CANDID INVITATIONS To serious and unbiased REFLEC- TIONS, concerning the great and dreadful increase of FEVERS and other EPIDEMIC DISEASES, &c. &c. [Price One Shilling and Six-Pence.] CANDID INVITATIONS To serious and unbiased Reflections, concerning the great and dreadful increase, malignancy and direfull effects of Fevers, and other epidemick Diseases; which yearly destroy great numbers of all ranks and degrees, age and sex. With important Inquiries, Remarks and Observa- tions on the causes thereof. To which is added Reasons and Motives to demonstrate the ne- cessity of putting an immediate stop to their growing progress, and preventing their fatal, deadly and allarming effects, not by the ad- ministration of violent, dangerous or austere medicines, precarious operations and tortur- ing applications, but by establishing methods, according to the plain, easy and uniform laws of nature, reason and truth. Recommended to the serious and unbiassed consi- deration of all who may think the means for preserving life and health, worthy of so much attention, as to divest themselves of prejudice and preposession, in order to make such im- portant and interesting inquiries. By R. WHITE, Chemist. LONDON, Printed in the Year MDCCLXIII. THE INTRODUCTION. IN all occurences of moment, excepting what concerns the preservation of life and health, it is a maxim almost universally adopted and observed by the generality of mankind, strictly to examine and prove, every most likely method to ascertain the accomplishment of every enter- prize, and whenever a series of events mani- festly demonstrates by their ill-success, that the methods pursued, were wrong and erroneous; others are immediately sought after and strictly inquired into, in order to bring the undertak- ing to a happy issue, but in regard to the pre- servation of those greatest of earthly blessings, life and health, the influence of prejudice, aud invincible attachment to modes and customs, or the (ii) the fear of being thought singular, if relieved from sickness and death, by unfashionable me- thods, causeth a contrary conduct, to be almost as universally observed, and mankind to act in that so contrary to their own rules, in all other things as to trust to the same methods and means over and over again, which in similer cases, had a thousand times been known to miscarry, and notwithstanding fathers or mothers, husband or wives are destroyed by fevers, or other epi- demick diseases, to day, if sons and daughters, brothers, sisters, relations or friends, are taken ill of the like complaints tomorrow, the same methods and means, are again made use of in a perpetual round and succession, and though it may be very difficult to assign any good reasons for a conduct so contradictory in itself yet all persons who chuse to enter into those interesting inquiries, with minds uninfluenced by prejudice and guided by no other sentiments then a desire of discerning truth from errors, will find it entirely unnecessary to look back to distant ages, or days of old, for a verification of those as- sertions, a candid retrospection of what happen- ed during the short space of twelve months last past (iii) past will furnish every candid inquirer with sufficient proofs of the too fatal certainty's of the truth thereof, for those which happily sur- vived that period cannot have forgot that great numbers of persons of all ranks and degrees, age and sex were carried off, and many others experienced the ill effect of the fevers, and epi~ demick diseases, during that period, which though not dangerous in themselves, were made to appear almost as dreadful as the pestilence itself, it is said those diseases were not dangerous in themselves, be- cause if facts and proofs are more to be depended upon then suppositions, and perplexing arguments, those will demonstrate that the greatest part of the fatal allarming and destructive consequences, so fre- quently experienced in this nation, from those as well as other epidemick diseases, are not so much owing to the nature and malignancy of the diseases as to the influence of prejudice, in causing wrong, erroneous or pernicious methods and means to be relied upon, and those that are proper, safe, easy and effectual, to be ne- glected and despised; the author being convin- ced of those truths, from a long series of proof, and facts, during his close application, labour, and study, in the hermatick science, for the A2 discovery (iv) discovery of methods, so usefull and necessary. Therefore in order to be as much as possible in- strumental towards promoting the great and ne- cessary work of putting a stop to the growing, progress and dangerous malignancy of diseases, and preventing their fatal allarming and de- structive effects, offers the propositions remarks and observations in the following sheets, to the can- did, serious and impartial perusal of those who by reflecting on the fatal malignancy of fe- vers and other epidemick diseases, may be in- duced to think the knowledge of safe, easy and effectual methods and means for preventing their destructive effects, worthy of serious attention, and unbiased inquiries, but in the first place, let it be considered, that as the present disqui- sition relates to life and health, nothing but proofs facts and plain demonstrations ought to be re- lyed upon in concerns of so great moment, there- fore in order to render such inquiries usefull, it will be necessary to enter into them, with minds free from preposession and that prejudice have no share in their determinations, but to pursue and examine such interesting subjects; seriously, candidly and without the least par- tiality, difference or singular regard to any par- (v) particular persons, denominations or distinction of men, inquiries accompanied by such dis- positions, and persons sollicitous for discovering truth and detecting wrong, destructive or er- roneous customs, methods or hypothesis, and with fixed resolutions, that the result of all their in- quiries be determined by reason and truth, ra- ther than prejudice, by real proofs, certain facts or undeniable testimonies, preferable to uncertain customs, false, ill-grounded or mistaken theories and doubtfull perplexing or ambigious arguments, disputes or suppositions, by inquiries, entered in- to by persons possessing such sentiments, and di- sengaged from those blind and delusive guides, the inhabitants of this land, may discover many recent moving and striking instances to prove that the voice of nature and reason as well as the preservation of themselves, their children and posterity, from the sudden, malignant and destructive effect of such diseases, loudly calls for and justly claims such inquiries, therefore, as it is presumed, this introduction as well as the subsequent propositions are founded on strict and inviolable truth, it is hoped the judicious reader will not think them too prolix or judge the (vi) the following advice of the wise man, impro- per to be particularly observed, when methods and means, for the preservation of life and health are the subject of their inquiries. Consult not with a woman concerning one of whom she is jealous, nor with a merchant con- cerning exchange nor with a buyer of selling, but let reason go before every enterprize and above all, pray to the most high, that he will direct thy way in truth. The Reader will please to Note That by observing with much concern the great ha- vock and devastation which Fevers and epidemick disea- seases constantly maketh amongst the inhabitants of this land, I was thereby prompted to apply myself with great assiduity, study and labour, in order to find out methods and means, safe and efficacious for subduing those disea- ses, and preserving mankind from their destructive and malignant effects, and having been convinced by a long series of unninterrupted proofs, that the allmighty hath vouchsafed to crown those assiduous studies and labours, with a success much beyond either hopes or expecta- tion. I had come to a resolution to offer this treatise to the publick, the latter end of the year 1762, but being accidentally informed that the principal medicines of the late Mr. Ward, were to be made publick, for the be- nefit of mankind. I then determined to defer the pu- blication till I should be satisfied, if there were any amongst those valuable remedies, which would answer the salutary purposes of preventing and removing those fatal Fevers and epidemick diseases, but the time being come, when the proprietor, by a praise-worthy and examplary generosity, presented the publick with those valuable gifts of heaven, from which the inhabitants of the earth may certainly reap great and singular benefits, if they do not suffer the influence of prejudice and her associates to biass, misguide and divert them from the proper use thereof, for certainly the value of remedies must be very great, which hath so long and publickly been known to have relieved such numbers from the miseries and affliction of violent and dangerous cronick diseases, but as it doth not appear either from proofs, circumstances or the candid and judicious account given by the generous and humain donour, that any of those remedies remedies can be properly adapted to answer the end of speedily removing those Fevers and epidemick diseases, which yearly destroy great numbers amongst the inhabi- tants of this land, and as the increase of those diseases, and continual deaths and disasters, caused thereby, too plainly prove, that the methods established and made use of, for preventing their bad effects are very ineffectual, therefore, convinced that society might reap many real and great advantages, from a candid attention and ob- servance of the following proposition; I shall no longer defer offering them to the candid consideration of the publick, who by looking back to what happen’d some years ago, when several persons of distinction and others died through the malignancy of what was called, a jail distemper, may be led to discover the great necessity and usefulness of establishing methods, whereby every indivi- dual might generally with ease and certainty, preserve themselves and families from such diseases and prima- ture death. New-Bond-Street, Febr. 8th, 1763. R. WHITE. CANDID INVITATIONS, To serious and unbiased Reflections, concerning the great and dreadful increase, malignancy and direful ef- fect of Fevers and other epidemick Diseases, &c. IT hath been asserted, by judicious and learned men in different ages, that methods and means effectual for preserving and deliver- ing mankind from the fatal malignant and des- tructive effects of diseases, might be found and established, on principals equally plain and certain with those of the mathematicks or other of the sciences; and the learned and inge- nious Dr. Freind (a) gave it as his opinion, that it was possible to form and establish such, as might in many respects, be of equal cer- tainty with those of geometricians, which being (a) Prefact Emmalg. B true (2) true in fact and easy to be demonstrated by plain, solid and undeniable proofs, why at- tempts to discover and introduce such methods in practice, hath not only been neglected, but also much pains taken, and arts made use of to prevent their establishment and success, when discovered are problems too nice and intricate to be unraveled in this place, nor is it easy to assign a reason why so much time is spent, and so many arguments, questions and disputes should be held and maintain- ed (a) concerning the causes and symptoms of diseases, only while their continual increase and malignancy, and the infinite numbers of miscarriages, deaths and disasters, which con- tinually happen, too plainly prove, that all inquiries to find out and establish methods for their cure, and to preserve mankind from sick- ness, diseases, untimely death and abridge- ment of days, are almost totally disregarded, (a) The truth, says the ingenious Dr. Robinson, is, the moderns have in a great measure lost the knowledge of diseases, and the methods of cure, by a vain and fruitless enquiry about their causes, and instead of reason- ing from their symptoms or sensible appearances to the original disease. They have chosen to begin, at the wrong end, and having first preconceived an hypothesis, not grounded upon experience and facts, they have attempted afterwards to accommodate both the symptoms and cure to such suppositions of causes as have nothing but ima- gination to support them. Mechanical practice of physick, p. 160. neglected, (3) neglected, and slighted, therefore however the destructive influence of prejudice may cause the following proportions, inquieries, reflections & observations, to be slighted, sneared at or disre- garded by her wanton and unthinking vote- ries unnotised by the unweary and indolent, or disapproved of, opposed or run-down by the reputedly learned and modern telchines, who may be ready to oppose every method found out and offered to be established, for the re- lief and preservation of the sick and afflicted, it being most certain, that the healths, and lives of many thousands are nearly interested in the present inquieries, therefore in hopes of meeting with the candid and unbiassed appro- bation and countenance of the judicious part of mankind, as well as of all humane and honest physicians, which, by the rules and maxims of hypocrites are really so, and who superintend with the faithfulness, the vigilance and the humanity, that an affair of so high a trust as the life and health of man requireth, who are divine