An examination of Mr. John Colbatch his books viz. I. Novum lumen chirurgicum, II. Essay of alkalies and acids, III. An appendix to that essay, IV. A treatise of the gout, V. The doctrin of acids further asserted &c. VI. A relation of a person bitten by a viper &c. : to which is added an answer to Dr. Leigh's remarks on a treatise concerning, the heat of the blood : together with remarks on Dr. Leigh's book intituled Exercitationes quinq. ... : as also a short view of Dr. Leigh's reply to Mr. Colbatch &c. / by Richard Boulton of Brazen-nose College in Oxford.

AN EXAMINATION OF Mr. John Colbatch HIS BOOKS , viz.

I. Novum Lumen Chirurgicum . II. Essay of Alkalies and Acids . III. An Appendix to that Essay . IV. A Treatise of the Gout . V. The Doctrin of Acids further Asserted , &c. VI. A Relation of a Person Bitten by a Viper , &c.

To which is added , An Answer to Dr. Leigh's Remarks on a Treatise concerning the Heat of the Blood .

Together with Remarks on Dr. Leigh's Book intituled Exercitationes Quinque Printed at a private Press in Oxford , without the License of the Vniversity .

AS ALSO A short View of Dr. Leighs Reply to Mr. Colbatch , &c.

By RICHARD BOULTON , of Brazen-Nose College in OXFORD .

LONDON , Printed for A. and J. Churchill , at the Black Swan in Pater-Noster-Row , 1698.

Liber Coll. Omnanim . Fidel. defunct . in Oxon.

TO THE Learned and ever Honoured CHARLES GOODALL Doctor in Physick , Physician to the Charter-House AND CENSOR to the COLLEGE of Physicians London . Learned SIR ,

AS no one can be more concerned than your Self , in Vindicating Learning , and discouraging it's Opponents ; so without Presumption , I may say , no one is more able to take upon him such a Task ; of which You have long ago satisfied the World , by appearing Publickly in the Defence of That College , of which You are now a very worthy Member .

And as you have given a very full Proof , that you are sufficiently qualified to Defend Learned Men from the Attempts of those who endeavour to Oppose them ; so it consequently follows , that I could not possibly make choice of a fitter Patron for this Book , which is a Vindication of all Learned Physicians , from the vain and false Pretences of an ignorant Man .

And tho' , I presume , to ask your Patronage of this Book , yet it is not because I think the Adversary I appear against , nor all his adherents formidable Opponents ; but because , any thing that carrys with it a Vindication of that Learned Society , of which you are a Member , cannot have a more proper Name prefixed to it than Yours , who have so signally appeared in their Defence .

But tho' it be an Honour to appear in such a Cause , yet it is not that which bears the highest Place in your Character : For Religion and Vertue which are the Measures and Rules of all your Actions , make you Useful both to the Church and State , it being Part of your continual Care to instil into young Men a just Veneration for a Deity and noble and great Notions of the extraordinary Merit of so great a King .

And your Prudence is not more remarkable in respect of the Publick , than your own Private Affairs , where Judgment and Learning are the sure Guides of successful Practice , and Vertue and Tranquility extend themselves throughout your Family .

These are but short Hints of so great a Character as the Conduct of your Life affords materials for ; a Character which claims a better Pen , than mine to take a Draught of , and which one that is intimately acquainted with those Vertues , in their utmost Extent can only describe .

For which Reason I fear , that whilst I only endeavour to shew my self sensible of those Obligations your Favours have laid upon me , and for which Gratitude can be the least Return , I shall rather be condemn'd by those who know how far I come short of your Merit , for undertaking to mention any thing that belongs to a Character so much above my Reach .

Yet from your self I can easily hope for Pardon , since you are so free to give it to all those that transgress not too far Divine and Human Laws , nor unreasonably triumph in their Ignorance , to the Dishonour of Learning and Learned Men , for all which you have so great a Veneration , and therefore I am more hold humbly to subscribe my self ,

Learned SIR , Your most Obliged Servant at your Command , R. BOULTON .

THE PREFACE TO THE READER .

THE Doctrin of Acids and Alkalies hath been so long since rejected , as False and Erroneous , by the Famous and Honourable Robert Boyle Esq ; and others , that it is a wonder , any Man should have so much Impudence , as to advance it afresh ; without answering those Objections , which have sufficiently proved the Insufficiency of it , much more to dare with so much Boldness to Contradict all Learned Men , upon such false Grounds as Mr. Colbatch hath done .

And therefore I think it fit to acquaint my Reader briefly , with the true State of the Controversy , that he may more clearly judge , how far he is from Truth in what he hath writ ; and what Reason I had to write in the Method I have .

In short then , they must understand , that Mr. Colbatch hath endeavoured to Account for , and to cure most Distempers , upon so false a Bottom as the Doctrin of Acids and Alkalies , which hath been long since rejected and laid aside , by all the most Rational Physicians ; and that herein he hath been so bold , as not only to tell all the World , that they were mistaken ; but hath taken upon him to call University-Learning , nothing but fusty Philosophy , and all Rational Physicians all the ill Names he could invent , impudently complaining , that he was sorry to see Physick a Scene of Slaughter .

These Imputations , with a great many more , hath he laid upon the World , and if we look into his Books we shall see very little Reason for it ; for he hath not only Err'd with the Vulgar , in building all his Writings on a false Doctrin ; but to shew how grandly he is mistaken , he hath proved himself two Removes from Truth ; for granting the Doctrin of Acids and Alkalies true , what he hath said will not hold , so that he must needs be doubly mistaken .

And therefore in Answering his Books , and laying open his Faults , I all along proved , that granting the Doctrin of Acids and Alkalies true , what he says it false . And here it is not amiss to declare a little more clearly , that tho' I have argued against his Books , as if the Hypothesis he built upon were true ; yet , I don't at all grant it to be so , only to shew how widely he is distant from Truth ; for to have shewn that he only Erred in assuming the Doctrin of Acids and Alkalies , would but have proved him guilty of a Fault , that hath been common to others as well as himself ; but his Faults are of a more absurd kind ; for which Reason , it is excusable , that I have treated him in such a proper Manner , as to represent the Man , as well as the Physitian .

However , I must confess , that tho' I have proved him guilty of such grand Faults , both in Physick , and his Behaviour towards the Learned World , yet it wants an Apology , and perhaps may be no small Disadvantage to my Arguments , to mix such Remarks as I have amongst them ; for which Reason I desire my Reader to consider the State of the Controversy , and the Person against whom I write ; it is not a Man who hath the good Opinion and Approbation of Learned Men , but ( like a Mountebank ) the Cry of a few of the Rabble , and one that hath done his utmost , to cast all the Aspersions he can upon Learning and Learned Men , and therefore he ought to be used in his kind ; to be serious with such weak Nonsence , would be to betray Learning , and to expose my own Understanding to the Censure of the Learned ; and to Compliment such a vain Person would be to make no distinction betwixt Men of Sence and Merit , and the most notorious Block-heads , which would be a greater Affront to Learned Men , than any he hath given : But without doubt Men ought to be Used according to their Merit ; and it would be Ridiculous as well as Unjust to put Learned and Ingenious Men upon a Level , as to treat a common Offender and a just Man alike ; how Ridiculous and Weak would it be for a Lawyer , when a Prisoner is indicted for heinous Crimes , to moderate his Pleading , as if he were a just innocent Man ?

But that what just Reflections I have made , may be no Disadvantage to my Arguments , I would desire my Reader to consider the Arguments , and them apart , and so he will have the Advantage to see how my Arguments confute him , and how my Remarks are grounded upon Conviction of his grand Errors , and tho' it be common to say , that Remarks , tho' Just , cloud Arguments , and prejudice the Readers , yet I would not lay such things to their Charge ; I believe , Rational Men who have the Use of their Reason , can distinguish betwixt Remarks and Arguments , and can without prejudice consider the former as the Merit of the Man , and the latter as against his Books .

And here I think it necessary to let the World know that Dr. Coward having lately writ a Book against some Part of Mr. Colbatch his Books , Mr. Colbatch hath been pleased to put an Advertisement in the latter End of a Book published soon after , wherein he says Dr. Coward 's Book is not worth an Answer ; I therefore shall tell him , that he only says so because he cannot answer it ; and for that Reason , I shall conclude , that if he does not Answer Mine , he really cannot ; and because I have made so many Remarks on him , which perhaps may be too severe , I shall put him in a way to prove , that he does not deserve them , which will be by shewing , that the Reasons I have given against his Books are not valid , but if he does not do that , the Remarks properly belong to him , being grounded upon his Errors .

There is one thing more which I must acquaint my Reader with , which is , that in Answering his Novum Lumen Chirurgicum , his Essay of Alkalies and Acids , his Appendix to that Essay , and his Book Entituled The Doctrin of Alkalies and Acids further Asserted , &c. I have all along quoted the first Impression of those Books , that the Reader may , if he pleases , turn to those Quotations , which will save those that have the First Impression the Trouble of looking into the Second .

All that I have further to say is , that if there be any Faults in the following Sheets , I must beg the Reader to ascribe them to the haste in which they were writ , the whole being writ in a Month's time when I was in London the last Spring , except the last concerning the Person bit by a Viper , which Book of his being not published before I return'd to Oxford , a few vacant Hours there were employed in an Examination of it .

And now least the Reader should think that I publish the haste they were writ in , rather to be taken for a quick Writer than to excuse my Faults , it may not be amiss to tell him , that my chief Reason , is , that I would not have the World to think that the Confutation of so weak an Adversary required longer time than was necessary to write it ; for I would by no Means have the World to think the following Sheets the Product of a longer Consideration , Mr. Colbatch his Faults being easily discern'd at the first Sight , by any one that hath made a Progress in Physic sufficient to enable him to distinguish betwixt Truth and Error , and therefore I humbly submit them to the impartial Reader , hoping they will convince the World of his Mistakes , and deter young and less judicious Practioners from following his Absurd Methods , in doing of which , if they may be serviceable to young Physicians , I have my Desire , I say young ones , because Men of riper Judgment are already convinc'd of his Mistakes . Candid Reader ,

Your very Humble Servant R. BOULTON .

AN EXAMINATION OF Mr. John Colbatch HIS Novum Lumen Chyrurgicum .

Wherein his Absurdities and False Opinions in Physick and Chirurgery are truly Represented and fully Confuted .

LONDON , Printed in the Year 1699.

AN EXAMINATION OF Mr. John Colbatch , HIS Novum Lumen Chirurgicum , &c.

PRIDE and Incivility are such Natural Concomitants of Ignorance and Self-conceit ; that wherever the Latter and Naturally imbred in a Man void of common Sense ; the former unavoidably flow from them , as Natural Consequences of a depraved Reason .

It is on this Account , that I have undertaken to correct the Insolence of this Author , by shewing how weakly he manages his erroneous and invalid Assertions ; and also how widely and uncivilly he his mistaken , contrary to Experience and Reason , and the Authority , as well as the private Opinions of Learned and Judicious Men.

But before I proceed to lay open his Absurdities , I must make an Apology to the World , for taking that Liberty in my Expressions , which most properly represents him in his Character : As for himself , all I shall say is , that if what I shall write of him displeaseth him , he must blame himself for it , and not me ; it is from what he hath published that I draw his Demerits , and if he hath published Asurdities , he can best Apologize to himself ; and must not blame me , for saying only , what he himself hath laid publick Grounds for .

However , it is not without some Reluctancy , that I engage my self in such a Cause , where the Ignorance and base Designs of a self-conceited Man obliges me in Justice to his Character to make use of Language I should otherwise be ashamed of . But the undoubted Merit of that very unlearned Mr. Colebatch , never too much admired for his wonderful Genius , in scribling Nonscence , and his Dogmatical Positiveness in laying down Falsities , to the great Satisfaction of all those who love Nonsense in a homely Dress , I say , this mighty Hero hath taken such Pains to write down such Specimens of his profound Disabilities , and his assuming Boldness , that should I not study for such Expressions , I should be guilty of Misrepresenting him .

But before I engage my self in a Confutation of such mean and indigested Nonsense , I think it may not be unfit to let the World know , that it is not with a design to get Victory , Credit , or Applause , that I oppose such a mighty Champion , since all Judicious and Learned Men laugh at his Childish , Crude and Shallow Notions ; and are amazed at his Impudence ; but it is partly to undeceive those People , who are overcome by his weakness and misled by him , who want Judgment and Knowledg to perceive his Errors , and to arm themselves against large Pretences . For the greatest Part of Mankind know so little of Physick , nay are so Ignorant of it , that when a Man is bold and positive , they cannot imagin that he can have so much Impudence , to pretend to Knowledg , if he was really Ignorant : that this is the Case of Mr. Colbatch I shall take Pains to shew , what he writes being an Inconsiderate piece of confused and incoherent Assertions .

I shall therefore lay open his Errors so fairly , that the World may be no longer imposed upon , in a Matter that is of such Consequence , as the Health or Destruction of some , tho' a small Part of Mankind ; for if such fatal Absurdities , as those which Mr. Colebatch hath broached , were not corrected ; what Mischief might be done ? Or rather what might not be done ? By such Methods as he irrationally and injudiciously asserts , and practises , by his own Hands , as well as other Physicians who are too easily credulous , and misguided by him .

But it is not only to undeceive the Vulgar and Unlearned , that are thus easily imposed upon , that I engage my self in this Cause : But to defend and vindicate the Royal Learned and Judicious Society , the College of Physicians , and all other Learned Men , from his ungrounded Impudence , his rude assuming Behaviour , and the Aspersions he hath boldly cast upon all rational and regular Physicians ; daring to assert without Reason or Foundation , what is repugnant to the most Celebrated Writers , whose Writings are backed and confirmed by the daily Experience and Universal Consent of those Members , who are not byassed by Interest , or that dont value the Cry of the Vulgar , above the Approbation of Learned Men ; and that have not engaged themselves to cry up one another , tho' by never so dishonourable Methods or absurd Means .

And the Consideration of the Greatness of such a Design , encourages me to slight and contemn all the Aspersions that may be made by such bold Impertinent Pretenders ; for I am so far from valuing the displeasure of half a Dozen of such , above the meritorious Cause of a whole Body of Learned Men ; that I profess I had rather deserve the good Opinion of one ingenious Learned Man , than oblige a hundred Block-heads .

And now if a Reason should be asked , why I should be so zealously concerned , in defending a Body of Men , who are much more able to vindicate themselves ; I must also answer for them , that it is below them to take notice of such mean and weak Assaults ; and to appear in Disputes with such impotent Assailants ; where so little is contained , that the most suitable Answer to such an insolent vain Person , from Men placed by eminent Learning and Judgment so far above him , would oblige them in Justice to themselves , and him , as well as the Cause they Defend , to reprimand him and correct his Folly , with Words and Language more severe , perhaps , then what their Manners and Civility would permit them to make Use of .

For if such Men as the greatest Part of that Learned Society is made up of , should so far condescend as to use Civil Language to him , where he deserves the contrary , they would by that means bring Reflections by the Learned , upon their own Judgments ; and too much demean themselves in such sordid Company , for should they convince that small Part of Mankind ( who are so easily captived by Mountebanks and such vain Pretenders , ) that his Methods and Practice were never so distructive , the Conquest would be no Advantage to them , nor tend to their Honour ; it being below them , to take notice of a Man Unlearned , Ignorant and Vain ; yet Rude , Self-conceited , and Impertinent . And truly had I any great Opinion of my self , I should think my self no Gainer by such a Victory ; which the least Degree of true Sence and Reason can assure any Body of : And as the Matter now stands , I should think my time ill spent , and should blame my self , for making no better Use of it ; if the Reasons I have already given did not prevail with me , viz. To undeceive the Vulgar , and to Vindicate the Honour of so many Learned Men ; for what strange Notions must those that admire him frame of the College of Physicians and Him ; and what hard Thoughts must they beyond Seas have of our English Physicians , to see such a poor Patch of a Phylosopher , that hath but three Words of any thing that looks like Phylosophy in all his Scribling , and those Nonscence , set up for a Champion ; and one that boldly asserts without Reason or any shew of it , undertake to be a Reformer of Physick in England ; a Nation , that hath always abounded with the most Sagacious Learned Men and the greatest Improvers of Physick . I say , what must these think ? Should not his Vanity be corrected and deservedly exposed ; so that the Honour of such a Profession will yet be another Addition to my Apology for using him according to his Desert : And it will be yet more excusable when by Representing truly his Character and Behaviour to all Learned Men , and his Erroneous Absurdities , in Contradiction to all Reason and Experience , it appears how ill he deserves not only of Physitians , but Mankind ; and how Impudently he is mistaken .

I shall therefore give a true Account of his Character and Behaviour , which I shall do by way of Remarks on his Writings , that they may not seem to be without Grounds ; and I shall unvail his Weakness and Mistakes , in what he hath asserted and writ , and shall prove that he hath more Reason to be ashamed , than boldly fond of such Mistakes ; in which , all I have said of him already or can , will be but the same Measure that he hath Measured others ; and tho' he did not at all deserve it , I might have more Reason to take any Liberty , in the worst Sence , with him , and might make a better Apology for it , than he can , for what he hath said to Men to such his Superiours .

But this being a public Accusation , and the Charge I have laid to him being also Public , it is fit the Proof of it should be so too ; to which End , it is necessary to take a View of those things he has wrote ; wherein the Grounds of this Charge is laid by his own Pen.

The First Elaborate Piece of Service this famous Author was bold enough to do the World , was , to pass away two or three hours time for those that had two much leisure , in Reading about six sheets of Paper to which he perfixed a Title , and would have the Book to be thought Novum Lumen Chirurgicum , a Title that made very fair Promises , and might probably raise ones Expectation ; but when I look'd a little further upon the Title , And saw his Name writ in Latin , and withal his Book in English , I was very impatient to read it over ; which when I had done , I began to think , that there was more Sense and Learning in the Title Page than the whole Book ; for it was not only a neat Composition of Capitals ; but Learnedly writ in Latin , and which signified something , tho' very insignificant , I mean HIMSELF , whereas his whole Book was but a Composition of a greater Number of Letters , which signifie nothing at all but incoherent Blunders .

But he was not only Cheat enough to sett a false Light in the beginning of his Book , to mislead People in their Expectations , and to second that , with his Name in Latin ; but also , had the Pride and Vanity to fix the Name , of so GREAT and ILLUSTRIOUS a MONARCH , as our present KING before it ; either because he thought it a Noble Present , or that the GREATEST of Princes , and the Patron of all Europe would be pleased to take notice of such erroneous and grand Mistakes ; which Dedication was sufficient to shew , that he had very ill Designs , or very foolish and vain Thoughts . But to come to the Treasure , and to lay open this Fountain of Light , we may take Notice , that Pag. 2d . He acknowledges his Account of his Discovery maimed and imperfect , without premising an Account of Nutrition . So that if his Account of Nutrition be false by his own Mouth , his own Discovery is confest Maimed and Imperfect , that he may first then be judged by the Words of his own Mouth , I shall now shew him that that is not only False , but Ridiculous . For ,

Pag. the 3d. he says , The solid Food we eat , being well chewed in the Mouth , is the remixed with a Juice contained in the Glands , dispersed all over the Mouth .

Before I go any further , I shall here observe , that he neither understands what he says , or that Nonsence is so homogenous to him , that his dull Sence can taste nothing else ; for how can we suppose , that the Saliva in the Glands , can possibly be mixed with Meat in the Mouth ; he might as well say , that Water in a Cestern being mixed with Meat in his Stomach , would dilute it ; for before that Saliva can be mixed with Meat in the Mouth , it must be forced out of those Glands , into the Mouth ; for as long as it is in them , it is kept from mixing with the Meat , by the Mediation of those Parts that lie betwixt the Glands and the Mouth ; but this is only a Lapsus Liguae , and an Absurdity in Speech : I grant it , but then , is not he the greater Blockhead that understands a thing no better , than to speak one thing , when he should say another : Had the Notion been his own , he might indeed have misexpressed it , by being too intent and thoughtful ; not that the difficulty or abstruseness of the thing , would have inclined him to such a Fault , but his Dullness of Apprehension , it being easy for any one to think , that the Saliva must be in the Mouth or could not be mixed there without much Intentness ; but since it was , not his own , and he had only borrowed it from others he might have easily expressed it , as those had done before him , without turning Sence into Nonsense , in Order to a well Performance as he calls it Pag. 2d .

Pag. 4th . The Meat being well chewed , and afterwards conveyed to the Stomach , and there diluted with a proper Vehicle ( the more Generous the better ) is by means of the aforesaid Spirituous Saline Liquor , divided into such minute Particles , which constitute that viscid Liquor , we call Chile . That a hard Crust of Bread , is usually well chewed before it is swallowed , and then goes into the Stomach , is no Discovery , but what a Plowman , or a Ballad-singer might have made , and as for his ( more Generous the better ) it 's what all hot Heads usually argue for ; they had rather have the ( more Generous , ) tho' any one that understands Reason , will say , Moderation is better : and yet further Physitians will tell him , that too high a Digestion raised by the ( more Generous — ) is dangerous , and is the cause of some very Violent Distempers : And then , here he hath committed just such another Absurdity , as he did before ; for instead of saying Chyle is made or compounded of solid Meat dissolved , and a proper Vehicle , he says , it is made of solid Meat dissolved , which is diluted by a saline Humour and a Vehicle , and that those Particles so dissolved , constitute Chyle ; so that Chyle consists according to him , of solid Particles , and that Chyle , is only diluted by a Vehicle ; but this is a Fault against his Will , he meant it as it should be , I warrant ; but still that shews , what simple , clowdy Notions he hath of things , that he cannot tell a story after another Man , without misrepresenting it , and is he , vain silly Creature , a Reformer of Physick ? is this his Novum Lumen ? in one Sence indeed it may be said to be a Novum Lumen , it being the first of this kind of Sence , obscured by Nonsence , and he may call it Light made New , by being made Obscure and Ridiculous .

But he goes on and says ; Which Chyle is discharged out of the Stomach so fast as it is made , by means of the Liver . But here he is to learn , that that which he calls Chyle , is properly called Chymus , and that becomes Chyle by being further digested by a Mixture and mutual Fermentation of the Pancreatick Juice and Choler with it , in the Guts ; he is also to be taught , that the Chymus is not forced into the Guts by the Liver , but by the muscular Coats of the Stomach , and partly disposed to that Protrusion , by it's own Weight ; for the Liver is so far from pressing upon it , since it is suspended to those Parts to which it's Ligaments are fixed , that the Stomach rather presses upon the Liver , when it is distended , by taking up more Room in the Abdomen .

Pag. the 5th . he says , it is Carried by a large Vessel from the Receptacle of Chyle to the subclavian Vein ; here again , Poor Man ! our Author Mr. Colbatch hath gravely in the midst of his dull Dogmatical Positions , forgot himself ; for the Chyle is not carryed thence by one , but by two Vessels , which communicate with one another in their Ascension ; so that all he hath hitherto said is made a Novum Lumen or new kind of Light by his unlucky Lapsus Linguae or rather Errores Calami , but here for once , his Memory hath fail'd him .

He says further , that it is driven by the systole of the Heart , through the Arterial Vein into the Lungs ; where by the Contraction and Dilation of the Lungs it is there mixed with the Blood , and that part which is fit for that Purpose is made Blood . He did well to say , that Part which is fit for that Purpose , but I am perswaded none is fit for that Purpose as soon as mixed with the Blood . Neither is mixing with the Blood enough to turn fresh Chyle into Blood , if it were , we should never be so long recovering lost strengh after great Evacuations ; but here our Novum Lumen hath found out too quick a way to make Blood ; for Chyle requires a long Digestion and Fermentation , and undergoes many considerable Changes , before it is turned into Blood .

Pag. 6. he says , the Remaining Part of this Serum is made use of for Nutrition . I shall not here inform him how Nutrition is carried on , neither shall I spend time in making Remarks upon it ; but all I shall say is , that since he says it is so , I think it a sufficient Answer to say it is not so , and had he given Reason for what he says , I would have likewise given Reasons for what I say , but as it is , my Word may be taken for it , as well as his .

But here I cannot but admire how he hath demonstrated Nutrition , since like an Injudicious Ignoramus , he hath only given a False , Simple Imperfect Account of what others have given clear and intelligible Accounts ; neither can I imagine how we must understand any thing that is to come after , the better for this dull Praeludium ; since none that can pretend to the least Degree of Knowledge , can be so ignorant of what he foolishly thinks he demonstrates , as he himself is .

Having laid his Absurdities open to the View of the most short sighted thus far , I could willingly decline traceing this Ignis Fatuus any further ; and conclude , that since he hath not explained Nutrition , what he hath further to say is Lame and Imperfect , being tired with such dull and impertinent Stuff . but least he should vainly think , ( since Vanity so essentially belongs to him , ) that I declined it upon any other Consideration , I shall shew him , that what is behind , is altogether as obscure , as what hath gone before .

Pag. 7. He is not ashamed to say , That he kept Blood as it came warm out of the Veins , in a continued violent Motion , and instead of hindring , it facilitated it's cooling . This is so ridiculous an Experiment , and so much below a rational Creature to make , that one would never suspect any one that pretends to Sence or Reason , should ever be guilty of trying such ; for the Circumstances of the Blood agitated in an organized Body are so different , from those of Blood agitated in an artificial Vessel , that there is not the least Probability of the Success of it ; but as it shews what a deep profound Blockhead he is , and what good Anatomist he is , so from hence we may gather , what a fit Man he is to advance Hypotheses in Physick , and search into the secrets of Nature ; and as one would never think one so eminently dull , should have a Face to appear in Publick ; so one would scarce believe that one guilty of such an Absurdity , should pretend to Sense or Reason .

He goes on . That Fire which I judge to be in the Blood , I suppose is quite different from Culinary Fire . A pretty supposition for a Judge to make : But he must consider , that his Judgment will pass but a little way , since he is only a Judge of his own making ; but with a less degree of Judgment and Supposition too , one that is Ignorant of Physick would agree in the same Opinion with him ; but I suppose there is no such Fire as he supposes , and the Reason I shall not give ; because I see he gives Reason for nothing that he says ; which makes me believe , he scarce knows what Reason is .

Pag. 8. There is an Old Maxim , nihil dat quod in se non habet , which is very pertinent to the Point in hand , from whence he Infers , that if there were not Fire actually in the Blood before , he cannot understand how a Fiery substance can be obtained from it . Truly that old Maxim is no where more verified than in himself ; for as I see nothing of Sence come from him , so I really believe he hath nothing in him , and I think it very Pertinently pointed at him , but before he inferrs any thing from it , I must tell him , that he ought not to make any Advantage of a Maxim , that is Learnt in Universities , where nothing is taught but fusty Philosophy , as Mr. Colbatch has learnt to call it , in his Preface to his Treatise of the Gout ; but as fusty Philosophy as Aristotle's if he did but understand how to limit that Maxim a little better , he would not be so ignorant ; for it implies , that nihil de novo creatur , but Mutatio Formae non est Creatio , and the Form of Matter may be changed so as to make even Water combustible , which if he had read the famous Mr. Boyl or Cartesius , he needed not be ignorant of , or did he understand Aristotle ; but he owns he does not understand it , and truly I am sorry one that understands so little , should pretend to so much ; but if he will take Pains to read those Books I recommend to him , or come to me , I shall be willing to inform him ; provided he does it with a Desire to learn . I say , come to me ; because it is scarce worth any Bodies while , to take the trouble upon them of teaching one so dull of Understanding ; so that I may more boldly bespeak such a Scholar , as one too mean for Great Masters .

In the next Place , he supposes a simple Objection , and makes as simple an Answer , which I think not worth my while to take notice of . There are some things in the same Paragraph he says he does not understand , and indeed I believe him , but why is he so ignorant , and is bold enough to say so , yet pretends to Knowledge ? but if he 'll take Advice , he may understand all these things with a little Pains .

Pag. 10. He says , The confused Mixture of Blood and Serum , is carryed back from the Lungs , by the Venal Artery , into the left Ventricle of the Heart . Here he is again mistaken ; for I must tell him , that Blood cannot be properly said to be carryed back to the left Ventricle , except it was carryed from the left Ventricle to the Lungs ; for carrying back implies . A Motion of the same Blood , through the same Vein , contrary to the Tendency of that Blood before ; but this is a Fault , whith is perhaps but Metaphorically spoken , and in respect of the Heart .

He goes on , and from thence protruded by means of the Great Artery , which is immediately divided into a great many Branches , to all the Parts of the Body . Here he hath again forgot himself ; for the Aorta is not distributed to all the Parts of the Body , and consequently cannot carry Blood to all the Parts , since the Liver is chiefly supplyed by the Vena Porta .

Pag. 11. He pretends to explain Nutrition , of which Account , nothing belongs to him , except one Sentence , which is , That the Parts of Bones are discharged by insensible Transpiration ; but to sweat Bones is so ridiculous , that with the whole World I cannot forbear laughing at him , and I hope every Body is satisfyed , that he either does not express and explain himself right , or that he is not only a bold , but very harsh Asserter , of what his Cobler would laugh at him for . But P. 12. He says he hath not Arrogance enough to pretend to , &c. tho' he had Impudence enough for it the Page before .

From Pag. the 12. to the 17. he hath filled his Book with Quotations , unworthy to be placed in his Book , all which prove , That the Maxim , nil dat quod in se non habet , as he used it before , is false ; and that several sorts of Liquors are made out of one ; but he confesses , Pag. 12. he knows not how .

Pag. 17. ( I think there is no difference , only secundum majus & minus , between those Wastes made by Transpiration , which are Natural , and a Wound made by Force , which is Preter-Natural . ) What he hath hitherto writ , I have proved to be made up of nothing but Mistakes in Speech and Memory , but here we have an Instance , that his Memory is not only very bad , and his Tongue worse , but withal , he is worse at thinking , and these Imperfections must needs qualify an Apothecary for an Eminent Physician ; but as for his Thought , I think it as foolish a one as ever I reard , and truly if it had not been placed in his Book , I should have guessed , it could have been properly applyed to no Body but himself , it essentially agreeing with him secundum majus & minus ; for the difference betwixt a Consumption of the Parts of the Body by Transpiration , and a Wound , is so great , that there is no Comparison to be made betwixt them . Besides Wastes by Transpiration are not Natural , but Preternatural .

Pag. 18. Suppose a Wound be made , and it is no matter where it is , for what will cure a Wound in one Place will do it in another . Indeed Imaginary Wounds are as easily cured in one Part as another , and it is no matter where they are ; but with real Wounds it is not so ; for in some Parts they are incurable , and that the same thing that will cure one Wound will not cure another , any old Woman that knows how to plaster a cut Finger , would have told him .

Pag. 19. He says , There is no Wound made by Incision , but may as properly be called a Contused one : But here I must inform him , that as the Word Incision is only proper to signify a Wound made by a sharp Instrument ; so Contused , signifies a Wound made by a blunt one , and the Distinction is proper and necessary ; for when I say a Wound is made by Incision , it implys , that the Labia of the Wound are not jagged and torn ; but when I say a Wound is a Contused one ; it signifies that besides a Division of Parts , there is a sort of Dilaceration of the Parts so separated ; and the Difference betwixt a Contused Wound and a Wound by Incision , is more than what he says , viz. a larger space betwixt the Labia , for in a Contused one the Labia are not only more separated , but are hindred from growing together again , by the bruised Parts that lie betwixt them ; but indeed , if he would signifie a Bruised Wound by the Word Incision , and a Wound commonly called by Incision , by the Word Contused , then it would but be the same thing as to call him an Ass instead of a Man , and an Ass a Man , and both those Wounds cannot with so great Conveniency be signifyed by one Word , viz. Incision , as an Ass and a Man , as far as the latter relates to him , might be expressed by the Word Ass. But as by the Word Ass being applyed both to Mr. Colbatch , and a Pedlar's Ass , there would follow some Difficulties ; and it would be a hard thing to know by that Word , whether of them was meant ; so it would be inconvenient to signify a Wound by Contusion , and an Incised Wound , by one Word without Distinction .

Pag. 20. I stick not to call a Fibre a Vessel . Truly it is manifest , that he will stick at nothing , that would go down with one , that hath lost both their Sense and Taste ; but he ought if he had understood any thing , to have stuck at it ; for a Fibre is used to distinguish those Vessels , that are subordinate to others , and of which others are made ; but if he will make no Distinctions betwixt things , He may stick at nothing , be it never so absurd , but call black white , and white black .

Pag. 21. He very Learnedly tells People , That whenever they receive any Wound it presently pains them . This is such a mighty Discovery , such a wonderful piece of his Novum Lumen , that it is scarce to be thought , he was in his Senses , when he wrote it ; for if he were , could he ever imagine , that he made any Discovery , when he tells People they have Pain , which they know themselves better than he does .

Pag. 22. he says , that A Fever in the terms of many great Men , is nothing else but a Nixus Naturae or endeavour of Nature , or a Sanguipurgus and Purifier . But here I must tell him , that those great Men are mistaken , and speak improperly when they say so ; for instead of being a Nixus Naturae , it is rather a preternatural affection of Nature ; and sometimes it is such a Sanguipurgus that it leaves the Mass of Blood , a dull effete Mass ; the best Spirits being spent , and the Sulphureous Particles of the Blood almost consumed ; for which Reasons , some People after long Fevers , are subject to Abscesses and hard Swellings .

He in the same Page says , A late Learned Author in his Treatise of Intermitting Fevers , the One only Rational Piece , in my Opinion , that ever was writ upon that Subject , plainly makes it appear , that the Seat of Agues is in the Cortex of the Brain . Here I must tell him , that his Learned Author will do him very little Service towards his Nova Lumina , should he use all the Flattery he can think of ; but as for that very Rational Piece , it is never the more so , for being so in his Opinion ; for it appearing from what he hath hitherto said , that he is always mistaken in his Opinion , it will be but a sorry Recommendation to that Book , that it hath his Opinion along with it ; but to say it is the only Rational Piece , is to say , he knows not what Reason is ; for the very Learned and most ingenious Dr. Willis hath writ a far more Rational Piece on that Subject ; and the Learned Dr. Morton hath said more on that Subject , than his Learned Author ; who hath not demonstrated the Seat of it ; but suppose he had , what 's that to his Credit ? he bears no share in the Performance I suppose .

Pag. 23. He says , I could bring many more Arguments to prove that not only Symptomatick Fevers , but all sorts of Continued Ones , do proceed from Heterogeneous Particles . Truly , what Arguments he could bring , prove nothing till they are brought ; but I have not seen any One yet ; for before the 22. Page , he said , a Fever was nothing , but a Sanguipurgus and a Nixus Naturae ; but now in contradiction to that , it 's come to Heterogeneous Particles ; but if his Memory is bad , who can blame him , yet one would think he might easily have look'd back to the Page before ; but there is yet an Excuse to be made for him , That empty and shallow Heads , like hungry Dogs , who have empty Stomachs , so eagerly pursue , and are so taken up with what 's before them , that they scarce take notice of what they have swallowed .

Pag. 24. I don 't at all see or understand , that she ( i.e. Nature ) is assisted by the Medicines they afterwards use . Really I don't know how he should ; for the Methods the Generality of Prudent Chirurgeons use , are above his Understanding ; but because he does not understand them , are they ever the worse for that ? Is that an Objection ?

Having given an Account of Nutrition after a simple and incoherent Manner ; an Account made up of nothing but Mistakes ; and Forgetfulness ; and having made some rude Reflections on a Body of worthy and experienc'd Chirurgeons , from Pag. 26 , to Pag. 40. He goes on to applaud and cry up a Medicine to that Height , and to endeavour to cry down a whole Body of ingenious Men , that all the World might think him the only valuable Man in his Trade ; and would fain make the World believe , that he can do more with his Medicines than all of them ; and this most ridiculous Piece of Insolence , he endeavours to confirm by a few pretended Instances of Cures .

As for his Account of Nutrition , I have sufficiently laid it open ; so that it plainly appears to be nothing , but a confused , dull Lump of Mistakes and Blunders ; so that for such a Man , that cannot write common Sense , in a Matter too where he needed only to follow what was ready to his hand , for such an ignorant , short-headed Man , to pretend to huff and abuse , and set himself above Experienced Men in their Business , is a Piece of Insolence , so unpardonable , that I can scarce be blamed for using him no harder than he deserves ; for had he had Reason to boast of his Medicine , might he not have taken a fair and honest Method to make the best Advantage of it , without endeavouring to captivate the Common People , and to raise in them a great Opinion of him , by being saucy and rude to his Betters . Ingenious Men are so far from discouraging Improvements in the Arts they profess , and have always such an Esteem for them that make them , that they give them all the Honour and Applause due to their Merits ; so that he might , though civil and modest towards his Superiours , had Justice done him without so much Noise and Impertinence ; but he himself being conscious of his own Weakness , and of the small Value of his Medicine , takes all the Pains he can to applaud himself , and because he knows it would not answer what he pretended , and might of consequence be justly exposed for his vain Pretences ; he takes care to tell the World , the Chirurgeons were all his Enemies , when at the same time himself alone was to be blamed for giving them just Reason ; but this was only done , that People might think them so much his Enemies as not to believe what they said : But can he think that the World will be long so imposed upon , and so easily ? Perhaps a sort of People , that are easily drawn aside by a Parcel of Mountebanks and vain Pretenders may , but surely wise People will sooner believe a great Number of honest and sober Men , than one silly , vain , conceited Man , that hath Folly enough to contradict them .

As for his Medicine , that he so much boasts of , it is but an old Preparation new vampt up ; whose Effects are so small , that Sea Water and Urine have oftentimes done greater Cures , and Common Salt , or a Solution of Vitriol will as soon cure a fresh Wound , where no large Vessels are cut , as his Powder .

And though in some fresh Wounds , where Musculous Parts are divided , it is of use ; yet I am assured by a very ingenious Chirurgeon's own , as well as the Experience of others , that it is of no use , or very little , where Tendons are divided , in which and such like Cases , they are furnished with better Medicines of their own , than any he can pretend to .

I need not say any thing to those Experiments , he fills up his Book with , since they have been sufficiently confuted , and the Falsness hath been proved in a Book called Novum Lumen Extinctum , &c. He would indeed endeavour to defend them , by a few more , as notoriously false as the former , which he has laid together in his Vindication ; but one Falsity is altogether unable to prove another true ; and though he pretends , they have always succeeded , when he had fair Play , yet since when he tryed his Experiments before Witnesses , they did not succeed , the World hath Reason to believe , that he used the Joint Assistance of some common Medicine , when he used it by himself .

But I have sufficiently tired my self , with such nauseous Stuff as this Book is filled with ; and when I reflect on 't , cannot imagine , how much Conceit and Vanity he must have to call such Rubbish and weak Inconsistences , a Novum Lumen ; and I wonder how he could boast so much , since the weakest in that Profession might be ashamed , that they knew no more .

As for his Medicine , there was no need to write a Book about it ; since a Gazette was too good for it ; but if he would needs let the World know , that he had found out something of some small Use , to Chirurgeons , he might have taken the same Method as Daffy hath with his Elixir , and People would have made as much Use of it as they do now , provided it answered Expectation ; but there was no need for Impudence , except in a bad Cause , and he had no Reason to boast of a thing , that cures nothing , but what was cured by the Use of other Medicines , equally as good as his .

AN EXAMINATION OF Mr. John Colbatch HIS ESSAY OF Alkalies and Acids . Wherein his Absurdities and Erroneous Opinions , In the Small Pox , Scurbey , Gout , Rheumatism , Consumptions , &c.

Are Demonstrated to be very Dangerous and highly Prejudicial ; and are therefore truly Represented and fully Confuted .

LONDON , Printed in the Year 1699.

AN EXAMINATION OF Mr. John Colbatch His ESSAY of ALKALIES and ACIDS , &c.

CHAP. I. Contains Remarks on his Preface to this Essay .

HAving gone through his Novum Lumen Chirurgicum , clouded and stuffed as it is , with nothing but incoherent Mistakes and notorious Blunders ; I should now go on to shew , that he not only hath the Impudence to boast of , and value himself upon , the most unreasonable Grounds in Chirurgery ; but also , finding that the World will not be imposed upon one way , he endeavours to do it another ; but he must expect that Physicians are not to be more easily deceived with Pretences then Chirurgeons .

He has pretended to such Miracles in Chirurgery , as might justly encourage Ingenious Men to make Tryals of his Skill , but his Pretences being but Vain and False , and all that plentiful stock of Impudence which he made use of in vindicating his Folly , being not sufficient to procure him Business amongst Chirurgeons , he now is resolved to turn Physician , and use all the base and insolent Means he can , to make himself taken notice of by those that are too easily credulous to specious ▪ Promises , cloaked with Dogmatical and Resolute Positiveness .

But from what he hath already said of Nutrition in his former Book , any one that understands common Sense so much as to be able to distinguish it from Nonsense , will be satisfied , that he is by no means qualifyed for a Physician : Yet tho' he hath given the World , one would think , a clear Specimen of his Ignorance , and that he is a mere vain pretending Emperick ; he hath still the Face to appear not only against Chirurgeons , but a whole Body of Learned Physicians , and tell the World , that no Body knows any thing besides himself , when it plainly appears , that he is altogether ignorant , shallow and widely mistaken in those things he most pretends to .

To make it appear , I shall in the next place take a View of what he says of Acids in the Cure of Distempers , and shall shew , that he neither understands the Nature of Alkalies , nor of those Acids he so much extols , and also , that what he irrationally and so dogmatically asserts , contrary to all Learned Writers and common Experience , is very foolishly advanced ; and that the consequences of such absurd Practice are very dangerous as well as the Practice it self very pernicious , and not to be followed without the greatest hazard of the Lives of those that are so much misled as to make use of him , and to commit themselves to the irregular and unreasonable Methods of such an absurd Practicer .

And before I examin the grand Mistakes of his Book , I shall take notice of some things he hath premised in his Preface , which will lay open his Design ; and the Method he takes to impose upon those , that want Judgment to discover his Faults .

The first thing I shall there take Notice of , is , that in the fifth Page of his Preface he says , There are some particular Preparations of Steel and Antimony , the which giving as Alkalies , and as they are generally believed to be , did me very great Service ; but since I have well examined them instead of Alkalies I find them to be most noble Acids , and the Distempers cured by them did not proceed from Acid , but Alkalious Particles .

