New-York tribune., 1903-05-17
UEsLEY,s "PRLMITIYE pHYsIC."
The Book of Nan ahead of His Times.

From The Pail Mall Gazette
We are not surprised to hear that the new
abridged edition of John Wesleys Journal is
already in its tenth edition Pure, unaffected
and undying English" as Edward FitzGerald
wrote Of the original many vOlumed one, is con-
tanned in these pages. Before me just now,
however, is a very different little volume by the
same author, Primitive Physic; or, An Easy
and Natural Method of Curing Most Diseases,
by John Wesley, A M" 1t published first
in 1147, and it would be difficult to pro-
copy. FlyleaVes within its quaint cover
contain some curious old recipes. in the old
fashioned handwriting of zone of the People
called MethOdsts." Here is, for instance, bal
samic cordial for the lungs, which is warranted
to cure within three weeks "One who is almost
settled in consumption" 1t contains, with other
ingredients, little old rum; but other recipes
are given for the making of various non-alco-
holic beers of those herbal properties so much IN
favor with the more sensible of our Old World
country folk.
The motto on it's title page is characteristic
of John Wesley, Homo sum: humani nihll a me
alienum putO." He reminds us in the preface
that the ancientS usually assigned physlc
divine original" and adds Indeed, it was
natural thought that He who had taught it to
the very beasts and birds, the Cretan stag, the
Egyptian ibis, could not be wanting to teach
man. 'Sanctius his animal, mentisque capac1uS
aItfe' Yea sometimes even by those meaner
creatures, for it was easy to infer If this VIII
heal that creature, whose flesh is nearly or the
same texture with mine, then In parallel case
it will heal me- The trial was made, the cure
was wrought. and experience and phys1c gre"
In giving this little handbook to the public it's
author was careful to advise, where life was IN
danger that "a physician that fears God should
be called in without delay" The CHRISTIAN
Scientists and faith healers Of the present Day
would have found little favor in his slght, al
though family traditions have handed down ~
ourselves cures resulting from simple faith, as
he enioined it, which equal many OF the repuIeu
cures at the Grotto of LOurdes. He was much
ahead of his times; in reference to one of our
great curative agencies of the present day JohIi
Wesley wrote: "One 1 must aver from personal
knowledge, grounded on thousand eXpe5i- I!
ments to be far superior to all the other medl-
cines l have known: mean electricity: ctin-
not hut entreat those who well wishers 10
mankind to make full proof OF TINS Certil!Hy ny
il comes the nearest to a universal n mleNIClIS
of anv vet known in the world rms was
added in the preface to an edition OF PrlmluFe
Physic" issued in 1I60-
read that children in marshy districts nave peen
cIIred of ague by wearing WalStcoaI INTO "l!CIt
bark was quilted, and in quartan ague. When
the fit is coming on, poultlce 10 ihe HSdu' NJ VI
the leaves and flowers of wall July no"eI0'
beaten together with a little SAT- IS sSt!u 10 LG
useful. Here is a cure for badness; ftup 'Iic
mart morning and evening with onions TIL II Is
red and rub afterward with money VI, 80
trifv II daily" The bleeding of an amputdleu
limb NAV be stopped, without any cautery' II
ripe nuffhalls are broken warlly ana the p ~ ~
be strewn on the wound and bound on II. -
soccnfuls of nettle juice Will stop the Vomiting
In the latest edition of his book Mr. Wesley
marked those medicines he preferred 10 tI1S
rest where several are given with an d9I Illl
az Win the word Tried and the markings
chow how wonderfully enerS tic and lndustIl1us
he vas in the cure of the body well as IN th't
Of the soul Indeed my grandfather, who Vas -;
one of his disciples, used to nave MS chu 81 q. - -.
his study every Saturday night Where' ar
teaching them their Church catechlsm, ne III
structed them from another little 62ok, ass
Iohn Wesley's, l believe called 1he CdIeCiLI7.l.
81 tba Rodv !" Whether that its proper
lille or only called so by his children, l do not
know. but | can testify that they all dld I IuStlCe
to its teaching In the words OF the oiu Iobn IoI
wisdom was justified of her children John
wesley. himself. who was, as we read; put 10y py
his mother into regular method or uNlhs Ltoli.
ne ne tir+b >, lived and worked up TO the age or
eicbtv-eiaht when he died, almost in harness"