philosophers acting for the preservation of human nature, after the pat- tern of the first framer thereof, with the ap- probation of such judicious, wise and good men, I shall proceed to lay dowrn, establish and prove the following proposition as real matter of fact, that it would be as clearly demonstrable, and well understood as the most B2 plain (4) plain and easy problem in the mathematicks, that safe, easy and certain methods might be fixed and estabiished, whereby those epide- mic, inflamatory and other diseases, by which the healths, lives and constitutions of many thousands of all ranks and degrees are yearly destroyed, might generally be so far subdued, in a few hours, and (a) sometimes in a few minutes, as to leave no room to apprehend them producing any fatal or alarming effects, and consequently by having timely recourse to such methods. The greatest part of the melancholy and affecting scenes of sorrow and affliction, which persons, famillies and com- munities constantly fatally and sorrowfully ex- perience, by the sudden and violent assaults of such diseases, and by the long continuance of hectick, nervous, coliquative or other lin- gering complaints might be prevented, with as much ease and certainty as a mortification, from a trivial puncture or flight incission, did not prejudice, and her associates, by their un- bounded influence, eclipse the light of reason, and by causing wrong pernicious and des- tructive methods, maxims, customs and hy- (a) This very speedy relief must not be expected, ex- cept recourse to the methods, be had in the beginning of the disease. for if it be fixed, a longer time will be neces- sary to subdue it, though it is certain that fevers and other diseases of long standing, have frequently been removed by those methods in a very short time. pothesis (5) pothesises to be established and relied upon, thereby frustrating the intentions of nature, destroying her powers, and causing the plain, easy and uniform laws of nature and reason to be neglected, despised and rejected, therefore since human reasons, arguments and persua- tions, plain proofs, or even the most tender ties of nature and humanity, or self-preserva- tion, hath yet been sufficient to diminish her pernicious influence, or prevent her associates perpetuating the custom of immolating human victims, and continually multiplying the num- bers of those hapless sons and daughters, which tender, but too prejudiced and deluded parent’s implicitly and credulously suffer, to be offered passive oblations at her numberless shrines, and seeing the methods and means are the same which prejudice, that infatuating goddess and her associates maketh use of in order to be wilder, misguide and deceive mankind, in the pursuit of their temporel (a) as well as spiri- (a) This assertion is founded on and verified in many instances, amongst the rest the following known matters of fact may be taken as samples ; some time ago, a gentle- man which was a roman catholick, and used to visit a pro- testant, which the former frequently observed reading in a large Bible, with explainatory notes, and one day the ro- man catholick being in the closet of the other, where the Bible was lying on a table, he requested his friend to lend it him, which he readily consented to, and accordingly sent it to the house of the roman catholick, where it re- mained (6) spiritual health, and preservation, and it being unquestionably true, that the healths, lives, and mained for several months without any notice being taken on either side, but being one day together in conversation, the lender said to the other, I hope Sir, you have met with what is both edifying and agreeable in the perusal of the Bible I sent you, no Sir, replied the other, with some emotion, no I never looked into it, for I asked my confes- sor, if I might read in it, and he told me by no means, that it would be dangerous and of bad consequence for me to look into it; therefore I locked it up in my closet, where it hath remained untouched ever since, will not pro- testants be surprized at this, and with great reason say, what folly for men of learning to pay so blind and implicit a regard to the artful insinuations of others, and according to the vulgar saying, pin their faith on the sleeves of those who find it their interest to keep them in ignorance as much as possible, and who by the assistance of prejudice, and artful management, so far bias their understandings as to deter them from tasting those celestial balms and following those best and surest guides, whereby rational and inteli- gent Beings can be led to spiritual health aud preservation. But reader be pleased to suspend your judgement, and consider if there are not instances every day, which demon- strate, that protestants frequently act as inconsistently and contrary to reason, in regard to temporal health and pre- servation, amongst numerous counterparts, which might be opposed to the foregoing fact, let this one suffice. Some time ago, a person of fortune and liberal educa- tion, was seized of a disorder which continued to afflict him very much for several months, in spite of all the popular methods, medicines and assistance, usually applied in similar cases, by which no relief being obtained, a per- son which had heard of, and seen some remarkable In- stances of speedy relief being obtained by particular easy tho’ unfashionable methods, and which had not been known (7) and constitutions of many thousands are greatly interested in the subsequent enquiries. Be it therefore permitted, with all possible reve- rence, veneration and respect due to the sacred known to fail of removing such complaints in a very short time, he therefore intreated the sick to have recourse to those methods, but that was as often declined by one as requested by the other, but however the disease still continuing to resist all the fashionable rules and methods, a resolution was taken to consult the disciples of hypocrates and Galen, whether it would be prudent or safe to have recourse to any methods out of the rules of physical or- thodoxees, for please to observe, that it is frequently ne- cessary to follow and observe more rules and maxims in conducting one of those fevers or diseases, through their different stages, for the space of six or eight month, then is generally needful to pursue, inperfectly curing fifty or more of the like disorders, by the plain, easy and un- fashionable methods commonly call’d, quackery. But to proceed, the result of the consultation, was, that the di- sease should be fostered and cherished something longer, as it might be great folly and danger to have it removed by methods which so easily, speedily and safely had effected many cures, and when the adviser expressed some surprize, at so rigid a perseverance, and unmoveable attachment to the dictates of prejudice, he was prevented saying any thing more on that subject, by this conclusive argument, the physicians have been consulted, and certainly they know better than you, how different to this was the conduct of an Assyrian, who so soon as his servant addressed him with this judicious and kind, but sharp reproof: if the pro- phet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldst thou not have done it, how much rather then, when he faith unto thee, wash and be clean; immediately receeded from his erroneous resolution, and humbly accepted the easy means he had just before rejected, with so much scorn and dis- dain. 2. Kings, chap. 5. v. 13. oracles (8) oracles, to mix divine with moral truths, in order if possible, to diminish the destructive influence of prejudice, in order thereby, to promote the good, the health and preservation of mankind, for who ever reflects and con- siders with a serious and unbiassed attention, the great havock and devastation made on the healths, lives and constitutions of persons of all ranks and degrees, age and sex, may justly cry out in those moving and emphatical words of the holy prophets: I am grieved, for the hurt of the daughters of my people, I would have comforted myself against sor- row, but my heart is vexed within me, for they have healed the daughters of my people with fair words, saying peace, peace, when there was no peace, for death is come in at our windows, and entered into our palaces, to slay the children within, and the young men in the street, such in the days of old, and such will ever be the pernicious effects and fatal consequences, naturally slowing from a blind and passive submission, to the dic- tates and suggestions of prejudice. Therefore ye inhabitants of Briton, the once salubrious island, where in days of old, health like perpetual spring, rose smiling on the wings of the morning, difusing her heal- ing influence all around, behold, reflect, con- sider and enquire, with a serious, anxious and unbiassed attention, whether it is not true, that (9) that through ail unaccountable security and neglect, or unbounded confidence, and im- plicit dependance, on prejudice and the in- sinuations of her associate’s diseases, bodily ailes and untimely death, are not suffered greatly to increase amongst every degree, age and sex, a sure indication of a continual abridg- ment of days. O prejudice! how great and destructive is thy power, how extensive thine empire, and how despotick dost thou rule in the minds of mankind that neither reason nor learning, the most tender ties of nature and humanity, or even of self preservation, can prevent human sacrifices, being continually offered at thy shri- nes, reflect on the past oblations; consider the approaching victims, numbers of Britannia’s sons and daughters, yesterday observed with plea- sure, in health, but now laid in the silent grave, or pale, feeble and ready to expire, from the effects of a flight cold, or obstruc- tion, a fever, or trivial inflamatory disorder, a hectick or other lingering complaints, which might with the greatest ease, and without any danger, trouble or alarm, have been pre- vented or immediately removed; but how great, how amazingly infatuating is the influ- ence of prejudice, so far to biass and mis- guide the minds of mankind, and cause them to neglect, refuse and despise the safe, plain and easy means of self-preservation, and su- C pinely (10) pinely submit to, and adhere to her perni- cious, delusive and destructive rites and miste- rious institutions, least the numbers of her passive oblations, should diminish, and her temples be deprived of the great emolument which always floweth with the utmost pro- susions, from blind zeal, passive obedience, and implicit dependance, but to prevent so fatal a catastrophe, the artful godness and her associates, assert with as much confidence, as untruth, and contrary to the plainest proofs, facts and demonstrations to the contrary, that no methods (a) can be found or established to answer (a) Having no intention to suggest or mention any thing in this treatise, but what hath occurred either from my own knowledge, or the testimonies and opinions of studious men, I hope it will not be thought improper to re- late the following matters of facts in order to prove the reality of the above commonly received, but erro- neous doctrine, a person who had long studied and practised pharmacy and chemistry, according to the modern and fashionable methods, constantly withstood all the arguments and reasons which could be brought to prove the possibility of finding and establishing methods more safe, certain and efficacious, then those commonly practised for the removal and cure of fevers, and other diseases, till he happened to be convinced of his popular errors, by the following incident, in the beginning of the year 1759, this strenious defender of the modern galeni- cal doctrine, was seized by a violent inflamatory fever, which augmenting very fast, soon became so alarming as to make him apprehensive of very fatal consequences there- from, I saw him in this situation, and said, why do you not (11) answer such salutary purposes, but believe them not the inhabitants of the renown’d Is- land, where heretofore health and length of days frequently smiled and rejoiced together, for if it is really so, that no methods and means more sure and certain can be established, for the preservation of life and health, and checking the growing progress of diseases, then are generally practised or at present made use of, hapless then will soon be the fate of Bri- tannia’s sons and daughters, then indeed, may their days be compared to a span, a shadow, or a tale that is told, and their lives unto the green herb, but thanks to heaven, it is not so, for it is most certainly true, that to persons unbiassed by prejudice, and determined to be not get something to cure yourself, if it was any other per- son in your condition, you would offer many things in or- der to relieve them, but said he, I am so very ill, and my fever so violent, I do not know what to do, I then desired he would not be afraid, that if he would agree to follow proper methods and advice, he might hope soon to be well, and having agreed to submit to the method and means proposed, the blessing of God, cooperating therewith, he was thereby so speedily and perfectly reco- vered, as to go about his business, the next morning, nor had he afterwards any return of the disease, and being asked what he now thought concerning such me- thods, he answered, I know I was extremely ill, and that I was speedily and surprizingly cured, but how, I cannot well describe, this one, from the many like circumstances, which might be mentioned, is