HOME   HOMESTEAD LIBRARY CATALOG   TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE first medicine I here present the public with is, according to the gentleman's character of it, the greatest one in the world (and which I rather believe, as it comes from a disinterested, worthy person, owner of a considerable landed estate, and one who, by his great learning, travels, and experience, has found out and made many excellent discoveries in medicine, agriculture, mechanics, &c.) and from his recommendation of it, it has been try'd at and about Gaddesden in several cases of diseases in the human body, and done great service; particularly to my near neighbour Mr. Richard Hanowell, who, having been afflicted with the King's-evil a long time, in and about his head, so as to have several running sores or ulcers next his cheek and throat, was at the expence of about five pounds, for bottles of liquor to cure the same, from a famous London practitioner in physic and curer of evils, which, as Mr. Hanowell declared to me, made him worse instead of better; then by my advice he drank the quicksilver-water, which he made from time to time by my lending him a pound of quicksilver that I bought for my own use (for I take half a pint of the same water every morning fasting, which frees me from all cholicks, &c ) which has had such salubrious effects on Mr. Hanowell, that on the 25th October, 1748, he shewed me the places where his ulcers for years together run, so sound, that he pinched the parts as a proof their soundness, and they seemed to me to be as well as any other part of his face. And what is singularly honourable in this generous gentleman, he, without any obligation to me (though I am under much to him) has been pleased to correspond with me, I believe, to the exchanging of near thirty letters; not only on the subject of quicksilver, but likewise upon many secrets of great importance for the good of his country; which, with many others from different gentlemen, I intend (as I have leave for so doing) to publish, if I can meet with tolerable encouragement.

The best Cure in the whole World for the Pox, King's-Evil, Leprosy, Itch, Gout, Rheumatism, Scurvy, &c. &c. according to the following Letter, by the Use of Quicksilver-Water.

To Mr. William Ellis, a Farmer, at Little-Gaddesden, near Hempstead, in Hertfordshire.

London, Nov. 12, 1745.

SIR,

I AM very sorry to find your friend afflicted with the gout once or twice a year; however, I cannot but think it very happy for him, that he has already met with a medicine (though not a very agreeable one to take) that acts so quickly, and restores him to walking so effectually. I know a friend of mine that used to take one spoonful at a time of spirits of hartshorn, in the midst of great fts of the gout, which by repeating every night, and sweating much by it, soon carried off the fit, and enabled him to mount his horse, and as he was old and gross, the horse brought him, by degrees, to his feet. Now I look upon sal volatile to act in the very same manner without any material difference, and every body knows the gum guaiacum to be a most noted specific in the rheumatism, and very laudably so in the gout too, so that I would have you regard your medicine very much. However, as the mercury-water has such grand effects in rheumatick cases, and can do him no harm, in or between the fts, by way of diet-drink, I will venture to say, if it does not actually free a temperate person of a youngish gout, yet it will certainly reduce the frequency of his fts; and by the same laws, much abate the rigour of them; and I would willingly have you try, tho' I cannot really warrant this opinion from practice, or trial, though there is great reason to be certain of the good effects intended, as I could evince at large; assureing you at the same time of the innocence and salubriousness of this water. You may depend on it to cure your neice's eyes, if she drinks half a pint night and morning, and about a pint with her dinner; two or three times a day bathing her eyes with a warm spoonful of it, provided her complaint is really scorbutick. And I doubt not but it would much allay, if not cure a confrm'd evil. I would advise the issue to be continued. The doctor's application is good [he means Sir Hans Sloan's eye-salve] but will not remove the cause, viz. a scurvy in the habit, which if it be her case, his medicine may repell it from the eyes, and throw it (if there was not an issue) upon the lungs, so as to induce a consumption, or perhaps vitiate the blood, so as to bring on fevers, &c. She can but try this agreeable kind of drink, for as many months as she pleases. Therefore a pound of quicksilver, which costs but about four shillings and sixpence, or five shillings, I think will serve many years, boiled or rather simmer'd in any quantity of water, in an iron pot, or a glazed earthen pot, for no other metal will do, for the space of five or six hours or more. The water should never be drank freezing cold, but set a little before the fire. By what I find lately, it is a water that will not corrupt in bottles for a long time, if ever: For it destroys all kind of animalcula, and resists and destroys all manner of acidity and fermentation in the water it is boiled in, which shews it to be the highest alcali in the world, and certainly the most minute and divisible and I am persuaded, all the particles of the effluvia that mix with the water are perfectly and minutely globular, and ftted by such form and smoothness to enter and pass in the circulation thro' the imperceptible vascular system, or it could not effect what it does. Let a mangy horse or any other beast drink constantly of it, and bathe the scrophulous parts with it by a spunge, they will soon fall off, and the blood be purifed, which I desire you will try the first opportunity. I cured some time ago a pointer of my own of an universal mange, so bad, that he had scarcely a hair left on his body, and that too within four weeks, by the last mentioned method. I observed the itching much allayed in seven days. In seven or eight more, the scabs began to dry and shell off, and clean new hair appeared growing underneath, and in less than five weeks he was entirely sweet, clean, and new cloathed, which my groom, and the chymist I bought the seven ounces of mercury of, to boil, can testify.--The way I came by this secret was from a surgeon, who shewed me his nephew, a London apprentice, whom he had cured of the pox by this water alone, after having been twice salivated, and had not strength enough to go thro' a third course. He said he met with the secret in a German old manuscript of a practitioner, but had always despised it till this lucky opportunity offer'd. I am, Sir,