Here we may see what Methods this short sighted Reformer intends to take ; for where he hath not the least Pretence that Acids are useful in the Cure of Distempers , there we must expect that rather then he will not promote his Doctrin of Acids , he will change the very Names of Things , and call Alkalies Acids and Acids Alkalies ; for those Medicines that are used in the Cure of Distempers , and now called Alkalies , he must needs call Acids ; by which Rule , I would think him never the wiser , if he could prove , that Bitter Medicines will cure such Distempers as Alkalies are generally used in ; for it is but calling those Alkalies Bitters , and then the Business is done , and by the same sort of Reasoning ( for it is all the Reasoning he can pretend to , ) I might prove to the World , that he is worse then the very Beast of the Field ; for it is but changing his Name and instead of calling him Mr. John Colbatch , A Wooden Statue : but this is a way to raise new Opinions indeed ; If a Man must be no longer called so , but a Horse , and a Horse a Man ; it would not be an Improvement of Knowledge , but an unnecessary Alteration of the Names of Animals ; at this Rate there might be as many Books writ , as foolish Men could invent Names for Things . But that Steel is not an Acid when it is used for an Alkalie , I shall hereafter shew , and that Alkalies are not the Causes of those Distempers , that are cured by such Medicines ; in the mean time it is altogether sufficient for me barely to Contradict him , since I have all Learned and Judicious Men to confirm what I say , and he barely asserts without Proof or Authority .

A little after , having made a Confession that he was an Apothecary in Worcester , a little after that he endeavours to give an Account of the Qualifications of that Profession ; that People may judge whether he was not by that means qualified for a Physician ; but who would he have to judge ; if he describes the Qualifications of an Apothecary , that Physitians might judge , whether that Profession had qualified him for a Physician or not ; he might have saved himself the trouble ; for they know better what will qualify one for an Apothecary , and how far that comes short of a Physician , than he can tell them ; but if he designed those that do not understand Physic should judge of him , he ought also to have informed them what Qualifications are necessary for a Physician , otherwise they are not capable of judging ; but by his Writings it is plain , he is not acquainted with those Qualifications ; neither indeed if we must judge of him by those Rules he hath laid down , as Qualifications for an Apothecary , is he qualified for an Apothecary ; for ,

First , he says ; An Apothecary must be well acquainted with the Vegetable Kingdom , not only to know the Faces of Plants , but their Natures and Manner of Operation upon Human Bodies : Otherwise how can they tell how to handle them , so as to make Compositions as they ought to be . Now that he wants this first Qualification is very plain ; for if he does not understand human Bodies , it is impossible he should know how they operate upon those Bodies ; that he does not understand human Bodies is manifest from the Account he hath given in his Novum Lumen , which I have shewed to be False and Absurd .

But under this first Qualification he further says ; Every Physician supposes the Apothecary so Qualified , when he prescribes to his Shop . But here I must tell him he is mistaken ; for as it is not necessary that Apothecaries should be so Qualified , so such Qualifications are not expected by Physitians that prescribe to them ; for an Apothecary may compound Medicines without knowing the Nature of those Medicines that he compounds ; for all Apothecaries make up their Compositions according to Receipts in which they are directed , how to mix them , and what Quantity of each is to be mixed ; so that it is enough for one that makes up a Receipt to know Weights and Measures , and what Directions are writ before him , and to be acquainted barely with the Faces of things : For it not belonging to Apothecaries , to apply or prescribe any Medicines , except by the Order of a Physitian ; it is enough for them to know how to follow a Physitians Directions ; which they are enabled to do , by knowing how to chuse Simples and Compounds , so as to distinguish them by their Names , and how to mix them according to Art .

He further says , Let a Phisitian prescribe like an Angel , &c. I would willingly know how he comes to be acquainted with Angels Prescriptions ; and whether he has learnt them or not : I am afraid they are seldom catched in Apothecaries Shops , and consequently he hath been very little acquainted with them . But , as I believe , Angels are always imployed in Divine Affairs ; so they chiefly are concerned in Spiritual Prescriptions ; and here Mr. John Colbatch hath fetch'd his Metaphor too far .

Secondly , he says ; The second Qualification for an Apothecary , is , that he understand the Nature and Operation of Minerals and Mettals .

To understand the Nature of Minerals is the Business of a Chymist , not of an Apothecary , and as for their Operations , that chiefly belongs to a Physitian ; whose Business it is to apply them : But he would needs have Apothecaries to understand every thing , because he hath been one himself .

Thirdly , he says , They must understand the Nature of Animal Bodies ; but I am sure they may be as good Apothecaries , tho' they do not ; for what Business hath an Apothecary with Human Bodies , since it only belongs to him to be serviceable to Physicians in preparing his Medicines and obeying his Orders , and not in administering : He might as well say a Clerk who only writes according to the Directions of his Master , and whose Business it is to do nothing else , must understand those things that don't belong to him , viz. His Masters Business . What some Apothecaries know I won't say , but I am certified by his Writings , and also by the Rules he hath given for the Qualifications of an Apothecary , that he is so far from being qualified for a Physitian , that he is by no means qualified for an Apothecary .

But to understand how faintly he is qualified for either , I shall pass on to his Book , and shew what grand Mistakes he is positively and boldly guilty of .

CHAP. II. Of the Small-Pox .

THe first Distemper he there takes upon him to give an Account of , is , the Small-Pox ; and here contrary to Truth and all Experience he would suggest , that the Small-Pox do not proceed from Acids but Alkalies . And ,

Page 4th , he says , Now I could never hear of any one , that by Analizing the Blood of Persons in the Small-Pox , could ever find the least Foot-steps of Acidity in it ; though on the contrary , it doth appear , after many Tryals , that the Blood of such Persons doth more abound with Alkalious Particles , than that of sound People . That no Acidity can be found by Analizing the Blood of Persons in the Small-Pox , is not sufficient to determin , whether there be Acids in the Blood before Analized or not ; for in Analizing Blood , as the Chymists call it , the Volatile Particles of the Fire , which is the Agent in the Operation , may soon destroy those Acidities ; for if when our Stomach abounds with Acids we find by taking of Volatile Alkalies , that that Acidity is soon destroyed ; and if we find that those Effects , which are produced in our Blood , upon a plentiful Use of crude Acids , or Astringents which are Acids in Potentia , are taken away on the contrary by the Use of Alkalies ; we have much Reason to believe , that the Particles of Fire , being more powerful when in Action than those Alkalies , will soon destroy that which is called Acidity in the Blood ; so that the Fire Volatilizing that Acid Matter , and exalting it to a higher Degree of Maturity , it quite looses it's pristine Qualities , the Fire and it being united into a Quid tertium , and that united and again embodied in a Vehicle , looses it's old Form , and is modified anew .

But to determin , whether there be Acidity in the Blood or not , there would be no need to analize it , tho' by that means it would not be destroyed ; for when a Person in the Small-Pox is let Blood , we may see a manifest Ropy Viscocity in the Blood , which is a certain Sign of Acidity , it being the Nature of Acids to coagulate and thicken those Humours with which they are mixed .

And to understand in what Sense the Blood may be said to have more Alkalies than the Blood of healthful People , we must consider what is the Cause of that Distemper ; but as my Design here is not to give an Account of the Cause of this Distemper , any further than tends to shew how far he is mistaken , and how little he understands it ; so I shall only take notice , that the first Onset of this Distemper is accompanyed with the Initia of a Feaver ; where we may observe that the Mass of Blood being naturally impregnated with a great deal of Sulphur ; and that Sulphur being as if it were depressed , or rather inviscated in a Viscous Mucus ( whose Viscocity proceeds from Acids ) these Sulphureous Particles are by some accidental Cause ( whether it be Internal , or by the Influence of circumambient Bodies , I shall not now determine ) exalted in some Measure , and caused to exert themselves ; by which Exertion they endeavour to clear themselves of that Mucus Phlegm ; which being separated from them , the whole Mass does , as if it were , run into two Parts ; just as we see sweet Milk and Eggs mixed together , and heated over a Fire , begin to break , as it is usually termed ; I mean just when it begins to break so little that we can scarce discern it with a Microscope ; and then that Mass in some measure cleared from the Viscocity , hath more Sulphur in it , and more fierce Volatile Parts in it , than the Blood of a healthful Person . But as for Alkaly , I cannot find any in it , except Alkalies are Sweet and Balsamick .

But yet if the whole Mass of Blood , and Serum together , be compared with the whole Blood , and Serum of a healthful Person ; there is more Acid in the Blood of a Person in the Small-pox , and less Alkaly , than in a Person that is healthful .

But this new Reformer of Physick sets about his Work , like one that neither understood common Sense nor Reason ; all that he says against a truly rational and confirmed Opinion , is , that it is not so as they say ; and the Grounds upon which he concludes so , are an Observation nothing at all to the purpose ; but to shew that he neither understands the Works of Nature nor Art ; so that thus far he wants the Qualifications of an Apothecary . But to proceed ;

Page the 5th . He says ; The cause of the Small-pox , I suppose , to be from a Quantity of such Particles , being some way or other admitted into the Blood ; which being of a quite different Texture from that of the Blood ; and so not capable of being mixed with it , cause a Hurry and Disorder there . What a very fine Account this is of the Reason of the Small-pox ; and who will be the wiser for it , by such a Method as this ; we may answer all the Questions that can be asked in Physick , Geometry , Mathematicks , Astronomy , Navigation and Geography without any other Qualification than the Assistance of Nature ; and a common Plow-man , if this be Knowledge , might give as good an Account of things as he does : For ask a Plow-man what is the Cause of the Small-pox , and he will give just such an Account as he hath done , viz. That the Small-Pox proceed from something that causes them , and disorders the Person that hath them ; nay , a Nurse knows more than he can pretend to ; for they will give a Physitian a better Account of a Distemper , than Hurry and Disorder . But there are two Words in what he says ; that Women perhaps are not well acquainted with , viz. Particles and Texture ; but taking away those ( which he does not understand , and which only serve to amuse People that are ignorant ) and then what he says will come to no more but what I just now expressed in Words different from his only in Sound , not in Signification , as he hath used them .

And here again , I could willingly pass by a great many of his Faults , being almost tired with so many , and such gross Mistakes ; but should I not trace his Impertinency and Ignorance , he is so apt to be proud of his Folly , that it would make him but fonder of what he already is so zealously panting after , as one scarce able to make his way through Clouds and Obscurity .

Page the 6th , He says , Now to assist Nature in throwing these Heterogeneous Particles out of the Blood , to the extreme Parts ; which they pretend to be mightily hindred , by a great Quantity of Acids in the Blood : They give repeated and large Quantities of Testaceous Alkalious Powders , which indeed seldom fail of answering their Intentions , in throwing out large Quantities of Pustles , even more than Nature is able to supply and bring to Maturity . Here he only hath put Sense into his own Philosophic Dress ; so that when first I read it , I could scarce imagin what he meant , till I had put that Mask of it ; and then it appears to be that Physicians usually give Acid-Absorbers , to attenuate that Viscid Distempered Humor , that it might be thin enough to pass off by the Pores of the Body , in order to carry it out of the Mass of Blood ; and that this they endeavoured to do by such Medicines as correct its Acidity ; which Method truly is , if used with Moderation , very reasonable . For since by the Viscocity of Blood , it appears that Acids cause that Coagulation of the Fomes Morbi , which we see in the Habit of the Body ; what can be more reasonable , than to use such Means as promote the carrying off of this Fuel , by attenuating it , and correcting that Acidity which makes it too thick to go off . But he says it throws out too much of this Humor to which I answer ( tho' it is so simple and inconsiderate , that it deserves Correction , rather than a Rational Answer ) that no more of this Distempered Humor can be driven out , than there is in the whole Mass , and the less is left behind the better ; for it is not that Matter in the Habit of the Body , that kills those that suffer by this Distemper ; but that which is not driven out ; and the reason why some dye , notwithstanding a great deal is driven out , is because a great deal is still behind ; for that in the Habit of the Body , which he , like a Block-head , calls the Extream Parts , is out of the way of Circulation , and is less offensive to Nature , than that which is left behind , which consumes and mortifies the Spirits before it can be driven out .

But this Method , it seems , spoils Angelic Faces : This endearing Expression must certainly oblige the tender Parents of pretty Children to make use of Mr. Colbatch by all means ; that pretty Gentleman that loves them so passionately , will be so careful of their Beauty , and spoiling of Angelic Faces ; that before one of his Patients shall have its pretty Face spoiled with Heterogeneous Particles , he will resolutely give Acids , and so thicken that Heterogeneous Humor , that very little shall be driven out . But then let good Mr. Colbatch ( since he must be a Master , right or wrong ) consider what the Effects of his Tenderness towards Angelic Faces will be ; for if that Heterogeneous Humor be thickned and not thrown out , and the Quantity of it be so great , that Nature cannot conquer it , the poor Child out of Tenderness to it's Beauty must submit to common Fate , and unavoidably dye ; whereas , if he endeavour'd to drive it out , it might more reasonably hope for Life ; tho' the Quantity of that Matter is sometimes so great , that the Habit of the Body is not able to receive it all .

And let him know , that if by his Tenderness , or rather foolish Ignorance , his Patients dye , he must once answer for it , and might as well be guilty of cutting their Throats . And here I have taken a little Pains to give Reasons against his , and in Vindication of the contrary Practice ; not because what he says in Defence of his own requires it , since he only possitively asserts without Reason ; but because in a Matter of this consequence , I should almost in some measure think my self guilty of the Death of those that suffer by him , if I did not give such Reasons against his Method , as People might plainly see the Absurdity of it .

But before I proceed any further , I shall make bold to ask my Gentleman one Question ; whether he by the Use of his Glass , hath in some Critical Enquiry or other , found to his great Regret ; that this Distemper hath spoiled pretty Features or not in his own Face ? If it hath , then there is one sort of an Excuse to be made for his adhering to such Practice , and just such a one as there is for those People , that had rather keep Poyson in their Stomachs , than spoil their Mouths by taking a Vomit .

But there is another Question I would ask him , but dare not ; and therefore shall only submit this weighty Matter to his profound Judgment , by way of Supposition , viz. Suppose a Man should be an Ill Man , and frequent Ill Houses ; whether in the Enjoyment of his Pleasures , he might not pitty , that so many Faces should be spoiled by this Distemper , and in that soft Humor , take such a Sting against all Rational Practice , as ever to abhor it .

Page the 7th . He says , The spoiling of Faces is not all , but besides they throw out the ( Distemper , which he calls ) many Pustles by breaking of the Globules of the Blood , &c. Here I need give him no other Answer , but that I pitty him ; he fain would be a Philosopher ; and for all his stretching and straining he cannot reach it ; but he ought to have try'd his Strength in private , and not to have exposed himself with his Philosophical Scraps , for breaking the Globules of the Blood is such Nonsense , that had he not made a simple Experiment , by mixing Oyl and Water , to explain his Notions of Globules , no body could know what he meant by it ; and it looks so aukward ; that Philosophers cannot but wonder what the Man thought of , when he wrote it ; for his Mechanical Head sure could never hope to explain any thing , by breaking of Globules , too large to circulate through capillary Vessels . For what Mischief would breaking of those Globules do ; since the Blood without any damage , must needs be divided into much more minute Particles , to circulate through the Vessels . All he says , Page 8 , 9 , 10 , is to enlarge what he here so obscurely delivers , to which I need give no other Answer .

Page 10. He says , In like manner , the Globules of the Blood being broken by means of Alkalious Medicines , together with too great a Quantity of Alkalious Particles , being before admitted into it , are , by that means made capable of being received into the cutaneous Glands , which is the only Occasion of those Purple Spots upon the Surface of the Skin . What Effects Alkalies have upon the Coagulated Humors , I have before shewn , viz. They thin them and make them capable of passing through those Pores , they would otherwise be too thick for , and as for his Globules , if he means only , that the Mass of Blood is dissolved and attenuated ; I Answer , That the Blood being so dissolved , would circulate through it's Vessels only with more ease ; so that it would be less subject to be coagulated in the Vessels of the Skin ; but since by taking notice of the Blood in such People , it appears to be more clammy than it is usually in healthful People ; and since that Clamminess depends on a Mixture of Acids , we have reason to believe that it would be less apt to run into Vessels ▪ that it ought not ; and it is also Rational to conclude , since the Distemper depends on Acids which coagulate the Blood ; that when the Distemper is more violent , it abounds with more Acids ; and consequently that they don't only cause the Serum to coagulate in the Pores of the Skin , but also sometimes the Blood in the Capillary Vessels ; which coagulated , causes those Purple Spots .

But least I should not seem sufficiently to prove , that those Symptoms are caused by Acids ; I shall further observe , that , since it is the Nature of Acids to coagulate , and of Akalies to prevent and hinder Coagulation , and those Symptoms appear to be Coagulated Humors ; we must needs conclude , that they do proceed from Acid , and not Alkalizated Humors .

Page 11th . He says , But this is not all ; for by the aforesaid breaking of the Globules of the Blood , these small broken Globules getting into the small Meanders of the Brain , hinder the Motion of the Animal Spirits through the Nerves . But I here ask him , hath he ever found any of those Globules in the Brain ? if he has not , there is no reason to believe what is contrary to Reason and Experience . For Deliriums are more likely to proceed from Viscid Matter affecting the Brain ; it being plain , that there is not only a great deal of Viscid Matter in the Blood , but that there is a Viscid Phlegm observable in all People inclinable to Lethargies , and such like Distempers of the Brain .

From Page the 11th to the 16th . He keeps a long Harangue to no purpose , and about nothing at all to this Distemper ; where he begins to preamble about the use of Acids , to the 19 Page , to which I need not say any more , having said enough of the Use of Acids and Alkalies at the beginning of this Chapter . But here he tells us that , he hath retrieved a great many from the Jaws of Death by Acids ; but he hath told so many down-right Falsities in the beginning of his Book , that we have the same reason to believe he does now ; what he says , being contrary to Reason and Experience ; and I rather believe so , because he mentions not one that Acids cured , where he had used Alkalies .

Page 20. I shall proceed to the Method I take in the Cure of it ; which being according to Natures Dictates , is short and easie . Here he would persuade us , that Nature is short and easie , because there is very little to the Purpose in what he says about her ; but as easie and short as she is , she is too long and too difficult for him to trace ; but now he begins to give us an Example of his Dexterity in the Cure . And ,

Page 21. Tells us , that he begins with a Vomit . But here he ought to confess what Learned Men's Examples he hath followed . For so , if the Stomach be soul ; those Learned and Experienced Men , Dr. Sydenham , and Dr. Morton begin , therefore for this the World is not obliged to him ; he not being the Author of that Method .

Page 22. At Night he gives Syr. de Meconio ; For this still he ought to make an Acknowledgment to Dr. Sydenham , it being what he hath learnt from him .

But sometimes in the beginning , Page 25. He lets Blood ; for this likewise he must make a thankful Acknowledgment to Dr. Sydenham ; it being nothing of his own Invention .

Page 23 , and 24 , 26 , and part of the 27th , he reckons up a Parcel of Acids which he makes use of ; but he mixes so much simple Waters with the Acids , that what he gives is scarce more cooling than Small-beer ; and truly , if they had not worse Effects in the Blood , I should commend him for following so good a President as Dr. Sydenham ; but here he varies from Dr. Sydenham , to the Disadvantage of his Patients , and the Destruction of their Lives , though Preservation of the Beauty of 'em .

And he so much depresses their weak feeble Spirits , that Page 27. He is forced to give them a Cordial again to take off the ill Effects of his bad and absurd Usage .

Page the 28th , He Purges them several times . And truly , if he abuses them with Acids at this rate , he had need to purge them soundly , to carry off those Dregs that he hindred from going off before ; whereas did he manage them as those Learned Men Dr. Sydenham or Dr. Morton do , once Purging does as much good and more , than his five or six times .

Page 29 and 30. All he says is to deter People from Using any other Means than his ; and to tell People that know better how to manage Children than he does , that they may safely use his Method , if they won't send for him , but let him know that it is Experience that is valuable , above a Method that hath neither Reason nor Success ; and surely they had rather depend on those that have their Characters from Judicious Men , than one that only commends himself .

Page 31. He begins with his former Supposition concerning the Cause of the Small-Pox , and giving a short Account of what Effects he laid to the charge of Alkalies , and continues a Repetition of his Complaint to Page 36. But I having already answered that sufficiently , there is no need I should repeat it here again now , and indeed all the Reason he has , is only to lengthen his Book ; for he cannot think other People are so forgetful as himself , as to need to have it over again so soon ; and if they had , it would have been the same thing to have read the first Account over again , for it was altogether as large as this , and this is equally void of , and without , Reason or Proof ,

Page 36 , He assigns but one general Cause of Fevers , yet owns the Particles causing them , may be somewhat different . Which is to say and unsay , and at the same time to contradict himself , for if the Cause differs it cannot be the same , and that the Cause is not the same is plain , because the same Cause would have the same Effects , I mean the same formal Cause .

Page 38. He says ; in most continued Fevers I have found Alkalies equally as pernicious as in the Small-Pox , and Acids equally as Beneficial . That Acids are useful in most continued Fevers , is not of his finding , it being the common Practice of most Physicians : And it is as generally known , that strong Alkalies , except in Malignant Fevers , are very hurtful and not at all used , except by absurd Practisers ; but that Alkalies are highly to be preferred before Acids , in the Cure of the Small-Pox , I think I have given Reason enough to prove , except People value Beauty before their Lives ▪ and had rather hazard their Children in the Hands of a Fool , than commit them to the Care of sober and wise Men.

CHAP. III. Of the Scurvey .

HAving therefore run over what he hath said of the Small-Pox , and shewed , that it is neither consonant to Reason nor Experience ; I shall in the next place make it plain , that he hath also mistaken in the Scurvey , which will yet be a furthor Demonistration , that he is not qualified for an Apothecary .

Page 42. But here I expect the Cry of all Mankind against me : What Say there is no Acidity in the Blood in the Scurvey ? What ▪ Is it but an Acidity in the Blood that is the occasion of Breaking out of Scabs &c. upon the Skin ? What! But a Sharpness and Acidity in the Blood occasions those wandring Pains , &c.

And Page 43. Says he ; My Friends , have a little Patience , and I will presently make it appear to you that those Symptoms are not occasioned by Acids , but from Acrid Lixivious and Alkalious Particles .

Behold ! How sharp Witted he is grown of a sudden ? And , it lasteth for a whole Page together ; what a true Picture of a short Head ? And what an excessive Rapture of Zeal , my Friend Mr. John Colbatch is falen into ? Truly , if I could believe he were of any Religion , I should perswade my self , he were inclining to Quakerism , as well as Quackerism ▪ for here he seems to have a mighty glimps of the Spirit , and speaks in a very agreeable Form . But I wonder why he should expect all Mankind to cry against him ; he must either have a very ill Opinion of all Mankind or himself ; if he thought he had Reason for what he did , then he spoke very harshly of all Mankind ; for to say they would cry against , was in effect to say , they either did not understand Reason , or that they were such Enemies to Learning , that they could receive nothing but what was suited to their own Heads : A very heavy Charge , and much becoming such an Ignorant Man to lay upon all the World ; But I rather think he had a Self-consciousness of his own Falsness , and , like guilty Persons , did not know how to conceal it .

But the Scurvey , he says , proceeds from Alkalious ! Particles , and not from Acids , to which I answer , that it being the Nature of Alkalies to thin and attenuate those Humors , that cause Coagulations in the Skin , it is unreasonable to say , that Alkalies cause those Things , which their own Nature inclines them to cure : But those Bloches which appear in the Scurvy , rather proceed from Acids joyned with Acrimony ; the Acids cause the Humors to stagnate in the Skin , and the Acrimony by causing a Ferment there , makes that Matter corrupt and corrode .

Page 43. He says , The Blood of Scorbutick People abounds more with Alkalious Parts than Healthful Peoples when Analized . But as I said before , what is drawn from Blood Analized , proves nothing what was the Temper of that Blood before it was Analized : Of which , if he would but take Pains to look into the famous Mr. Boyl's Sceptical Chymist , he may be fully satisfied . For those Acrid Acid Parts of the Blood , being Spiritualized by the Fire , loose their Pristine State , and are carryed along and embody'd with other Alkalious Particles .

Page 45 , and 46. He tells a Story of a parcel of Seamen , that landing at Cadiz , were cured of the Scurvey by the Use of Lemmons and Oranges . The less Reason then hath he to be fond of , or value himself , where he owns his Knowledge to Seamen ; but it is no news in Physick , that Acids joyn'd with Alkalies cure the Scurvey , it being common Practice to mix Acids and Volatile Salts in Scorbutick diet Drinks , and a Method long used by the famous Dr. Willis and others ; so that there was no need for him to have said any thing here of the Scurvey , since it is only what others have done before , to more advantage , and incomparably better .

Page 47. He says ; As for Alkalies , I don't believe that any was ever cured by them of this Distemper . But I am sure that a great many are , and though a great many are cured by a Mixture of Alkalies and Acids , yet as many are cured by Alkalies alone .

Page 48 , 49 , and 50. He mentions a Preparation of Antimony and Spirits of Tartar , and would have these which Page 51 , and 52 , he says are Panaceas , to be Acids ; but as they have been generally termed Alkalies , and are known to be so by their Effects ; he must not think to change their Names , since he cannot change their Natures : For by their Effects we know that they correct Acids , because they take away Obstructions , and dissolve coagulated Humors which are thickned by Acids .

But as I took Notice in his Preface , we see he will use all the means imaginable to make his Design good ; and having said enough on this purpose there , I shall not need to repeat it again .

Page 53. He thinks he answers an Objection against him , which is , That there is a manifest Saltness in the Blood of Scorbutick People . But he like a Man as dull as ignorant , cunningly would turn it off , and says , if they will strictly enquire into it , they will find it not an Acid but an Alkalious Taste . But does he think no Body can taste besides himself ▪ People are sensible , that for the sake of his own Cause , his Reason , if he may be said to have any , will byass his Taste ; whereas other People in such Cases have their Reason steady and their Taste too . But to conclude this second Specimen of his Ingenuity : He must be informed that the Blood of Scorbutick People does not only taste Salt , but those that spit much , and who know what a Salt Taste is , find a manifest Salt Taste in that Saliva .

CHAP. IV. Of the Gout .

THe next Thing , that this eminent Man undertakes to give an Account of , is , the Gout . And truly , this I must needs say in his Praise : That though his Merit be extraordinary , and cannot place him amongst those Men who are eminent for good Works , yet he hath this mighty Chance , that it will undoubtedly eternalize him for an eminent vain pretending Impostor , and an Emperick extraordinary . For ,

Page 54. He says ; — Though I must confess the Gout to be a Distemper , I have not had much to do with ; but by that little I have seen of it , I am fully convinced that it is not from Acids , &c.

He does well to make an ingenuous Confession , and be modest in some things , in order to expose himself the more effectually . For if this Man can make a Conclusion contrary to all the Learned World , upon a little that he hath seen , which he does not understand ; it shows , that he is very bold and unreasonable ; for will he pretend by a little to contradict a great deal ; and will he pretend to write Universal Rules , from a little and singular Observations ; but it seems by this little he is convinced fully , which to me only signifies he hath a very narrow Head . But that this Distemper does not proceed from Acids , I shall easily evince ; and first let us see , what he says in Proof of his own Assertion , and what Reasons he gives for them .

Page 55. I have observed considerable large Nodes in which are sometimes contained a hard chalky Substance , which by many Experiments I have found to be as much an Alkaly as either Carbs-Eyes , Corral , &c.

This is an Argument indeed would perswade one to believe much , upon a very little Observation , and really , if we may believe he writes in this Point as he does in all the rest , it will be feared , That little is none at all for he hath hitherto so magnified a little , as to make it a great deal of Nonsense ; that here we may suspect , if what he hath seen in this Distemper be little when magnifyed , 〈◊〉 must be very little in truth . And as for this Argument it shews that his head is a lump of Clay without any distinction ; for tho' 〈◊〉 might be admitted , that the Nodes in the Gout were like a Chalky Substance , yet would they not be as much Alkaly , as Crab Eyes , there being a great deal of difference betwixt Chalk and Crabs-Eyes , as to the Muchness of Alkalie ; but what if I should say it is neither an Alkaly nor Acid , but sort of mealy Mucus hardned by Acids , are made porous by the Heat , causing those Parts of it to close and condense so as to leave Pores betwixt them . I shall not he 〈◊〉〈◊〉 enlarge nor bring Arguments to prove the Possibility , but shall leave him to consider 〈◊〉 it , and also desire him or rather advise him in order that he may comprehend this , that is so much above him , to read and consider Mr. Boyl of Alkalies and Acids ; and if he does not understand that Book , if he will come to me I 'll explain it to him ; for I would spare no Pains to undeceive and instruct him , I see he hath a mind to learn , and perhaps , if he were put into a good way , though he be dull Industry might make something of him ; so that I would not have him discouraged , though he hath lost his Labour in travailing so boldly and so far in a bad Way .

In the next Paragraph . Page 55 , He says , Now it being granted that the Matter contained in the aforesaid Nodes to be an Alkaly , how is it possible for this Distemper to proceed from Acids ? He does well to ask Questions ; for that is the way to be informed ; and that he may learn , I shall tell him , that though that crusty Substance were an Alkaly , which I only suppose , that the Answer may be direct ; it is possible that Acids may be turned into Alkalies ; for all the Difference betwixt Acids , being as far as relates to our present Purpose , that the one hath no Pores , and that the other hath Pores , to imbibe and receive the Parts of the other into them ; it will be very easily conceived , that a great many of these being embodyed in a Mucilage , and that Mucilage being hardned , so as to link the Acid Particles together ; I say , it will be very easily conceived , that that Substance being made Porous , hath so far the Nature of an Alkaly .

Pag. 56. Says he , But if Men will still persist to assert , that this Distemper proceeds from Acids , and at the same time own the chalky Substance beforementioned , which is only , &c. they must tacitly believe the Doctrin of Transmutation , though they openly are ashamed to own it ; that Noble Sentence , Doctrin of Transmutation had so raised his Phansy , that truly he hath expressed this Paragraph very Nobly ; but I see he cannot speak in fine Words , but he must express Non-sence , for where Men assert the Doctrin of Transmutation , how can they be said tacitly to believe it , except asserting be holding ones Tongue ; but though , my Gentleman , thinks it a thing , that one ought to be ashamed of , and to be laugh'd at for and ridiculed ; I am not ashamed nor afraid to say ▪ I own the Doctrin of Transmutation , and so does he , or else he hath quoted no less than three Experiments in his Novum Lumen Chirurgicum ( which I have proved to be Obscurum ) Which he does not understand ; and which fill that Book from Page 12. to the 17. But perhaps the Gentleman means , the Doctrin of Transubstantiation and hath wittily called it Transmutation , least he should strain his Mouth , with such a thundering Word ; but there is a great deal of difference betwixt owning Transmutation in Philosophy , and that which is called Transubstantiation in Divinity ; the former only asserting the Texture of Matter to be modifyed anew , when it visibly appears to be so ; and the latter when it is apparent , that it is not ; so that if any Body hath Reason to be ashamed he wants none , and he alone deserves to be ridiculed .

Pag. 57. Supposing the Acid Matter causing this Distemper to be transmuted into a chalky , alkalious Substance , the Distemper must never more pretend to come near that part ; this is a very good Argument indeed , and truly when I looked upon the whole Page together , here seemed to be a Fault with an ominous Index over it , viz. Ashamed , laugh and ridicule , which Words begin the Page just before this Paragraph . But to answer his Supposition , we know , that the best Alkalies cannot operate beyond their Power , and though that Substance were an Alkaly , it would soon be so impregnated with Acids , as to loose it's Power of absorbing more ; for such Alkalies no longer correct Acidity , than their Pores are open , and ready to receive acid Particles into them , and then they can correct no more , which is plain by putting of Alkalies into any acid Liquor , which as soon as their Pores are filled , have no further Effects .

But he says further ; Pag. 57. and 58. Nay , the Blood at times , must all , or at least great part of it , pass through the Part or Parts , where this chalky substance is lodged , by which means , a Man would think it should be sufficiently guarded from any more growing Acid ; and so by Consequence , when the chalky Nodes are once setled , People have not the least Reason for the future , to be in fear of the Return of the Distemper . To this , though what I said in the last Paragraph is a sufficient Answer , I shall add , that though the Blood should sooner than he can suppose it , run through that Part , yet the Substance he calls Alkaly , when it is once sufficiently impregnated , could cause no Alteration in the Acidity of it ; besides , though it had it's full Force active and vigorous so much as makes up the Nodes , would no more prevent the Acidity of the Blood , than a Grain of Alkaly would prevent a Hogshead of Drink from growing stale . Moreover , so little Blood could be laid down at once in those Parts , that the whole Mass being depraved , we must conclude , that that little Blood , as soon as it was mixed with the Ma●● of Blood again , would be again depraved and tainted ; all these Objections , I say , would occur , if we would suppose , what he says to be true , concerning the Blood circulating through those Parts ; but he should take notice , that the Blood Vessels have no Communication with those Nodes , they being , as it it were , Matter extravasated , and out of the way of Circulation ; but one hath always more Trouble to confute one Blockhead that three ingenuous Men ( I don't mean convince one , for that is a thing not to be expected but the Reason why it is so difficult to confute such a one , is , because Fools make such Blunders , that have neither Sense nor Meaning , and are so widely absurd , that one must run out of Method , and Order , to trace them .

Pag. 59. He says , It may not be amiss to take Notice , that few People are troubled with the Gout , but those who drink large quantities of Wine or some other generous Liquors , abounding with Vinous Spirits , so that the Blood and other Juices , being impregnated with the said Vinous Spirits , these Spirits meeting with the Volatile Alkalious Salt , of which , even the Blood of sound People , is never destitute , by means of which Salt the Vinous Spirit is Coagulated , &c. What is the Reason that drinking of Wine is so hurtful , I shall not here explain , but shall only shew , that he is so far from explaining it that , he confutes himself , and that he is at a loss how to make even trifling Explanations of it . And first I ask him , if it be caused by drinking of much Wine , and that being Coagulated by the Alkalies in the Blood , why does not those Alkalies also Coagulate his Acids , that he would cure it by ; and how comes it to pass , that they sooner Coagulate Spirituous Acids than more crude ones ? But this Objection he did not foresee , and truly no body can blame a Man to be thus bold , that 's so short sighted and inapprehensive of Danger , but certainly if an Alkaly in the Blood would cause so Spirituous an Acid as Wine to Coagulate , it would much sooner Coagulate a more crude one , and consequently his Medicine must do more harm than Wine ; so that here I leave him to condemn himself . A second Question I ask him , is , whether it is not impossible to cure this Distemper by Acids , if Acids cause the Alkalies in the Blood to Coagulate , to which , the true Answer is , that it is impossible ; for as long as the Blood is so impregnated , according to him , all the Acids we can take , must be Coagulated , so that they would increase Coagulations , and not cure them .

But not to ask a Man any more Questions , who does not understand common Reason , I shall prove from what he says , and also from Reason , that Acids cause this Distemper , and first , from what he says it is plain ; for if he says upon taking of Acids the Alkalies Coagulate them , it implies there was no Coagulation in the Blood before those Acids were taken , now if our Blood when so full of Alkalies can be without Coagulation , and upon the taking , of Acids , it presently thickens ; it must needs follow that those Acids cause this Distemper , there being no Coagulation before those were taken ; so that the Acid Coagulates the Alkalizated Blood , and not the Alkaly the Acids ; for that is said to be the cause of a Distemper , or a Coagulation , whose Mixture with the Blood produces such a Distemper , and in whose Absence there is no such Effect , so that here he is judged by his own Words . For as a Man's head is not the cause of it's being cut off , till the Instrument is applyed that separates it from his Body ; and when Water is thrown in the Fire , the Water is properly said to extinguish it , so Acids taken into the Body , cause the Coagulation and not those Humors that are vitiated by the mixture of it , and these Instances I have given , that it may be plainer to People that understand not Physick , I mean those Gentlemen he so oft makes his Appeal to .

Besides , Acids being of a cold Nature , and cool Bodies Naturally Coagulating those Bodies , that are subject to Coagulation ; and it being the Nature of Alkalies to take off Coagulations , and to prevent them , it would be absurd to say that they cause such Effects as are quite different from their Nature . And ,

That it is the Nature of Acids to Coagulate , is not only plain from what he hath said , but it is also manifest , that Phlegmatick Constitutions are injured , and that Indisposition increased by them ; whereas by Alkalies , that Phlegm is attenuated and made fit to be carryed off .

The next Page he would suppose , that the Coagulations in the Stone proceed from Alkalious Particles Coagulating Acids ; but it appearing from-what I have already said , that Alkalies are not , and that Acids are the Causes of such Effects ; I need not say any more to this , the same being an Answer to both .

I shall only here take Notice of the Strain and Humour of our Philosopher , who when he found it would be necessary for his purpose , does not only change the Names of things ; but also calls those Humours that are Passive , Active ; and on the contrary .

CHAP. V. Of Rheumatisms .

THe next Distemper that he gives us an Instance of his weakness in , is , A Rheumatism , where Pag. 74. he says , Having by the Fire Analized the Blood of Rheumatic Persons , I have found it to abound more with Alkalious Particles than that of sound People . But as I said before , the Analized Blood is not sufficient to determine what Blood was , before it was Analized ; but if by mixing those Substances together , which he draws from Blood , by Analizing it , they will make just such a Composition , as Blood ; then I will believe he takes the right Method to discover the Causes of Distempers , but if they will not , then it is evident that the Fire modifies the Parts of the Blood anew , and rather destroys than discovers it's Principles .

Pag. 75 , and the 76. he would suggest , Acids are not the Cause of the Bloods Viscocity , and says those that affirm that they are , don't prove it ; And I say , neither does he prove , that Acids are not ; But it appearing from what I have said the Chapter before , that Acids cause Viscocity , there is no need I should make a Repetition here .

Page 77. By what I have said , I hope , I have freed Acids from occasioning the Viscousness of the Blood in Rheumatisms ; which Viscocity if it can be once taken of , every one knows that the Distemper immediately vanishes , but this is not done by Alkalies but by Acids as Tincture of Antimony and Chalybeates . What he hath said , he hopes is sufficient , but truly I don't see that he hath said any thing to the purpose , as Grounds of such hopes ; but if we believe him , that Rheumatick Peoples Blood abounds with Alkalies more then healthful Peoples , which is false , it does not therefore follow , that this Distemper is caused by Alkalies , because Alkalies according to him , cannot Coagulate without Acids ; so that it thence follows , that as Acids differ in quantity more or less , so the Blood is accordingly Coagulated , and then we must conclude , that the Coagulation depends on the Acids , and then as I said before Acid Medicines would increase it : But here to prove that Acids cure this Distemper , he calls two Medicines eminently Alkalious Acids , by which Rule he may say with as much Reason , that a company of Statues took Barcellona from the Spaniards , and if any Body should contradict him and say that they were Men , he must Answer but they ought to be called not Men but Statues , as I call them , and this is just his Case , to which , I having before said enough , I shall here say no more to it , but refer the Reader to what hath gone before .

Pag. 79 , 80 , and 81. He makes an Harangue , that Steel is turned into a Vitriol , before it can be carried into the Blood , and consequently acts as an Acid upon it . But granting it so , I have already shewn what would be the Effects according to his Supposition , viz , To encrease the Distemper , but as he is not the first that hath supposed it to work upon the Body by that means ; so he is not the first mistaken in that Point , for Chalybeats don't cause such Effects , as we see they do , by being turned into a Vitriol , but by absorbing those Acids in the Stomach and Pancreatick Juice ; by which means , the Ferment of the Liver is more powerful , and helps to correct the Acidity of the Chyle ; and the Blood not being supplyed with Acid Chyle , those Acidities in it's Mass , are soon altered and digested to a higher Degree of Maturity ; by a long continued Circulation and Fermentation .

Pag. 82 , 83 , 84 , and 85. are filled up with two preparations of Steel which he account Acids , and a story to tells us , that Cinnaber which he once thought an Alkaly proves to be an Acid. But it only proves so for his Conveniency , for there is no Reason that he gives for it , and therefore we have Reason to believe that it is , what all Learned Men know it to be ; for it does not only correct Acids in the Stomach , but is of very great Use almost always where the Mass of Blood hath a manifest Viscidity .

And here , before I leave this Chapter I shall observe , that those Acids in the Stomach which he says Page 80 , cannot get into the Blood till vitriolized , is a Mistake ; for we may take notice , that some People , if not most , that are subject to Rheumatick Pains and the Gout , feel a manifest Acidity upon their Stomachs sometime before their Paroxysms ; and when that Acidity is carryed off , they feel the dreadful Effects of it in the Mass of Blood .

But supposing it to be turned into a Vitriol , a Vitriol is but a stronger Acid , than that in the Stomach , and consequently would do more Mischief than if it were not turned into a Vitriol as I have elsewhere shewn .

CHAP. VI. Of Consumptions .

THe last Distemper that this Gentleman pretends to give an Account of , is , Consumptions ; but if he had consider'd and understood what an Ingenious and Learned Tract Dr. Morton hath writ on this Subject , he might have been ashamed to offer such a small Parcel of Nonsense . But as there is no Reason in what he says , so there is as little he had in Writing .

Page 89. He says , my Reasons in short for the Use of Acids are as follow . The Globules of the Blood being broken , and confusedly mixed with the Serum , by Reason of so many Acrid Alkalious Particles mixed with it , and together with the Serum , admitted into the small Glandules of the Lungs , and not being capable of being discharged , cause Inflammations there , and by consequence Hectick Fevors . What he means by broken Globules thrown into the Glands , I profess is such a Peice of Philosophy , that I neither see that it hath any Meaning or Sense in it ; for I have already shewed , that those Particles of Blood , which he takes Notice of , swim in the Serum confusedly , must be divided into an innumerable small Particles before they can pass through the capillary Vessels , and consequently can do no Prejudice by being broken ; but suppose they were forced into Vessels which they ought not ; Acids by Coagulating the Alkaly , would rather fix them there , than remove them . Nay allowing his own way of Assertion , which I have before confuted , viz. that Alkalies coagulate Acids , it would not help him , because those Alkalies in the Glands could not be removed , according to his own Assertion , but by Acids , and what a Removal would it be , when as his Acid Medicines were laid down in the Glands , the Alkaly would coagulate the Acid and so fix it there , as much as the Alkaly .

As for what he says Page 90 , and the 91 , of the Use of Alkalies , I don't believe any rational Physician would ever give any Alkalies in such a Case ; so that here he might have kept this Advice to himself .

Page the 92 , and 93 , he makes a very simple Objection against his foolish Assertion , and makes an Answer to it agreeable to so great a Peice of Nonsense ; but both of them being not worth while to take notice of , I shall leave them to the consideration of those , that think they deserve any thing else , besides a sharp Reprimand .

