THE DROP and PILL OF Mr. WARD, CONSIDER'D. In an EPISTLE, &c.

YOU may wonder poſſibly, that I, who have been ſo uncivilly treated by ſome who call themſelves Gentlemen, on the Account of my Enquiry after the crude Quickſilver, ſhould give myſelf any manner of Concern about the well or ill Fare of my Fellow Citizens, but leave them ra⯑ther to the ancient, and common Saying, If They will be, let Them be deceived.

I dare be confident, whatever certain envious Per⯑ſons may think to the contrary, you will be ſo cha⯑ritable as to believe, that I have no Ends of my own to ſerve by an Undertaking, in which, though I may happen to pleaſe ſome, I ſhall, in all Likeli⯑hood, diſpleaſe others.

The Friendſhip indeed of good, as well as learned Men, (and ſuch I eſteem yourſelf) I ſhall at all Times value, whilſt the Malice and ill Nature of the Petulant and Profligate, however learned, I have long ſince learn'd to deſpiſe. But what, alas! avail the Smiles or Frowns of the World to an old Man, that muſt ſoon leave it? And, provided he has a well grounded Peace in his own Breaſt, when he [2]takes that Leave, has leſs Reaſon to be concern'd at the unjuſt Cenſure of unreaſonable Men.

To detain you no longer, I am ſatisfy'd you are no Stranger to the Fame this Drop and Pill of Mr. Ward, have acquired within theſe twelve Months paſt: How deſervedly, we are now to examine: But firſt, a Word or two of their Compoſition.

The Conjectures about which are various, as the diverſe Judgments and Opinions of the Conjecturers have diverſly led them.

Some (ſurely without Reaſon,) have ſurmiſed the ſame to be Mercurial: Yet, among the Hundreds daily taking them, not one Inſtance can be given of a ſore Mouth, or Tongue, much leſs Salivation, which muſt at ſome Time have inevitably fallen out, if the Baſis was Mercurial.

Others more rightly therefore conclude them An⯑timonial: Among theſe, there are, who pretend to be Maſters of the Secret, and who tell us, that the Pill is the ſame with the Kermes Mineralis, of the French Diſpenſatory, made out of four parts An⯑timony, and one of fix'd Nitre, boil'd in Rain-Water, and then filter'd: After which, more Water is ad⯑ded, and more alſo of the Nitre: Boiling and fil⯑tering as before; when ſtill more Water and Nitre, in the ſeveral Proportions obſerved by the Preſcript, are decocted. Finally, the ſeveral Liquors filter'd, having ſtood to ſettle twenty-four Hours, are pour'd off from the Sediment, which being ſweeten'd by often waſhing, the ſame is dry'd, and twice fla⯑grated with Spirit of Wine.

But this Praecipitate, which I have ſeen prepared, comes forth of a deeper Red than Mr. Ward's, nor will it operate in ſo ſmall a Quantity as his Pill.

Hartman has one more Simple than the former, which he calls his Sulphur of Antimony, anſwering nearer to the Colour, and working after like Man⯑ner, both upwards and downwards, not ſo dog⯑gedly, in the ſame Weight; though it has been given ſometimes to four or five Grains.

This is made of the fine Powder of Antimony, di⯑geſted for a Week in a ſtrong Lixivium of Aqua Calcis; when it is filter'd, and after gentle boiling, a red Powder is thrown down; which being waſh'd, is dry'd, and kept for Uſe.

His Copier, Salmon, ſays, this Powder performs all that the Crocus can do.

Related to the foregoing, is that of Beguinus, which is nothing but the ſame Mineral, boil'd alſo in a ſtrong Lixivium, and after precipitated with Rain-Water, impregnated with the Spirit of Vine⯑gar.

The Lixivium, uſed for theſe Purpoſes, is made commonly of the Sal Tartari, Calx Viva, and com⯑mon Salt, ā diſſolved in Water, and then filter'd, or of the Alkaline Salt of Plants; although the Aqua Calcis, as above, very frequently ſupplies the Place.

Again, there is a Sulphur of Antimony made from the Crocus Metallorum boil'd in the ſame Lixive, and precipitated with the Acet. deſtil. having the Vir⯑tues of the Crocus, and is much the finer of the two, given in the ſame Doſe, from two to four Grains, or five.

The golden Sulphur is prepared by boiling the Droſs, ſeparated from the Regulus in a Lixivium, as the reſt; then, precipitating with Vinegar, there falls a Powder of the Colour of Gold, (whence the Name,) which is ſweeten'd by Ablution in a large Quantity of Rain-Water, and dry'd for Uſe.

But the true Sulphur, according to our laſt recited Author, is prepared from Cinnabar, finely pow⯑der'd, and boil'd in a Solution of Salt of Tartar, Nitre, and Calx Viva. After decanting the Liquor from the Quickſilver at the Bottom, filter and incline the Veſſel, that the red Sulphur may ſettle, which you muſt ſweeten with hot Water, and dry gently; ſo have you (with this Gentleman) the true Sulphur Antimonti, which opens all Obſtructions of the Liver, Spleen, Meſentery, and Hypochonders; expel⯑ling all Humours whatever, or wherever heaped up in the Body, both upwards and downwards.

Of this Sulphur and the Regulus, there is a Pa⯑nacaea compounded, wonderfully extoll'd by Hart⯑man, as a univerſal Medicine, curing all obſtinate Diſeaſes, as the Lues, Lepra, Scurvy, &c. by the way of Sweat.

Mr. Wilſon gives us another, little differing from the former, unleſs in the Strength of the Lee, i. e. by the pouring one Pound of the Lixivium Capitale, or the firſt running of the Soap-makers Lees, upon four Ounces of the fineſt levigated Antimony, ſet to digeſt in warm Sand, four or five Days, ſhaking them well together; then put thereto ſome warm Water: After thus ſtanding to ſettle for ſome Time, it is pour'd off into a clean Pan. This Ablution is to be repeated, 'till all the browniſh Powder is ſepa⯑rated from that which appears like the crude An⯑timony, upon which more Lees are thrown; and the Waſhing renew'd, 'till the whole of the Anti⯑mony is reduced into the Powder aforeſaid, which being well rinſed from the Salts, is to be kept dry 'till call'd for.

The Virtues are much the ſame with the reſt, being Emetic, Cathartick and Diaphoretick, i. e. by Vomit, Stool and Sweat. According to our Chymiſt, this Proceſs was uſed as a Succedaneum to that, which went formerly under the Name of Ruſſel's Powder.

Beſides the abovemention'd, I could enumerate others, drawn from the ſame Mineral by the Tor⯑ture of Fire, as when flux'd in the Crucible to⯑gether with Sal Armoniack. Thus the Antimon. re⯑ſuſcitatum, or with Nitre, common Salt, and Charcoal, put into a red hot Crucible by a Spoonful at a Time; then either pouring it into a Cone, or ſuffering it to cool in the Crucible, there will be found three diffe⯑rent Subſtances, viz. at the Bottom, a little Regulus; above that, a cloſer, or more compact Matter, like the Liver of Antimony; and on the Surface, a finer and lighter Maſs.

