242 FEVERS, 



matter a farther inveftigation. For inftance, he 

 urges the adminiflration of it to attenuate and 

 thin the denfe fizy blood, during the effed of 

 inflammatory fevers ; this property of attenua- 

 tion being allowed, what muft be the natural 

 conclufion or confequence of giving fuch large 

 quantities *' as three or four ounces three times a 

 " dayV Why, tv try prof e/Jmjal majt^ knowing 

 the mode by which it 7nuft inevitably affed the 

 fyftem of circulation, would naturally expedt 

 it to diflblve the very cralTamentum of the blood, 

 and reduce it to an abfolute ferum or aqueous 

 vapour. 



That nitre has its peculiar good qualities 

 and falutary effeds, when prudently adminifter- 

 cd, no rational praditioner will ever deny \ but 

 the variety of experiments repeatedly made 

 upon its efficacy, by the mod eminent profeffors 

 fince the practice of Gibson, Bracken, and 

 Bartlet, has undoubtedly deprived it of a 

 confderable portion oi lis former eflimation, and 

 it is now reduced to that rank of merit only 

 experimentally found to fall to its fhare. Tak- 

 ing it therefore with the properties it is pof- 

 feffed of and entitled to, not looking up to it 

 as the grand arcanum of infallibility or medical 



idolization. 



