Star.
London, England, 1811-08-19 00:00:00

UILU.

At Edinburgh, on the nth ut :august, Matthew Montgomery,
Esq. writer in Edinburgh.
Oa the 24th July, George Robertson, ESA!. writer, Thurso.
On the stth of July, at Paris, Elisahetis, the wife of Admiral
Tchltchagoil, youngest daughter of the lye Commissioner Prehy.
August 11, the Rev. George Shaw, Rector of Seaton, itillaut.
shire, and father of Charles Shaw I.efeere, Esq. M.P.
Rev. Henry Friend, Vicar of East Farleigh, tent.
Rev. T..Tyms, of Walmer, Kent.
Rev. William Hatton, Vicar of &ethyl'', near Milthorp,West.
moriand, aged 7S.

TO-MORROW.
Sun rises I Sun sets, I Moon rises
S mutates after 5 39 minutes after 7 S ntinut .s after 12

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TO-MuRiW w.
Morning 0 minutes after 3
Afternoon 4O minutes after 3

CUESTONIAN MEDICINES. .
OBSERVATIONS ON THE GOOD AND BAD EFFECTS
OF MERCURY.
IT is upwards of 300 years since chemical prepaer.
tions of Mercury were invented and prepared by Paracelsus.
who was evidently the best chemist then in existence. Ali, •
able with his intentions, they succeeded in curing a disorder
which at that time became so formidable as to threaten the extir-
pation of mankind from the face of the earth, or at least to hare
rendered them objects of detestation even to themselves; ter this
affliction being subordinate to the indulgence of a sutural impulse,
the powers of reason were too feeble to rued them against its
persuasive influence; and such were the gigantic strides of this
destructive malady, which travelled with such rapidity, that be-
tween the years 1494 and 1499 it had found its way into almost
every principal town in Europe, Asia, and Africa, leaving incon-
trovertible proofs of Its destructive virulence: the desolation with
which its effects were accompanied were more to be dreaded
than a pestilence, because at that period more fatal in Its conse-
quences, and no apparent end to its depredations; for, unfortu-
nately for these sufferers, no medicine was known that would
effect a cure in this alarming disease, till by the superior abiktiea
of Paracelsus the various chemical preparations of mercury were
made known.
The lives of thousands then in every part of the world where
this disease has found its way, were trifled away with a great
variety of such feeble Medicines, I will not here trouble the reader
with an enumeration of them. The name of Paracelsus *HI
live so long as the hearts of men can receive an Impression, or
their heads keep in recollection, the benefits he has conferred on
the whole human race. He was, it seems, of royal descent, and
the only foible he possessed, was an extreme degree of vanity ;
and who can wonder at it, when we consider the great cures he
accomplished, particularly in this complain. Yet this infirmity,
and the astoaiehing success of his practice, subjected him, during
the whole course of his life, to the most scurrilous invectives of
Medical Men ; but this enlightened Doctor lived in a dark ase
of ignorance, and the Faculty felt themselves wounded in those
parts where pride and self-interest are always to be found. If
this great man was now living, bow gratifying would it be to
him, to see one of his greatest predictions substantially realized,
in the establishment or improvement of his chymical discoveries ;
and on the contrary, with what horn.r and disgust, would he
have viewed the method adopted in all our hospitals, of intro-
ducing it to the system in a crude state and an unnecessary de-
gree of Salivation kept up, to cure a disorder that would ci r-
tainly yield to a much more gentle and safe manlier of a.:-
ministering this poisonous remedy ; or could he explore tl e
streets of London, and see the great number ot walking barome-
ters, who, crawling along a snail-like pace, prove the deadly
effects of this poisonous liquid mines al,and that all those tenures
with which they are afflicted, are the natural consequences
this new mode of practice; or, could he pay a visit to No. u, Cr...:.
Surrey-street, Blackfriar's-road, he would there see the most de-
plorable victims of this mode of Salivation, which has subjected
