2o8 OBSTACLES TO THE 



recommend the ufe of the mandragora^ al* 

 though Schopperus has fhewn its vertues 

 in the gout. The deadly night-jhade is not 

 yet brought intopradlife, though we have 

 great reafon to expedl much from it in 

 dilperfmg tumours of the breafl ^ 



5- 

 ^he ahufes of quacks^ and their bold^ and dan- 



f I cannot omit faying a word or two on the fubjefl of the 

 deadly night-Jhade on this occafion, as the trial of it caufed 

 fo much noife in this town fome time ago. I know the 

 generality of people look on its fate as decided ; and that it 

 is deftined never to revive again ; but that is not clear to me. 

 Some of the faculty ftill entertain a good opinion of it, and 

 have feen fome benefit done by it. Antimony was once en- 

 tirely difcarded out of phyfic, yet we have feen it fmce be- 

 come one of the moft fafliionable remedies in many difeafes. 

 New medicines, and particularly of fo ftrong a nature as the 

 rtight-Jhadey do not come at once into vogue. The not be- 

 ing able to afcertain the proper manner of giving it, the 

 uncertainty in what cafes it ought to be ufed, and how to 

 obviate the inconvenience attending its ufe, not to mention 

 many other reafons ; thefe, i fay, joined together, are fully 

 fufficient to overturn a medicine of the moft promifing ap- 

 pearance for a time. But whatever may be the fate of the 

 night-Jhade itfelf, the difinterefted zeal of my worthy friend 

 Mr. Gataker to find out fome remedy for the moft dreadfull 

 and defperate of all difeafes ; and the candid manner, ia 

 which every circumftance, relating to that affair was com- 

 municated to the public, muft entitle him to the efteem of 

 every humane perfon. 



gerous 



