Of this let him take every morning one tea spoonful; upon which let him rub himself all over with the mercurial cloth as follows, till he comes by this exercise into a breathing sweat, at least for an hour; and for the rest of the day keep him in continual exercise.
No. XV
The mercurial cloth.
Take a cloth or rag as much as half a yard square, upon which spread one ounce of mercurial ointment; let the patient work this into the cloth with his hands, so that it is equally all over alike.
With this cloth let him rub his wrists, arms, shoulders, top of his head, his back, knees, waist, thighs, and legs; and continue this rubbing once every morning with the same cloth for a whole month, putting the cloth in his pocket when he has done.
His sores may be dressed with the above ointment No. [XI]. The decoction of sassafras, and a dram of spirits, with a little Turlington’s Balsam after his morning’s exercise, will prove greatly to facilitate the cure. This is the method I have pursued with this filthy disorder; and I have succeeded to my most sanguine expectations. And by this, I have been fortunate enough to be the means of making men again, of wretches that were a burden to themselves, and a nuisance to the people that were obliged to associate with them.
SECT. IV.
Of Promiscuous Disorders.
Having thus treated on the most material ailments that want immediate assistance, I shall in this section consider promiscuous disorders, that have no relation to each other; but set them down as they occur to my memory.