^0 S P L E N T S. 



" round iliick //// // // almojl raw, and thea 

 *^ touched with oil of origanum fublimatej 

 *' arjmicy or oil of vitriol.'* You are then told 

 *^ thefe may produce an ulcer, a rottennefs of 

 *^ the bone, and, when cured, an ugly fear V 

 Another fays " it is to be foundly rubbed 

 ** with the handle of a hammer, till it is fo 

 ^^ much bruifedz.^ to bring on an impofthume, 

 ** and confequent fuppu ration or difcharge of 

 ** matter!'* And there can be no doubt but 

 this is rubbing \\, foundly with the impofthume 

 for a witnefs t 



Another tells you " they are to be deftroyed 

 ** with ad;ual cauteries, or flat inftruments of 

 ** iron, made red hot, and applied to the 

 ** fplents, placing a piece of the rind of bacon 

 *' between, with the fat fide outwards; and, 

 *' having a fecond iron heating alternately with 

 *' the firft, the operation is to be repeated till 

 *' the fplent is diffolved." To thefe, in cafe 

 of failure, they acknowledge the neceflary aid 

 of " bliferingy firing,'' &c. &c. Nov/, upon 

 a candid inveftigation of this accumulated 

 variety of opinions, we fhall find them amount 

 to a verification of an obfervation not long 

 fince made ; a paltry praftice of fwelling their 

 9 writings 



