404 ESSAYS and OBSERVATIONS 



preparing drinks of this kind j and, as it 

 is alledged that fbrne of thefe decoclions 

 cure the venereal diforder without the 

 previous ufe of mercury, which none of 

 the plain decodlions uled here have been 

 found to do, it is probable that fome of 

 the pradlitioners at Lifbon, who prepare 

 thefe drinks, fometimes add privately the 

 folution of the corrofive fublimate, or 

 fome other preparation of mercury. 



It fhould feem, that feveral of the in- 

 gredients in the above decodlion are ufe • 

 lefs, and might well be thrown out, and 

 the medicine Hill retain all its virtues j 

 but I have fent it you as it was given to 

 me. 



I have only as yet tried it in the fol- 

 lowing cafe, where it had a very good 

 effed. 



A young gentleman, between twenty 

 and twenty- one years of age, contracted 

 a venereal infedion in march 1763, which 

 appeared, at firft, in form of chancres 

 round the neck of the glans penis : He 

 immediately went to a furgeon, who gave 

 )iim pills, and applied dreffings to the 



fores, 



