f 



97 



Mr. Ray to Dr. Lifter. 



Middkton, JunezS. 1671« 



Z)^r honoured Friend, 



FOR my part, I am, N God be thanked, in good 

 Health. The. Jaundice, which feized me here 

 this Spring, by llicking to one Medicine for 4 or f 

 Days (that was anlnfufion of Stone-horfe Dung with 

 Saffron ia Ale) I got pretty well rid of before I be- 

 gan my Journey as I think I formerly acquainted 

 you. I believe any other Medicine^ (of which for 

 that Difeafe there are good Store) if I had been con- 

 ftant to the Ufe of it for fpme time, would have 

 Wrought the fame Effe£t. One thing I cannot but 

 wonder at in that Difeafe, that many aftringent 

 Things, as Plantain-Water, &c fhould be good for 

 it. 1 am glad that you have been prevailed with to 

 communicate your Observations and Difcoveries to 

 the Publick. I remember you formerly acquainted 

 me by Letter, that you had found out an Infed which 

 yielded i Purple Tincture j But I did ric5t then fufpe£l 

 it to be any thing a- kin to the Kermes kind. I have 

 not yet found thofe Membranous Husks you men- 

 tion flicking to Rofe-tree Ty/ig$ • indeed I havener 

 Searched for them. I had thought that the Kermes- 

 berry had been a Blifter of the Bark of the Oak, and 

 not a thing merely contiguous, or adhering, as a Pa* 

 tella to a Rock. . I am fure the Matrices of rnmy In- 

 fers bred on the Leaves and Branches of Trees are 

 Excrefcences of the Plant it felfj, howbeit I will 

 not fay but that they might be firft caufed or jailed 

 by the Mother Infeft wounding the Bark or Leaf^ 

 cither by Pun&ure, or diftilling thereon fame viru- 

 lent Juice. Mr, Oldenburgh hath written to me for 



