with many of the difeafes of this country. I wished to unite fome of the calces of mercury with the refinous matter of that fluid; for I imagined that I might difcover fome chemical affinity between thofe fubftances, and be able to fee by what means this metal is fo fingularly qualified for removing obftructions of the liver.

"I had collected, for experiment, a quantity of the refinous bafe of the bile of a buffalo, which I had feparated very carefully from its foda, and from the lymphatic matter with which it is united. I had put a dram or more of this fubftance into a veffel, to which I added about half of the fame weight of the red calx of mercury, with ten or twelve ounces of water. On heating the whole together, I was furprited to obferve, that the base of the bile became remarkably more foluble in the water. I cannot fay that I obferved the red colour of the calx in any great degree altered; but it is known to retain its brilliancy with different quantities of oxygene. I filtraced this bitter folution, which depofited the bafe of the bile, as the water evaporated in the ordinary heat of the atmosphere. I fhail at another time confider this fubject

with a little more attention.

"M. Fourcroy has obferved, that water diffolves a fmall portion of the base of the bile. In this experiment a confiderably larger quantity was taken up than water could have diffolved, which I attribute to the oxygenation of the refin by the pure air of the calx. I had fome reason to think, that obftructions of the liver do often confift of a depofition of the refin of the bile, which, I now began to fuppofe, might be rendered foluble in the animal fluids, by the pure air of the mercurial preparations that are given for the disease. I have feen

livers, on the diffection of the dead, of a pearl colour, and much enlarg ed, which I fuspect were compofed in a good measure of this retinous matter. I have even found it, from accurate trials, in a confiderable quantity, in the fubftance of a liver that was apparently without disease. Is the well-known effect of new grafs, in diffolving the biliary calcu1 of the gall-bladder, that cattle get in the winter-time, to be accounted for from the pure air of green and acefcent vegetables?

The

"It is acknowledged, that all the calces of mercury which are used in medicine, contain a quantity of pure air; but I know of no direct experiment having been hitherto made, to prove that the effect of mercury in difeafes of the liver, or in other maladies, depends on this principle, and not on the metal itself. experiments, that I had made on the base of the bile, inclined me to wifh to take myself a quantity of pure air, united to fome fubftance for which it has no great attraction. I reflected on the different ways that are employed by chemifts to oxygenate inanimate matter; for I believed that the fame chemical attractions would produce a fimilar effect in the living body, although they might be disturbed in their operation by the vitality of the machine, and the variety of the principles of which it is compofed.

The nitric acid, as may be fuppofed, was one of the first substances that occurred to me as fit for my purpofe; for it is known to contain about four parts of vital air, united to one of azote, with a certain proportion of water. Thefe principles can be feparated from each other by the intervention of many other bodies, as chemists find every day in their operations. I was led, befides, to give a preference to the nitric acid, from obferving, that it dif

folves

folves very completely the refinous bafe of the bile. I have fince found, that the celebrated M. Foureroy had made the fame obfervation before me.

"Before I began to take the nitric acid, I confulted all the accounts of it that I could procure, with a view of learning fomething of its effects on the human body. The refult of this inquiry was but little fatisfactory; for I only found that it had been given as a diuretic, in every infignificant quantities, or recommended in general terms, where the mineral acids are fuppofed to be useful. I did not think myfelf warranted to adminifter it to others from fech imperfect information; but I refolved to take it myfelf; and I thought I was particularly qualified to determine its effects, as I had reafon, for a long time before, to complain of my liver.

"In September 1793, I began to take the nitric acid. I mixed about a dram of the strongest that I could procure with a fufficient quantity of water; and I was happy to find, that I could finish that quantity in the courfe of a few hours, without any difagreeable effects from it. The following is the journal that I kept of myself at the time.

"1th September, 1ft day. Took at different times about a dram of ftrong nitric acid, diluted with water. Soon after drinking it, I feel a fenfe of warmth in my ftomach and cheft; but I find no difagree able fenfation from it, nor any other material effect.

"2d. I have taken to-day a confiderable quantity of acid, diluted with water, as much as I could eafily drink during the forenoon.

"3d. I have continued the acid. I feel my gums affected from it, and they are fomewhat red, and enlarged between the teeth. I flept ill;

but could lie for a length of time on my left fide, which, from fome difeale in my liver, had not been the rafe for many months before. I perceive a pain in the back of my head, refembling what I have commonly felt when taking mercury.

