OR CONTRACTED SINEWS. 579 



ftrength and full health. Neverthelefs, relaxa- 

 tion is an idea of the old fchool, now exploded, 

 and ridiculed by an Irilh do6lor of high repute, 

 who cures debility with the warm bath ! See 

 Medical Journal. Another eminent Brunoinan 

 ftrongly recommends heat, as the grand fpecific 

 in the cure of fever, with the potential aid of 

 the warmeii: ftimulant medicines ; and above all 

 things, the moll falutary ftimulus of thundering 

 rat-tats at the door, to relieve the torpor of the 

 patient! for it feems, tying up the knocker is 

 an old-fafhioned and improper pra61ice. Thefe, 

 however, are trifling new difcoveries, compared 

 with what we find in the American Philofophi- 

 cal Tranfaftions, where the celebrated Dr. Rufli 

 makes the black colour of the negroes a difeafe, 

 and curable by medical art ! The faculty have 

 written much of late about quacks : I would 

 beo- to know where greater quacks could poffi- 

 bly be found, than have ever exifled in their 

 own body ? — a profelRon yet, which has, and 

 does contain, fome of the moR learned, mod 

 enlightened, and moft liberal of the human race. 

 The writings of fuch have been my inftru6lors, 

 and my folace throughout life ; neverthelefs, as 

 far as my very limited knowledge and experi- 

 ence extends, I cannot withhold my affent from 

 the pofirion of the learned and fagacious Bata- 

 vian Dr. Ontyd, in his Influence of Chemiftry 

 on the Operations of Animal Bodies, that " the 

 majority of the numerous new theories, and 



p P 2 new 



