494 ESSAYS and OBSERVATIONS 



cafes of no lefs delicacy, had not long 

 before convinced me both of its fafety 

 and utility. A lefs powerful deobflru- 

 cnt did not appear adequate to produce 

 thofe great and fpeedy efFeds which the 

 vehemency of the diftemper required. 

 Beiides, I made choice of the mofl: fim" 

 pie and harmlefs preparation of mercu- 

 ry, in which its parts are only divided, 

 fo as to enter the minuteft vefTels, where 

 they roll fmoothly along, without irrita- 

 tion ; which, when their fliape is altered, 

 and acuated by a faline ftimulus, they 

 are apt to occafion, and thereby produce 

 fever, and fluxion upon the part affeded. 

 The fuccefs fufficiently juflified the ufe of 

 it. Conlidered as a flow difeafe, this af- 

 fedlion does not indeed caufe fuch im- 

 mediate danger as when it becomes a- 

 cute. Sometimes too, as was the cafe in 

 a hiftory communicated to me, the in- 

 flammatory fymptoms fubdued, it may 

 go off" by a long courfe of time. And, 

 if it fliould end in ulceration, the con- 

 fliant drain will diminifli or remove the 



tumor ; 