Your sincere Friend and Servant.

P. S. These and other reasons make me expect it will cure the pox in the gentlest and most merciful manner. Pray give it to any poor body that has the itch, without telling them what it is. After this you are at liberty to publish it, at any time, or indeed as soon as you please.

 

A second Account of the great Virtues of Quicksilver-Water in the Cure of the Pox, Scurvy, Mange, Scald-Head, Rheumatism, Worms, &c.

London, Nov. 30, 1745.

SIR,

ONE pound of quicksilver will infuse and communicate its effluvial virtues to five hundred or one thousand boilings of fresh water, and yet suffer little or no diminution in its weight; if it is boiled in the water 10 or 11 hours, it will turn the water of an ash-colour, which is only owing to a stronger impregnation of its dusky and most minute effluvia, and this is perhaps the best cure in the world for an inveterate scurvy, mange, or scald-head, obliging the patient to drink constantly of it with his victuals, and in a morning fasting, half a pint, and the same going to bed; washing the scabious head, body and joints, with the said water once or twice a day, and avoiding all other drink, except a chance glass or two of wine. Avoid all salt meats during the cure. You will be surprised how the stubborn symptoms will yield, subside, and vanish, sometimes in a few weeks, generally in a few months, restoreing the patient in rest, health, strength and complection, in a most surprising manner, without uneasy or torturing physic; for this medicine acts as an alterative, and may justly be said to be the noblest bathe in the world. I speak this from the field of experience, and think you deserving the knowledge thereof, myself by mere chance having come by this excellent secret. I also find it will destroy worms and botts in man or beast; and I have very great reason to believe, it will by a continuance and perseverance very safely and easily cure the pox and rheumatism; it is certain it pervades all the capillaries, even to the pores of perspiration; and is a most irresistable alterative, allaying and mollifying all the corrosive matter in the animal system, or it could not effect the truths I have mentioned above, and been an eye witness of under my own direction, tho' I do not profess physic.

    I am, sir,

      Your faithful humble Servant.

