( ) 
ly have recourfe to the Omnipotent Aftringent, with- 
out any Succefs. Here is a real Want, an Inability 
and Unskilfulnefs in our Work, and leaves too much 
room for mifapplying Medicines. 
‘ But if weturnthefe Engines of Vomiting, Purging 
andBinding,uponthe other generalCaufe of aLoofenefs, 
they either fall very fliort, or like a little Water thrown 
upon a great Fire,theyrather inflame than extinguiih it. 
Hippocrates * indeed does not mention the fVatry 
Loofenefs faux. he fays many things that peculiarly con- 
cern it ^ which Foefius not underftanding, blamed him 
forObfcurity in this Place. c Pifo\ gives a very plain 
Defcription of this Loofenefs, and his Obfervation is 
admitted by every fucceeding Phyfician. 
The delperate State of the Watry Loofenefs was 
formerly mentioned from the Confeffion of Authors 
of the greatefl Knowledge and Veracity; and Phy- 
ficians fhall for ever find that Loofenefs to become 
more violent the more you prefs it with Aftringents, 
Vomits, or purging Medicines. The boafted Omni- 
potency of putting a Stop to a Loofenefs at Pleafiire, 
mufl ferve another ufe with the Sick, though it may 
not be able to put the defired Stop to his Purging. 
There is even a Singularity in the Cure of this 
Loofenefs which I think has not hitherto been ob-, 
ferved. In every other Kind of Loofenefs, the Stools 
acquire a Confiftence, when they begin to be cured; 
but in the Watry Loofenefs, the Stools commonly let 
fe n in Quantity, though not in their Loofeneis. 
I fliould fay fomething of Opium , a Medicine of- 
. ten made ufe of for the Cure of every Kind of Loofe- 
nefs, 
* Coac.Prjenot. 134. Prxdid. 81. f Se&. IV. cap. 1. Obf. 54. 
