Part 65

To one Ounce of Spirit of Sulphur, add six Ounces of Syrup of Violets, or for want of the latter, as much Barley Water, of a thicker Consistence than ordinary.

Some Friends, says Dr. Tissot, whose judgment I greatly respect, have thought the Doses of acid Spirit which I direct extremely strong; and doubtless they are so, if compared with the Doses generally prescribed, and to which I should have limited myself, if I had not frequently seen their Insufficience. Experience has taught me to increase them considerably; and, augmenting the Dose gradually, I now venture to give larger Doses of them than have ever been done before, and always with much Success; the same Doses which I have advised in this Work not being so large as those I frequently prescribe. For this Reason I intreat those Physicians, who have thought them excessive, to try the acid Spirits in larger Doses than those commonly ordered; and I am persuaded they will see Reason to congratulate themselves upon the Effect.

Our Author's French Annotator has a Note against this Acid, which I have omitted; for though I have given his Note Page 84 [with the Substance of the immediately preceding one] to which I have also added some Doubts of my own, from Facts, concerning the Benefit of Acids in inflammatory Disorders of the Breast; yet with Regard to the ardent, the putrid, the malignant Fever, and Erisipelas, in which Dr. Tissot directs this, I have no Doubt of its Propriety (supposing no insuperable Disagreement to Acids in the Constitution) and with Respect to their Doses, I think we may safely rely on our honest Author's Veracity. Dr. Fuller assures us, a Gentleman's Coachman was recovered from the Bleeding Small Pocks, by large and repeated Doses of the Oil of Vitriol, in considerable Draughts of cold Water. K.

No. 11.

Take two Ounces of Manna, and half an Ounce of Sedlitz Salt, or for want of it, as much Epsom Salt; dissolving them in four Ounces of hot Water, and straining them.

No. 12.

Take of Elder Flowers one Pugil, of Hyssop Leaves half as much. Pour three Pints of boiling Water upon them. After infusing some time, strain, and dissolve three Ounces of Honey in the Infusion.

No. 13.

Is only the same Kind of Drink made by omitting the Hyssop, and adding instead of it as much more Elder Flowers.

No. 14.

Let one Ounce of the best Jesuits Bark in fine Powder be divided into sixteen equal Portions.

No. 15.

Take of the Flowers of St. John's Wort, of Elder, and of Melilot, of each a few Pinches; put them into the Bottom of an Ewer or Vessel containing five or six English Pints, with half an Ounce of Oil of Turpentine, and fill it up with boiling Water.

No. 16.

Is only the Syrup of the Flowers of the wild red Corn Poppy.

No. 17.

Is only very clear sweet Whey, in every Pint of which one Ounce of Honey is to be dissolved.

No. 18.

Take of Castile or hard white Soap six Drachms; of Extract of Dandelion one Drachm and a half; of Gum Ammoniacum half a Drachm, and with Syrup of Maidenhair make a Mass of Pills, to be formed into Pills, weighing three Grains each.

No. 19.

Gargarisms may be prepared from a Decoction, or rather an Infusion, of the Leaves of Periwinkle, or of Red Rose-Leaves, or of Mallows. Two Ounces of Vinegar and as much Honey must be added to every Pint of it, and the Patient should gargle with it pretty hot. The deterging, cleansing Gargarisin referred to Sec. 112, is a light Infusion of the Tops of Sage, adding two Ounces of Honey to each Pint of it.

No. 20.

Is only one Ounce of powdered Nitre, divided into sixteen equal Doses.

No. 21.

Take of Jalap, of Senna, and of Cream of Tartar of each thirty Grains finely powdered; and let them be very well mixed.

This, our Author observes, will work a strong Country-man very well: by which however he does not seem to mean an Inhabitant of the Mountains in Valais. See P. 547.

No. 22.

Take of China Root, and of Sarsaparilla of each one Ounce and a half, of Sassafras Root, and of the Shavings of Guiacum, otherwise called Lignum vitae, of each one Ounce. Let the whole be cut very fine. Then put them into a glazed earthen Vessel; pouring upon them about five pints of boiling Water. Let them boil gently for an Hour; then take it from the Fire, and strain it off through Linen. This is called the Decoction of the Woods, and is often of different Proportions of these Ingredients, or with the Addition of a few others. More Water may, after the first boiling, be poured on the same Ingredients, and be boiled up into a small Decoction for common Drink.