though the plants thrive very well, to produce from the white poppy or Cistus ladanifera, either the opium or the laudanum, the known production of these vegetables in other parts of the world. No art can make here the tragacantha pour forth its gum, the lentiscus its maftick, or the candle-berry myrtle, of North America, its febaceous concrete. To thefe might be added many others too tedious to men

tion.

In fuch mild winters as the laft, the leaves of Hemlock may be procured in any part of them; but they are not to be depended upon; as their Specific fmell is then comparatively weak, their juices poor and watry, and they are wholly without spots.

A remarkable instance of the suecess of Hemlock in England; in a letter from a gentleman, who received the benefit of it.

OWEVER great at Vienna, and elsewhere, the fuccefs may have been from the ufe of Hemlock, it has not, as I am informed, been equal to the expectations of practitioners here. I therefore fend you the fuccefs of its adminiftration in

Hand fowie Erfae Vers may

my own cafe.

Having for many years been corpulent, and been obliged to fit many hours every day, occafioned, feveral years fince, my legs to fwell, and frequently to become very hard and painful. At times, for thefe four years, this has increafed, and feveral ulcers have broke out in, both my legs, which, though they fometimes have been healed, they left my legs hard and fwelled, and my tendons were fo contracted from the calf to the heel, that I could not fet my feet hat to the

ground without the greatest pain. I was conftrained therefore to walk upon my toes, fupported by fticks. Since Christmas laft, my complaints grew worfe, my legs fwelled more, the ulcers broke out again, increased in their number, extent, and forenefs; and, notwithstanding all the means I could procure, they would not heal; infomuch, that by the beginning of May my legs and thighs were very greatly diftended, extremely hard and painful, of a deep red colour, and numberless ulcers occupied both my legs from my knees to my ancles. Many of thefe were very large and deep, and furrounded by high callous lips, and gleeted a thin fharp humour, in fuch a quantity that it ran into my fhoes, and upon the floor where I ftood, and wherever it touched my flesh, it brought other ulcers. My feet were likewife prodigioufly fwelled, and I could fearce move my ancles, and not in the leaft my toes.

My forrows did not end here, for upon lying down, in my bed the warmth thereof made my ulcers yet forer, and excited fuch an itching all over my body, that I was confirained to leave my bed, and have fat upright in my chair great part of the night, not daring to lie down. The continuance in this pofture made, if poffible, my condition worfe; as my legs grew more diftended, and confequently my ul cers increafed in number, and the old ones became more foul, and greatly enlarged. Not only my legs and thighs, but my arms and head were fwelled and inflamed. I was hot and dry, and my fpittle, which had for fome months been brackish, now became very falt. I had been in hopes that the dif

charge

charge from my legs would have drained off the humours and relieved me, but I experienced the reverfe; for the greater my difcharge was, the more my com.plaints increafed.

In this ftate I was in the beginning of May (1761,) and as I had taken a great deal of purging phyfic, had tried various applications, and had gone through fuch other regimen as had been directed, and remained nevertheless in this lamentable condition, I defpaired of relief, and my life became almost infupportable.

Under these circumftances, and believing myfelf to be in a great degree dropfical, I confulted Dr. Watson, who, after having weighed all the particulars, was of a contrary opinion, and directed me to lofe twelve ounces of blood, and to take a cooling purge; he alfo prefcribed that I fhould have my legs fomented every night and morning with a decoction of Hemlock for half an hour, and that a poultice made of the boiled herb, and beat up with oatmeal and lard, fhould be applied warm after each fomenting, from my knees to my ancles, and to be changed twice a day.

I muft here obferve, that as other plants are much like, and had in other inftances been used for, Hemlock, the doctor was fo obliging as to examine the herb I made ufe of, not only to fatisfy himfelf of the identity of the herb, but likewife of its condition. I was alfo directed to abftain for the prefent from animal food, and to drink plentifully of milk and water, and of any other diluting fluid.

The fecond night after these applications I flept in bed, which I had not done for a great while;

and though I was frequently waked by the itching of my body, as well as by the fmarting of my ulcers, I continued all night in bed.

