( 120 ) 
may be made a fuitable Rafis for the moft 
aperient, ablorbing, attenuating, moiften- 
ing, cooling, inciding, and diluting medi- 
cinal Decodtions. It is a vulgar Miftake to 
think, that fuch Decodtions prefently fer- 
ment and four j herein they have only the 
common Fate of moft other Decodtions 
now in Ufe, wherein the Force of Ingre- 
dients is fo inconfiderable, as if the Com- 
pounder was afraid they ftiould anfwer any 
valuable Intention ; but when we would 
have them anfwer any good Purpofes, they 
fhould be loaded with the Ingredients dried, 
before they be boiled, that they may keep 
fome confiderable time. I have frequently 
ordered Decodtions in Whey, which have 
kept fome Months without the leaft Pre- 
judice, but rather to their Advantage ; for 
they have not only anfwered the Intent of 
a Medicine, but drank like generous Wine, 
and revive the languid Spirits. 
Neither is Milk ufeful taken inwardly 
only, but it anfwers a great many external 
Purpofes, as in nephritic Pains, colical Dif- 
orders from bilious Salts, indurated Fasces, 
Pains of the Colon, Rectum, or Anus, Fla- 
tulency in the great Guts, &c. Warm Glyf- 
ters given of it do great Service ; a Wafh 
of 