The two laſt of theſe are to be kept aſunder, put⯑ting by the Regulus; powdering the other and waſh⯑ing them apart, till freed from their Salts, which [5]you may know by the Taſte of the Water; the uppermoſt is accounted the beſt, being of a fine red Colour, after it has been waſh'd; the middle Sub⯑ſtance looks not of ſo pleaſant a Colour, and works more roughly; the undermoſt, or Regulus, is the ſame with the Regulus of Antimony.

Theſe red Flowers, with Monſieur Lemery, are the more Sulphurous parts of Antimony, ſublimed by Fire, as the ſame are precipitated from the Lixi⯑via, or Lees, by the Ablution with Water and Vine⯑gar.

Powder, ſaith he, and mix together four Pounds of common Glaſs, with one Pound of Antimony; put them into a Retort ſet in a Reverberatory Furnace, fitted with a Receiver, lute the Junctures, giving a little Fire at firſt, then increaſe, and you will ſee the red Flowers come forth into the Receiver.

Their Operation, as of the reſt, is by Vomit and Stool, being given in the Venereal Diſeaſe, the Gout, Dropſy, Scurvy, and other Chronical Diſtempers, from two to four Grains.

It was the former of theſe Proceſſes (according to Mr. Wilſon,) that Mr. Lockyer aim'd at in the Com⯑poſition of his Pill, by which he acquired a great Eſtate.

Now whether or no theſe Flowers of Antimony, thus raiſed by Fire, or any of the Praecipitates of the ſame Colour here obſerved, (as by ſome has been thought,) be the Compoſition of Mr. Ward's Pill, is leſs material to our Purpoſe; ſince it is, I think, out of Diſpute, that moſt of them will do as much Good, and as much Miſchief alſo, when directed by ignorant Perſons, and taken by the like, at all Ad⯑ventures: Although, to deal plainly, when I con⯑ſider the ſtrange Ravage it makes among the ſolid as well as fluid Parts of the Body, in ſo ſmall a Quantity as one Grain Weight, as much even as the Glaſs itſelf, or Crocus would do, I have been ready to apprehend it rather a Praecipitate like the Algarct, though of a different Colour, from the ſame Cauſtick Oil, or Butter of Antimony; which, if fit to be coun⯑tenanced, [6]or to have a Sanction from any one in re⯑gular Practice, I leave all ſuch, with yourſelf, to de⯑termine.

About the ſame Time, give me leave to acquaint you of Mr. Lockyer and Mr. Ruſſel aforemention'd, viz. about Fifty or Sixty Years paſt, there was ano⯑ther Ruſſel, who had been an Itinerant Mountebank, travelling the Countries, but happening to Marry a Lady of ſome Condition as well as Eſtate, he hired a very handſome Houſe in Holborn, near Grays-Inn-Gate, and coming here acquainted with a Chymiſt, who had been, as he ſaid, an Operator in Mr. Boyle's Elaboratory, he got a Preparation of Antimony from him, like this of Mr. Ward's, if not the ſame, which was prepar'd at the Doctor's Houſe, being call'd by the Name of his Panacea, or Golden Sulphur of An⯑timony, by which many famous Cures were ſaid to be effected.

It happen'd I was at this Time the Doctor's Pati⯑ent, and going often to his Houſe, as living but a few Doors off, I have ſeen his Black bring of this red Powder in a ſmall earthen Platter into his Study; where his Maſter weighing it out, would moiſten the ſame with a Liquor, and form it into Pills of the bigneſs of large Pins-heads, reſembling, both in Bulk and Colour, theſe of our new Aeſculapius; Ten of which being put into a ſmall tin Box, were ſold for as many Shillings. The Poor, who made an Inte⯑reſt to my Lady, had them gratis; their Operation was rough, both upwards and downwards, like the other Dr. Ruſſel's Powder; and as Lockyer's would frequently work, according as they met with Con⯑ſtitutions more robuſt or weak, or as the Fibres of the Stomach and Guts were more or leſs ſuſceptible of the Stimulating Salt and Sulphur in the Prepara⯑tion.

What I would obſerve farther from theſe Perſons Remedies, is this, that my Neighbour the Doctor his Pill did not ſurvive him, but through ſome fatal Accidents, like theſe of Mr. Ward's, was ſoon blaſt⯑ed; and he fell then upon a ſafer and more popular [7]Medicine, which was his Spirit of Scurvy-graſs, both plain and purging, with which he furniſhed all parts of the Kingdom, as well as many abroad.

His Name-ſakes Powder kept its Fame longer, and was, I remember, in much Eſteem with ſome Mid⯑wives as a Specifick to forward Childbirth; but gra⯑dually declin'd for the ſame Cauſe, and is now, in a manner, loſt.

Mr. Lockyer's held out ſtill, and till within twenty or thirty Years paſt, ſome hundreds of Pounds, I have been informed, have been annually returned thereby, tho' I have known Miſchief enſue thence. Upon his Death it came into the Hands of Mr. Fyge, an Apothecary in my Neighbourhood, and is to this Day, in his Family; but I believe now, with little Emolument or Advantage, to what it has been formerly.

Thus my Friend, you ſee the Fate of theſe Em⯑pirical Medicines; and how it is poſſible for ſome Antiquated Ones, after Miſchief's forgot, to come into play again, or be revived; an Inſtance of which, we have ſurely now before us, as lately in the crude Quickſilver, which was tamper'd with in the laſt Age, and brought once more into great Requeſt in this; but ſunk almoſt again, by the popular Eulogye of the Drop and Pill.

Thus it muſt always fare with Remedies, how⯑ever powerful in themſelves, diſtributed without Judgment, or indiſcriminately to all People, with⯑out any Regard to the State and Condition of the Bowels which are to entertain them, or to any Cir⯑cumſtances whatever in the Sick, or his Diſeaſe, fa⯑vouring or oppoſing their Adminiſtration.

Having laid down my Thoughts as to their Com⯑poſition, I ſhall next proceed to the pretended Cures, and poſſibly ſome real Ones, effected thereby, with the Method how the ſame may be brought about.

