On the Operation of Medicines. 213 



have lately been confulted, a child under one 

 year of age received, by fucceJTive friftions, four 

 ounces, fix drachms, and two fcruples of the un- 

 guentum cceruleum fortius^ between the eighth of 

 February and the feventh of April 1786. One 

 fcruple was adminiflered each time; the opera- 

 tion took up more than half an hour ; and the 

 part, to which the ointment was applied, was 

 always previoufly bathed with warm water ; pre- 

 cautions which feemed to feciire the full abforp- 

 tion of the mercury*. I fhould not omit to 

 mention that the child recovered without any 

 fymptoms of falivation, and continues perfedly 

 well. Indeed I have repeatedly obferved, that 

 very large quantities of the unguentum c^ruleum 

 may be ufed in infancy and childhood, without 

 afFeding the gums, notwithftanding the pre- 

 difpofition to a flux of faliva, at a period of 

 life incident to dentition. The praflicability 

 of curing the hydrocephalus internus is a late 

 and happy difcovery ; and perhaps the pecu- 

 liar efficacy of quickfilver, in this alarming dif- 



* Thirty-feven grains of calomel weie given internally; 

 during this fpace of time, at proper intervals, and in fix- 

 teen dofes. The cafe referred to occurred in London, and 

 was under the immediate direftion of feveral phyficians of 

 eminence. The ufe of mercury was adopted by my advide ; 

 and the eftimate of the qnantity confumed, as made by the 

 apothecary, has been tranfmitted to me by G. H. Efq. 

 the father of the child, 



P 3 ' eafe. 



