206 CULPEPER’s ENGLISH PHYSICIAN, 
as when it continues longer in the body, and is difcharged gradually. Should the 
patient be purged or griped in the night by the mercury, he mutt take ani infufion of 
fenna, or fome other purgative, and drink freely of water-gruel to prevent. bloody ° 
ftools, which are very apt to happen fhould the patient catch cold, or if the mercury 
has not been duly prepared. When the bowels are weak, and the mercury is apt 
to gripe or purge, thefe difagreeable confequences may be prevented > by taking, 
* with the above pills or bolus, half a drachm or two fcruples of diafcordium, or of 
the Japonic confection. To prevent the difagreeable circumftance of the’ mercury’s” 
affecting the mouth too much, or bringing on a falivation, it may be combined with: 
purgatives. With this view the laxative mercurial pill has been contrived, the” 
ufual dofe of which is half a drachm, or three pills, night and morning, to be ré- 
peated every other day; but the fafer way is for the patient to begin with two, or 
even with one, pill, gradually increafing the dofe. To fuch perfons as can neither 
{wallow a bolus nora pill, mercury may be given in a liquid form, as it can be fuf- 
pended even in a watery vehicle, by means of gum-arabic; which not only ferves 
this purpofe, but likewife prevents the mercury from affecting the mouth, and ren- 
dets it in many refpects a better medicine, Take quickfilver one drachm; gum-ara+ 
bic reduced to a mucilage, in a marble mortar, until the globules of mercury: 
entirely difappear: afterwards add gradually, {till continuing the trituration, half 
an ounce of balfamic fyrup, and eight ounces of fimple cinnamon-water. Two 
doling purge, may be taken, and the rubbing intermitted 
however, as the figns of {pitting are gone off, if the viru- 
. 4 A 
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