inserted, in order to demon- strate the erroneousness of the negative doctrine. C2 guided (12) guided by reason, and convinced by facts, it can be demonstrated, beyond the least reason for doubt or gain, say from any being but prejudice herself, that such methods and means can be established, by which the greatest part of the sons and daughters of Britain, which are constantly destroyed, or brought into a languishing condition, by fevers and other epidemical diseases, might with great ease and certainty be relieved and preserved. Did not prejudice, by prevailing over reason, and against the plainest facts and undeniable proofs prevent the belief and establishment thereof, to the loss of many thousand lives, would man- kind prevail upon themselves seriously and without preposession to think on those things, would they be persuaded to pursue those en- quiries with that attention, resolution and zeal, proportioned to the importance of the subject in question, and with minds free and unbias- sed by any other consideration, then a real design, desire and resolution, for the discovery of truth, and to acquire an intimate knowledge of the most safe and certain methods and means of self preservation, as well as for being ac- quainted with, and detecting erroneous and false maxims or intended impositions, with such dispositions, and prompted by the sen- timents of humanity and self-preservation, they cannot possibly fail of being moved with the utmost concern for themselves and families, when (13) when they shall be convinced of the vast in- crease and fatal malignancy of diseases, and the causes thereof, so long and ineffectually complained of, and but too plainly perceived by those who have any attention to those things, but how greatly must their surprise be augment- ed, when with such sentiments and dispositions they shall pursue their inquiries through the dark, destructive and crooked mazes of preju- dice, and shall discover how greatly their healths and lives are surrounded, and beset, and liable every moment to be assaulted or ra- vished from them by such cruel and inexorable ennemies which daily increase; for can rational beings seriously consider those things without being struck with wonder and amazement, that whilst new discoveries are daily seeking and inquiring after, with the greatest diligence, anxious and indefatigable application, in other branches of useful knowledge, not only for the improvement of useful arts, but particularly for the amusements and recreations of life, and likewise those discoveries, improvements and amusements more countenanced and encou- raged than at any other period of time, can beings, endowed with reason, seriously con- sider those things without being greatly sur- prised, as well as moved with anxious concern for themselves, their sons, their daughters, and posterity, that at such a period, while diseases are continually increasing, and be- coming (14) coming every day more malignant allarm- ing and fatal, yet all endeavours and en- couragement, to find out, make known or establish methods and means, proper and effi- cacious for putting a stop to those increasing calamities, are not only intirely neglected, but also discouraged and obstructed by various arts and suggestions, but the surprise of the judi- cious and thinking part of mankind will be greatly heightened when by pursuing their un- biassed inquiries with minds free from prepos- session, and shall plainly perceive, that through the beguiling and infatuating influence of pre- judice and management of her associates, they had been brought to join themselves in the plot against their own healths and lives, and as if it were a capital crime, either for them to be releived or preserved, by plain, safe and easy methods, because they are unfashionable, or for others to discover and establish such, for the preservation of those choicest of earth- ly blessings, and to check the growing progress and fatal malignancy of diseases they had suf- fered themselves to be so far seduced, as to despise, sneer at and call by opprobious na- mes, all persons who offer or propose the establishment of such methods; though offer- ed with no other view than the relief and preservation of the sick and afflicted. How- ever prejudice may preposess her votaries against the veracity of those positions and assertions. (15) assertions. I appeal to the judicious and un- biassed part of mankind, and all those who shall think the knowledge of means for the pre- servation of life and health, worth the trouble to divest themselves of prejudice, in order to pursue those inquiries, if those things are not really so, and submit to candid consideration, whether the matter is of so much importance, to claim their serious attention and further dis- quisitions, and if reason, prudence and self- preservation should determine in the affirma- tive, it will be necessary to open a new field of inquiry, in order to inculcate and establish those sorrowful truths, that it is but too certain and incontestibly so, that diseases, bodily ails, un- timely death and abridgment of days, are constantly gaining ground and making conti- nual havock and devastation on the healths, lives and constitutions of all ranks and de- grees age and sex, chiefly owing to the strong and deep impressions which the pernicious beguiling and infatuating influence of preju- dice too strongly imprints on the human mind, but that it is also as certain matter of fact that could such influence be destroyed, it would no longer be either doubted or disputed, that it hath pleased the divine author of nature to appoint and make known, plain, certain easy and uniform methods and means, where- by the greatest part of those dangerous sick- nesses, untimely deaths and disasters which persons (16) persons and families so constantly and sorrow- fully experience from those increasing ene- mies of declining humanity, might be pre- vented with as much ease and certainty as a mortification from a trivial puncture or flight incission, but perhaps some amongst the nu- merous votaries of that delusive and most uni- versal of all tyrants, may think that by in- dulging fancy and speculation, those subjects are stretched beyond the bounds of truth, that prejudice having an ascendency over the human mind, cannot possibly be productive of so great evils, and cause diseases, bodily ailes, untimely death and abridgment of days, there may likewise be many, who have not made so much reflection on those interesting truth, as to perceive that those inexorable and destructive enemies of mankind are so great- ly increased, or become more fatal and alarm- ing, but if persons who have such thoughts, will please to continue their unbiassed inqui- ries and make serious and impartial observa- tions on a few amongst the numberless tes- timonies and proofs both sacred and pro- phane, they will there discover what must convince any being but prejudice, that she and her associates hath at all times been the prin- cipals in causing mankind to reject and slight the most safe, easy and effectual methods and means, both of their spiritual and temporal health, in regard to sacred testimonies and proofs (17) proofs, who ever takes but a cursory view of the jewish history from the time that stif-neck- ed people were brought out of the land of Egypt by the mighty hand and outstretched arm of Jehovah, to the period of their utter destruction, as a notion will no longer doubt the certainty of what hath been advanced, for what infatuating being but prejudice could in- duce a people which had just seen and expe- rienced such striking and amazing instances of the great goodness, stupendious power and marvellous loving kindness of the Allmighty towards them, so cruelly and inhumanly to cause their most beloved children to pass through the fire, and to sacrifice them on the bloody altars of Moloch, or what else but prejudice can cause christians, to suffer them- selves, their sons, daughters and friends to be parched, consumed, wasted or destroyed by inflamatory fevers or other disorders, which reason, proofs and facts demonstrates, might generally be so far subdued or removed in a few hours as not to leave room for the least apprehension of any fatal or alarming consequences being produced thereby, and when the holy messenger of Jehovah, was or- dered to deliver the important message that rain should speedily fall upon the land to re- fresh and render it fruitful after it had been long scorched and burnt, as a punishment to the inhabitants for suffering themselves to be D seduced (18) seduced into a most foolish and abominable idolatry, by the suggestions of prejudice and the insinuations and persuasions of a prodigious number of her associates, who found it their interest to misguide and deceive them, could any thing but such unaccountable tyrants have caused the prophet to meet with an accusa- tion so unjust and unreasonable. Are thou not he that troubleth Israel, or on other oc- casions cause her deluded votaries to break out into threats and reproaches; let us device devices against him, let us smite him with our tongue, what doth this babler mean, doth not the prophets of the high places and of the groves know better than he; we will not hear or believe him, but will sacrifice our chil- dren to idols as we and our fathers have done, in like manner human nature is parched and consumed by fevers and other epidemic di- seases which constantly increase and grow every day more fatal, malignant and alarm- ing, and if any persons endeavour to persuade mankind, to accept of and establish safe, cer- tain and easy methods and means for subdu- ing diseases and preventing their fatal and per- nicious effects, prejudice causeth him to be stigmatised as an innovator and one that trou- bleth Israel, and her votaries to say, what doth this babler mean, from whence should he have this knowledge, doth not the dis- ciples of Hypocrates and Galien know better than (19) than he; we will not hear or believe him, but will suffer diseases to increase and passi- vely permit our sons and daughters to be sa- crificed at the shrines of prejudice, as we and our fathers have done, numberless are the examples, which might be mentioned as proofs of those interesting truths, and the great si- milarity of conduct, constantly observed in rejecting the most safe and certain methods, as well for temporal as for spiritual health and preservation, but for the present declin- ing any further transcriptions, remarks or il- lustrations, from the sacred oracles of truth, shall invite all those who may think the know- ledge of safe and easy methods for preser- ving the greatest of earthly blessings, of so much concern to engage their serious attention and unbiassed inquiries, to observe the sentiments, assertions and declarations, of some pro- phane authors. Mr. Cusack in his reflec- tions on the theory and practice of Hypo- crates and Galien dedicated to the French king Lewis the fourteenth, brings so many judicious arguments and reasons strongly sup- ported by facts, in order to prove the dire and fatal effects, constantly resulting to man- kind, from their passive and implicit submis- sion to the false and delusive suggestions of prejudice, that to insert them in this place, would be tedious, therefore I shall only men- tion the conclusions of the author, that the D2 blind (20) blind and implicit obedience and strict submis- sion, which that infatuating tyrant causeth mankind to yield to wrong pernicious and de- strucive customs, methods and maxims, cau- seth the loss of life and health, to two thirds of the human race, and what was sometime ago observed by some studious English authors on the same important subject will cer- tainly merit particular regard, as their writ- ings must convince all persons who read their works with an unbiassed attention and minds free from preposession, that they were not only very judicious, learned and experienced physicians, but likewise worthy, sincere and honest men, and wrote their notes and obser- vations with an ernest desire to be as much as possible instrumental in preventing the de- struction and promoting the health and preser- vation of mankind. One (a) of those studious gentlemen, after having with great concern re- marked how little studies and discoveries of that sort are encouraged, though ever so use- ful in themselves, and beneficial to mankind, proceeds and laments how greatly their happy effects are frustrated and hindered, by those for whose relief and preservations they were intended, suffering themselves to be seduced by prejudice, into a blameable and fatal ne- glect of strictly and impartialy serutenising (a) Dr. Woodward in his Preface to state of physick and diseases. into (21) into their real worth, and the great good be- nefit and relief which persons of all ranks and degrees age and sex would reap from such stu- dies and discoveries, being properly attended to, he then proceeds to mention some methods discovered, for the preservation of life and health, which from long experience and ob- servation, he was fully convinced, if properly attended to and encouraged, would be pro- ductive of very happy consequences, in pre- serving the healths and lives of mankind, but as the learned and experienced author was well acquainted, how strongly such discoveries are opposed by prejudice and her associates, he was not at all surprised when he found those strainously opposed and rejected. For faith he, as I forsaw those methods in- terfered not only with established customs, but also with