Page the 94 , He tells us a story that Riverius cured one of a Consumption by Conserve of Roses and Oyl of Sulphur by the Bell , but any one may guess what a Consumption it was , since the same Remedy , will scarce cure an ordinary Cough .

From Page the 94 , to the 100. He tells a long story of an old Man and a Pot of Oyl of Sulphur : But that being nothing at all to this Distemper , but a Story by the by , to fill up his Book ; and least he should seem to say , not only , nothing to the purpose , but to little for a Chapter of Consumptions ; I shall take Notice of it no further .

Page the 100 , 101 , and the 102 , he tells another story of a Man , who that being bit with a Viper , could not be cured by Alkalies and no wonder ; for no rational Man would depend upon a Medicine he knew not the Effects of , in such a Case , but would have immediate Recourse to a proper Medicine .

But to conclude this Chapter , it will give us no little Light into the strange Insolence of this Man , who notwithstanding such ingenious Books , as the Learned Dr. Willis , Dr. Morton , &c. have writ concerning Consumptions ; and what the ingenious and truly Honourable Theod. Mayern , and Dr. Willis have wrote of the Gout , and also Dr. Lister , with a great many more , who have largely handled those Subjects , this Man can have the Impudence to write , not only contrary to them , but also common Experience ; and that too neither with any Method or Reason ; for whereas those Learned Men have observed a great deal of Variety as to the Cause and Cure of those Distempers , and that the Cure is to be varyed according to the different Tempers and Constitutions of Men ; he boldly and very irregularly says little or nothing to the purpose , but that , without any regard to the difference of Causes , or the several peculiar Constitutions of Men's Bodies ; but it is not strange , that one that hath so much Ignorance , should have an equal share of Impudence ; for vain pretending Quacks and Mountebanks have no other way to cheat the World , but by incredible Relations of Cures , that were as unlikely as false .

But I shall not here enlarge on a Subject so copious as his Vanity and Boldness makes this ; but shall go on to consider the remaining Part of his Book , there being Matter enough and too much , for me to mispend my time upon .

CHAP. VII . His Conclusion Examined .

PAGE 103 , he says , For all sort of Flesh abounding with large Quantities of Volatile Alkalious Salts , if the said Alkalious Salts were in some measure locked up and mortified by means of the Sea Salt ; What then ▪ Nothing at all of a Conclusion , I here expected some Inference or other would be drawn from it ; but his profound Phansy , being lost and overwhelmed in a Salt Rock in Cheshire , no less than twenty yards thick , he forgot himself , or rather overlooked what he was writing ; so that this Page and the next is a Speech , without applying it to any thing .

Page 105. There is some Reason to believe , that People before the Flood did not eat Flesh , but lived altogether upon Vegetables , as Fruits , Herbs and Roots , which I suppose was one great Reason of their Longaevity , and it may be observed in Herefordshire , and other Countries abounding with Fruit , the People are longer lived then in those Countries that want them . This truly is a Sign the Man's Thoughts have run a little further then his Wit , and then his shallow Head is capable to go with any steadiness ; and truly by the incoherent Style of his Book , one would guess , he was no little way out of his Depth ; But I suppose this Noble Addition to Dr. Burnet's Theory was no otherwise designed , but that People might know he had heard of such a Book ; whose Arguments , he says , are to him unanswerable ; but why so ? Because they are too Noble and Curious for him to understand , and much more to answer ; but however ingeniously that Book is writ ( which truly I think , for the Nobleness of the Thought , the Elegancy of his florid Style , and the Command which he seems to have of his Thoughts , and Expressions , with the greatest Ease , and without straining , for them , makes it one of the most valuable Books our English Language is adorned with ) yet it 's not exempt from that Fate , which all Books on that Subject have hitherto had ; and it is only a sign of Mr. Colbatch his shallowness , and not of the reality of what 's contained there , that makes the Arguments unanswerable to him , though this must needs be said of them ; that though they are not really true , yet they are delivered in such a Method , that they would Insensibly wind one into a favourable Thought of 'em , if one were not sufficiently Armed with Judgment and Reflection ; but so Ingenious and so Learned a Man , as Dr. Burnet is , being too good Company for such Ignorance as he is Eminent in ; I shall not mix their Names together any further , least the Lustre of Dr. Burnet's Name should so dazle Peoples weak Eyes , as not to perceive the Obscurity of the others , and shall only consider the latter separately ; that the Light , which might be borrowed from the former , may not increase the faint Obscureness of his ; but that he may appear in his proper Colours .

And how absurd and ridiculous it is ; for to assert that eating Fruit preserves Peoples Lives , and is the Cause of Longaevity ; whereas the generality of our English People , as well as Physicians , are certain , that Fruit causes more Distempers in Children ; than any one thing amongst Non-naturals besides .

From Page 107 , to Page 112. He tells a long story of a Child that was cured of a Tympany by being Bathed in Sea Water , but what is that to his Credit ? Or what does this signifie to the Use of Acids in the Small-Pox , Scurvey , Gout , Rheumatisms and Consumptions ? The common People certainly would laugh at him should they hear him affirm , that they all proceed from the same Cause ; he might as well expect Fire to cool , heat , moysten and to dry the same Body : But as for that Case of the Childs , had he had the Luck to have advised , that Girl to Bath in Sea-Water , it would have been something for him to have talk't of , but as it is , an old Woman would have told a story that she had heard from another , as well if not better than he hath done , and now should he cure one by that same means , it would be no Credit for him , since he would do no more , than what had been done in HEREFORD-SHIRE .

Page 112 , He tells us what Helmont hath found by Experience in the Strangury , viz. to cure it by cool Diureticks , and what Discovery is this pray , any rational Physician would have given either that , or a Medicine much better in the same case , but Helmont's Observations are none of his ; and he hath no share in the small Credit of it .

Page 113 , He says , An eminent Man took off Heart of Urine by Juice of Oranges ; and what then , do not other Physicians give cold Diureticks upon the like occasion , neither do they value themselves upon such things at all , as are common and every where practised , but this it seems induced him to try Tincture of Antimony in the like case ; which since I have already shewed to be an Alkaly , and that he only calls it an Acid to serve his turn , I need not enlarge any more now . But the Reason why he thinks it Acid , I believe , in this case , may be , because he observed that Acids cured this Distemper , and could give no other Reason why Tincture of Antimony should , except it were an Acid , and therefore concluded it was not an Alkaly ; but to help him over that difficulty , I shall tell him , that whether that Acrimony , which causes Heat of Urin , be corrected by Acids , or dispersed and carry'd off by Sweat upon the Use of Alkalies , it is all one , and since a Decoction of Diaphoretick Wood will cure that Acrimony as well as Diaphoretick Antimony , there is the same Reason to be given for both , and as Acids correct the Humour , and alter it , by dulling and taking off the Edges of it ; so Antimony carrys it off by Sweat , and the Acrimony by being so diverted , the Symptom ceases .

Page 125 , He says , I have only brought my Doctrin of Acids upon the Stage as a general one in Opposition to the general and pernicious Doctrin of Alkalies . A very fine Man truly , and much to be admired ! He asserts only for the sake of contradiction , and really in this Point he speaks Truth ; for with what other Design would he change the very Names of Things , but to seem to differ from others , in trivial Matters ; for the Names of Things are so indifferent , that it matters not what they are called , so they have but a Name to distinguish them , and when he says Tincture of Antimony will take off such a heat of Urin , whether the Name of it be Alkaly or Acid , it matters not , if it were generally , as well as all other things of the same Nature , known by that Name , but when the Names of things are given them , and generally received , it is absurd to alter them without Reason .

From Page 116 , to 132 , He heaps up a parcel of incoherent Stories , of specifick Medicines ; but to what end , except to fill up his Book , I cannot imagin ; for he neither gives Reason for them , neither can they any ways confirm the Truth of any thing he hath asserted ; but , if to tell a Parcel of Tales is sufficient to make a Man an Author , Old Women are fitter to write Books , then he , being stocked with a greater Variety of Storys .

As for what he hath said of the Cortex Peruvianus , I shall take another opportunity to give my Thoughts of it , when I have time to propose something concerning the Reason of Agues , and to examin what his worthy Friend hath said on this Subject .

But to Apologize for telling us all these Stories , he furnishes us with many more ; which may indeed be grounds for an excuse for him ; if we would change that old Maxim ( which is all relating to the Aristotelian Philosophy , which he understands , ) Nihil dat quod in se non habet ; in English what can one expect more in a Calves Head than Brains , or as the Proverb usually runs , what can one expect more of a Cat than her Skin .

Page 136 , He says , that Acton , Epsom , Dullage or Northall Waters , &c. are allowed to be Acids , and according to the Difference of the Acid contained in them , they have different Operations , but I must ask him , by whom they are allowed to be so ? By no Body that I know of ; for Dr. Grew hath extracted that Salt and it appears to be so far from an Acid , that it is evidently in Taste a bitter pene trating Salt , and I never heard that a bitter Salt could be allowed to be an Acid , except Gall differed not in Taste from Sevil-Oranges .

AN EXAMINATION OF Mr. John Colbatch HIS APPENDIX TO HIS ESSAY .

Wherein his Absurdities and False Opinions in Physick , are truly Represented , and fully Confuted .

LONDON , Printed in the Year 1699.

AN EXAMINATION OF Mr. John Colbatch HIS APPENDIX TO HIS ESSAY , &c.

THUS far I have shewed the Absurdities of what this Man delivers , and what little Reason he hath , to be so insolent , and saucy with his Superiors , infinitely so in Knowledge and Learning , as well as Fortune : But it is but common for Fools to think themselves Wise Men ; whereas wise Men are more subject to suspect themselves ; and not to appear , especially in Print , with that Impudence , which is the only Support of Ignorance .

I shall now proceed to examin his Appendix to this Essay , and all that I shall take Notice of in his Preface to this , is , that he says , I don't at all pretend to arrive at so much certainty , as by the Methods I take , to make People immortal , and that no Body shall die . Here methinks he begins to be sensible of his Weakness , and is conscious , that he wants to make an Apology for the frequent Departures of his Patients ; which Guess of mine is confirmed by the large strain of Divinity that follows it . But to proceed ;

The Pretence of this Appendix , is , to explain and make his Terms Alkaly and Acid more Intelligible , and to answer some Objections made against his Essay : As for the Terms , they have been explained sufficiently already , every Body knowing what is meant by Alkaly , and what by Acids , and what Medicines are ranked under each ; though some Ignorant Men have misused those Words : But , without doubt , to serve a Particular Turn , we must expect from him , a Particular Explanation .

But before he goes about his Explanation , Page the 3 , He says , I have not published the Doctrin of Acids and Alkalies , out of any design of appearing singular , or of being the Head of a Faction , but out of mere pity and compassion to Mankind , my fellow Creatures , whose deplorable Circumstances under mistaken Methods , I have long bewailed , to see Physick made the Scene of Slaughter , &c. But if he does not write out of a Design of being singular , there is no such thing as being singular ; for does he not cure some Distempers by Medicines that have been all along used in Rheumatisms , and the Scurvey ; and only varies from others by a foolish Method , and boast of a New one , and only , because he hath changed the Names of those Medicines : But this is done out of compassion to his Fellow Creatures ; pray , where sies the Compassion ? Might not Steel and Antimony do as much good , when called Alkalies as when called Acids ? Does changing Names alter the Vertue ? Or increase the Value of a Thing ? Is not a Dog as valuable or contemptible equally , whether it be called a Dog or a Horse ? But he said a little before he hath advanced this general Method , in Opposition to Alkalies ; but I 'll assure him he hath not ; for though in the Small-Pox he hath altered Dr. Sydenhams Practice absurdly enough ; yet in the Scurvey , Rheumatism , &c. he hath only altered the Names of some Medicines : And come short of others by the help of his Ignorance , and yet bewails Physick to see it a Scene of Slaughter ; but if it was , it would be so still ; will Steel or Antimony cure a Distemper , nay and the same Distemper , better for being called an Acid , than if it were an Alkaly ? and how can this Man with such Boldness , reproach Reason and Experience , and tell the World , that they are sent to their Graves , by that which he in some Cases follows as well as he can , like a Man that hath lost his way by running into the Dark , and only masks it , with a new Name .

Page the 4 , and 5 , He begins to explain the Term Alkaly , and says ; It derives it's Name from the Herb Kaly , from the Ashes of which is extracted a large quantity of Salt , and the Ashes of most Herbs affording a Salt of the same Nature with those of the Herb Kaly are equivocally called Alkalies , and all other things of the same Nature , as Crabs-Eyes , Oyster-Shells . Now what he here says being granted , it is plain , that those Medicines , that he alters the Names of , and calls Acids , are properly by this Rule of his own , to be called Alkalies ; they being of the Nature of Crabs-Eyes , Oyster-Shells ; and that they are of the Nature of Crabs-Eyes is very evident , because as Crabs-Eyes cure Acidity in the Stomach , so do they , only more powerfully , and also Acidities in the Blood ; so that he here undermines himself , and contradicts his own Judgment , but it is a good while since he wrote the last , and his treacherous Memory , as he calls it , is to be blamed ; but yet one would think that the same that is Truth now , would have been so then , when he thought of the same Matter .

Page the 6 , He supposes Acid to be derived from the Arabian Word Acaid , which signifies Acetum . Upon my word a mighty profound Schollar ! He understands no less than a whole Word of Arabick , and it 's a wonder he did not write his whole Book in it ; but lest he should be too proud of himself , and value himself too much upon this mighty Piece of Scholarship ; I shall do him a kindness , as to keep his Stomach from rising , and tell him ; that Vinegar or Acetum is not Acid , but Acrid , and had he understood one word of Latin , along with his Arabian Word , he would have found that Vinegar takes it's Name from Vinum Acre , or sharp Wine , and that Acrimony is derived from Acre ; so that he is mistaken if he calls those things that are like Vinegar , Acid ; for they are Acrid ▪ And ,

As for Fruits and the Natural Juices of Plants , there are but very few Acid Ones , like Acrid except that sweet be like bitter .

Page 7. All metaline Sulphurs are to be ranged amongst the Number of Acids . But if we compare the Effects of Sulphur , with the Effects of Acids , there is so little Reason to call Sulphur Acid , that Acid is as like Alkaly ; as Sulphur , is like Acid , the Effects being quite contrary ; for whereas Acid cools and abates the Heat of the Blood , Sulphur exalts and encreases it ; so that Sulphur is a Body of as distinct a Nature from Acid , as Bitter and Sowre .

But to what purpose would it be to reason with a Man , who calls Oyls and Balsoms and Bread Acids ; since any Body that can Taste , will tell , that Balsam hath a different taste from Juice of Lemmons . And one might as well say , Iron is Wood , because one may make a Chair of it , as that Bread is Acid ; because an Acid Spirit be made of Part of the Substance of it .

Page the 10th . in order to a well Performance of I know not what , he begins to compare Sal Kaly , as he calls it , with Vinegar , and here Page 11 and 12 , he takes care to mention a mischievous sort of Alkaly , to represent the whole Class of Alkalies , which is never at all used in Physick ; and takes no notice of all those Alkalies , as Steel , Antimony , Cinnaber , &c. with many more , which are the best and most valuable Medicines supplyed by Nature or Art , for their universal Success in Physick ; and then he says , Alkalies by breaking the Globules of the Blood , cause Scurvey , Rheumatisms , Gout , &c. whereas , before in his Essay , he told us , that the Coagulations of the Blood in these Distempers proceeded from Alkalies Coagulating those Acids , which were taken into the Blood ? But Contradictions , Forgetfulness , and Mistakes are so Natural to him , that he must not be blamed poor Man ! That this is a Mistake of the first Magnitude is as plain , as that Coagulation and Dissolution , two Opposites , can make it .

Having thus represented Alkalies from Page the 12 , to Page 17 , he takes all the care he can , to represent Acids with all possible Advantage , by Vinegar , of which he takes care to say all the Good he can , but not a word of the Mischief it does , to Scorbuticks , Phthisicks , and sore Throats , &c. so that if we reckon up but what Mischief Vinegar might do , if it were made ill use of , they would out-ballance all the Good , and more than the ill Effects of Alkalies do their Good ones .

But now he hath made his Comparison betwixt Alkaly , and Acid , I might take the same Liberty , and compare the best of Alkalies with the worst of Acids ; which would represent his Acids worse than he can do Alkalies ; but we are not to judge of any thing , by the ill Use that may be made of it , but by the good Effects ; and every thing is valuable for the Good which it does , though in different cases ; and by the same Method he takes to perswade People from using Alkalies , we might perswade People from the Use of Fire ; for it will burn and cause ill Effects , worse than the Sal Kaly ; yet if moderately , is almost of universal Use : So that though Sal Kaly should have such Effects , there are a great many Alkalies ; as Steel , Crabs-Eyes , &c. which do as much Good .

But by the Method he takes , Christians would be represented worse than Heathens , for if he should compare Seneca with a Christian who is a Thief , a Murderer , and the worst of Men ; how odiously must Christians be , if all were to be judged , by that one ; but what Ill will not a Man do to carry on a bad Design ?

From Page the 17 , to the 21 , he reckons up all the ill Effects he can of Arsnick , as an Alkaly , but what poysonons Design he hath in it , he best knows ; for this can signifie nothing to the crying down of Alkalies , though it were Alkaly , since none are so wicked , as to give , such without a Design to poyson People .

But since he thinks it a way to cry down Alkaly , by shewing that Arsnick is an Alkaly I shall hear only two Witnesses against him , who writ long before his simple Books were writ , to prove that it is a dangerous , and a pernicious Acid.

And first the Ingenious Sir John Floyer , in the first of his 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 , Page 27. says , Arsenick is like common Sulphur , and is compounded like it of an Oyly part ( which in Arsnick is more peircing ) and an Acid. And again Page 231 , of the second Part. Arsnick is corrosive by a particular Texture of Sulphureous Particles and Acids .

And Secondly , the Famous Ettmuller in his Schroderi dilucidati Mineralogia says , Arsenicum quod reverà est minerale volatile & Sublimatione exaltatum . Recte vocatur Arsenicum ab authore , fuligo quaedam Mineralis pinguis & inflammabilis . Nam reverà est Sulphur summe Volatile , & propter Volatilitatem , valde corrosivum & valde venenosum . Arsnic , which is really a Volatile mineral Sulphur , and exalted by Sublimation . Arsnic is truly called by the Author , a kind of mineral soot , fat and inflamable ; for it is really a most Volatile Sulphur , and by it's Volatility very corrosive and a strong Poyson . Now by the former of these Authors it is asserted to be an Oyly Acid , and by the latter , who was a profound Judicious Man , it is affirmed for the most Part to be a Mineral Sulphur ; from which two , according to Page the 7. of his own Appendix , it is proved to be an Acid ; because he there Classes all Balsams and Sulphurs amongst Acids ; so that all the Prejudice that a Sublimed Acid can do , may be done by Mr. John Colbatch his Acid.

From Page the 21 , to the 25. He reckons up all the good Effects of Oyl of Vitriol ; but mentions not the Mischief , that might be done with it , which is a great deal more , for it corrodes and eats away the Flesh , causes an intolerable Heat .

Page the 28 , He says As for Balsams if I should take upon me to describe their Excellencies , it would be fitter for a Volum than an Appendix ; but if he had cast out a great deal of his stuff , that he hath put in , and which was brought in by the Head and Shoulders , and hath no Relation to his Discourse , only to fill it up , he might have had room enough for Balsams , which makes me believe he had very little towards a great Volum .

From Page the 39 , to 71. He lays down several Objections , to shew , that he cannot Answer them ; and that it may appear , he hath not done it , I shall take notice of them in that Order , he has laid them .

The first Objection is how comes it to pass those People that live upon nothing almost but highly Salted Meat , are more troubled with the Scurvey .

To this he Answers , That it is not because they eat more Salt , but because they eat more Flesh than other People , which abounds with Alkalious Particles , and as for the Sea Salt is most carried off by Urin.

But to this I answer , that if it were not the Acid Sea Salt , then fresh Beef would sooner create the Scurvey than Salt ; because according to him , it being Alkalious altogether , and not being tempered with the Sea Salt , it would increase the Alkalies of the Blood I think more ; But , for my Part , I am sure Beef is nothing like an Alkaly , ( for as much as I , and all the World besides , can discern , ) it abounding with a sweet Balsamick Juice , the Mass of Blood ; but that Mass of Blood abounds with Alkaly , he 'll say ; but then he must remember what he said the seventh Page of his Appendix , viz. that all oleaginous Balsamicks are to be reckoned amongst Acids , and then it will follow that the Taste of the Blood being sweet and Balsamic , it must be reckoned amongst Acids , so that our Quick-sighted Reformer of Physick , hath once more contradicted himself .

But suppose Beef to be Alkaly , it will be no more for his purpose , because Page 59 , of his Essay he says , that a Mixture of Acids with Alkaly causes a Coagulation ; so that Acid and Alkaly thus carried into the Blood together must thicken the Blood ; but then , that this Distemper may by all means proceed from Alkaly , he will suppose the Accid to run off by Urin ; stil he is never the better ; for in that same Page of his Essay , it appears , that as long as the Alkaly is not mixed with Acid , there is no Coagulation , till it is impregnated by drinking Wine ; from whence it appears , that if the Acid were so carryed off , there would be no such Coagulation in Scrobutic Serum .

Having shewn how he contradicts himself backwards and forwards , in Answer to this first Objection , I shall pass to the second ;

The second Objection is , how it comes to pass , that when the Stomach abounds with Acids , the Blood does not .

He Answers , The meat we eat being dissolved by a Spirituous Acid Juice , it is turned into a Substance for the Nutrition of our Bodies , and that this , in People that live a Sedentary Life , lying too long in the Stomach , is turned Acid : But this is no Answer to the Question ; it only tells us , how the Stomach becomes full of Acids ; but how comes it to pass then , that when the Stomach is emptyed of this Acid stuff ; part of it is not squeezed through the Lacteals into the Blood ? Truly he can give no Reason for it ; so that the Blood must needs , according to the course and tendency of Chyle , be tainted with that Acidity .

The third Objection is , That this Acid being kept from going into the Blood would , according to him , prevent Distempers .

He Answers , That People who are troubled with Acidity in their Stomach , make great quantities of Water , are very lean and costive , which he will prove to be , because Acids are not carried into the Blood . And first when we make Water , much , the attenuated Chyle runs off by Vessels , which carry it from the Stomach to the Kidneys through the Omentum , which prevents it from going into the Blood . And from Page 39 , to the 40 , he would suggest , that there are such Vessels for it to pass off by . Secondly , the Reason why People are so lean , is , because the Acid Chyle so diluted is carried off , and the Oyly Particles of the Blood want Acid to thicken them , and to turn them into Fat. Thirdly , the Reason why they are costive , is , because , so much Moisture turning off by Urin the excrements are hardned , and the Guts want Moisture to Lubricate them .

To this Objection he gives no direct Answer , no not so much as a false one ; for what he offers for an Answer , is so far from being one , that it has not the least Relation to the Objection , as he explains it ; for the Objection relates to Distempers in the Blood ; whereas , as he explains those three Phaenomena , they are not Distempers of the Blood ; for he makes Acidity in the Stomach , the Cause of too much Urin , and of Costiveness ; and as for Leanness , the more Oyly and Sulphureous the Blood is , the Fatter is the Body ; and according to him , in the beginning of this Appendix , Page the 7th , the more Acid it is , and consequently cannot find any Inconveniency by his new Reason of making too much Water ; for though the Acids run off by Urin and never come into the Blood , yet since the Blood abounds with Fat Particles , accoding to him it would not want Acids .

But as I have often taken notice of him already , so I may still , that Contradictions and Incoherency are natural to him , and we may expect nothing else from him ; but I shall not only shew , how that his Answer is not direct to the Objection ; but that he explains those Symptoms he mentions very falsely .

And first the Reason , why People who have Acidity on their Stomachs , make much Water , cannot be , because , the Acid Chyle is carried off , by such Passages , as he supposes , because there are no such Passages , to be discovered ; for not all the Anatomists , nor Glasses , could ever as yet discern the least Foot-steps of them ; and if there were such Vessels , as he supposes , to convey so much Urin into the Bladder ; they must be of a considerable size ; but should we suppose such Vessels , I am affraid he would scarce explain how Acid Chyle comes to be Lixivious , and to have an Urinous Taste barely by running through a short Vessel ; for Urin and Chyle are Bodies so distinct from one another , that such a Conveyance would scarce turn the Acid Chyle into Urin , but that People whose Stomachs abound with Acids , make much Urin , shews that this Acid is really carryed into the Blood ; for the Chyle being tainted and impregnated with this Acidity , as soon as it comes into the Blood , the Acidity presently precipitates the watry Part of the Serum , which is the Reason , they make so much Limpid clear Water .

Secondly , As for his Reason , why such People are lean , this is as unlikely as the former ; for how can we think that Chyle is carried off , since such Peoples Urin is as clear as Water , whereas , if what he says were true , it must be as thick as Milk ; but this he hath borrowed from Dr. Willis his Reason of a Diabetes , only he lept upon it , and forgot where he found it ; and also what Use to make of it ; but perhaps I wrong him , it may be he 'll say he did not read Dr. Willis ; should he give me that Answer , I could almost believe him , and then I should think , that some Body had told him the Reason of a Diabetes , and that upon such a Deep hint as that , he framed this wonderful Hypothetical Nonsence .

That such Peoples Blood does not want Acids , I have already shewed , and that what he says is false , were he to be judged by this 7th , Page of his own Book , but Justice hath not always thought fit , that a Man 's own Confession should be evidence against him , except at his Tryal ; and therefore I shall shew him that Leanness does not follow for want of that Acid ; but is caused by the Blood being too much impregnated with it ; For the Fat of an Animal is not a Concrete of Oyl , and such a crude Acid , as that which abounds in distempered Peoples Stomachs , is the common Observation , and Suffrage of Learned Men ; but from a more Nitrous and Spirituous one ; for that Acid is so far from being a Part of Fat , that nothing more powerfully checks the Preter-natural Fermentation of the Blood , than Acids ; and the more the Blood abounds with Acids , the more it's Sulphur is depressed , and consequently cannot yield Oyly Parts , for an ingredient of Fat ; since it scarce supplies Nature with sufficient Refreshment . Besides , this Acid , which he supposes would cause the Chyle to run off by Urin , through some private Ducts , would have the same Effects in the Blood , and by that means cause a continual Diabetes , by forcing away the Nutritious Juice along with it .

But Thirdly , The Reason he gives , why such People are costive , is also false ; for , the Intestines don't so much want Moisture , as something to raise the Peristaltick Motion sufficiently , and by irritating their Nervous Coat to put the Musculous Parts into a stronger Nixus ; for when Acids too much abound , the Ferment that is laid down by the Ductus Colidocus , is always too small in Quantity , or else too mild in Quality , and the Reason why they are costive is , because they have too little Choler , and that too , is temper'd and depressed by the Preter-natural Acidity of the Stomach , and Pancreatic Juice , so that the Intestins want their natural Stimulus .

The next Objection he pretends to Answer is , why , if Acids cause such a dissolution of the Chyle , Steel does not also make it run off by Urin.

The Answer he gives to this , is , that Iron cannot be conveyed into the Blood , before it be turned into a Vitriol .

But to this , I answer , that the Attenuation of the Chyle , he supposed just before , was in the Stomach , and that it was conveighed through Vessels from thence to the Kidneys ; but here he hath forgot , what he had before said : and like one that had neither Memory nor Knowledge , but always talked , like a Parrot , what was next his Tongue , and what was immediately in the View of his Fancy , without considering what it was ; but supposing Steel to be an Acid , I don't then see what difference there is betwixt the effects it would have to his Advantage , though altered , as he says , in the Stomach ; for Vitriol is an Acid and a very strong one ; so that if Steel would have such ill Effects , if Acid , he , instead of Answering the Objection , and removing the Difficulty , makes it stronger against himself ; for by being turned into a Vitriol it would be a stronger Acid , and consequently do more Mischief by being so changed ; But I have before shewn , that he is mistaken ; for Steel is not an Acid but an Alkaly , and the good effects it hath are by absorbing the Acidities of the Pancreatick Juice .

And now having gone through his Appendix thus far , and shewed the Inconsistency of this Part of his Book , with what had gone before ; and also , how he is incoherent and mistaken throughout the whole , I come next to examin two or three Cases which he brings to close up his Book ; as to the truth of the Cures we have Reason to suspect him ; being already assured , that he will tell the World he cures , tho' those same Persons dyed ; which we have sufficient Instances of in his Novum Lumen Chirurgicum : But as to that Point , one that will tell Lyes , may say what he will , yet People know how to trust him ; and therefore , I shall examin the nature of those Medicines , and shew , that he is mistaken , and that those he cured , he did not know how , for he says he cured them with Acids ; but the Nature of those Medicines is so far from Acidity , that they are quite opposite , and appear to be what he so much rails at , viz. Alkalies ; or other Medicines , which are generally used to destroy Acids .

The Medicines mentioned in the first Case are , Cinnaber of Antimony , Gum Gujaci . Bad. Bardan . Sem. Bardan . Fraxin . Bacc. Junip . Sassafras . Tartar . Vitriolat . as for the first , viz. Cinnaber it is by all the Learned ▪ World and the most eminent Writers found to be of Use , where the Blood and Serum have a manifest Viscidity ; and it is by Experience found to take off such Viscidity , which is caused by Acids ; but this Learned Loger-head hath the confidence to think , that the World will be imposed upon , and believe him before Men of Sense and Learning , who could have no Prejudice to him , nor did not do it to oppose him , they having given the World an Account of what it was , before he was old enough to understand them , or knew what it was to go to School . And as for the rest , they so far differ from Acids , that they manifestly taste Oyly , Sweet , and are Odoriferous ; and since I write this for those that do not understand , whether he writes Lies or Truth , I shall tell them , the English Names of those Medicines , and then let them taste Sevil-Oranges , and see , whether Juniper Berries , Burdock and Ash Seeds or Sassafras , which almost tastes like Mace , be of the same Taste with those Oranges ; the same Method they may take with all the Medicines he uses ; and if they find Juniper Berries , &c. taste like Oranges , then Mr. John Colbatch is in the right , otherwise they know he is mistaken . But the last Medicine he mentions is Tartar . Vitriolat . but there is so little in that Medicin of it , and the Effects of it will be so small , that it is not much matter whether it be Alkaly or Acid.

In his Third Case , for Convulsions he gives Vitriolated Tartar . Crem . Tartar . and Costor Ag. Paeon . Rorismarin . and Puleg . all of which are known to be Absorbers of Acids , and Correcters of them , except the two first ; for they manifestly abound with a Volatile and Spirituous Oyl ; and if the two former were Acids , yet the latter being of a quite contrary Nature , and more in Quantity , all that can be said of this Medicine is , that it neither did good nor harm , the one part of it answering the other , and obstructing the Force of it , and it was all one , as if one should mix hot and cold Water together to cool ones thirst , and if that Patient recovered , it was not to be ascribed to the Vertue of his Medicine , but the Mildness of the Cause of that Distemper ; which would have gone off as soon without it .

The remaining Pages of this Book are filled up with a Catalogue of Distempers sent to him by Dr. Jones ( who , because Colbatch hath Imposed upon some part of the Kingdom , would needs be seen in so Meritorious a Cause ; but what will not some Men do , when they value a private Design before Truth and Honesty , ) and an Account of the Use of Beverage at Sea ; but this being not at all to the purpose , but to fill up his Book .

I shall only further take notice , That Pag. the 86th . He says , he could never hear , that the Peruvian Bark cured one Consumption , neither from Apothecarys nor Phisicians , but I can tell him , that I knew more than one cured of a very Violent Hectick Fever , only by the Use of that Bark , and Balsamick Syrup in which it was given , and a Composition of Laudanum Pil. de Styrace , with Safron ; which the Learned Dr. Morton hath in this Phythiologia .

Having hitherto travailed through Clouds , Ignorance and Absurdities , through Contradictions , Mistakes and Forgetfulness , through an indigested Mass and a confused Congeries of incoherent Rubbish ; which , though it is nauseous , yet I shall not think a little time ill spent , to undeceive the World , from such a vain pretending Impostor ; that knows nothing but Nonsense , and who , and whose sole Support , is Impudence and Boldness . All that I have now to do is to examin his Treatise of the Gout , and to shew what Absurdities and Mistakes he is guilty of there , and the ill Consequences of his Erroneous Practice .

AN EXAMINATION OF Mr. John Colbatch HIS TREATISE OF THE GOUT .

Wherein his Absurdities and False Opinions in Physick are truly Represented , and fully Confuted ;

AS ALSO , It is made evident , that the EXPERIMENT he there alledges , in Vindication of his Hypothesis , is strong Proof against himself .

AND LASTLY , That his Practice is very Dangerous ( though his ill grounded and erroneous Hypothesis were allowed . )

LONDON , Printed in the Year 1699.

AN EXAMINATION OF Mr. John Colbatch HIS TREATISE Of the GOUT &c.

CHAP. I. In which are contained Remarks on his Dedication and Preface with an Application to Dr. Cole .

THE next and last Part of this nauseous Task , that I have undertaken , is , to examin and lay open the Mistakes of his Book , concerning the Gout ; but before I set about that , there are two Things which lie in my way , and which I must take notice of , viz. a Dedication and a Preface . The first thing I shall take a View of , is , his Dedication where he begins and says ;

My Love to Truth and the Good and Welfare of Mankind , have ingaged me in Publishing of the following Piece . But however specious this Pretence is , it appears , that it is not for the Good nor Welfare of Mankind ; but on the contrary , will tend to their great Destruction and the Ruin of their Constitutions ; since it will easily appear , that it is made up of the same Materials that the rest of his Books are , viz. notorious Mistakes and Blunders , and such plain ones too , that one can scarce think , but that he was either conscious of them or very ignorant ; But as I would not have him thought to be quite so ignorant ; so I rather think , that he was conscious of the Falsness of what he asserted , and only did it with a Design to get a Reputation amongst the Injudicious , which he designed to impose upon ; how much soever he exposed himself , to the Ridicule and Contempt of the Judicious and Learned , by his weak and inconsistent Falsities .

And truly , thus far he is in the right , It wants a much better Champion ( tho' he 's pleased to call himself a Champion ) to assert and defend a false Cause against so many Potent Adversaries , who have Truth on their side ; for were he in the right , all that could be said of his Book is , that he is dully and foolishly in the Right ; but since it will presently appear , that he is so much mistaken ; he is much less to be valued , for daring and endeavouring to impose on the World .

But the remaining Part of his Dedication , being most of it a Compliment to Dr. Cole , which were it true would but sorrily recommend Dr. Cole to the Learned World : I shall make Remarks on what follows , and then make my Apology to Dr. Cole , for presuming to shew the Absurdities of a Book , which the Author tells the World , tho' I believe falsly , is agreeable with his Practice ; The Compliment bestowed on Dr. Cole , is ,

I presume to prefix your Name before it , knowing , that if you but please to espouse it , my Business is done and the Conquest gained : But I dare venture to say , that though Dr. Cole should espouse his Cause , which I believe he will not , the Victory would not be gained ; since the Cause hath neither Truth nor Reason on it's side , and here I shall , for some Reasons , make a short Apology to Dr , Cole .

An Apology to Dr. COLE . Learned Sir ,

IT is now almost a Year and half ago , since I was brought into your Company by a very Ingenious and Experienc'd Chirurgeon , Mr. Geeke , living in Salisbury-Court : And Sir , that Civility you were pleased to shew me , and the Freedom you took in Conversation with me , who was both a Stranger , and so much Inferior to your self , both in Learning and Judgment , as well as Reputation , gave me Reason to entertain such Thoughts of you , as , I believe , one of your Years and Character might deserve : And truly I had such an Opinion of you , that I could not then imagin , that you would ever be concerned in Patronizing of a Book , that is not only False and Absurd , but Weak and Inconsistent , and not only so , but rudely contradictory to all Learned Men , whose private Designs do not byass their Sentiments ; and what is more , without any shew of Reason , or appearance of Truth .

And I could rather have believed that you would not be concerned , in such a Cause , for this Reason ; because it is below any Man of Sense or Learning , to appear at the Head of such a Cause , which is against both .

And I fain would have such Thoughts of you still , and conclude , that you only did it to satisfy the Importunities of one , that had been formerly your Apothecary in Worcester .

This Sir , is the Interpretation I would willingly put upon it , in Favour of your Reputation , which must needs be lessened otherwise , especially amongst the Learned , by Patronizing any thing which directly and manifestly is repugnant to Learned Men and Truth ; since the common Interest of the former , so far as it is consistent with the latter , should incline you rather to defend both , than Patronize their Opponents , viz. Ignorance and Falsity ; upon any consideration whatever .

This , I say , is the Interpretation I should put upon it ( though if it were so , it would not be blameless to oppose Truth and Learned Men , to serve a Friend or your Self ) were there not something in that Dedication , so plain and evident , as to suggest some other Reason for your Patronage .

For Mr. Colbatch says , the Doctrin advanced in his Book , is not new to you , it being what you long ago Practised , even before he knew you , how he came to know what your Practice was before he knew you , looks to me like Contradiction , and I am inclined to believe he strained to say so much beyond Truth , only that your Name might the better recommend his Book ; so that it seems , if your Name will serve him by adding Authority to his Book , he 'll tell an Untruth to serve you ; so that I am apt yet in Favour of your Reputation , to understand , that you have permitted him to say , it is your Practice , to recommend it to the World , that his Applause of you might go the farther .

And the Truth is this , either your Practice agrees with what he says , or you can make no good Excuse for permitting him to say so .

And truly Sir , if what he says be not true , you 'd do your self Justice to tell the World , in Vindication of your Judgment and Practice , that he hath imposed upon you ; but if you allow what he hath said , I am sorry the Absurdities and Falsness of his Book obliges me to lay open the groundless and unreasonable Assertions there laid down ; because they are , tho' falsely said to be , so agreeable with your Practice .

But in this particular , I must beg your Pardon , for as I shall never write for the sake of Writing , but Truth ; so I shall always endeavour to detect Falsities , and vindicate the latter ; And though I shall ever have all that Respect for you , and all Learned Men , that I think due to Learning and Qualities , so I must ever shew as little Respect to those , that make it their Business to run down Learning , Learned Men , and Truth , and without Reason , tho' not some base and private End , for tho' I have Learning or Knowledg little enough , to make me so zealous in their Defence , yet I shall ever think it worth my while to Defend that , which I am willing to spend my time in the search of .

And were I in your Case , I should never condescend so far , as for Interest , to Patronize that , which I could give no Reason for . But ,

Sir , The simplicity and falsness of his other Books , I have already shewn , and when I have laid open this , I hope the World will see the shallowness of Mr. Colbatch , and the Falsness of what he says , so plainly , that it will be no longer misled by him , in a Matter that relates to the future Ruin of their Constitutions .

And Sir , it , at the best , will be but little Credit to profess your self of the same Opinion with Mr. Colbatch , an Apothecary , and much less is it Honourable , to joyn in a Cause with such a one , that hath neither Knowledg nor Learning , but Arrogancy and Boldness to support his Ignorance ; and to forsake the Cause of Truth and Learning to make a Party with such .

For all the Cry and Noise he can make of you , will tend less to your Honour , than your Reputation amongst Learned Men ; tho' it may help to captivate those who are easily deceived .

But Sir , as I had formerly a great Opinion of your Merit ; so I would fain perswade my self still , that you only permit him to say , what he does , in compliance with his too earnest Requests , than any Opinion you have of the Truth of what he says , and therefore when I have run over his Preface without any other Apologies , I shall proceed to detect his Errors , and shew the Falsness of what he there asserts , without entituling you to so weak and open Errors ; and profess my self as ever ,

Your very Humble Servant R. Boulton .

The next thing that comes in view after his Dedication is his Preface ; where Page the 11th he says , The History of the Blood is to be fetched out of the Fire , there being not one Page in it , that does not cost me near a days Labour and Attendance at home in my Laboratory . That he fetches it out of the fire , I am afraid is ominous ; and that it will scarce be fit for any thing else , but to return to that Element ; for there is so little Analogy betwixt Chymical Preparations , and the Parts of a Mans Body , that he 'll discover little to the purpose there , to make the Use of them more intelligible ; and sorry I am , he takes so much Pains to no purpose .

Page the 12 He says , The following Piece is a Composition of Observations and Speculations at Coffee-Houses , and such Places . A very fit Place for such Compositions ; for any thing may serve for a News-House , for want of better ; but it would have been better for him , to have considered it at home in his Study ; for I am afraid he drank his Coffee so hot , that he was scarce qualified for what my Lord Bacon says , viz. That a cool Head is fittest for Consideration .

But how came he to take Observations of the Gout in Coffee-Houses ? Those I thought had been only to be made with his Patients ; but perhaps he had as many Patients there , of that Distemper , as any where else ; and consequently it might be as fit a Place to make Observations in .

But why not rather in his Study ? I warrant he had taken notice , that the Ingenious Sir Richard Blackmore had writ his Heroic Poems in Coffee-Houses , and such like Places ; and because he thought it sounded well to say so , he must needs be a Wit too ; nay in time he may do well ; but I would have him think of the old Saying , Nosce teipsum ; for if he were sensible of his own Weakness , it would be better for him to take a private Thought at it , if he knows how to think .

In the same Page , He says , the Expence of his Experiments is so chargable , that it would be fitter to be carryed on at the Expence of the Nation . Nay , and he states the Charge too , a Thousand Pound a Year would not be felt by the Nation : O! what a mighty Projector ? He has a Thought as extensive as the Nation ; 't is a Wonder he is not sent for to Court , he 'd put them upon Ways and Means with a Witness , if not to raise Money , yet to lay it out . But O! Vanity of Vanities , verily every thing in Mr. John Colbatch is Vanity ; No less than a Thousand a Year must be spent upon Experiments , made by a Man , who hath neither Discretion nor Judgment to make them , nor Philosophy to direct him how to make , and how to apply , them ; Truly it is a Wonder , and a great one too , that the Nation does not take Notice of him ; for he would be a mighty Jest were he known to the bottom .

