[ 377 ] 



mouths a confiderable time. Thus the faliva, re- 

 peatedly imbued with a flow poifon, is infcnfibly 

 fwallowcd from day to day, till at length the 

 health becomes vifibly impaired without the caufe 

 being fufpedcd, unkfs the colick or pally fliould 

 fupervene.f 



CosMETicKS. — Were it perm.ittcd us to pene- 

 trate the fecret recelTes of the toilet, and to explore 

 at leifure the nature of the myfterious articles which 

 adminifter fo confpicuoufly to artificial beauty, we 

 fhould probably find that fome of the moft cele- 

 brated cofmeticks confiil of preparations of lead, 

 mercury, or bifmuth. 



Carmine, or harmlefs rouge, (as the ladies arc 

 pleafcd to term it) is a preparation of cochineal in 

 nitrous acid, with fome other ingredient which is 

 kept a profound fecret. This favourite compo- 

 fition, v/hich gives the rofeate bloom to their coun- 

 tenance, being prepared with a ftrong mineral acid, 

 is not perhaps altogether fo very innocent as they 

 imagine: befides, its exceflive dearntfs renders it 

 anobje(5l of adulteration; and vermiilion, (a prepa- 

 ration of mercury) though an humble imitation, 



•j* A difcovery wc owe to the fagacity of my late excellent friend 

 Pr. J. FothcrgiU.— Sec Loodoft Medical In<juirie«, vol. v. obf. 37. 



affords 



