Curiosities of common water, or the advantages thereof in preventing and curing many diseases : gathered from the writings of several eminent physicians, and also from more than forty years' experience, to which are added some rules for preserving health by diet / by John Smith.

  • Smith, John, 1647 or 1648-1727?
Date:
1851
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Curiosities of common water, or the advantages thereof in preventing and curing many diseases : gathered from the writings of several eminent physicians, and also from more than forty years' experience, to which are added some rules for preserving health by diet / by John Smith. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    A Turk (a servant to a gentleman), falling sick of a fever, some one of the tribe of treacle-conners being called in, whether apothecary or physician, I can't tell, but (according to custom), what between blister and bolus, they soon made him mad. A countryman of his, that came to visit him, seeing him in the broiling con- dition, said nothing, but in the night-time, by some con- federate help, got him down to the Thames-side, and soundly ducked him. The fellow came home sensible, and went to bed ; and the next day he was perfectly well. This story was attested to by two or three gen- tlemen of undoubted integrity and worth ; and I doubt it not, but believe it from the greater probability ; for I'll hold ten to one on the Thames-side against treacle, snake-root, and all that hot regimen which inflames and exalts the blood, breaks its globules, and destroys the man. And then, forsooth, the doctor sneaks away like a dog that has lost his tail, and cries, it was a pestilential, malignant fever, that nobody could cure ; and to show his care of the remainder, bids them open the windows, air the bed-clothes, and perfume the rooms for fear <>f infection; and if he be of the right whining, canting, prick-eared stamp, concludes, as they do at Tyburn, with a mournful ditty, a psalm, or a preservative prayer for the rest of the family. So exit Prig, with his starched, formal chops, ebony cane, fringed gloves, etc. Thus much for Dr. Baynard and his criticisms on doctors.] COUT. And as for the gout, which Dr. Harris saith, in his anti-empiric, is gotten either by high feeding, or drink- ing much wine, or other strong drink, it may be cured,