considerable interest, therefore it happened just as I expected, and those that are not well versed in such affairs, that is those who are not well acquainted with the powers, arts and wiles of prejudice, and her associates, cannot be brought either to conceive or be- lieve what arts had been used, and pains taken to preposess the world against what he was endeavouring to establish with no other view then the preservation of the sick and afflict- ed, but it may justly be observed that in such instances they act with particular force and diligence when assisted by such powerful au- xilliaries (22) xilliaries as established customs and conside- rabie interest, for great is Diana of the Ephe- sians, and great art thou o Bell, therefore no wonder it should be so difficult to conceive, how many arts and wiles, false suggestions and sinister insinuations had been made use of in order to preposess mankind against, and pre- vent them being acquainted with the great use- fullness of establishing such method, but now candid inquirer be pleased to consider that, as this is a concern of no less concern and impor- tance than the preservation of your healths, lives and constitutions, as well as of your sons daughters and posterity; whatever prejudice may suggest to the contrary, reason and pru- dence must certainly pronounce it worthy of the most serious attention and care, to find out who they were, and amongst what class of beings can possibly be found those Telchi- nes, those cruel and inexorable enemies of declining humanity, which fordidly barter the lives of mankind, for silver, and strainiously oppose, and endeavour to prevent the success, of all salutary methods offered or proposed to be established for checking the encrease of diseases and preventing their fatal alarming and destructive effects, it cannot with any propriety of reason be supposed they were physicians, who act so contrary to the dicta- tes of humanity, the principals of nature and christianity, and the duty which every indi- vidual (23) vidual owes to society. For physicians who are really so, and who superintend with the faithfulness and humanity that an affair of so high a trust requireth. Are philosophers act- ing after the pattern of the first framer of the machine, consequently such persons in- stead of opposing any methods proposed to be established, for the preservation of that curious wonderfull and incomprehensible struc- ture, will at all times, zealously encourage countenance, and assist all proposals and me- thods which have the least tendency towards such salutary purposes, as well as strainiously oppose and endeavour to detect such as are found by certain experience, to have a con- trary tendency; therefore if any amongst those to whom all ranks and degrees of Britons have long yielded an absolute and unbounded su- perintendence over their healths, lives and constitutions, hath or shallher eafter oppose and indeavour by false suggestions or sinister in- sinuations to prevent the success of any me- thods found out and offered for the preser- vation of life and health, and to check the growing progress of diseases, such persons cannot be physicians; therefore by what na- mes, tittles or appellations, prejudice and cus- tom may cause them to be dignified or dis- tinguished; they ought to be looked on not only as enemies, but as the most dangerous enemies of the community, and worthy of the (24) the same rewards which were bestowed on the unworthy disciples of Hypocrates and Ga- len, who for imparing the healths and de- stroying the lives and constitutions of the Greek and Roman people were by solemn decrees of the senators of Athens and Rome banished from the whole extent of the res- pective empires; for why should the healths and lives of Britons be esteemed of less va- lue than those of the Greeks and Romans. And let the judicious and unprejudiced part of mankind determine if it is not reasonable to conclude, that any persons or person which use their utmost endeavours to prevent the success of methods or means found out and offered for the preservation of mankind, be- cause introducing and establishing such me- thods would be contrary to their particular in- terest can it in the least be doubted but persons of such dispositions would be very glad that sickness, diseases and bodily ailes, should con- tinually augment in order to promote the same interest. Some gentleman indeed have been so free and sincere as to give those so- lid reasons for a conduct so contrary either to the principals of christianity, or senti- ments of humanity, that as in the great and weighty concerns of life and health, the great- est part of mankind chuse to be amused and deceived by mysteries and hard words, ra- ther than be relieved by easy and rational me- thods (25) thods why should physicians be honest, or fatigue, trouble and perplex themselves by study and labour to find out methods and means to preserve life and health, to remove diseases, and relieve the sick with ease, safety and speed, seeing the only sure and easy way to wealth and equipages and fame, is by opo- sing every sort of reformation, and by mean arts, blasting and defaming all who endeavour to discover a more rational, safe and success- ful methods, nothing tending so much to un- vail their amusements and credit amongst the people, as such were the observations, decla- rations and acknowledged truths, asserted by grave, learned and experienced men in diffe- rent ages, what would they say, and how great would be their surprize, were they now living to observe the numerous equipages and galenical ensigns, which since that time have been raised from the tombs and shattered con- stitutions of all ranks and degrees, age and sex, they would not only repeat that our ca- lamities are in that respect greater than were those of the Roman people, because their se- nators were not only able to discern the cause and likewise to apply the cure, but would justly add what Pliny said on a like occasion, we are treated as we deserve if we will not use our endeavours to discover the criminal, that robs or destroys us, I shall not take upon me to determine, whether there was at any E other (26) other period of time, greater reasons for such reflections and complaints, but leave the dis- cussion and decission of those important que- stions to the publick, who will certainly per- ceive themselves, greatly interested therein, if they will please to pursue their impartial inqui- ries and seriously consider some very material remarks and observations made by a learned and ingenious physician (a) on the same sub- ject. I am sensible, saith this studious gentle- man, that whoever will attempt to encounter vulgar errors, must expect to be run down by the popular noise and clamour raised upon the authority of the reputedly learned, who having first of all imposed upon themselves carry the cheat still further and strongly im- press it on the minds of others, and in an- other place (b) mentioning with pity and con- cern, the great numbers of lives that were lost, and many constitutions shattered and ruined through false, erroneous and destruc- tive methods, customs and principals, being by the influence of prejudice, imprest on the hu- man mind; he concludes however mankind may suffer themselves to be seduced by adopt- ing or submitting to false notions, maxims and hypothesises, no good physician can practice on this, nor (adds he) hath there been any (a) Morgan in his mechanical practice of physick, p. 4. (b) Page 454 and 455. esta- (27) established, which hath cost more lives, then he proceeds to demonstrate by proofs and facts, many then recent instances of great ha- vock and destruction made on the health, lives and constitutions of mankind, by a per- verse, obstinate or wicked perseverance in some, and blind implicit submission of others, in following, abiding by, and yielding to such pernicious and destructive method and erro- neous customs, then he proceeds and con- cludes as one that mourneth for the hurt of the daughters of his people, on observing such great destruction and miseries, either mistaken- ly and negligently, or artfully and wickedly obtruded on the human race, as those are plain matters of fact, therefore they who will take no warning, but will resolutely persist in and follow such practice, in spite of all reason and experience to the contrary, can be looked on as no other than Homicides, another (a) learned and judicious observer of those things, after making many remarks and observations concerning the fatal consequences, which constantly result to mankind, through their adopting, following and supinely submit- ting to wrong and pernicious customs and methods, by which their healths, lives and constitutions are continually destroyed, he then endeavours to awaken them from the fatal le- (a) Dr. Robinson’s state of physick and diseases, p. 133. E2 thargy (28) thargy into which they had suffered prejudice to throw them by the multiplicity of her ine- briating, and soporating compositions, and in order to accomplish so arduous and difficult a talk, he expresseth himself in the following pathetick and expressive manner, when the gorgons of the body are debilitated and im- pared to the degree as they generally are, in those cases, if life, be not lost the consti- tution is by those methods, frequently so shat- tered and spoiled, and life rendered after- wards so miserable and comfortless, that death itself would be more desirable, but however pernicious and destructive, those (a) methods have been found and declared by the joint testimonies and experience of studious and learned physician and others who have se- rionsly reflected on those things, yet notwith- standing, so wonderfully great and infatua- ting is the power and influence of prejudice, that notwithstanding such plain proofs and well grounded complaints, which hath at all times been and continueth to be made, and (a) The Reader will please to note that the methods or Hypothesis here alluded to, are universally adopted by the disciples of Hypocrates and Galien, and looked on as their universal panaceas, only with those variations, which indeed are but very trivial, in the scale of prejudice, which can at one time make them received as a certain cure for the same diseases, which at others, her sister's fashion and custom causeth to be looked on as dangerous and destructive. the (29) the daily and hourly mischiefs and miscarria- ges, deaths and disasters, daily experienced, and plainly perceived by unprejudiced persons, entirely resulting from a blind and obstinate perseverance of some supine and implicit sub- mission of others, to those erronious and de- structive theories, customs, methods and hy- pothesises invented and established by the in- fluence of prejudice and her associates, for the destruction of the health, lives and con- stitutions of mankind, yet nevertheless in spite of all this and the plane and incontestible proofs and matters of fact which have been and are constantly brought to demonstrate the great and cogent reasons, for such observations and com- plaints yet against all persuasions, facts, proofs and demonstratious, and against the voice of nature which loudly calls for deliverance and preservation from the growing increase and malignancy of diseases; yet notwithstanding through the unbounded and unaccountable in- fluence of prejudice and her confederates; the same baneful, destructive and precarious me- thods, maxims and hypothesises hath prevailed during many years, and with new addition, not less hurtful, are still maintained and ob- served with as much positiveness, ardour and zeal by many, and as passively and implicitly submitted to by others; as mankind had form- ed a conspiracy against declining humanity, and taken a unanimous resolution to sacrifice the (30) the whole human race, at the numerous shrines of that unaccountable divinity. It might be thought those assertions, observations and remarks are sufficiently proved, as well by the visible and continual increase of diseases, and their fatal and mischievious effects as by the sentiments, assertion, and testimonies of honest, learned and experienced physicians, and other persons; it might be hoped that no- thing more need be said to prove the per- nicious and destructive influence of prejudice and to persuade not only the serious and thinking part of mankind, but likewise her wanton and unthinking votaries, and induce them seriously to reflect on their impending danger, and enter into a firm resolution to make the most exact enquiries concerning those things (when in health) in order to make themselves acquainted with the most safe, easy and effectual methods to preserve them- selves and families, from sickness, diseases and untimely death, but least peradventure and some of her votaries should be too closely attached to her delusive rites and institu- tions to be convinced of those truths, by what hath been said, or to think the subject of so much concern as to deserve their se- rious attention, if persons of such sentiments will please to compare what constantly hap- peneth within the compass of any judicious enquirer’s own observation with the senti- ments (31) ments, testimonies, remarks and declarations, of candid studious and experienced persons, they will ’tis presumed discover what will fully convince them that diseases are gaining ground, and becoming more dangerous, malignant and destructive, chiefly owing to the pernicious in- fluence of prejudice, and likewise that it is also true, that methods