cured by Mercury. 51 



warm bath, two different times. In the morning, I 

 found him with some fever, and a more than natural 

 flow of saliva, and much better. The symptoms, 

 however, soon returned, and increased, for twenty- 

 four hours, under the use of the bark, when it became 

 evident, that any longer reliance upon it would endan- 

 ger his life. It was, therefore, laid aside. Free 

 mercurial friction, on his jaws, thighs, &x., brought 

 back the effects of the mercury, which were kept up, 

 by friction twice or three times a day, and he got 

 well. 



From this case, I have no confidence in the oil of 

 amber, and believe it to stand upon much the same 

 footing, among the antispasmodics, that castor does. 

 I also greatly doubt the effect of Peruvian bark, in 

 this disease, though this has so positively been asserted 

 to have cured it. You will please to observe, that 

 where the bark has been used, it was not the only 

 medicine. Wine is always exhibited with it ; and I 

 am led to suppose, that all the cases that have termi- 

 nated favourably, under such treatment, have been 

 cured by the wine alone. I should as soon believe 

 vitriolated tartar to be the active part of Dover's- 

 Powder, as that the Peruvian bark was the active in- 

 gredient in such prescriptions. 



Hagerstovm, March 29th, 

 1804. 



