C 672 ] 
the powder to be taken for feveral days together. Dr. 
Willis was particularly one of its patrons. He has 
given us ( 1 1 ) feveral forms for its exhibition, as that 
of the powder, a decodtion, and a fyrup from it. 
The prefent practice has quite exploded it, and 
very juftly perhaps, as in any degree fpecific in the 
above diforder. Neverthelefs, it feems to have fuftain- 
ed that character with as great a reputation, and per- 
haps with as good a title to it, as almoft any of the 
lpecifics of that age. It has been obferved before, on 
another occafion, that this tribe of mofles have in 
general an aftringent property j as fuch, the cup- 
mofies are confequently of a ftrengthening nature : 
it is no wonder, therefore, that they fhould be help- 
ful in this diforder, merely as corroborants. That they 
were ufeful in fome mealure can fcarcely be doubted ; 
and our very eminent Dr. Huxham (12), in treating 
upon this obftinate complaint, feems to allow this of 
the cup-mofs in preference to other idle lpecifics. 
Happily for us, the Peruvian bark fupplies a remedy 
of infinitely more ufe, where fuch analeptics are re- 
» 
Lifter, in fome ingenious obfervations of his, 
printed in the Philofophical Tranfadtions (13), touch- 
ing colours and dyes, obferves, that the fcarlet heads 
of thefe moftes, upon the affufion of lye, will ftrike 
a purple which will ftand. 
quired 
Dr. 
(11) Willis Pharm. Rational fe£t. I. cap. 6. de tujji puerorum 
convuljtva. 
(12) De Aere et Morbis epidemicis, p. 76, 77. vol. I. 
(13) Lowthorp’s Abridgment, vol. II. p. 660. 
4 
[4. Li- 
