[375]. The manner of doing it among the Turks, is described by Shaw and Russel. Chateaubriand also remarks, “The women of Athens appear to me smaller and less handsome than those of the Morea, their practice of painting the orbits of the eyes blue, and the ends of the fingers red, is disagreeable to the stranger.” Dr. Badham has also given us an interesting note upon this subject in his learned Translation of Juvenal. Sat. II. 1. 141. See also the present work, p. 49.
[376]. The Sulphuret of Antimony is an ingredient in Spilsbury’s Drops. See Hydrargyri Oxy-murias. Dr. Duncan also observes that it seems to constitute a quack remedy which has acquired some reputation in Ireland for the cure of cancer, where it is used as an external application to the sore.
[377]. This saline body was first made known by Adrian de Mynsicht in his Thesaurus Medico-chymicus, published in 1631; although it appears probable that the preparation was suggested by a treatise, entitled “Methodus in Pulverem,” published in Italy in 1620. This book, written by Dr. Cornachinus, gives an account of a method of preparing a powder which had been invented by Dudley, Earl of Warwick, and which had acquired considerable celebrity in Italy; this powder was composed of Scammony, Sulphuret of Antimony, and Tarter, triturated together.
[378]. There is a Tartrate of Antimony, but it can scarcely be made to crystallize; it easily assumes a gelatinous form; and it may be here observed that Antimony is one of those metals whose oxides seem to combine with difficulty, and to form compounds of little permanency with acids, unless there be present at the same time an alkali or earth; and their solutions, in most cases, yield, on dilution, a white precipitate.
[379]. The compound of Tartarized Antimony and Bark, is said to purge, and to constitute the “Bolus ad Quartanas” of the French physicians.
[380]. The Sugar is added with a view to prevent the ointment from becoming rancid.
[381]. Norris’s Drops. A solution of tartarized antimony in rectified spirit, and disguised by the addition of some vegetable colouring matter. I am credibly informed that the original recipe contained opium, but that which I have examined, and which was procured from a respectable agent, yielded no indications of its presence.
[382]. Hard water has a tendency to produce diseases in the spleen of certain animals, especially sheep: this is the case in the eastern side of the island of Minorca, as we are informed by Cleghorn. The mischievous tendency of bad water, where it cannot be corrected by some chemical process, would seem to be best counteracted by bitter vegetables. Virey supposes that this circumstance first induced the Chinese to infuse the leaves of the tea plant.
[383]. Alpini informs us that Elephantiasis is endemial in Egypt; Galen ascribes it to the impure waters of the Nile, and Lucretius adopted the same opinion.
“Est Elephas morbus, qui propter flumina Nili