376 DISORDERS 



work, fo repeatedly, and (I flatter myfelf) 

 juftly, condemned. For inftance, Gibson 

 dircds an infulion of unilacked lime powerfully 

 impregnated with fal armoniac ; and tells you 

 at the fame time ** it is an excellent wafli for 

 " all old obftinate ulcers." Let any patient 

 reader draw an imaginary parallel between the 

 almoft inexpreffible irritability of this delicate 

 ftrufture and the callous furface of an ^'obftinate 

 ** ulcer;" he will then, no doubt, form a 

 proper judgment to decide upon the confiftency 

 of the practice. With a wonderful variety of 

 alternatives, prefcribed in all poffible forms, 

 we are direfted by Bartlet '* to take off the 

 *' film, by blowing into the eye equal parts of 

 ** white vitriol and fugarcandy finely pow~ 

 ** dered." And Bracken moil: judicioufly 

 recommends '* glafs finely powdered, mixe4 

 ^' up with honey and a little frefh butter." 



h. number of fimilar inflances might be in- 

 troduced, fi-om different authors, to juftify the 

 pbfervations already made upon a practice i^^ 

 ftrange in its original adoption, and fo infa- 

 mous in its efted; : I fl;all however draw the 

 attention only to a few remarks, firil upon the 

 prefcription of Gibson, whofe compofition 



mud 



