39S ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



It being reafonablc to fuppofe, from 

 the quantity of mercury the patient had 

 taken, that every venereal taint in his 

 blood and juices was iufficiently corred- 

 ed, and that the excrefcences upon the 

 glans had become merely a topical dif- 

 eafe, his mercurial medicines had been 

 left off for fome time. Fomentations 

 had hitherto been ufed three or four 

 times a day, and an emollient poultice 

 kept conftantly applied, in order, if pof- 

 fible, to keep the parts foft ; but the hard- 

 nefs brought on by the ufe of the cau- 

 Ilics, being infuperable while they were 

 continued, I determined to leave them off; 

 and to apply emollients only, until the 

 hardnefs fliould be wholly overcome: 

 Accordingly, xve kept a poultice of boiled 

 onions, with a very little oil in it, con- 

 flanrly applied, which was found to be 

 the moft emollient application of feveral 

 we had tried ; and, in about five or fix 

 days, from that excefiive hardnefs the ex. 

 crefcences had acquired, they became ra- 

 thcr fofter than common warts, 'and 

 without having their fize perceptibly in- 



crcafed. 