And here, if we duly conſider the Action of the Stomach, or the Force under which the ſame is act⯑ed, during the Operation of a ſtrong Vomit, like moſt of theſe Antimonial Ones, together with that [8]of all the Muſcles therein concern'd, which accord⯑ing to Mathematick Calculus, is ſcarce credible; we ſhall leſs wonder that not only its own Cavity, or the near adjacent, but the moſt remote alſo in the whole Animal Fabrick, being drawn into Conſent therewith, ſhould have their Contents impel'd for⯑wards by ſo forcible a Contraction of all the Fibres: by which the moſt rivetted Obſtructions therein, may in Time, be this way opened; whilſt the Fluxion of Humours on any particular Part is call'd off: whence Tumours, or Swellings of any kind, may be ſoften'd and diminiſh'd; Ulcers diſpoſed for heal⯑ing, which before would yield to no Application whatever. Of this, you know, we have conſtant Experience in our Venereal Cancers, and other corroſive Phagedaenick Ulcers, when a Doſe or two of the Turpeth. Minerale, will render thoſe Sores in a few Days tractable, which, for many Weeks be⯑fore, would not yield to any Topicks adminiſter'd by the beſt Artiſts: And ſurely we need not won⯑der, if by the ſame Way of Revulſion, many Chroni⯑cal Diſeaſes, from the heaping up of Humours and obſtructing the Veſſels, ſhould, by this Drop and Pill, thus daily repeated for ſome Time, give Way; many Scorbutic, Serpiginous, Leproas, or Venereal Affects of the Skin, clear off; whilſt the morbid Matter furniſhing the ſame out of the Blood, is eli⯑minated, or caſt forth by this double, if not triple Diſcharge; firſt by Vomit, ſecondly by Stools; when thirdly, the Remainder is, by the Conflict raiſed therein, during the violent Commotion thereof, per⯑ſpired in Sweat.

This, I ſay, is the plain and obvious, as well as Me⯑chanic Proceſs, by which many ſurpriſing Alterati⯑ons are brought about, and Cures perform'd by ſuch Remedies: Yet, if we reflect upon the great Hazard ſome Perſons undergo, it is ſurely incumbent upon all who take upon them the Adminiſtration of any ſuch, or who may adviſe them, to conſider thoroughly the State and Condition of the Sick, in regard to the Soundneſs of his Bowels and Blood Veſſels, and [9]of the Fibres in general, which compoſe them, and which are to undergo ſo forcible a Contraction un⯑der the Operation; as well as that of the whole Nervous Syſtem, ſuffering likewiſe under the Shock; and for want of Regard to which, there will ſome⯑times fall out as great Harm, and as much Miſchief, as at others, Benefit or Advantage.

To avoid the Accidents of this Nature, the honourable Mr. Boyle, who underſtood the Chymical Pharmacy as well as the Animal Structure, much bet⯑ter, I dare ſay, than Mr. Ward pretends; yet, being fearful of the leaſt Injury that might ariſe by the truſting to his own Judgment, and tender of Life, when he had found out any Remedy, or had any ſuch recommended to him, after preparing the ſame, gave it into the Hand of ſome learned and experi⯑enced Phyſician of his Acquaintance, to make ſuch Trials therewith, as might be done with Safety, and to report to him the Succeſs; that if found ſafe and beneficial, they might encourage it, or if any ways detrimental, point out the Danger, or lay it wholly aſide: Nor, as I have been told, would he ſuffer a⯑ny one of thoſe which go under the Name of his Receipts, of which a Collection has been Publiſh'd ſince his Death, to go abroad, till it had the Ap⯑probation of one or other of the Faculty, to recom⯑mend it.

If Mr. Ward had taken the ſame Method, he might doubtleſs have been the Author of much greater Good to his Country Men, by avoiding the Danger that will attend his Medicines, in this pro⯑miſcuous Diſtribution of them to all Sorts and Con⯑ditions of the People, under whatever Tempe⯑rament as well as Diſtemper.

From his Pill, give me leave, juſt to make Men⯑tion of what is call'd his Drop: But here, whether he gives one or more, is uncertain, being diffuſed in a Sack Vehicle; and poſſibly, if rightly underſtood, may differ little from that common Infuſion of our Crocus Metallorum; at leaſt is of the ſame Family with his Pill, which we need not ſtay to Scrutinize.

Every one who is tolerably acquainted with the Chymiſts Furnace, muſt know that many Liquids, in the Forms of Tincture, Spirit, or Oil, may be drawn with this Mineral, which in a very ſmall Quantity, as that of a Drop or two, however di⯑luted, will work too powerfully for ſome weakly Habits, or tender Conſtitutions. An Inſtance of this we have in the Preparation of its Cinnabar, where a Cauſtick Oil, call'd the Butter of Antimony, will ariſe, the leaſt Drop of which, notwithſtanding its Dilution, is not ſafe to be given inwardly, being chiefly uſed by the Surgeons, to deſtroy what they term Proud Fleſh, and to level the callous riſing Lips of Ulcers: Tho' there have been thoſe who (as Lemery obſerves) have given a Drop, two, or three of this Butter or Oil of Antimony in Broth, to cauſe Vomiting, which practice ſaith he, ‘"I cannot ap⯑prove, becauſe it is too ſtrong, and produces the ſame Effects as the Powder of Algarot, which is nothing but the ſaid Butter waſh'd in warm Water, whence a white Powder is praecipitated, call'd (but very improperly) Mercurius Vitae,"’ which to ſome I have known, in like manner a Mercurius Mortis.

The vaſt Subtilty of this Mineral, in ſome of its Preparations, is very ſurprizing; and in none more remarkably, than in that call'd the Vomiting Cup, without any ſenſible diminution in its Weight or Vertue.

One of theſe, compounded of the Regulus and Mars, I have now by me; which was ſent me as a Preſent, about forty Years paſt, by a Country Gen⯑tleman, practiſing among his Poor Neighbours, in the way of Charity. This Cup was lent out from one Neighbour to another, in which they ſteep'd Cyder, Stale Beer, or other Spirituous Liquors all Night, and drank them the next Day, to cure Fe⯑vers and Agues: But after two Perſons (for whom it prov'd too ſtrong) were deſtroy'd thereby, it loſt all the Credit it had gotten; and whereas before, it went by the Name of the Angelick, it was now call'd the [11] Devil's Cup. Quickly after, being ſent back to the Owner, it ſo happen'd that I became its Proprietor; who have never ſuffered one Tryal to be made with it, ſince it was in my Poſſeſſion.

The Operation of all theſe Antimonial Vomits, is ſo very precarious, that no Man can be abſolutely cer⯑tain how they will turn out. Monſieur Lemery's Obſervation being very juſt, in the Words ſollowing.

‘"When the Medicine diffuſeth itſelf ſuddenly in the Stomach, mixing with the Juices thereof, and there Stimulating its nervous Fibres, the ſame is conſtrain'd to throw up its Contents: If it ſtays longer, or till ſome of its Particles are derived to the Guts, the ſame Stimulus twitching their Fi⯑bres, a purging downwards happens: They muſt differ alſo according to different Conſtitutions, in thoſe who take them; and very often the ſame which makes a Perſon vomit at one time, purges him by Stool only at an Other; nay at ſometimes will move only by Sweat, which ſhall often enſue both thoſe Operations."’ Courſe of Chym. p. 225. With all which, I'm ſure you are well acquainted. But there is one Obſervation; (give me leave to take notice) of this great Chymiſt, about this Mineral, which may give us to underſtand of how little Service a mere Hypotheſis will be to us in our Practice, which is daily contradicted thereby, and that is this; That the Crude Antimony is dangerous for to take inwardly, or in Subſtance, becauſe it may meet with an Acid in the Stomach, that would open its Body, and be the Cauſe of great Vomitings to enſue.

