from entering into the blood. Of all the waters at this place, the Crescent seems the best suited to scrofulous complaints, since the portion of salt which it contains, is just sufficient to make it active as a gentle stimulous upon the excretories, without causing it to operate by the intestines, whereby it will be taken into the blood, enter the minutest vessels in the body, and promote all the secretions; while the iron which it contains, will tend to remove the debility, which, if not originally the cause of the disease, always retards it's With the same intention, the cold bath may be used two or three times a week: all the good effects in this disease, may be expected from the very cold bath at Low-Harrogate, that are obtained at Ilkley.

cure.

Whether the sulphur water might be prescribed with advantage in the colica pictonum, or colic, proceeding from lead, a disease to which painters, miners, and others who deal much in that article, are subject, we have had few opportunities of ascertaining.* Our grand indication in this

* Since the first edition of this treatise was published, I have seen a case of colica pictonum, which was cured by the use of the sulphur water.

complaint, must be to remove or correct the exciting cause; any other indication can only be secondary and subordinate: for it is most probable that all the symptoms will disappear when we have fulfilled this indication.

The effect produced by sulphur, or hepatic air upon lead, is remarkable. Whe ther it possesses any correcting power, and whether lead mineralized by sulphur, would lose much of it's activity, as is the case with some other mineral substances, has not I believe been ascertained by experiment, but does not seem unlikely. The salt contained in the sulphur water, would serve as an evacuant, and this water, by fulfilling both our indications, may be peculiarly suited to this complaint. It certainly deserves a trial.

In speaking of the medicinal virtues of the chalybeate waters, I mentioned some cases of consumption, in which they are useful; we must however expect the florid consumption, on which Dr. Beddoes has lately thrown considerable light. From his observation it is highly probable, that in this disease the blood is superoxygen

ated. In such cases chalybeates would -be hurtful, because they would increase -the number of red particles in the blood, and enable it to take in more oxygen, and thus increase the disease; but some of the sulphur waters, particularly those which contain but little salt, might perhaps be used with safety and advantage, both internally and externally; for, it is probable, that the sulphurated hydrogen gas would powerfully diminish the superabundant oxygen, by uniting with it, and forming water. I have not yet seen à case of florid consumption in which these waters have been tried, but should think them much preferable to those of Bristol, in these cases. In confirmation of this theory, I beg leave to add the fol lowing fact:-After walking a great deal for several days in frosty weather, when the barometer was high, I was seized with a difficulty of breathing, great tightness in my breast, a short dry cough, countenance very much flushed and florid, with every symptom which attacked Dr. Beddoes, after inhaling oxygen gas, which

* Vide Dr. Beddoes's Observations on the nature and cure of calculus, sea-scurvy, consumption, &c.. Also, his Letter to Dr. Darwin.

Q

convinced me that the system was superoxygenated; the exercise of walking obliged me to make more frequent respirations, while I took in at each inspiration a greater than usual quantity of oxygen, on account of the dense státe of the air. These symptoms were instantly relieved and soon cured, by inhaling sulphurated hydrogen gas, procured from hepar sulphuris.

Chalybeate Waters.

PATIENTS, whose cases are suited to

the chalybeate waters, should in general, before they begin with them,

drink the

sulphur water for a day or two, in such a manner as to procure about two stools a day; let them then begin with the TewitWell or Old-Spaw, drinking about half a pint three or four times a day, at a time when their stomach is pretty empty. The best times are early in the morning, about two hours before dinner, and in the afternoon. If this quantity be found to agree