Volume 1

An address to the publick: containing narratives of the effects of certain chemical remedies in most diseases. Particularly exemplified in the histories of various cases, both medical and chirurgical; attested by the patients themselves, or by their friends ... To which is prefixed, a preface, giving an account of the uses and operations of these particular remedies ... / By Cromwell Mortimer, M.D.

  • Mortimer, Cromwell, -1752.
Date:
1745
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An address to the publick: containing narratives of the effects of certain chemical remedies in most diseases. Particularly exemplified in the histories of various cases, both medical and chirurgical; attested by the patients themselves, or by their friends ... To which is prefixed, a preface, giving an account of the uses and operations of these particular remedies ... / By Cromwell Mortimer, M.D. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    iuppofed a Perfon lliall have taken. This EfFedl of Cam- fhire being an Anti-opiate, has been confirmed to me, as known in the Eafl-Indies, by the ingenious Mr. Reed, who introduced among us the Cinnabar and Musk Medicine from China. for the Bite of Mad Dogs, &e. I am allured, by a Gentleman of great Experience, that he has corrected Gamboge, by adding to it double its Weight of Nin e; and that then it becomes a very fafe Purgative in Drop- fical Cafes. A refrigerating Founder, vvhofe good Effects 1 have often experienced in ardent Fevers j which is only Nitre four Parts, white crude Tartar bom Hhenijh Wine one Part, powder’d, and mix’d with Powder of Chalk, and Sugar candy. The Tar¬ tar makes the Nitre fit better on the Stomach ; and, being crude, the earthy Part of it and the Chalk prevent its Purging as the Cryflals do. Viper-oil is an excellent Ophthalmick in Dryness of the Eyes, and flight Inflammations of them, where the Tears are deficient: It is likewife of great Ufe in cutaneous Inflammations, fuch as St. Antony's Fire3 &c. (a). (a) I was, many Years ago, informed by a curious Perfon, of thefe Virtues of Viper-oil, prepared in the fame Manner as the Oil of Eeh j and have always kept fume by me, in order to have ufed it in Cafes, where I ihould find the Eye-water above-mentioned, to fail ; but, in Fadt, I have found that Water fo very fuc- cefsful, that I have never had Occafion to ufe the Viper-oil. I was pleafed, afterwards, to find this Hint confirmed in the Literary Memoirs of Germany, printed at London, 174a. A,to. p. 456. where is ihe Tranflation of a Paper of Dr. Geo. Wolfg. Wcdelius, taken from the M’.fcellanea Curiof. 1671. Qbf. cxxv. p' zo6. who, befides the fimple Oil of Vipers, made ufe of Viper's Gall ahd Sugar for an Ophthalmick ; as he fays Scultetus did the Gall of the Pike (Fiih). We likewile read of the Gall of a Fijh being good to take away Wbitenefs in the Eyes, in the Hiftory of To bit, chap, vi, %>er» 8. who recovered his Sight thereby, chap. xi. ver. n, 12, 13. The great Efficacy of Viper-oil, or Fat, is farther confirmed by Sir Hans Sloane ; who, a few Days ago, publiffi’d an Account of his celebrated and moft fuccefsful Remedy for fore Eyes ; of which I have been a Witnefs in a great Number of Cafes ; having had the Opportunity of feeing his Pra&ice with this Ointment in all the Varieties of Cafes, in which he ufed to apply it, for above twelve Years together I am told likewife, that the Indians in Virginia, See. make ufe of the Fat cf the Rattle-fnake in the fame manner; and that they alfo make an Ophibalmick of its Gall, by mixing it up with a cretaceous Earth into a Paft#, which they dry in the Sun, then pulverize it, and make it into a Liniment with fome of the Fat of the fame Serpent. Dr. Ludsrvicus, in his Pharmacia moderno Seculo applicanda, in his Works at Francf. 1712. 4ft?. p, 134. recommends the Oil of Vipers likewife in deep Wounds of the Eyes. 5