may be established, whereby a stop might be put to those encrea- sing calamities; and as the following inte- resting observations and remarks are taken from writings which witness the authors there- of to be honest and upright men, as well as studious, learned and experienced, and wrote their remarks and observations, with a design and desire to be all in their power instrumen- tal, in preventing the destruction and pro- moting the health and preservation of man- kind; it may reasonably be expected they will not be thought unworthy of particular attention, one of those (a) learned authors, after having with great accuracy examined, and stated the pernicious tendency and destruc- tive effects of some methods and sistems, which by the aid and assistance of pre- judice; some then famous Telchines had in- troduced in practice, and by many good rea- sons and candid remarks, proved that prac- ticing and submitting to such false erro- (a) Dr. Woodward in his state of physick and diseases. (32) neous maxims or hypothesis, the life of many persons had been lost, and the health and constitutions of others impaired and ruined : it is said those methods or sistems were in- troduced in practice, by the aid and as- sistance of prejudice; for it cannot be thought that any being but prejudice or Belzabub could induce rational creatures, to suffer their healths lives and constitutions, or those of their sons and daughters, to be destroyed by such cruel tortures, or as more mildly expressed by the learned author, to be made sensible, they had certainly suffered real ills, purely through a blind condescension to custom and prejudice, or an implicit confidence and reliance on the management of those, who might find a par- ticular advantage by fishing in such troubled waters, but however fortunately for the con- trivers and abbetters of such lucifering methods. Dead people tell no tales, and for those who have the hapless fate, thereby to have the orgons of the body debilitated and im- paired as they generally are in those cases, and life rendered afterwards so miserable and comfortless, that death itself would be more eligible, the artful tyrant faileth not to provide them with the then only remaining sovereign balm, and easily persuades them into a belief that all things had been admirably well ma- naged, that it was the will of heaven they should be reduced to, and live in so languish- ing (33) ing a condition, and certain when things are brought to such a pass, the best and only re- maining consolation, but to pursue the studious author, he observeth that it is most certain and beyond all doubt, that the metropolis of Britain, hath of late years become much less healthy than heretofore, and diseases gene- rally more mortal and destructive, and that in regard only to the articles of fevers, there had died within the space of eight years then last past 4839 persons more than in the eight pro- ceeding ones, (certainly no small increase to have happened in one city by fevers only,) then in the same period the spotted fevers are increased by 788, and the purples very near double, but here the author maketh this candid remark, which is a plain instance of his not having a design, either to deceive him- self or others; that there being an augmenta- tion of the numbers of inhabitants, by the access of new famillies settling; therefore the births are indeed encreased by 5503, but then behold the driary list; for in the same period of time the burials are increased by 13554, which being in proportion of more then five to one, must certainly be allowed a very strange and astonishing increase of mortality, then for those that do not die, they live in general more unhappy then heretofore, their com- plaints, infirmities and diseases are much mul- tiplied; as vapours and other disturbances of F the (34) the head, chagrin, melancholy, lacitude, faint- ness that other indisposition lately named a fever on the spirits, those called nervine af- fection, diseases in the stomach, the colicks, pains in the back and limbs, and many other complaints are in the mouths of almost all men, women and children, and even those that are abroad and in business, and the affairs of the world, which consequently are thereby much impeaded, life rendered a burthen and often- times miserable, this is the dreadful and alarm- ing picture, a too true and sad representation of poor declining humanity, delinated by a studious and experienced physician, in order if it were possible to awaken the inhabitants of Britain from the fatal security into which they had suffered themselves to be seduced, through the mistaken notions and systems or infatuating and insnaring arts of prejudice and her associates, and underneath it he placed the following moving and emphatical inscrip- tion, such a torrent of deaths and disasters cannot but greatly startle and alarm those who duly and observe those things, it is what we are all greatly concerned in, and indeed re- quireth the interposition and care of the go- vernment, the good, the happiness and the security of the subject, demanding and claim- ing it, then like a humane and compassionate man that mourneth, on observing the mise- ries and calamities, deaths and superinduced di- (35) diseases, which the sons and daughters of adam had passively and supinely suffered, to be either foolishly and mistakenly or artfully and wicked- ly intruded upon them, he proceeds and points out some of the accidental and physical cau- ses thereof, but the description being too ex- tended to be inserted in this place. I must refer the reader to the author’s own works, and for the present declining any further trans- criptions from the numerous testimonies and declarations of the learned, who have with the utmost concern, and in the most pathe- tick manner lamented and complained, on seeing the great havock and devastation made on the healths, lives and constitutions of all ranks and degrees, age and sex, from bad customs, erroneous sistems and destructive hypothesises being adopted and practised by some, and implicitly submitted to by others and for the further illustration of the afore- said interesting and doleful truths, invite those who may think themselves interested in what concerns the preservation of life and health, to a nearer point of view, and recommend to their serious reflection, and unbiassed re- trospection, what within the short space of the sun’s annual revolution, hath happened in the compass of every individual’s own ob- servation, and though it will doubtless be a very irksome and unpleasent talk to many as F2 it (36) it may become the means of establishing me- thods, for preventing much future evils and affli- ctions and of preserving many lives; therefore be pleased to take a serious review of what within the short space of twelve months hath happened in your own houses, and fa- millies, or those of near relations, friends or acquaintance, and you will certainly find mo- tives for great surprize as well as deep con- cern and compassion, when you reflect how many affectionate husbands and wives, tender fathers and mothers, beloved sons and daugh- ters, kind friends and respected acquaintances have in that short space been ravished from each other, and hurried to an untimely or primature death; from the effects of a slight cold or obstruction, a trivial fever or other, at first insignificant disorders, which might with the greatest ease have been removed; and many dangerous and alarming consequen- ces and scenes of sorrow and affliction been prevented, had not the destructive influence of prejudice caused the timely assistance of proper, certain and easy methods and means, given by the favour of heaven, for the im- mediate preservance and relief of mankind, from such diseases to be rejected and despi- sed, and an implicit relyance and confidence on customs, methods, operations and appli- cations, which sorrowful events and experien- ce had a thousand times proved to have rather hurt- (37) hurtful and destructive then salutary and pre- servative effects, and will not all candid in- quirers discover new motives for surprise and concern, by observing in their own famillies or those of relations, friends or acquaintance, numbers of persons which were sometime before observed in full enjoyment of health and youthful vigour, but now beheld with sorrow and regret, pale and feeble or ready to expire, being either parched by inflama- tory or other fevers, racked by cholicks, wasted by fluxes, or consuming by hectick, nervous conliquative or other lingering complaints, when at the same time it is most certain and obvious matter of facts that by timely apply- ing to plain, easy and uniform methods, the greatest part of those affecting and dolorious scenes of sorrow, might have been prevented with as much ease and certainty as a morti- fication from a trivial puncture or slight in- cission, had not prejudice prevented the plain certain and natural methods and means to be neglected, despised, and rejected, and by her unbounded and infatuating influence, caused all ranks and degrees of mankind to act, in the important concerns of life and health, so contrary to their own rules and maxims in other transactions of less moment, as to trust to the same methods and means to day, in similer cases wherein they had thousands of times been known to miscarry, and notwith- standing (38) standing the great affliction caused thereby to many famillies, (a) distress and ruin to others and great loss to the community, of valuable and usefui members (b) have so often and con- (a) Amongst the numerous instances which have late- ly happened to verify what is above advanced, and to demonstrate the great and absolute necessity of having wrong methods abolished and to establish those more safe certain and efficacious for the speedy removal of diseases then are at present made use of; let the following suf- fice. A gentleman whose wife died some years ago, and left him with eight children, the oldest of which was a daughter of about sixteen years of age, and which by her good conduct in the care and management of her father’s house, rendered the loss of the mother less felt in this manner the familly went on very happily till the autumn of the year 1762, when this hopefull and justly beloved daughter was taken ill of a looseness and fever, in which applications were made for the assistance usually called in on those occasions, but without any good effect; for notwithstanding all the helps endeavoured and assistance the diseases augmented, and in the space of about three weeks, put a period to her days, in the first bloom of life, to the great grief and loss of her father and familly; but the sorrowful scene did not end here; for no sooner was the daughter laid in the silent grave, then the father, a gentleman of forty, was seized of a like disorder, and the same helps applied for, and with the same success, for in- stead of receiving any relief, he died also, and left seven orphans, some of which being young, their loss may be better imagined then described. (b) The Hon. Admiral Boscawen and many other brave and worthy subjects might serve as momento’s to those truths; but if the primature death of subjects are not thought sufficient arguments and proofs, that of illus- trious (39) constantly proved them to have hurtful or destructive rather then preservative or salu- tary effects, yet nevertheless through the un- bounded influence of prejudice, and her asso- ciates the same baneful methods and means are still repeated again, and for ever again, and passively, implicitly and supinely submit- ted to by all ranks and degrees, age and sex, without any person’s giving themselves the least trouble when in health to examine and endeavour to discover, and be convinced by facts and proofs, whether there are or can be found, made known and established, more safe, certain and effectual methods for preser- ving mankind from sickness, diseases, untime- ly death and abridgment of days, but here it need not be doubted but prejudice and her associates, who have always a salvo for every the most reasonable and necessary reforma- tion, therefore no doubt it will be insinuated that if those misfortunes and disasters, do fre- quently happen, it is only in the houses and famillies of the Plebeians, and that, either through their neglect or want of having those helps and assistances which are administered trious sovereigns and princes might be added; as the em- peror Adrian, and in our own country, queen Mary, king Charles the second, and within a few years many of the hopefull ofspring of our late most gracious sovereign, not for want of the ordinary assistance, and methods, taken off in the flower of age or prime of life. to (40) to the wealthy, that such dolorous mishaps or scenes of afflictions seldom or never happen in the palaces, houses or famillies of the noble, the rich and the great, but by carefully pursu- ing those inquiries, with minds free from pre- posession and with that care, concern, zeal and impartiality, suitable to the importance of the subject in question; ’tis apprehended it will but too plainly appear from the result of such inquiries, not only that the noble, the rich and the great, are as frequently cut off by infla- matory (a) putrid or other fevers, &c. or languish under hectick nervous complaints, as the Plebians, and from disorders at first so trivial and insignificant, that by proper methods they might have been so far removed in a few hours or sometimes minutes, as to pre- vent their producing either allarming