"4th. My gums are a little tender. I continue the acid as be fore. I ftill find a pain in my head, and about my jaws, like what arifes from mercury. I perceive no fymp toms of my liver-complaint.

"5th. I have taken the acid; and always feel an agreeable fenfe of heat after drinking it. I fpit more than usual.

"6th. I continue the acid. I obferve my mouth forer to-day, and fpit more.

7th. I think I am now fufficiently oxygenated. I feel my mouth fo troublefome, that I fhall take no more acid.

"From this time my mouth got gradually well, and I found my health confiderably improved.

"I now began to fuppofe, that Ţ had discovered a remedy for that chronic difeafe of the liver, which is fo much more common here than the acute hepatitis. I thought that it might in fome refpect be preferable to mercury, as it did not appear to produce the inconveniences that arife from the ufe of that metal. I have given it fince to a number of people, who had taken mercury for hepatic obftructions, without being effectually cured; and I have found it in many cafes produce the mott agreeable confequences. If it were proper on this occafion to be more particular in detailing the cafes in which I have adminiftered this remedy, I believe I could make it very probable that I have not been deceiving my felf. In the acute hepatitis, I have hardly employed it; for where the life of a perfon is in immediate danger, I have thought

it my duty to make ufe of remedies that are established.

"I have, with the best effect, oxygenated feveral people with the nitric acid, who were much reduced by tedious intermittents. That kind of fever is often connected with difeafed liver or fpleen. In confequence, I think, of this remedy, I have feen them recover their natural colour from a leaden or bilious hue, and regain their strength from a long-continued weaknefs. I believe, if given in a fufficient quantity, it would be very ufeful in the fever of this country, which has been called bilious, or nervous, or putrid, and for which mercury appears to be a fpecific.

"I have met with two inft nces only in this country, of diabetes. They were both natives, and in the decline of life. I cured them both by mercury, after many other remedies had been tried. One of thefe men had a relapfe of his disease, which I removed a fecond time with the nitric acid. I thought this a fatisfactory correfpondence in the effects of the two remedies. May they not both be useful in that disease?

"The great refemblance that I perceived in myself, between the effects of mercury and of the nitric acid, made me anxious to know if the acid would remove the various fymptoms of fyphilis. In September 1793, it was administered, at my defire, by my friend Mr. An derfon, furgeon of the 77th regiment, to a person who had a headach that came on every night, and which had long been fufpected to arife from lues. He had taken feveral courses of mercury on this account, which carried away all the uneafy fymptoms; but they as conftantly returned after a certain period. On pfing the acid for about a fortnight, he got perfectly free

from his head-ach, and he remained very well for a few months, as was ufual to him after mercury.

"I have now had a pretty extenfive experience of the good ef fects of the nitric acid in fyphilis; and I have reason to believe, that it is not in general lefs effectual than mercury in removing that difeafe in all its forms, and in every ftage of its continuance. I think that in fome cafes it has even fuperior pow ers; for I have fucceeded com pletely with the acid, when mercury, administered both in this coun try and in Europe for years together, had failed of fuccefs. We appear to be able to carry the degree of oxygenation of the body to a greater length by means of the nitric acid, and to continúe it longer than we can do by mercury.

"A mafs of mercury, in the cir culation, produces many difagreeable effects, that make it often neceffary to give over its ufe before it has anfwered its intention; but the nitric acid may be taken a long time without any material injury to the health; nor are its effects on the mouth; in producing inflammation, and a flow of faliva, fo difagreeable as from mercury.

"A man could hardly offer to his fpecies a greater bleffing than a new remedy against any of the host of difeafes that affail us; but the reputation of fpecifics, with the exception of a few inftances, has arifen only from the weakness of the human mind. Am I too deceiving myself, and attempting to lead others into error?

"As the acid that I diftil is not ftrong, and is of unequal strength at different times, Iam regulated chiefly by the tafte in giving it. I put half or three-fourths of a Madeira glafs-full of it in two pints of water, or I make two pints of water as acid as it can well be drunk. This quan

tity

tity is finished every twenty-four hours, taking about a Madeira glafs full only at a time.