At the end of a week, during all which time I found myself growing eafier, my perfpiration in the night was reftored, which left me a confiderable time. My thighs, arms, and head, changed their deep red colour for one lefs intenfe, and were quite reduced to their natural dimenfions. My itching was lefs, and my fkin peeled all over my body; my fpittle was lefs falt; my legs and feet continued in the fame degree of diftention, but were far lefs red and painful, and their dif charge was confiderably decreafed. I could move the toes of one leg, but not of the other; the purge was repeated at intervals, and the fomentation and poultice continued. At the end of the fecond week, the fkin of my thighs, and the upper parts of my body, was of its natural colour; my itching gone, and my fpittle was natural and tafrelets. The fwelling of my legs and fect was much lefs, and I could move the toes of the other foot. I had likewife a much freer ufe of the joints of my ancles than I had had for a confiderable time. The difcharge from the large ulcers was lefs in quantity and well concocted, their callous lips were foftened, and of a good colour, and they gave me little or no pain. Befides, thefe ulcers filled up apace, and a vaft number of the fmall ones were entirely healed. Under thefe happy appearances, the fomentation and poultice were chcarfully continued, as they were before directed.

Not to be too tedious in my recital, I muft inform you, that at the end of a month, during which time

the difcharge became lefs and lefs, every ulcer in both my legs was entirely filled up and healed, their callous lips were diffolved, and, from the fubfiding of their tumours, my legs were lefs than, they had been for fome years. I was di. rected, therefore, to difcontinue the fomentation, but as there were yet confiderable indurations in the lower parts of my legs, and upon any thin-bones, the poultice was continued. This I wore for a fortnight longer, or thereabouts, when all my ulcers being firmly cicatrized, and the indurations foftened, it was left off. Though my legs were quite well and reduced to their natural fize, the fkin of them, from being fo long diftended, was foft and flabby: I was therefore directed to wear strait ftockings, which was accordingly complied with. I could now fet my feet flat upon the ground, which I had not done for four years, could move my ancles and toes as well as ever, and I could walk with as much eafe and freedom as ever I could in my life. I then was permitted to eat animal food, and to live as I was accuftomed to do. However, as I am of a corpulent habit, by way of precaution, I was directed to drink occa! fionally fome fea-water, which I have hitherto continued.

It is now three months fince I left off the poultice: my legs continue perfectly well, not fo much as a pimple has appeared upon them this autumn, and I never was in better health in iny life.

If, during this fuccefsful treatment, I had used a great variety of external and internal medicines, though I had been cured, I thould not have known to which to have

attributed these falutary effects; as poffibly every one of them might, in fome degree, have confpired thereto; but as, throughout the whole, except fome purges, of which I had taken numbers before, Iufed nothing but the fomentation and poultice of Hemlock, as beforementioned, I cannot but attribute my cure principally to the virtues of the Hemlock, which I think in my cafe were very remarkable; and, as far as one inftance will go, are a ftrong argument of its excel lent effects. I pretend not to determine how far it has been useful in other cafes, and under other directions; and I cannot here supprefs my gratitude to Dr. Wathon, for his humanity and kind attention to me during the continuance of my illness.

From my chambers, Your's, &c. New-Inn, Oct. 16. H. MITCHELL,

An Account of Dr. Storke's second Essay on the medicinal nature of Hemlock.

Clufius calls it cicutaria major, vulgaris, hift. 2. p. 200.

It is bett gathered, for making the extract; before the flowers are blown.

The root is not used for this pur pofe; but every other part of the plant.

The expreffed juice is boiled, of ten ftirring it, in a glazed earthen veffel, with a flow fire, to the confiftence of an extract.

It may be doubted, however, whether apothecaries are not too folicitous about depurating this juice. For I would rather have it thick, and almost a pulpy extract.

An extract may be prepared, from a decoction of the dry herb; when it cannot be obtained from the fresh.

But this is far lefs efficacious. I am extremely forry, that fome hundred pounds weight of the extract of Hemlock, prepared from the dry herb, unknown to me, were fent from Vienna into other countries; as the effect is neither fo great, nor fo quick, as that of the extract prepared from the juice fresh expreffed.

This herb was fufpected of being poisonous by all apothecaries; and therefore, at first, they were not willing to prepare fo great a ftore of it as I defired.

And when they faw the pills every where wanted, they were not able to procure the fresh herb."

