charge from my legs would have drained off the humours and relieved me, but I experienced the reverse; for the greater my difcharge was, the more my complaints increased. In this ftate I was in the beginning of May (1761,) and as I had taken a great deal of purging phy-. fic, had tried various applications, and had gone through fuch other regimen as had been directed, and remained nevertheless in this lamentable condition, I defpaired of relief, and my life became almost infupportable. Under thefe circumftances, and believing myself to be in a great degree dropfical, I confulted Dr. Watson, who, after having weighed all the particulars, was of a contrary opinion, and directed me to lofe, twelve ounces of blood, and to take a cooling purge; he alfo preferibed that I fhould have my legs fomented every night and morning with a decoction of Hemlock for half an hour, and that a poultice made of the boiled herb, and beat up with oatmeal and lard, fhould be applied warm after each fomenting, from my knees to my ancles, and to be changed twice a day. I muft here obferve, that as other plants are much like, and had in other inftances been used for, Hemlock, the doctor was fo obliging as to examine the herb I made ufe of, not only to fatisfy himfelf of the identity of the herb, but likewife of its condition. I was alfo directed to abftain, for the prefent from animal food, and to drink plentifully of milk and water, and of any other diluting fluid. The fecond night after thefe applications I flept in bed, which I had not done for a great while; and though I was frequently waked by the itching of my body, as well as by the fmarting of my ulcers, I continued all night in bed. At the end of a week, during all which time I found myself growing eafier, my perfpiration in the night was reftored, which left me a confiderable time. My thighs, arms, and head changed their deep red colour for one lefs intenfe, and were quite reduced to their natural dimenfions. My itching was lefs, and my fkin peeled all over my body; my fpittle was lefs falt; my legs and feet continued in the fame degree of diftenfion, but were far lefs red and painful, and their difcharge was confiderably decreased. I could move the toes of one leg, but not of the other; the purge was repeated at intervals, and the fomentation and poultice continued. At the end of the fecond week, the fkin of my thighs, and the upper parts of my body, was of its natural zolour; my itching gone, and my fpittle was natural and tasteless. The fwelling of my legs and feet was much lefs, and I could move the toes of the other foot. I had likewise a much freer ufe of the joints of my ancles than I had had for a confiderable time. The dif charge from the large ulcers was lefs in quantity and well concocted, their callous lips were foftened, and of a good colour, and they gave me little or no pain. Befides, thefe ulcers filled up apace, and a vast number of the fmall ones were entirely healed. Under thefe happy appearances, the fomentation and poultice were chearfully continued, as they were before directed. Not to be too tedious in my recital, I must inform you, that at the 'end of a month, during which time I 2 the 1 the discharge became 'lefs and lefs, every ulcer in both my legs was entirely filled up and healed, their callous lips were diffolved, and, from the subfiding of their tumours, my legs were less than they had been for fome years. I was directed, therefore, to discontinue the fomentation, but as there were yet confiderable indurations in the lower parts of my legs, and upon my thin-bones, the poultice was continued. This I wore for a fortnight longer, or thereabouts, when all my ulcers being firmly cicatrized, and the indurations foftened, it was left off. Though my legs were quite well and reduced to their natural fize, the fkin of them, from being fo long diftended, was foft and flabby: I was therefore directed to wear strait stockings, which was accordingly complied with. I could now fet my feet flat upon the ground, which I had not done for four years, could move my ancles and toes as well as ever, and I could walk with as much eafe and freedom as ever I could in my life. I then was permitted to eat animal food, and to live as I was accuftomed to do. However, as I am of a corpulent habit, by way of precaution I was directed to drink occafionally fome fea-water, which I have hitherto continued. It is now three months fince 'I left off the poultice my legs continue perfectly well, not fo much as a pimple has appeared upon them this autumn, and I never was in better health in my life: attributed these falutary effects; as poffibly every one of them might, in fome degree, have confpired thereto; but as, throughout the whole, except