SIR,

  I have to subjoin, that if you add to the mercury-water regimen, the giving the patient every night going to bed the bigness only of a small pea of the crude mercury, swallowed down in half a glass of water, it will much facilitate the cure in scorbutic or rheumatic cases. The common itch, as it is presently catched, falls before these two, generally, in three weeks time: Worms in a few days. But it will require a longer time to eradicate old scrophulous complaints, scald-heads, and stubborn rheumatisms, which seem to be universal rather than local. And I can assure you it is excellent in the stone and gravel; also for bilious cholicks, occasioned by pungent hot humours in the intestines; because I find it allays and qualifes their pungency, by its alcalous quality (or something else that we cannot account for) as chalk, &c. mollifes vinegar or sour beer. And the water should be continued even after cure (by way of bath or spaw drinking) for some months. Not but the water itself has been found to effect a certain cure in obstinate cases; but it is as certain, that the least quantity of the gross quicksilver (and the less the better) taken every night, till the symptoms vanish, does much expedite the cure. Yet this water alone has also absolutely eradicated the pox without the least ruffle to the constitution. And it will kill the bugs in beds and furniture, provided they be washed with it, or well sprinkled by means of a brush, as bookbinders spot their leaves.

An Account of a most cheap and famous Cure made on the face and eyes of Mrs. Knight, of Betloe-ground, in Buckinghamshire, by the use of Cows Milk. And also how a Person's wounded Thigh was cured by a most easy Remedy.

THIS woman now living (in the year 1748) wife to the late Mr. Knight, an eminent grazier, living within a few miles of Ivinghoe and of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, whose character for hospitality and honesty will remain a lasting example to others, was grievously afflicted with an inflammation in her face and eyes, to such a degree as obliged her to be under the hands of that noted surgeon, the late Mr. Roland of Aylesbury, during almost the space of one year, till the expence amounted to about thirty pounds, but without a cure. Now it happened, that in this interim of time, Mr. Edward Thorne, a butcher, of great dealing, living at Little Gaddesden in Hertfordshire, and who killed all or most of the Duke of Bridg[e]water's beasts for his numerous family, had a violent scorbutick humour broke out in his thigh, that so lamed him, as to necessitate his having recourse to a profess'd surgeon, but notwithstanding his application Mr. Thorn was still in a very painful sad condition; insomuch that the late good Scroop Duke of Bridg[e]water, who was a nobleman remarkably easy of access, and ready (unless a case was falsely represented to him, as I have known done) to assist a neighbour in distress, seeing this man (his butcher) in a very decrepit condition, ask'd him what was the matter? He told his Grace how lame he was by a wound in his thigh, and that he was hardly any thing the better for what his surgeon had done to him. Upon this, the Duke offer'd to give him his letter for carrying it to London, and to wait on that celebrated surgeon the late Mr. Bouchier, for his advice; for you must know, that this person was so skilful as to be encouraged (as I am informed) by a large yearly salary from the government, for giving his advice gratis to his Majesty King George the Second's subjects; and abundance of service he did to great numbers of people, amongst whom was this Mr. Thorne, who when he had presented him with the Duke's letter, and seen his wound, asked him who was his surgeon? He told him. Says Mr. Bouchier, Go tell him he is a blockhead, for proceeding thus in a wrong manner, and bid him get a black-lead pipe thrust into the wound, there to remain for the pus to evacuate through it, and as the wound heals, it will push out the pipe by degrees, which must from time to time have its end clip'd off with a pair of scissars, lest the shirt catch it and tear it out, for no salve will affect this sort of wound. When Mr. Thorne had received this sort of direction, he thanked him and retired; but just as he had got out of the parlour, a woman with a child in her arms, and bolsters on its inflamed face and eyes, entered the same, for asking Mr. Bouchier's advice; which raising a desire in Mr. Thorne to hear what he would say on this case, he stood at the parlour-door, and heard him ask her, Who had been her surgeon? She told him such a one. I thought, said he, he had had more wit, than to go on so. Woman (says he) go and wash the child's eyes morning and evening with warm milk directly taken from the cow, and it will cure it; but do not take off the bandage all at once; leave it off by degrees. Mr. Thorne, hearing this, came away; and when at home, soon went to Mr. Knight, with whom he usually grazed and fatted his horned cattle; and there related to Mrs. Knight this child's case, and the surgeon Mr. Bouchier's advice, which made such an impression on her mind, that she directly applied the same remedy to her inflamed face and eyes, and in a little time got a perfect cure of both.--The like happened to two of my neighbours about March, 1747. One was in prodigious pain and almost blind with an inflammation in her face and eyes, insomuch that she was not capable to make her straw hats, for that was her profession, but every now and then was obliged to lie down on her bed, or sit up by the fire-side. Upon this I told her husband the virtue of cow's milk, and advised him to have it applied to his wife's eyes, accordingly, the woman morning and night duly bathed her face and eyes with the warm milk, and soon recovered her sight, which induced her to acquaint her sister, that was much in the same condition, with her success; and as she made use of the same means she had the like cure. This most excellent medicine of warm milk (tho' seemingly a mean one) I recommend to cure all inflammations of the face and eyes, whether they be blood-shotten, or otherwise damaged by hot scorbutick humours.--N. B. The black-lead pipe was at first four inches in length, with a hole in the middle of it, a little bigger than that of a common tobacco-pipe, and of its shape, which by the help of a bandage kept in the wound, till it descended by leisure degrees, and was diminished by frequently clipping of it, till the cure was perfected.--I have also to add, that upon a more particular inquiry into the distemper that affected the above-mentioned woman's eyes, she told me herself, that before the application of the cow's milk she had a hot water, that now and then discharged so fast through her nostrils, that it would sometimes run, and was of so sharp and hot a nature as to raise little blisters on that part of her face it fell on from her eyes; so that they were inflamed to a degree of forcing her to keep her head in darkness a great part of the day, because she was not able to behold the light, nor the fire, which render'd the poor woman incapable of providing for her family as she used to do, by platting of wheat straws, and sewing them into hats; but by the balsamic cooling milk alone she was in a little time restored to good sight, and capable of following her business.