What has led this Gentleman into a Miſtake of this kind, muſt be ſurely his Surmiſe, that the Natural Heat of the Stomach, bears ſome Affinity or Re⯑ſemblance with the Artificial of the Furnace or Cru⯑cible placed therein; by which the Body of the ſaid Mineral being open'd, and its Texture broken, the Sulphur is ſet free, and enabled to raiſe ſuch Diſtur⯑bance therein.

For my own part (who have given many Pounds of Crude Antimony,) I have rarely known it to operate [12]otherwiſe, (unleſs in too great a Doſe,) than as an Alterative, correcting the ſalt and acrid Humours in the Blood, and by that Means ſubduing thoſe corroſive, ſcorbutick Eruptions on the Skin, which have ſtood out even againſt Mercury itſelf. For theſe Purpoſes, I direct ℥ ſs of the crude Antimony, moſt finely levigated, and ℥j of the Conſ. Cochlear. hort. with ʒ j, ʒ jſs, or ʒ ij of the Gum Guaj. to be form'd ſ. a. into an Electuary, with a q. ſ. of the Syr. E. Suc. Aurant. of which the Patient takes the Quantity of a Nutmeg Night and Morning, drinking after it, a ſmall Draught of the Decoct. ex Lignis, or of Bates's Aq. Bened. Simpl. which from the Gum, but hardly from the Antimony, gives a Stool, ſometimes two or three in a Day, yet without Regimen: And for the Pſora, Scabies, or common Pruritus, I know of few, or none, that excel (after a Mercurial Purge or two,) the ſame Mineral, with an equal Quantity of Aethiops, made up in like Manner, and taken the ſame Way. To return whence I have digreſs'd.

From this Account of theſe Remedies, with the Hazard and Uncertainty of their Operation, and the manifeſt Danger that muſt frequently attend upon many of thoſe who think proper to venture on them, from the Warranty of ſuch as know as little as them⯑ſelves of the Nature of the Remedies they recom⯑mend, much leſs of the Diſeaſes for which they recommend them, and leſs ſtill of the human Frame which is to grapple with them, and for want of which many Perſons muſt riſque their Lives. For theſe Reaſons, I ſay, I thought I might do an acceptable Piece of Service to the Publick, if I laid down ſome Cautions in Reference thereunto: And ſurely, the Diſpenſer of them to neceſſitous Perſons, will not be diſpleaſed at the ſame, ſince the more Good he can do with them, without any unhappy Accident ſupervening, the greater Applauſe to him, as well as Eſteem for his Remedies; nor will there be found any better Method for ſecuring that Eſti⯑mation, or that can render them of long Continu⯑ance, which, like others of like kind, palm'd upon [13]the World for great and uſeful Diſcoveries, for want of proper Caution, have, through ſome fatal Miſcar⯑riages, ſoon dwindled away (as theſe, doubtleſs, will do in a little Time) to nothing.

Firſt then, I would adviſe all Hyſterical, or Hypo⯑chondriacal People, ſubject to be ruffled by any Eva⯑cuation, eſpecially of ſo rough a Nature, as theſe Medicines may produce, or to be thrown into con⯑vulſive Suffocations, Palpitations at Heart, with Tre⯑mors on the Nerves, to be careful how they engage with them: Some ſuch I have known to ſuffer from the weak Frame thereof, and the Hurry their Spirits have been thrown into under the Operation, not recoverable for a long Time after.

Secondly, theſe Medicines can by no Means agree with the Hectical, or Conſumptive and thin Habits, under any inflammatory State of their Blood, their Veſſels tender, and the ſame apt, upon any ſtraining, to break its Incloſures. Some of theſe alſo I have heard of falling into profuſe Haemorrhages, or bleed⯑ing at the Noſe: And one that I was lately ſent for to, ſeized the Night following the taking one of theſe Pills, with a Vomiting up a large Quantity of Blood, to which he is ſtill liable between Whiles, and which, I have Cauſe to believe, will be, at long Run, fatal. For the ſame Reaſon, no Perſon what⯑ever, with an over-bearing Heat therein, or Full⯑neſs of the Veſſels, ſhould enter upon this Courſe, before they have emptied them by free and repeat⯑ed Bleeding.

Thirdly, Such as labour under Ruptures, whether of the Navel, Groin, or Scrotum, muſt ſhun theſe Medicines, as they would Rats-bane: The Preſſure of the Parts of the lower Belly being ſo great under the working of any Vomit, much more ſuch as theſe, that there would be the greateſt Danger imaginable of rendering the Malady irretrievable. Dr. D—d told a Friend of mine very lately, he had viſited a Woman with a Navel Rupture, brought upon her by the hard ſtraining in the working of this Pill of Mr. Ward's.

Fourthly, Such as have weaken'd the Tone of their Stomachs, by Dram-drinking all Day, Whet⯑ting in the Morning, or Bottling a Nights, and have brought upon them a loathing to all Food, or after taking the ſame, immediately throwing it up again, can be no fit Subjects for theſe Remedies: For that, beſides their feeble, if not rotten Viſcera, with their weak and tender Veſſels, rendering them liable to a Breach therein, their conſtant Retchings, more eſpecially in a Morning, which ſcarce any Remedy can bridle, or put a Stop to, will be encreaſed; and an over Vomiting, or Purging, haſten their Deaths; of which I have had an Account of two Inſtances, in three Months paſt.

Fifthly, Thoſe who bear not this Evacuation, un⯑leſs with Difficulty; alſo ſuch as are eaſily ſet on Vo⯑miting, muſt be careful they are not, with the fore⯑going, overſet thereby; for that at ſometimes, the Sulphur of the Antimony adhering to, or being en⯑tangled in the tender Coats of the Stomach, whoſe Lining, by preceeding Evacuation, has been ſcour'd off, is continually ſtimulating to the Excretion: And I could give as many Examples of thoſe, where the Operation has never ceaſed, till the Sick has been quite run down, and died ſtrongly con⯑vulſed. For this Cauſe, it will be always found ex⯑pedient, that the diſeaſed Patient, before he enter⯑prizes either of theſe Medicines, (if they may be ſo denominated,) be provided with a proper Quantity of Chicken or Mutton Broth, which may ſerve to ſheath and blunt the Salts and Sulphur, rendering their Stimuli more tolerable to the Nervous Fibres; preventing thoſe hard Strainings, which might other⯑wiſe endanger the Animal Fabrick.

This you know, Sir, was the Advice of Monſieur Lemery, (Courſe of Chymiſtry, pag. 292.) in the fol⯑lowing Words.

