425 
the ufe and recommendation of emetic me- 
dicines. 
The a he opinion of that part of the 
EP ofeffion which has turned its attention 
to the treatment of the cafés in queftion, 
¥s in disfayour of their ufe, and, on ac- 
count of the debilitating HfeSts whieh 
they iometimes feet I incline to the 
epinion of Dr. Fothergill, that they ‘ ill 
fuit with the intern stion of reftoring. ani- 
reation.’” 
Mr. B. fays, that * ££ we.confider the 
general fhock which emetics give to the 
fyfiem, and the great probability there is 
of immediately ftimulating the heart, by 
the difengogentent of oxygen ga s in the fie- 
gach, (fappofing, no ae that the 
emetic ufed contains oxygenous matter in 
folution) I think we are rully warranted 
m having recourle to fich powerful aids.” 
Thefe appear to be his obvicus. reafons, | 
and on thele grounds he refts his opinion 
ef the expediency of the ufe of emetics, 
Now, as the primary effects of emetics 
are well known to be {0 extremely debili- 
tating, as confiderably to weaken the 
energy ot the heart and arterics, and even 
fometimes to. induce a ftate of fyncope ; 
and if their ufe be attended with oe 
alarming conlequences to thofe who hay 
not fuffered any previous diminuition of 
vital energy, furely the hopes of deriving 
advantage from their ufe.in cafes of fuf- 
ended animation mult be {mall indeed, 
particularly, where the la& trembling ~ 
fpark of life; if not already gone, 1s about 
to be quickly extinguifhed. It appears 
ta me, then, that the firft effect of ay. 
emetic would be that of defiroying the 
dmall remains of life exifting, fo that the 
action of vomiting, which would preduce 
the fhock, on which Mr... fo much 
depends, would not take place. But his 
fheet anchor, on which he refs his hope 
of fuceefs, is the ftimulating effects af 
the difengaged oxygen gas on the heart 
Even fuppofing the preience of this extra- 
ordinary agent in the flomach, it is. dif- 
Zcult to conceive how it could produce 
zach an elfe€t on the heart as pe gen- 
tleman with fo muca facility imagin 
But Sir, before we reafon on Sai a 
probable effecis of an agent may be, fup- 
pole we take the liberty of c2 lling in 
aes on its prefence; or at leak make 
the enquiry how oxygen bas is to be dif- 
sharged in the ftomach? As fo much is 
to be effected by this (5s it wall be. a 
ai 2Ctory piece of information to know 
y what chemical ; procels in the ftomach, 
Le difengagement of it is to be effected. 
As your ” correfpondent is engaged ig 
Buf if Fi Free Mafonry. 
[Dee. 
a feries of experiments connie with this ” 
fubject, it is probable he may be enabled 
to throw more light on it in good time*. 
Tam your's, Gc. Geer NM. 
Brijidl, Nov. 9, 1798. 
ee 
he Editor of the Moptht a Mazasine. 
Gk 
a WA ITH your. leave,- I will here re- _ 
YY fume the fubject of the abuies of 
Free Mafonry, which is a iubject, indeed, 
more fertile, than either pleafant or ufeful, 
There is, however, {ome curiofity in it; 
and, theretore, my lucubrations thereon 
will be amufng to fome of your readers. 
- While almoft all other focieties have 
been rationally improved in’ their princi- 
ples, the innovations which have got inte 
chee have abfolutely difgraced the order 
by their ablurdity and their childifhnels. 
As a proof of this, £ thall now prefent 
you with a faithful account of one of the 
new degrees in Free Mafonry, and which 
has not, I believe, been noticed by any > 
writer on that fubjeét. 
The brotkers of this inflitetion are diy 
Ringuifhed by the high-ieunding appella- 
tions of « The Fraternity of the Koyal 
Ark Mariners, Mark, Mark-Mafter, 
Eie&ted of Nine, Unknown, Fitteen, Ar- 
chitect, Excellent, and Super: Excellent 
Malons,’” &c, &c, 
You muf ebferve, that they profefs 
themfelves to be followers of Noah (and 
in ONE refpect they doubtlefs are fo. Vide 
Genefis ix. 21.); therefore they call them- 
felves Noachide, or £ons of Noah, Hence 
their prefident, who at prefent is Thomag _ 
Boothby Parkyns Lord Ranchiffe, is dig- 
nified with the venerable title of GRAND 
Noau, and the lodge where they aflemble 
is called the Royal Ark Vefes, 
Thefe brother mariners wear in lodge 
time 2 broad fafh ribbon, reprefenting 
arain-bow, with an apron fanciiully em- 
bellithed with an ark, dove, &c. 
Among other rules of this feciety, one 
ise“ ‘Phat no’ brother fhall be admitted 
to enter as a mariner on board a Royal 
Ark Vefiel, for any lefs fum than tex 
fillings and if fxpence for his entrance; of 
which fum tye fhallings and fixpence {hall 
be paid to the Grand and Royal Ark 
Vellul for his regiltry, and the refidue be 

* We have thought it right to infert this 
letter, as a ftatement of an opinion oppofite 
to that given in the former on “the fame fub- 
jes but w e by no means with to make our 
miicellany aie vehicle of a medical contro- 
very. |. Edit. 
: difpofed ; 