Amongst a variety of cafes, all tending to eftablish the reputation of this medicine, (though wherein it failed the doctor has not been fo explicit) we shall felect the 19th, as very extraordinary.

A man of the age of thirtyfour, had for fome years the glands of the neck fchirrous; and fo large, that the bignets of them on

each fide, exceeded that of a man's

head.

This man made a monftrous appearance: as he feemed to have three heads.

All their glands being conjoined in one mafs, cohered strongly.

There was large tumours, alfe, in the arm-pits; which rendered the motion of the arm painful, and almoft impoffible.

In the fore part of the thorax, a fchirrous mats extended itfelf from the neck, to the edge of the rib.

There were, moreover, ichorous ulcers, which eroded thefe schir

russes.

In other places, where there were divifions in the fkin, foul cancerous funguses were produced.

Befides, innumerable sinuses, and fistulas were discovered.

A molt violent cough haraffed the patient: nocturnal fweats waited away his flesh, and strength: his refpiration was difficult: his appetite proftrate: and his feet, arms, face, and whole body, puffed up with an oedematous fwelling.

There were, indeed, evident figns of a true confumption.

Several phyficians endeavoured to conquer this illness, by the most penetrating remedies, as well vegetable as mineral, but their attempts were in vain: or rather, the patient grew worse for them.

I made this man, who was almost wafted away; panting for breath; and fwelled all over; be carried to my hofpital.

Mr. Haffner, though he had of ten feen many very dangerously ill, cured by the fole ufe of Hemlock, yet gave up all hopes in this cafe.

I myself, to confefs the truth, thought the man was loft; for a confuming fever, nocturnal fweats, a continual fatiguing cough, the 13 ftrength

ftrength almoft exhaufted, the fwelling of the whole body, a cachexy of the humours, and troublefome refpiration, presaged almoft certain death.

However, I defired Mr. Haffner to apply externally the hemlock fomentation, and to wash the sinuses and fistulas feveral times a day, with a weak infufion of it; a little honey of rofes being added.

At the fame time, I prefcribed medicines which might promote expectoration; and, at the fame time, increafe the firength.

By the fomentation alone, the ulcers were brought to be much cleaner; and the tumours were foftened.

In the space of twelve days, the patient had fomewhat more firength; a freer refpiration, and quieter nights.

I therefore administered the hem lock internally, alfo.

For the common drink, I gave the decoction of barley, with a fourth part of milk mixed with it.

By the ufe of the hemlock, a copious fpitting was obtained: and in the space of about four days, the whole body was lefs fwelled; the urine was plentifully made; the evening fever and nocturnal fweats, were diminished; the indurations of the neck, ulcers, fistulas and sinuses, were all in a far better state; and the patient could bear to get out of bed.

We were greatly pleafed with the quick effect of this remedy in fo defperate a fubject: and it encourage ed us to proceed chearfully in the application, as well of internal as external remedies.

Within the fpace of a month from the time the patient firft took the hemlock, the colour of his face

was natural: the appetite was good: the evening fever was gone, the fweats were no longer perceived: the ftrength was nearly as it ought to be: the tumours of the neck were much lefs, and fofter: and the pus was very laudable in the ulcers.

Dr. Collins, together with myself, had the care of this patient. Mr. Haffner continued diligently his fomentations and injections in the day time; and, at night, applied the hemlock plafter.

In the space of fix months, the tumours of the neck were less by almoft one half; and the patient could bend his neck every way, without trouble.

The refpiration was free; no cough remained; and the patient grew fat, and strong.

We now gave, daily, a whole dram of the extract of hemlock.

In the beginning of the third month, the patient took a dram and a half of the extract of hemlock every day.

We continued this dofe for three months: and, in that time, all the tumours were difperfed; the whole of the ulcers were covered with a cicatrix: the sinuses, and fistulas, coalefced: and the whole neck returned to its natural state. The man was chearful, fat, and ftrong; nor did we ever perceive the leaft inconvenience from this dose.

A cure was, therefore, performed, by the help of hemlock, which nobody before could hope from it."

In his 4th chapter, Dr. Storke gives fome corollaries, viz. 1. That the hemlock does not diffolve the blood into a putrid liquamen. 2. That it does not caufe confumptions. 3. That it does not caufe a dimness of fight. 4. That it does not take away the power of generation. He allo