fome purges, of which I had taken numbers before, I ufed nothing but the fomentation and poultice of Hemlock, as beforementioned, I cannot but attribute my cure principally to the vir tues of the Hemlock, which I think in my cafe were very remarkable; and, as far as one inftance will go, are a ftrong argument of its excellent effects. I pretend not to determine how far it has been useful in other cafes, and under other directions; and I cannot here fupprefs my gratitude to Dr. Watson, for his humanity and kind attention to me during the continuance of my illness. From my chambers, Yours, &c. New-Inn, Oct. 16. H, MITCHELL. Clufius calls it cicutaria major, vulgaris, hift. 2. p. 200. It is beft gathered, for making the extract, before the flowers are blown. The root is not used for this purpofe; but every other part of the plant. The expreffed juice is boiled, of ten ftirring it, in a glazed earthen veffel, with a flow fire, to the confiftence of an extract. It may be doubted however, whether apothecaries are not too follicitous about depurating this juice. For I would rather have it thick, and almost a pulpy extract. An extract may be prepared,' from a decoction of the dry herb; when it cannot be obtained from the fresh. But this is far less efficacious. I am extremely forry, that fome hundred pounds weight of the extract of Hemlock, prepared from the dry herb, unknown to me, were fent from Vienna into other countries; as the effect is neither fo great, nor fo quick, as that of the extract prepared from the juice fresh expreffed. This herb was fufpected of being poisonous by all apothecaries; and therefore, at first, they were not willing to prepare fo great a ftore of it as I defired. And when they faw the pills every where wanted, they were not able to procure the fresh herb." Amongst a variety of cafes, all tending to establish the reputation of this medicine, (though wherein it failed, the doctor has not been fo explicit) we shall select the 19th, as very extraordinary. "A man of the age of thirtyfour, had for fome years the glands of the neck fchirrous; and fo large, that the bigness of them on each fide, exceeded that of a man's head. This man made a monstrous appearance: as he seemed to have three heads. All their glands being conjoined in one mafs, cohered strongly. There were large tumours, alfo, in the arm-pits; which rendered the motion of the arm painful, and almost impoffible. In the fore part of the thorax, a fchirrous mafs extended itself from the neck, to the edge of the rib. There were, moreover, ichorous ulcers, which eroded these Schirrules. In other places, where there were divifions in the fkin, foul cancerous fungufes were produced. Befides, innumerable finuses, and fiftulas were discovered. A most violent cough harraffed the patient: nocturnal fweats wafted away his flesh, and ftrength: his refpiration was difficult: his appetite proftrate and his feet. arms, face, and whole body, puffed up with an oedematous fwelling. There were, indeed, evident figns of a true confumption. Several phyficians endeavoured to conquer this illness, by the most penetrating remedies, as well vege table as mineral, but their attempts were in vain: or, rather, the patient grew worfe for them. I made this man, who was almost wafted away; panting for breath; and fwelled all over; be carried to my hospital. Mr. Haffner, though he had often feen many very dangerously ill, cured by the fole ufe of Hemlock, yet gave up all hopes in this case. I myself, to confefs the truth, thought the man was loft; for a confuming fever, nocturnal fweats, a continual fatiguing cough, the I 3 ftrength ftrength almost exhaufted, the fwel ling of the whole body, a cachexy of the humours, and troublesome refpiration, prefaged almoft certain death. However, I defired Mr. Haffner to apply externally the hemlock fomentation, and to wash the finujes and fiftulas feveral times a day, with a weak infufion of it; a little honey of rofes being added. At the fame time, I prefcribed medicines which might promote expectoration; and, at the fame time, increase the strength. By the fomentation alone, the ul.ers were brought to be much cleaner; and the tumours were foftened. In the space of twelve days, the patient had fomewhat more strength; a freer refpiration, and quieter nights. I therefore adminiftered the hemlock internally, alfo. For the common drink, I gave the decoction of barley, with a fourth part of milk mixed with it. By the ufe of the hemlock, a copious fpitting was obtained: and in the space of about four days, the whole body was lefs fwelled; the urine was plentifully made; the evening fever and nocturnal fweats, were diminished; the indurations of the neck, ulcers, fiftulas, and finu