( H^) 
ulcefate it, fome produce fvvellings, puftules and itching ^ 
but all thefe produce the evil only where they touch, and 
fpread not their invifible venom over other parts of the 
Body. In fine, I know not the example of one thing, 
v/hich either only toucht v/ith the hand, or infinuating. 
itfelf by its fume or vapour into our body, is able to pro- 
duce over almoft all the skin of the body, inflatnations, 
fvvellings, itching and Puftules, as if the whole body ivere 
ftung with an infinite number of Wafps or Gadbees, for 
fuch e^^aftly are the efFech caufed by this Varnifh. 
This great difference between this and all things elfe 
that we kne w, and the Ingredients ot|which it is made, 
being ablolu:ely unknown, renders it impoffible to pene- 
trate the caufe of the above-named efFefts. Yet whoever 
would give fome fatisfadion to the mind, by propofing 
fome probable thought, may fay that this VamiQi con- 
tains fbrae matter, which when hot fends into our Body 
a very fhbtile thin Vapour, which affefts only the skin, 
leaving the other parts of the body untoucht 5 after the 
fame manner, Cantharides, not only taken inwardly, but 
alfo outwardly applied to our Bodies, communicates a ve* 
nemous quahty of a particular nature, affefting only the 
Kidneys, Bladder and Urinary paffages, caufing there fen- 
fible pains and excoriations, not in the leaft touching the 
other Vifcera- Some Ph} ficians of Repute are of opinion, 
that iris particular difagrecment of Cantharides with the 
Urinary Dufrs, comes Iroiti the Salt and Nitre contained 
in the Urine, which gives life and vigour to the Poyfon 
of the Cantharides, without which S^lt the Poyfonons 
quality of the Cantharides could have no power. So alter 
the lame manner it may befaid that the noxious fumes of 
the Viarnifn becomes hurtful to the Skin, becaufe it mixes 
there with fome juice it m^eets with in the Skin itfelf^ efpe- 
cially in the miliary glands, whereof the whole Skin is 
full This thought is but an imagination, without any 
certain bafis, but in matters of this difficulty we may well 
bring 
