Dr. CAM's Account, 
&c. 



A Rational and Useful 
ACCOUNT 
OF THE 
Venereal Disease:
WITH 
Observations on the Nature, Symptoms, and 
Cure, and the bad Consequences that attend by ill 
Management; with proper Admonitions; recom- 
mended as a Friendly Instruction to all Persons 
who do, or may, labour under this Misfortune. 
ALSO 
A short Enquiry into Old GLEETS, and 
other Weaknesses; and the Reason why they are so 
seldom cur’d: With the Author’s Method of Cure.
To which are added, 
Some Hints on the Practical Scheme, 
the Methods and Medicines therein expos'd, and 
the gross Impositions justly detected. 
WITH 
An Account of Specificks; the Use and Abuse of 
the Name, and how it covers Ignorance and a Cheat. 
The Seventh Edition, corrected, with Additions. 
By JOSEPH CAM, M.D. 
Evasti? credo metues, doctusque cavebis. 
Quæres quando iterum paveas, iterumque perire 
Possis, ô toties servus! Horat. 
Principiis obsta. Ovid. 
LONDON: 
Printed for, and Sold by G. Strahan against the Royal 
Exchange, W. Mears without Temple-Bar, C. King in
Westminster-Hall, T. Norris on London-Bridge, and 
J. Baker against Hatton-Garden in Holborn. 
Price stitch’d in Marble Paper 1 s.



TO THE 
READER. 
IN the First Edition of this 
small Treatise, I gave a short 
Account of the Pretensions I 
had to the Business I now 
follow: And as many Persons in this Ci- 
ty have become Great Men from such a 
Profession; nor is it difficult to mention 
several at this Juncture who deserved- 
ly are reputed Men of Sound judg- 
ment; I shall wave all farther Ac- 
counts of that Nature, and consequent- 
ly spurn at any invidious Calumnies, 
which some base designing Reptiles have 
heretofore loaded me with. 
I cannot but hope this Book has 
open'd the Eyes of many Persons, who 
have been deceiv'd by too credulous a 
A2 Tem-

To the Reader. 
Temper, into Expenses and Danger. 
I have in this Edition hinted at some 
Cases and Observations on this Disease, 
which are sufficiently convincing I am 
not out in my Conjectures; more I have 
reserv'd behind, left the Enlargements 
should require a greater Price: In short, 
since a considerable Number has been 
dispos'd of, in so small a Compass of 
Time, and since the Demand for them 
has of late increased, I have Reason to 
hope the Practice may again be brought 
out of the designing Crowd, into its re- 
gular Channel. 
Thrice happy they who fall into 
the Hands of Judicious Men. 
How many Fathers have entail'd Mi- 
sery on their Progeny from ill-cured 
Poxes! But 'tis not convenient to ap- 
pear too open in this Affair, and there- 
fore I shall desist from Particulars; on- 
ly this I may safely remark, that the 
Venereal Disease is with great Diffi-
culty 


To the Reader. 
culty cur'd on Persons whose Parents 
had fix'd a Taint in their Blood in their 
Mothers Wombs; and Patience is re- 
quir'd, both on the part of the Physician 
and the Patient, when such have the 
Misfortune to be seiz'd. 
It can't be suppos'd I design'd in this 
small Performance to give a large Body 
of Prescripts for the instructing of 
Others how to cure this Disease; my 
Aim was rather to kindle in my Readers 
a Flame, to consume the Intrigues of 
some Traders in this Malady; how- 
ever proper I may think the converting 
it into a Prelude to a larger Volume, 
when I shall perceive any critical Cir- 
cumstances to demand it. 
Since the Publication of this Work, I 
find I have Reason to repent me, that 
I had not done myself Justice somewhat 
earlier; for my Patients are not de- 
ceived, as will appear in the Close; and 
I am happy enough. since I can gratify 
myself with the pleasing Reflection of 
having