‘"Broth, a little fat, is neceſſary, when the Pati⯑ent finds an Inclination to vomit, becauſe it will render the ſame eaſier, and be the Means of hin⯑dering thoſe great Efforts under the Operation of [15]theſe Remedies, which ſometimes break the Veſ⯑ſels, and occaſion mortal Haemorrhages. When if, notwithſtanding the Uſe of theſe, the Vomiting will not ceaſe, you may diſſolve a little Cream of Tartar in the ſaid Broth, and take ſome Spoonfulls every Quarter of an Hour: This (ſaith he) ſtops the Vomiting, becauſe joining with the Antimony, it fixes the ſame; ſo that together, they are pre⯑cipitated by Stool."’

The laſt general Caution I have to impart, leave⯑ing you to judge if it be not a very neceſſary one, is this, That Children, weakly Perſons, and all others, naturally prone to Fluxes of any kind, and who are apt to throw up what they take upon the ſlighteſt Occaſion, not from any viſcid, or phlegma⯑tick Humours, neſtling in the pluſhy Coat of the Stomach, but from mere Debility, or Atony (as it is named by us,) of the Fibres thereof, muſt be ex⯑ceeding careful how they engage with theſe Reme⯑dies, for Fear, as in my laſt Caution, of raiſing ſuch a Storm as may not be laid again, but by the Pati⯑ent's Death. One ſingle Pill (the only he ever took) taken by a poor Fellow, who had been my Patient, for a Venereal Nocturnal Head-ach, after a moſt vio⯑lent Vomiting for ſome Hours, produced, as I was told by the Surgeon conſulted, between ſixty and ſeventy Stools, not without the moſt imminent Dan⯑ger of his Life.

Having laid down theſe Cautions, very neceſſary for all People to obſerve, who think fit to venture upon ſuch Medicines, I ſhall ſpeak now of the Diſ⯑eaſes for which they have been recommended; and in which, according to vulgar Report, they have been, at ſome Times, found ſucceſsful.

Here, indeed, we have a large Field to ſurvey, becauſe there are very few, wherein, by ſome or other, they have not been try'd, by the Approbati⯑on of their Author firſt of all, and after, from One to Another: However, among the Principal, have been reckon'd many of the moſt obſtinate; ſuch as [16]the Gout and Rheumatiſm, the Scurvy, Palſy, Lues Venerea, King's-Evil, and Cancer itſelf.

The former, I think, we may readily give up, provided we had one Inſtance of a true Cancer ab⯑ſolutely cured thereby. This, I ſay, would, and ought to be acknowledged the greateſt Gift of Hea⯑ven to poor Mortals, on this ſide the Grave; the moſt uſeful Diſcovery, I will call it the moſt ineſti⯑mable Jewel of a Medicine, ſince the Infancy of the Healing Art; provided at the ſame Time, it was found a certain, and withal a ſafe one.

I have already obſerved to you, how we may re⯑concile the Removal of many ſtubborn Obſtructions of the Veſſels; how the Fluxion of Humours may be call'd off, for the preſent, from ſome Part bur⯑then'd therewith; how Scabs, Blotches, fretful Sores, and eating Ulcers, in this way of Revulſion, eſpeci⯑ally in thoſe who can bear the repeated Shocks, are diſpoſed to crumble off, and heal; though quickly after, they have broke out again, and ſpread with greater Virulence than before. But admit theſe Cures to ſtand, I am exceeding doubtful, whether the Cancer will bear to be handled after the ſame Manner, which I never found would ſuffer any other than Lenients, whether internal, or external; being ever exaſperated by a Stimulus of any kind: So that the Strength of ſuch a Revulſion, however it may for the preſent take off the Tention, relax the Glands, and ſoften, in ſome meaſure, the Induration for a Time; yet, ſoon after, the old Leaven fermenting afreſh, the Diſeaſe repullulates, ſprouts a-new, and rages oftentimes worſe than before, at length put⯑ting an End to a miſerable Life.

What I have ſeen of this Nature myſelf, or which has been imparted to me by Perſons of Cre⯑dit, as well as Judgment in their Profeſſion, I ſhall now communicate unto you.

This laſt Summer, C—l C—r, from the W—t I—s, came over to England, to conſult ſome Gentlemen, as well Phyſicians as Surgeons, about a ſtubborn Sore above his Eye-brow: Among [17]the latter, Mr. C—l—n, was the firſt call'd in; quickly after he had a Meeting with Dr. M—d, and Dr. H—s; and afterwards (as I was told by the Apo⯑thecary) Mr. St. H—l and Mr. S—n.

At one of theſe Meetings, I was propos'd by the C—l, but it ſo happened, that I was put by. At the time of theſe Conſultations he was under the Care of Mr. C—l—n, but ſoon after, at the deſire of ſome about the Court, and the Relations he receiv'd of ſeveral as bad Caſes, ſet to Rights by Mr. Ward's Medicines, that Gentleman was adviſed with, and undertook the Chyrurgery, as well as the Phyſical Regimen.

Whilſt he was under this Perſon's Care, he deſir'd a Viſit from me; when I ſaw his Sore dreſs'd, the Ul⯑cer had ſpread all over one ſide of the Fore-head, extending itſelf towards the Temple ſide-ways, and was making Havock downwards through the Brow, into the Orbit of the Eye: In ſome Places it appear'd ſloughy and foul, in others freſh and red, with unequal callous Lips, and had the Aſpect of an Ul⯑cer truly Cacooethic, or what we call of an ill Diſpo⯑fition: The whole of the local Medicine, was warm Butter-Milk to waſh the Sore, and the Curd to be apply'd after, inſtead of a Plaiſter; which is the Gentleman's uſual Topick.

Whilſt the Ulcer lay bare for my View, the C—l asked me, what I call'd his Malady? I told him, it might well bear the Name of an Herpes Exedens, and what ſaith he, does that differ from a Cancer? I anſwer'd, every ulcerated Cancer might bear that Name, yet there were of the Herpes kind, which were not Cancerous; and that I hoped his might be ſuch.

In order to ſubdue the Virulency of the Ulcer, and diſpoſe it for healing, I propoſed Salivation, which he ſaid he had been under in the Country, but, as I underſtood, neither raiſed by the Unction, nor continued for due time: I then mention'd my Cinnabar Suffitus, and the Quickſilver Pill; by the former, I propos'd to gain at leaſt this Satisfaction, [18]that if the Edges of the Ulcer ſpread not under it, but contracted and look'd better Condition'd, I ſhould have made leſs doubt of his Cure, by a Sali⯑vation rais'd by the Anointing, having leſſened his Fears as well as my own of its being Cancerous, which indeed were not ill grounded; ſince by his Obſervation, it would not ſuffer any deterſive Me⯑dicine, ſuch as the Praecipit. Rub. his Surgeon had formerly ſprinkled on the ſordid Parts, without be⯑ing exaſperated thereby, ſo that he had prudently left off the ſame, and dreſt with dry Lint and a Di⯑geſtive over all.

