tadler than that cleanly animal) to the flea^ already 

 defcribed in the prefent work. 



The Loufe, in all ages enumerated amongft the 

 pefts of mankind, has been fometimes reprefented 

 as the mere punifliment of perfonal negligence, and 

 fometimes commemorated as one of the moft humi- 

 liating concomitants of degraded pride ; lince, ex- 

 clufive of the memorable and impreffive defcriptions 

 ^>n. this fubje<5t in the facred writings, we meet with 

 various examples of charaders of no fmall degree 

 of eminence who have fufFered from the attacks of 

 this odious infedl. The diforder, however, com- 

 monly termed phthiriafis, is probably more owing 

 to want of early attention during the firft flages of 

 its appearance, than to any real conftitutional caufe 

 in the patient ; it being entirely contrary to the na- 

 ture of this infed to get under the cuticle, as com- 

 monly fuppofed ; and utterly inconceivable that a 

 complaint merely external fhould be able to reiifl: 

 mercurial or other^preparations outwardly ufed; and 

 there can belittle doubt but that fuch cafes, when- 

 ever they occur, would be eiFedually removed by 

 a proper application of a dilute folution of mercury 

 fublimate. I muft even venture to exprefs my 

 doubts whether a real and gQuuine pbthmq^Sy (con- 

 fidered as a primary difeafe) has ever appeared. 

 Notwithftanding this, we are told by Pliny that 

 Pherecydes Sirius, Sylla the didlator, and others, 

 have died of this diforder. Quintus Serenus fpeaks 

 thus of the latter : 



" Sylla 