To the Reader. 
having been instrumental in serving 
Mankind. 
This Business is now become a Re- 
fuge to every little Bankrupt, who at 
first Appearance glares in borrow’d 
Lays, and blinds the Unthinking Po- 
pulace into their Ruin; and when the 
Spring of all their Misfortunes is for- 
got, they are believ'd to fall Victims to 
an honest and a different Disease. 
I have pursu'd my Design in this 
Edition, to wit, the Discovery of far- 
ther Collusions and Impositions upon the 
Publick; but I shall leave the Reader 
to consult the Additions at the end of 
the Book, for his Instructions and In- 
sight into them: I cannot however pass 
over so barefac'd an Effrontery as is 
this Arthritick Tincture; surely the 
Publisher designs to persuade Mankind 
into a Belief, That he can chime all 
the Notes upon one Bell: Happy 
Boldness! and lucky Patients! Had 
there been some other Tincture, (and 
be


To the Reader. 
be might have pick'd out Numbers of dif- 
ferent kinds) some Pretense might have 
been fram'd; but to cry up the famous 
Elixir one Day for the Venereal Dis- 
ease, and, because it serves his turn, to 
cry up the same individual Tincture 
for the Gout another Day, is like the 
Jingle on Tobacco. So that I do not 
despair of his following my Advice given 
in my first Edition of this Book. And 
as to his Treatise on Canary-Birds, 
that should be reprinted, because its Use 
is extensive. 
If I have not divulg'd my Secrets 
in this Edition, I design in some fol- 
owing ones to publish ’em, because then 
the World will both judge better of 
my Abilities, and of my good Intentions 
towards the Publick. 
My Peruses will be at some far- 
ther Expense for this Edition, than 
for the former; but the Additions are 
many, and such as, I hope, will recom- 
pense. 
I

To the Reader. 
I have taken the Freedom to add some 
few Cases which have happen'd lately to 
fall under my Hands, where the Rea- 
der will see perhaps his own Misfortune 
as in a Glass; and I the rather have 
done this, that it may appear I can Act 
as well as Speak. 
I have also added some few Remark- 
ables on the Gout, as Occasional Hints 
to a farther Design; which I reserve 
till my leisure Hours. 
Vouchers with me shall always be 
look'd on with an indifferent Eye; for 
Mankind to be subject to Vice, is a grie- 
vous Curse entail'd upon 'em; to suffer 
Sickness from Sin committed, is great 
Misery; to communicate this Misfor- 
tune to one (tho' their Deliverer) is Oc- 
casion of Shame and Confusion; but to 
publish one's Mischance to the whole 
World, to point out their Abodes, and re- 
veal their Names, is such a Complex of 
Villany, that, believe me, Readers, tho' 
it hath been often propos'd, and even de-
sir'd 

To the Reader. 
sir'd of me for my Benefit, I scorn to ac- 
cept of so base and low a Condescension: 
For my part, I can hardly think any Mo- 
tive but Want of Business should induce 
a Man to such a mean Acceptance, or 
any thing but meer Poverty (as appears 
too plainly by several of Mr. Tanner's
Vouchers) prevail for such a Compliance. 
Here I had clos'd my Preface, as 
formerly; but by an odd Accident meet- 
ing with the following Letter, which I 
keep by me, I thought fit to insert it, 
in order to acquaint the World how un- 
easy genteel Reproofs sit upon a Person, 
who, in his Fifth Edition, persisted in 
his groundless Scandals, and utter'd 
the deepest Calumnies. That unjust 
Treatment manet alta mente repô- 
stum. 
The Letter was mark’d to my 
Hand for the Press by the inge- 
nious Author, and is verbatim as 
follows: 
B The