Pag. xvth . He says , we do now grope most miserably in the dark , and it grieves me to the very Soul , when I see People in Distress , and know not how to help them . Poor Soul ! But I hope he hath a Cordial , and a most noble Acid by him , to take a Lick of now and then , or else he might pine away ; for he looks very thin ; and what must then become of all those Angelic Faces , that brought such a mighty Qualm over his Stomach , in the Small-Pox ; Ah! Beauty and Distress are two great Causes of his Grief ; but I believe Money is the Root of all the Evil. Really , if turning his Books would do good , poor Man ! though he does not understand them , he 'd never cease to do it ; but it hath proved in vain , and now he confesses himself ignorant ; and truly , I think not without reason , for through all his Books , I have yet examined , he hath groped so miserably in the dark , that I had sometimes much ado to find where he was , or what Cloud he was lost in , he was so far from Truth , and the Light which ought to be in his Expressions ; but ( God be thanked ) he 's come to Moon-shine at the last ; but his Misfortune is , that glimmering Light has led him into a Wilderness , where he is no better then in the dark , having lost his Way in Experiments , that he misapplies and makes bad Use of , because he does not understand them . But why must it be , we grope in the dark ? Is Mr. John Colbatch more then one , or does he speak for his Companions ? As for rational Physicians , they are not so miserably in the dark , but that they have Reason for what they do , and know what to do , tho' Distempers are sometimes so violent , as not to yeild to proper Medicines . But well may Apothecaries grope in the dark , when they pretend to things they don't understand , since even in the Light they mistake their Way most miserably .

Pag. xvi . He says , He hath grounded his Hypothesis upon plain Experiments , and he expects an Answer should be backed with Experiments . And so far I shall satisfy his Curiosity by and by .

Pag. xvi . He says , he remembers he said in his Essay of Alkalies , he had not had many Patients , and really the Number has not been much increased yet ; what little Reason then hath he to write upon a Subject ; where , were what he says true , as to his Pretensions in the Cure of Distempers , general Rules are not to be made by a particular Constitution ; but since what he says is false , he had much less Reason to be so bold ; and it is but a sorry Recommendation to his Book , that he grounded it upon such small Reason .

Pag. xvii . If People are once satisfy'd , that the Bloods abounding with Alkalious Particles is the Cause of the Gout and other Distempers , it necessarily follows , that Acids are only proper to correct the said Alkaline Particles . And further , Pag. xviii . He says , I do assert , that the Cause of the Gout is not the Bloods abounding with Acids but Alkalies . But in Opposition to this Assertion , I say , I assert , that it is not from Alkalies , but Acids ; and this I shall prove , from what he hath said of the Gout in his Book of Alkaly and Acids ; and because he desires that Arguments against this Book , should be backed with Experiments , I shall bring as substantial Experiments against his Hypothesis , as he hath for it , to wit , the same , and shall shew , that he hath so overlooked these Experiments , and understands them so little , that he hath drawn false Conclusions from them , and this I shall do , when I come to his Book in its proper Place .

Page xix . He asks , if Acids abound in the Blood , how comes a Dead Body to stink so soon ; every Body knows that Acids preserve Animal Substances from Stinking and Corruption . But this relating to the Cause of the Gout , I should answer it when I come to that Cause , which he hath laid down in his Book .

But for once I shall answer this Question , where it is asked ; for that a dead Body stinks so soon , only shews , that a Body in a Natural State abounds with Alkalies ; for a Body that is killed by some sudden Accident will stink , as soon as one that dyes by a Distemper ; so that this proves nothing at all in Relation to Distempers .

Page xxiij . He says , He hath had wonderful and astonishing Success in the Cure of Fevers . And truly , It is astonishment to me ; for I wonder how any Body ever scaped with their Lives , considering the Methods he takes in most Distempers ; but perhaps he used his Acids moderatly , so that the Mischeif might be less conspicuous .

Page xxv . He says , I must needs confess , that I have been the warmer in some of my Expressions ; that thereby I might exasperate those , who are my professed Enemies , to convince me of my Errors ; and if so , he did well ; but he only saith this to suggest to his Friends ; that they must take all that write against him to be his Enemies , lest they should believe what they say ; but I profess I am so far from being exasperated towards him , or being his Enemy , that I write only to detect such notorious Errors , and for Truth sake , and did it lie in my Power to make Interest for him in his own Trade , I would do all I could to set him in it , as far as he deserves it ; for I am sorry to see him grope in the Dark so miserably , in a way he hath no Understanding to lead him ; and were I his Friend , I should cordially advise him , to follow Light rather than Darkness , and like an honest Man to fall to his Trade again ; now he has broke that Impostume in his Head , that filled him so much with Vanity , and a corrupted Mass of dismal dark Thoughts : But I am afraid he is not capable of Advice , being so much blown up with Conceit , that though a Wise Man would hear Instruction , yet a Fool hates Knowledg , as the Wise Man says .

Page xxxij . He says , If any one will by well grounded and substantial Experiments , convince me of the contrary ; instead of being angry with him , I shall never cease to Love and Admire him ; Indeed , I had once about a year and half ago , at the College of Physcians , a little Discourse with him ; and he was so complacent as to tell a Friend of mine , he had a great Opinion of me , but truly , as I believe , I neither did then , nor deserve it now , so I was sure I had no such Opinion of him ; for all that he said , was nothing , but what a Parrot might have learnt by conversing with Dr. Cole : But whatsoever good Opinion he had of me then , I dare say he will turn his Note now , though I shall take the way to deserve his Love and Admiration , by shewing him by substantial Experiments , that he is mistaken .

CHAP. II. Contains Remarks on his Introduction .

HAving gone through his Preface , and made my Remarks on what is Material , I shall now proceed to his Introduction ; where ,

Page Ist. He says , This Book will fall into the Hands of many Ingenious Gentlemen , who are not Physicians ; for whom it will be very Natural to say , you here pretend to advance a new Hypothesis , in opposition to almost all Mankind — and we therefore would be glad of some more familiar Demonstration , whereby we might be satisfied without being put to much Trouble .

For the satisfaction of whom , I will here lay down a Method — whereby every Man is capable of being Judge , whether my Hypothesis be true or false .

Here I must needs say , he is in the right ; for it will be very Natural for them to say so ; and I am glad he hath the Luck to make use of so plain an Experiment , which , without much trouble , will very easily let People see , that his Hypothesis is false ; and therefore for the Satisfaction of those Gentlemen , I shall shew , that this familiar Experiment will prove he is mistaken ; and that he hath drawn false Conclusions from it , because he did not understand it ; which I shall make so plain , that every Man may be capable of being a Judge , that what he asserts is false ; for ,

In the latter End of Page Ist. and Page 2d . He mentions his Experiment , viz. It is well known that all Acids being poured upon Syrup of Violets , or into a Solution of it , will immediately turn it from a Blew into a very Red Colour ; and as the Acid is more or less strong ; so will the Red Colour be of a deeper or paler Dye . On the other hand , all manifest Alkalies will turn Syrup of Violets , or a Solution of it , from a Blew into a Green Colour ; from whence he infers , that if the Serum of the Blood will alter the Colour of Syrup of Violets , from Blew to Red , it would then be plain , that the said Serum did abound with Acid Particles . But if , on the otherhand , the Serum of the Blood be mixed with Syrup of Violets , instead of changing it's Colour from Blew to Red , as Acids do : It changes it to Green , as Alkalies do , it must abound with Alkalies : And this Experiment , He puts Page 3. into a Logical Form , to shew how much Logic he hath got .

But to wave his Logic , and come to the Experiment ; that all Acids will turn Syrup of Violets Red is false ; but I shall take notice of that further , when I come to his 8th . Page , and here I shall shew , that granting , that all Acids will turn Syrup of Violets Red , and that all Alkalies will turn it Green , yet this Experiment is not for him , but against him .

And tho' all Acids will not turn Syrup of Violets Red , yet it 's true , a great many will , and a great many Alkalies will turn it Green ; this is all plain , and I allow it to be true , I likewise grant , that the Serum of the Blood mixed with Syrup of Violets will turn it Green , which I take to be a Sign , in his Sense , that the Serum of the Blood abounds with Alkalies ; so that I grant , both that the Experiment is true , and that allowing the Doctrin of Acids and Alkalies , it proves what he would have it , viz. That the Blood abounds with Alkaly . But for all his Logic , it does not therefore follow , that Alkalies are the Cause of Distempers ; for the Blood of healthful People abounds with Alkalies , as appears by the same Experiment ; nay , the Blood of those that have no Distempers at all , abounds with Alkalies , and will turn Syrup of Violets Green ; so that to say Alkalies are the Cause of Distempers , because the Blood abounds with them , is to prove that healthful People abounds with Distempers , because , it appears by this Experiment , that their Blood is full of Alkaly ; but healthful People do not abound with Distempers , Ergo Mr. John Colbatch is mistaken .

And this I hope is so plain , that any Gentleman may see he is mistaken ; for this is so far from shewing , that Alkalies are the Cause of Distempers , that it shews they cause Health ; for healthful Peoples Serum abounds with Alkalies , and turns Syrup of Violets Green ; so that this Experiment does him no Service , that he so much depends upon , but on the contrary , shews his Error .

And since he so much depends on this Experiment : And since this is to qualifie every Gentleman to judge ; I have laid the Insufficiency of it open , so plainly , that they may be certain , if what he says be true , there is no such thing as a healthful Person ; because every Bodies Blood abounds with Alkaly .

But to make it clearer to every Gentleman , that he not only alledges an Experiment , that proves nothing for him ; but also to make it appear , that he does not understand what he is about , and that the Gout proceeds from Acids , we are to consider , what is the Temper and Constitution of the Blood in a Natural State , and how it differs from that in the Gout .

And first , in a Natural and Healthful State , if a Person be let Blood eight or ten Ounces , any Gentleman may take notice , that , if it be of a right Healthful Person , when that Blood hath settled , and the Serum and Blood are parted , the Blood will be pure and Red on the outward side , and if pressed with ones Finger , or any thing else , will be moderately tender ; and the Serum of the Blood will turn Syrup of Violets Green .

Secondly , If one that hath the Gout be permitted to Bleed ; when that Blood is separated , the Blood will be more Viscid , and the Serum will turn Syrup of Violets Green .

So that the difference between the Healthful , and Distempered Blood , will appear to any Gentleman to be this , viz. That the Distempered Blood is more Viscid .

Again , Those Gentlemen may observe , that whereas the Healthful Blood is nothing but pure thin Serum , and Blood ; the Distempered Blood will have a thick Viscid white Skin over it , which is part of the Distempered Matter .

But perhaps , Mr. Colbatch will misguide his Friends , in making this Observation ; wherefore I foretel them , that the Persons must not be let Blood , after a full Meal , and that the Sick , or Healthful Person , must be let Bood at an equal space of time , viz. 5 or 6 hours after a moderate Meal .

Now to any Ingenious Gentleman , it appearing thus by observing Nature , that the Gouty Blood differs from Healthful thus , by such Viscidity of the Blood , and some white Coagulated Matter , which swims upon it , we must consider , what is the Cause of that Viscidity , and then we know , what is the Cause of the Distemper .

The Cause then of this Viscidity , is either Acid or Alkaly , if it were Alkaly , then the whole Serum of the Blood would be Viscid , like that white Viscid Matter , that sticks to the Blood ; because it appears , the whole Serum abounds with Alkalies , by mixing it with Syrup of Violets ; so that here , his own Experiment confutes himself ; but that the Cause of that Viscidity is Acid , is plain , because drinking much Wine , which is Acid , or any thing which causes Acidities in the Stomach , brings a Fit of the Gout on sooner , and more violent ; and any Gentleman may be further satisfied , that Acids are the Cause of Coagulated Serum , because all Acids curdle and thicken Milk , which is much of the same Nature with Chyle .

For a further Confirmation , that this Viscidity proceeds from Acids , I might here bring all those Arguments , I used , in Answer to what he said of the Gout , in his Book of Alkalies and Acids ; but what he said there I have already Answered `and I have here shewed , that he hath alledged this Experiment against himself , and therefore I need not repeat what the Reader may easily turn to before .

From what I have said here , it appears , that the Result is this , that in a Natural State , the Blood abounds with Alkalies , that is , that it hath a great deal of Alkaly , and but a little Acid ; so as to make it moderately tender ; and that in a Distempered State , it also abounds with Alkalies , but hath too much Acid mixed with it , so as to make it preternaturally Viscid ; from what I have said , it also appears , that the Experiment he has alledged , is only in reference to the thin Serum , and makes no Proof of that Viscid Matter , which is the Cause of the Distemper ; and in both Natural and Preter-natural Blood , it only proves , that there is no Cause of this Distemper perceivable in the Serum , because it abounds with Alkalies ; and consequently Alkalies cannot cause the Distemper , because they cannot cause Coagulation , the Serum of the Blood being full of Alkalies in a Healthful State ; so that the Conclusion from the whole is , that Acids , abounding too much , cause Coagulations , and consequently thicken that Matter , which is the Cause of the Gout . So that , tho' there is more Alkaly than Acid in Gouty Blood , and in Respect of the Acid , the Alkaly abounds , yet since Alkaly in a Healthful Body does not cause the Gout , but it is the superabundant Acid by Coagulating that Serum , and Blood , which causes those ill Effects in the Gout ; and because there is more Acid in Gouty than Healthful Blood ; the former in Respect of the latter , abounds with Acids , and the Gout consequently must proceed , from too much Acid , which causes those Coagulations .

Now from hence it appearing , that his Experiment is not only invalid to his purpose , but very strong against it ; and that he hath drawn false Conclusions from it ; and that too , by an Observation , equally as easy as the Experiment , I shall proceed to take Notice , how upon this fair Demonstration of his Ignorance , he boldly values himself ; and not only so , but imperiously , and with Contempt , rails at the whole Learned World ; as if he alone had gained the Victory , when alas ! It is he alone that gropes so miserably in the Dark . And what Usage must this Man deserve ? Who upon Grounds so slight , tho' true , and much more since they are false , takes occasion to huff the whole World , and to tell them , no Body is in the Right but himself .

But , that I may not pass too severe a Sentence upon him , I shall take notice , how he hath condemned the World without Grounds , and then sure it cannot be thought unreasonable , that he should have as severe a Sentence , who hath given such just Reasons for it .

Page the 3. He says , Every Gentleman is able to Reason thus with himself , my Physician tells me my Blood abounds with Acids , and upon that score gives me Alkalies to Mortify and Correct those Acids in my Blood ; But if my Physician should be mistaken and instead of Acids my Blood abounds with Alkalious Particles , his giving me Alkalies must increase the Matter of my Distemper , &c. — therefore since I have so fair an opportunity put into my Hands , and by so easie an Experiment am capable of being Judge my self , what Particles my Blood abounds with , my own Eyes shall be the Judge whether Acids or Alkalies are to be blamed — if the Blood abounds with Acids , he ought to be kicked out of the Common-Wealth , for endeavouring to impose upon Mankind . This is the Sentence he thinks good enough for himself , if it could be proved , that he was mistaken ; I having therefore proved , that he is in an Error , may venter to enlarge a little , and say , he does not only deserve to be kicked out of a Common-Wealth , but out of all Ingenious Mens Company ; and this Paragraph can no otherwise be answered than thus ,

Every Gentleman is able to Reason with himself , Mr. John Colbatch tells me the Cause of my Distemper is Alkalies , and upon that score gives me Acids , to Mortify and Correct those Alkalies in the Blood : But if Mr. John Colbatch should be mistaken ; and instead of Alkalies , the Cause of my Distemper should be Acids , his giving me Acids , must increase the Matter of my Distemper , — therefore I have so fair an Opportunity given me , to see the Insufficiency of this Experiment by an easie Observation , am capable of being a Judge my self , and my own Eyes shall be the Judges , whether Acids be not the Cause of my Distemper , and truly it so plainly appears , that Mr. John Colbatch is mistaken , and that my Distemper proceeds from Acids , that Mr. John Colbatch deserves to be kicked out of the Common-Wealth , for endeavouring to impose upon Mankind .

Page . 4. He says , He hopes from Gentlemen he shall have Justice , tho' Physicians have endeavoured to expose him . As for Physicians , they surely have Reason to expose him , for a vain Pretender , since he hath given such pregnant Proof of it , and as for Gentlemen , I have made it plain enough to them , by an Observation as easie as they can wish , that he hath no worse Usage than he really deserves , and then what he pronounces is his own Merit .

And now the Reason is plain , why Physicians have endeavoured to expose him , to wit , because he hath endevoured to expose Mankind , when himself alone deserves it .

Pag. the 6th . He goes on to value himself upon this Experiment , and says , an Ounce or two of Blood is to be spared in any Case , and pray let People see with what Reason Alkalies have been hitherto given in Small Pox , Rheumatism , &c. It will plainly appear by this Experiment , that the Blood of such Persons abounds with Alkalies , and if so , why should we croud in more Alkalies , unless it were to prolong the Distemper , or to encrease the Number of Fees . All that I need to say to this is , since I have manifestly made it appear , that Acid is the Cause of those Distempers , and that the Serum of healthful Peoples Blood will turn Syrop of Violets green , and that the only observable Difference , betwixt Distempered Blood and Healthfull Blood , is , that the Distempered Blood , as well as some Part of the Serum , is Viscid , and that Viscidity proceeds from Acids ; and since an Ounce or two of Blood is so easily spared , in those Cases , Pray let People see , with what great Reason Alkalies have been given , and with what danger Acids are given ; for in his Chapter of the Gout , I have shewed , that since the Blood in a Natural state abounds with Alkalies , even what he confesses about Drinking of white Wine , which is an Acid , proves , that the more Acids we take , the more that Alkalious Serum will be coagulated , and consequently the Distemper encreased , and it plainly appears by the Experiment he alledges , and the Observation I have laid down , to satisfy Ingenious Gentlemen , that Acid is the Cause of Distempers ; and since it is so plain , why should Mr. Colbatch croud in more Acids , unless it were to prolong the Distemper , to increase the Number of Fees .

He goes on , People must long since have known the Truth of this Hypothesis , or they must not , if they have not known it , it is plain they have groped in the Dark , and they have cured Diseases with as much Certainty as a Blind Man can catch a Hare ; if they have known it before , then the giving of Alkalies at the rate that hath been done is a plain Argument against them , that they have not acted like honest Men : but I dare acquit them from this Charge , I do believe they have sworn in Verbo Magistri . Wonderful ! what close arguing and what sensible Expressions of a blind Man , and groping in the Dark ; this groping in the Dark is such a familiar Expression with him , that one would think he were used to nothing else , and the Absurdities his whose Books are made up of , prove , he is the only Blind Man in the Proverb , or hath not Acted like an honest Man ; but tho' he were not an honest Man , he is a mighty Piece of a Scholar , and hath put in two Latin words here , In verbo Magistri , to shew , that either he did not go to School long enough , or hath forgot what he learnt there ; for that Piece of a Verse in Juvenal , that he hath catched by groping in the Dark is not in verbo Magistri , but in verba Magistri ; and indeed , the Sence of in verba Magistri , is so much different from in verbo Magistri , that it is plain he was groping in the Dark most miserably , when he wrote it ; for first , it shews , he knew not what he wrote , or secondly , that he did not understand it , for what greater Mark of his Ignorance , than instead of saying , they were sworn to maintain the Words of their Master , he says , they were Sworn , in maintaining the Words of their Master , as if to defend the Words of their Master , were to take an Oath .

He says further , And because a few Book Learned Gentlemen , have Dream't , that the Bloods abounding with Acids , hath been the Cause of Diseases , therefore right or wrong it must be so , tho' it be contrary to the most obvious and plain Experiments .

What a Block-head is this , to tell all Learned and Ingenious Men , they have Dream't , what hath been confirmed and certified by all the Experience of learned Practioners in Physick ; but he would have those Gentlemen , that he writes thus plain for , to think , that is , only because Physicians are his Enemies ; but I ask those Ingenious Gentlemen , that have been so imposed upon , whether they think , Men that writ their Observations 30 , or 40 years ago , and ever since , could write what they did , in opposition to him , before he made his Pretenees , and tho' all Physicians now were his Enemies , those were not ; so that I would have Gentlemen consider , that Physicians , now in Opposition to him , only confirm by daily Experience , what was the Universal Observation of all Learned Men , before his time ; and as for his most obvious Experiment , I have shewed , that it does him no Service at all , but is against him ; so that we have Reason to think , he alone has Dream't , being in the Dark , for want of Book Learning .

He goes on ; When I appeal to the Analizing of the Blood by the Fire , my Appeal is then made to Physicians only , and this I have already done , but they have refused to do me Justice . As to his Appeal to Physicians , I have , where he hath made it , sufficiently answered it , and proved , that his Analizing the Blood , as he calls it , will do him little Service ; but that Physicians may do him no Injustice , I shall refer Ingenious Gentlemen to a Book of the most famous and ingenious Mr. R. Boyle , called his Sceptical Chymist , which was writ before his , and which will satisfy them , that the Blood is turned into Substances , very much different from any thing observable in the Blood , by Chymical Analize ; and that Author , who had such good Designs in all his Writings , cannot be called his Enemy ( nor Truths , ) having writ before him .

Page the 6th . He says , Now since Justice has been refused me by my Brethren , they cannot be angry with me for making my Appeal to those whose Interest it is to do Justice to me , and encourage me in my Honest Undertakings , I really don 't see any Reason his Brethren have to envy him , nor to be angry with him , but whom does he call his Brethren ? The Apothecaries ? Physicians are not to be ranked with Mr. Colbatch yet , except those as Ignorant as himself : But as for those Gentlemen , who value the World to come , above this , and the Happiness of a better Life , above Mortality , their Interest it undoubtedly is , to encourage him , by all means ; I shall not envy their Happiness in another World , but may the Number of the Elect be soon accomplished ! but those that have a mind to live , deserve to give him no other Encouragement , but what Substantial Shoo-leather will , according to his own Sentence , Page the Fourth , in kicking him out of the Common-Wealth .

In the same Page he says , None can blame him for writing in that warm Manner he hath done ; because he hath not reserved one Secret to himself . But for good Reason , because there is not one thing worth Reserving ; but he is more to be blamed for his warm Writing , except he had made some Secret known , that would have shewn he had Reason , sawcily to contradict all Mankind .

But in the latter End of his Page he complains , He hath been too much meal-mouthed , and too modest . His Modesty indeed is of a new kind , and very remarkable ; and as for his meal mouth , I cannot well interpret it , except his disrespectful Behaviour towards his Betters , be the Meal , that fouled it .

Page 7. He says , The following Treatise of the Gout is built upon my Hypothesis of Alkalies and Acids , upon which Score , I thought it necessary by way of Introduction to Publish the foregoing easy Experiment , that thereby the whole World might be satisfied of the Truth or Falshood of his Hypothesis .

Having therefore shewed , that his Hypothesis of Alkaly and Acid is False , and Incoherent , his Treatise must need be so too ; his easy Experiment , together with my easy Observation , shewing that his Hypothesis is Erroneous ; so that , I might save my self the Trouble of a further Examination , were it not for the sake of Ingenious Gentlemen , who are not competent Judges .

Page the 8th . He says , Were there any one Acid that would turn a Solution of Syrup of Violets from a Blew Colour to that of Redness , &c. I should not insist so much upon the Experiment , as I have done . To what purpose he hath insisted upon the Experiment , I have already shewn , but that he may insist upon it the less in his own Thoughts , I shall instance one Acid , that turns Syrup of Violets Green , as well as Arsenick , his exalted Alkaly , as he calls it , which is Mercurius Sublimat . but perhaps he 'll call it an Alkaly ; and therefore I shall satisfy Ingenious Gentlemen , if two Witnesses against one Man will be Evidence .

The Ingenious Sir John Floyer , in the Second Part of his 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 , or Touch Stone of Medicines , Page 232. Hath this , Mercury Sublimate is Corrosive by a particular Texture , made by the Particles of Quicksilver , dissolved by an Acid : and this vomits , corrodes and produces Convulsions ; but this going into the Blood coagulates it , and produces Salivation : This Acid is absorbed by Fixed and Volatile Salts , and so the Corrosive Texture is destroyed .

And Page the 19th before , Sublimate has the Acid of Spirit of Salt joyned with it by Sublimation ; and a little after he says , it is a kind of Vitriol . And ,

What he says is confirmed by the Famous Etmuller , who Schroderi Dilucidati Mineralogia Page 260. says , Mercurius Snblimatus quocunque modo preparatus , nihil est aliud nisi Mercur , qui se conjunxit , cum 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 ibus Corrosivis admistis , & beneficio 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 fortioris secum sublimavit , adeo utut etiam 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 ia sint fixa & Mercur. Volatilis nihilominus Acida 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 ia fortiter aggrediuntur Mercurium & cum eodem se uniunt , &c. And just after he says , Et quidem utut Mercur. sublimatus fiat cum 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 communi & Nitro , nihilominus nihil secum in Sublimatione assumit , quam 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 commune . From whence it sufficiently appears , that Sublimate is , for the most Part , an Acid , most of the Ingredients which are used in it's Preparation being Preparations of the same Vitriolated Acids , as Mr. Colbatch uses in the Cure of Distempers .

But undoubtedly , he 'll tell them , they are mistaken , No-body can see besides himself : But these Mens Opinions will be taken before his , since he cannot at all pretend , they were his Enemies , both their Books being wrote before his Time .

Page the 8th , and 9th . He says , Physicians he owns have been able to Cure some few Diseases , but how they have done it , themselves could never tell ; they , without inquiring nicely into the Natures of them , or being at the trouble of Analizing , have given Steel , Antimony , &c. — By means of which they have Cured several Diseases , but they have given them as Alkalies , when they will appear to an Inquisitive Person to be Acids , &c. Now their giving of these Things hath stood them in some stead , and cured many Distempers by a way they were ignorant of . How unreasonably he hath changed the Names of these Medicines , I have already shewn , and therefore I shall not repeat it again , I shall only here take notice , how he contradicts himself , no less then three times in one Page . For , First , He says , they have been able indeed to cure a few Distempers : And then they have cured several Distempers ; and last of all , a many Distempers ; and those Distempers , he says , they have cured no Body knows how ; because they were not at the trouble of Analizing : but if he were not forgetful , he would scarce think himself the only Chymist in the World ; for would he allow any Body a small share of Knowledg , besides himself , he would know , that much more Pains hath been taken by wise and able Chymists , Men that knew better how to make Observations , than he does , who wants Natural Philosophy to direct him , as well as Judgment and Skill ; and there are now Men so qualified . And tho' Chymistry be of great Use in Philosophy , as well as Physick , when cultivated by Ingenious Men , yet notwithstanding all the Pains they had taken , it proved in vain , to enable them the better to discover the Principles , or rather Texture and Complexion of those several Humors in a Man's Body ; and their Insufficiency , the famous Mr. Robert Boyle hath sufficiently , shewed ; and therefore we may well think , since we have Reason , his Pains will prove to no more purpose ; for let him spend more time than he hath , or never so long ; it will still be in Vain ; for Bodies loose their former Complexion , when Chymically dissolved , every Particle , being modified anew . But it is no Disparagement to Chymistry ▪ neither is it the less valuable , because it will not discover ultra terminos , and beyond it's Bounds , no more than a Plow , because it is of no use at Sea .

But he says , Physicians have cured some Distempers they know not how . Here I shall take Occasion , to propose one thing to the Consideration of those Honest Gentlemen , who have had the ill Fortune to be deluded by him ; they being induced to think , he hath Skill and Ingenuity , because some People recover , whom he misuses , viz. whether ( since I shewed he is mistaken in all he hath asserted , ) they may not reasonably conclude he cured them he knew not how ? I , for my own Part , am sure he knew not how ; but as for those Ingenious Gentlemen , I leave it to their own consideration ; whether one Man may not sooner be mistaken , than one Thousand , who agree in the same Opinion , which Number , tho' it be not in London , yet it is double in Europe , whose Practice agree in Success and Reason , in Opposition to his , and two or three Adherents .

Page 11. He says , I have all this while been talking as a Physician , but not as a Naturalist ; for though I account for the Cause and Cure of Distempers from Alkalies and Acids , yet I don't pretend to account for all the Phaenomena of Nature , from those two Principles , those there have been those that have undertaken so to do , but I conceive they have been very much mistaken . Truly , many have undertaken Things , that they have been much mistaken in ; but for one that hath undertaken no more than he hath done , to be so grandly mistaken , is a sign of his great Weakness : And he hath all this while , I rather think , been talking as a Naturalist , than a Physician ; a Naturalist I mean , because what he says looks , as if it came from one that knew no more of what he was about , than what he had from the glimmering false Light of a dull Nature .

He goes on ; There are many Phaenomena in Natural Bodies , that are not to be accounted for by the Mutual Conflict of those two Principles ( if I may so call them ) such as Motion and Rest , Light and Darkness , Magnetism or the Loadstone , and a great many others too many here to insert . Here he is extraordinary modest , and having groped in the Dark so far , is loath to make any further Progress in it . But what need was there here for him , after a long tedious Blunder , about the Cause of the Gout , to give a Hint at these Phaenomena belonging to Natural Philosophy , which he understands nothing of ; but by his smattering of Philosophy , he would have People think , he knows something of it : This puts me in mind of a Dunghil Cock , that vapours and struts over a Heap of Rubbish , as if he were Master Controuler of all his little Head can take a View of ; and from thence take a flight to some gilded Pinnacle , where with a mighty Crow , he seems to proclaim himself Master of that noble Edifice ; when alas ! He takes Possession of no more , than he covers with his Claws ; and this Instance , I think , as truly represents Mr. Colbatch , as a Picture can represent a Man in his absence , for as the Cock values himself upon his Dunghil , so does he upon his Mistakes and Blunders ; and knows less in Philosophy , than the Cock does of the Pinnacle .

Page the 12th and 13th are filled up with a Letter from Dr. Jones : I shall take no Notice of the Letter , since it is only a Story , wherein he may affirm what Falsities he pleases , but only the Conclusion of it , which shews Dr. Jones his Design in it , viz. Make what use you please of this Catalogue to Print or what you will , it is intended for your Service . For since he wrote it , only with a Design to serve the Eternal Mr. Colbatch , no doubt , but he would strain to deserve a Compliment from Mr. Colbatch again ; but I am sorry Dr. Jones wants Mr. Colbatch's good Word , which will go but a little Way .

CHAP. III. An Examination of his first Chapter .

I Have now sufficiently answered his Introduction , and shewed that his Experiments and my Observation , make the Foundation he hath built this Book upon , void ; and that he is but mistaken : I now proceed to his Book , and shall examin what he hath said as to the Cause of this Distemper , in his first Chapter .

Page the 15th . He says , The Gout is called Articularis Morbus , because it generally affects some of the Joints , and according to the Name of the Joint affected , it hath a different Denomination , when it affects the Hand or Fingers , it is called Chiragra , when it affects the Hip Sciatia , when the Feet Podagra , &c. Now if according to the different Denomination of the Gout , it affects a different Joint , and takes it's Name from that ; I would know whether there be a Joint called the Hand , whether there be a Joint called the Hip , or another Joint called a Foot ; if there be not , then Mr. Colbatch hath started in a wrong Way , and the Distemper hath not it's Denomination from the Name of a Joint affected , but from the Parts affected , for Podagra signifies the Gout in the Foot , where there is no Joint called by that Name , but in which are contained a great many Joints ; and likewise in the Hands , there is no Joint called Chiragra , but that Part contains in it a great many Joints ; and the Gout is not called Morbus Articularis , because one Particular Joint is affected , but because it is circa Articulos , so that the first thing he says , in this Elaborate Piece , is , a Piece full of Mistakes ; and truly I think very ominous , for as the Gout is an Index of it self , so I think this is an Index of the whole Work , for to start in a wrong Road , is scarce the way to the Journeys End .

In the same Page He says , It sometimes exercises it self with so much Cruelty and Tyranny , that those that are troubled with it , are almost ready to lay Violent Hands upon themselves . O Tyrant ! O Cruelty ! That would make Men murther themselves for nothing but Pain : But is not this a strange Imposition and Charge laid to ingenious Gentlemen , to tell them , they are ready to murther themselves ; but for this Fault , if they can pardon him , I can .

Page the 16. The Gout may be divided into two Species , viz. Hereditary and Adventitious . What a Judicious Division of the Gout is this , but he stoped too soon , for each of those Species are again divided into Species of another Rank ; as Podagra , Chiragra , &c. But a Man that gropes in the Dark , may well be afraid of stepping too far .

Page the 16. The Gout is an Index of it self ; and no one that feels the Pain , but is capable of discerning the difference between it and all other Pains . But this is false , for one that hath the Pain of the Gout , no more knows what other Pain is , than one that is acquainted with England and not France , knows France ; for to distinguish the Pain of the Gout , from another Pain , the same Person must have that Pain too ; for how does a Man in a Gouty Fit know , what Pain it would be to have his Leg cut off , or does a Child that hath cut his Finger , know what Pain it would be to have the Gout ; one that never had the Tooth-ake , wonders , it can be so violent , and never knows , till he has had it , what Reason others had to complain .

Page 16. The Pain of the Gout being a deep distending , piercing , throbbing , continual , bitter Pain . This is a Description of Pain , as suitable in the Cramp , as Gout ; for I have heard one , that I am very well accquainted with , make it just such a Complaint ; but why should Mr. Colbatch call Pain bitter ? Except he 's resolved to agree with old Women , in calling Pain a Taste .

Page 16. I do apprehend the Parts most immediately affected to be the Glandules immediately joyning to the Periostium . But I apprehend he is much mistaken ; for the Glandules are neither sensible , nor are they capable of swelling on a sudden , so as to distend the parts to that degree , as they are in the Gout ; but I here refer the Reader to what the Ingenious Dr. Havers and others have said on this Subject . After this ,

Pag. 17. He says , Father Malbranch tells us , that our Senses are given us to guard our selves from Injuries , and that they never fail to answer the end for which they were given us ; they are never guilty of deceiving us . This Quotation , I suppose , is only to let us know , that he hath seen Malbranch , and must needs have a scrap out of him , tho' nothing to his Purpose , for what signifies it to tell People , to what end their Senses were given them , when he is only endeavouring to discover what Pain is ; but he and his Father are here for once mistaken ; for they fail to guard us from Injuries , and very often deceive us : they fail to guard us from Injuries , so much , that they are the only Causes , that make Things Injuries , that otherwise would not be offensive , as every small Blow or bitter Taste , every terrible Sound , and threatning Word ; it is true , our Senses are the only things , that make us capable of Pleasure , yet are those the Instruments , which lay us open to as many Injuries ; and that they are guilty of deceiving us , is plain , since we have such an Instance in himself .

Pag. 17th . He goes on ; As for Instance our Taste never tells us , that bitter is sweet , or sweet bitter , our smells never fail of distinguishing heat from cold , and cold from heat , and so on : and all these proceed from a Placid Vellication of the Membranes . Pain proceeds from a Contraction of the fibers , and Pleasure from a pacid Relaxation of them . What he means by a placid Vellication , and a placid Relaxation , I believe is scarce common Sense ; but I cannot but take notice here , how prettily and considerately Father Malbranch presides his Contradiction : for , first , He says Pleasure and Pain proceed from a Placid Vellication of the Membranes ; and then , that Pain is a Contraction , and Pleasure a Pacid Relaxation ; but the Pain that Cold causes , can scarce be a Vellication and a Contraction too , there being as much Difference betwixt stretching of a Rope , and twisting of it , when they make them , as there is betwixt hanging and not hanging ; whether he deserves it or not .

The latter End of the 17 and the beginning of the 18. He says ; And I do lay it down as a possitive Assertion , that all Pain is caused by a Stagnation of the Juices , which causes a Compression of the Membranes : But here He is positive a little too soon , for tho' it were granted , that there were a Stagnation of the Juices , yet Pain is not caused by a Compression of the Membranes , but by Preternaturally affecting that which is the Sensitive Being , which Membranes by no means are ; but since he does lay it down as a positive Assertion , that all Pain is caused by a Stagnation of the Juices ; I ( that being granted ) lay it down as another Assertion , that were there Reason to draw such a Conclusion from the Pain of the Gout proceeds from Acids ; for since it is the Nature of Acids to thicken the Blood , and it 's Serum , and since the more Acid it is , the thicker it will be , and since Acid will thicken the Serum , and Alkalies will not ; and again , since Coagulation make the Serum subject to obstruct , it must needs follow , that those Obstructions in the Gout proceed from Acids ; but because he appeals to ingenious Gentlemen , I shall give an Instance , that Acids thicken the Serum , and consequently cause Obstructions ; and so pain , that those ingenious Gentlemen may see the Truth of it ; and because he shall have no way to perswade Gentlemen , that the Instance is not true , I desire them for their own satisfaction to look back to the first Page of his Introduction , where they have his own Confession , that Niter is an Acid ; now almost any Gentlemen ( and I dare Appeal to them ; ) knows , that upon taking cold , some Peoples Heads will be stuffed with Phlegm , or else they will spit a great deal of Phlegm ; which shews , that Acids cause the Serum of the Blood to thicken , and consequently obstruct , and sometimes cause Pain in the Head ; but some People are not subject to spit Phlegm , nor to the Pain of the Head , and for those Gentlemen , I have another Instance , viz. that the Niter of the Air thickens most Liquids with which it is mixed , as Blood , &c. And in Frosty Weather , when it is , Violent enough , even Milk and Water will be Frozen which is a fort of Coagulation by a Mixture of Acids .

And here , I shall let all ingenious Gentlemen , nay and all knowing Women , understand , that Acid causes most Distempers ; for any Observing Woman out-does Mr. Colbatch so far , that she knows taking cold ( which is caused by Acid Nitrous Particles ) causes People to fall into Rheumatisms , &c. And they know likewise , that taking cold , often occasions Stitches up and down in the Body , in which there is Pain ; and consequently ( by Mr. Colbatch ) confessed to proceed from Obstructions .

And that they may know Alkalies do not cause Obstructions , they must remember , that the Serum of the Blood in Healthful People turns Syrup of Violets Green , and consequently according to Mr. Colbatch , abounds with Alkalies , yet they are not troubled with Pain or Obstructions ; in the Pleurisie it is also observed , that their Blood abounds with a siezy Gelly ; which Distemper happens often upon taking great Colds ; the Blood being thickened by the Acid Nitrous Particles of the Air : and these Observations I have laid down ; because they are suited to the Apprehensions of ingenious Gentlemen , and discerning Women who are imposed upon by him .

And I have another plain Observation , that will satisfie all Observing Women , that Acids cause Distempers ; for nothing is more common , than that taking cold stops Womens Courses , the Acid Particles of the Air coagulating their Blood , and causing Obstructions , and nothing is more common , that that Children and young Women drive themselves into the Green-sickness , by eating Fruit , which Mr. Colbatch in his Appendix of Alkaly and Acid , owns are Acids ; so that it appears very plainly to all ingenious People , that are not Physicians , that all Pain and Obstructions proceed from Acids , and not Alkalies ; and consequently not only the Gout , but Rheumatisms , Scurvy , Small Pox , &c. proceed from Acid ; and consequently are to be cured with Alkalies ; so that all that he hath said , or has to say , about the Use of Acids must be false and dangerous ; and I need not go any further in the Proof of it , for all ingenious People are already satisfied ; only for the Authors sake , I shall shew him what little Reason he hath to be so proud of himself ; for I would fain have him humble , because Humility may correct a Multitude of Sins , and God knows how much need he hath of it , who alone can tell .

Quot — aegros Autumno occiderit uno ,

Or in other Words , how many such a one , as Mr. Coblatch , hath sent to their long Home ; but truly , Mankind takes less Notice of it , because , as he says , Page 26. of this Treatise .

Quoniam successus ejus Sol videt ; Errores autem tellus opperiret .

In other Words , those he hath not killed , cry him up , but those he hath overcharged with most noble Acids , lie silent in the Grave .

Page the 19th . He says , The Gout may in general be defined to be a Pain of the Joints and Parts adjacent , occasioned from an extravasated Alkaline Humour , which irritates the Membranes of the Joints and Parts adjacent . A very Learned Definition of the Gout ! How can it properly be called a Pain of the Joints , when it is an Irritation only of the Membranes of the Joints , except a Membrane were a Joint ; but he might as well call an Acron an Axle Tree . But the Gout he says is nothing but a Pain ; he forgets how the Parts adjacent are swelled , and that an Obstruction accompanyes it : But no wonder ! when such a short sighted Man turns Definition maker , that his Definitions are so defective .

But further He says , The Pain is occasioned from an extravasated Alkaline Humour , which irritates the Membranes of the Joints . But truly he is to be excused , he only contradicts himself ; either he knows not how , or he forgets himself ; for the Page before he said , He laid it down as a positive Assertion , that all Pain is caused by a Stagnation of the Juices ; which causeth a Compression of the Membranes . But supposing it were , as he here says , an Irritation of the Membranes , and the first Account he gave were false , yet an Alkalizated Humor , such as the Serum of the Blood , would be incapable of causing Pain ; if it were not , Healthful People would never be without Pain ; but here I will appeal to those Ingenious Gentlemen , that he hath so often made his Appeal to , and shall instance another easie Observation , whereby they may be satisfied , that an Acid Juice is capable of causing very violent Pains ; whereas Alkalizated Humours are not at all subject to irritate the Membranes , and to this end , let them take a little Vinegar , and wash but a cut Finger with it , so that the sensible Membranes may be irritated by it , and it will cause a most violent Heat and Pain , yet it tastes cool on the Tongue ; from whence we may gather , that an Acid sharp Humour , when extravased so as to fall upon the sensible Membranes ▪ will cause a violent Heat and Pain in the Gout ; this is a very plain and obvious Experiment , and any Body may be assured of the Truth of it very easily .

Now as this proves , that Acids will cause Pain and Heat , and consequently inflame ; so if those ingenious Gentlemen will but take a little Vinegar , and put an Alkaly into it , as Chalk or Crabs-Eyes , and put that Alkalizated Vinegar upon a cut Finger , they will find , that it will not cause much Pain ; but they must be sure to put none of the Powder upon the Wound along with it ; and this shews not only that an Alkalizated Humour will cause less Pain , than an Acid ; but also , that Alkalies will abate the pain of the Gout ; for if Alkalies take ocff the sharpness of Vinegar , why will they not from those Humours , that corrode the Membrances in the Gout ?

And here I would desire ingenious Gentlemen to taste Vinegar , and then that , into which they put Chalk ; and they will plainly perceive the good Effects of Alkalies in correcting sharp and irritating Humours .

Page the 20th . He says , Now Acids being the only things that hinder Fermentations and prevent Fevers , it is impossible they should be in the Fault , but Alkalies exciting Fermentations , and by consequence causing Fevers , they are necessarily here to be blamed , and were timely Care taken to correct the Luxuriant Alkalious Particles , I am sure it would be no difficult Matter to prevent a Fit . But what is curing these Luxuriant Particles in Fevers to the Gout , he might as well say , if Dogs were kept from pulling the Hedges in Pieces on the High-Way ; there would not be such Wars in the World , nor Countries spoiled and plundered ; for Fevers and Gout , ingenious Gentlemen know , are two different things ; and he might as rationally conclude , that Killing a Mouse would Kill a Man ; as that curing a Fever would prevent the Gout .

