The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-04-22

however, lived to witnefs the tot al lofs of re.
DIT OF his favo.:rte remedy; and the prefcrip.
ton snow banthed from our books.
sd. Another noftrum foon appeared called
.he OrmiASfrk Posuder,' being prepared at a
town OF that name IN England by Mr.. Hill, a
furgeon. and from having been given to hume.
rous Perfons bitten by dogs fuppofed to be mad
without taking any difeafe, it foon made the
fortune of the proprietor, being as regularly
Kept by every family as James Powder. DR..
degiham, now of Chefter in England, even CO.
ieorated Its powers in his latin inaugural differ
tatIon printed at Edinburgh in l777 but its
race is run, having been thrown aide in confe.
quence of the publication of numerous cafes bv
medical men of its failure. The celebrated DR..
fothere'll of London, among others, bore tefti-
mony agaInlt It, after fair trial of it as pre-
Ventative and cure. At prefent in England,
Notwithstanding the hoft of quack remedies for
other difeafes, none is offered for that produc-
ed oy the bite of mad-dogs; even DR.. Solomon
does not extend the virtues of his reftorative
Balm of Glead 70 far
Other parts of the U. States befides Virginia.
nave had their nofrums for the difeafe under
consideration. In Philadelphia family by the
name OF Goodman, have long pretended to poc-
ieis lecret for it. Upon an examination of
the dole, found it to conGtt chiefly of elecam-
pane root, and though fcarcely "A year paf1es
without fome new victim to credulity, the pro-
Pretors Till find j; their intereft TO affert the
intallibility of their nottrum.
In the year 500, another remedy came be-
lore the public in an impoiing form. A Mr..
hetterng OF Dauphn County Pennfylvania,
,.ateo memorial to the legislature then in fef.
hon at Lancafter, that he had long been in the
fucceisful ufe of plant, for the prevention of
the effects ofthe bites of rabid animals, and Of
Tered to difcover it, truiting to the Iiberaty of
the iesiilature, to compenfate him. A COM
miOtee was accordingly appointed on the fub-
Ject and the plant produced to them: Upon
committing my friend the Reverend DR.. Muh
lenberg of Lancafer, "a learned botanit,) it
was found to be variety of anaaaHs ayz,euEs
or chIckweed. DR.. M. bore teftimony of the
univerial eftmation in which the fecret was held
throughout that part of the country, but AS no
iPeclfic facts were produced to prove its efficacy,
the iegiiiature upon the report of the commit
tee contented themfelves with makin- bonorabIe
mention of Mr.. Kettering's GOOD intention, in
their journal. Indeed they had and annually
nave too many demands from various county
ichools, and for new roads, erection OF cotton
manufactures, and other purpofes of general i'm
ProVement, to throw away money for medical
nofrums or doubtful efficacy. And vet the hif-
tory OF the plant will Aiew, however great the
reputation OF Mr.. Micou's Zone NAV be in Vir-
gina. 1t can never pretend TO the difinGion
which the GnagaH5 has enioved for il is fact
well recorded,* that feveral governments in
Europe during the lait century, pa1ed laws to
protect it from diltrnftion /! Such was the
opinion OF its powers in the prevention of the
ehects OF biteS-This fame plant, however, fail
ed in the cafe of child of arefpecfabIe citizen
of Philadelphia, which fell under nv notice ::
and in that of MIR. Hubor of Lancaner. not.
withdrawing the plant was exhibited by DR..
Muhienberg. Both cafes occurred A few
months after Mr.. Kettering's memorial had
been preiented TO the Legislature.
Having thus given ftatement Of the rife. pro-
greis and death of feveral Wanted medicines.
for the prevention of the difeafe, fometimes nro.
duced by the bite Of rabid animals, it becomes
neceiiary to anfwer quefion which naturally
ariies on confederation of the fubjeet, viz.
How did thoie remedies acquire their reDut,-
ton 81 reply,
]. Every dog or cat that bites is not mad
Wheh olte is received, the animal is generally
kiiieo' ana hence 1t is impofiible to know whe
tner ne was actually mad or not but on the
iuppohtlon OF danger, the noftrum of the diff
tnct is taken, and no accident FOLLOWING tic
credit is eitablifhed-tbe qvifneG 6ei1g Head con
feH"0 tales Hence one fource offalacy.
z. II bite from an animal aG7uQHy ,,,ad NAV
DC received, but the part being covered bv =
itockinG, ihoe or boot ard ftockinp. or cloth
the potion contained in the faliva is wiped OFF
and the bare teeth entering. no injury follow
IN tnch cafes, alto, the exemption from diGeaE.
rs faIfeiy attributed tothe noirum taken.
3. Even on the fuppoGtion that the part Of
the body bitten is uncovered, yet it is hannv
crcumtancs, that not abo4,e one in tzceutv ssr.
/0nt f6HJ bitten, ezer take the 6iJSaH. This L
An important confederation, and is fufic;ent ~
Ittelt to account for the unmerited repuIat;on
acquired by pills, and powders, and herbs. and
stones, in the iuppoied prevention of the die.
eaie; or the truth of the petition there can Re
no doubt for have related in my publicati-
ons on the difeafe nqnefton, numerous facts in
! iupPort of 1t, but not having thefe at hand 7
cannot quote with fuficient accuracy. Hence
nineteen perfons may take prefcription and
remain well; the twentieth, whole fate il NAV he
to iutter from the potion, takes nothing g. d;es
| Here Is another fource of faIlacy.-Indeed Il
is angular and mott unaccountabIe f,a ,ba,
the potion of the difeafe, tho hitherto 70 intr.
~ uncomfortable by medicine, when once Il
operates, yet takes effect in 70 few nfances,
and lies 10 long dormant in the fyftem. have
( related one cafe that happened near PhiladeI-
phla, IN which three fcar5 and four aaontbt elan
led between the bite and conlequent dfeafe. =
See N Y. Med. Rep. vol. s.
a. All the inftances in which the remedy m, y
have failed. are carefully concealed from tb =
ahc(,. =.