The Letter. 
WHenever Dr. Cam's Book is 
advertis’d, I desire to have 
no Advertisement in the Paper that 
Day. As for his Electuarium Mi- 
rabile, I have no Objection against 
it, nor would not have against be- 
ing Advertis’d the same Day with 
his Book, if it were for those ma- 
licious injurious Lashes he unjustly 
gives me in: So that whenever 
those are omitted, I shall have no 
Objection against his Book neither, 
nor any thing else he shall publish 
without Injury to his Neighbour, 
and without endeavouring to build 
his own Edifice upon the Calumny 
and Detraction (unthinkingly) cast 
on another, whose Pen and Abilities 
will not knock under to any thing 
ever as yet publish’d by him. What 
he may hereafter publish, perhaps, 
may have more Influence. But 
nevertheless, I wish him very well,
and 

To the Reader. 
and I believe he would wish bet- 
ter to himself, if he let his Neigh-
bours alone. 
I am, 
SIR, 
Your very humble Servant, 
ANODYNE NECKLACE. 
Had the Author of the Scheme any 
Title to dictate his Sentiments on Dis- 
eases to the World; had his Education 
ever been pointed towards Physick; had 
he been made a Graduate or a Free- 
man in Physick, or Surgery, his Mi- 
stakes would have been carefully con- 
ceal'd: But whereas Divinity and Phy- 
sick have very different Objects, and 
Avarice only was the first Handle for 
his applying to Writing and Adverti- 
sing, so he writes what he has no
B2 Know-

To the Reader. 
Knowledge of, and gets what he has 
no Title to. Lashes then are his De- 
serts;’ tis the Duty of every honest 
Man to advise his Friend to avoid 
Imposition and Collusion: The Author 
of The Seven Useful Discourses has 
as much Title to write on Diseases, as 
he has to pronounce Sentence upon the 
Bench at Westminster; and to be 
plain with him, acts his Part in that 
Profession with the same Skill as he 
would in this. I hope the Reader will 
give me Credit for this Assertion, till it 
be judg'd proper to defend to Particu- 
lars, when I shall convince the World 
of the Fallacy and inconsistent Jargon 
that Pretender makes use of upon all 
Occasions; his Terms are ill adapted, 
his Sentiments are wide, his Judgment 
is erroneous, his Writing a Jingle, and 
the Whole an ill-fram'd Patch-work, 
if it can deserve the Name of any Co- 
herence at all. As for his hasty De- 
termination in his own Favour, and 
telling


To the Reader. 
telling us he is sure his Performances 
are of a Superior Nature to mine; this 
is, as if an ignorant Censor should 
give his own Works the Test of Appro- 
bation, instead of those of others: And 
should we expose all our Productions to 
the World to pass Judgment for us, l am 
afraid he would be of Lazarus Baif’s 
Opinion, who when advis'd by a Friend 
to revise his Works, he answer'd, Oh, 
Sir, do you think a Father, to put 
his Children in a better Condition, 
would take Pleasure in breaking 
their Legs and Arms? For my part, 
I declare, I have acted sincerely, and 
am so modest in the Opinion of myself, 
that if I am fairly advis'd of any Mi- 
stake in the Performance, the next Edi- 
tion shall be the better for it. But, 
Sir, had you either the Knowledge in 
Anatomy, in Medicines, or in the 
Methods of Cure, you would have 
avoided such fulsom, obsolete, uncouth, 
improper Expressions; you would have 
known


To the Reader. 
known how to have express’d yourself 
in just Terms; but as the Scheme 
and your other wonderful Performances 
are set forth in their Dress at present, 
all that know Physick are utter Strangers 
to your Meaning; for what Physician 
can find any Meaning where there is 
none? So that we may say of your little 
Works, as Virgil said heretofore of 
as excellent a Poet as you are a Writer;
Qui Bavium non odit, amet tua 
carmina, Mævi. 
A

A Rational 
ACCOUNT 
OF THE 
Venereal Disease, &c. 
CHAP. I. 
Of the Disease in general. 
THE Value each Person ought 
to put upon himself, should 
make him so industrious, as 
to discover Fraud from Sin- 
cerity, Chicane from Truth, 
and Collusion from Good-will. I say, 
each Person ought to labour from his
Infancy 