The remaining Part of the 20 Page , the 21 , 22 , and Part of the 23 , are taken up with a Description of the Manner of this Distemper's Invasion , transcribed from Dr. Sydenham , amongst which , some simple Sentences of his own are interspersed , which already have been sufficiently answered . In the latter Part of that Page , He says ; There are several Things occur in order to this Distemper . But what he calls Things ; he should have called accessory Causes ; in the delivering of which I shall proceed to observe his Dexterity , and then make Remarks upon the whole collectively .

Page the 24. the first of the Things , as he calls them , is , Too moist a State of Air , which hinders free Transpiration ; by which Means the Excrementitious Alkaline Particles , which should be thrown out by the Cutaneous Pores , are retained , and the Quantity of Excrementitious Alkaly , which is thrown out that way , those Passages being free , is not inconsiderable ; which Particles being retained in the Blood do greatly contribute towards the Raising of this Unruly Devil , which the wisest of Physicians hitherto have not been able to lay , which hath been the occasion of that Saying .

Solvere Nodosam nescit Medicina Podagram .

But here I must tell him , that if the Moistness of the Air only produced such ill Consequences , by preventing Transpiration ; all People would be equally prejudiced by it , and we should as soon see poor People troubled with it , who labour continually in moist fenny Countries ; and how dangerous would it be , for poor Country Men to encompass their Ground with Ditches , if the Dampness and Moisture that affects their Bodies there , should throw them into the Gout by stopping Transpiration , and hindring Nature from throwing off Excrementitious Alkaline Particles ; but were stopping Transpiration all the Prejudice moist Air could do , that would be easily helped another way ; for as it is observed by the Famous Dr. Lower , that which supplies Transpiration in Bed , runs off by Urin , when we are out of Bed ; so although in moist Weather Transpiration should be stopped , more then in dry Weather , it would do them no harm ; because the less runs off by Transpiration , the more does by Urine , and à converso .

But the Reason , why moist Air is so prejudicial , is , because the Circumference of our Body is so Relaxed by that Moisture , as to leave the Pores open ; which by admitting too much Niter into the Mass of Blood , ( the Natural Heat of our Bodies being depressed ) Crudities are bred in the second Concoction , as the Antients called it ; which External Accessary Cause , concurring with a Natural Predisposition , and the Acid Particles of the Air joyned with those Predisposed Humours , cause such Coagulations , as the Obstructions in the Parts affected ( in this Distemper ) are accompanied with ; so that besides the Moisture of the Air , there is a Natural inclination and predisposition in our Bodies , which makes that Moister Air prejudicial to Gouty People , the Acid Coagulating their Blood , and disposing them to Crudities ; and not , because insensible Transpiration is stop'd .

But the wonderful Discoveries of this Mr. Colbatch are not a little to be Admired ! For he is the first Man that ever perceived the Devil to appear in the shape of the Gout ; I heard indeed when I was a Boy , that the Devil was to be distinguished from a Man by a great Cloven Foot , but I could never have thought that Mr. Colbatch would have compared his Gouty Patients , to so many Devils , except he had Dream't he was a Physician to such , before he wrote this Page in his Book .

He says , The Wisest Magicians being not able to cure the Gout was the occasion of that Saying .

Solvere Nodosam nescit Medicina Podagram .

But why they should say Physicians cannot Cure the Gout , because Magicians cannot , I see not any Reason , except a Physician and a Magician are equally the same .

Page 23. But this is one of those Devils which are not to be cast out , but by Prayer and Fasting , that is Nature her self , without help , is not able to get the Mastery of it , to rid her self from it . It seems it is a Devil in earnest , and truly I believe they are worse than Possest , that make Use of such a Physician ; but he hath too soon concluded , that this kind is to be cured by Prayer and Fasting , I scarce think he ever cured any by such Prescriptions : And I cannot but admire , what a pretty sort of a Divine he would have made , who hath such an excellent knack at interpreting Scripture ; who calls Prayer and Fasting . Nature .

Page 24. Nature hath hitherto been rather Oppressed than Assisted , this Hydra , being not to be overcome , but by pouring in of fresh Battallions armed with pointed Spears and Launces upon him , viz by giving large Quantities of Medicines , whose Particles are pointed . O what a strange Metamorphosis ! The Devil is turned Hydra ? And what 's more ingenious , Gentlemen must swallow whole Battallions of Armed Men with pointed Spears and Launces : Truly a hard Task , and a very strong Prescription ; this sure was a Dream in Flanders , where he had reason to think of such terrible Medicines ; but he unriddles this , and calls Acids Armed Men and Spears , and really not without reason ; but Gentlemen have reason to fear , that such pointed Medicines would rather increase , than ease their Pains , since I have shewed them what ill effects Vinegar hath , when applied to any Sensible part .

Page 24. Secondly , The use of many sorts of Meat , and the too great Ingurgitation of them ; and then he says , The Stomach being put out of order , a foundation is laid for Distempers ; and for that reason , Page 25. he says , As his Predecessors have explained Distempers by Acids , so he will by Alkalies . A very noble design , and upon very good Grounds ; but it were unreasonable , for either him or his Predecessors to ascribe Acids or Alkalies for the Cause of Distempers , merely because the Stomach was foul ; but he ought first to consider , whether of these two were predominant in the Stomach , when the foundation of such Distempers was laid , which is the way to make it appear , whether Alkaly or Acid be the cause of that Distemper .

So that in order to a right knowledge , whether of these two are predominant , we are to consider how Digestion is carried on naturally , and then it will appear , what is the reason , that two much Meat hinders it .

I shall not here go about , to explain Digestion any further , than is necessary to our present Purpose , and shall therefore refer the Reader to his own Observation , who cannot but take notice , that the better his Meat and Drink is , the better he digests it , if what Mr. Colbatch says were true , in his Novum Lumen Chirurgicum , viz. The more generous our Drink is , the better ; so that were he to be judged by his own Words , ( which I have shewed how far they are false ) Indigestion , when we eat too much , must proceed from the Fermentation in the Stomach , being too low , and consequently Crudities , or raw undigested Chyle , must be carried into the Blood , to lay the Grounds of a Distemper ; now in all Crudities , it must needs be acknowledged , that Acids abound , so that according to Mr. Colbatch his own canting Scraps of Philosophy , there wants Alkalies to break the Globules , and consequently the Gout must proceed from too much Acids .

Page 25. he says , The same Alkaly which being thrown upon the Joints , cause the Gout , — being thrown upon the Membranes of the Brain , may cause a Staggering , and may occasion an Apoplexy . Really since Mr. Colbatch said it , it is very much to be wondered at ; that Alkalies should be so mischievous , as to coagulate the Morbifick Matter of the Gout , and cause Apoplexies , and yet in the Small Pox break Globules , and be guilty of a contrary mischief , by thining the Blood , and throwing it out through Vessels , through which it was before too fine to pass ; but any thing that 's mischievous , hath such a kindness for him , that it will be black or white , as he wou'd have it , otherwise one would think , to thin , and to thicken , are widely different Actions for Alkalies to do , but I have before shewn the Absurdities of what he said , as to these Distempers , and shall not now enlarge upon them .

The remaining part of Page 25. and Page 26. he fills with a Repetition of an Account , he formerly gave of the Reason , why drinking Wine does Men that are inclined to the Gout , so much harm , which I having in his Chapter of the Gout , ( published in his Essay of Acids and Alkalies , ) and also in this , shew'd to prove , that the Gout proceeds ▪ from Acids , there is no need to repeat what I there said : Again ,

Page 27. He says , Fourthly , The immoderate use of Venereal Exercises — every Body experiences , that by a few Venereal Embraces , his Spirits become more Languid . Poor Man ! one may see what comfort his poor Wife hath , if he hath one ; if he hath not , one may learn how he came to be so compassionate to Angelick Faces in the Small-Pox , he speaks so sensible in the case , but he says , every Body experiences it ; truly , then the World is worse than I thought it had been , for one might reasonably expect a Boy at Ten had never experienced such things , but one may see , he begun to enervate himself betimes : But to be serious ,

If Alkalies were the cause of the Gout , then Venery would cure the Gout ; because it draws off the Alkalies of the Blood and Spirits , by taking away those parts that invigorate the heat of the Blood , but since taking away Alkalies , makes Men subject to the Gout , by leaving the Blood weak and flaggy ; it follows , that the Gout proceeds from Acids , which always most abound in Blood that is least Spiritous , as more in Old People than Young .

Page 27. Few or none are ever troubled with the Gout before Marriage , or the use of Venery , and yet the Roman Priests who abjure Matrimony , are frequently troubled with this Distemper . O strange ! What a mighty stickler for the Church of England ? That only defends it by calling Roman Priests Whoremasters ; but it is a Wonder Mr. Colbatch did not quote Hypocrates his Aphorisms , for this Observation .

Page 28. He says , Fifthly , Overmuch Sleep , and to explain how overmuch Sleep does Gouty People so much prejudice , he tells us , that his Worthy Friend Dr. Cole hath made it appear , that the Nervous Fibres , during Sleep , are relaxed , and receive a large quantity of Nutritious Juice , the Superfluities of which are thrown off when awake , but when we sleep too long , so much is heaped up , that Nature cannot throw off the Excrementitious Particles , Page 30. This is the substance of what fills part of his 28th , 29th , 30th and most of the 31st Page only repeated in a different Form three or four times over : I shall not here dispute , what he inserts as Dr. Cole's Opinion , but shall shew , that granting it were true , it would not be of any service to him ; for as it is remarkable in that Observation of Dr. Lowers , that Transpiration is much more plentiful when we sleep , than when we are awake ; and more particularly may be observed by any Ingenious Gentlemen , that more of the substance of our Bodies is consumed by lying in Bed three Days , than we can recover in six ; so it evidently from thence appears , that Alkalies are not the cause of Distempers ; because it Alkalies were , according to what Mr. Colbatch said , a little before , Sleeping much , would cure the Distemper ; for he there would have that Juice that is carried off by Sweat , to be Alkaly , and Page 24. says , moist Air does harm , by hindring the Evacuation of that Alkaly ; but if that were true , the more we sleep , the less subject we should be to the Gout , because more of that Alkaline Humour would be carried off , by Insensible Transpiration , and consequently we must be induced to believe , that the Blood is made more dull and gross , for want of Moisture and Alkalies to dilute it ; and it would be more reasonable to say , that the reason , why People are so sluggish after so much Sleep , is , because the Humours are more gross and thick , and circulate through the parts with less ease , so much alkalized Serum being carried off by Sweat in Sleep , and the gross parts being left behind , in which Acids abound . But one may see , that not only Alkalies turn Acid , and Acids Alkalies , to do him a kindness , but when he hath a mind . Transpiration being stoped , promotes the Gout , Page 24. But now in contradiction to that , Sweating much , hath the same effect ; so that his Alkaly is so mischievous , that whether it be in the Body or not , it hath the same Effects there .

Page 31. He says , Sixthly , Overmuch Watching , and Fasting , and Study , and Sorrow , and Care , and much Labour — occasions the Gout , — the Nerves and nervous Fibres being kept in a state of Laxity too long , by being overcharged with slimy moist Particles . Here he hath coupled no less than six words in a Gang , with a whole Troop of and 's to link them together , perhaps in Imitation of , and Compliance with , a late Act of Parliament , in which it was ordered , that not above six Horses should be linked together in Service , upon the High Road , but whether that was his reason or not , I shall here take notice , that it being allowed , that the Fibres are overcharged with a slimy Moisture , proves nothing to his purpose , but against him ; for since I have already so plainly shewn , that Acids are the cause of Coagulations , and that Alkalies are not , it must needs follow , that the cause of that slimy Juice is acid ; and that Acids do cause Coagulations , is further plain , by applying of Vitriolick Acids to stop Bleeding , which presently obstructs a small Orifice , by coagulating the Blood .

Page 32. He says , Seventhly , Overmuch Rest and Ease do greatly contribute towards the producing this Distemper , &c. And then he says Eighthly , Sudden Rest and exposing the Body to cold or moist Seasons . And then Page 33. Ninthly , A total bearing off of any accustomed Exercise . But his Seventhly and Ninthly being both comprized under what he said Fifthly , and what he says Eighthly ; but the same he said First , these are to be carried to their proper Heads , to receive the same Answer ; and I can see no reason why his Tenthly should not be comprized with the First , since keeping the Feet too hot , or too cold , would not influence our Bodies much otherways , than moist or dry Weather , only a little more violently ; and he had no need to have proceeded so far as Eleventhly , since what he said , might be comprized under six Heads answerable to the six Non-naturals : But I remember Page 24. the Devil turned Hydra , and so he was resolved to give his Hydra , as many Heads as he could , tho they were all like one another , and perhaps , he did it , to imitate Nature in the forming of that Creature .

But Eleventhly , Since an odd Number is lucky , let 's see how Fortunate he is with it . Page 34. The stopping of any usual Evacuation , as the Monthly Courses in Women , and a Flux of the Hemorrhoids in Men. Poor Man ! Here according to his usual Failings , and his laudable Custom of contradicting himself , and mistaking his own meaning , he is safe ; but hath the ill Fortune to mistake in another Method , and judiciously takes the Cause for the Effect ; for the stopping of the Courses and Hemorrhoids , is not the cause of the Gout , but that vicid acid Juice , that causes the Gout , also causes the obstructions of Courses and Hemorrhoids ; for as long as the Blood is in a Natural State , the Courses never are obstructed , but when it is thickned by Acids , it obstructs in those parts ; so that that vicid Matter which causes the Gout , also precedes a stoppage of the Courses , and causes both .

Having shewed you how he hath furnished his Hydra with eleven Heads , he now comes to another , and says , Secondly , That the Blood and Juices , during the time of the Fit , abound not with Acid , but Alkalious ones .

I abominate Tautologies , &c. Truly there is great sign that he abominates Repetitions , since this hath been repeated in almost every Page of his Book ; and I have so often shewed , that these Distempers proceed from Acids , that should I repeat what I have so often confuted , it would be but unnecessary Repetition : I shall therefore refer the Reader to what hath gone before .

Page 35. He says , It will raise ones Admiration to see how we have groped in the dark for want of making Experiments . I have often found the quantity of Alkaly that is obtained from the Blood of People labouring under a Fit of the Gout , to exceed that obtainable from People in a state of Health . Now supposing this were true , and I only suppose it ; ( for he that hath told so many Untruths in his Novum Lumen Chirurgicum , may very well be suspected any thing that he says ; ) still Mr. Colbatch can by no means leave off his groping in the Dark , and shewing People that he 's got out of his way , in a thing he does not understand ; for did he understand common Distillation , nay , or what he said himself , he would know , that the more Acids there are in the Blood , the more Spirits are drawn from it : And first to satisfie him , if any thing that 's Reason will satisfie him , I shall do it from his own Words , for in his Appendix to his Essay of Alkaly and Acid , he says , All Herbs abound with Acid ; yet most of them are known to yield a considerable quantity of Alkalious Salt ; and did he but know what common Distillers observe , he would then learn a reason , why the Blood yields most of that he calls Alkaly , when it most abounds with Acid , for I have often taken notice , and it is the common Practice of Distillers , who draw Spirits from Brewed Wort , that the sowerer it is , the more Spirits it yields ; whereas if they Distil it sweet , it affords very little , and the reason of it is plain , because when the Blood is sweet , its Parts are more smooth and alkalizated , according to him ; but when the Texture of that sweet Mass is altered , and it degenerates into an acid Mass , whose parts are sharp , those sharper Particles being raised up by Distillation , form a Spirit which affects our Taste more sensibly ; and whereas the Depressed Spirits easily fly away , this more gross and compacter Acid incorporates with less loss , than if the Matter from whence it is drawn , were more volatile ; so that it appears upon what uncertainty Men draw Conclusions from chymically analizing the Blood , where the least alteration in the Mass of Blood , makes so great difference in the Spirit , that is drawn from it : And here , because I would have Gentlemen satisfied that his analizing is of no use , I desire they would but enquire of Distillers , whether in distilling of Wort to get a Spirit from it , it is not necessary to let it be a little sowre , which when they know , they will also know , what a deceitful Agent the Fire it self is ; for what different Effects hath it upon the least alteration of the modification of that substance , it works upon ; and we see then , what a Mathematical Demonstrator Mr. Colbatch is , who is more ignorant than Common Distillers , and what a fit Man is this , to draw Conclusions from Experiments that he does not understand .

Page 36. He asks , What is this Cretaceous Body , but a Collection of Homogeneous Particles ? I say of one determinate Figure , by a Collection of Particles reason that the fire won't totally destroy its Texture , which were it a Body composed of Particles of different sizes and figures ( which is that we Chymists call heterogeneous ) and the fire would destroy it . What this cretaceous Substance is , I have before told him , and how it is made up of a great many acid Particles , lodged in a Mucus , and hardned into the form of a Stone ; but for his Explanation of homogeneous and heterogeneous Particles , it appears , that he does not understand what is meant by homogeneous , nor what by heterogeneous ; and therefore I shall tell him that a Liquor is called homogeneous , not because it is made up of Particles of one determinate figure , since in the Language of the Chymists , a Liquor which is made up of Particles of a different shape and size , may be homogeneous , but because it is simple , or so compounded , as to agree with that Body , of which it is said to make a part ; and so , that the Liquor , whether compound or simple , exactly suits in all Circumstances , that Body with which it is mixed ; and so the Blood , which is made up of several Principals , if it be in a Natural State , and of a right Texture , is called homogeneous ; but if another Liquor be mixed with it , which is not exactly so modified ; tho it be a compound Body , yet it is not called heterogeneous , in respect of the different Ingredients , of which it is made up ; but because it is not exactly like Blood in all Circumstances , in respect of Blood , it is called heterogeneous ; and this he would have understood , had he known the derivation of those two Words , for homogeneous comes from 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 , which is to say of a like kind , and heterogeneous from 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 , of another kind ; so that every Body is homogeneous , in respect of it self , and its own Kind , and every homogenous Body is heterogeneous , in respect of another kind . But he says , Were it of Particles of a different kind , fire would destroy it ; but he is mistaken , for the different Texture of Gold , Iron and Brass , does not make them more easily dissolve , tho they were mixed together , for a Body never the more easily dissolves , because it is a compound ; every one of these Bodies requiring as much force to dissolve them , whether mixed or not .

Having mistaken the Meaning of these two Words , from Page 36. he goes on to Page 38. to make the mistake a little more conspicuous , all along he proceeds to repeat what he hath several times doubled and trebled before , and all to tell People , that Alkalies are the Cause of the Gout ; but tho this be the Gentleman that abominates Tautologies , he either knew he had often repeated this stuff before , or hath an extraordinary bad Memory ; but tho he so easily forgot , that he had said the same things before , I think I have sufficiently answered them , and made it fully appear , that what he hath said all along in defence of his Hypothesis , and in explication of the Distemper , is so far from proving the Distemper to proceed from Alkalies , that all he hath hitherto said , is very strong and evident proof that it proceeds from Acids .

But here I had almost passed by a very notable Piece of his Scholarship , and which shews him to be a mighty Man for Antiquity : A Man of a vaste Soul , and of a strong Comprehension , Page 40. He says , The Antient Romans — feigned two Goddesses , the one called Volupia , the Goddess of Pleasure , the other Angeronia the Goddess of Anguish , Names fitted to their Natures , and the Priests of Angeronia did serve at the Altar of Volupia , to signifie that in this Life Pleasure and Sorrow were mixed together . But what 's this Goddess to the Gout , truly nothing at all , but to shew what a great Lump of Antiquity he had cast up .

Page 41. He says , I shall continue to assert , that the Excrements of our Bodies are all Alkalious , such as Sweat , Tears , &c. but what is voided by Stool , is not properly to be called the Excrements of our Bodies , but the Excrements of our Food . O admirable ! What a piece of Wit hath Mr. Colbatch laid here ? But notwithstanding his Wit , it will do him very little Service , for I am afraid he hath so much , he does not know how to use it , which is observed in Calves-Heads , where a great deal of Brains is found , but no Ingenuity ; for by the same reason , he says Stools are the Excrements of Food , and not of the Body ; Sweat , &c. may be said not to be Excrements of the Body , but of the Blood ; but that Sweat and Tears are not Alkalies , but Acids , any Body that hath acquaintance with Mr. Colbatch's Goddess Angerona , may taste Tears evidently tasting Salt ; and likewise when People sweat much , their Sweat does not only taste Salt , but People that work hard , have a strong sowre Smell about them , when their Heads sweat much , which are sufficient proofs , that Mr. Colbatch is mistaken , and Angerona hath done him very little Service .

Thus I have gone through all that Mr. Colbatch hath said , relating to the cause of the Gout ; from which , I think I have made it plain , that in every particular , he is egregiously mistaken ; and I have not only shewed , that he is mistaken , but that what he alledges in his own Defence , is strong Proof against him ; and I have also added a great many plain and obvious Observations , whereby it is manifest , how little he understands what he hath gone about ; and as he hath oft been bold to tell Learned Men , they grope in the Dark , so it now appears how miserably he is lost in it ; which I hope is so evident , that Gentlemen will be no longer imposed upon by him , tho he make his Pretences with never so much Impudence , since the Method he takes is so pernicious ; and , as I have shewed from his own words , increases the Distemper , and procrastinates its Cure .

CHAP. IV. Contains Remarks on his Second Chapter .

HAving thus run over what he has said in his first Chapter , concerning the Gout ; and shewed upon what false Conclusions he has grounded his Method of Practice , for want of Judgment to understand those Experiments he made , and what gross and erroneous Accounts he hath given of the Abuse of Non-Naturals : I say , having so fairly detected his Grand Mistakes , and so plainly made it appear , that he hath not only very short , but false Notions of things ; and having all along laid him open so fairly to the View of Mankind , that they may discern his very Essentials , to be nothing but Mistakes , Blunders , Oversights , Pretence , Impudence , and Inconsistency ; I might spare my self the Trouble of going any farther in laying open his intolerable Absurdities , it being certain that whatever is built upon such false Bottoms , must not only be very false , but dangerous to Mankind , and of very ill consequence ; but since I have gone so far , with no other design but to lay open his Faults the clearer , that Gentlemen might be forewarned how much they hazard their Health , if not their Lives , by putting themselves in such Hands ; so , that they may be , if possible , more fully convinced , what danger they lay themselves open to by so doing ; I shall for their further satisfaction , shew them the ill Consequences of his Practice , by laying open its Faults there committed .

The remaining part of his Book is made up of three parts , the first he calls the Dietetick Cure , the second is levelled against Rational Practice , and the third is to lay open his own ill Practice , which I shall examine in the order he hath laid them in ; and first I shall observe his wonderful Dietetick Rules : Where ,

First , He says , Page 44. It is said by some Body , that plus Aere quam cibo vivimus , we live more by Air than Meat , and that Air doth assist in the Nutrition of Animal Bodies ; the famous Instance of Vipers , so well known , is sufficient to evince ; for let a young Viper be put into a Glass Receiver , and let the Receiver be covered over with a Bladder with holes pricked in it , and the Viper will become as large and fat as if it were in the open Fields . What the design of this part of his Dieteticks is , he best knows ; I for my part can't tell what he would have by his instance , we live more by Air than Meat , except he would have People to eat no Meat , but gape for Wind continually ; but why breathing of Air is so necessary , I have elsewhere shewed in my Treatise of the Heat of the Blood , and of the Use of the Lungs , and that People cannot live without Meat , a little Experience tells them . But he hath given an Instance of a Viper , that does not only live without Meat , but grows fat ; but to what purpose does he mention this , except he would persuade his Patients they can live better without Meat , than with it ; sure he would not persuade his Gouty Patients to be closed up in Receivers , as the Viper was ; but if he would , they are a little too cunning for him yet , I doubt not ; and how much soever he can impose upon them with his Medicines , they will sooner be pinned up in a Coffin by his Medicines , than closed in a Glass Receiver to suck Air , till he hath been in it himself .

Page 45. He says , People who are troubled with the Gout , should endeavour to live in a clear and most serene Air , that possibly they can , and avoid that which is thick and foggy and full of Extraneous Particles . That a clear Air is better than a foggy one is no news of his finding out , it being always delivered in Dietetick Rules ; but would he have Gentlemen to overrun their Countries ? Should they go into France , or some warmer Country , perhaps they would be less troubled with it ; but this is such a piece of old Advice , that few can take , and therefore he might have left it in those Books he found it in , where it was deliver'd with Judgment and Learning .

All that he further says from Page 46. to 50 , is but a Reduction to six Heads , what in the Chapter before to make his Hydra more formidable , he extended to Eleventhly ; and as what was there contained , was so many Blunders and Marks of his Ignorance , in reckoning up the Misuses of Non-Naturals : so here he repeats those Faults in less compass , and extenuated by extending them only in falsely , and as simply prescribing Non-Naturals ; which , tho he had the Dieteticks of Judicious and Learned Men writ ready to his Hand , yet fancying himself a great and able Man , he must needs mould them anew , and turn them into his own simple Form , that he might interpose two or three Sentences to recommend the use of Acids ; but I having already shew'd the dangerous Consequences of the use of Acids , and that , even according to his own supposition , viz. that the Blood would be coagulated by the use of Acids , and consequently the Distemper increased , I hope Gentlemen will be so cautious of their own Safety , as not to be misguided by such a Man , who throughout his Book hath so egregiously given us lasting Patterns of his Ignorance .

CHAP. V. Contains Remarks on his Third Chapter .

I Come now to his Third Chapter , which is irrationally levelled against all judicious and experienced Practice ; where from Page 50 , to 58. he hath set down a Method which was taken with Sir J. G. and Page 58. He says — Instead of being any way serviceable , it exasperated the Symptoms : But I here leave it to the Consideration of those Ingenious Gentlemen who are troubled with this Distemper , since they , by dreadful Experience find , that when they take Medicines , the Symptoms are almost Intolerable , whether it be not more reasonable to think the violence of those Symptoms proceeded from the violence of the Distemper ; since I have so plainly made it appear , all along in answer to his Books , that Acids are the Causes of this Distemper ; and what more plain and obvious an Experiment can there be , to prove the Reasonableness of using Alkalies in the Cure of this Distemper , than that which I have before mentioned , viz. by applying Vinegar it self to a fresh Wound , and at the same time , to another , Vinegar whose Acrimony is dulled by the use of Chalk , or some other Alkaly ; for if the strength of so sharp a Liquor as Vinegar , is taken off by the mixture of Alkaly , this is the strongest and plainest proof in the World , that Alkalies are very useful in the Gout , and always to be made use of by Rational Physicians , since I have so evidently and beyond Rational Contradiction proved , that the Gout proceeds from Acids ; for Alkalies do not only take off the Acrimony of that Humour , which irritates the sensible Parts , but also by absorbing part of the superabundant Acid , attenuates that matter , which by coagulating the Humour , fixes it in the part affected , and conseqently dispose that Matter to be absorbed into the fluid Mass of Blood again , to be carried off by proper Excretories , so that nothing can be plainer , than that the use of Alkalies in the Gout , is highly reasonable , since it so evidently appears , from so many Instances , as I have throughout this Book given , that Acids cause Coagulations , and consequently are to be taken off and corrected by the proper Use of Alkalies .

Page 58. He says , The Medicines here prescribed , are those that are generally used by most Physicians ; and if any Body ever received Advantage by them , I dare be Burn'd ▪ and that ever Men should have such dull Phansies , as not to vary from a Method that hath never once stood them in any stead , looks very odd . And as for Alkalious Medicines in general , I dare be positive that they never yet cured any one Distemper , but very frequently have done a great deal of Mischief , they being given in Foul Distempers . What mischief they do when used by absurd Practicers , as himself , that know not how to manage them ; I don't now dispute , that being nothing at all to the Gout ; but since I have so manifestly made it appear , that this Distemper proceeds from Acids , and that Alkalies are of very great Use , I think it is all the Answer I need to give to this , that the Medicines he prescribes , are never given by Rational Physicians , and never by Quacks , without ruining Mens Constitutions in a little time , and except he leaves of such ill Practice , he really deserves what he so zealously dares , viz. to be Burn'd ; and I am amazed , that this Man should have such a dull Fancy , as all the reason in the World cannot persuade him from it , tho it be so very pernicious and dangerous , and truly it looks odd enough to use his elegant Expression , that Peoples Constitutions must be ruined , to please his dull Phansie , and as for his Acid Medicines , I am positive , they have ruined more Constitutions than he 's aware of ; but some People are lead into their own Destruction by blind Promises , which they know not how to perform , which is the reason he does so much Mischief .

Page 59. He says , In Chronical Distempers ▪ such as the Gout , &c. there poor Mortals are let alone to languish under their Oppression , and the Physician — will be for putting the poor Wretch into a Course of Alkalies , to correct those luxuriant Acid Particles , which he would fain persuade his Patient that his Blood abounds with ( but yet he never found any such thing there ) to the pauling of his Stomach , and exasperating his Distemper ; and if ever the poor Patient finds relief , it is from Opium , that is between whiles given ; and if from that he hath any little intermission of his pain , they are generally so ungrateful , as not to set the Saddle upon the right Horse , to give the Opium its due , but presently hug themselves , and cry , God a Mercy Alkalies , and so go on with a repetatur pulv . è chelis , &c. Now as this was to be laid upon all Rational Physicians , upon condition that their Practice was false , so having all along in answer to him made it appear , that their Practice is Rational and Good ; and that his is false and erroneous ; it must needs fall to his own share , and in his own words , to lay the Saddle on the right Horse , I must say , in Chronical Distempers , such as the Gout , &c. there poor Mortals , are let alone to languish under their Oppression , and Mr. Colbatch neither understanding their Distemper , nor the true Method , that he should take with them , would be for putting the poor Wretches into a Course of Acids ; and would fain persuade his Patient , that his Blood abounds with Alkalies , contrary to Truth and Experience , to the Detriment of his Constitution , depressing of his Spirits , and encreasing of his Distemper : And alas ! If ever the Patient he imposes upon , finds relief , he may thank God for it ; and the strength of his Constitution , which helps to carry off , and abate the Distemper : But what a tender compassionate Creature is Mr. Colbatch , who hath such a tender Love for poor Gentlemen , that will give him Money ? For he is so enraged at that Hydra ! That Devil ! That Gout , that he calls it all the ill Names he can , and hath such esteem for Opium , that gives them all the ease they must hope for from him ; that he 's offended they don 't fix some Mark of Honour upon it , it hath such an excellent stupifying Quality ; and truly no Body knows how much he is ingaged to be zealous for the Honour of any thing , that relates to dulness and stupidity , he hath so much of it himself ; and indeed he may well hug himself , and cry , God a Mercy Stupidity ! O , the wonderful Effects of Opium , where Acids would increase the Distemper .

Page 60. He says — If we do not look about us , and regain our Reputation , we may chance to be laid aside in other Distempers as well as the Gout . This is a mighty considerable piece , and shews the honest Endeavours of the Man , who is so much afraid of being laid aside , that he uses all the means he can only to get Patients ; and truly without this , by his whole Writings one would guess , that the Man only Huffs , and Contradicts , and Writes , that People might think he hath something in him ; but alas poor Man ! He hath so much ill luck along with it , that he cannot long impose upon People , for those very Writings shew ( according to the old Maxim , Nil dat quod in se non habet ) that he hath nothing at all in him , but Pretence .

Page 60. He says , What I have said is not to reproach the Physicians of our own Nation , who are many of them as great Men as ever were of the Profession , and generally this City abounds with such , but my design is to undeceive Young Physicians , who are imposed upon by Foreign Authors . But our Author Mr. Colbatch must think himself a strange sort of a Wit , or the Physicians in London very easily imposed upon , to be flattered with such a dull pretence as this ; for if he did not reproach the Physicians of this City , who does he mean ? When Page 58. He says , The Medicines here prescribed , are those that are generally used by most Physicians ; surely most Physicians must needs comprize the generality of this City ; but if he would pretend only to undeceive Young Physicians , why did he in his Preface to this Book , call Physick a Scene of Slaughter , since Young Physicians scarce kill , before they have Practice enough to be Subjects of Slaughter ? But this is to let us know , that he is Conscious , that he hath laid that to Physicians Charge , which properly belongs to himself , and would thus stop their Resentments with this dry Complement . But did he not say what he hath done was only to reproach — as great Men as ever were of the Profession , but those that are imposed upon by Foreign Writers , why did he not then direct his Book against those Writers ? But we must give him leave to contradict himself , to say and unsay , as odd as it looks , for his Head is made up of nothing but short Raptures without thought , or foresight : Besides , were what he here says true , it had been his best way to have gone amongst his Adversaries , where by a total Conquest , he would have got Credit , more than he must expect by thus weakly exposing himself amongst Men he hath nothing to say against , as he here says .

Page 61. He goes on , If the Blood 's abounding with Alkalious Particles , be the Primary , or Fundamental Cause of the Gout , how can the giving of Alkalies be of any Use ? Of no other Use than the throwing of a Company of dryed Fagots upon a House that is on fire , would be to extinguish the Flame ; and whoever should attempt such a thing , would , I suppose , be accounted little less than a Mad-man . To this I answer , that since I have so often made it appear , that the Acidity of the Serum , from whence its Viscidity proceeds , is the cause of this Distemper , and it hath been plainly proved , by evident Observations and Reasons , that giving more Acids , is the way to encrease the Distemper : He alone is the Mad-man , that can give no reason for what he does , but what is plainly contradictory to his own Practice ; but this is a strange sort of a Man , to call all Physicians Mad-men . Page 61. and Page 58. He says , He will be Burn'd if ever they did good ; yet Page 60 says , He does not do it to reproach the Physicians of our own Nation : Whether does he talk like a Wise-man , or like Mr. Colbatch now ?

But Page 61. further to let the World know that he hath a mighty Insight into a Glover's Trade , he tells a Story of a Philosophical Glover , from whence he seems to draw his Conclusions , and upon which , one would guess he had built his Hypothesis ; He says , — They first throw their Skins into a Pit , filled with a strong Alkalious Lixivium , which makes them in a manner rotten ; afterwards they make a strong Acid Solution , into which they throw their almost rotten Skins , which again reduces them to their Texture ; nay , makes them firmer than they were at the first . Truly Mr. Colbatch was very happy in so Philosophical a Companion , for doubtless he received wonderful hints , from one that was used to grope Philosophically in Lime-Pits ; and had he been Seven Years an Apprentice to him , without question , Mr. Colbatch would have been a very notable Man at the Trade , and would have handled Hides very Philosophically ; nay , and for ought I know , might have made as Ingenious a Man at it , as Mr. Yardly , for he would have got wonderful Improvements , by such weighty Debates as would have passed betwixt them two ; but of what advantage soever it might have been to him , to have improved his Knowledge in that Trade , I am sure Mr. Yardly's Story does him little service here ; for it directly proves , that Acids are most pernicious in the Gout , and that Alkalies are the only Remedies to be depended upon ; for if Alkalies so softned the Skins , there is a great reason to hope that they will also dissolve , and soften those Humours that swell the Parts affected , being hardened and obstructed there ; but if Acids will harden the Skins , when soft , consequently they must harden that Alkalious Matter , lodged in the Gouty Parts , and so do more harm by fixing it there . But ,

Page 62. He is happy , Quoniam successus ejus sol vidit , oneres autem tellus operiret ; otherwise , because those he does not Kill , think he Cures them , but those he sends packing to another World , have not the advantage of telling their Friends the dismal Cause of their Departure , and how they were sent to another World by Mr. Colbatch his Acids .

From Page 62. to Page 67. he tells a long Story of a Man that was troubled with an Iliack Passion , but why that comes in this Chapter , I cannot tell , except he wanted something to fill it up with .

Page 67. he says , — The Skin abounds with Receptory as well as Excretory Pores , which I have frequently observed in the Skins of many Animals , by the means of my Optick Glasses . Really he seems to be mighty inquisitive into the Skins of Animals , since he hath been acquainted with the Ingenious and Philosophical Glover Mr. Yardly , but it seems he is not content with Mr. Yardly's Enquiry into Skins , but hath got his Opticks to them , as if he had a mind to be the Author of some new Discovery , and would help his weak sight by Spectacles . But perhaps he remembered that Malpigius and others , who had made great Discoveries in Anatomy , made use of Microscopes ; and so he being a great Man in his own Conceit , must needs peep through a Glass too ; But to what purpose ? Truly , he hath discovered Receptory Pores as well as Excretory Pores : But I ask him how he knew which were Receptory Pores by looking at them ? Which is utterly impossible . And I am afraid he hath stared so much on the outside , that he hath scarce looked enough within , or he would have understood things a little better than he does ; and I am sorry to see one that hath so little Reason , pretend to be so saucy with all Learned Men , and not only so , but Dogmatical and Positive , where he ought to be humble , and repent of what ill Practice he hath hitherto followed , endeavouring to impose upon Mankind .

CHAP. VI. Contains Remarks on his Fourth Chapter .

I Come now last of all to his Method of Cure , to undeceive these Ingenious Gentlemen , that he hath hitherto imposed upon ; and for their sakes , I shall take pains to be a little more large upon this Point , than I otherwise need to be ; for I having already shewn the grand Blunders and Mistakes of his Book , and that he is so notoriously mistaken in the Cause of this Distemper , and in all he hath said relating to it ; and also that the Method he uses is so far from curing , that it increases the Distemper ; it must be allowed , that what he here delivers is false also ; but to make it more evidently appear that he is mistaken , I shall take a brief View of this Chapter : And first ,

Page 68. He says , — When my Patient complains of a Crudity and Rawness of his Stomach , with a Windy sort of Distension and Heaviness of his Body , which are certain Arguments of an approaching Fit : If he be of a Sanguine Complexion , and a Plethorick Habit of Body , I first of all prescribe Blood letting , from 12 to 20 Ounces . Whether those Gentlemen he thus uses find themselves very much weakned or not , after such immoderate Bleeding , they themselves are best Judges ; but twenty Ounces is a great deal too much to take at one time , and if they find themselves very weak and faint after it , they had better follow the Advice of able and Judicious Physicians , and not to exceed twelve Ounces ; but I am afraid those that are so much imposed upon as to send for him , will be also prevailed upon to submit to his irrational Method , and therefore it is in vain to advise them , they must reap the dangerous Consequences of such absurd usage , and may thank themselves for it ; I shall only here forewarn them , that when they find their Stomachs Raw , and filled with Crudities , that is sufficient to satisfie them , that their Bodies abound with Acids , all Crudities proceeding from Indigestion , and Indigestion from too great a quantity of Acid Particles depressing and over-powering the Alkalious Parts , by which means , the Meat contained in the Stomach , being not sufficiently dissolved and broke in pieces , but ( in the sense of our Philosophical Glover and Mr. Colbatch ) being too much hardned and kept to a Consistence , remains crude and undigested . But if nevertheless they will let Mr. Colbatch pour in more Acids , and by encreasing the Acidities of the Blood , so oppress Nature , that she cannot powerfully expel the Morbifick Matter ; all that I can further say , is , that I am really sorry that Ingenious Gentlemen are so imposed upon by a Man that hath Impudence to stare them in the Face , and contradict Reason and Experience . But to proceed ;

Page 69. and Page 72. amongst his Acid Medicines , as he calls them , an Hour or half an Hour before Dinner , he orders his Patients to take a Medicine made of Cremor Tartari , and Tartar . Vitriolat . But for what end , except to encrease the Distemper , I can scarce imagine ; for the Nature of Cremor Tartar ▪ being Purgative , it must needs do a great deal of Mischief , by raising the Peristaltick Motion , and forcing the Meat out of the Stomach before it is digested , which is the only way to fill the Blood with Crudities , and consequently to encrease the Distemper ; so that this Method , which forces their Meat out of their Stomach undigested , and fills their Blood with Crudities , must needs recommend Mr. Colbatch ; and he must needs be a very fine Man , who hath Impudence to boast of such Absurdities ; really I cannot but admire him , and wonder that he hath such success , as not to ruine People more frequently .

Page 70. He orders the following Medicine to be given for a Month twice a Day , viz.

℞ . Lapidis hoematitis . Unc. Semis . Crem . Tartar . Unc. unam .

And really his wonderful Skill in Compounding , considering the Advantage of Mr. Yardly's Company , the Glover , and his own , being bred an Apothecary , is not a little to be admired ; for there is no less than Contradiction in this very Receipt ; for as Crem . Tartar ▪ is Purgative , so Lapis hoematitis is no less a stopper of Purging , and to give one thing to Purge , and another at the same time to stop Purging , is as absurd as if it were really Mr. Colbatch : And in his own Words , Page 58. of this Treatise , That ever Men should have such dull Fancies — looks very odd , and shews the Ignorance of the Man so plainly , that no Wise-man would ever hazard his Life in his Hands .

Page 74 , 75. and part of 76 , He tells a long Story out of Polemanus , but that being nothing at all to the Gout , I shall take no notice of it , but leave him to restore it to Polemanus again , it being not able to do him any other Service , than to fill up two Pages in his Book .

Page 76. He says , I have hitherto but just entered into the Porch , &c. and really had he gone no further than his Porch , he had gone too far in such a bad Way , for every Page , except those Polemanus hath taken possession of , are filled with a Recipe Crem . Tartar . and Tartar . Vitriolat . over and over again , and all the Elegancy that is to be observed in what he says , is , that whereas sometimes he puts Crem . Tartar . before Tartar . Vitriolat . in others the order is changed , and Tartar . Vitriolatum comes before Crem . Tartar . and sometimes he hath been so ventersome as to set Crem . Tartar . by it self , and this wonderful Variety observed in his Compositions , must needs argue him a profound Man indeed , and he may well value himself upon it , for it is nothing at all , but what Carters commonly imitate , sometimes setting one Horse behind , and sometimes another .

But really this Porch appears to be nothing but a Continuation of his Notorious Mistakes and Blunders , and only differs from the remaining part of his Book , as a Cloud from Rain ; for as his whole Book hitherto , was nothing but a parcel of Rubbish , and confused Blunders in Theory ; he now is as absurd in Practise , and as the other only prejudiced their Minds , this does their Bodies , and makes them ( to use his own Words in Page 3. of this Treatise ) run the Risk of losing their Lives , which to every Man is the valuablest thing in the World .

