i»HYSICAI. AKi> LITERARY. 15$ 



Altho' magnefia appears from this hiftory 

 of it to be a very innocent medicine, yet 

 having obferved, that fome hypochondriacs 

 who ufed it frequently, were fubjed to flatu- 

 lencies and fpafms, he feems to have fufpeded 

 it of fome noxious quality. The circum- 

 flances however which gave rife to his fufpi- 

 cion, may very poffibly have proceeded from 

 the imprudence of his patients, who,.trufting 

 too much to magnefia^ (which is properly a 

 palliative in that difeafe,) and negledting the 

 afliftance of other remedies, allowed their 

 diforder to increafe upon them. It may in-t 

 deed be alledged, that magnejia, as a purga- 

 tive, is not the moft eligible medicine for 

 fuch conftitutions, as they agree befl with 

 thofe that ftrengthen, Simulate and warm 5 

 which the faline purges commonly ufed are 

 not obferved to do. But there feems at leaft 

 to be no objedlion to its ufe when children 

 are troubled with an acid in their ftomachj 

 for gentle purging in this cafe is very proper, 

 and it is often more conveniently procured by 

 means of magnefia than of any other medicine, 

 on account of its being intlrely infipid. 



The above-mentioned Author obferving* 

 fome time after, that a bitter faline liquor, 



fimilar 



