( 1^7 ) 
Ounces of Cantharijes^ there were only two Ounces 
and five Drams left as a Caput mortuum in the Retort : 
When the Liquor came to be purified, the fmalleft heat 
brought it over (uddainly , OyU Salt, and Spirit • fo 
that they could not be parted till, by a repeated Ope- 
ration, with Brick-dufl:, \ mix'd the Spirit with Salt 
of Wormwood^ Spirit of Harts horn, and Sal Arrrtoniack ; 
but it did not Ferment, contrary to the Expedation of 
moft Authors : Then I turo'd it over upon Spirit of 
Vitriol^ where it did Ferment very flrongly^ and yet het-^ 
ter with Spirit of Nitre ; with which alio I did mix the 
Spirits of Sal Armoniack ^nA^.mhoxn\ but they nei- 
ther fermented fo long^ nor with fo great an ehuliition ; 
from whence it is evident, that it is not only alkaline, 
but a great deal more than any one of thefe I have now 
mentioned. 
Since I began this Enquiry^ ! met with a Book cal- 
led, ACompleat Courfe of Chimiflry, in which the Au- 
thor fuppofes that the Parts of Cantharides are very 
fix'd and very Corrofive and to try what that Animal 
gives, he mh^sSpirit of fVine and Nitre : a very flrange 
way to try the Qualities of any fimple ; andmakesa. 
Conclufion which my mentioned Experiments prove to 
be very falfe, and very unnatural. But he had an end 
to (irve, and would put upon the World a very unfafe. 
Medicine. . - ^ 
Yet, fince he has brought us on that SubjecS:, and we 
are now among Cantharides ; Creatures that have fet 
all the Phyfick m this Town in a Comh/iidn, ox Fernfent- 
( to ufe the univerfal and common word) to leave the 
thing quite uotoucht , would be to acquiefce in a grea* 
ter indifferency than really there is • and yet you (ee thar 
it is not dire&ly to- my purpofe : and therefore to take 
juft meafures and oblige both ; I fhall give fome hinrs^ 
and that only to (l^^te, the Cafe, - which is more than has- 