[16]
Infancy to extricate himself from the De- 
signs and Traps laid for him: But alas! 
we come to Maturity, we grow Old, 
and in some Affairs we are Blind, and 
continue so for ever. I know not, whe- 
ther this Blindness be in any thing more 
common, than it is in the Art of Phy- 
sick; in this, Men pass Judgment by the 
Force of their Affections, and not their 
Judging Faculty: This Man we like, his 
Conversation is agreeable, his Comport- 
ment is genteel, his Air is modish, he is 
obliging, and in short we love the Per- 
son; but let him be thoroughly search’d, 
his Business has been to study Men, not 
the dead Letter. Thus sometimes so high 
runs Affection, we even believe the Per- 
son Ignorant, but Charity and Love cover 
his Defects. I crave no Man’s Affection, 
in order to entrap him; this little Paper- 
Book I have presented to the Publick, is 
the Result of a continued Success for near 
a quarter of a Century, in the Cure of the 
Venereal Disease, in its whole Extent. 
I fancy it may be no great Honour to 
assume to myself an Air of Knowledge in 
this Distemper, because the Weakest of 
Mortals may in that time acquire to him- 
self a competent Observation on the com- 
mon Symptoms, when his Application 
has

[3] 
has been bounded and limited to that Di- 
stemper chiefly. Let my Knowledge be 
to what Degree it can; such has been 
my Case, that I have confined myself to 
the Consideration of this Disease for the 
most part, have made Observations suita- 
ble to the time I have practiced; and I 
think I have built, upon what I have read, 
a large Structure, and will be bold to say, 
(without a Breach of Modesty) If Au- 
thors have discovered no more of this Dis- 
ease than what they have publish’d, I can 
range somewhat farther than they have 
done, and without much Trouble to myself. 
By the Word Authors, I abstract from 
Bills of Fare, such as the Practical Scheme, 
a Rhapsody of bold Promises, incoherent 
(and sandy) Matter, mask’d under the 
fulsome Pretext of following a Philoso- 
phy, I am well apprized, the Scribbler 
has never enter’d the Threshold of. 
The Publick may here expect I should 
descend to Particulars they have never 
been told of; so I could; but my Busi- 
ness at present is, an Appeal to the World 
how fairly I have dealt with them in the 
Publications I have made; and whether 
I am under the Incapacity some vile de- 
signing Empiricks (for so I must call such 
of my Adversaries, as I have hitherto 
C spurn'd

[4] 
spurn’d, who have never been dignified 
with the Cap) have branded all their Fel- 
low-Advertisers with, for the sake of 
Gain. 
I think it will be needless to let the 
World into the Secret of the Manner of 
Infection; this would be to trifle like 
the Scheme-maker; who, in his Pamphlet, 
pretends to clinch that Nail, which others 
had but touch’d. My Design is to relate 
Facts I am well assured of, confirm’d with 
Truth, ripen’d by Experience into a cer- 
tain Method, which I am sure is far from 
smelling of the Quack. I need no Atte- 
station to what I shall advance, nor is it 
necessary to court any Chamberlen for what 
I affirm; nor do I think it reasonable, 
any Gentleman of a Faculty should pro- 
stitute his Name to my Account; nor do 
I design to work by Collusion: No Sirs, 
I know no Necessity I am under for such 
a crafty Procedure. 
As soon as a Person has convers’d with 
any one Infected, he commences also 
Unfortunate; the Infection being Local, 
the Part of Contact is the Seat of the 
Disease at first, and by Neglect is daily 
more propagated:
--Unless 