"I have fometimes removed fyphilitic fymptoms with the acid in five days; more commonly, I think, they give way in a fortnight; but fometimes,though feldom,they continue for twenty days without any apparent relief. I must confefs, that in fome cafes I have failed altoge ther; but in thofe cafes mercury had long been given to hittle purpofe; the bones were highly difeafed, and the habit probably of a peculiar kind. I have cured fyphilis with the acid, under a variety of farms, where no other remedy had ever been employed, and for above two years I have feen no relapfe in thofe cafes. I have administered it against the primary fymptoms of the difeafe, and I have given it for exoftofes, for carious bones, for nocturnal pains,for eruptions and ulcers

of the skin, and for all the train of mitery that is attendant on lues. I have the pleature to fee, that feweral of my friends have begun to use the nitric acid in fyphilis, and in other difeafes. An account of their experience, which every body will esteem the moft refpectable authority, will make the fubject of a future paper.

"I hope this flight account will induce medical practitioners to try the effect of the nitric acid in fyphilis, a difeafe which, in this climate, is fo frequently the difgrace of their art.

Too often the miferable wretch is but worn down fooner by the very remedies that are called in for his relief.

"Quæfitæque nocent artes; ceffere
magiftri,
"Phyllides Chiron, Amythaenias,
que Melampus.
"VIRG. GIORG. M."

LETTER deferi

bing

"DR. Richard Pearfon, of Bir mingham, has tranfmitted to many of his friends the following circular letter, dated July 1, 1796, respecting a particular prac tice it phthifis pulmonalis, which, he thinks, he has employed with great benefit.

"Having, for the laft two years, prefcribed the vapour of vitriolic æther to patients labouring under phthifis pulmonalis, and having, both in hofpital and private practice, experienced the beft effects from its ufe in this frequent and formidable disease, I am preparing to

lay before the public a report of the cafes in which it has been given, accompanied with remarks on fome other remedies that may be employed with advantage in the cure of coufumptions. Being debrous, in the recommendation of a new medicine, to have my own evidence fupported by the concurrent teftimonies of other practitioners, I take the liberty of calling your attention to this fubject, and of fubmitting to your notice my method of using this application, which is fimply this: 1 direct the patient to pour one or two tea-spoonfuls of

pure

pure vitriolic æther, or of ather impregnated with cicuta in the manner hereafter defcribed, into a teacup or wine-glas, and afterwards to hold the fame up to the mouth, and draw in the vapour that arifes from it with the breath, until the æther is evaporated. This is repeated three, four, or five times in the courfe of the day, for a month or fix weeks, more or lefs according to circumstances. The first effects of this application are, an agreeable fenfation of coolness in the cheft, an abatement of the dyspnea and cough, and after ten minutes or a quarter of an hour, eafier expectoration. The ultimate effects, provided other proper measures be not neglected, for this is not to fuperfede the use of other medicines, but to be employed in conjunction with them, are, a removal of the local inflammation, a cleanfing and healing of the ulcerated lungs, and a fuppreffion of the hectic fever. To affert that all thefe beneficial confequences will flow from its application in every fpecies and degree of phthifis pulmonalis, would be adopting the language of quacks, and infulting the understanding of every one experienced in the profeffion: but to fay that fome of thefe good effects are likely to refult from its ufe in most inftances, and most of them in a great number of inftances, is afferting only what an experience of two years, in a fituation where the opportunities of making trial of it have been very frequent, has fully confirmed.

days, or at most a week, and occafionally thaking them together, a very faturated tincture is obtained, which may be inhaled in the fame manner, and in the fame dofes, as the pure ether. My proportions are a fcruple or half a dram of the powdered leaves to every ounce of æther. The narcotic particles of the cicuta, conveyed in this manner, along with the ether, to the difeafed lungs, act as a topical application with the best effect; hence ather, thus impregnated, fucceeds in most instances better than when it is employed alone. The only unpleafant circumstance attending the inhalation of this æthereal tincture of cicuta, is a flight degree of fickness and giddinefs, which, however, foon go off.

"It cannot be expected that I fhould here point out every fymptom, or fet of fymptoms, which indicate or forbid the use of this application: I fhall only remark, that it appears to be beft fuited to the florid, or what is commonly termed the fcrophulous confumption. Where the pulmonic affection is complicated with the mefenteric obftruction, or difeafes of the other vifcera, or a dropfical condition, it affords but tranfitory relief: and in the very laft ftage of the disorder, the proper time of ufing it is paft.

"Should you be induced, fir, by this addrefs to make trial of the vapour of vitriolic æther, impregnated with cicuta, in phthifical cafes, I fhall be glad to be favoured with your remarks and obfervations upon it, whether in its favour or not. All communications on this fubject are requested to be sent before the 1st of January next, as af ter that time the treatife will be printed.

" (Signed)

"RICHARD PEARSON, M.D. "Birmingham, ft July 1796." CURIOUS