The Patient ſeem'd inclinable to the Experiment I had propos'd, but ſaid he muſt go on a while longer with Mr. Ward's Medicines, or elſe his Friends would ſay he had miſt his Cure for want of Perſe⯑verance. How long he continued that Regimen after my Viſit, I cannot ſay exactly; but finding at length his Body harraſs'd by this conſtant Vomiting and Purging, without any Encouragement from his Sore; the next News I had was from Mr. J—s D—ie, to whom I had imparted the Caſe, who told me the C—l had ſent for him, and that hav⯑ing found the Ulcer in the Condition I had repre⯑ſented it, he had (whilſt Mr. C—l—n was by) de⯑liver'd his Opinion, that the Salivation by Unction, might be of Service to him, and probably lay a foun⯑dation for his Cure; to which that Gentleman aſſented.

After this, having lay'd aſide Mr. Ward's Method, or fully purpoſing ſo to do, two Gentlemen of his Acquaintance came to me, in order to let me know they could not be ſatisfied unleſs the C—l was put under my Care; and that they would per⯑ſwade him to remove into the City, for the Con⯑venience of my Attendance, where I promis'd to do him what Service I could, and in the way I had propos'd, viz. by Smoaking the Ulcer for three or four times, and finding Encouragement, to proceed inſtantly with the Unction.

In a few Days more they came again, and told me, they had concluded upon the Removal of their Friend, to an equal Diſtance between me and Mr. C—l—n, for the Convenience of us both: I now ob⯑jected a Miſunderſtanding between myſelf and that Gentleman, which he had not rectified in the man⯑ner I expected; and therefore I propos'd Mr. D—ie, whom the C—l had ſo lately conſulted, as a Per⯑ſon more agreeable to me, and with whom I could Act with more Freedom and Satisfaction: But whilſt this Matter was under Debate, ſome other Empirical Undertaker, who knows, I hear, as little of the Affair as the former, by means doubtleſs of ſtronger aſſurance of a Cure, than he had from us, has undertaken him; but with what Succeſs I know not.

This Caſe has been variouſly reported about the Town; ſome have taken the Liberty to give out, that Mr. Ward has cur'd him, after all theſe Con⯑ſultations: Others, of that Gentleman's Friends, that he would have cur'd him, had he gone on; and others again, that I had left him in as bad a Condition as I found him, intimating his having been under my Care, who never ſaw him more than once, nor preſcribed one Grain of Medicine for him.

The ſecond Caſe of a Cancer, under this Method, I had from Mr. D—ie, in a poor Woman, recom⯑mended to him, with a painful Schirrous hardneſs in the Glands of her Breaſt, for which he advis'd her to be quiet, and not to tamper; at the ſame time ſhe had the Opinion of the Surgeons of the Houſe, particularly of Mr. F—ke, who were of the ſame Opinion, that nothing could be done more than to pal⯑liate, and keep her quiet; however, by ſome Intereſt or other, ſhe was recommended to Mr. Ward, and took his Medicines with ſuch ſucceſs, that when Mr. D—ie ſaw her ſome Weeks after, he told me, he was ſurpriz'd, the Tention of the Skin, by means of the ſtrong Revulſion made by the Operation, un⯑der the repeated Vomiting, being much leſſened, [20]the Glands ſoften'd, and the whole Breaſt reduced: But ſome Weeks after this, out of Curioſity, making her another Viſit, the Aſpect, it ſeems, was not ſo promiſing; for the Wolf, (as the common People expreſs themſelves) which before had withdrawn it for a Seaſon, began to ſhow its head again, i. e. the Fomes ſtiffled for a time, threatening to buſt out a-freſh: Since when ſhe has been deny'd, and the Surgeons not admitted to ſee her; poſſibly, for that her Cure is not yet compleated, which is the mildeſt Conſtruction can be put upon the Caſe, if not for that the Diſeaſe is now raging as at firſt. But by the way, this poor Woman is ſince dead of her Cancer.

Since I had this account of Mr. D —ie's, I was deſired by a Gentleman to Viſit his Spouſe, in one of whoſe Breaſts, I felt a large and painful Knot, which had lain quiet for ſome Years, but by im⯑proper Topicks, was exaſperated, and had put on the Appearance of a true Cancer, of which ſhe had already been informed; I asked her, whether ſhe had Courage to part with her Breaſt? not that I am over fond of recommending theſe Exciſſions, but it might ſo fall out, that ſhe might herſelf think of it, when by the Increaſe or Adhaeſion, or communi⯑cating with the Glands of the Axilla, it was not practicable.

This I found had given Offence, and I heard no more of her, till about a Month or ſix Weeks after, when by Accident meeting her Husband in the Street, and enquiring how ſhe did; he told me ſhe was almoſt well, by taking Mr. Ward's Pill, which unknown to him, by the Intereſt of ſome Friend or Acquaintance, ſhe had procur'd; and in the working of which, her Breaſt broke, and diſ⯑charged a great quantity of Bloody Water; ſince which her Nipple had been drawn in, but ſhe was eaſier, and the Breaſt a great deal leſs than when I ſaw it. I told him I wiſh'd a Continuance of the A⯑mendment, but own'd myſelf very doubtful: For this Retraction of the Tubuli Lactiferi, or Milk Pipes, [21]with the tucking-in of the Nipple, is always an un⯑toward Appearance, and generally ſpeaking, as ſure a Sign of a Cancer in the Breaſt, as the painful Knot therein itſelf; and truly by the diſtant Enquiry I have ſince made, this Truce was but of a ſhort Duration; the Diſtemper being again, worſe than ever, the Remedy, by reaſon of its rough Ope⯑ration long ſince laid aſide, and the Patient, as I heard but this Day, deceaſed alſo.

The laſt Inſtance I will give you upon my own Knowledge, in reſpect to the pretended Cures of Cancers, ſhall be that of C—n W—s Lady, whom I Viſited this laſt Summer, not long after Mr. F—n had been to ſee her on the ſame Occa⯑ſion: I perceived one of her Breaſts of an uncommon Magnitude, the whole Body of which, was one continued Induration, and ſo very ponderous, that ſhe was forced to wear a Suſpenſory round her Neck, for the better ſupport of it. She was prepar'd to receive any Sentence, I ſhould paſs on her Diſeaſe: But finding we were able to adminiſter little Com⯑fort, at the Importunity of a Friend, Mr. Ward was conſulted, and gave her (if I am rightly inform'd) the greateſt Aſſurance of a Cure, by his Butter-milk and Curds externally, and his Drop and Pill internally adminiſter'd; nay, when ſhe told him ſhe fear'd by the great ſtretch of the Skin, the Breaſt would burſt, he made very light thereof, and reply'd, no matter, his Medicines would make it whole again.

