t 401 1 



to guard againft the poifon of copper, than that of 

 lead. Here all the powerful folvents of copper arc 

 aiTembled; acids> alkalies, neutrals, and oleaginous 

 bodies, (land in array, as it were, to attack this 

 metal, and to difleminate its poifon. Their very- 

 effluvia render all the copper veflels and utenfils 

 extremely prone to contradb ruft j hence medicines 

 of the moft innocent kind uncxpedledly acquire a 

 noxious quality. Thus in the diftillation of fimple 

 waters, in a ftill of this metal, the laft runnings, 

 which are evidently acid, have frequently proved 

 emetick. The fame effed has been obferved from 

 diftilled vinegar, which is indeed lefs to be won- 

 dered at; nor is it furprifing that oxymels and acid 

 fyrups, prepared in copper veflels, Ihould contradl a 

 fimilar quality. Various other acefcent medicines 

 being often evaporated in brafs pans, or copper 

 veflels badly tinned, are expofed to the like im- 

 pregnation, and therefore extremely liable to fufpi- 

 cion, fuch as the lenitive ele6luary, Caflia eledluary, 

 rob of elder, and moft of the vegetable extradls. 



Even coral, burnt-hart(horn, crab's-claws, and 

 other infipid teftaceous bodies, however improbable 

 it may appear, are not always exempt from tliis poi- 

 fon i for it has lately been difcovered by the ingeni- 

 ous Mr. Blizard, that when thefe hard fubftanccs are 

 triturated in a bell-metal mortar, if the powder be 



Vol. V. D d clofely 