[5] 
--Unless strong Nature still 
Exerts itself, and then throws off the Ill. 
But how seldom this happens in our 
Isle, I leave it to any indifferently skill’d 
to pronounce for me. 
The Combatants untainted suffer by 
the Friction; the Torch is kindled at the 
Fire, which costs much Pains to extin- 
guish. 
If the Vagina is infected with Ulcers, 
their Linnen must be stain’d Greenish or 
Yellowish; and they scarce can bear the 
Coition without a wry Brow: As for the 
Males, they also are easily discover’d, if 
warily ey’d; and ’twould be amazing to 
me, to find so many sad Examples, if 
Passion did not blind our Conscience and 
our Reason. I cou'd give Instances how 
to discover any Degree of Infection, and 
consequently how to guard Mortals 
from it; Nay, how to know whether 
Artifice were not used, to patch up a Mi- 
stress for the Battle: But all this ought to 
be conceal’d from the Publick, lest we 
should seem to encourage Vice. I shall in 
short give a Description how a Patient 
may know his Degree of Infection, and 
how reasonable it may be for him to make 
a serious Application in Season.
C2 A 

[6] 
A Clap is discovcr’d from the following 
Signs; a Pain and Scalding whilst they 
make Water; Matter of various Colours 
runs out continually; there is a Pain up- 
on squeezing the Part; there’s an Erection 
often in a Day; Ulcers in the Urethra; 
the Penis swells; is crooked especially 
upon Erection; they cannot stand close 
with their Thighs, because of the Pain 
of the Penis; Ulcers often seize on the 
Glans or Prepuce; all these Symptoms 
are Attendants upon an infectious Copu- 
lation: But whether this Matter Infecting 
be an Acid or an Alcali, I think is scarce 
worth while to enquire into, much less is 
it to the Purpose to affirm with the Garway 
Scheme-Maker, Mr.Tanner, that an Alcali
has changed its Nature into Acid, which 
is a Leap Principles (if he thinks them 
such) never take, and a Piece of Philo- 
sophy, which is neither new nor old, and 
consequently not learnt Abroad nor at 
Home. I look upon this Quality to be 
Acrimonious, because we do indeed find 
many convincing Proofs of it; but to 
what Species of Acrimony his referrible, 
I can tell this Divine 'tis not in his Pro- 
vince to enquire into; nor is it known, 
but from some Consequences, which are 
best judged of, from an Experience he is 
not Matter of. 
When


[7] 
When the Infected have sat patiently 
down under their Misfortune for some 
time, which they often do, if their Scald- 
ing of Urine or Dysury be moderate; the 
Infection steals upon them, and produces 
other Symptoms about the Parts first 
charged with the venomous Particles; so 
that now not only the Urethra, the Glans, 
the Prepuce, and the Penis are affected, 
but also the Prostate Glands, the Gallus 
Gallinaceus, the Testicles, the preparing 
Vessels, the Groin, and the Anus, begin to 
suffer by their Proximity or Nearness, as 
will be made appear: For how otherwise 
happens it, that the Patients by a supine 
Neglect sometimes never recover from a 
Gleet all their Lives after? I have endea- 
vour’d in vain to cure Gleets of 20 Years 
standing, which I am now wiser than to 
attempt when I have examin’d them, as 
Experience has taught me to do; and 
know them by a certain Rule I have, to 
distinguish whether they are really incu- 
rable; which however, in others, I can 
cure, tho’ of any Date. 
A Phymosis and Paraphymosis, are Sym- 
ptoms on the Prepuce; in the first, the 
Fore-Skin is so tumid, that it won’t be 
brought behind the Nut; in the latter, 
it can’t be brought forwards to cover the 
Nut;


[8] 
Nut; they are mostly watery Tumours, 
and call’d Crystallines, tho’ I have seen 
them of another Species, and inclinable 
to a Scirrhus, particularly by Mismanage- 
ment. 
I think no one need be told, that the 
Testicles are swell’d; but for their Inflam- 
mation we know it by a Tumour there, 
and a throbbing Pain, daily increasing 
till it turns into an Imposthume (if the 
Patient be foolish and willful.) 
The Anus is often beset with Warts 
or other Scirrhous or Cancerous Tu- 
mours, as well as the Glans is with 
Shankers, and which are equally trouble- 
some and dangerous. The former are 
Tubercles, Excrescences, or hard Tu- 
mours, which seize the Verge of the 
Anus, and are callous and hard to the 
Touch. The latter are hard Ulcers up- 
on the Prepuce or Glans, which also are 
in the Vagina; and I have seen them as 
large as a Chestnut: They who have the 
latter, can never be safe without the 
Grand Cure, because they are Signs of 
a radicated Lues: And let the Continu- 
ance of the Infection be how small so 
ever; yet if these appear, it is a sure 
Sign of certain Footing. 
The