THIS young man lives at Market-street, in Bedfordshire, four miles from Little-Gaddesden, and who so accustomed himself to drink strong, stale butt-beer, that he became sadly tormented with the piles. Upon which he applied to the late famous surgeon, John Copping, Esq; in Market-street, who directed him to take half an ounce of flower of brimstone every morning, in milk, till it cured him; and cure him it did, as he declared to me. And no wonder, since, as the learned Dr. Quincy observes, "The flower is certainly balsamic and cleansing, and good against all diseases of the breast, and several other parts of the human body, used either inwardly or outwardly."--Others say, sitting over the smoak of frankincense and pomegranate shells will cure them.

THIS gentleman said, He had been a traveller almost all over Europe, and that it was his real opinion, That no body need take physic, if they took half an ounce of flower of brimstone in milk every morning, as he did, and drank sage-tea after it.

THIS gentleman, a famous doctor of divinity, well known in Surrey and London, took as much flower of brimstone every morning, throughout the year (except in frosty weather) as would mix in a spoonful of milk, and would drink a large tea-cup of milk after it, for dispersing and curing of pimples, that were apt to come out in his neck. And Dr. Quincy says, "That it is the plenty, in a great measure, that lessens its esteem.["]

An excellent experienced Remedy for the Gravel.

Notwithstanding this is a Chronical, and a Disease that has proved fatal to Thousands, its direful Effects are easily prevented, if the following Directions are timely applied, and duly observed.

SWeeten water-gruel with honey, and eat a mess of it without bread every morning fasting. And if a person is much afflicted with the gravel, let him eat the same mess oftner. This receit was communicated to a gentleman, my neighbour, by a physician at London, who telling another of it, they said, Of all the things they had made use of for this purpose, none did them so much good as this. For as the gruel and honey are both of an open slippery nature, they consequently make the parts slippery, and bring away the gravel easily. But yet this remedy may be made much more effectual, if their cheap, common, small drink is composed according to the following receit, and drank indeed of small malt-beer.--To twenty-two gallons of water put nine pounds of treacle, which mix and boil one hour briskly, and so a lesser quantity, if thought fit, in the same proportion, with hops, or better without them, and work it with yeast till it is fit to barrel up.--By these two liquors, that are of an opening cleansing nature, the cause of breeding gravel will be much prevented, and if bred, will be easily discharged.

