Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 3, 1802).djvu/285

NET stinging of nsttles. Numerous pimples appear on the skin, often suddenly after rubbing or scratch- ing it ; though they generally va- . iiish in a few hours, and sometimes in a few minutes. The nettle-rash affetfts some per- sons only for one or two hours ; others for a few days; while in some it continues for several months, and even years. It more commonly attacks females than males, and children oftener than adults ; but is not infedlious. The cause of the nettle-rash is ascribed, by Dr. Hebekdent, to some mechanical objed:, applied to the skin, such as Cowhage, or the spiculae of cantharides adhering after the removal of blisters ; though the disorder may be induced by eating muscles, lobsters, shrimps, and even honey, as likewise from partaking of fish not sufficiently dressed, or of fresh pork, &c. so that the foundation of it appears to be laid in the organs of digestion, which prepare a coarse chyle, con- sequently crude and acrid fluids. From whatever cause this affec-lion niay arise, Dr. H. conceives that it does not contipt the humours, go as to require internal remedies : he is of opinion that, if the itching could be speedily mitigated, no far- ther medicine would be necessar}'. for this purpose, a mis.tare.Df oil, vinegar, and spirit of wine, may be applied to the skin, and .will af- ford a lemjKirary reliefj though prof. St.rck, of Jena, believes this eruption (when it is of a perio- dical or chronic nature) to origi- nate from a diseased viscus or in- testine j and therefore prescribes, iirst, sudoritics and diuretics, then resolvent aud strengthening medi- cines ; but especially the copioi^ use of Seltsicr- water. NEW [263 NEWSPAPERS, are certain pub- lications, which appear daily, week- ly, or at other stated periods of the week, in order to communicate tUe most important political, domestic, or literary information. The first English newspapers were published in the year io42, . since which time they have been gre-itly increased, so that now se- veral millions of copies are eircit- lated every year.-f'ii.depe.identty of their utility as v-ehiclcs of gene- ral intelligence, these prints cer- tainly contribute tp disseminate useful knowledge of a very diversi- fied nature : and, so long as they are conducted wiih the, strictest ad- herence to truth and decorum, they may be justly consi lered as a na- tional benefit, l^, however, a con- trary conduct is pursued, and news- - papers are made subservient to the sordid views and intrigues of a party, they not only disgrace their ostensible editors, condudors, or proprietors, but are highly preju- dicial to the interests of society 3 inasmuch as they become the re- cords of falsehood, either by pro- pagating, and otttn enlarging upon calumnious reports, or by misre- presenting matters so as to exhibit both the object and the subject of the paragraph in an odious light j or, by perpetuating national preju- dices and animosities ; or, lastly, by displaying their ignorance of the geographical and political situ- ation of other countries connected with the Bnti.sh empire. As it is not our intention to un- dertake the ungrateful task of point- ing out the ditrerer-t ministerial and opposition prints, or to draw the line between those which are more or less authentic in their sources of intbrmation, we shall merely enumerate the different S 4 nesvs*