MEDICINES. 465 



would be greatly improved by altering the proportions to four 

 grains of blue pill ; four grains of colocynth ; with one drop of oil 

 of carraways ; and adding one grain of ipecacuanha^ These to be 

 taken, in two pills, at bed- time.) 



The foregoing prescription was given me, for this 

 work, by a medical gentleman, on his retiring from 

 business ; and it beats all the anti-bilious nostrums I 

 have ever used. So, giving him thanks, and all the 

 credit of it, I may now say " take my pill read my 

 book" and without the 3s. 6d. a syllable for this 

 advice. 



(No one prepares colocynth, or makes these pills, 

 better than Briggs, 48, Wigmore Street.) 



On my naming the foregoing recipe to Sir , one 



of the first medical gentlemen of the age (but who might 

 not like to have his name published, with & prescrip- 

 tion, on a frivolous occasion like this), he kindly said 

 that, as he had a great objection to all mercurial pre- 

 parations, where they could possibly be avoided, he 

 would present me, for this edition, with a " sportsman's 

 pill ;" or, in other words, as he observed, 



"An opening pill, without mercury; and which maybe taken as 

 often as is needful, without offence to the stomach" viz. " 30 grains 

 of Aloes ; 30 grains of Scammony, and a sufficient quantity of Ve- 

 nice Turpentine to make fifteen pills" 



" One taken at bed-time generally acts on the morning following, 

 without disturbing the sleep. If one pill is not enough, two may 

 be taken, for a while ; but the effect usually improves by use, con- 

 trary to other cathartics." 



This remedy I give, just received, and as yet, un- 

 tried ; because it comes from such good authority ; and, 

 if it surpasses the preceding one, it must be good in- 

 deed ! 



H H 



