and giddinefs. On the fourth day in the morning, I found the eruptions coming out fo copiously, notwithstanding the endeavours I had used to prevent it, that they threatened the utmost danger, I was, therefore, very cautious to keep him up in the day time, and advised the drinking of fmall-beer acidulated with Spirit of vitriol. He continued the use of these things to the fixth day, when, though he was not fick, but much refreshed by the fresh air, yet his belly was foluble between whiles; towards night he was obliged to go to bed, which is common in this case, and therefore, he continued therein, by my confent, during the whole courfe of the difeafe; the eruption being now over. Though the puftules were fewer than I have obferved in fome that have died of this difeafe, yet they were more numerous than they generally are in moft that recover. "And now I have given the reader," fays Sydenham, "my chief obfervations relating to the Smallpox; and though they may perhaps in this cenforious age, be efteemed of little moment, yet I have with great pains and care spent many years in examining them; nor had I now published them, if a defign of benefiting mankind had not induced me to it, even at the expence of my reputation, which I am sensible will fuffer on account of the novelty of the method." SECT. SECT. XLIII. OF THE TREATMENT OF THE INOCULATED SMALL-POX, THIS is divided into two parts, the preparation before, and the plan to be followed after, the appearance of the eruption. The immortal Boerhave conjectures that the highest advantage will hereafter be derived by finding out an antidote to the variolous as to other poifons. "Let us en"quire," fays he, with a fagacity almost prophetic, "whether in ANTIMONY and MER CURY, reduced to a state of CALX (an oxyd) "this prophylactic power does not exist *?” His commentator, Van Swieten, relates, that feveral physicians have profited of this hint, and the refult was, that not only few, but fometimes even no puftules whatever have appeared. A phyfician gave to his own child, who had all the fymptoms of the eruptive fever, a fufficient dofe of dulcified mercury (calomel) by which he purged and vomited, after which the flept quietly, nor did any eruption whatever appear, although her brother at the fame time, who was not fo treated, was a fight from the quantity of eruption. After which he gave the fame to eight Vide Aphorifm 1391 and 1392. others, others, and with this effect, that they had very few puftules*. Modern experience has fince fhewn, that if you mix the virus of Small-pox with muriate of Mercury, it is difarmed of its power of producing the difeafe. In 1750, Dr. Adam Thomson, upon the fuggeftion of the 1392 aphorism of Boerhaave, was led to prepare his patients by a compofition of antimony and mercury; which he employed with uninterrupted fuccefs for the space of twelve years. He relates that only one out of 700 died with this manner of preparation*. We find his plan more particularly noticed in the Pennfylvania Gazette, June 26, 1760. A CERTAIN WAY OF AVOIDING THE DAN- "The night before you inoculate, give a few grains of calomel, (oxyd of mercury) well levi gated, with a like quantity of diaphoretic antimony, (oxyd of antimony) unwashed, proportioning the quantity of calomel to the conftitu"tion of your patient; from four grains to ten "for a grown perfon, and from one to three for Van Swieten refers us to Mifcellan cunor. dec. 1. an. 3. page 13. for this history. + Vide A Difcourfe on the preparation of the body for the Small-pox, and the manner of receiving the infection, as it was delivered in the public hall of the Academy, "a child, "a child, to be made up into a bolus or fmall pill, with a little conferve of roses, or any com"mon fyrup. The next morning give a purge "of the pulvis cornachini, made with equal parts of diaphoretic antimony, fcammony, and cream of tartar. Repeat the bolus or pill "three times, that is, once every other night "after inoculation; and on the fifth day give a dofe of Boerhaave's Golden Sulphur of Antimony: "about four grains of it for a grown person, with "two or three grains of calomel, made into a "fmall pill, will operate both as a vomit and a purge at the fame time." ཅ " 66 "In the intermediate days, give two or three papers of the following powders, viz. diapho"retic antimony*, ten grains; fal prunelt, fix grains; and calomel, one grain, mixed together, "for a grown perfon; and about one fourth part "of a paper for a child. "These powders are to be continued until the " variolous or Small-pox fever is over; and while "the fever is high, let your patient drink a cup "of whey two or three times a day; the whey to "be made of cream of tartar instead of runnet, "and thofe that are of a full habit, fhould be "blooded once or twice within the first eight *White oxyd of antimony by nitre, according to the new nomenclature of chemistry. + Purified nitre. Acidulous tartrite of potafh. ❝ days, days, and muft abftain from all spirituous liquor, and from meat of all kinds, broth, falt, "and butter." The next publication which I fhall notice, is that of Dr. ANDREW, of Exeter, in 1765, entitled, "The practice of Inoculation impartially con 66 fidered; its fignal advantages fully proved; and "the popular objections against it confuted." In the practical part of this pamphlet the author ftrenuously contends for the ufe of mercurial purgatives and antimonials, as a neceffary preparation for inoculation. On this fubject he cites the following letter from Dr. HUXHAM, dated Plymouth, January 1765:-" So long ago as 1724, I fuggefted that mercurials, as well-prepared calomel, or the like, might be of ufe in the Small-pox. I fel"dom fail of giving a mercurial purge or two, previously to inoculation of a perfon for the Small-pox. Sometimes alfo I give my antimo“niated æthiops. He adds, the use of mercurials " and antimonials will more fully appear, as preparatory to inoculation, by what the ingenious Dr. Benjamin GALE, of Connecticut, in New England, has communicated to me in his " Differtation on the Inoculation of the Small-pox in America;" in which he fays, Before the use of mercury and antimony, in preparing perfons for inocula"tion, one of 100 of the inoculated died, but fince 66 According |