or dan- gerous consequences, and it will likewise ap- (a) In regard to the various denominations of fevers, it is reasonable to suppose, and easy to prove that very few of them would arrive at the degree of allarming or dan- gerous malignancy, putridity, inflamation, &c. if they were timely opposed by proper natural and safe methods, and that those degrees of dangerous and destructive ma- lignancy, putridity, &c. generally proceeds, either from neglect, or applying wrong methods at first, for accor- ding to physical maxims and daily experience, every lesser disease will be rendered as fatal and as deadly as the pes- tilence itself, if the humours are not separable from the blood, or if it is fixed and provoked, and made more vio- lent by medicine obtruded by art. Pitt’s fraud of physick p. 56. pear (41) pear from the result of such inquiries, that in proportion to the numbers of the different degree, much fewer of the former then of the latter, approach too near the confines of a mo- derate old age, notwithstanding it may be laid down as a constant maxim unvariably observed, that when persons of high rank and fortune, are only slightly seized of any cold or obstruc- tion, feverish indisposition, or other slight com- plaints, the earliest intelligence thereof is im- mediately dispatched to some of the most able and experienced, or noted and eminent of the profession, who neglect not to haste with the utmost speed, in order to displant, trans- plant or implant the disease on its very first ap- proach, but nevertheless in spite of all the ope- rations, applications, methods and hypothe- sies which prejudice and custom hath yet suf- fered to be employed on such occasions, those disorders at first so slight, trivial and insigni- ficant, have frequently become allarming, fatal and destructive, as the great numbers of recent and striking instances but too plainly evince, and the numerous ensigns of mortality, of late displayed over the doors of many noble and wealthy famillies, plainly prove, add to the great numbers in the houses and famillies of the great, that within the short space of the suns annual revolution have been cut off by such disorders, for whom no such ensigns of mortality are publicity exhibited with the fur- G ther (42) ther addition of the still greater numbers amongst those of superior rank, which from the effect of those slight disorders, and the as- sistance of wrong methods and maxims esta- blished by prejudice, and made familliar by custom; either languish at home or are sent from their habitations and friends, in order if it were possible by breathing a free air; to take off the evil impression made on their healths and constitutions, by the multiplicity of her soporating compositions, or by the co- pious use of mineral waters, to remove the obstructions caused by the long and frequent use of boles, cortex, testacias steels, opiates, hemlock, and a long train of &c. or perhaps some few amongst them, by listening to the loud calls of nature for self-preservation, or the earnest intreaties of some friends (a) have with (a) Many are the instances which might be brought to verify the truths alluded to, which to mention would be too tedious; therefore for the present, let the following matters of fact suffice. A person of undoubted credit and veracity, whose wise was reduced to a very weak- and languishing state of health, from the ill effects of a bad miscarriage, at last thought it advisable rather to re- nounce a passive resignation to the dictates of prejudice, then suffer her to die, or continue in a miserable and lan- guishing condition, having taken this resolution, he ap- plied to the unfashionable methods now offered for putting a stop to the allarming progress of diseases, by which he had the agreeable surprize to find his wise grow better, and in a short time entirely recovered, and ever G2 since (43) with much difficulty been prevailed upon to assume so much courage and resolution as to with- since hath enjoyed a better state of health than she had possessed for several years before; pleased and surprized to find a recovery so much more safe and speedy, and perfect then was expected; being intimately acquainted with a gentlewoman of considerable fortune, who had languished nnder a violent disease for several years, without being able to find any relief, though many applications and experiments were made according to fashionable and phy- sical indications in order to displant the disease, and restore health, but without the least success. It was therefore advised, the sick should leave her house and family, and endeavour to remove with her disorders to Bath, but that she refused; saying, she should not be able to bear the fatigue, and consequently should share the same fate which had befel many others in the like circumstances and die on the road; therefore chose to submit to her ap- proaching fate at home. In this situation her acquain- tance abovementioned went to her and said: madam, I have often observed your sufferings with much concern, and now hope I can direct you to a method by which you will find speedy relief; no sir, replied the sick, I have laid aside all hopes of relief; I have had such a great variety of methods and means used without finding re- lief; that I do not think to try any more; but replied the other, you have never tried this, which is extremely easy, and of which I have experienced very salutary effects in my own family, it is needless to repeat, was the expe- rience mentioned, or the various persuasions on the one side, and refusals on the other, suffice it to comprise the whole, in the gentleman’s own words: I was, said he, obliged to make use of every argument I was master of before I could prevail with so intimate a friend and old acquaintance, to recede from her resolu- tion and to be relieved of so long and dangerous a di- sease, but by earnest entreaties, she was at last prevailed G2 upon (44) withdraw their blind and implicit submis- sion from prejudice, and rather then die by her rules or pine, languish and consume, by her maxims, accept the assistance of some mild and safe herimetick or quack me- thods, and thereby to have the tainted and waisted balsam of nature purified and recruit- ed, exhausted strength restored and obliged to live and recover in spite of prejudice and fashion, bad customs and themselves, candid impartial and unbiassed inquirer are not those things really so, are not those fatal and impor- tant truths to conspicuous and self-evident to re- ceive anagative from any being but prejudice, herself, and if it so plainly appears, from the result of candid, serious and unbiassed inquiries, and the joint declarations, testimonies and as- sertions, of judicious honest and experienced physicians and others, as well as from daily and hourly experience, that diseases, bodily ailes untimely death and abridgment of days, are greatly increased amongst all ranks and de- grees, age and sex, and yet in spite of all the methods and means, hither to established or upon to recede from her resolution to prove the salutary methods offered, by which from a condition so weak as to be apprehensive of dying on the road to Bath. She was in a short time so far recovered as to undertake & perform with ease in one day, a journey of near a hun- dred miles, and to live and recover in spite of prejudice custom, and a resolution to the contrary. made (45) made use of instead of those calamities being diminished or repressed, they continue to aug- ment and in place of life being preserved, and the sick and afflicted relieved, the or- gons of the body (a) are wakened and im- paired, life rendered miserabie, and that ge- nerally the more medicines (b) are given, the faster the simptoms and complaints multiply, the body is rendered still more and more lan- guid, and set still nearer and nearer unto death, if those things are really so: will Bri- tons who have so gloriously vanquished their foreign foes, assisted, relieved and preserved their distressed, injured and oppressed allies, reduced provinces, conquered, defended and protected principalities, states and kingdoms abroad, will they be so far misguided by the infatuating influence of prejudice, as to suffer those cruel and inexorable ennemies of man- kind to make those grievous inroads and de- vastations on the healths, lives and constitutions of all ranks and degrees of persons at home, when it is most assuredly true, that was her pernicious and unaccountable influen- ce destroyed, those plain truths would be no longer either disputed or disbeleived that certain, easy and effectual methods might be established, on rational principals, whereby those fevers and epidemic diseases which an- (a) State of Physick and diseases, p. 133. (b) Ibid 202. nually (46) nually destroy their thousands and ten thou- sands, might generally be so far overcome in a few hours, and sometimes in a few (a) minu- tes, as to prevent any fatal, deadly or allarm- ing effects being caused thereby, and that, not by the administration of ruff, dangerous and austere medicines, or the risque of precarious operations or torturing applications, but by fol- lowing the plain, easy and uniformlaws and in- dications of nature, reason and truth, will chri- stians then while they wonder and stand amazed, that the Jews should be so misguided by preju- dice, as to suffer her entirely to eclipse the light of reason, bias their understanding and induce them to act so contrary to humanity or the laws of nature, as to cause their inno- cent children to pass through the flames of fire, and deliver them to be barbarously, cruelly and inhumanly butchered and sacrificed on the bloody altars of Moloch, will christians while they are justly astonished that rational beings should so blindly yield themselves to the arts and management of others, whose wordly in- terest it was to deceive them, will they also suffer themselves to be deluded and entirely guided by the same infatuating influence and passively yield themselves, their sons and daugh- ters to be conducted to the shrines of prejudice, by the fiery trials or painful lingering and cruel (a) Page 4. tortures (47) tortures too often inflicted on those who have the hapless fate to go through the mysterious ceremonies, precarious and doubtful opera- tions or painfull applications so zealoudy ob- served in conducting fevers and other disea- ses from their first flight appearance, to their becoming inflamatory, putrid, allarming, fatal, or deadly, rather than be persuaded seriously to divest themselves of prejudice, and by pur- suing those unbiassed inquiries; be led to dis- cover and be convinced of those interesting truths, that safe, certain and easy methods might assuredly be established and made to answer all the salutary purposes beforemen- tioned, but, if as observed by judicious and honest physicians and other persons, it is cer- tain that all methods and means found out, and proposed for the immediate relief and preservation of the sick and afflicted, must be run down as much, as possible by the popu- lar noise and clamour raised upon the autho- rity of the reputedly learned, and strainious- ly opposed, because such methods interferes with establisbed customs and considerable in- terest. And that wealth and equipage and fame, are the sure rewards of those who strai- niously oppose every sort of reformation, it need not be doubted but those now offered for preserving mankind from sickness, disea- ses and untimely death, will be as strainious- ly opposed, not only by prejudice and her associates, (48) associates, but also by her deluded wanton and unthinking votaries, who are generally ready to join in the plot against their own healths and lives; and like those who cast firebrands, arrows and death; saying are we not in sport; but will grave and judicious per- sons, the candid inquirer or the honest physi- cians who are really so (a), and who super- intend with the faithfullness, the vigilance, and the humanity, that an affair of so high a trust requireth, who are divine philosophers acting after the pattern of the first framer of the machine; will they also continue in, or join the confederacy formed and maintained for impairing or destroying that curious and wonderfull structure, and by an unaccount- able complaisance or blameable neglect, pas- sively and supinely submit to, and acquiesce in methods that reason, proofs and facts prove to be calculated for impairing, disconcerting or utterly destroying its curious springs and movements, which the divine architect hath framed according to the most exact and uni- form laws of mechanism and the methods to preserve and continue their various functions on the same plain and uniform principles; for in the beginning God made all things perfect, but man the greatest enemy to him- self hath found out many inventions to de- (a) §5. ceive, (49) ceive, and by the assistance of prejudice and custom hath established those pernicious and destructive methods, by which diseases and bodily ailes are multiply’d, a sure indication of a continual abridgment of days; many ju- dicious, studious and honest physicians and other learned persons have constantly avert- ed and laid it down as certain matter of fact, that were those who are appointed superin- tendants and guardians of health to set about the discovery of proper methods and remedies for the relief of the sick and afflicted, with as much assiduity and zeal as they do the ma- xims of their own private interest, we should not every where meet with such numbers of