though for external application, the more similar the substance, the greater the consent.

It was antiently believed, that a bath of children's blood would cure the leprosy, and restore corrupted flesh; insomuch that certain kings have been envied by their subjects for this advantage. It is related that Heraclitus, for a dropsy, put himself into the warm belly of an ox, new killed; and the warm blood of kittens has been used for the erysipilas; and for renewing the flesh and the skin.

In amputations, or in great hemorrhages of a limb, it is of use to thrust the bleeding part, into the bleeding body of a beast new killed; for this acts powerfully in stopping the hemorrhage: the wounded part strongly attracting, and sucking to it, the warm blood of the creature, by consent; thus causing a regurgitation, a stoppage of the flux.*

In dangerous and desperate diseases, great use is made of live pigeons, cut asunder, and applied, one after another, to the soles of the feet; and this sometimes with wonderful success; the cause whereof is vulgarly assigned to their attracting the malignity of the distemper: but, in some measure, the remedy has an effect upon the head, and relieves the animal spirits. But as all these

* Is this certain?

kinds of bathing the parts, or besmearing them with blood, appear to us filthy and disagreeable; we should look out for others, which are less loathsome, yet full as serviceable.

And next to recent blood, the things most similar to the substance of the human body, are of the nutrimental kind; as the well fed flesh of oxen, swine, or deer, oysters, milk, butter, eggs, wheat-flower, and sweet wine, either sugared or mixed with honey.

The things to be mixed along with others, for procuring entrance and admission, are salts, especially bay-salt: and these may be used instead of all the rest. Wine also, that is full of spirit, proves a good introducer, and is an useful vehicle.

The constringents, of the character above required, are saffron, mastich, myrrh, and myrtleberries; as being at once both unctuous and cherishing.

And out of these ingredients, such a bath, in our judgment, may be made, as we at present desire. But physicians, and posterity, may find still better expedients.

This operation may be rendered much more effectual, if such a bath, which we conceive the principal thing, be used; with the observance of these four directions: 1. that previous to bathing, the body undergo friction; and be afterwards

anointed with oil, made thick like paint, that the moistening heat and virtue of the bath may enter the body, rather than the aqueous part of the liquor. 2. That the bathing itself next ensue; and be continued for about two hours. 3. That after bathing, the body be coated over with a proper mixture of mastich, myrrh, gum tragacanth, saffron and diapalma; to keep in, as much as posible, the perspirable matter, till the softening matter be by degrees turned into a more solid substance: and that this be continued for twenty four hours or more. 4. And lastly, that when this coating is taken off, the body be anointed with oil, whereto a little salt and saffron is added; the bathing being repeated four days afterwards, with the other parts of the process, as before: and the course continued for a month.

During this course of mollifying, we judge it useful, proper, and suitable to the intention, that the body be well fed: kept from the cold air; and receive nothing in the way of drink, without warming. But this course is one of those things which we have not experienced; only set it down as what promises to answer the end: for having marked out the road, we deliver the traditory or illuminating lamp into other hands.

Nor ought the warm and cherishing applications, of the bodies of living creatures, to be omitted. Ficinus, without intending a jest, said,

that David might have had comfortable use of Abishag's lying on his bosom, had she not come too late. He should have added, that, after the manner of the Persian virgins, she ought to have been perfumed with myrrh, and other ingre dients; not to please the more, but to increase the cherishing virtue expected from the warmth of her body.

Barbarossa, in extreme old age, had, by the advice of a Jewish physician, young boys continually applied to his bosom: in order to warm, cherish and preserve him: and some old men accustom themselves to apply young puppies, which is a very hot kind of creature, to their stomach at nights.

There goes a report, not unsupported in many respects, that certain persons of monstrous noses, have had the exuberant parts and bunches thereof pared down; and the nose trimed to a moderate size; then making an incision in the fleshy part of the arm, they have held the trimed nose therein for a time, and thence procured it handsome. If this account be true, it affords a remarkable instance of the consent between flesh and flesh; especially whilst alive.*

It would be too tedious to enquire after, and prescribe rules for, mollifying all the principal

* See the Chirurgical Operations of Taliacotius.

5

viscera; as the stomach, the lungs, the liver, the heart, the brain, the spinal marrow, the kidneys, the gall-bladder, the intestines, veins, arteries, nerves, cartilages and bones; as we are not now writing a practice, but only setting down indications for it.

X.

THE HISTORY OF THE OPERATION FOR DISCHARGING THE OLD JUICES, AND SUPPLYING THEIR PLACE WITH NEW; OR THE BUSINESS OF PERIODICAL

RENOVATION.

this head,

THOUGH what we shall deliver upon has in great measure been touched already; yet because the operation is capital, we will here treat the former matters again, with a more express view to it.

It is certain that draught-oxen, worn down with labour, being put into fresh pasture, recover tender and young flesh; as we find by eating of it: whence it manifestly appears no difficult thing to procure tenderness to the flesh. And it is likewise probable, that if the flesh be thus several times made tender, the effect may reach to the bones, membranes, and the like.

It is certain, that the usual courses of dietdrinks, consisting principally of guaiacum, as also of Sarsa, China and Sassafras; especially when long continued, and according to strict