iv THE VALUE OF MINERAL WATERS 37 



mineral waters, and his letters abound in directions for 

 the use of those of Buxton, Bristol, Tilbury, or Scar- 

 borough. It seems that he was less fond of Bath, although 

 he considered it helpful in two types of gout. One of his 

 early but unfulfilled aims was an examination of all the 

 waters to be found near London, with experiments to 

 demonstrate their nature and kinds. He thought there 

 was a " slight calcareous stypticity " in the Bristol and 

 Buxton waters which was carried into the remotest parts 

 of the system. Here are his directions to a gouty patient 

 at Buxton : "If the pain goes quite off, go into the water 

 without fear. Do not stay long ; be at the expense of a 

 chair to bring thee back to thy lodgings, and get for a 

 quarter of an hour into a warm bed, not to sweat, but to 

 be thoroughly dry." During a short stay at Buxton in 

 1779, he was able to introduce important improvements 

 at the Spa, especially in the provision of private baths, 

 and in setting up a few baths capable of being warmed to 

 any temperature required. 



Fothergill used Antimony with some confidence. It may 

 be worth while, apropos of his part in the story, to recall the 

 history of this remedy. In the form of the black sulphide 

 (Stibnite) antimony was well known to the ancients, whose 

 fashionable women, including queen Jezebel, used it for 

 painting their eyelashes ; it was also famous as the basis of 

 colly ria for the eyes. It was not much given internally until 

 near the year 1600 when the Currus Triumphalis Antimonii of 

 Basil Valentine brought it into note. The author of this 

 mystical and rhapsodical treatise thunders in the holiest of 

 names against the ignorance of the doctors, proclaims antimony 

 as a remedy for all ills which can happen to the human body, 

 and calls upon those who aspire to knowledge to peruse his 

 writings, which will render his name immortal. He shows, how- 

 ever, some chemical acquirements, and describes the methods 

 of preparation of the salts of the metal. A hot controversy 

 arose at this time about antimony, whether, being branded 

 as a poison, it should be given as a remedy, and the literature 



from tartar (the crust deposited by wine), and describes the proper preparation 

 of Terra Foliata Tartari or Sal Diureticum (Potassium Acetate), which he 

 found useful as a mild cathartic. This drug attained much repute during his 

 period. Remarks on the Neutral Salts of Plants, etc., Med. Essays, v. 147 ; 

 Works, i. 241 ; Colborne, Eng. Dispensatory, 1753, pp. 137-139 ; MSS. 

 Alston, p, 57. 