shattered and broken constitutions, which are but too visibly met with amongst all ranks and degrees, others go further and say, that the moderns have in a great measure lost the true methods of curing diseases and relieving the sick and afflicted, by fruitless inquiries, concerning their causes, that a narrowness, partiality and want of due concern, for the happiness of the community, by setting up clubs, cabals and combinations in order to sup- plant all those who submit not to their mea- sures, that those are caressed and looked upon as oracles, who cause human nature to fall into decay or bring it to destruction by prac- tising upon wrong and precarious methods, by which the pecant and malignant matter H is (50) is drawn from the circumference to the cen- ter perspiration impeaded, and human nature impaired or destroyed, that the greatest part of the sick in common diseases are generally loaded and oppressed with many doses, preca- rious operations or painful applications, and if they recover it is because they were not ca- pable of being destroyed by all the boles, cordials, operations and applications, that when the diseases are more complex and nature more feeble, they are often made so malignant and dangerous by medicines obtruded by art as to make it impossible for nature to support the struggle, when assaulted on every side by a violent disease and all the medicines which act in consort for its destruction, it is further added that the cordial julips waste the spirits, they assid, chill and freeze the blood and spi- rits, and cause cold coliquative sweats, the many expectorating doses improveth the ca- tarrh to a flood, that the increasating the opi- ates, the cortex and testatias, lock up the se- crations, the lubricating cause a dangerous or fatal looseness, and that the precarious ope- rations and painful applications diminish and exhaust the strength, and often extinguish the vital heat, that the Jesuits powder rendereth the malignant fevers deadly, by locking up the pestilential mixture in the blood, that respiration is stopped by the use of opiates, and every lesser disease rendered as fatal, ma- lignant (51) lignant or deadly as the pestilence by medi- cines obtruded by art, it is further added that the more medicines are given, diseases are in- creased in proportion. Bad symptoms multi- plied, the body rendered still more and more languid, and set still nearer and nearer unto death, that it was some years ago observed, that the toping physicians plied all their patients, and in all diseases, with one or other of those fine medicines, viz. the bark, steel, opiates the preparations of mercury or the assids, but with what success, time and the grave have hitherto prevented proper enquiries, it is fur- ther added, that the morning sleeps are drove away by loathsome boles, and the tortures of many blisters, that the practice is like that of the Greek physicians at Rome, and that it may justly be compared to that of Daniel, when he seethed pitch, fat and hair, and made lumps thereof, which being put into the dra- gon’s mouth as the fat worked violently one way, the pitch and the hair stopped its ope- ration and caused him to burst in asunder; so in like manner, the boles, opiates, steels, mercurials, cordials, &c. by making the like operations in the human body, frequently cau- seth great commotions therein, and oftentimes the destruction thereof, as those are the sen- timents, testimonies and declarations of many studious, learned, experienced physicians, H2 and (52) (a) and other judicious persons, I shall not take upon me either to question or dispute the veracity thereof, but refer the decision of so important and interesting an affair to them that may not think the knowledge of methods and means for preserving the health, lives and constitutions of themselves and pos- terity, unworthy to engage their serious and unbiassed attention, and for my own part most solemnly declare, I would have continued for ever silent on this subject, had I not been con- vinced by the plainest and strongest demon- strations, human nature is capable of receiving, that is, from a long series of plain and unde- niable proofs that safe, certain and easy me- thods might be established and made to an- swer all the salutary purposes of preventing the greatest part of the fatal malignant and destructive effects of fevers and other epide- mic diseases which yearly destroy so many thousands of all ranks and degrees, age and sex, but it being true in fact, that the me- thods now offered have constantly been ap- plied in the prevention and cure of such di- seases with a success so uncommon, unexpect- ed and unhoped for, that to declare the truth may create in some, a disbelief thereof, what then shall be done in this case, must we deny (a) Erasistrate, Benetean, Sorbiere, Bruyere, Duret, Goold, Robinson, Woodward, Pitt, Cusac, &c. the (53) the real truth, and depreciate the precious gifts of heaven in order to persuade the votaries of prejudice into a belief of those most so- lemn truths, no, God forbid, for the life and health of many depends thereon, therefore, whether they will believe, or whether they will forbear real truth, and nothing but the truth shall be declared, which is that during the space of four years, the utmost care and application hath been bad in order to try and experience those methods in the preven- tion, removal and cure of all the epidemic di- seases which have happened in that period of time, not omitting or neglecting the same care and application in regard to those that were re- presented and made to appear so dreadful and allarming in the year 1762, and notwith- standing the great numbers, that then died, and languished under the fashionable and usual method, such hath been the divine blessings constantly attending those now offered to be established for the immediate relief and pre- servation of mankind from such destructive diseases, that amongst all those who entirely relyed thereon, it hath not been found on the most strict and exact inquiry that any persons who applied thereto, when they were first taken ill, which did not find immediate re- lief, as well as several who had long tried many other methods and means in vain, which nevertheless by those were restored to health. But (54) But notwithstanding no truths are more cer- tain or easier to be demonstrated and com- prehended, the greatest part of their happy and salutary effects will be prevented by the influence of prejudice, except it can be de- stroyed, or greatly diminished, but as it was observed, that tyrant had gained an almost universal empire over the healths, lives and constitutions of all ranks and degrees, age and sex near a century ago, and having increased in power eversince. How shall that arduous talk be accomplished, seeing neither the visible and continual increase of diseases, nor their allarming and destructive malignancy, hath yet been effectual, and least human argu- ments and persuasions should for ever fail, by the assistance of those judicious and unbias- sed inquirers, who may think the knowledge of methods and means for preserving life and health, deserving of serious and strict disqui- sitions, joined by that of true and honest physi- cians who are really so, and who act for the preservation of mankind, with the sincerity, in- tegrity and humanity, which ought to influence the breast of all who pretend to be guardians of health and life, with such aids, we will oppose her with something more powerful then words and human arguments, in order to destroy or at least diminish so great and destructive a power, and with due reverence and res- pect, by having recourse to the sacred ora- cles (55) cles of truth, be led to proofs too plain and convincing to recceive a negative, or gain- say, even from prejudice herself, that me- thods and means safe in themselves and easy to be understood, might be established and made to answer all the salutary purpo- ses beforementioned. When the prophet Elija went about the difficult talk of persuading the deluded people to accept the means of pre- servation and safety, and to forsake a foolish and impious idolitry, which by a blind and passive obedience to the dictates of prejudice and the artfull insinuations of a prodigious num- ber of her associates, who found it their tem- porel interest to deceive and delude them ; gather, (saith the holy man) gather the pro- phets of Baal 450, and the prophets of the groves 400, and he said unto the people, why halt ye between two opinions, if the Lord be God follow him, but if Baal then, follow him, and the people answered him never a word, so it happeneth, when any person pro- poseth safe and easy methods to be establish- ed, for preventing and subduing diseases, and preserving mankind from sickness, diseases, untimely death and abridgment of days, they are so greatly astonished to hear any one ad- vance propositions so unfashionabie and con- trary to those which prejudice had suggest- ed unto them, and strongly impressed on their minds, that they answer never a word but he (56) he seemeth to them, like Lot to his sons in law, as one that mocketh, and as those con- tinued in a fixed resolution to remain in their mistaken notions, and suffer themselves and children to be consumed in the flames of So- dom, rather then be persuaded to accept the offered means of preservation in like manner do the generality of mankind, resolve to pose themselves, their wives, their sons and daughters, to the violent assaults of consum- ing fevers, and other diseases, rather then be convinced by reasons and persuasions to take the trouble of strictly inquiring whether it hath pleased the Almighty to make known methods and means, safe in themselves and easy to be established for their preservation, or as practised by the Jews on many oc- casions snear at, reproach, and call by opro- bious names, those who so kindly invite them to accept the offered means of preservation, from sickness, diseases and untimely death ; but to pursue, after some silence the prophet proceeds thus, let them take one bullock, &c. the reader will please to refer to his memo- ry or his bible (a) for the rest, for methinks I hear prejudice and her associates exclaim as loudly as Demetrius and his companions (b) did on a more important occasion, and saying, what doth this fellow mean, will he (a) I. Kings ch. 18. (b) Acts 19, 24. also (57) also pretend to work a miracle, but to such wanton scoffers I shall give for answer, that he who told the Jews, if they would not be- lieve, though one should be sent from the dead, thought fit to abolish miracles for rea- sons best known to unering wisdom, and though the obstinate and stiff-necked Jews, could not be convinced, by any thing, less then a most stupendious miracle, it may reasonably be hoped that christians will be convinced by plain and natural proofs, and receive them as valid evidence against prejudice and pre- posession, or wrong and erronious customs, ambiguous arguments, or particular and fixed notions, with those small and resonable con- cession on the part of the publick, the aid and assistance of the judicious and candid in- quirer, and of honest, humane and faithfull physicians, who are real philosophers acting for the relief and preservation of human na- ture after the divine pattern of the first framer thereof, accompanied with those small con- cessions and such helps, we will readily and chearfully invite as well those that disbelieve, as those that believe the possibility of esta- blishing such salutary methods, to fair, candid and open tryals, proofs and demonstrations, for which purpose it is proposed, that honest and disinterested persons be appointed to make the most fair, exact and impartial inquiries and observations concerning the nature, man- I ner (58) ner and success which for the space of four years, hath constantly attended the methods proposed to be established, and it is most sincerely promised, that no evasions, frauds, untruths, or ambiguity, shall in any wise be made use of in order to disguise and pervert truth, or to impose a belief of what is not real matter of fact, but all things shall be re- lated with the greatest truth, candour and exactitude in a gradual succession of cases, and various circumstances attending each, from the beginning of the year 1759, to Febr. 1763; and it is not doubted, that by inqui- ries thus made by persons of like sentiments and possessed of such honest and disinterested dispositions; it will be made plainly, publick- ly and certainly to appear, that those fevers and other epidemick diseases, now so justly dreaded, for yearly destroying the healths, lives and constitutions of many thousands, would very seldom prove either dangerous or allarming, fatal and destructive, or the name of malignant, putrid or hectick disea- ses, rarely known, when timely and properly opposed by the plain, easy and uniform me- thods and means discovered and made known in the beginning, by the Allmighty author of nature, to preserve it from sickness, diseases and untimely death, and as from a great num- bers of past examples, it will plainly appear, that it hath pleased God to fix those methods- and (59) and means for accomplishing those salutary purposes, not in administering rugged, dan- gerous and austere medicines, precarious ope- rations or torturing applications, but on the known and unvariable laws of nature, rea- son and truth, and to crown them with a series of uninterrupted success, in relieving persons of every age, sex and constitutions, from