INTRODUCTION: _ vil 
following the course of nature, the patient is left sound and 
well. 
If any reason were wanting for my preference of vegetable 
medicines, I would answer, their safety and congeniality, in 
comparison with minerals. ‘The effects of vegetable poisons 
upon thesystem are temporary—those of mineral poisons, 
lasting. Mineral poison, mercury in particular, exerts such 
an all powerful influence upon the system as to supersede 
every thing else, stilling and silencing both the disease and na- 
ture herself together, and oftemsubstituting : a ¢reater and more 
grievous disease, which shall weigh upon man through life. 
Does any one say that there are certain indications in disease 
which can only be answered by mercury f ’—He certainly ex- 
poses his ignorance. And if there are _comparatively harm- 
_ less substitutes, I would ask, are we justifiable i in administer- 
ing a medicine attended with so much risk of making the pa- 
tient miserable through life ?.. Rather, far, let it be said of 
me, that I will do no hurt, if Siti do no good, than thus wan- ~ 
tonly to trifle with the welfare of my fellow beings. 
Bleeding may be useful in some cases; but the extentto 
which it is generally carried appears to me to be an extrava- 
- gant waste of the fountain of life. There are very fewdisor- __ 
_ ders in which letting blood removes the cause ; and where it is 
ised, recovery is usually much slower. I have hee Pe , 
ecommended it sparingly. 
/ The reader will perceive, that in most of those dian 
which may be termed diseases of the blood, or vitiation Fe = 
~ the humors, I have recommended, as a general remedyor pu= eS 
Tificator, a syrup of my own preparation, which I term 1 : 
* anti-mercurial syrup,” and which is entirely vegetable. 
“syrup, | freely acknowledge, i is with me a particular favorite ; 
as with it I have been etiabled to ae the sufferings of yast 