  A Diet Drink.--Eight ounces of sena, 4 of carraway seeds, 4 ounces of sweet-fennel seeds, 4 ounces of anniseeds, 4 ounces of sassafras, four ounces of sarsaparilla, 4 ounces of hartshorn shavings, 2 ounces of ivory shavings, 6 ounces of stick-liquorice, 1 ounce of rhubarb, liverwort, brooklime, water-cresses, water-dock-root, wild fetches, clivers, dandelion-roots, parsley-roots, elder-buds, nettle-tops, scurvy-grass, one dozen of Seville oranges. The seeds to be bruised, and the liquorice to be sliced, the rhubarb to be grated, and put into the vessel last. The sena to be infused in a pitcher of the beer. The scurvy-grass and wild-fetches to be bruised and put into a flannel bag in the vessel at last, and the oranges to be squeezed and put into the vessel rind and all. All the other things to be boiled well together and strained off. Two or three handfuls of each of the herbs and roots.--This diet-drink was made by Mrs. Sibley, a yeoman's wife, at Water-End, in Hertfordshire, and sold by her at 18 d. per quart, chiefly in the spring season, for curing and preventing the scurvy, rheumatism, and other distempers; being infused in a frkin quantity of middling beer.

London, June 1, 1749

SIR,

  HERE follow the receits which I promised on Friday last, having now found the memorandum, which I had (as I surmised) put up very carefully together, and then overlook'd. The first my wife presents you with, being what she practised when she lived with her aunt in Wales, who kept fourteen cows, &c. and generally killed two large hogs every year.

  The Welch Way of preparing Hogs Guts for Puddings.--First take some of the fat off, and cut the guts in proper lengths (longer or shorter, as you chuse) letting water run through them till the dung is clean out of them, then with clean hands turn them by the help of a round stick, and wash them clean with water; put them into a pail or pan, with two or three handfuls of salt among them; get a whisp of clean straw, and work them well about with that in your hand, till they froth; then wash them well, and repeat the salt and agitation; then wash them again, and put more salt, and two or three handfuls of crabs mash'd to pieces; lastly, scour them well with your hands, taking care not to break them; then wash them very clean, and put them into water with a handful or two of salt, and let them lie till next day; repeat fresh water and salt to them two or three days, and, when you are about to fll them, wash them out with fair water only.--N. B. When they are thoroughly clean, they will lie on the back of your hand without slipping off.--Hogs or sheeps maws, when intended for puddings, should, after their contents are emptied and washed, be first well scraped and scalded, and then served as aforesaid.

  Welch Black-puddings.--When you kill your beast, receive the blood in a clean earthen pan, with a handful of salt in it, stirring it continually as it flows from your hand, till you find a large coagulum, or lump, stick to your hand, which throw away; then drain the blood into a clean pan, and let it stand till you use it as follows: Pour scalding hot milk upon some whole oatmeal-grouts, let it stand all night, then mix near one half milk with your blood, adding thereto some of the hog's fat or leaf, a little winter-savory, thyme and pennyroyal, all chopt very fine, and season'd with a little salt and black-pepper. Mix all these very well of a due consistence, that the composition be not too thick nor too thin, and fll your guts; but be sure to leave room enough for them to swell in boiling, and then tie them up in the form of a figure of eight circular. Lay them but one upon another in a wide kettle of water, just ready to boil. Let them boil, very gently lest they burst, about six or seven minutes; then take them out, and lay them upon clean wheat-straw on a sieve before the fire; turn them, and they will be soon dry; then repeat the boiling, dry them as before, and they are done. Keep them upon fresh dry straw in a sieve for use. Let them have air enough, and they will keep a fortnight or three weeks, wiping them now and then.