Page 76. I shall now proceed to the Cure of the Distemper it self ; the taming of this fierce and angry Lyon , the expelling of the raging Tyrant , the cutting off this Hydra's Heads . O this Mighty Champion ! That can tame the fierceness of Lyons , expel raging Tyrants ; and ( Page 24. of this Treatise ) Poured whole Battallions , armed with Spears and Launces , upon a Devil , which is not to be cast out but by Prayer and Fasting ; yet did no more Service in Flanders , where he might have had work enough for his Battallions : What Punishment does he deserve ? Is this the Man that wou'd have a Thousand a Year for to spend in Experiments from the Government ? But yet he is to be admired , for he hath almost equaled Hercules in his Labours , only he is not come to the Eugean Stables yet , but truly it is a Pity , for I think that is the fittest Work for him .

But it seems we are come through the Porch , and must now proceed to the Cure , and to see how this Champion performs his Exploits , where we shall take a View of the Aedifice this Porch hath led us to : Where ,

Page 77. He says , I first of all — prescribe Blood-letting , from twelve to twenty Ounces . Strange ! There is no difference betwixt the Porch and the House ! They are both alike exactly so far ; and the same Answer that I gave him in his Porch , may serve in his Parlor , so I shall not repeat it here again ; but this is a mighty step towards eternalizing him for a Champion .

Page 78. He goes on with a Recipe , Crem . Tartar and Tartar . Vitriolat . and all he further says , to Page 80. is nothing but a repetition of what he had said before , when he had but just entered into the Porch ( as he terms it ) except a Plaister and a Salve to dabble their Gouty Toes in , to as much Purpose as the Magicians of old sounded a Kettle to turn the Course of the Sun , which would have run its Course without all that noise .

Page 80. He says , Till the Violence of the Pain is somewhat abated , I every Night give an Opiate . Very ingeniously done ! as long as he finds his Acids will do no good , but rather exasperate the Distemper , he gives an Opiate to dull the Pain , so that People cannot feel how much Mischief he does them . But here I shall make use of his own Words again , Page 59. And say still he — Will be for putting the poor Wretch into a Course of Acids , to correct Luxuriant Alkalies , which he would fain perswade his Patients , their Blood abounds with , to the spoiling of their Constitutions , and exasperating of their Distemper : And now we may see , if ever the poor Patient finds any Relief , it is from the Opium he gives every Night ; and tho his Patients only find Relief from the Opium , he is so Ungrateful , as not to saddle the right Horse , and give the Opium its due , but presently hugs himself and crys , God a Mercy Acids , and so goes on with a repetatur Crem . Tartar . & Tartar . Vitriolat .

Page 82. He says , When the Violence of the Distemper is abated , then the foregoing method must be altered , and the following Medicines used . Truly Mr. Colbatch is a rare Man , when the Distemper begins to go off , and he dare give his Acids no longer to prolong the Distemper , and to encrease the Number of Fees : Then he lays them aside , and gives a few Medicines , that neither do good nor harm , and which in answer to his Appendix to his Essay , I have shewed , are , by no means Acids , and have laid down the English Names of them there ; so that Ingenious Gentlemen may taste them , and compare their Taste with Sevil-Oranges , which is an Acid ; by which means they will easily know whether those be like Oranges , but if Gentlemen would be satisfied without so much trouble , they may ask those that are imposed upon by him , whether all the Medicines he gives taste sowre , or sharp , which will satisfie them that he is mistaken .

Page 83. He says , Upon the going off of this Distemper — a Course of Calybeats is very proper , and rarely fails doing good Service . Here Mr. Colbatch , in the latter end of his Treatise , hath taken care to confute all that he said before in this Chapter , most effectually ; for as soon as he can get no more Money by his Patients , he takes care to give them Steel , Antimony , &c. which in his Essay of Alkaly and Acids , I have proved to be Alkalies : Nay , he does not only give his Patients those Alkalies , but Castor , Nutmegs , Cardamoms , Cloves , and even Century and Gentian , all or most of which , he sets down in Page 84 , 85 ; and which the Reader may find , in those Receipts he laid down , and condemned as Alkalies in the Chapter before this ; and there he says , He dare be Burn'd , if they ever stood in any stead ; yet here he says , They rarely fail of doing good Service ; so that here I leave him to confute himself .

But were his Doctrine of Acids and Alkalies true , which I have so fairly shewed , and proved to be false , and were what he lays to the Charge of all Rational Physicians true , these Alkalies would cause the Distemper to return ; for if , as he said before , the Gout proceeded from Alkalies , so great Quantities of Alkalies as he here uses , must needs increase the Morbifick Matter , and cause a Relapse ; but since they do not , we have reason to believe the Distemper proceeds from Acids , and that consequently Acids would increase it . I have now at the last , tho not without surprize , taken a View of his Mighty Battallions which were to tame the Lyon , to drive out the Tyrant , and to cut of the Hydra's Heads . But alas !

Parturiunt montes , nascitur Ridiculus mus .

His Promises were large , and Pretensions great , but his Performance small ; and now I cannot without Wonder and Amazement behold the Hero , the Mighty Man of War , whose Battallions are nothing but Tartar . Vitriolatum , Cremor . Tartar . Oranges and Lemmons , those being all the Acid Medicines used throughout his Book internally , all the rest being already in his Essay , and its Appendix proved to be not at all Acids ; and must this Man huff and hector ? Must this Ignis Fatuus mislead and impose upon People ? Must he call Physicians Fools and Mad-men ? What Usage does he deserve ? And what Punishment too great for him ?

But , Page 87. He says , Had I prescribed much and Violent Purgings , Vomits , &c. wherein there was any danger , then People would have all the Reason in the World to be cautious and fearful . It 's true , they would have had very great reason to be so ; and tho their Reasons are not quite so great , yet the Difference is small ; for tho the Proverb only says , It is ill venturing a Sword in a Mad-man's Hands ; yet People are certain , a Dagger , tho not so large , is equally as dangerous , since those that are not armed against them , may as soon be killed by one as the other ; so that in effect Acids are as dangerous as Vomits , &c. because they do mischief , with this difference , that the ill Effects of Vomits are ascribed to Vomiting , but the ill Effects of Acids are attributed to the Violence of the Distemper , and on one Consideration , Acids are more dangerous , because People take them without Suspicion , and ruine their Constitutions without their Knowledge , or a possibility of Caution ; and as that Person is most dangerous which is not known to be so , so that Medicine is of the worst sort , whose ill Effects are not taken notice of ; for which reasons I have taken pains to run over his Books , not because I thought them worth Consideration , but to lay open the Mischievous Effects of such absurd Practice , that Ingenious Gentlemen might be no longer imposed upon .

From Page 88. to Page 96. He relates two Stories , in which he gave his Acids ; but what he there says being only a Repetition of the same Medicines he had given before , what I have said sufficiently answers them .

As to the first , He says , he had his Patient in a Fit about a Month , in which I shall observe that Page 93. He says , This was the most dreadful Fit of the Gout I ever saw — And had not the Medicines well suited with the Distemper , to have abated the Violence of the raging Pain , I believe he had certainly never got over it . To use the Words of Mr. Colbatch the Champion , I believe he had certainly never got over it , had not his Distemper been very mild of it self , for from what I have already said , it most evidently appears , the Gout is caused by Acids , and consequently that they will be so far from abating the Distemper , that they are the Causes of that Pain ; so that we have strong reason to believe , that the Distemper being mild , was increased by his Acids , for the Reasons which are up and down in this Book ; and also , because notwithstanding the Use of his Acids , or rather by reason of them , it was the most dreadful Fit that ever he saw , and continued for a Month.

In the second Case , he thinks it not for his Credit to tell how long the Distemper continued ; but from what hath gone before , I am satisfied it would have gone off sooner without his Crem . Tartar . and Tartar . Vitriolat .

I have now gone through his Treatise of the Gout ; and have fully laid open the grand Blunders and Absurdities , the Unpardonable Mistakes , and Falseness of every thing he asserts throughout his Book ; and have proved , by plain Experiments and Observations , both that the Foundation of his Practice is false , those Experiments that he builds upon , being strong Proof against him ; and also , that the Practice he builds upon that Foundation , is also Absurd and Dangerous .

I might now go on to his next and last Book , wherein he further asserts his Doctrine of Alkalies and Acids ; but the latter end of this Book containing a Relation of Fevers , I shall first make some brief Remarks upon the same .

And here all that I need to take notice of is , that whatever Credit may be got by the Use of Acids in Fevers , is not to be attributed to him ; it having always been the constant Practice of Physicians , to use Acids in Fevers , except Malignant , in which Experience and Reason pleads against him ; so that did he lay down any thing , as to the Cause or Cure of Malignant Fevers , by Acids , I should lay open his Ignorance by Reason , and back my Reasons with the success of Alkaly used in those Distempers , by Physicians , for above an hundred Years .

But since here he only gives the History of five Persons , in which he hath the liberty to tell as many Falsities as he did in his Novum Lumen Chirurgicum ; and since he only tells how he managed those Patients , without laying down the Reasons of those Distempers , and may say what he will , Truth or Falsities , as to the success of his Medicines ; all that I shall say to these is , That since all that we have to judge of in these Cases , is , his own Account of himself , which may be very likely false , since we have found him notoriously guilty of such Faults before , that we have reason to suspect him to give false Account of Distempers now , and to make them worse than they were , to applaud himself . I say , all I need to observe , is , the Absurdities in those Methods he here lays down , and how much the Patients might suffer by his irregular Practice , and how injudiciously and ignorantly he manages those Acids , that have all along been used in Fevers ; only with more Discretion , and Judgment , than one of his Dullness can pretend to : This , I say , might be the Subject of my Remarks , but as he always affirms that he had good Success , and is afraid to tell the Persons , least he should be disproved : I shall only say , that if they recovered , it was more to be attributed to the Mildness of the Distemper , than his Management ; since he as an ill Painter , who abuses his Colours , makes an irregular Use of Medicines , which by a prudent Hand , might be of more use .

I shall therefore in the next place proceed to examine and lay open the Mistakes and Injudicious Blunders of his next Book , having so truly represented this , that Ingenious Gentlemen may very easily be satisfied of the Falseness of his Assertions , and how egregiously he hath imposed upon Mankind ; which since it was writ for their sakes , I hope they will so far consider , as may prevent them from exposing themselves to his irregular Usage , and the dreadful Consequences of it .

But all that he says in his Attempt to prove what Life is , being nothing but as if it were incoherent Scraps , and broken Thoughts , which seem to be partly stol'n from Dr. Willis ; I shall refer him for an Answer to my late little Book of the Heat of the Blood , and of the Use of the Lungs ; and shall first examine this Book as far as relates to a further Assertion of the Use of Acids . and shall then shew how absurdly he used Esq Turner .

AN EXAMINATION OF Mr. John Colbatch HIS DOCTRINE of ACIDS IN THE Cure of Diseases , Further Asserted , &c.

Wherein his Absurdities , and Erroneous Opinions , are truly Represented , and fully Confuted .

AS ALSO , A VINDICATION of the Proceedings of the Learned Dr. Fry of Oxford , in a late Case of Edmund Turner Esq ; in Opposition to the Irrational Usage of Mr. Colbatch .

LONDON , Printed in the Year 1699.

AN EXAMINATION OF Mr. John Colbatch HIS DOCTRINE of ACIDS IN THE Cure of Diseases , Further Asserted , &c.

I Come now to the last part of my Task ; and truly , were it not my sole Design to detect such grand Errors , and to vindicate Truth , established by long Observations of Ingenious and Learned Men , and confirmed by daily Experience , I should never prevail with my self , to spend any more time with such nauseous and abominable Mistakes , as his Book abounds with , but for Truth 's sake , and for the Good of those that are imposed upon by him , I shall proceed to an Examination of what is contained in this Book .

And first I shall take notice that this Book is made up of three Parts .

First , A further Assertion of the Use of Acids .

Secondly , An Attempt to prove what Life is . And

Lastly , An Account of Mr. Turner's Case , which I shall therefore examine in three distinct Chapters .

But before I proceed to an Examination of his Book , I shall first take notice of some things which are premised to the Reader ; where ,

Page iii. He says , I am every Day pestered with Objection of one kind or another , and therefore to save my self the labour of writing Pacquets of Letters every Post-Day , I have thought fit to answer those Objection that are worth taking notice of in this publick manner . A very fair Confession upon my word ! This I hope will satisfie Ingenious Gentlemen ; nay , and all knowing Women , what a slippery Hypothesis Mr. John Colbatch , who was late Apothecary in Worcester , hath advanced ; for it seems , not only those that write against him , are endeavouring to detect his Errors , but whole Pacquets of Letters come daily to convince him ; so that Gentlemen may see , that his Hypothesis is not only cryed down by those , which he would represent as his Enemies , but a vast Number of his Private Friends , are satisfied of his Faults ; and those Letters , I hope , will be stronger Arguments ; because , since they are private , they cannot be thought to be writ out of a design to expose , but to convince him : But he says , He hath thought fit to answer those Objections , &c. very cautiously done , since it was Mr. Colbatch that takes this Method ; he does well to think it only worth his while to answer those which he thinks he can deal with ; and to keep those in private that are too hard for him ; but here I would advise those that write to him , to be cautious ; for if it be Nonsence , he 'll expose them ; if their Objections be sound , they lose their labour ; for he 's resolved not to be convinced by any means , knowing that as boldness in a bad Cause hath supported him hitherto , so that is all he depends on for the future .

Page vi , and vii . He says , I never yet pretended to make People Immortal , my endeavour having all terminated in this , viz. to be serviceable to my fellow Creatures in distress as much as I am able . The Wise-Man says , That no Man hath Power in the Day of Death , and that there is no discharge in that War : The Issues of Life and Death being only in the Hands of the Almighty . This is the second time he hath thought himself bound to Apologize for the frequent Departures of his Patients ; and , God knows , not without need , for how serviceable he may be to his Fellow Creatures , I have already shew'd , viz. in hastening the Number of the Elect ; and as it is never usual except upon the Death of Persons , to fall into such strains of Divinity , so I am induced to believe , nothing else could bring him to his Bible .

Page viii . After a Confession of his own Deficiency , He says , I dare almost be confident , that even in my own Time the Cudgels will be taken up , and the Hypothesis maintain'd and asserted , by one who is able to go through-stitch with it , better than I can . To this I say that let him be who he will that will take up a Cudgel , I have taken up one ; and tho I won't be confident , yet I dare promise to engage my self his Opponent in this Cause , being here he will have neither Truth nor Reason on his side ; but before I leave his Preface , I cannot but take notice of a very Philosophical Word he here makes use of , viz. Through Stitch ; and here I make bold to ask Mr. Colbatch one Question , Whether through would not have expressed as much without stitch ? Truly it would , but we must remember , Mr. Colbatch hath had the Honour to be intimately acquainted with the Philosophical Glover Mr. Yardley , of whom he makes an Honourable Mention in his Treatise of the Gout ; and no wonder that amongst the rest of his Improvments in his Critical Enquiry into the Skins , he learnt this Learned Phrase , Through-Stitch from him , it being common for Glovers to Stitch through and through again .

Having made these brief Remarks , to give Ingenious Gentlemen a Light in our Author from his own words , I shall now proceed to examine what he says for a further Assertion of the Use of Acids ; and shall only first briefly take notice of the occasion of it ; which is this : One Dr. Tuthill of Dorchester writ a Letter to Mr. Colbatch this last Winter , dated August 9. 97. in which he raised some weak Objections , which Mr. Colbatch finding to be of no force , writ this Answer to ; and in his Preface , dates it October the 8th . 1697. And in Answer to this again , Mr. Tuthill hath writ about three Sheets in Vindication of his Objections , where he exposes his own Weakness more than in this Letter , bringing very weak or false Arguments in proof of what he had ill grounded here ; but as Mr. Tuthill was brought into Print at the first , perhaps without his Consent , so he now is forced to say something in Defence of what he might carelesly write to Mr. Colbatch , in a private Letter , and therefore he is to be a little excused for the Faults of his Letter ; and consequently what he hath said in this last Answer , may be thought only as a Flourish , to repair or save his Credit ; and truly had he not submitted to use mean and servile Flattery , to a Man that is so far from deserving such Complements : I should have had a little better Opinion of him , but to complement a Man , that is more Ignorant than himself , and to call what Mr. Colbatch hath writ in this Book , Ingenious Solutions ; and to tell one that hath endeavoured to impose upon all the World , that all the World is obliged to him , looks as if Mr. Tuthill had a Mind to flatter Mr. Colbatch , to stop his Mouth , least he should spit at him again ; and I rather believe so , because Mr. Tuthill in the beginning of those Sheets , says , he would not have writ them , had he not been pressed , and urged to it by some Friends ; and truly , one would think by what he writes , that it was with much ado squeez'd out of him , and like Drops of Blood almost stuck by the way ; and he had done better , had not it been pressed out of him , because it is a very bad Sample of what is in him : But as the Dispute betwixt these two Warriours , is inconsiderable , so I shall pass them by without any other notice , than as they afforded me half an Hours Diversion ; for when I read them I thought indeed they were very hard matched , and complemented as prettily as a Pedlar does on a Holiday , and could compare them to nothing more properly , than to two Drunken Men , who fight in the Dark , and strike at random , without understanding what they are about , or giving one another many Blows .

I shall therefore in favour of Mr. Tuthill , who , I think , was brought into the Scuffle against his Will , examine what Mr. Colbatch here says in favour of what I have already shewn to be notoriously false ; and shall lay open what he here says , so fairly , that it will , instead of Vindicating what he said before , prove against him : The first thing that offers it self to be taken notice of , is this ;

Page 4 , 5. He says , Whilst I was fairly jogging on , in the ordinary Method of Practice , a certain Gentleman recommended to me a powerful Acid , which he told me , I might rely upon in the Cure of some sort of Fevers . When I considered the Thing as an exalted Acid , I could scarce give the least Credit to what he said — However , considering the fatal Success that frequently attended the Use of Alkalies , and Alexipharmicks ( which , however , at that time , I durst not attribute to the Medicines , but the Malignity of the Distempers ) I was resolved upon the first Poor Patient I had in a Fever , to try what the forementioned Acid would do ; and upon a Multitude of Tryals — I found by my Acid , I could Cure most sorts of Fevers , much more effectually and certainly than ever I could before , by the Means of Alkalies , and Alexipharmicks . The Effects of this Medicine — backed with some other Observations , put me upon thinking , that Fevers and other Distempers did not proceed from the Blood 's abounding with Acid Particles , but on the contrary with Alkalious ones . Truly , whatever Mr. Colbatch may think , 't is scarce to his Advantage ; for whatever Good he did , with that Acid , it was not to be ascribed to him , but the Gentleman . But why should he not give Credit to it ? Since he was jogging on in the ordinary Method , for Acids were always used in most sorts of Fevers before his time , tho highly prejudicial in the Gout , Rheumatism , Small-Pox , Consumptions , &c. but it seems he was as ignorant in those Days , as he is now ; and most absurdly gave them Alkalies , and Alexipharmicks , which are never to be used in Fevers , except Malignant ; which I have more fully taken notice of , in my Answer to his Book of the Gout . But to proceed , it seems being instructed by a Gentleman , he fell to use Acids , as other Physicians did , and as long as he kept within bounds , had the like success ; but he at the last , finding that Physicians were in the right , and he had been all along mistaken ; not only gave Acids in most Fevers , but transgressed the bounds of Reason and Experience , and boldly gave Acids , in Malignant Fevers ; which by all the Learned and Experienced Physicians , for an hundred Years past , and also at this time , are known to be very dangerous . But this was not all ; those that are Ignorant fear nothing , because they are not apprehensive of danger ; he went on boldly in a false way , and wittily drew this Conclusion ; Acids do good , and have good Effects in Fevers , and therefore other Distempers proceed from Alkalies : Very strange ! and worthy of Mr. John Colbatch ; and it must be a very great Specimen of his Wonderful Judgment , for he might as well say , Water will set a House on Fire , because Fire will , as that Alkalies cause the Gout , Rheumatism , Small-Pox , &c. because they cause some sort of Fevers ; were it allowed that those Fevers proceeded from Alkalies .

From Page 6. to Page 21. is filled up with a Parcel of Stories , nothing at all to his Purpose ; but to tell us , that he hath distilled the Blood of eleven Persons to no purpose , but to get so much Spirit as will turn Syrop of Violets green ; and what Service that will do him , I have already shew'd , viz. that he does not truly ascribe the Cause of the Gout , &c. to Alkalies , but that they proceed from Acids , and I shall make it appear more fully by and by in its proper place ; I shall in the mean time take notice , that Page 21. It would be almost impossible for any Private Man , to make a sufficient number of Experiments without the Assistance of the Publick , which occasioned me in the Preface to my Treatise of the Gout , to propose a Publick Stock to carry on this Work . O strange ! Has this mighty Projector this Thought in his Head yet ? Sure it makes him very uneasie , to see the Publick not take notice of him ? Alas ! Poor Man ! It 's a most Noble Acid that keeps up his Spirits , or how would such a mighty Champion dispense with such Slights ? He that in his Book of the Gout , has the sole Faculty of casting out that Devil , which is not to be cast out without Prayer and Fasting ; who tamed the Raging Lyon , cut off the Hydra's Heads , and expelled the Mighty Tyrant : Why are they not afraid of his Resentments ?

Page 23. He says , Now if such a Substance as this be not to be called an Alkaly ( meaning the Spirit which he draws from Blood ) I should be glad to be informed what is . I shall not here inform him , what Medicines are truly called Acids , and what Alkalies : It is sufficient to shew , that he does not know , which I have already done , since he calls Steel and Antimony Acids , which have always been found to correct Acidities , and by their Effects to be Alkalies ; but he asks , whether this Spirit be not an Alkaly ? To this I shall give him this brief Answer ; That if all Substances were either Alkalies or Acids , it would be more properly called an Acid , than an Alkaly ; but since all Substances are not to be classed under those two Heads , it is neither an Acid nor an Alkaly , and because he knows not what else to call it , I shall tell him , he must call it a Spirit ; and since it is drawn from an Oily Substance the Blood ( according to what he says Page 7. of his Appendix to his Essay of Alkalies and Acids ) it must consequently be an Acid , all Oily Substances , according to him , being Acids . But he says , it is an Alkaly , because it turns Syrop of Violets Green ; if for that reason it were to be called an Alkaly , then what he says in his Appendix , is not only prov'd false , by what I have there said , but by his own Words here also ; but that it may appear he is mistaken here also , I must put him in mind , that Acids will turn Syrop of Violets Green , as well as Alkalies , viz. Arsnick , and Sublimate , the first of which I have proved to be an Acid in his Appendix to his Essay , and the latter in the beginning of his Book of the Gout , and indeed it is the most unreasonable thing in the World , thence to conclude any thing either to be an Acid or Alkaly , because both Alkalies and Acids will turn Syrop of Violets Green ; and we may not only observe different Substances to have the same Effects in respect of Colour , in this Experiment , but even throughout Nature ; for Aloes and Cinnamon are much of the same colour , but different in all other respects ; Sugar and Sublimate are of the same colour , yet the one is innocent , and the other strong Poyson ; but tho all are not to be esteemed Alkalies , that turn Syrop of Violets Green , yet it is certain , a great many will ; and I have therefore in Answer to his Book of the Gout , granted , That allowing the Doctrine of Acids and Alkalies to be true ( which is by no means ) his Experiment was good , and upon those Grounds I shewed also , that the Experiment is very strong proof against what he builds upon it ; I shall also here upon the same terms grant , that this Spirit is an Alkaly , and also shew , that tho' it be allowed to be so , it will prove against him , viz. that Acids are the Causes of Distempers : In order to which I shall further take notice , that Page 23. He says , In examining the foregoing Experiments , it plainly appears , that the Blood of People labouring under the Distempers there mentioned , does afford a much greater Quantity than that of the Healthy Person . But this , I say , proves , that there is a great deal more Acids in the Blood of those Distempered People , and does not at all prove , that there is more Alkalies ; for the Blood of Healthful People hath as much Alkalies in it , as distempered Blood , as I have shewed in answer to his Introduction , in his Treatise of the Gout ; and the difference of the Blood and Serum in respect of the Distemper , is only this , that the distempered Mass abounds more plentifully with Acids , by which means it is more viscous and soapy , and is subject to those Coagulations , that healthful Peoples Blood is free from : And this being already proved , the reason why distempered Blood yields more of that Spirit , than healthful Blood , is very plain , from that Observation I , in another part of my Answer to that Book , have laid down : For I there observ'd , common Distillers , who draw Inflamable Spirits from Wort , take notice that before it is sowre , and degenerated into an acid Liquor , it yields less Spirit than after it hath acquired that acidity ; those acid Particles being a more compact Subject for the Fire to work upon ; and as that Wort yields more Spirit , the more it degenerates from its Sweetness to an acid State ; so the sweet Mass of Blood , the more it is impregnated with those Acids , that cause it to coagulate ; the more it yields of that Spirit ; the Volatile Parts of the Blood being made sharper by the Union of those more compact pointed Particles , and also being more plentifully yoked together and kept from flying away , by which means greater Quantities of that Alkaly is raised by the Fire , and carried off by Distillation .

All that is contained further in favour of his Hypothesis , from Pag. 24. to Pag. 29. is , That the Fire produces no new Substances , which were not existent in Bodies before , and if any one will demonstrate such a thing without Fallacy , he will own himself his humble Servant . How far he will be my humble Servant , I value not , I would only desire him to be humble where he hath reason , and then he would , like an honest Man , follow his Trade again ; for he cannot long make People believe that giving two or three Medicines without Reason or Judgment , is cutting off Hydra's Heads , or performing any such Exploits ; and if he does not draw in his Horns in a little time , he may expect , that Ingenious Gentlemen will be undeceiv'd , and laugh at his Knight-Errantry ; but if he hath a mind to be my humble Servant , I shall demonstrate it to him from his own Words , that new Substances are produced , which were not existent before , not only by Fire , but without it . For Page 12. He says , That Bodies of very different Natures may and do receive Nutrition , and increase from one and the same Substance , which in it self seems to be simple and homogeneous : And this is what he had learned from Mr. Boyle ; and that not only the Honourable Mr. Boyle , but all Philosophers of any Note , have agreed , That tho Fire cannot create a new Substance , yet by Fire the Form of Matter may be so changed and modifyed anew , as to produce a new Substance out of any Body , which in respect of its Form is a new Body different from all others , and not existing in that Body from whence it was drawn ; and I appeal to all those Gentlemen he hath so oft appeal'd to , whether those Substances , which he draws from Blood , by analizing it , be not different in colour and taste from Blood it self , from whence it is drawn .

All that is further contained in what he says from Page 27. to Page 32. is , That the Inferences he draws from the Serum of the Blood turning Syrop of Violets Green , prove the Blood to abound with Alkalies ; and to shew that two or three , besides himself , have used the same Experiment to as little purpose as he hath done . How far that Experiment pleads against him , I have already sufficiently shewn in the beginning of his Treatise of the Gout , so that there is no need I shou'd repeat it again so oft : And as for what he says of Dr. Fran. Andre of Caen. and Swalve , the same Answer I gave to him , will be an Answer to them ; so that all the Service these two Doctors will do Mr. Colbatch , is to shew that the Experiment he there laid down was none of his own , he only having borrowed it from another Man , as much mistaken as himself in this Point .

Page 34 , 35. He says , That the Blood of sick People , in all or most Distempers , doth abound with such Particles , more than that of those that are in a State of Health ; and if you take an equal proportion of the Serum of the Blood of a Healthy Person , and that of a Person in a Fever , Pleurisie , &c. and pour them into equal quantities of Syrop of Violets of the same Strength , you will find that whereon the sick Person 's was poured , will be much greener than the other ; and if you commit the Blood of a distempered and a healthful Person to Distillation , the former will yield more Alkaly . How distempered Blood comes to yield more Spirit , I have already shewed , viz. because there is more acid to inviscate and embody the Spirit , and how in some Cases , as the Gout , &c. the Serum of the Blood comes to turn Syrop of Violets greener , notwithstanding the Distemper proceeds from Acids , I shall here briefly explain ; and to make it more intelligible , we are to consider , what State the Mass of Blood of a distempered Person is in , taken collectively , and with respect to the whole , and how it differs from healthful Blood ; and here we may remember , that I observed before , that the Essential Difference betwixt healthful Blood , and distempered , was that Viscidity observable in the whole Mass of Humors ; from whence it appeared , that this Experiment had no power in trying the different degrees of its Viscidity , but only shewed the difference betwixt the thin Serum , which our Author says , turns Syrop of Violets greener , when distemper'd ; and as I there shewed of what little force his Experiment was , except against himself , I shall now shew , that tho it turns Syrop of Violets greener than healthful Peoples Blood , it is of no use to him ; for we are to observe , that whereever there are fiery acid Salts in a State of Fluidity in the Blood , these meeting with the Spirits at the Extremities of the Vessels , where the Blood and Spirits are mixed together , cause a preternatural Ferment , by which means the Volatile , and most Spirituous parts , are put into a more brisk and violent motion , than what is consistent with the Natural Temper of the Blood ; and thus accidentally being put into motion , too much exagitate the Mass of Blood , by which means it's volatile parts are dissolved ; and as the Learned Dr. Willis expresses it , carried forth into a State of Fluidity or Exaltation , the distempered Matter being partly or wholly thrown off into some Part or the Habit of the Body ; but the coagulated distempered Matter , is not only thrown off by this preternatural Ferment , seperating it from the purer Mass , and leaving it in these Parts ; but the Serum of the Blood is also , by that means , more plentifully impregnated with those Spirituous Particles , which turn Syrop of Violets green : From whence it appears , that tho the Viscidity which causes the coagulated Serum to obstruct , proceeds from Acids ; yet the volatile parts of the Blood being thus accidentally exalted by fermenting with more Spirituous Acids , accidentally cause the Serum of the Blood of such Persons , to turn Syrop of Violets greener than that of healthful People does .

But perhaps Mr. Colbatch may have it put into his Head , That if the Cause of the Distemper should proceed from Acids ; the Alkalies thus exalted , would correct those Acids , and cure the Distemper without Medicines : To this I should answer , that it would , and does so ; which is the reason so many of those Distempers go off without the Assistance of Physick , that acid coagulated Humour being at the last digested , and by destroying the Acids , reduced to a State of Tenuity , and as in a Pleurisie , &c. the Mass of Blood is apparently more clammy than healthful Blood ; so it is observed , that when that acid that causes it thus to coagulate , is conquered , it again becomes thin , and tho alkalious , yet healthful , that Viscidity being taken off , which caused the Distemper , as in the Gout , Rheumatism , &c. But if the quantity of acid be so much , that the volatile Parts of the Blood thus exalted , cannot over-power it , then that is never conquered without the assistance of Medicines which correct and carry off the Acidities of the Blood . But to proceed ;

Page 36. He says , If there were not a Principle of Death within us , how is it possible for a Man one Hour to be in a good State of Health , and the very next to be expiring ? What Mr. Colbatch means by a Principle of Death , no Body on this side the Grave can well tell ; for amongst all the Philosophy I have yet read , I never heard of such a Principle ; but Poor Man he writes like one that groped in the Dark ; and since all along throughout his Books he hath been in it , we must not think strange that he is so now .

From Page 37 ▪ to Page 42 , He makes a long Speech , in which all that is contained , is , That all the Alkalies in the Blood , are Excrement , and are in the way to be carried off , but being hindred by Obstructions , or by taking cold , and so preventing these Excrements from being carried off . What Excrements are Alkalies , according to his Notions , and what are not , or whether any are , I shall not now determine ; but granting that they all were Alkalies , I shall shew that those Distempers are caused by Acids ; for we must take notice , that as long as this alkalizated Serum is carried off , so long our Bodies are healthful , and free from Distempers ; but as soon as this Alkaly is hindred from going off , then our Bodies are distempered ; from whence it appears , that whatever hinders that Alkaly from going off , is the Cause of those Distempers ; which , he says , are either Obstructions , or taking Cold. As to the first , viz. Obstructions : Whatever causes Obstructions , must hinder the Excrements from going off that way ; and that Alkalies cannot cause those Obstructions , is plain , because all that goes off that way in a Natural State , according to him , is Alkaly , and yet does not obstruct ; so that all Substances ( if what he says were true ) being either Alkalies or Acids , from the first to the last it appears , that Acids must cause those Obstructions which cause the Distemper , and that Acids will thicken and coagulate is plain from his own Words ; and also because taking Cold occasions such Obstructions as prevent the Alkaly from going off , which taking Cold can no otherwise do , but by the Acid Nitre of the Air coagulating and obstructing those Humours : So that granting the Excrements to be Alkalies , all Distempers must proceed from Acids coagulating those Alkalies . And Mr. John Colbatch hath Vindicated his Hypothesis prettily ; here we may see what a penetrating Judgment he has , and what vast short Foresight ; And is not this a fit Man to have Peoples Lives intrusted in his Hands ? How must he give Medicines with any certainty as to the Event , who speaks thus without understanding the Consequence of his Words ?

Page 42. He says , All Alkalies that I know off , will presently cause Rottenness and Putrefaction in Animal Substances , as may be seen in making of Glovers Leather , an Instance of which I have given in my Tract of the Gout , &c. This truly is very ingeniously done , who would ever have thought he could have kept any thing in his Head so long , who throughout his Book hath been so forgetful ; but to speak the Truth , he hath reason to remember his Philosophical Companion , who furnish'd him with such a neat Phrase as through-stitch in the beginning of his Book , and communicated to him also that Wonderful Observation of the Skins of Animals ; but why will all Alkalies presently cause Rottenness , and we who are so full of Alkalies live a great many Years , and are no more Rotten than himself ? But in his Preface to the Gout , he hath observed , that when we Die , our Flesh presently rots ; but what advantage is that to him ? It only shews , that in a Natural State , our Bodies ought to have more Alkalies in them than Acids , and consequently if Alkalies Naturally abound in our Bodies , Acids must be most prejudicial which are quite contrary to the Natural , Constitution of our Blood .

From Page 43 to Page 64 , all he says being an Attempt to prove , that Life is a Flame and also what supplies it , I having already in a late Treatise Of the Heat of the Blood , and of the Use of the Lungs , made it appear , in Answer to Dr. Willis his Opinion ( of which his seems to be but scraps ) that there is no such Thing as Flame in the Blood , I shall not here repeat , that but refer him and the Reader to that Book for an Answer , and shall here proceed to consider what he further asserts in favour of Acids , all that is contained in those Pages being already answered .

From Page 64 to Page 89 , his Book is filled up with nothing but an Answer to some Objections raised by Mr. Tuthil , but as there is nothing Material either in the Objections or the Answers to them , they being inconsiderable and simple I shall pass them by , and leave them two like Children to squabble it out , since in such Nonsense it is no great matter which overcomes .

Page 90 , Mr. Colbatch says , But supposing Acids to be the most proper Medicines in the World to ease Pain , as I believe they are , yet it is not improbable but upon giving a small Quantity of Acids in such Cases , where there is a large Quantity of Alkaly lodged up in any Part , so as to cause Pain , it may only in Part dissolve the Alkaly , which was more fixed , and so by continuing the Use of the Acid , the Alkaly would be perfectly dissolved and extirpated , and so the Pain would altogether vanish : But Pain being sometimes exasperated , upon the first giving them in too small Quantities , has , I doubt not , been one great Cause of deterring People from proceeding in the Use of them . What stronger Proof could be brought by any one against Mr. John Colbatch then what Mr. John Colbatch brings : For this confirms what I said against the Use of Acids in the Gout , where I proved that those Acid Medicines , in the first Case he mentions did so exasperate the Pain as to make it the most terrible Fit he ever saw , and now he himself confesses , that Acids do really cause the Pain in the Gout to be more sharp ; but then he says , the Acids only cause pain by dissolving the Alkaly , but that the Acids do not cause Pain by dissolving the Alkalies is plain , because Acids according to what he said in his Essay of Alkalies and Acids , will not dissolve but confirm the Texture of those Coagulated Acids ; for he there says in his Chapter of the Gout , that by drinking much Wine , the Alkalies of the Blood Coagulating those Acids , the Matter of the Gout is increased ; from whence as I before observed it follows that when his Acids come to the Part affected and there mix with those Alkalies , the Alkalious will according to him Coagulate the Acid , and consequently instead of dissolving will increase the Obstruction , and that Acids are thus pernicious , is also proved from what the Philosophical Glover Mr. Yardly communicated to him ; for if Acids hardned the Skins that were softned by Alkalies , it therefore follows that Acids will also hearden that coagulated Matter , and that consequently Alkalies are proper Medicines to dissolve it .

Thus I have gone over all that is Material relating to a further Assertion of the Use of Acids , and have shewed that all he said is false and so far from being a further Assertion of what he hath said before , that it is but a Repetition of what he said before in his other Books , and now I have gone over all his Books I cannot but reflect and think , that I have spent a whole Month in such intollerable Absurdities as his Books are made up with , and could almost condemn my self for spending so much time upon such stuff , were it not to undeceive that Part of the World that is imposed on by so Grand an Emperick , a Man ignorant and unlearned in Knowledge , dangerous and erroneous in Practice , and now can any ingenious Gentlemen reflect on these grand Mistakes , notorious Blunders that his Books are filled with , together with his Insolence and rude insulting Behaviour , daring to cast Aspersions on the whole Learned World , I say can they reflect on these things and not think him very Vain and Impudent ? What Usage must this Man deserve ? Who reproaches all Physicians upon such false Grounds , when there is such evident Proof that he is miserably Mistaken , what Punishment great enough and what Scorn and Contempt equal to his Demerits ?

But if Gentlemen love to be imposed upon , if they had rather retire into another World and are fatigued with this ; I shall not envy them , in their choice of such a Physician , but pity their hard Fortune , nay if they must needs admire him , I desire they may , as they value another World , before this ; and let them consider what I have said , and if they can pardon such Absurdities , if they can extenuate his Ignorance and dull Faults , if they can look over so dark a Character as his , and be pleased with it , and think well of such a Man , may they ever admire him till they find the fatal Consequences of such Absurd Practice .

A VINDICATION OF Dr. FRY of Oxford , In a late CASE OF Edmund Turner Esquire , &c.

I Shall to close up this Book last of all proceed to a Vindication of that Learned Dr. Fry , against the unreasonable Proceedings of Mr. Colbatch , and shall shew that in the case that they were concerned in , Dr. Fry proceeded like a rational judicious Man , and Mr. Colbatch like a mad Man without Consideration , Reason , or Moderation , and here I shall not wholly transcribe all the Passages he here relates , wherein it appears , that he who is made up of nothing but Ignorance and Conceit , was Insolent and Sausy towards a Man of no less Learning and Judgment than Dr. Fry ; but I shall draw the Matter in as little Compass as I can , and shall only take notice , tho' Mr. Colbatch here hath the liberty to state the Case according to his own Mind , true or false , as it will best serve his turn , yet it will be nothing at all to his Credit but expose his weakness and Infirmities . The Case as he states it was thus .

On Saturday night Mr. Turner with two other Gentlemen sate down to Drink and continued at it , till seven or eight next Morning — at which time they all went to bed , the other two Gentlemen lay in Bed the whole Day , and eat nothing but Watergrewel ; but Mr. Turner in the Afternoon got up and eat boiled Mutton , with a great deal of strong Broth and Mushrooms in it , and drank plentifully both of Wine and prodigious strong Beer , and then went to bed again and presently fell a Sleep , but early next Morning , he awaked in the most dreadful condition imaginable . When I came to him , his Circumstance were as follow ;

He had a violent Pleurisy and Peripneumony upon him , a most sharp Pain in his left side and a prodigious shortness of Breath , he also complained of a wonderful Nausea , and Sickness of his Stomach , and had a Fever upon him , &c.

This was Mr. Turners Case as Mr. Colbatch states it , and likely it might be true , but how Madam Turner and her Relations will dispence with Mr. Colbatch his Publishing , that Mr. Turner killed himself with Drinking I know not ; but if she 's pleased with it , with all my Heart . My Design being only to shew , how like a Rational Physician Dr. Fry acted , and how absurdly Mr. Colbatch prescribed , I shall briefly take notice of the Cause of this Distemper , that it may more clearly appear whether of them was in the right .

The Distemper then was a Pleurisy joyned with a Peripneumony and Nausea at his Stomach , now it being observed , that in all Pleuritick Blood , the Mass of Blood abounds with sizy clammy Serum , and that the Blood it self is also too thick , it is plain , that the Obstructions in the Pleurisy must proceed from that Viscid Matter , and consequently from a mixture of Acids which caused that Blood to Coagulate , which I have sufficiently made evident in Opposition to him throughout his Books , it being also observed that in all Peripneumonies , the Lungs are inflam'd , and it being most certain that those Inflammations proceed from hot fiery Particles , which circulate through that Part. And Lastly , that all Nausea in Surfeits proceed from something that lyes upon the Stomack , and affects it Preternaturally , we have Reason to believe , and that his Fever and Inflammation proceeded from those hot Liquors he had Drank , and that the Obstructions of Pleura was caused by that Mutton which he eat ; for his Stomach being surfeited with Drink and unfit to digest what he eat , and those Crudities being carried along with those Liquors into the Capillary Vessels of the Pleura , would undoubtedly be subject to Obstruct there , and were , together with the Liquors he drank , the Cause of his Distemper , and as for his Nausea it is a common Symptom after a Surfeit .

Thus I have briefly taken a view of the cause of this Distemper and shall now with all the Brevity , the Case will admit of , proceed to consider whether of them took the true Method to remove these Symptoms , and for that end I shall take a View of the Medicines prescribed by each . And First , I shall shew how Rationally and Judiciously Dr. Fry ordered Mr. Turner , which Method , had it been continued , might undoubtedly have saved his Life . The Medicines prescribed by Dr. Fry were according to Mr. Colbatch his Account as follow ;

For Mr. Turner August 31. 1697.

℞ . Ol. sem. lin. rec . ( sine igne ) extract . lib. semis .

℞ . Syr. Balsam ▪ Tolut . unc . quatuor .

What more Rational could any Physician have prescribed , than by Balsmatick Medicines to heal the Stomach and Lungs , and to guard them from the sharpness of those Liquors , but Mr. Colbatch was afraid the Oyl would increase the Nausea at the Stomach , but what a groundless Fear was that ; for nothing is more common than for common Drunkards after a Surfeit to drink great Quantities of Oyl to heal their Stomachs , and that Balsamicks are proper when the Lungs are so affected , is found by Experience , nothing being more common than to take Balsams for to heal the Lungs , and to correct those humours that inflame them , so that so far Dr. Fry proceeded according to Reason and Experience , the next Prescriptions were ;

℞ . Antimon . Diaphoret . Corall . Rub. pp. Margarit . pp ▪ ana Drach . duas . m. f. pulv . in Chart. 12. aeq . reponend .

