October 15,1870.] THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
815 
To give an example or two of the style of the Author 
and his treatment of disease, we quote this, touching on 
Cholera. 
When Persons are inclinable to a Vomiting, Promo¬ 
tion is often necessary; and therefore in a Cholera Mor¬ 
bus , where there is an abundance of bilious and sharp 
Humours, there you may gently promote it by giving 
Chicken Broath or Whey or Barley-water; after you 
have diluted and washed well, give ’em Decoct. Alb. and 
attemperating Draughts with Laudanum in ’em till the 
Vomiting ceases. I speak upon a supposal that you are 
called early in ; because if the Vomiting has continued 
so long as to have exhausted the spirits, nothing remains 
to be done save the giving of Opiates and Cordials.” 
The learned in treatment may decide how far this differs 
from modern usage. 
The following for an Enema may in some degree sur¬ 
prise dispensers accustomed to the extreme simplicity, 
simple sometimes to a fault, of modern prescribers. 
Take the decoction of Aromaticks, viz., Calamus Aro- 
maticus, Galangal, of each half an ounce; Leaves of 
Mint, Wormwood, Centaury Tops, of each two Pugils 
[handfuls]; Seeds of Caraways, Anise Seeds, and Carda¬ 
moms, of each half an ounce; mix with it Electuary 
Lenitive, and Epsom Salt, of each one ounce; Oil of 
Amber, half a dram; mix and make a Glyster, to be 
thrown in.” 
There are numerous eccentric forms similar to the 
above, and many others simple as those in general use 
at the present time. Some of the means prescribed would 
scarcely admit of being printed now, therefore we pass 
them over. Many of the observations are full of sound 
reasoning, and, deprived of peculiarities, might stand 
side by side with the writings of modern authors ; and 
with this we close our remarks on Dr. Radcliffe’s Phar¬ 
macopoeia Practica. 
Farther we need not quote; but we must reprint two 
articles—the first by Professor Wanklyn, and the second 
by Mr. Ince. 
The Hcrmetical Triumph , or. the Victorious Philosophical 
Stone. A Treatise more compleat and more intelligible 
than any yet Extant , concerning the Hermetical Magis- 
tery. Translated from the French. To which is added , 
The Ancient JVar of the Knights , being an Alchymistical 
Dialogue betwixt our Stone, Gold , and Mercury ; of the 
true Matter , of which those who have traced Nature do 
prepare the Philosopher's Stone. Translated from the 
German. London: Printed by F. Noble , at Otway's 
Head , St. Martin's Court , near Leicester Fields. 1740. 
Opposite the title page there is a very elaborate fron¬ 
tispiece. 
“The Ancient War of the Knights” was “composed 
originally in the German tongue by a very able Philo¬ 
sopher,” and is given in duplicate in this book. 
One English translation, which is to be found towards 
the end of the book, was made directly from the German. 
The other English translation was made from the French 
version, which itself had been made from a Latin trans¬ 
lation of the original German. As might be expected, 
the English direct from the original German is vigorous 
and terse, whilst the other is comparatively .weak and 
verbose. 
The “War” consists mainly of a discussion between 
the “Stone” and “Gold” as to their relative merits; 
the part taken by Mercury being very slight, and con¬ 
fined to a single expression of assent made to a remark 
made by Gold. 
A very curious passage, warning the reader against 
attributing the plain and literal sense to works of this 
kind may be quoted from the dialogue. “But when 
they name barely the name of Gold and Mercury, they 
do it to hide the Art from the senseless and the un¬ 
worthy, knowing very well that such only dwell upon 
Names and written processes, without meditating further 
upon the foundation of this Matter. But the Prudent 
and Diligent read with Prudence, and ponder how one 
squares with the other, out of which they get a Founda¬ 
tion ; finding thus by speculation, and from the Philoso¬ 
pher’s sentences, the true matter which no Philosopher 
ever named and described openly by its true Name.” 
That the writings of “true Philosophers” should be 
somewhat hard to understand, need therefore not occa¬ 
sion much astonishment. 
There is gold, such as we find it, and there is an ideal 
gold such as we never find it, and which never appears 
to be endowed with infinite perfections. With our 
modern ideas and modes of thought it is hard to bring 
our minds into a proper frame for the study of these old 
alchemical writings. 
J. A. Wanklyn. 
Primitive PhysicJc; or an Easy and Natural Method of 
curing Most Diseases. By John Wesley. Ilomo sum : 
humani nihil a me alienum puto. Bristol: Printed by 
William Pine, in Narrow Wine Street; and sold at the 
New Boom, in the Horse-Fair ; and at the Foundery, near 
Upper-Moor-Fields, London. 1762. 
This was the book that afforded so much amusement 
to Robert Southey, w r ho, with the most good-natured plea¬ 
santry, reviewed its contents. He recounts how the labori¬ 
ous evangelist, wearied with his efforts, retired to a friend’s 
house and applied a certain plaister, the healing merits, 
of which he subsequently described in terms of extreme 
laudation. Southey was inclined to think that cessation, 
from apostolic work, and needed rest, should have had 
their share of credit in the cure effected. 
The chief interest of the treatise lies in the preface, 
some passages of which have become household words ra¬ 
the community which the writer founded. Wesley first 
states that man before the fall was in perfect health; he 
was in harmony with nature—nature at peace with him. 
Then came sin, and disease followed in its train; but. 
great remedies are provided of which temperance and 
exercise are chief. Physick was at first traditional, the 
father handing down his observations to the son ; or else 
these stores of knowledge remained in the keeping of the 
elders. Further advance was made by what is termed 
accident: a man walking in a grove of pines finds out 
the use of the natural, exuded gum, just as in later times- 
the value of Peruvian bark was brought to light. Even¬ 
tually hypothesis dethroned experience, theories sprung 
up and the science of medicine was established. Phy¬ 
sicians were held in honour, and profit attended then- 
employ ; hence the wish to shroud their art in mystery, 
to talk splendid darkness about astrology and astronomy, 
and to keep the profane vulgar at a distance. “Yet 
there have not been wanting from time to time, some 
lovers of mankind who have endeavoured (even contrary 
to then own interest) to reduce Physick to its antient 
standard : [they have shewn] that every man of common 
sense (unless in some rare cases) may prescribe either to 
himself or his neighbour, and may be very secure from, 
doing harm, even where he can do no good. Even in 
the last age there was something of this kind done, par¬ 
ticularly by the great and good Dr. Sydenham.” 
“ Without any regard to this, without any concern 
about the obliging or disobliging any man living; a 
mean hand has made here some little attempt toward a 
plain and easy way of curing most diseases. I have only 
consulted herein experience, common sense, and the com¬ 
mon interest of mankind.” Such is the intention of the 
book. In its day it commanded a large sale, though it 
will scarcely bear the test of modern investigation. The 
author started with two inestimable blessings: a com¬ 
fortable appreciation of his own abilities, and thorough 
confidence in himself. It seems that full allowance being 
made, the perusal of the directions will create a feeling 
of disappointment. The following sentence has been 
often quoted. “ The Love of God, as it is the sovereign. 