  Welch white Hogs-puddings--Are made by pouring warm milk upon whole grouts, letting them soak 12 hours or more; then add some of the best hogs fat cut very fine, and season them with salt, pepper, nutmeg, a little honey to your palate, and a few currants well wash'd and pick'd. With this mixture fll your larger guts, but not too full, and boil them about as long again, as the smaller black sort, and in the same manner.

  Welch Way of making Puddings with Hogs or Sheeps Maws.--In Wales they do not throw away the hogs or sheeps maws, but after they are cleansed as above, they fll them with the following composition, viz. Blood prepared as aforesaid, and about half as much milk, stir in a proper quantity of oatmeal, to which add a good quantity of suet, shred very small; some of the herbs to be winter-savory, thyme, marjoram, parnel, and lambs-tongue, some cives or young onions, and the white part of leeks cut small, with pepper and salt; observing that none of the ingredients are over predominant when flled, and leaving a little space to swell; skewer them up and tie them, throw them into boiling water, and boil them very gently near half an hour. These eat very well, if cut in slices, and fry'd with a little butter.

  Sussex Pudding.--There are two ways of making this famous pudding, a flat way and a round way. On the 13th of June, 1749, baiting at the Cat-Inn at East-Grinstead, I saw the cook-maid seemingly put a flat cake of dough on a wooden paddle, about the bigness and shape of a round trencher, into the boiling water of a pot that had meat in it for dinner, which, by a long handle to it, she held in the water till it boiled hardish; then she drew away the wooden paddle or skimmer, and left the pudding-cake to sink and boil longer. Now this pudding, she told me, was made with flower, milk, eggs, and a little butter kneaded together, and when boiled enough, it was taken out, slit in two, and butter put into it. Thus she made this Sussex pudding, that was to be eaten with meat instead of bread.--The other way is, to make a round pudding of the same ingredients, which (I suppose) is to be tied up in a cloth, and in the middle of this pudding they put a piece of butter, and so inclose it with the dough that the butter cannot boil out. When boiled enough, they find the butter run to oil, and so well soaked into the pudding, that they eat it with meat instead of bread, or without meat as a delicious pudding.

  How to boil salt Meat to the greatest Advantage.--As the ignorance of some may lead them to commit a gross mistake in boiling of salted beef, bacon, or any other salt meat, I thought it not foreign to my present undertaking to inform them, that if salted meat is put at first into boiling water, it will surely keep in the salt, and further harden the flesh, so as to make it eat very disagreeably. Now to prevent this, it is only putting the salted meat at first into the water cold, and then as the meat gradually heats with the water, the salt will boil out, a sufficient scum arise, and the flesh will hereby be made to eat fresher, tenderer, and much more agreeable, than if it was at first put into boiling water.

  To pickle Sprats.--One of our country housewives pickles sprats in the following manner: The sprats, she says, must be washed and laid in a glazed pot, and between every layer salt must be spread, and so on till the pot be full; thus they should lie three days, then taken out, and put into the same or another glazed pot, flled up with a mixture of vinegar and water, which must be put into an oven, as soon as the bread is drawn. Thus, she says, sprats may be kept, for eating like anchovies, some time; but, I think, sprats will not retain an anchovy colour and taste so well this way, as if a few bay leaves were first put into the pot, and then between every layer of sprats, a mixture of bay-salt and salt-petre; and this is better in an anchovy-tub than in a glazed pot, because the tub may be turned bottom upwards every now and then, for by this method the sprats will be cured without baking, and in about two months time fit to eat raw like an anchovy.