them to such pains and extreme debility, as beggars all &set
tion ; and he surely would have been petrified with inurement,
to observe that this desperate Medicine is resorted to, in almost
every disorder that afflicts mankind, of which hundreds are an-
nually cured by chit Guestontan Medicines, after being discharged
the different Hospitals as incurable so that it would seem, three
are the only remedies yet discovered, that can be depended ea
for the cure of Mercurial Rheumatism. From long experience,
the best of all possible proots, we sometimes flad, that Chymic..l
Preparations in Mercury do not succeed in the cure of Lues ;
this defect can always be traced to a cause, either that it ha. bete
improperly administered, or what is more frequently the ca-e,
the careleseuessot the patient : fur it is of little consequence, how
salutary the medicines are, if their powers are interrupted by
nqgligence or mal-pravacc 1 but whereltheismasism has bens the
consequence, I have always found it much more easily cured, chef.
where it has succeeded a salivation brought on by crude Nlercurs •
It is now between fifteen and sixteen years since I protested to
cure Mercurial Rheumatism, and to prove how fir I have suc-
ceeded, references may be had to many huudred Hospital pa-
tients of this description. Such were the lamentations ot some C:
these patieuts-, that the bare eecital of their pains made me she.'..
der ; it therefore follows, that although I consider mankind
greatly indebted to Paracelsus, fur one of the greatest Meek:.
discoveries that ever was made, it is much to be wished, lb,
some more safe, inoffensive, and effectual cure could be obtain •
for this complaint, and resider unnecessary this valuable, thou.
tremendous medicine. For 46 years I have paid very partici.•
attention to the good and bad effects of mercury, and l recue,...
that during my apprenticeship to the late Mr. Join Cope,
and epoch .eary, in Birmingham, it was usual toe medical nl.l
prescribe large doses of calomel,- as a violent cathartic ; but 1 a
happy to übserve, it is now given with much greater succs.s
an alterative in snail doses, and I a, yet ot opinion, that es e
this reduced quantity shouldacts
be laid aside for a time, as •0110
Elizabeth Hall, formerly of Hart-street, Crutchetl-friar, in the the unallest.symptoms of salivation appear, which should a.w. •
city of London, and late of South Minims, in the county of be avoided, ivaentuch as the Physician values his own ripuiati.,.
Middlesex, innkeeper. or the tuture happiness of his patient—not only for the rrisl4l:.
John East, formerly of Woodstock street, Oxford-street, and already aseigned, instbecause its most desperate effects eery o .••
late of Litchfield-street, Soho, both iii the county of Middle- t. it in curing a confirmed I.ues ; and there are a variety it
sex, upholsterer and hotel-keeper.
William Wryglite, formerly of lenchurch-street, London, and mical preparations of mercury to be resorted to, that will acce.
pl sti a cure if carefully administered in moderate quantitier
late of East-place, Lambeth, in the county ot surrey, wine- Then surely salivation should be exploded as unnecessary, distn
merchant. sing, and tormenting; at all times dangerous, and noon MOIL
John Harris, (committed by the name of John Vestry Harris,) mai.—
I
late of Rotberkithe, In the county of Surrey, mast and block- comprisedIt may perhaps be suspected, that my mediciiie. arc pa,-.
of mercury : I therefore pledge the reetitati.in ot
maker.
, practice to prove, that there is not in any one of thrill, the s,i
Jeteniiah James Reading, formerly of Peek-ureee, Grosvenor- lest particle of it—anti I solemnly declare that buinaui. y abet-
square, In the county of Middlesex, and late of Park-place, duced me to make my remarks thereon. •
Kennington, in the county of Surrey, Gem. [Observations on Medicines in a future paper.;
John Evans, late of the Two Blue Posts, Cow-Cross, West -
Smithfield, Middlesex LONDON Piloted and published by Jaye'. Kew ,a: ass,
• (To be continued.) Chancery-lane, ail lit ate Office, Temple Bar.

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