ART. II. 2. i. 10. INCITANT1A. 33 



fpirit is daily feen and lamented by phyficians ; not only early 

 debility, like premature age, but a dreadful catalogue of difeafes 

 is induced by this kind of intemperance ; as dropfy, gout, lep- 

 rofy, epilepfy, infanity, as defcribed in Botanic Garden, Part II. 

 Canto III line 357. The (tronger or lefs diluted the fpirit is 

 taken, the fooner it feems to deflroy, as in dram-drinkers ; but 

 (till fooner, when kernels of apricots, or bitter almonds, or lau- 

 rel-leaf, are infufed in the fpirit, which is termed ratifia ; as 

 then two poifons are fwallowed at the fame time. And vine- 

 gar, as it contains much vinous fpirit, is probably a noxious part 

 of our diet. And the diftilled vinegar, which is commonly fold 

 in the (hops, is truly poifonous, as it is generally diitilled by 

 means of a pewter or leaden alembic-head or worm-tube, and 

 abounds with lead j which any one may detect by mixing with 

 it a folution of liver of fulphur. Opium, when taken as a lux- 

 ury, not as a medicine, is as pernicious as alcohol ; as Baron 

 de Tott relates in his account of the opium-eaters in Turkey. 



10. It muit be obferved, that a frequent repetition of the ufe 

 of thisclafs of medicines fo habituates the body to their ftimu- 

 lus, that their dofe may gradually be increafed to an aftonifhing 

 quantity, fuch as otherwife would inltantly deftroy life , as is 

 frequently feen in thofe, who accuftom themfelves to the daily 

 ufe of alcohol and opium ; and it would feem, that thefe unfor- 

 tunate people become difeafed as foon as they omit their ufual 

 potations -, and that the confequent gout, dropfy, palfy, or pim- 

 pled face, occur from the debility occafioned from the want of 

 accuftomed ftimulus, or to fome change in the contra^Hle fi- 

 bres, which requires the continuance or increafe of it. Whence 

 the cautions neceflary to be obferved are mentioned in Sect. 

 XII. 7 8. 



11. It is probable, that fome of the articles in the fubfequent 

 catalogue do not induce intoxication, though they have been 

 efteemed to do fo ; as tobacco, hemlock, nux vomica, ftavifa<- 

 gria ; and on this account (hould rather belong to other arrange- 

 ments, as to the fecernentia, or forbentia, or invertentia. 



II. i. Externally the application of heat, as the warmth bath, 

 by its ftimulus on the fkin excites the excretory duds of the 

 perfpirative glands,and the mouths of the lymphatics, which o- 

 pen on its furface, into greater action ; and in confequence many 

 other irritative motions, which are aflbciated with them. To 

 this increafed action is added pleafurable fenfation, which a4ds 

 further aHvity to the fyftem j and thus many kinds of pain re- 

 ceive relief from this additional atmofphere of heat. 



The ufe of a warm bath of about 96 or 98 degrees of heat, 

 for half an hour once a day for three or four months, I have., 



VOL. I. P p p known 