  To pickle fresh Herrings.--Our country housewife says, its only washing them, and putting them into a barrel or glazed pot in layers or rows, with some salt between every layer. But I am sure it would be better done, if their heads were cut off, and then between every layer or row of herrings, a mixture put of bay-salt and salt-petre, till a glazed earthen pan is full, and baked in a very gentle heat of an oven.--In Kent they have a custom to give pickled sprats in their public houses to their customers (drinkers); and in London some do the same by pickled herrings, or rather baked ones, which by their reddish colour and agreeable taste please much.--But if you would be at a greater expence, after they are scaled, gutted and washed, you are to lay the herrings in a heap, and strew a little salt over them (as they do at Dover, for preparing them to dry over smoak in their herring hang-room, for making red-herrings of them, as I have seen done) to drain two or three hours their bloody part out. Then rub each herring dry between a cloth, and have ready a mixture of pepper, salt, cloves and ginger, a little shred onion and lemon-peel, for with this you are to sprinkle every layer of herrings, till the pan is full; and after you have put a pint and half of red wine over thirty herrings, and tied paper over the pot, bake them with bread.

  The case of Mr. Glanville, of Edgware, in the County of Middlesex, who was very near poisoned by eating Muscles. This person being a great lover of this shell-fish, after he had eat a boiled parcel of them, began to be sick, and his sickness increased upon him to that degree, that he swelled so much, as not to be able to see out of his eyes. Upon this there were several medicines given him, but none of them did him any service, till at last, when he could hardly speak, he was heard to call for oil; they gave him some, till it made him vomit up the muscles, and at the same time anointed his body all over with oil, which had so quick an effect on him, that he was presently cured, and became a sound man. Now it was not the muscles (though at first thought so) that poison'd Mr. Glanville: No, it was a very little crab insect, that lodged in the open part of the muscle's body, and yet lies so hid, as not to be perceived by the eyes of the careless ignorant eater, for this crab insect is hardly bigger than a thetch or small pea; it has a round body (crab-like) and a broad tail, with its legs shaped like lobsters claws, as plainly appeared to me by the sight of one kept in spirits of wine, and so preserved by Mr. Glanville, to shew that which once had very near killed him.--To remark on this case, I have to add, that there are few muscles (as I am credibly informed) without one of these crabs in its body. And although it is common for people to take out what is called the beards before they eat them, yet most are ignorant of this poisonous insect. And if such an ingenious person as Mr. Glanville is, who seems to me to be possess'd of brighter parts than any other tradesman I ever conversed with, was through ignorance insnared to eat this dangerous crab, how much more easily will a more vulgar person eat a muscle without any suspicion of such a fatal quality harbouring in it, hence I am also led to observe the great carelessness and supine neglect of our English virtuosi, who study much the refined sublime parts of natural philosophy, and yet neglect numerous matters, to my knowledge, which ought to be made known to people, who for want of timely instruction may innocently eat poisonous things, and be killed by them.

  A Woman poison'd by eating a roasted Duck.--Mrs. Bell, a Cornish woman, and wife of Mr. James Bell, that now keeps the fine Green-Man-Inn at Gaddesden, tells me that one Madam Beazely at Falmouth, about the year 1738, bought a duck in the market that was well fleshed. This she roasted, and when she had eaten her bellyful of it, she began to sicken and swell; upon which three doctors were sent for, but notwithstanding all the medicines they gave her, she continued swelling, and died in less than half an hour's time. Now, I suppose, the duck had swallowed a young toad, and that those who draw'd the duck might have broke the poisonous part of the toad in drawing; and not being wash'd before roasting, the poison might have had this fatal effect, for Mrs. Bell says, it was the doctor's opinion she was poisoned in this manner.

  How a Hertfordshire Woman, her Family, and a Hog, were poisoned by eating an Herb.--In the hard frosty spring of 1740, a poor woman that lived at Studham, two miles distant from Gaddesden, gathered a herb that grew in a hedge, called Jack-jump-about, for boiling it with a piece of meat. It was like mint, and as hardly any other boiling herb was then to be got, she made use of this. One child died by it, and another had like to have had the same fate, and the mother narrowly escaped, but the hog that eat the pot-liquor was killed by it.

