the Government and Legislature the confidence and affections of the people; and by engendering discord between the King and the people, to inflame the People with hatred and jealousy against June 1817. the Government, and to fill the realm with trouble and dissension. More particularly, time and place aforesaid, you the said Neil Douglas did wickedly, slanderously, falsely, and seditiously, in the course of the prayers, sermons, or declamations uttered by you, assert and draw a parallel between his Majesty and Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, remarking and insinuating, that, like the said King of Babylon, his Majesty was driven from the society of men, for infidelity and corruption: and you then and there, did further wickedly, slanderously, falsely, and seditiously assert, that his Royal Highness the Prince Regent was a poor infatuated wretch, or a poor infatuated devotee of Bacchus, or use impressions of similar import: and you, then and there, did wickedly, slanderously, falsely, and seditiously assert and draw a parallel between his Royal Highness the Prince Regent and Belshazzar, King of Babylon; remarking and insinuating that his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, like the said King of Babylon, had not taking warning from the example of his father; and that a fate similar to that of the said King of Babylon awaited his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, if he did not amend his ways, and listen to the voice of his people: and further, time and place aforesaid, you did wickedly, slanderously, falsely, and seditiously assert that the House of Commons was corrupt, and that the Members thereof were thieves and robbers; that seats in the said House of Parliament were sold like bullocks in a market; or use expressions of similar import and further, time and place aforesaid, you did wickedly, slanderously, falsely, and seditiously assert, that the laws were not justly adminis tered within this kingdom, and that the subjects of his Majesty were condemned without trial, and without evidence, or use expressions of simi lar import." The The prisoner being at large upon bail, placed himself at the bar, and upon the indictment being read over, pleaded Not Guilty. No objections having been stated, the libel was found relevant. The defence consisted in a total denial of the libel, or that any such expressions as those mentioned in the indictment were made use of; on the contrary, the prisoner insisted that he had always inculcated upon the minds of his hearers respect for the sovereign and obedience to the law. The following Jury was then chosen :- James Trotter, farmer, at Newton. The declarations of the pannel, emitted before the Sheriff-Depute of Lanarkshire, were admitted by the prisoner's Counsel. Alexander Gollan, now or formerly residing in Tobago Street, Calton of Glasgow, was the first witness called. Mr Grant objected to this witness as his designation was perfectly vague, and also that his name was Gullan, not Gollan. The witness said his name was Gollan, and that he lived in Tobago Street. Objection repelled. Wit ness was a patrole for the county of Lanark-once or twice attended Mr Douglas's preachings-place crowded, mostly of the lowest orders-it was on Sunday, about six o'clock, in the month of January or February. He generally ran upon politics-recollects one text from v. of DanielMr Douglas made a simile, or represented George III. and the Prince Regent to be like Kings Nebuchad nezzar and Belshazzar; he instanced the King of France, as not having listened to the voice of the people, and brought himself to the blockThat it was necessary to have a re form, and by petitioning, he had no doubt it would be obtained. In his prayer, he prayed the Lord to convert the Prince, whom he called infatuated, and to disperse the council about him, and place wise and faithful counsellors round the throne. In his lecture he said, that every person, accor ding to his situation, would be punished for his crimes, and that the Prince would be punished for a series of time, for not listuing to the voice of the people. He found fault with the suspension of the Habeas Corpus act, but said nothing about those who passed the suspension of it. Witness was asked if Mr Douglas said any thing about the battle of Waterloo. Mr Jeffrey objected to this question, as the battle of Waterloo had nothing to do with the business. The Court sustained the objection, aud would not allow the question to be put. year, Witness recollects the prisoner saying that he conceived a common exe cutioner to be a far more honourable situation than a king, because the one only took one or two lives in the but the king thousands. He spoke of the Prince Regent as being with his Bacchanalian Court, or used similar expressions. He said nothing of the fate of Belshazzar. He spoke uncommonly quick, faster than witness could take up what he said. Wit ness went to hear him out of curiosi ty. He said that God had punished the King for his unjust doings to the nation. He said, that as Belshazzar had drunk wine out of the forbidden vessels, so the Prince Regent was not taking a warning by his father, and was not lending an ear to the prayers and supplications of the peo ple, and that God would undoubtedly |