MANGE. 127 



and conftant irritation or itching; to 

 allay which the poor beajl is eternally exert- 

 ing himfelf in perpetual rubbings^ till with 

 thofe, and the lofs of hair fi-om the different 

 parts, he bears the zz/z/'u^'r/".^/ appearance of ap- 

 proaching excoriation. In this predica- 

 ment it has been the conftant practice to get 

 rid of ONE devil hy the application of many; 

 for inftance, qtiickfilver, aquafortis , oil of vi^ 

 trioly corrofve mercury, Jpirit of turpentincy 



fulphur ofvivum, fal armoniacy tar, train oily 

 and all the combufiibles that could well be in- 

 vented for the fupport of an everlafting co72^ 



flagration in the lower regions. 



Without enlarging upon this defperate mode 

 of practice, I fhall only acknowledge it 

 brings to my memory a paflage from that juftly 

 celebrated writer, who fays 



" Where the greater malady is, the lefler is not felt." 



And I naturally conclude from the purport 

 of this fentence, their 7node of practice was 

 adopted to extirpate an itching by a courfe of 

 cauterization-, and there is no doubt but a 

 poor devil would feel very little iineafinefs from 

 a cutaneous irritation when burning alive with 

 3 a com- 