such disorders with a certainty and ease visible to perceive, and easy to be understood by any persons uninfluenced by prejudice, it may not be unreasonable to suppose that per- sons who have or shall hereafter make serions reflections and observations on the prodigious numbers of deaths and disasters, long and tedious diseases, and numbers of persons of all ranks and degrees, brought from the bloom of health to a weak and languishing condi- tion, by the sudden assaults or long continu- ance of diseases, which within the space of a few years, most famillies have experienced in a greater or lesser degree, may it not then reasonably be concluded that any persons after such reflections and informations, will conti- nue so closely attached to the erronious rights, institutions and methods which prejudice and custom shall have established, but that if them- selves or children should have the misfortune to be taken ill of such diseases, they would gladly and willingly prove the same salutary relief; it is therefore proposed in order to I2 put (60) put these great and interesting proposition to a further test and out of the power of con- tradiction, even from prejudice herself, that a proper number of persons, be found of va- rious ages, sex and constitution, as they shall happen to be taken ill of fevers or other epi- demick diseases, opportunities, God knows are not difficult to be met with,) and let them be treated according to the plain and easy methods proposed, and under the inspection of honest, judicious, and disinterested persons, purposely appointed to examine the nature, state and degree of every person, disease or illness, and to declare the truth upon oath (a) if required, and if it shall appear that by those plain, safe and easy methods and means more progress is made towards removing those diseases, and recovering the sick in one hour than is generally made in one day by the fashionable, supernatural and incomprehensi- ble methods of physical orthodoxy, and by the former in one day, than usually by the latter in a week, and so on in proportion, (a) Every prudent precaution ought certainly to be taken to prevent frauds, impositions or mistakes in regard to methods either established or offered to be established in which life and health is so much interested, and would mankind seriously reflect and consider how nearly and greatly they are concerned in every such method; they would certainly not think any study, after that of spiritual preservation, worthy of their more solicitous care. and (61) and also that where it was usual for ten or more persons to die or be brought into a lan- guishing state by those disorders, and the usual and fashionable treatment, scarce one shall be found which doth not soon and perfectly re- cover, and likewise that by the safe, easy and natural methods now proposed to be es- tablished, fifty of those fevers or other disea- ses can be removed, and all bad dangerous or allarming consequences therefrom prevent- ed in a shorter time and with less trouble than is generally taken, to conduct one of them through their different degrees, to a period of fatal or dangerous malignancy, if those or like things shall appear from the result of candid, honest and impartial disqui- sition, it will naturally follow, that the pro- positions laid down as the basis of those im- portant and interesting inquiries are really true in fact: viz. that was it possible to de- stroy the infatuating influence of prejudice, and to persuade mankind, when in health to exa- mine, scrutinize and inform themselves with as much care and indefatigable application, in what concerns the preservation of their health and lives, as is practised by many in other temporel affairs of less consequence, and by others in pursuing the amusements of that life which they are so supine and careless, concerning the means to preserve, it would then be as clearly demonstrable, and well un- derstood (62) derstood as the plainest problem in the ma- thematicks, that methods and means might certainly be established, according to the plain, easy and uniform laws of nature, reason and truth, whereby those fevers and other epi- demick diseases, which yearly destroy the healths, lives and constitutions of so many thousands might generally be so far subdued in a few hours, and sometimes minutes, as to prevent any fatal, dangerous or destructive effects being produced thereby, and conse- quently the greatest part of those sorrowfull, affecting and dolorous scenes of affliction, which persons and famillies constantly and sorrowfully experience, by the sudden and violent assaults of those diseases, or the long continuance of hectick, nervous and lingering complaints might be prevented with as much ease and certainty as a mortification from a tri- vial puncture or flight incissions, but whether diseases, bodily ailes and abridgment of days are yet become sufficiently fatal, destructive and allarming, to induce mankind to think the knowledge of safe and easy methods for the preservation of life and health, deserving of the attention and resolution necessary for divesting them of prejudice, and to undertake such serious inquieries, must be referred to their own judicious determinations, and if reason and truth should demonstrate that those inexorable enemies of human nature are really in- (63) increased, and their malignant effects, much more frequent, fatal and destructive than here- tofore. As no effects can be produced with- out a cause, consequently some causes must produce those woeful effects under present consideration, and what ever those causes are, persons of all ranks and degrees, age and sex are certainly very nearly concerned there- in, as well as in the certainty or incertainty of the foregoing propositions; therefore, be- fore I conclude, the judicious inquirer will give me leave to repeat the following truths, viz. that I should have for ever remained silent on this subject, had I not been fully convinced of the veracity thereof, from a series of remarks, observations, facts and proofs, during great assiduity, application, labour and studies, in order to discover and become famil- liarly acquainted with these salutary methods and means now offered, for the safe, easy, and speedy relief and preservation of human nature; and if the divine assistance, co-ope- rating with that assiduity, labour and study, I have improved the talents committed to my care, the inhabitants of this land may cer- tainly reap great good and benefit therefrom, it the despotick influence of prejudice, the prevailing power of custom, or an unaccount- able fear and shame of being thought sin- gular, if reduced to the necessity of being relieved from sickness and untimely death, by (64) unfashionable (a) methods, doth not prevent it, but should those powerful tyrants still prevail over (a) Those who have not made serious reflections and observations concerning those things, may probably think it a groundless surmise, that fashion can have any influ- ence over the minds of rational beings, in what regards the preservation of life and health, but a slight scrutiny into the conduct and behaviour of many persons when taken ill, will discover and furnish sufficient and convin- cing proofs that fashion hath frequently as great a prevail- lency over the human mind in what regards the preserva- tion of life and health, as in that of dress and amu- sement of life, and that there are many persons, nearly, if not quite as apprehensive of having it known they had been relieved from any dangerous sickness or disease, by the help and assistance of either unfashionable men or unfashionable methods, as prudent and modest women are of being thought otherwise; and so high in esteem of some persons are fashionable methods of cure, as to cause tears to be shed, for blessing which it might reasonably be expected, would produce sentiments of gratitude aad thank- fulness; thus it happened with a person, sometime ago, who after being delivered from a dangerous disease, by methods not in great vogue, was soon after found in tears, by a friend, who inquiring the reason thereof, I weep, re- plied the penitent, for having violated the rights of fashion, I weep, because I was obliged to be cured by those things. Many instances might be produced equally incredible and unaccountable, which shall be omitted, and give place to a naration made by a stranger and by him affirmed, for truth: after I had lived sometime in England, said he, I took an English woman to wife, with which I lived comfortable and happy, for some years, when to my misfortune it fell out she became indisposed, whereupon in compliance with the customs of this country, and the inclinations of my wife and her relations, an emi- nent apothecary was sent for, and by the assistance of many (65) over reason, truths and facts, and thereby pre- vent the foregoing propositions, remarks and obser- many drugs, the disorder augmenting, an assistant was called in, and a great number of bottles, gallipots, pills, and boles, &c. indifferent classes, and continual succes- sion, without any respite to nature, which by such helps, became more feeble, and the malady augmented, upon which a second, third fourth and fifth assistant was called in, always with the addition of new sholes of gallipots, boles, &c. the half of which were obliged to be thrown away to prevent too quick a dispatch, therefore by pre- cautions and shiftnings, my poor wife languished for a considerable time; for though I was fully convinced by reason, that the multiplicity of drugs and mixtures con- tinually sent in, and forced upon reluctant nature, must certainly have destroyed the most robust constitution, I was nevertheless obliged to comply with the physical fashions of this country, which are so prevailling as to cause many people to take as much pride and pleasure in being sick, in order to have the knocker of the door muf- fled up, the physicians or apothecary’s chariots waiting at the door, and to be visited by fine gentlemen, as people in my country do in being healthy and having a good constitution, therefore said he, in compli- ance with those prevailing fashions and customs, I was obliged to shut my eyes against the light of reason, be deaf to and stifle her suggestions, and the calls of nature, which invited me to more rational means, for preservation, and tamely subtmit to have bills run up at the apothecaries, to the amount of no less a sum than two hundred and twenty pounds, besides the fees to five different physicians, for ordering in so plentiful a pro- vision, and thus by the prevailing power of custom, foolishly agree to lose my wife, and afterwards a second, but not for want of the same aids and assistance. Such was the account given by a stranger, concerning phy- sical fashions, and whether his remarks and conclusions K were (66) observation, from producing such happy and salutary effects, and cause them to be slight- ed, sneared at or disregarded by their wan- ton and unthinking votaries, unnoticed by the unweary and indolent, or disapproved of, opposed or rundown by the reputedly learn- ed and modern Telchines, if my good in- tentions and endeavours of being all in my power helpful towards establishing methods and means for the safe and speedy relief and preservation of the sick and afflicted, meets with approbation from the good and judi- cious part of mankind, and from the honest and disinterested physicians, I shall rest sa- tisfied with having done all in my power for furthering the health and preservation of mankind, and what ever errors, or mistakes may have happened in this treatise, as I am conscious of having advanced nothing there- in but what I know, or really believe is true, therefore for all such errors or mistakes, let those righteous reprove me friendly; but in concerns so important, wherein the healths lives, and constitutions of all ranks and de- grees of mankind, are so greatly interest- ed, may the unaccountable and despotick in- fluence of prejudice cease to preside, and pre- were not judicious and reasonable, let those determine, who have had the like fatal and dolorous occasions to observe, reflect on, and consider them. posession, (67) posession, private interest, false suggestions, sinister insinuations, false reports, envy, ha- tred and malice, with the rest of her com- panions, abbetters and associates, for ever be silent, least truth be perverted in the cause of the fatherless and widows, the sick and afflicted, and their sorrows, distresses and num- bers augmented thereby. FINIS. Should an inclination for being acquainted with, as well as instrumental in establishing methods and means for preventing the malignancy and destructive effects of fevers and other epidemick diseases, inspire any persons with a desire of receiving a true and candid informa- tion concerning the truth, the certainty, and the basis of the foregoing propositions, they may depend on re- ceiving such information, by applying to the author, at his house, in New-Bond-Street, the third door from Mad- dox-Street, adjoining the Turk's-Head and Sun. ERRATA. Page 10, line 2, for the read ye. P. 17, for notion read nation. P. 18, l. 8, for are read art. P. 28, for gorgons read orgons. P. 29, l. 3 from bottom, for as mankind, read as if mankind. P. 30, l. 23, for and some read some. P. 32, l. 7, for Belzabub read Belzebub. P. 34, l. 24, for and observe read observe. P. 41, l. 4, for too near read near. P. 43, Note, l. 3, for and speedy, read speedy. P. 50, l. 2, at bottom, for respiration read perspiration.