Cases in which Velnos' Vegetable Syrup has cured the scurvy, rheumatism, palsy, and ... the venereal disease : with an account of the ... impostures used, to pass on the public the common decoction of the woods, poisoned with sublimated mercury, for the genuine syrup / [Isaac Swainson].

Swainson, Isaac, 1746-1812.

Date:: [1785]

Credit: Cases in which Velnos' Vegetable Syrup has cured the scurvy, rheumatism, palsy, and ... the venereal disease : with an account of the ... impostures used, to pass on the public the common decoction of the woods, poisoned with sublimated mercury, for the genuine syrup / [Isaac Swainson]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$/ ( if .1 ' ' '.-4 *hem* In this ftate (he applied to the late Dr. Jfmtter, who Tup* pofed the cafe to be venereal; but, on ftri£Uy examining her and her hufband, gave up his opinion ; ordered bliders to her heaej, with fomc other applications, with little effect. She continued in this miferable condition fome time ; when her body being covered with eruptions, the nature of her,difeafe became apparent, and the fymptoms of it difcovered themfelves on the hufband ; they were, therefore, in the fpring of 1780, put upon a courfe of mercurials by a furgeon of character and (kill. Though the evil was traced to its fource, and it was difcovered beyond a doubt, that her bread had been drawn by an infeffed woman ; yet anxiety of mind, the malignancy of the diforder, and the baneful effects of mercurials, jfoon put an end to the life of the hulband. The difeafe conti¬ nued to encroach on her conflitution, in fpite of the endeavours of the furgeon ; and when it made its appearance in her throat and mouth, (he thought it her duty to procure other alfiftance. \Vheti fhe applied at Merrier and Swainfon’s, in Frith-ftreet, Mr. S\\airt- fon was fhocked at her appearance. Thetonfils, the uvula, and many of the furrounding parts, were nearly confumed, and the fpine was laid intirely bare. Tw^ ulcers in the roof of the mouth had made their way through the palate, fo that the liquids (he at¬ tempted to fwallow gufbed out at her nofe. Her conflitution was Injured almoft as much by the mercury as by the difeafe ; her -op- petite was nearly gone, her countenance pale ; and her appearance cadaverous and (hocking. She was immediately furnifhed with the Vegetable Syrup of Mr. de Velnos, and in ten weeks the ulcers were healed, the holes in the palate grown up, and (he left off the medi¬ cine. She is now become fat, and her completion fine and ruddy. Mr. Swainfon will referany inquirer immediately to the patient, as well as to fereral perfons of fortune and charater who interefled themfelves in her fate, and were witnefles of the cure. A furgeon of the firft eminence examined her, at Mr. Swainfon’s requefl, and he is ready to bear tellimony to thefe fats. Feb.1785. ’ v Thefe are but inconfiderable teftimonies of the virtues and ef- ■ fets of the Vegetable Syrup of Mr. de V«lnos, compared with thofe which are in the poflcffion of Mr. Swainfon, and which the .fcrupulous delicacy of perfons who have been relieved will not fuf- fex to be made known ; audit is reafbnahie to fuppofe, that even thofe mud be inconfiderabk compared to the cutes which have been effeted without any information being given of them to the Proprietor.” It is, therefore, with relutance that he draws the at¬ tention of the public to thofe foul haunts of difhonedy and impof- *ure, where low, wretched, and defperate minds fiudy to deprive » him of the credit and advantage arifing from his property, and the public of the benefit of Velnos’ Vegetable Syrup.' While Mr. de Velnos was able to attend to the preparation of his Syrup, his receipt was an inviolable fecret to all Furope ; but he employed agents in feveral places to fell it on certain conditions. It was his misfortune to enter into an engagement for this purpole with Mr. Burrows, who had crept from a jnenial fituation to that «f$