℞ . Aq. Hyssop . cichorei . an unc . sex . Limacum . Mag. Lumbricor . Mag. an . Unc. unam sem. Cinnam . hord Unc. unam . syr. Capill . ven. Violar . an . Drach . sex . m. f. Julap .

℞ . Emp. de Cicut . cum Ammon . uncias duas .

℞ . Sem. Cum. Pulv. Unc. sem.

But for what end Mr. Colbatch hath set down those Medicines is plain , viz. for the honour and credit of Dr. Fry , for considering the cause of Mr. Turner's Distemper , viz. that it proceeded from hot Liquors inflaming his Lungs and crude raw Chyle obstructing his Pleura , what more Rational Method could be taken than by Coral and Pearl , prepared to attenuate and dissolve that crude indigested Matter , which obstructed the Pleura , and at the same time by Diaphoretick Antimony to carry off those hot Liquors by a moderate Sweat ; for as long as they remained in the Mass of Blood , the Inflammation could never be taken off , the Cause remaining in it . But Dr. Fry not only prudently gave these Medicines to attenuate the Coagulated Matter , and to carry those hot Liquors out off the Mass of Blood , by a moderate Sweat ; but at the same time gave the aforementioned Balsamicks to heal the Lungs in the mean time , and to abate the Inflammation of the Pleura .

And that those might be the more serviceable to Mr. Turner , Dr. Fry , along with the Powder gave also the Julep , which is made up of extraordinary good Pectoral Medicines : The Hysop and Succory Water , together with the Syrup , contributing to heal his Stomach and Lungs , and the Aq. Limac. and Lumbricor . Mag. help to dissolve that Matter which caused his Pain , and also to carry off Part of his Distemper , if possibly it might , by Urin , and again , that nothing might be wanting , that could relieve Mr. Turner , Dr. Fry also used outward Applications , applying Empl. de Cicut . cum Ammon . to dissolve that Matter that obstructed the Pleura , that it might be carried off with less difficulty .

And now what Fault can be found with this , since there was all the Reason that can be expected to make one hope for Success , from Good Medicines judiciously prescribed ? And what were the Effects ? Mr. Colbatch himself truly confesses ; when he came to him , the Pain in his side was gone , and that he sweat prodigiously , with a shortness of Breath ; little Reason then had they to discharge Dr. Fry , and Mr. Turner deservedly fell a Victim to Ignorance and Mr. Colbatch ; for had he been continued under the Care of Dr. Fry undoubtedly he was in a fair way of Recovery ; for the Pain in his side being taken away , was a good sign that Dr. Fry's outward Application together with the Medicines he gave inwardly had all the success could be hoped for , and now all that was to be done was to carry off those hot Liquors that he had drunk , which were discharged by Sweat , and had Dr. Fry been there who had Judgment and Skill to manage him , without Question , after that Sweat , the Matter of his Distemper being carried off , his Peripneumony with his shortness of Breath would have gone off , and as for his Pulse it would have easily been raised by a moderate Cordial .

But for as much as I can guess by the Account that Mr. Colbatch himself gives , all the Reason that Dr. Fry was discharged was because Mr. Turner was so weak with Sweating ; but that was a Reason too small to part with a Physician that had his Expectation so far in the removing of his Pleurisy . For what is more common than for an Healthful Person , if he takes a Sweat to almost faint under it , if it be violent , yet after that Sweat is over they presently recover and find themselves better in a short time , and weakness in Mr. Turner's Case was nothing but what might be expected in two such severe Distempers .

But one that would be cured in two Days , would not have Patience to stay three , and therefore Mr. Colbatch was in all hast sent for to be his Physitian .

Accordingly Mr. Colbatch came and finding Nature throw off the distemper'd Humor by Sweat , he presently pour'd in Acid Medicines , and was not content with this but presently ordered him to be laid in clean Linen , by which means he endeavoured all he could to stop that Sweating , so that the distempered . Humor that ought to be carried off , was in great measure prevented , which oppressing Nature with it's Quantity , Mr. Turner from that time by degrees began to yield to the Distemper , and submit himself Mr. Colbatch's Victim .

But that it may more plainly appear , that Mr. Turner's Death might rationally be laid to his Charge , let us consider how Mr. Colbatch his Acid inwardly , and his exposing his Body outwardly , would influence him , and first it is plain , that let them be never so cautious , when his Body was in such a Sweat , and all his Pores open , the Circumambient Air must needs affect it , and a great many of it's Nitrous Particles , getting into the Pores of his Body ( for as Mr. Colbatch with his Spectacles perceived in his Treatise of the Gout , the Skin hath Receptory Pores ) must needs thicken and coagulate the Serum of his Blood , which in that Temper was capable of receiving the least Impression from without . Now the Serum of the Blood being thus impregnated with Nitre , and at the same time his Spirits being fixed and depressed by an internal Use of Acids , and withal the Distempered Humor by that means kept in his Body : Death was all that could be expected from such barbarous Usage ; but that Mr. Colbatch may be condemned by his own Words , I shall here to close up this Chapter , bring his Words to witness against him , which prove , that his giving of Acids inwardly , and his exposing him to the Ambient Air in such a condition was enough to kill , had he been in a better Condition then he was ; for P. 39 of this Treatise he says , Sweat is an Alkalious Excrement and Page 37. All the Alkalies that there is to be found in the Blood , is most certain an Excrement , and in a way of being carried off by some of the Emuctories , and if any one of the Emuctories be stop'd , that this Excrementitious Alkaly hath not room to pass out by them , then there is a Distemper of some kind or other caused , the Blood being over Charged with this Excrementitious Matter . How many Distempers are occasioned by what we call taking cold , which is nothing else but a Constipation of the Pores . And now from these Words it appears that whatever keeps this Excrement from going off causes a Distemper , I having therefore from those Words in the beginning of his Book shewed , that Acids by Coagulating keeps it from going off , it must needs follow Mr. Colbatch by this Usage stoping that Sweat , hindred this Excrement from going off , and caused some Distemper , which joyning with his other Distempers , which he was scarce able to bear before , so overcharged and oppressed Nature that the Poor Gentleman was forced to dye for it .

Thus I have briefly taken a View of Mr. Turner's Case , wherein I have shewed the reasonable Proceedings of Dr. Fry , and the most absurd and fatal Consequences of Mr. Colbatch his Acids , I shall now leave Mr. Colbatch to value himself over his Nonsence , and like a Dung-hill Cock to strut over his Rubbish , he hath Reason to be proud without Question , when he can perform such Exploits as these in the midst of his Knight-Errantry without Controul .

AN EXAMINATION OF Mr. John Colbatch HIS RELATION OF THE CURE Of a Person Bitten by a VIPER , &c.

Wherein it is proved , That he neither Understands the Nature of those Medicines he applied , nor the Cause of the Distemper .

LONDON , Printed in the Year 1699.

AN EXAMINATION OF Mr. John Colbatch HIS RELATION OF THE Cure of a Person Bitten by a Viper , &c.

WHilst the former Sheets were in the Press , Mr. Colbatch having published another Specimen of his Ignorance , I shall in the next place proceed to an Examination of it ; and tho' one would think , what he has said was sufficient to make the World cautious , yet I shall not think it too much trouble , to undeceive it a little further ; and to shew , that the Person whom he pretends to have cured by Acids , was by no means cured by Acids , but such Medicines as are generally used to correct Acids , and sharp corroding Salts .

Which that I may do with all possible Brevity , I shall take the substance of what he says ; passing by all those unnecessary Tales which have no Relation to the Cure : For his Book from the beginning to Page the 6th is filled up with an Account , how foolishly the Man came to be bit with the Viper , and how inconsiderately he was hurried about the Town afterwards , which being nothing to the purpose , I shall pass to his Method of Cure .

And here , First , it will be necessary to consider , wherein consists the Poyson of that Creature , and then we shall be better able to determine what were his Proceedings in the Cure of it .

And because I don 't only write to satisfie the Publick , who are not competent Judges ; but also to undeceive Mr. Colbatch himself , I shall here confute what he hath said , by his own Words , we are therefore to believe , that all Bodies , from which can be drawn by Chymical Analization , a Volatile Oyl , are Acids , it appearing from his Appendix of Acids and Alkalies , that all Oleaginous Bodies are Acids ; now if Mr. Colbatch will believe himself , he must disbelieve himself also ; for from what he says Page 12 , viz. he affirming , that the Poyson of Vipers is not Acid , he denys what he said in his Appendix , where it is by his own Words pronounced an Acid , because it contains an Oleaginous Substance ; but well may Mr. Colbatch go on to contradict himself , who hath so often done it before ; for from his Writings it is plain , that the longer he writes , the worse he manages what he pretends to .

But I shall not here urge , that the Poyson of Vipers is an Acid , from what he says in his Appendix ; having in answer to that , made it appear , that what he there says is false .

But we have great Reason to believe that the Poyson of Vipers , is an Acid corroding saline Humor , since in respect of the Blood , it causes for the most Part , the same Symptoms with Mercurius Sublimat . which I have there proved to be an Acid ; for by that subtile corrosive Salt , with which it abounds ; it corrodes and corrupts the Mass of Blood , and by that Sulphureous Oyl , which is mixed with it at the same time , raises a Preternatural Ferment ; those Parts fermenting preternaturally with each other ; and that it is an Acid , is further evident : Because it hath the same Effects which Acids generally have ; for as it is commonly known , that all Acids as Spirit of Vitriol , Alum , &c. dispose the Mass of Blood to Coagulation , and that when the Stomach abounds with Acids , as in Childrens Stomachs it curdles , so does this Poyson curdle the Blood .

Page 14 ▪ He Instances Lemery's Concessions to prove it an Alkaly ; but we have so much Reason to believe , that it is an Acid , that except Lemery , or Mr. Colbatch prove it , and disprove what I have said , we deny what he so willingly grants . But ,

Page 16 , Mr. Colbatch says , Hoffman ridicules Charras for afferting , that it is an Acid ; for says he , if it were so , how could the Juice of Citrons ( which is an Acid ) afford the Patient any Relief . But if this be all the Reason that Hoffman , or Mr. Colbatch have to ridicule Charras ; I am afraid they have very sorry grounds for it ; for it may very easily be understood , how a Volatile Salt , tho' Acid , may be corrected by a crude Acid , for Volatile Salts consist of Parts so minutely rarified , that they are easily dissolved , and put into so brisk a Ferment , as to penetrate and corrupt the whole Mass in a small time ; whereas fixed crude Acids , whose Parts are unapt for Motion , are not so easily dissolved , but mixed with those more fierce volatile Salts , take off their force , and dull the Edges of them , and stop their Motion by lying in their way , and from hence appears the Reason why Elixir Vitrioli , abated the Symptoms , for the present , which he mentions Page 6 , not because that Elixir expelled the Morbifick Matter , but yoked up the more Volatile Parts of the Poyson , for a while .

But to prove more fully , that the force of this Poyson depends on a corroding Acid Salt , let us consider the Method of Cure , where he gives . Fol. Rutae . Rad. Angelic . Hyspan . & Rad. Serpenter . Virginens . in great Quantities . Now if we look into Sennertus , the Medicines which are there are of the same Nature with these , which are all used to expel Poyson , and to correct Acidities , which coagulate and thicken the Mass of Blood ; yet these Medicines Mr. Colbatch must needs call Acids ; but from hence it appears , that they are so far from being Acids , that they are indeed quite opposite , and although , as I have often taken notice , Mr. Colbatch takes the Liberty to change the Names of Things , and calls them what he pleases , yet he might with equal Reason call Sower , Bitter , as Bitter Acid ; but since it is evident from the Taste of these Medicines that they are by no means Acids , and from the Books of Learned Men , that they are used amongst those Antidotes , which expel Poyson and correct Acids , it consequently follows , that they cannot be Acids themselves , but we have Reason to believe the Poyson is Acid , because these which are of a contrary Nature to Acids expel it .

But Mr. Colbatch will say , that tho' these be not Acids , yet since he gave Acids along with them , it could not have been cured without those , but we are rather thence to understand , how sorrily Mr. Colbatch understands the Practical Part of Physick ; who gives one Medicine to expel , and another to to hinder it's Explusion , and that Acid would hinder , and not promote the Expulsion of the Poyson is plain , from Mr. Colbatch his Method , which he took with Esquire Turner ; for there to the Gentlemans great Disadvantage , he acknowledges , that the design of his giving Acids was to stop Sweating , and to keep the Distempered Matter from going off by Transpiration , and if Acids there would stop Transpiration , and hinder the Distemper'd Matter from going off ; by the same Rule also , it would hinder the Poyson from being expelled ; and it must needs contribute much to the Honour of the Ingenious Mr. Colbatch , that he gives one thing to expel Poyson , and at the same time another thing to prevent the good Effects of that ; Contradiction is one of his greatest Qualifications , and therefore he ought to be looked upon for it , withal the Respect due to such Merits .

And Mr. Stringer may thank God , that he had such a Prudent Man as Dr. Slone along with him , who knew how to manage so Dogmatical an Impostor , as Mr. Colbatch ; for had there not been enough of Virginian Snake Weed , to overpower the Acids , and to expel the Poyson , it would have soon return'd with it's full Force , the Acid only being able to check it , and keep it under for a while , and by no means to prevent it's ill Effects , for the future ; for as it is an old Maxim so it is as true .

Sincerum nisi Vas quicquid infundis acescit .

And thus much may serve in Answer to what Mr. Colbatch says concerning a Viper ; for tho' he hath troubled himself to tell a Parcel of idle Tales , which are so much unfit to appear in Print , that they ought not to be mentioned even in Conversation , yet I shall not think it necessary to take notice of them , all that he says in relation to the Cure of the Viper being contained in three Leaves .

An EXAMINATION of what Mr. Colbatch says further in Vindication of his Hypothesis .

HAving already proved , that what he says concerning the Cure of the Person bit by a Viper , so far from being any thing to his Credit , that it only shews his Ignorance , I shall now proceed to examin what he says further , in favour , of his Hypothesis .

And having before in my Examination of his last Book , given my real Sentiments of this Controversy betwixt Mr. Tuthil and Mr. Colbatch , viz. That they are both out of the way , and are so far mistaken , that neither of them says any thing to the purpose , I shall not enlarge here , but shall only take Notice of what Mr. Colbatch hath said further in favour of his Absurdities ; and shall pass by all those impertinent and frivolous Stories , which are rather a Scandal to Physick , than themselves , because any Body that hath Judgment , and reads their Nonsence , are certified nothing better can be expected from them .

Yet notwithstanding their Ignorance , they compliment one another very prittily , and Mr. Colbatch declares his design in so doing , is , only to shew his respect to one , that he hopes can do him no service in convincing him .

But to examin what relates to his Absurdities concerning Acids and Alkalies Page 25 ▪ He says ; In very many Consumptive Cases , it is usual for the Patient to spit up perfect Chalk , and that in great quantities : Now if the Blood were overcharged with Acids in Consumptions , the whole mass passing so frequently through the Lungs , could not fail of being sweetned by the Chalky Alkaly . How absurd it is to call tough Phlegm , Chalk , will be so evident to any one that mispends their time in reading his Book , that it would be unnecessary to say any more concerning it : and that , tho' it were an Alkaly , it would not at all contribute to sweeten the Blood , will appear from what I have already said , when he asserted the same Absurdity , about that Coagulated Matter which makes up the Nodes in the Gout , viz. that it lies out of the way of Circulation , or if it did not , it could absorb Acids no longer , when once it's Pores were filled , which would be in a Moment ; but it is evident , that it is so far from being an Alkaly , that it is only crude Serum too much thickned by Acids , and hardned into Phlegm , the Watery Parts being evaporated by Heat . And that it is the Nature of Acids to thicken such Humors hath sufficiently appeared from what I have said , and from himself in Mr. Turner's Case , where he gives Acids , which thickning the Serum of the Blood made it incapable of going off by Transpiration .

Page 27 ▪ He says ; The Phosporus is a true Animal fire , and is to be extracted from all Animal substances ; and if it did not exist in them , how is it possible , for it to be extracted from them . To this one that does not understand Physick may answer , as possible as for a Cart Wheel to be made of a Tree , which People don't therefore conclude existent in the Tree in the Form of a Wheell ; but this is an Instance which a Coach-Maker may give against his Book , and therefore I shall give him a Philosophical One , and shall leave him to consider , whether there be fire in a green and growing Tree , and if it be , how comes it not to shew it self , when we are certain most of it's Substance may be turned into Fire .

Page 31 ▪ He says , I do still affirm that Fevers in general do proceed from a Constipation of the Emunctories . And this Affirmation is very little to his purpose , for since he elsewhere says , that all the Excrements of our Bodies are Alkalies , Alkalies cannot hinder their Evacuations , but only Acids , which by contracting the Pores of those Emunctories , and withal thickning the Serum , make it unfit to be carried off .

Page 34 ▪ He says , By the way I beg of you that you will not rank the Rad. Serpentariae with the Pulv. è chelis and Spr. CC. for the Rad. Serpentariae belongs to me . Truly Mr. Colbatch does well to claim his Priviledges , but there is no other Reason why it should not be classed with Pulv. è chelis , but this , that it corrects Acids abundantly more powerfully , and if that which evidently tastes Bitter and destroys Acids can be an Acid , then Acid is Bitter , and Black is White , but till Mr. Colbatch can prove that , Rad. Serpentariae will be no Acid.

Page 35 ▪ He says , I do boldly assert , that in no Fever that ever I have yet met with , let them be either Benign or Malign , have I ever yet observed , that the Patient hath been in the least Sensible of any Acidity in the Stomach or Mouth . But notwithstanding Acidity is not perceivable in the Mouth , yet it is probable and true , that Acidity is the occasion of the foulness perceived there , by making it too thick and clammy to go off , by other proper Passages , and Mr. Colbatch so far is Block-head-like in the Right of it ; for sometimes they have a clammy bitter Taste in their Mouths , but yet according to his own Confessions , Acids are the Cause of that Bitter Taste ; for he says Acids are Bitter , Namely , Rad. Serpentariae . Again if Acids are Bitter , perhaps he will say Choler is an Acid , and no doubt , but if it were for his purpose , he would say so , had he not elsewhere called it an Alkaly . But that it may be more evident , that Acidity is the Cause of all those ill Tastes , which Feverish People have , we are to remember , that he often asserts , that all the Excrements of our Body are Alkalies , and if so , Acidity is the Cause of those ill Tastes in the Mouth , because they alone , according to the Doctrin of Acids and Alkalies , can hinder these Alkalies from going off by their proper Emunctories , which I have sufficiently proved before , and therefore need not say any more here .

Page 41. First He says ; The Life of Man is Flame , &c. And Page 42 he asks , If Fire is not actually existent in Animal Bodies , how is it possible it should be extracted from them ? As for the first of these I have Answered it sufficiently in my Treatise of the Heat of the Blood , and therefore I shall refer the Reader to that for an Answer , it being not necessary to transcribe all that I have there said in Answer to Dr. Willis his Opinion .

All that he further says from Page 42 to 54 , is to assert , that there is Flame in the Blood , and that there is no Fermentation . But it being only Dr. Willis his Opinion , I shall also refer the Reader for an Answer there , and I wonder Mr. Colbatch did not think fit to Vindicate Dr. Willis from those Objections , but the Reason I believe is , because he could not ; for when I was lately in London , he told me he had writ something to this purpose , and when I asked whether he had answered my Book , he told me he did not love to mix his Notions with other Men's , and that he would not read my Book till his was printed , which I conceive was only an Excuse , because at that time he had writ most of this Book , against Tuthill , and was willing to print it , against him , tho' at the same time he knew my Book contained a Confutation of it , all that he says coming to no more , than that the Blood grows hot by Accension and not by Fermentation ; the former of which is sufficiently confuted in my Answer to Dr. Willis , and tho' I have asserted , that the Blood grows hot by Fermentation , yet any one that reads my Book , and compares it with what he says , will see , that I don't mean by Fermentation , such a Fermentation as he here denies , but only such a Degree of Motion , of the Minute Particles of Matter , as are able to cause a Sensation of Heat upon our Sensory .

Page 44. To prove that Heat is not produced after the Cartesian Hypothesis , He says ; I can assure you I know several Fluids the more brisk they are moved , the colder they are ; as for Instance , a River is always colder in that Place where there is a quick Current , than where the Water stands still : The Air is always more or less cold , according as the Motion of it is greater or lesser , and I can assure you , I have been almost starved when forced to Travel in the high Winds in the Winter time , at which Season the Air is most full of Nitrous Particles . And again Page 50 , He says ; If the progressive Motion from the Heart to the Extremities gives it it's Heat , by the same Reason , I think the Water which runs from our Cocks should be warm also . Now from hence we way easily gather , what an extraordinary Philosopher Mr. Colbatch is , who attributes the Heat or Cold of Fluids , to a collective Motion of a whole Mass , instead of the Particles which constitute that Mass ; for he says a River is Coldest where the Current is greatest , and to this I Answer , that I , having given the Reason of Heat , in my Treatise of the Reason of the Heat of the Blood , I need not repeat it again ; but least Mr. Colbatch , when he finds it there , cannot apply it , I shall tell him , that the Reason why Wind and Water , tempestuously moved , cause Cold , is , because those Parts are more forcibly driven upon the Sensory ; and how they cause a Cold Sensation there , is plain from what I have said concerning the Vse of the Lungs , in admitting Nitre into the Blood , where I have asserted , that , tho' Nitre be in a gentle Motion it self , when Fluid in the Air , yet it is Naturally inclinable to rest , and disposes those Humors to a rest with which it is mixed ; for which reason Water freezes in the Winter ; and tho' the Water and Air in which this Nitre swims be in Motion , yet that is not such a Motion as causes Heat ; for a Sensation of Heat depends on Matter in such a degree of Motion as is a little above Nature , which preternaturally affecting us , causes Heat , and that Motion , is not a Motion of a whole Mass collectively , but a swift intestin Motion of the Parts of that Matter subtilized and rarified to a certain Degree ; from whence it appears , that tho Water and Air be in Motion , yet the Nitre which swims in them , being laid down upon the Sensory , disposes those Fluids about it to rest , by which means there being a lower degree of Motion , than is requisite to preserve a Natural Temper , we feell a contrary Sensation to Heat , and if so , the more these Nitrous Parts are forced upon our Body , the greater must be the Cold.

And as for what he says of the Progressive Motion of the Blood in the Vessels , I never heard that any ever affirmed it to be the Cause of Heat ; so that there he might have spared what he hath said against no Body ; but tho' Water in a River moved by some accidental Cause in a whole Stream , does not grow hot , yet if it be set over a Fire where it hath an Agent subtile enough to work upon it's Minute Parts , and to put them in Motion , it soon changes it's Temper .

Page 61 ▪ He says , I am very glad you own Alkalies to abound in Pleurisies and Rheumatisms and other Inflammatory Distempers . But Mr. Colbatch must not think , that all the World grants it , because Mr. Tuthill cannot defend Truth , and therefore I having proved , that all those Distempers proceed from Acids , I expect he should confute what I have said , or he gives up his Cause .

Page 64 , He says ; Now for want of a due Secretion by the Excretory Vessels , the Blood is clogged with too great a Quantity of Serum , which Serum being admitted into the Lymphatick Vessels , and being impregnated with Alkaline Particles , cannot freely pass along these Vessels by Reason of it's gelatinous Quality , &c. And again Page 65 and 66 He says ; Such are the Excretory Glands of the Skin , the Glandulae Renales , the Glands of the Liver , &c. all which seperate an Alkaly from the Blood to be thrown off by Excrement , and if by any Accident these Glands are made uncapable of performing their Office ; so that the Blood cannot be rid of it's Excrements then a Distemper of some kind or other must necessarily follow , and Page 69 , This damnable Distemper ( really a very pretty Epithite ) which although it be rately cured in a confirmed State , yet in the beginning , nay after it hath made some progress , is frequently to be done , and that as effectually by Chalybeats and Bitters , as by any sort of Medicines . But here for want of making Experiments , you say that Steel , and the Bitter Herbs are Alkalies . And again , Page 72. He says , As for Bitters I will be bound to lay a good Wager with you , that if you put a Pound of Centuary , or Wormwood into a Retort , and distill it with an easie Fire till all be come off that will , and afterwards calcine the Caput Mortuum , and extract the fixed Alkaly from the Ashes , if you don't find a much greater quantity of Acid than Alkaly , &c. And from hence he would infer , that Bitters are Acids .

But he hath rather taken an effectual way to prove the Insufficiency of Chymistry , in discovering the Principles of Bodies ; for if it will alter Bitter , and turn most of it Acid , who can be so stupified as to believe , that this discovers the Nature of Bitter ? Can Aloes be turned into Juice of Oranges , and Aloes not be destroyed ? It 's in vain to reason with such Ideots ; yet this is not all , we may throughout these Quotations see , how miserably the dull Soul forgets himself , having repeated the same things often in other Books ; and also how blindly he contradicts himself here , according to his Custom ; and how fully he confutes himself . For first , Page 64. He says , The Serum being too much impregnated with Alkaline Particles , cannot pass free through the Vessels , by reason of its Gelatinous Quality ; as if the Gelatinous Quality depended on a Mixture of Alkalies , whereas it appears from the Experiment he mentions in his Treatise of the Gout , that the whole Serum of Healthful People is Alkaline , and abounds with Alkalies , where there is no such Gelatinous Quality ; and therefore as I have often taken notice , we are to conclude , that the Gelatinous Quality depends on a mixture of too much Acid ; because , as I before said , that is said to be the Cause of an Effect , in whose Absence there is no such Distemper , but on the contrary when mixed with it .

From whence it appears , that the Reason why the Excretory Glands cannot perform their Office in evacuating Excrementitious Alkaly , as he says , Page 65 , 66 , is , because Acid is mixed with it ; and this is certain from his own Words ; for if the Excrements be Alkalies naturally , they would not obstruct , were there no Acids to coagulate them .

But let us see how coherent Mr. Colbatch is in his Thoughts . Page 69. He asserts , That the Distemper , which in a Passion he calls Damnable , if curable is to be cured by Chalybeats and Bitters , the former of which I have before proved an Alkaly , and that Bitter is not Acid , any Body knows , that can distinguish betwixt Tastes ; but if Mr. Colbatch can perswade People , that Wormwood is Acid , he may make any thing go down with them , but since Children have too nice Palates to be so deceived , I hope those of riper Years have not lost their Taste .

All that I need further to take notice of Mr. Colbatch his Productions in these Quotations , is another Wonderful Confutation of himself : For Page 66 , He says , The bitter Excrement of the Liver , to wit , Choler , is an Alkaly : Yet Page 72. Bitters are Acids , and consequently Choler , as may be seen in the Words I have quoted . I might take notice of other Absurdities and Falsities contained in the foregoing Quotations , but what I have said being sufficient , I shall not extend a Book of this kind to too large a Compass .

Page 91. He says , The Blood cannot super abound with Acids — Because the Stomach will not receive or retain more than it hath occasion for . The Reason he gives a little before , is , If at any time People are not sufficiently cautious of that Matter , but load the Stomach with more manifest Acids than the Body hath occasion for , she won't fail of rejecting them by Vomit . That this is false , every Body knows that have but lived in the World long enough to take notice of what occurs daily ; for nothing is more common than for Children to bring Distempers upon themselves , by eating of unripe Fruit , and not only Children , but grown People ; and these Mr. Calbatch cannot deny to be Acids surely , if he remembers what he ascribed long Life in Herefordshire to , viz. eating Fruit ; besides , it is too commonly known , that many People almost ruin their Constitutions by drinking Vinegar , the very same Acid he mentions .

And thus I have gone through all that he further says , concerning the Use of Acids , and proved it to be as absurd and ridiculous as the rest of his Incoherences , and now shall leave him to consider when he writes again , whether it will not be prudent to read his former Books over again , lest he , since he is so forgetful , should be guilty of too much Repetition ; for in what he hath already writ , he hath repeated the same thing so many times over , that were the Repetitions taken out , his Books might all be writ in half the Compass : And now , since I have answered them all , I shall give him this Caution , That if he repeats any thing again , which he hath already writ , without necessity , I shall only need in answer , to shew where I have already confuted it .

FINIS .

AN ANSWER TO Dr. LEIGH's Remarks ON A TREATISE Concerning the Heat of the Blood . Together with Remarks on Dr. Leigh's Book , Entituled Exercitationes Quinque Printed at a Private Press in Oxford , without the Licence of the Vniversity .

AS ALSO , A short View of Dr. Leigh's Reply to Mr. Colbatch , &c.

Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit Odorem Testa diu . —

LONDON , Printed in the Year 1699.

AN ANSWER TO Dr. Leigh's Remarks , &c.

SOON after I returned from London to Oxford , I received a Sheet of Paper entituled , Remarks on my Book , concerning the Heat of the Blood ; to which there being no Name prefixed , I could not imagin who it should come from ; but presently after being inform'd by a Friend at Chester ( who was concerned to see that you had lost the Use of your Reason ) that it was the elaborate Work of such an unfortunate Author , and also having received a Letter from one in Manchester , to whom I am obliged for acquainting me , that you are so fond of it , as to own your self the Author of so polite a Piece ; I had Reason to ascribe the Praise and Honour due to a Work of so extraordinary Merit to the inconsiderable Author ; A Title , which I profess , I , by no means envy you for , and therefore with all the Submission due to a Man so mighty in his own Conceit , and so contemptuous in the Opinion of the Learned , I beg your Pardon , if I am too forwards in contributing to your Character , by letting the World know , to whom I am obliged for such a signal Token of Favour , and they for sharp Wit and such a wonderful Strain of Phancy ; Phancy ! Below the common Strain of rational Creatures , yet the strongest Efforts of Dr. Leigh's Understanding ; and what I hear is according to your laudable Custom , whenever you meet with any thing that is contrary to your own wild Notions or a Subject of your Envy .

I was indeed told by some Friends , that nothing which Dr. Leigh could write , would be worth my taking Notice of ; therefore this , by no means was : Nevertheless , taking a Survey of your Remarks , and finding throughout the whole , terrible strong Symptoms of a sick Brain , and not in the least Motives to any thing but Pity , I thought it a piece of Charity to let you see your own Infirmities ; for your Understanding is not only very much distemper'd , but withal your Reason so deprav'd , if not altogether lost , that I fear your Distemper is scarce curable ; your Remarks being nothing but a heap of Incoherences , which are strong Arguments that you are very foul within , and very far gone ; for would any Man in his Senses ever yoke a Pig and an Elephant together in opposition to a Treatise of the Heat of the Blood ? Or could a Man who had not quite lost his Reason , compare a Mouse and a Cheesmonger together ? I warrant , you thought my Book was two hard a Task for an Animal of your Size , except it had sharper Teeth than your self , or of a greater Bulk , otherwise your depraved Cockloft which you call a Head , would scarce have thought of an Elephant or a Mouse to devour it .

But to what Purpose it is to talk to a Man so strangly deprav'd ? Since it is an impossible to perswade you that you are not in your Senses , as to cure you ? Nevertheless give me leave to tell you , you 'll scarce be cured till made sensible of your Malady ; and tho' Crazy Men are usually angry at those that tell them so , and not apt to believe it , I desire you to be convinced for your own sake .

Yet it would be more advantage to me , could I perswade the World that you are in your Senses , because it might be presumed that you , who in your Passion , have expressed so much Zeal against me , would also here have produced Reason against my Book had it lain in your Power ; and therefore your Remarks would be a Recommendation to my Book , they shewing that Dr. Leigh can give no Reason against it .

For which Reason I would perswade the World , that you are neither crazed nor mad , because you never arrived at such a Degree of Wit to go mad , which tho' a strong Argument , will not prevail ; they think it is impossible any Man in his Senses should rave out such stuff ; and truly , a Man in his Senses , would scarce think ill Words without Argument sufficient to confute a Rational Hypothesis .

But I confess , I can have little satisfaction in talking to a Madman , and therefore , for my own sake , I shall only conceive all this proceeds from Passion and Ignorance , and tho' it be not much better to talk to an Ignorant Man than to a Madman , yet it is a little more excusable , and I may make a better Apology to the World for it , because one that is ignorant may be instructed .

But the Town of Manchester perhaps may ask , Can Dr. Leigh be ignorant , who tells News so prettily ? Should such a Question be asked , I should desire them to read his Quinque Exercitationes and Remarks , and they will find Physick requires more sound Judgment and Reason than News , or than Dr. Leigh hath there laid down . But they say he does some Cures in the Neighbourhood ? To which I answer , that a serious old Woman with two Receipts would exceed him to admiration ; and that he is very ignorant in Physick will appear by and by ; for first his Remarks are only made up of Remarks on Pigs , Mice , Elephants , Cocklofts , &c. and Questions concerning my Book , which are rather an Effect of his own Ignorance than any Fault in my Book ; for some things he says he does not understand , others he asks how can they be so , and that other things cannot be so : But I am to be blamed for taking no more notice of the Doctor than to neglect to direct my Discourse to him , especially , when I talk of Ignorance , with which he is so well acquainted ; and therefore Doctor when you say that such things as I have proved cannot be , I conceive it proceeds from rashness of Judgment rather than Reason ; because you have given none , and therefore I would advise you to look into the first Chapter of the general Epistle of St. James v. 5. If any Man ask Wisdom , let him ask it of God : And when your Prayers have proved effectual , you will be more capable of understanding those Questions which you ask , by which means your Judgment will be better Qualified in respect of the latter .

And that your Neighbours may judge what a Judicious Physician you are , I shall take a View of your Remarks , and see in what sort of subjects your Excellency lies in . And truly Sir , were it not the Wise Man's Advice to answer a Fool according to his Folly , lest he should be wise in his own Conceit , I should abhor the Thoughts of spending a Minute upon what you think witty : But to make you sensible what reason you have to be humble , I shall run over briefly the Subjects of your Thoughts ; And ,

First , We may take notice that Pag. the 4th you have been a mighty Man at making Observations among the Pigs , where by the strength of imagination , the sight of a Pig hath put you in mind of an Elephant ; and according to your profound Judgment you have distinguished betwixt these Animals ; and in imitation of the Pigs , Page the 11th , you have condescended to take a C — T — d in your Mouth , flattering your self there was a Rose in the Surface , your disappointment wherein , I suppose , made you spit it out at me : But this is beastly Manners , truly Doctor , and had you not been a subtle Pig indeed , you might have disgorged the Materials of your Understanding another way , without fouling Paper with such Stuff ; but perhaps your brutal Observations have not quite degenerated you into that Species of Animals , and that glimmering of Reason you had left , directed you to put C— T — d in your Remarks , to put People in mind what use to make of them , and if so , you have your Desire ; for most People that read them , presently lay them up for a Bog-house Use , only say it's a pity , but Dr. Leigh should have the Office of a Bog-house-Door-keeper at Brazen-Nose to make public Use of what he hath provided ; for most People are afraid of fouling their Fingers with a Piece of Paper the Doctor hath dirty'd already .

But Secondly , This is not all , you have not only been a great Critick amongst the Pigs , but have pry'd closely amongst the Dairy-maids , where you have metaphorically called the Mouse a Cheesmonger . Poor Animal ! Alas ! that the Mouse who hath long enjoyed a Freedom from the Press , should be trapp'd , remarked upon , and miscalled by Dr. Leigh . A very fine Subject for so subtile , so cunning an Author !

Page the 8th you have put us in Mind , that you are a Learned Man amongst the School Boys , who have not yet forgot to play at Ball ; but Doctor , for my part , since I have left off such things , I shall leave Fools and Children to play together .

Fourthly , Amongst these Niceties you have acquainted the World , that the Pudenda of a Salt Bitch hath been a mighty Subject of your Admiration , and perhaps you have sometimes envyed the Dogs Felicity in the Enjoyment , and it 's a wonder you never proved Rival . Poor Man ! Man did I say ? Poor Childish , Peevish Creature ! Who is it but pities you , that you should employ your Thoughts on no better Subjects .

But it seems these poor Animals are not only the Subjects of your Revenge , but Irish-Men and a whole Nation must have a Jest upon them , for Laughter's sake , and be call'd Fools . Pray Doctor , what wrong have Irish-Men done you ? surely you don't think me one ; No , you are sensible I am your Country Man ; but since no Body can stand out of the reach of such Poysonous Air as your Remarks were made in , give me leave to tell you in your own Words , that some such Air hath influenced you , or your Wit might have been a little more cleanly .

Thus far Doctor , I have Answered you according to your Folly , lest you should be Wise in your own Conceit ; but none but Dr. Leigh can be fond of such Remarks , and you have so little Reason that I shall also take the Wiseman's Advice , who says , Answer not a Fool according to his Folly , lest thou should be like unto him ; for indeed the Learned World hath got such an Opinion of you , that of all the crazed Men , or Men in their Senses I know , I would not chuse to be like you . I shall only therefore let you know , that the Cook and Skulleon of Brazen-Nose , having held a Debate concerning the 5th Page of your Remarks ; they fell into a Passion , because you have laid their Scotch Scollops in such Dirty Language ; ill Words being no good Sauce .

Thus far Doctor , I have traced the Symptoms of your Distemper , and taken a View of some of the profound Observations you are excellent in ; I might indeed go on and take notice of your Remarks on Bog-houses , Duck-shot , Roger of Caverly , the Wise Men of Gothan , and Diego with his Spanish Geese ; but leaving these I shall make my Remarks on a Manchester Goose , and shall proceed to give you a little Information of those things which you are Ignorant of ; and since your Understanding is so far vitiated may I endeavour to make you a Man of a little more Understanding .

Page the 3d you say , You find I think , Fire is not actually Hot in it self , but as it affects the Sensory : What a quick-sighted Man that can find a thing at the first sight , when it is before his Eyes ! It is a Wonder , that one that raves of Spanish Geese and such Creatures , should have a Tallent at discerning , for Doctor you have found it right , for really I think Fire is not actually Hot in it self , but as it affects the Sensory ; and I , having given my Reasons for it in my Book , shall think so still till you have answered those , and given me Reasons to the contrary .

Page the 6th you ask , How comes it to pass that a Nerve will not swell above the straitest Ligature , or any of this Mucilage distil upon Section , or cannot by Pressure be squeezed from it ? I am glad a Man in your Condition desires to be so informed ; and therefore I shall tell you that why it will not distil upon Section nor be squeezed out by Pressure , you might have learnt in my Book from Page the 86th to the 91st , which I need not repeat here ; and as for the Reason why a Nerve will not swell above the straitest Ligature , it is very plain ; for any one that does but understand , how the Nerves are branched up and down the Body , and how they communicate with each other , and withal how gentle the Motion of the Spirits is through the Nerves , in comparison of the rapid Motion of the Blood through the Sanguiferous Vessels , will easily understand what a little thing stops the force of them , if a Passage be denied , and how their Passage being stopped that way , they flow more plentifully into other Parts ; and you might with as much Reason ask why a Leaden Pipe through which Water is forced , does not swell upon the straitest Ligature ? For considering the Strength of the Nervous Coats , and that small Quantity of Spirits which circulates through them , the Force cannot be sufficient to distend them so powerfully , as is requisite to make them swell upon a Ligature ; for tho' the Spirits , when mixed with the Blood , violently ferment , yet when kept separate in their proper Vessels they do not .

In the same Page , you say , I take a great deal of Pains to shew , that the Animal Spirits heat the Blood by the Glandules , those Emunctories of the Body . But here Doctor , you have only shewed your Parts so far , that you will tell Lies to make your self merry ; for I am sure I have no such Words in my Book , therefore you must be very much out of Order , and it is a bad Symptom in all hot Distempers , especially Fevers , of the Brain , to rave so strangely ; but truly I pity you , you not only fancy Things to be in my Book , which are only in your own Head , but are mightily affected with the Fumes of a Bog-house , which you mention Page the 7th , which is another Memorandum what use to make of your Remarks .

Page the 7th you say , There is not one Notion in my Book — but what is taken either from Dr. Gibson , Dr. Willis , Mr. Boyle , Dr. Mayow , Dr. Connor , Monsieur le Grand — — or the Exercitationes Quinque lately Printed ( at a Private Press ) in Oxford . But Doctor , tho' you think fit to tell the World I have read so many good Books ( except the last ) I challenge you to shew my Notions were taken out of any of them , or any others , and had you been in your Senses you might have shewn me where what I have said was to be found in those Books ; but I question , whether you have read them your self , except the Exercitationes Quinque which I suppose is the Cause of your Passion , because it is not taken notice of by the Learned ; for which Reason I have taken care to place a Distance betwixt it and those Authors , too good to be nam'd with such Company .

Pag. the 9th , you quote two Sentences out of my Book , and at the same time dream ( for surely you are not awake ) except you rave of Contradictions ; but since no body can see any Contradiction there , I shall in short tell you , that those two Sentences differ only in Words not in Signification .

In the same Page you say , I have not fully replyed to Diemerbroek nor Dr. Henshaw , and that I am the first Man that ever discovered cold Chyle in the Body of a living Animal . As for what I said to Diemerbroek and Dr. Henshaw , tho' I might have said a great deal more , yet what I have is sufficient , and as for my discovering cold Chyle in the Body of a living Animal , when your Indisposition is a little abated , look into my Book and you will see how wild you were in your Fit , for I don't say there is cold Chyle in the Body of a living Animal , but only Pag. 66 of my Book , He might as well have said , that there is so great a Dissimilitude betwixt hot Blood and cold Milk , that as soon as , &c. which is as much as to say it is impossible . And which is only spoke in reference to such a Liquor without the Body ; besides , Milk is not Chyle , nor is Chyle called Milk in the Body of a living Animal .

Pag. the 10th you say , All the Names in Europe cannot give me the constituent Parts of a Philosopher . Strange ! How peevish , crazy Pates are sometimes ! Truly Doctor , you have hit the Nail on the Head : Mens Names contribute very little to their Understandings , and I suppose Children at Baptism are scarce Philosophers ; but whether I am one or not I suppose you are not capable of judging ; but whatever I am now , were my Name Charles Leigh I should in vain hope to be one .

Pag. the 10th you say , I assert Attrition to be the Cause of Fermentation , and Fermentation the Cause of Nutrition , &c. This is another Symptom of your Distemper , and no Wonder that you , who employ your Thoughts on Pigs , Mice , &c. should be so short-sighted in Physick ; but since Pag. the 5th you let us understand , that you are a little acquainted with Cookery , you had made a nearer Comparison , if you had said , that when a Pot boils over , the Fire acts on the Water , and the Water , by that Means being forc'd out of the Pot , acts on the Fire by putting it out , or to give you a plainer Instance of mutual Action and Passion , suppose you in one of your Fits should knock your Head against a Post for writing such Remarks , would not your Head act upon the Post , and the Post upon your Head ? Pray think of it , when your Fit is a little off , and consider , that all I say comes to no more , than that there is a mutual Action and Passion , as I otherwise expressed it .