How long this unhappy Gentlewoman proſecu⯑ted his Method, I am not poſitive, but have heard, as long and as often as he himſelf deſir'd her; at firſt with that ſeeming Advantage, that ſhe appre⯑hended herſelf lithſomer and better able to turn herſelf in her Bed; but at this time, now many Months paſt, I underſtand, in as bad a State as ever: And altho' under the ſame Gentleman's Care, the Drop, Pill and Pultis, having fail'd him, he now has chang'd them for a different ſet of Medicines; at leaſt the Old in a different Diſguiſe.

Theſe are the Caſes which have fallen under my own Inſpection, or have been confirm'd by the Per⯑ſons concern'd, relating to the Cure of Cancers. I have heard indeed of more, and ſome which com⯑mon Rumour has ſpread for Cures compleated: But whether or no they have been really, or truly Cancers, or only ſo reported, remains with me a Doubt.

I ſhould be glad if the Author, or his Confident, who gives them out, would be careful to collect a Hiſtory of his Cures, more eſpecially of this kind, well atteſted, where any Artiſt had before paſſed the Sentence of a true Cancer, which might very much conduce to the clearing up of this Affair; and we may allow, I dare ſay, of nine Miſcarriages, if every tenth Experiment in this terrible Diſtemper has been attended with Succeſs. Among thoſe I have talk'd with, or have heard from others, the far greater Number, on whatever Occaſion they may have taken the ſame, have bitterly inveigh'd againſt the roughneſs of the Operation, without any benefit thereby.

From the Cancer, in the inverted Order I took notice of them, I come to the Scrofula, or King's Evil; and here I muſt ſay, that I have ſeen ſome ſtubborn Ulcers, where there were no foul Bones, better diſpos'd for healing, after taking of theſe Pills three or four times; but they have crack'd, feſter'd, and ſpread again quickly after: nor have I heard of any ſtrumous Glands about the Neck and Fauces thereby reſolv'd: here indeed the Revulſion is loſt, becauſe the Humours in the Operation of Vomiting, are ſtill more derived to theſe Parts, as is evident in thoſe conſtant Tiplers of ſtrong Li⯑quors, who ſometimes from their violent retchings, and throwing up all they take, whether Food or Phyſick, ſhall have their Faces bloated, when the reſt of their Bodies are emaciated and waſted away.

Theſe Remedies have been alſo cried up as infal⯑lible in the Lues Venerea, or French Pox. Here al⯑ſo, as in the foregoing, as likewiſe in Scorbutick [23]Affects of the Skin, I have heard of Scabs and o⯑ther breakings out, which by uſing of the Pill, have caſt off, and dried away, as I have before obſerv'd; but whether or no the Venereal Poiſon is this way to be extirpated, as it has been at ſometimes by the late Miſaubin's, and by the Quickſilver Pill, as I have hinted in my Diſcourſe thereon, I am alike doubtful: Yet as to ſafety in the Operation, I muſt give the Preference to either of the two laſt; having known (as I took notice before) a poor Fellow very merely deſtroy'd by the firſt.

The Palſy is another Diſeaſe, reported to be cur'd thereby; and for thoſe who can bear the Ruffle of ſuch repeated Revulſion, it is not impro⯑bable but that Examples may be given, where not only obſtructed Blood-veſſels, but obſtructed Nerves, by a pituitous Humour therein impacted, ſuch as the Gutta Serena, which is a Palſy of the Optick Nerves, may be thence diſcharg'd: In like manner the Apoplexy, Lethargy, Coma, Carus, and other Phlegmatick Soporous Diſorders, where the Nervous Fibres are relax'd and ſluggiſh, with the Senſation dull and torpid; and where theſe Antimonial Vomits may be more ſafely enterpriz'd than when thoſe Fi⯑bres are in a State of Tention, and the Spirits more active.

A remarkable Recovery of this kind, Mr. Ward has given us, in the London Evening Poſt, Nov. 7. and continued in ſeveral other Papers, which he tells us was drawn up by my Lord Chief Baron Reynolds's own Hand; but that ſurely does not appear by the Baron's Letter to him, who ſays only, That he had ſent him the Caſe enclos'd, drawn up with exactneſs in point of Fact; for which he deſires his Credit may be look'd upon as a Guarantee, as doubtleſs it will be: But it can hardly be ſuppos'd that if the Narrative had been drawn by him, the Caſe would have been expreſs'd as follows: MARY BETTS, a young Country Maid, Servant in the Lord Chief Baron Rey⯑nolds's Family, and conſtantly reſiding at his Houſe, in St. Edmunds Bury, &c. — Beſides the Terms [24] Emetic, Cathartic, Emmenagogue, denote the ſame, however ſign'd by the Baron, to have been original⯑ly drawn up by the Phyſician, or Apothecary at leaſt, concern'd; and if indeed in the Manner it is drawn, it was intended for the Information of the Common Reader, great part thereof might have been modeſtly omitted, as abſolutely uſeleſs to them, and that without any way leſſening the Cure: If for the Inſtruction of the Faculty, few of theſe, I dare ſay, will think it ſtrange, that from ſo great a force upon the Blood-veſſels under the violent Streining, together with the Stimulus added to the Blood itſelf from the Medicine, the ſame ſhould break through, not only the Veſſels of the Uterus, but thoſe of other Parts alſo, as it has done in others, under the ſame Force. However, as theſe Obſtructions might have no ſhare in the Palſy, unleſs every Woman thus obſtructed was Paralitical, or Vice Verſa, every Paralitiek thus obſtructed, this part of the Hiſtory was ſuperaboundant: No leſs, the pulling down of the Eye-lids to bring on Sleep, and the lifting them up again, that ſhe might lye awake; as if either depended on thoſe Motions, or that a Man could not Sleep with his Eyes open, which ſome do frequently, and others are forc'd to do, from a Cicatrix after a Wound or Abſces on the upper Lid, occaſioning ſuch a Stricture as will not ſuffer the ſame to be depreſs'd; or that he could not lye awake with his Eyes ſhut, which others are conſtrain'd to do alſo, where the elevating Muſcle has had its Fibres tranſverfly di⯑vided, ſo that the Lid falls.

There ſeems, I muſt own, ſomething ſingular in this Paralyſis of the Maid's Eye-lids, that upon lifting them up, they ſhould keep ſo, and not fall down again, upon removing the Finger. This Part, however, of the Deſcription, together with her inability to compreſs the Glands of her Eyes, in order to ſhed Tears, with that alſo of lifting up the Lip, for the taking in of her Nouriſhment, however inaccurate, were, I ſuppoſe, intended to give us to underſtand, that there was a univerſal Reſolution [25]of the whole Syſtem of the Nerves; unleſs, poſſibly, thoſe of the Sphincters, of which no Notice is taken. And whether or no a Salivation was any Part of Regular Practice, or carried any Likelihood of bracing up the Fibres, or invigorating their Tone, thus debilitated, I ſhall leave to you, and others in ſuch Practice, to determine.