  How two Buckinghamshire Girls were poisoned by eating Henbane-root.--At Pitstone, about three miles from Gaddesden, liveth a widow woman that holds a farm in her hands, who had three girls that one day took a fancy to dig up some henbane-roots that grew in and about the farm yard, and scraping one it appeared to them like a little white carrot; one of the girls refused to eat any of it, but the other two did, who in the night-time were taken so bad, that the mother thought them bewitch'd; at last, the healthy girl confess'd the matter, and discover'd how her two sisters had eat henbane-root, which made their mother send to Leighton for a doctor, who by proper medicines made shift to cure them; but he said, that if they had eaten and drank after it, he could not have cured them.

  How a Man accustomed himself to cure his Tooth-ach with Henbane-seed.--This man named Richards, lying at Rinxsell near Gaddesden, when troubled with the tooth-ach would first put some tobacco into the bowl of a pipe, and some henbane-seed on that, then tobacco, then henbane-seed, till his pipe was full. This he smoaked, and declared it had such virtue as to make worms come out of his teeth, to the cure of the tooth-ach, for that time; for this man never smoaked, but when troubled with the tooth-ach, and then it was in this manner: And no wonder it thus effects a cure, since it is of a stupifying nature like tobacco. It grows in yards and dry ditches, and has pods that hold much small seed.

  A School-boy poisoned by Vitriol.--A boy that went to school at ---- put a bit of vitriol into his mouth about the bigness of a nut, and suffered it to dissolve into his stomach; the consequence whereof was, that his chaps and belly swell'd, and he was poison'd to that degree as endanger'd his life; wherefore many schoolmasters will not suffer their scholars to lick a pen, because vitriol is a chief ingredient in the making of ink.

  A Cow poisoned by eating Laurel-Leaves.--At Bovingdon, five miles from Gaddesden, a gentleman had his laurel-hedge cut, and his cow having free access to it, eat what she would, but quickly swell'd and died.

  A Man poison'd by eating a Toad.--In the London-Evening-Post news-paper, dated March 26, 1741, there was inserted the following account, from Salisbury: Last night was buried at Hinton, near Bradford, in Wiltshire, one James Silcock, who being very much accustomed to eat horse-flesh and dog-flesh, and other disagreeable things, did undertake to eat a frog and a mole; after he had eat the mole, the person that undertook to provide the frog, by mistake brought a toad, which he having eaten, and swallowed a plenty of liquor, immediately died.

  Several Persons poisoned by Poison laid for Rats.--Dublin, 26 Novemb. 1748, we hear from Carlow, of a very melancholy accident which happened there last week; one Mr. Buttler having mixed up poison with some oatmeal for the rats, a maid-servant, who was not acquainted with it, made use of it for breakfast; by which means two men, two maid-servants, and a child, were poisoned; one of the women died that night, and the other is despaired of, but the men and child will recover.

  Rabbits poisoned by Hemlock.--This herb grows in meadows of the wetter sort, and other places; it has killed many tame rabbits by ignorant gatherers of it giving it them instead of dog-parsley, though it is easily known by its smell, for this has a stinking scent next to assafœtida, but in make very much like dog-parsley, that is excellent rabbit meat, for it will not pot a tame rabbit. Dr. Quincy says, at page 195, that this plant grows so much like common parsley, that it is difficult to distinguish it when young, therefore in all probability they have sometimes been gathered and sold together; for, says he, there have been many instances of persons, and sometimes whole families being suddenly taken ill, so as to occasion suspicion of poison, when they had reason to suspect it in the parsley, by having eat stuffed beef as is common, or some other food where that had been used. It first affects persons with giddiness and dimness of sight, and afterwards operates violently by vomit and stool; fat broths and oily liquids are the antidotes.