[9] 
The Groin is attack’d with Buboes, 
which are a Critical Tumour and Inflam- 
mation, which tends often, or ought so 
to do, to an Abscess, and by breaking, 
carries off Part of the Venom out of the 
Body, and sometimes the Whole, if art- 
fully managed. 
We have seen the Patients troubled 
with the Hernia Varicosa, where the Ves- 
sels are crowded with Humours, and 
their Substance is thicken’d and harden’d 
sometimes so much, that there's no Pos- 
sibility of reducing them to their usual 
Size by the nicest Management; for they 
will, all their Life after, have these Ves- 
sels more turgid than usual. 
As soon as the Venom has left the Se- 
cret Parts, and is lick’d up into the Blood- 
Vessels, then it circulates along with the 
Blood into all the Parts of the Body, and 
produces every Symptom producible by 
a vitiated Blood, such as Pains, Pustules, 
Ulcers, Itchings, Tetters, &c. for as the 
Acrimony, with which the Blood is taint- 
ed, makes the Globules of a Size which 
do not, in circulating, yield as it ought 
to do, for want of a due Elasticity, they 
are apt to stick close to the little Arteries 
or Fibres, which they cannot pass thro’; 
and thus, according to their Degree of 
Acri-


[10] 
Acrimony, they either give us trouble- 
some Sensations, which are often, in the 
beginning, not lasting; or at other times 
they are deeply engaged in the Capilla- 
ries; and the Blood being very much 
tainted or charged with Salts, Ulcers and 
such Symptoms are produced. 
At last, when the Venom has been a 
long Sojourner in the Fluids, it begins to 
affect the Solids, and particularly the 
Nerves and Bones. This is a dismal 
Scene indeed, and many a Bill of Mor- 
tality is hid under the Name of a gentle 
Decay, and a Consumption, which had 
its Beginning in the Stews. Now Con- 
vulsions, Consumptions, Palsies, Apoplexies, 
then Nodes Caries, Spinæ Ventosæ, the Fal- 
ling of the Os Palati, and the Nose, and 
such melancholy Scenes are carried on; 
and why all these and more, but because 
now we are crush’d with the Quantity of 
the Poison, as well as the Quality of it? 
For there is as much Difference between 
this last Degree and the first, as there is 
between the Effects of a Pound of diluted 
Aqua-fortis, and two Pounds of the most 
concentrated Spirit of this same Acid, where 
the first may even be brought down to 
a Degree of being swallowed, whereas 
the latter destroys in a small Quantity. 
I


[11] 
I say not this to declare my Sentiments 
on the Species of Acrimony, but on the 
Difference of Quantity and Quality. To 
set about to explain to my Reader, the 
Manner how those Accidents come on, 
would be perhaps to talk like a Scholar, 
more than a Practitioner; but my Aim is 
rather to be accounted the latter. How- 
ever, that the Reader may have some 
Glimpse into the Nature of the Malady, 
I may venture to say, that it is safe in 
Diseases to argue from the Effects to their 
Cause; and as Ulcerations do often con- 
comitate the Venereal Disease, which 
yield upon certain Applications, we 
knowing the Nature of the Medicines 
applied, may give probable Conjectures 
at the Quality offending: In such Cases 
therefore we need only give a short Ca- 
talogue of the Remedies in use for the 
Venereal Disease, and draw a Conclu- 
sion from thence concerning the Na- 
ture of it. The Virus communicated 
is taken off by Medicines of a con- 
trary Quality; for this is the proper 
Characteristic of a Remedy, if in the 
Disease certain Medicines are admi- 
nistered which exasperate it, we may safe- 
ly conclude that these Medicines are of a 
like Nature with the Particles which gave
D the 


