- 
t 
my oe 
Ve 
On Plaister of Paris. 
In fine, I continue, after long and various experience, 
in the free and extensive use of plaister. I have been 
often disappointed, in the expected results of my numer- 
ous applications of this generally powerful, sometimes 
fugacious, and frequently ungovernable stimulant. (2) 
But I have been successful in the far greater proportion, 
of my practice and experiments. 
= RicHarp PETERS. 
Belmont 30th May 1796. sail x. 
-(u)1 can with a tolerable degree of certainty, from., "yh 
the appearance of an, over luxuriant crop of clover, tell __ 
when it is about to quitme. When the plaister ceases its ope-_ 
ration, the clover departs with it, being overcome by twitch of 
other noxious grasses or weeds. It perishes in consequence 
of too violent efforts. Its fate is similar to that of an indi- 
vidual, who by living too fast accelerates death. I account for 
the phenomenon, of the sudden exit of the operative powers 
of the gyps, by its having prematurely decomposed the sub- 
stances containing the principles of vegetation; and having 
exhausted those principles in too short a time. In the vio- 
lence of these operations it excites a vigorous, but fatal 
vegetation ; which, like the exertions of one in the parox- 
isms of fever, puts on the semblance of strength, but, in 
fact, is only a prelude to dissolution. There is no guard 
against this misfortune, but the practice of sowing small 
quantities, and frequent repetition. This mode I like the 
better, the more I experience it. 