fes, were all in a far better ftate; and the patient could bear to get out of bed. We were greatly pleafed with the quick effect of this remedy, in fo defperate a subject: and it encouraged us to proceed chearfully in the application, as well of internal as external remedies. Within the space of a month from the time the patient first took the hemlock, the colour of his face was natural: the appetite was good: the evening fever was gone: the fweats were no longer perceived: the ftrength was nearly as it ought to be the tumours of the neck were much lefs, and fofter: and the pus was very laudable in the ulcers. Dr. Collins, together with myself, had the care of this patient. Mr. Haffner continued diligently his fomentations and injections in the day time; and, at night, applied the hemlock plafter. In the space of fix months, the tumours of the neck were leís by almoft one half; and the patient could bend his neck every way, without trouble. The refpiration was free: no cough remained; and the patient grew fat, and ftrong. We now gave, daily, a whole dram of the extract of hemlock. In the beginning of the third month, the patient took a dram and a half of the extract of hemlock every day. We continued this dofe for three months and, in that time, all the tumours were dispersed; the whole of the ulcers were covered with a cicatrix: the finuses, and fifiulas, coalefced: and the whole neck returned to its natural ftate. The man was chearful, fat, and ftrong; nor did we ever perceive the leaft inconvenience from this dofe. A cure was, therefore, performed, by the help of hemlock, which nobody before could hope from it." In his 4th chapter, Dr. Storke gives fome corollaries, viz. 1. That the hemlock does not diffolve the blood into a putrid liquamen. 2. That it does not caufe confumptions. 3. That it does not caufe a dimnels of fight. 4. That it does not take away the power of generation. He alfo alfo afferts, that it may. The Peruvian bark removes intermitting fevers and yet is not efficacious with all who have that dif eafe are there not many to whom it 10. I have related many cafes, in is even injurious? which hemlock is proper: but I do not, nevertheless, infift, that it should always be confided in alone. Other medicines ought, on fome occafions, to be joined to it. It is requifite, that a phyfician judiciously follow thofe proper intentions of cure, which arife from the particular state of the cafe. The furgeon fhould externally change, add and take away; as reafon, founded on experience, directs. Many misunderstood my opinion. of hemlock, from my firft effay; as they thought, that I had offered a remedy, which I believed to be univerfal, and fufficient, when given a lone, in all cafes. But I by no means meant fő. I affirmed only, that the hemlock performed fuch things, which other remedies, in high reputation, could not. It cures cancers, That, convinced by a great number of inftances, I was certain of. But I do not, nevertheles, affert that it will cure every cancer. Nor do I affert, that the whole is to be rested only on the fole ufe of hemlock. If out of a hundred patients, whom other physicians have difmiffed, and declared to be incurable, I give relief to, or cure one, it fuffices me; but the number of thofe, who may be cured, is much greater. Mercury cures the venereal difeafe. But is it always found to have good effects? Does it always cure? How many thousands are there not cured, but deftroyed by this disease? Muft fuch medicines, therefore, be held as noxious or useless? Skilful phyficians judge the fame of other remedies called fpecifick. If there be fome, who from any idiofynerafia, or from a complication of fymptoms, cannot bear the hemlock, let them avoid the use of it. If the fymptoms, conjoined with the difeafe, require any other remedy, why fhould not that be adminiftered alone with the hemlock? Purges are often neceffary. Bleeding is likewife very requifite. Hæmorrhages fhould not, however, be ftopt by that means, in plethorick patients: for to fuch patients, they are of much greater benefit, than bleeding by venæfection. But in fuch as are weak, they are quickly, and in the beft manner, ftopt by the agarick of the oak. The agarick should, nevertheless, be only applied to that place where the effufion of blood is made. For if it be put over the whole ulcer, it is injurious to the wound; and often fatal. Sometimes, befides the hemlock, antiphlogisticks, and refrigerants, are indicated. This happens often in the gout and rheumatism. Externally, fometimes emollients, fometimes digeftives, and fometimes aftringents, are required. Sometimes a paffage ought to be opened to the matter, by means of the knife; as I have frequently obferved in the fpina ventofa |