(seq. 201)

192

Materia Medica

Tonics

the bark will be usefull, by exciting a proper degree of
inflamation and suppuration around the gangrenous parts, the
bite of the viper causes mortification which has been cured
by immersing the part in an infusion of the bark and
sprinkling the part with the powder.

Scrophula. I believe with Dr Cullen that laxity and flaxcidity are not
sufficient to account for this disease. A theory is advanced by
Dr Beddoes who thinks it arises from a preternatural
quantity of the base of vital air, but this I consider as
a supposition without foundation. Dr Collins says he never
saw any advantage from bark in this disease, yet Dr
P_ assures us he employ’d it. I have used it in a most
inveterate case and can safely ascribe the cure of my
patient to the large doses which were given, but it will
frequently fail from the invetoracy [inveteracy] of the disease.

Rickets. I cannot think the bark ever cured this disease,
without the aid of other remidies. I am of the opinion however
visionary as it may appear to you, that rickets depends on
a peculiar state of the atmosphere, what this is I know not,
but it has been many times epidemic. In the reign of