Pag. the 12th you pretend to quote some Words of mine , where you affirm that I say , I have explained an Account of the Heat of the Blood without any manner of Proof . But had Dr. Leigh's Morals been as good as his Will was prejudiced , you might have us'd my Words , and taken notice of what followed ; for my Words are , Having premis'd an Account of the Heat of the Blood , &c. I shall now proceed to a Proof of what I have propos'd collectively , &c. But alas ! no wonder that one under the Influence of the Moon , in the Company of Diego , should be out of the way .

In the same Page and Pag. 13. you say , I have mistaken an Experiment , for instead of Spirit of Wine , it should be Spirit of Nitre ; But Doctor , had I said Spirit of Nitre and Oyl of Turpentine would have done so , it would be nothing but what was commonly known ; and the Reason why I said Spirit of Wine would do so , was , upon very good Grounds , it being told me by a Friend whose Sincerity I did not question and I the sooner believ'd it , because Dr. Willis in his Book de Fermentatione says thus , Spiritus Vini Phialae inclusus nulla Effervescentiae signa prodit , sin verò Spirtiui huic parum Olei Terebinthinae adjiciatur Particulae Liquoris adeò exiliunt , ut hinc Vitrum hermetice obsignatum effractum viderim ; which was some Grounds to think so , but suppose he that communicated it to me was imposed upon ; it takes up but two Lines in my Book , upon which the Proof of nothing in my Book depends , and if it did the common Experiment would supply it ; and that , Doctor , you might have easily seen had you not been too intent upon your curious Observations of Diego , and his Spanish Geese , and hedging in the Cuckow ; but one that had Roger of Coverly in his Head , the Truth is , is very unfit to consider any thing that requires more Atention than your Curiosity amongst the Pigs , Mice , Dogs and Bog-Houses .

Pag. the 14th you take notice , that I have in my Book , hinted at the common Indications in Fevers , and are angry , because I take no further notice of the Method generally us'd in the Cure : But as it was not my Business in that Place to give a fuller Account of Fevers than to hint at the curative Indications ; so it is more sufficient to satisfy the World that I know what Method to take in the Cure of Fevers , than any thing you have said in your Remarks can vouch for you ; for to know the curative Indications is one half of the Cure . But pray Doctor , why should you be angry that I have said no more of Fevers than I have ? were you sensible of any such Distemper in your Brain ? if you were , you might have writ to me , and in Compassion to your Infirmities , I should have advised you ; but it seems the Distemper admitted of no Advice , but when you were angry , you must shew your Passion with sending Geese , Mice , Dogs and Elephants amongst us ; pray what Reason had you to think these Creatures would take your Part , except you had us'd them a little more gently than to call them ill Names ?

Pag. the 15th you say , You would gladly know what I mean by Acidity joyning with Acrimony ; and how I will make it out , that in Fevers the Blood is too much exalted with Sulphur , when in malignant Fevers it 's plain , the Pulse is most commonly depress'd and languid . Doctor , I was glad to find this Remark amongst the rest ; for had it held for any time I should have thought that there had been more hopes of you , because you seem glad of Information ; but it made me pity you when I remembred that it is a common Observation , that People seem a little better some time before Death ; and really when I found by your last Page , that it was but a short Remission , I was affraid it was only an Omen in a short time your Lodgings would be at Bethlem ; but I beg of and earnestly intreat all your Friends , Neighbours and Acquaintance , that if your Distemper should continue , they would close you up in some private Apartment there ; for should you be sent to Bethlem you might infect the Place , and drive those that are indifferent , stark mad ; pray good Dr. keep at home for Bethlem's sake , and I 'll tell you what I mean by Acidity , joyning with Acrimony , and if your Indisposition will permit you , look upon that Page again , and you 'll find I mean a Liquor compounded of a Mixture of Acids , mixed with sharp Scorbutick Salts ; and as for malignant Fevers , I need not now give you my Opinion of them , the Words in my Book being these , Altho' in Fevers where the Blood abounds with too much exalted Sulphur , &c. where I only speak of such Fevers , in which too much Sulphur does abound , namely in sanguine Constitutions and such as diary Fevers .

In the same Page you say , Dr. Morton allows the Expansion of the Spirits , and so does Dr. Willis , and there was no need of you to mention your Exercitationes quinque only you would promote the Sale of it ; for tho' so many Authors have allow'd the Expansion of the Spirits , yet his Opinion was nevertheless new , neither was he said to steal it from others , such things as those being common to the Philosophical Part of the World , and every one supposed to know them .

Page the 16th , You ask , What are the Bladders of the Lungs impleted with ? And if so , how come some Airs to be pestilential , others scorbutick ? it's plain they would not be if the Particles of Air mixed not with the Blood . Poor Man ! In what a sad Condition ! What 's become of his Understanding ! Good Doctor , give me leave to say it's plain you are mistaken , and don 't be angry if for once I speak a little roughly ; for Men in your Condition ought to be checked sometimes ; but I have very little Reason to be angry with you , and therefore calmly let me tell you , that I don't deny in my Book , but that the Bladders of the Lungs are impleted with Air , and that mediately it is mixed with the Blood ; because those Vessels are mixed with the sanguiferous Vessels ; but I say it is not immediately mixed with the Blood , and tho' it be not , we may easily understand , how some Airs become pestilential , others scorbutick ; for tho' I deny Air to be mixed with the Blood , yet since I say , the Nitre of the Air is , your Questions are easily answered ; because as that Nitre is differently impregnated with heterogeneous Parts ; so it will differently affect the Mass of Blood .

And now , good Doctor , I have taken a View of your Noble Performance , and have answered all those Questions , which your Passion and Indisposition , together have prompted you to ask , and I hope I have assisted your Understanding in those Points , which before you seemed Ignorant and Incapable of . And since you have been pleased to tell me ( whether it was the Effects of a Dream , or not I cannot tell ) that I had better sat still , may I like a Friend venture to ask you one Question , Whether it had not been better for you to have sounded a Bethlem-Man's Horn about the Street , than to have made your self ridiculous by your Remarks ? for had you done so , People would have imagined you were past the worst and cured , but as it is , it 's feared you are in a very bad condition .

Yet for ought I can see , I am obliged to you ; for I dare be bold to say , you have a good Opinion of my Book , or you would not have thought it worth your Notice , for Men in your condition have usually very high flown Thoughts of themselves ,

And now Doctor , besides your Indisposition , since it appears that you are also in a Passion , laying aside for a while your Distemper , let us consider the Cause of your Passion , and really Doctor , if may guess , you could have nothing else to incense , you but that I am your Country Man , and that your Book , I mean the Quinque Exercitationes , is not taken Notice of by the Learned World . It 's true , you have spent a great deal of Money in making Experiments to no Purpose , and your darling Notions which have no dependence on Experiments , are of no value . But why should you be angry with me ? it's none of my Fault ; I wish you well with all my Heart , and did not envy you in the least , but pitied you .

But it seems you are offended at my Age , and think I have not been trimm'd often enough ; but.

〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 .

Which if applyed to your self will signifie that the Goat is Wiser than your self , because it hath a longer Beard : And tho' I be Young , it is not the Custom of good Husbandmen to cut down those Trees that bear Fruit betimes , for tho' a young Tree bears not Fruit in abundance , yet wise Men know what it is , and how to value it .

And since the Tree is known by the Fruit and not the Fruit by the Tree ; you are to take my Age in Physick from my Books , and if by comparing 〈◊〉 Book with your own , you find I have given less Reason than your self , then I am a young Man ; but if yours be Irrational then you are the Younger of the two , for mistake not , an Man may be an old Man and a young Physician , and a ingenious Man and no Physician at all : And therefore don't think your self the Wiser because you have lived longer than others , except it appears from your Works that you have made greater Improvements and better Use of your Time .

But lest you should be too Partial on your own side , and that those may know what a valuable Piece the Quinque Exercitationes are , who don't think fit to Buy them ; I shall take the substance of what is there , and satisfie you that whatever you may think of your self , you are really a Youth in Physick , and here I shall not take notice of every little Fault , but of the main Things which you lay down as the foundation of your Books , which if they be False or not your own , you must blame your self , and only ask me to pity you .

And first , I shall take a View of your whole Book together , where we may see that your Head hath not been out of order just upon Writing of your Remarks , but your Distemper is of a longer standing , and hath been coming on you a long time , for in this Treatise , I mean , Quinque Exercitationes , all that you can properly call your own , is scarce worth owning .

In your Remarks , you tell me I dictate like a Professor of the Chair ( which is a sign that you have good Thoughts of what I have Writ ) but if we look into your Book and compare it with Mine , your own Modesty will be very remarkable , for in my Books I have offered nothing but what I have given my Reasons for , and that with submission to the Learned not to you , mistake not your self ; but you have laid down every thing without giving the least Reason at all ; and tho' your Distempered Head hath forced you to fall out with your own Reason pray don't be angry that I use mine ; for if that be the distinguishing Faculty betwixt a Man and a Brute , Men ought to use it or they are worse than those Creatures that have it not ; and tho' you have in your Remarks equalled your self in Observations with the Beasts of the field , I would not be classed amongst the Pigs and Elephants whilst I have Reason to tell me , I am of another kind of Animals .

But to shew that your Head hath been long out of Order , let us take a View of your Exercitationes Quinque where we shall trace the first Symptoms of your Distemper .

And truly Doctor , as for your first Exercitation de quis Mineralibus , I have as slight an Opinion of it as of the rest of your Book , and should not think it worth my while to take Notice of what Dr. Lister scorns to trouble himself with , only for your own you may see what Reason you have to be humble , and how far your Intellectuals are vitiated .

The First Thing I shall take Notice of in this Exercitation is , your Absurdities in Respect of Dr. Lister himself , for First Page 2 you say , Ingenue fateor &c. i. e. I confess ingenuously , I have always had the greatest Respect for him , for his sharp Wit , and again , Lubens quidem agnosco quod Hypothesis ista est Ingenio plena . i. e. I acknowledge willingly that that Hypothesis is very witty , and again Page 2 you say , Quos itaqueVerborum praestigia , &c. i. e. Let those that are pleased with the fallacies of Words — delight themselves with the sound of them , they neither hurt one that is Ignorent , nor help one that hath Knowledge . Now Doctor were you right in your Senses , I should ask you these Questions , whether if what Dr. Lister writ , were Witty , or had you a Respect for him , it would be a token of Respect due to one that deserved it , to tell him , he takes a delight to be deceived with Words and with their Sounds , and that he cannot inform a Man of Sense , which is signified by Scientem , certainly you either don't think what you say , or don't care , for if you thought he deserved respect you ought to have shewed it him , and if you thought his Book Witty , how comes it to be only a Sound of Words ; Doctor , are these Things consistent ? with your own Brain Perhaps Contradictions and Inadvertency may agree well enough , but amongst Men of Sense these Things must expose you ; besides tho' you , even Dr. Charles Leigh , have said it , and in the Form of a Proverb too , Ignoranti nec nocent nec Scientem juvant , betwixt Friends let me tell you , your Proverb , tho' of your own making , won't hold , for it is rather to be thought that to be delighted with sound of Words only , and to be pleased with he Fallacies , Ignoranti nocent , and do 't greatest hurt to ignorant Persons , because they make them loose their time without information , when ignorant Men have least Reason to do so ; and this may put You in mind to mind your Business .

But to proceed , let us see a little further how your Cariage answers the Character you gave of Dr. Lister , Page 7 you say , Pro me itaque &c. that is , for me let them dispute with Zeno against Autopsie , and look at the Sun with Spectacles at mid-day . How now Dr. are you as angry at Dr. Lister as you are at Me , and can you , were you in your Senses , tell a Man , that you respect and think Witty , that he cannot see the Sun at Mid-day , without Spectacles ▪ Dr. how does short Sighted , and Acerrimum agree ? But perhaps you 'll suppose the Sun to be beyond a Cloud on a foggy Day , and then indeed a Witty Man may put on his Spectacles before he sees it , but if you don't suppose the Sun to be beyond a Cloud , I am afraid you may put on your Spectacles before you see , how to reconcile Short-sighted and most Acute ; but perhaps when you say you Respect Dr. Lister , Propter ingenium acerrimum , you may say Acerrimum signifies , most Sower as well as most Acute , and then indeed Short-sighted and Acerrimum may be in the same Man ; but then I should ask you how came you to respect a Man that is Short-sighted and Acerrimum i. e. most Sower , was it for your own sake ? Truly I believe so , for there are too many instances in your Book as well as Remarks , that you are a shrowd Short-sighted Man . But perhaps you 'll challenge me to shew you one ! If so you are more Short-sighted than I thought you was , good Doctor , read over this Answer from the beginning , and you 'll find enough , and if you 'll stay a while you shall have more than you can wish for .

But before we go any further let us see what other Methods you take to express your Respect to Dr. Lister , Propter ingenium acerrimum . Page 9 you respectfully say , that the Pyrites haud plus vegetat , quam triticum istud &c. i. e. The Pyrites no more grows , than that Wheat which fell out of the Clouds from the middle Region , of which trifling Philosophers rave so much ; O fye Doctor ! By no means call your self the trifling Philosopher , for the World will Judge you are much mistaken ; for they are so far from thinking you are a trifling Philosopher , that they positively say in London that you are no Philosopher at all : But perhaps you 'll ask me where do you call your self a trifling Philosopher , if you do , I shall ask you , whether if you call those that rave of this Wheat , trifling Philosophers , you don't call your self one since it's plain you rave beyond measure : And here Doctor let me ask you how you came to throw a showe of Wheat upon Dr. Lister , it seems you serve him and me alike , only since you writ against Dr. Lister , you have mightily improved your self , for this showre of Wheat hath put you in mind of Diego and his Spanish Geese , and the Wise Man of Gotham , Pigs , Dogs and Elephants , they all come thundring upon my Head .

Page the 11th , you have given another Token of your Respect to Dr. Lister , where you say , Haec Hypothesis est gratis dicta , & Fabula tantum de lana caprina , i. e. This Hypothesis is not proved , and only a Story of Goats Wooll ; is this Doctor the Hypothesis that Page the 2d you said was full of Wit , Good God! Goats Wooll is full of Wit , according to Dr. Leigh , O acerrimum ! Now I see why in your Remark you fell out with my Age , I have not Bread enough , and consequently not Wit , to Dr. Leigh , — 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 .

Thus far I have shew'd you Dr. and you may see it , if you 'll put on your Spectacles , how bravely you have reverenc'd Dr. Lister , and if these be Tokens of Respect to Dr. Lister , I may say you have an extraordinary Respect for me , for you only tell him , you have a great Reverence towards him , and all the Reasons you have given for it is acerrimum Ingenium , most sowre Wit , and because he is delighted with Sounds , and can do an ignorant Man no harm ( so that you are secure ) and again , because he talks of Goats Wooll , in which you suppose a great deal of Wit is lodged ; these sort of Qualifications you say he is stocked with , and to shew your Respects to him you reproach him with them , and if it be your Method of reverencing , to throw foul Words at one , I find you reverence me extreamly ; for you have set the Elephant upon me , the Mouse , the Cheesemonger , and Diego with his Spanish Geese , you have also presented me with a Boghouse , and one of your Country Nosegays , surely you thought a ●aghouse was the fittest Place to read your Book in ; and all these are to be taken for Tokens of Reverence .

And really I take them as such , for I find that , like Children , you throw Dirt at those that you play with , and frown upon those you love , otherwise you would never have told me in your Remarks , that I took my Notions out of your Book , and then throw so much Dirt at them , for this was to undervalue your own Book , had you consider'd , but either it was your Kindness for your own Notions that made you be so foul upon them ; for by Dr. Lister one may see you abuse what you reverence , or you cannot endure to see your own Picture , but that you may not fall out with my Book , because you think it hath something out of yours , I tell you plainly there is nothing out of yours Book , and I should be so far from taking any thing out of your Book , that I should burn my Book , if I could find any such Nonsense in it as yours is full of .

But pray Doctor , let us consider what is the Substance of this Exercitation against Dr. Lister , Page the 4th you say , In Puteis juxta Haigh , &c. i. e. in the Wells near Haigh in Lancashire ; for there is a true vitriolated Fountain , which if any , runs with a gentle Current , which by repeated Experiments I have demonstrated to be full of Vitriol , &c. and again Page the 5th you say , Sume Aquam acidulam eam puta prope Boulton — &c. i. e. Take the vitriolated Water , near Boulton in Lancashire — &c. from thence you will obtain Shoots of Vitriol ; from whence and the rest of this Exercitation , it appears that you have argu'd very strongly to prove that acidulated Waters have Acids in them , and you had need to be a mighty Disputant to gain such a Point , and surely Dr. Roe could not choose but laugh to see you so busy to prove nothing , certainly Smiglicius qualify'd you for such Discoveries ; for to prove methodically and convincingly , that Water acidulated hath Acids in it , is really a Matter as difficult as to prove that the Well near Haigh in Lancashire hath Water in it , and truly no wonder that you convinced Dr. Floyer ; for the thing is plain enough , for Example , if the Well have Water in it , there must needs be Water in the Well , and if the Water be Acid there must needs be Acid in the Water , what Reasoning can be stronger ? What Evidence more clear ? Strike up Doctor , for the Credit of Bethlem and the Town of Manchester ; and be it published to the World that by Parity of Reason Dr. Leigh effectually prov'd , that all Malt Drink hath Malt in it , for Example , if acidulated Waters consist of Water and Acids , all acidulated Waters have Acids in them , and therefore by Parity of Reason it follows , that if Ale be made of Malt and Water , all Ale must have Malt in it , a Discovery of great Use to Brewers , Doctor , who would ever here thought of such a Discovery as this besides your self , I mean who would ever have thought it a Discovery , and are you to value your self upon this , because you have proved that acidulated Waters are acidulated , Good Lord ! News from Bethlem .

Thus much Doctor may suffice for your first Exercitation , now pray let 's unfold the Secrets of your next Exercitation de Thermis calidis , and here Doctor , I shall not take notice how angry you are with those that are not of your Mind , having in this and your Remarks given Instances enough of that , all that ▪ I shall further do is briefly to take notice of your Mistakes , in your second Exercitation you have reckon'd up a great many Opinions of the Reason of Hot Baths , and I wonder how you could remember the Names of so many , but why should I wonder , I have heard one in Bethlem repeat a whole Chapter ; and why mayn't you recount how many Authors ●●ve writ de Thermis , but to take a View of this Excitation ; The Substance of which is in Chapter 〈◊〉〈◊〉 , all the rest being filled up with the Opinions of other Men , where Pag. 41 you say , Supponimus 〈◊〉 Particulis sulphureis in semetipsis collidentibus 〈◊〉 quaecunque calida incalescere , i. e. we suppose all 〈◊〉 Baths to grow hot by sulphureous Particles striking one against another ; this Doctor is the Substance of your Opinion , all the rest of the Chapter being only to prove this , and to contradict those that had writ on the Subject before , and now good Doctor be pleas'd to turn to Dr. Willis de Fermentatione . where Chap. 11. Paragraph the 4th you will ( by the Assistance of your Spectacles at Mid-day ) see these Words , Rei cujusque Temperies quoad Calorem à Sulphure imprimis dependet , i. e. The Temper of all hot Bodies in Respect of Heat chiefly depend on Sulphur , where you see you are of the same Opinion with Dr. Willis exactly , and it is good Luck to agree with such an Author , but pray Doctor , did you take this Notion of Heat from Dr. Willis ▪ or did he take it from you , think of it and when you do remember , that his Book was writ long before yours , but again , look back to Page the 32 of your own Book , where you quote these Words from Monsieur le Grand , Provenit ergò Thermarum calor à Bituminis & Sulphuris Misturâ , quae dum inter se confunduntur , per quandam Fermentationem Calorem concipiunt , i. e. The Heat therefore of hot Baths proceeds from a Bitumen and Sulphur , which whilst they are mixed acquire Heat by Fermentation , now Doctor , what does this differ from your Opinion , you say Heat depends on a Mixture of sulphureous Particles , so does le Grand ; for a Mixture of Bitumen and Sulphur is but one sulphureous Body with another , now it is strange that Dr. Leigh should be so angry at me when he hath so much more Reason to be angry at himself , and really he is so ; for when Dr. Willis says , Heat proceeds from Sulphur , and le Grand is of the same Opinion , Dr. Leigh cannot bear it , he contradicts them , and keeps the Reasons to himself , yet when he himself affirms the same thing as his own , he thinks he hath done well ; phy ! Doctor , I thought you had not been quite so crazy , if you go on at this Rate Bethlem will not hold you .

And now Doctor , must not this argue that your Brain is extreamly hot , that you cannot discern your self of the same Opinion with these Men ; but there are further Instances than this , nothing will serve you but my Notion of the Heat of the Blood must be taken from Dr. Willis , le Grand and the Exercitationes Quinque truly had it been taken from one it had been taken from all ; because there is no Difference betwixt them , but no body that pretends to Knowledge will pretend to say that my Notion of the Reason of the Heat of the Blood is to be compar'd to yours , I mean Dr. Willis his ; for the formal Cause of the Heat of hot Baths is widely different from the formal Cause of the Heat of the Blood , for the Heat of Baths according to Dr. Willis depends on a Mixture and Fermentation of sulphureous Parts , but the Heat of the Blood ( I say ) depends on a Mixture and mutual Fermentation of animal Spirits and Blood , which Account in my Treatise is different from all others yet laid down , and which I believe I have sufficiently proved , and if what I have said will not be sufficient to prove Truth , I conceive I am furnished with Reasons which will , which I did not lay down in my Book , because what is there is enough .

N. B. That where I have said the Heat is caused so , or otherwise , I mean a Power to cause such a Sensation upon our Sensory ; for Fire is not actually hot in it self , but as it affects our Sensory , as I have proved in my Treatise of the Reason of the Heat of the Blood .

But how came I to forget I was talking to Dr. Leigh , Doctor , I beg your Pardon for being so serious and for talking of Reason , I did not remember such Talk would disturb your Head , come , come , Doctor , let 's divert you , a Windmill , Diego and his Spanish Geese , Roger a Coverly , the Elephant , Cheesemonger , or what you please , chuse your Subject ; and pray talk to your self , for it 's usual for one in your Distemper , I for my part shall pass my time on Subjects , which are more proper Objects of Reason .

Your next Exercitation , Doctor , contains an imperfect Account of a Fever in Lancashire ; which since it only appear'd in a small part of Lancashire , it would be as impertinent to trouble the World with a Refutation of what you say , as it was useless for you to write it , had you done it ingeniously ; I shall therefore only take notice of the first Page of it , which seems to be very ominous . Page 54. Vix datur Lunae Circuitus quin Febris quaedam exaestuans — populariter grassatur , ac si Ignis elementaris ( sub concavo Lunae hospitans ) &c. i. e. There is scarce a Month , but some burning Fever is abroad , as if that Fire ( in the Concave of the Moon ) continually broil'd Mankind , &c. But you should rather have said , as if Mens Constitutions and Way of living were the Cause of it , then Fire in the Concave of the Moon , for to say , as if Fire in the Concave of the Moon caused it , is as much as to say , as if there were no Cause for it , because there is no such Fire , but poor Man ! Diego and his Spanish Geese , and the Moon have influenc'd you , the one hath made you a Goose , the other a Mad-man .

In the next Place , let us consider the Substance of your fourth Exercitation de Febribus intermittentibus , where Page 87 ▪ you say , Supponimus Febres omnes intermittentes Particulis salinis esse ortis , i. e. This is your Opinion of the Cause of intermitting Fevers , now pray Doctor turn to Dr. Willis of intermitting Fevers , Chap. 4. Paragraph the 4th , where you will find these Words , Haec Sanguinis Constitutio in hac sita est , quod Sulphuris ac Salis plus debito impregnatur . And again , Chap. the 6th he says , Quod in hoc Morbo Sanguinis Liquor à Natura dulci , spirituosa & balsamica in acidam & nonnihil austeram instar Vini acescentis transierit , nimirum adest Sanguinis Penuria , & Sanguinis Pars terrestris seu tartarea , quae constat imprimis Sale & Terra , nimis exaltatur . Where you see Dr. Willis and you both agree , that there is too much Salt in the Blood in intermitting Fevers , & now you see how much you are mistaken , for in your Remarks you told me , that I had taken my Notions from Dr. Willis , but it seems you are still under the Influence of the Moon , for instead of me it 's your self ; bless me ! Who could imagine you so much out of your Senses , to take me for Dr. Leigh , does not Dr. Leigh know himself ? No , alas ! Tertius è Coelo descendit 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 . but tho' you don't know your self , Doctor , one would think you might know your own Book , but how should you , when it 's plain you don't know your Name at all times , for in your Exercitation de Thermis calidis in a heat , you cry experto crede Roberto , i. e. believe experienc'd Robert , instead of Charles , but perhaps you thought no body would believe Charles Leigh , and therefore you cry Crede Roberto , but perhaps there may be another Reason why you cry experto crede Roberto , because Carolo would not stand in the latter end of the Verse , if this Doctor was your Reason you might have put a Negative before it , and then it would have stood in Prose , viz. ne experto crede Carolo — Leigh . Why ? Because he 's under the Influence of that Fire in the Concave of the Moon .

I come last of all , to your last Exercitation , and could really wish the first had been the last ; for how much soever you may be pleased with your own Book ; sure I am , it is an ungrateful task to me to read over such Stuff . Page 119 ▪ you say , In duas itaque tantum species nos Hydropes dividimus &c. i. e. We divide Dropsies into two Species , to wit Cholerick proceeding from thick Cholerick , obstructing the Pores and Glandules of the Liver , &c. Bless me ! Dr. I wonder at you that you should trust to your own Head , as long as you borrowed from Dr. Willis and le Grand , you were pretty safe and came off pretty well ; But now we find a Notion of your own , and really it belongs to you , this Exercitation I never suspected you for , but Dr. is this a Production of yours , that in your Remarks could divide betwixt the North and Northwest side of a Hair , and can you divide Dropsies no better , nay Doctor look as gruff , as you please , you are basely mistaken , tho' you don't know where , and therefore in compassion to you I shall show you your Faults ; for the obstruction of the Glandules of the Liver are an Effect of an Hydropical Disposition , and by no means the Cause of it , for as long as the Humors are in a right State , they pass through those Parts without Obstruction , but when for want of Spirits and good Blood , an Hydropical Disposition is brought on , then the Blood degenerating into a more phlegmatick State , consequently obstructs the Glandules , so that it is evident , if the Indisposition proceeds the Obstruction , the Obstruction cannot be the Cause of what went before .

And now Dr. I have taken a short View of your Remarks , and also of your Quinque Exercitationes , and if we reflect on the whole , we may see there is little difference betwixt your Exercitationes and them , and now Doctor you may see how ridiculous your Exercitations would be , were they Printed in English , but is is well they are in Latin , because none can read them but those that think them not worthy to be taken Notice of .

And here Doctor , I cannot but admire , why you should be so angry with every Body that is not of your Mind , and of Dr. Leigh's Opinion ; for we may observe that you are not only very angry at me , but even with Dr. Lister whom you Reverence ; but why should I wonder at it , it is the Nature of Men in your Condition , and truly I pity it withal my Heart , and am sorry that you have lost the Use of your Reason .

And Doctor , may I ask you this Question , what Reason have you now to complain of my Age ? And pray who is the younger Physitian , I don't say the younger Man , you have long enjoyed a head which I by no means envy you for , may the Pudenda of a salt Bitch divert you , make your Observations on Pigs , Mice and Bog-houses , I shall not in the least envy , no not if you should take a Voyage with Diego and his Spanish Geese to the Moon , for they would be very agreeable Company , only consider whether you are not too near it already . Pray do , and keep out of Bethlem if you can .

But Doctor , how came you to write your Remarks in English , I thought you had too great Thoughts of your self to writ any thing in English was it because when you were peevish and cross in Latin no Body took notice of you , if so , really you have got your self taken notice of with a Witness , for when I received your Remarks at Brazen-Nose , having never seen such stuff in Print before , I was very inquisitive to know what Part of the World liked it , and what they said of it , wherefore I asked the Opinion of a few of the Younger sort , and truly they told me they thought such things had never been Printed , but it made them Laugh heartily ; but when I consulted Men of Sense , they advised me not to take notice of such Nonsense , and truly Doctor , I had taken their advice , but when about a Month ago I came to London and heard that Dr. Leigh was the Jest of the merry Philosophers of the Town , and that you had so miserably exposed your self as to be taken for a Mad-man , I thought it necessary to let the World know that Dr. Leigh was in Manchester without Bethlem or a Keeper .

But I have Reason to think , that there is another Reason why you writ your Remarks in English , viz. Ob defectum alterius to Use your own Phrase . This Dr. Perhaps may startle you , but for all you have writ a Book in Latin it 's true ; and you have Reason enough to write in English for the future , for when your Book was Printing at Oxford , there was such obscure Latin in it , that several People could not tell what you meant , for which Reason , you may remember there were several things sent down to you to alter before they could be understood ; and pray let us see what a polished Piece it is at the last .

Page 2 you have this Piece of Latin , at hanc semper vellet esse veram , quia desiderium pati non potest ; adeoque Dogma tenacissimum ( ni fallor usque ad Iracundiam ) eorum quae annis prioribus edidit ( quod in Philosophia est maximum malum ) se in numerum plurium adduxit ; truly Doctor , it is as like a Letter which I saw a Mad-man write to his Physician as any thing could be ; for the meaning is so Dark that one can scarce see what you aim at , and it so posed two or three Scholars in Brazen-Nose , that there were as many Opinions about the meaning of it , as standers by , and therefore Doctor for the future write English , that People may understand your meaning , and never let Ambition make you write in a Language you know so little of .

Page 3 and 4 you say , Qui se solum intuetur mater Philosophatur , & opinioni haud Naturae se credidit , O the wonderful Obscurity observable in Dr. Leigh ! And how well he understands Latin , Opinioni haud Naturae se credit , pray Doctor have you forgot what you Learnt at School , quem casum regunt verba credendid ? A Dative , but you had forgot , and writ false Latin against your Will , poor Man ! But let me tell you , were you at School you would be taken up and Whipt soundly for such a Fault , what Credidit se ? Phy Doctor , I thought you had been too old to be Whip'd , but it seems not too old to deserve it , but suppose it did not deserve Whipping , it is not Sense , for credidit se Opinioni haud Naturae , is most absurd , and sounds worse in English than Latin , for how ridiculous is it for to say , He believed himself to his Opinion not Nature , truly Doctor it looks as if it came from Bethlem , and by no means ab Agro Lancastrienst .

And should I run over your Book , it is so full of Faults of this kind , that there would be no end of it , these therefore may suffice to shew what Reason you had to write in English , but if you are not content with these you shall have a few more of your elegant Phrases and Idioms to chew on ; for Page 5 you have this , Nullo modo capiam . I can by no means take , instead of Vnderstand , so Capio and Intelligo are synonimous Words with Dr. Leigh , again Page 7 your Idioms are not less elegant , where you have pro me , i. e. for me , this puts me in mind of a piece of Latin in the beginning of Walkers Particles , where , but for you , is by the School Boys elegantly rendred , sed pro te , and this Doctor is another bald Piece for which a School Boy would have been Whip'd severly : But we must pass by some of your Faults , or the Child will be Fleed alive , there are a many pretty Idioms behind yet , would deserve Rod or Ferule were you at School , as abservatu in proclivi est instead of in promptu , but your Thoughts Doctor perhaps were more in proclivi than in promptu and so you thought it the prettier Expression .

Again , Page 64 and 66 , we may observe , what a vast variety of synonimous Expressions you are stock'd with , viz. ad secundum , ad tertium sic respondemus ad quartum sic regero , here besides your stock of synonimous Terms , we cannot but observe the very Symptoms of a Madman ; and Doctor , certainly you cannot but rave , for first ad secundum , comes from no Body , but when you come to tertium , you that ad secundum were no Body , are become double ; for it 's respondemus , we answer , but when you come to Quartum , you fancy your self , but one again , and speak in the singular Number , viz. sic regero , Again , here we may observe that Dr. Leigh , hot in the third degree , at tertium , only fancies himself double , but when crazed modo Quarto he talks Nonsence , for sic regero in English is , I carry back and not I answer .

And now Doctor , don't you see what a fit Man you are to write a Book in Latin , who are fitter to go to School again , did I know the Master of Manchester School , I 'll assure you , I should write to him about you , to take you into Correction . What a Boy at Forty or Fifty and write false Latin ? And false Idioms ? To School for shame , and let your Wife buy you a Sachel to lug your Books to School in , and get a Grammar speedily and learn what Case Verba dandi govern , and how the Nominative Case and the Verb agree , and never write , Credidit se , Ego Respondemus , & sic regero .

But what do I talk of going to School , when you have learn't past Grace already , and are horn Mad , mistake me not Doctor , I do not say horned and mad too , but mad enough to wear a Bethlem-Man's Horn , for I suppose your Wife hath not learned past Grace , though you have crazed your self .

But I shall leave this Subject , least I should drive you madder than you are , and shall only take notice of one thing more , which seems to intimate , how long you have been distempered in your Head and how you came to be so .

Page 24 you say , Nihil severiori scrutinio dignum , reperiri potest , nec quid , quod Philosophorum mentes adeo distorsit , ac Thermarum calidarum Phaenomena , i. e. nothing deserves a more severe search , nor hath any thing distracted Men's Minds more than the Phenomena of hot Baths ; truly Doctor Severiori is a very strange Epithite for Scrutinio , but it , to speak the truth , hath been a little too severe upon you , if you by your search after these Phaenomena have distracted your self .

And really Doctor , I cannot but pity you , for Reason is a very valuable Faculty , and , like Credit , when once lost hard to be got again , however we must use the Means , and now I having throughout your Remarks and your Exercitationes Quinque traced the Symptoms of your Distemper , and now at last found out the Cause of it , and having endeavoured to make you sensible of it , I hope we have made a good step towards a Cure , and therefore to close up this occasional Enquiry , I shall transcribe a Piece of Advice for you , from a very good Author , but shall not tell you the Name of it , least you should Burn it ; for Mad People are very apt to throw away their Medicines . The Words are these , I believe you are quite out of your Wits , and are run away from your Keepers , and therefore — I advise you to Shave all the Hair very close off your Crown . Then take away fifty or threescore Ounces of Blood , at several times , according as it shall be found , that you come to your self , and to the Vse of your Reason , if you make use of Leaches be sure they be well cleansed , if you Purge , use very gentle things , such as Manna and Syrup of Roses , which they give to Madmen , till your Distemper abates , avoid all strong Meats , Tobacco , hot Spices and especially Coffee , for the Powder hath sometimes been observed to settle into a Saracens - head in the bottom of the Dish , and above all things have a great care of Studying , or of Writing Books , till your Head is better , and of Sleeping on your Back ; for Vapours will be apt to rise and you 'll Dream of nothing but Elephants , Mice , Bog-houses , Diego and his Geese , and Roger a Coverly . When you have followed these Directions for a while , you will be better able to understand my Book , to see your own Errors , and will be fitter to go to School again ; for in the Condition you are in , you are fit for nothing ; pray Doctor , don't refuse to take Advice , for your Condition is desperate , you need not fall out with the Directions , because they are mine , for that you might not make that Objection , I have taken care to transcribe Advice from one that I hope you have no Reason to fall out with : But not to detain you too long Doctor , wishing you a good Recovery , and the Use of your Reason , if God give a Blessing to the Means , I subscribe

Your Humble Servant To instruct you R. BOULTON .

Postscript .

SOON after I had writ the preceding Sheets , wherein I have traced the Symptoms of the Doctors Distemper : I heard that Dr. Leigh had writ a Reply to Mr. Colbatch his Piece concerning the Cure of a Person bit by a Viper , and therefore considering the Doctors , and his Adversaries Conditions both together , I thought it advisable and prudent to take a View of it , before the Publishing of what I have before writ , for several Reasons : For since I have made it appear how much the Doctor is distempered , and in order to his Recovery have prescribed Rules , I thought it not amiss to see whether his Distemper was either abated or increased , that I might accordingly , if there was occasion , alter those Rules laid down for his Recovery ; but I find that the Symptoms are yet as strong and the Method prescrib'd by no means to be neglected .

The First Symptom is a Copy of Verses , which fills the sixth Page , where both by his Rhiming and the Excellency of his Poetick Strain , it appears he is almost , if not quite , past hopes , for what more evident Symptom can there be of Madness than for a Man to turn Poet , who cannot write good English ; indeed , had his whole Book been filled up with such Poetry I should have thought him much wiser , for he would get more credit by writing Ballads than scribling Physick , it being a more fit Employment for him , besides a considerable Number of them might have gone off throughout the Kingdom , and especially this St. Bartholemews Fair in London .

But it is in vain to advise the Doctor , a crazy Pate hath as indeterminate Faculties as a neutral Spirit , a Spirit of Dr. Leigh's Denomination ; Spirits which I suppose the Doctor converses with in agro Lancastriensi ; but I would willingly be certain , what the Doctor means by a Neutral Spirit , and how he came to give Spirit such an odd Epithite as Neutral , but I cannot expect an Answer from one that knows not the difference betwixt Questions and Answers , and one that is in such a raving Condition too , for after his Poetry , the next Remark is upon the Owl in a Crab-tree ; O Ingenium Acerrimum ! Nihil severiori scrutinio dignum reperiri potest , nec quid quod Philosophorum mentes adeo distorsit , Quinque Exercitationes Page 24 , The Doctor having distracted himself with hot Baths , hath fallen foul upon the Crab-tree , and perhaps respects it for it's sower Qualities , or in the Doctors own Words propter Ingenium Acerrimum , but why should the Doctor Remark upon the Owl , hath it been too Ominous to his Patients in agro Lancastriensi , poor unhappy Bird , that for it 's good Service and Prognostics , where the Doctor 's Judgment failed him , should have such hard Fate as falling into the Hands of Dr. Leigh , but who can otherwise think of its Usage in such Hands . He that against Dr. Lister brought a Shower of Wheat and Goats Wooll , and in his Remarks on ME rav'd of nothing , but Elephants , Pigs , Mice , Cheesemongers , Diego and Spanish Geese , &c. may well take a Touch with the Owl and Crab-tree .

But these Symptoms are not all , Page 12. He hath brought the Grand Seignior into a Jest , and well then may he fall foul upon the King's Subjects , Dr. Lister and I , may well be affraid of a Man that dare jest upon the Grand Seignior , but , like stormy Weather , sometimes he 's at the Top of the House , and presently as low again ; for Page 14 he ridicules the poor Mouse again , a peevish Creature , that was never brought into the Press before without Wit and Ingenuity , is now prest upon without either Sense or Reason .

Page 15 , Amongst the rest of his Symptoms he raves again of his Exercitationes Quinque and since no Body will quote it besides himself , he 's resolved to name it as often as he can think of it , alas ! Hinc ille Lachrymae .

And after all this , Page 24 , He reckons himself amongst the thinking Part of Mankind , but surely he does not mean Physicians , but Hawkers , Cheesemongers , Mice and Rat-chatchers , and Sowgelders , the Wisemen of Gotham , and Lunaticks , for from his Remarks , his Reply and his Quinque Exercitationes , it is plain , that he hath employed his Thoughts most on such Subjects as those Tradesmen are employed about .

But notwithstanding those Symptoms which are still Arguments of the Doctors Distemper , yet this I must needs say , the Combat betwixt Mr. Colbatch and him may be diverting ; for Folly and Madness at variance will be hard match'd , and really were not Dr. Leigh's Condition very desperate , it would be advisable to let him enjoy his Distemper a little longer , otherwise Mr. Colbatch will be too hard for him ; for tho' I have so slight an Opinion of Mr. Colbatch as to think him mistaken in every thing he writes , and very unfit for an Author , yet by all means he is to be preferred before Dr. Leigh ; for Folly is not so dangerous as Madness ; but as for Mr. Tuthil and Mr. Leigh let them go together with all my Heart .

And I have only this more to observe , that Mr. Colbatch , Mr. Leigh , and Mr. Tuthil in this respect are all alike , for first Mr. Colbatch hath cast a great many of base Reflections on the College of Physicians ; for which he deserves worse Usage himself , because they gave him no Reason for it , but he hath given them Reason , because he hath abused them : To be even with him ; Mr. Leigh hath reflected on the College and the University , because they would not License his Quinque Exercitationes , and hath reflected on me , and is angry , because I have had better Fortune than himself ; where he hath reflected on me without Reason , for which I have just Cause to pitty him ; again Mr. Tuthil , to be even with them both , hath complemented Mr. Colbatch most unmercifully , as if Complements were made for such Creatures , and Pearls to be cast before Swine .

Secondly , The Similitude betwixt Mr. Colbatch and Dr. Leigh runs farther : For Dr. Leigh in his Preface to this Reply , pretends to stand up for the Honour of Physick , yet in his Remarks reflects on the most Honourable of them . Again Mr. Colbatch in his Treatise of the Gout , tells the World , Physick is a Scene of Slaughter , and yet pretends to complement our English Physicians , or at least the Physicians of London , as Men of the greatest Merit , and the Parallel runs so far betwixt these two , that I may well say Folly and Madness will never be more conspicuous , and therefore I wish the one the Use of his Reason , and the other Sense enough to discern his Errors , and shall only add , that I beg Pardon of the World for taking notice of either of them , and I hope my Compassion to them will not by the Judicious be mistaken for a Fault , since I hope I have writ nothing , but what the Ignorance of the one , and the Ignorance and Envy of the other , have given just Grounds for .

FINIS .

Errata .

Page . Line . For these Errors , Read these Corrections . 10 1 reard read 38 8 to Physicians to a Physician . 70 2& 3 Alkalious Acids Alkalious , Acids . 90 3 Bitter and Sower Bitter from Sower . 92 8 Odiously odious . 92 21 I shall here only bring . 99 14 lept Slept . 134 5 Syrop Syrup . 137 20 Analiz Analization . 149 21 injuries injurious . 151 5 dele from conclusion . 151 12 make makes . 153 Vlt. correct cover . 158 8 Physicians Magicians . 200 11 Nascitur Nascetur . 258 16 ask Wisdom lack Wisdom . 269 14 an Man a Man . 270 30 your own sake , that 271 28 with sound with the sound , dele he . Ibid. 29 and do the greatest hurt . 273 9 a Showre of Wheat . Ibid. 25 Bread Beard . 276 35 do remember do , remember .