Dr. Ainslie's Observations on the Lepra Arabum. 297 



aggravated and increased the disease ; he gave at the same time a decoction 

 of sarsapariJla. Dr. Towne found that antimonial preparations afforded the 

 greatest relief, and that mercury in any shape rendered every symptom 

 worse. Pierre Campet,* in his " Maladies graves des pays chauds," observes 

 that Dr. Joseph Flores had announced a wonderful specific in cases of this 

 leprosy, and wliich at Mexico, Malaga, and Cadiz had met with the 

 greatest success ; it was the small lizards, called in the French Encyclopedia 

 Anolhs de terre, ou Gohcmouches ; after having cut off the tail and head 

 of the little animal, and taken out the intestines, it is cut into small pieces, 

 and eaten fasting, while the parts are warm and yet palpitating : he further 

 adds, that at Guatemala, and in Mexico, not more than five or six lizards 

 had been required to cure the disease at the rate of a lizard a day, but 

 that many more became necessary to produce the same effect in Europe. 

 It would appear however, by Dr. Pearson's! account, that these animals X 

 by trials made with them by Carminati and others, have no positive medl 

 cinal effect in such complaints. Dr. Quincy§ thought that mercurials were 

 undoubtedly beneficial in this, as well as in all other disorders proceeding 

 from sharp saline humours retained in the body. Dr. Hugh Smith.H on the 

 other hand, appears to have disapproved altogether of the use of mercury 

 in this complaint, preferring pure antimonials, with the use of the Decoctum 

 Ubni as a diet drink, in the quantity of four or five ounces twice daily Dr 

 Goodir tells us that a free use ofsarsaparilla, mezerion,and guaiacumhas been 

 found beneficial, and tliat even the Lobelia has had its advocates. Dr T 

 Heberden, who had frequently occasion to treat this malady at Madeira' 

 mentions a case of it in which a perfect cure was performed, by means of 

 an electuary composed of powdered bark, with a third part of sassafras 

 root, inspissated with syrup; of this, the quantity of a large nutmeg was 

 ordered twice daily, the patient having his legs bathed in an embrocation 

 consisting of an ounce of lixivium of tartar and two drams of spirit of sal 



* See tlie work, pages 299, 300. 



t See his Synopsis of Materia Medica, page 41. 



X For a particular account of the use of lizards'in leprous affections, the rea.ler is referred to 

 ^e London Medical Revew, vol. ,ii. pages 205, 206, where will be found observations bv 

 M. Demourande of Cadiz, and M. Delarche of Madras. oservations by 



§ See his Medico-Physical Essays, Essay vi. 



II See his Formula; Medicamcntorum coneinnata;. 



f See his Study of Medicine, vol. ii. page 859. 