If we go upon thoſe two great Principles, of the Strictum et Laxum, of the Animal Fibre, and con⯑ſider the latter to be the Condition of it, for the moſt part, if not always, in Paralytic Patients: The cold Submerſion, eſpecially in a youthful Subject, had carried greater Probability of Succeſs, than a Sali⯑vation, which I have known to have brought on that Diſeaſe, but rarely, that I remember, proved its Cure.

We are not, I muſt acknowledge, certain, that this Experiment alſo, of cold Bathing, was not try'd, among other Parts of the regular Practice mention'd: Nor will I queſtion all proper Methods taken for the poor Girl's Relief, by the Phyſician, who was concern'd. I will grant farther, all that Mr. Ward, or his Friends, can deſire, that it was by the Three-fold Evacuation, Vomiting, Sweating, and Purging, that this remarkable Cure was effected; and that theſe were the Reſult of his Drop and Pill: But with whatever Views this Narrative was made publick, I hope no one, under the like Circum⯑ſtances, will try the Experiment, upon an Expecta⯑tion of the ſame Succeſs, or run unadviſedly there⯑on. Let them conſider, I ſay, firſt, that Part of the Story, relating to the Operation, and then, poſ⯑ſibly they may judge it fit only for thoſe who chooſe the Chance (and a very ſorry one,) of being cured, or kill'd, rather than drag on longer a very miſerable Life. The Caſe Writer ſays, That after two or three Days Interval from the Drop, Mrs. Reynolds gave her one of the Pills, which had ſo violent an Operation, both as an Emetic and Cathartick, (i.e. upwards and downwards,) that the Maid, weaken'd to the laſt Degree, by her former long Courſe of Phy⯑ſick, [26]was, for twelve Hours together, with great Dif⯑ficulty, kept alive.

A Caſe ſomewhat related to this, in a Paralytick, farther advanced in Years, has been, with great In⯑duſtry, conceal'd; where a violent Vomiting began the Tragedy, and after ſeventy, or nearer eighty Stools, moſt of them Blood, the Patient died upon the Bed-pan.

If then the ſame tender Concern for the People's Welfare, the ſame Humanity Mr. Ward takes No⯑tice of in my Lord C— Baron, puts me (and I ſo⯑lemnly declare to the World, it is nothing elſe,) upon giving them this Advice, and delivering theſe Cautions, I hope I ſhall ſtand clear of any unreaſo⯑nable, or unkind Cenſure, as well from the B—n, who recommends, as Mr. Ward himſelf, the Di⯑ſpenſer of theſe Remedies.

I muſt own, Sir, to you, it was ever my Opini⯑on, that private Gentlemen, or others of Fortune, unacquainted with human Bodies, and the Diſor⯑ders it is ſubject to, might employ their Charity to much better Advantage, by ſuccouring the Indigent with Food and Raiment, than by adminiſtring Phy⯑ſick, eſpecially ſuch as muſt inevitably be attended with equal, if not greater Miſchief than Benefit or Advantage. Whether the good Intention will attone for the Homicides happening in this Way, is out of my Province: But if the People cannot be content without ſome Quackery, it were better, ſurely, they would return again to their Quickſilver, as the leaſt hazardous of the two.

Asking Pardon for this Digreſſion, occaſion'd by ſo notable an Advertiſement, I proceed.

The Rheumatiſm and Gout, they tell us, have been removed by the ſame Medicines; of which I can ſay nothing, any more than of the foregoing, upon my own Knowledge. It is, I grant, leſs to be wonder'd at, if ſome ſtrong Habits, with robuſt Fibres, both Muſcular, as well as Nervous, ſhould, in the like Method of Revulſion, with ſome others, after repeated Evacuation of the Humours, as well [27]upwards as downwards, be ſet free of their Con⯑finement: But I ſhould expect the ſame Regimen exceedingly hazardous to thoſe of differing Tempe⯑raments and Conſtitutions; the ſound Bottom may ride out the Storm, when the leaky founders.

And now, laſtly, in reſpect to the Gout, it has been long ſince my ſettled Judgment, That the prime phyſical Intentions, are (with Sydenham,) to ſtrengthen the Digeſtion, and fortify the noble Parts, leaving the Gouty Matter, thrown forth upon the Joints, to ſpend itſelf there: For though, at ſome Times, I have heard of ſuch, who, by the Uſe of my Name-ſake's Powder of Turbith, Hermodacts, Scammony, &c. have put by a Fit, as they thought, or leſſen'd the ſame, by diſcharging the Gouty Mat⯑ter in the way of Stool. I have heard of others, who, by the ſame Means, have brought the Diſtem⯑per upon their Bowels, their Stomach, or their Brains, where, notwithſtanding all Endeavours, they have loſt their Lives thereby: An Example of which, I was a Witneſs, about four Years paſt, in an elderly Gentleman, who labouring long there⯑with upon his Feet, was perſwaded to take one of theſe Purges; the Day after which, he grew eaſier on thoſe Parts, but was inſtantly tortured in his Bowels, to ſuch Degree, that the ſtrongeſt Doſe of Opium would ſcarce give Eaſe: Hence the Diſtem⯑per took to his Stomach, and raiſed as great a Storm with inceſſant Vomiting. His Apothecary had given an eaſy Doſe, as I remember, twelve Grains of the Indian Root, and in the Evening an Opiate again, which freed him from this new Attack; but before Morning, the ſame Matter had ſeized his Head, when he grew ſtupid, ſnorted, and fell into a Coma, out of which, neither Volatiles, ſharp Cly⯑ſters, Cupping, Bliſtering, Vomiting, Sternutatories, or any Stimulus, could rouſe him. In this Condi⯑tion he lay for forty-eight Hours, and then expired, through the unfortunate Tranſlation of a Diſeaſe, with which could he have been content to have con⯑flicted as formerly, ſome Days longer, whilſt the [28]ſame was upon the extreme Parts, he might, as in thoſe he had formerly undergone, in all Probability, have protracted his Life.

Theſe Conſiderations, which I readily ſubmit, Sir, to your Judgment, I thought proper to com⯑municate to the Publick, at a Time when great Numbers of the People, who can ſo readily come at them, are trying Experiments with Remedies, ſo often hazardous to their Welfare; and by which, as it may fall out, ſome Benefit, ſo alſo much Miſchief muſt enſue the preſent Method of promiſcuouſly taking them, or through the want of proper Infor⯑mation.

If that which I now offer, or from the Cautions here laid down, I may be inſtrumental in ſaving one ſingle Life, it will afford me abundantly more real Pleaſure and Satisfaction, than the idle Cavils of evil-minded Men, the ſnarling of looſe-Principled Perſons, or the Scurrilities offer'd by Debauchees, (who, deſtitute of Argument, fly to Slander,) ſhall give Diſquiet.