[12] 
the first Rise to it. Therefore on the 
other hand, if certain Medicines are given 
or used which take off the Malady, we 
may equally conclude that these Reme- 
dies are of a contrary Nature to the 
Poison. 
The Medicines usually given in this 
Disease are Mercurials, Guaiacum, Sassa- 
fras, China, Sarsa, Juniper, Zedoary, 
Antimonials, Volatile Salts, and Aroma- 
tick Oils: I speak of the Alternatives on- 
ly or chiefly. 
Now the Simples named are Drugs, 
consisting either of Volatile or fix’d Salts, 
or Oils: It cannot so safely be concluded 
on, that the Cause of the Disease is a Cor- 
rosive Acid, from the Relief receiv’d from 
smooth and oily Remedies, because these 
smooth Drugs do equally relieve Symp- 
toms arising from a Corrosive Alcali, in- 
asmuch as they imbibe the corrosive Par- 
ticles of both alike: But it is a Demon- 
stration that its Acrimony is Acid, when 
Volatile and fix’d Salts relieve the Symp- 
toms of the Disease; because Experi- 
ence convinces us, that these Salts are 
diametrically opposite to each other. 
Nor can it be any Objection, at least 
of any Force, to say that some Acid Re- 
medies are found to relieve some parti- 
cular


[13] 
cular Symptoms which retain to this 
Disease; since we all know some Acid 
Remedies to be contrary to other Acids, 
and are therefore known by Experience, 
our best and surest Guide in Physical Mat- 
ters, to be of a Subalcaline Nature in re- 
gard to the other Acid. Consult Dr. Grew 
on Mixture, and you will be agreeably 
instructed in this Affair. Moreover, in 
some Symptoms of this Disease, it is not 
worth the Dispute whether an Alcaline 
or an Acid be apply’d, upon Condition 
that both be Corrosive; because in Fun- 
gus's or Callus's, the Fibres are to be ero- 
ded or quite eat away. Now it is indif- 
ferent in this what Caustick is used, since 
a Correction of the Juices is not the 
Question in hand, but a Consumption 
of the Fibres, and as that is indiscri- 
minately done by either, it is the Ope- 
rator’s Business to effect it with the least 
Trouble, and the least Hazard. 
I cannot tell whether any one who 
follows this Business, has better Preten- 
sions to it than myself, because the Num- 
bers I have had under my Care, have 
made me endeavour at proper Methods 
to relieve them and support myself, and 
I thank God I have effected Both: I am 
sure then, I have no occasion, like the 
D2 Scheme-


[14] 
Scheme-Maker, in his Directions, to de- 
sire any to draw up an Advertisement, and 
say unknown to the Author, and they shall 
be refunded the Price of the Advertisement, 
and shall have a Guinea for a Pair of 
Gloves for so doing, because this is an 
Effrontery not to be equal'd: For what 
poor Wretch having bought a dear Re- 
medy, would not be glad to regain his 
lost Money at any rate? And this is the 
Reason why so many Certificates appear 
in favour (as one would imagine) of the 
Specific Remedy, when in Truth they 
are only Claims put in, to recover their 
Money sunk in an useless Remedy; so 
that these poor Miscreants (for such these 
Claimants generally are) are repaid for 
Hush-Money and gross Impositions: Nay, 
we have known it advertised, that such 
an one (who had been as dead as Julius 
Cœsar for above half a Year before) was 
recover’d by, &c. Si populus vult decipi, 
decipiatur. 
But the Readers will be pleas’d to find 
here in the following Chapter, most of 
the Symptoms in such Order as they in- 
vade them, that they may at one View 
know their Condition, and apply seri- 
ously for their Recovery. 
CHAP.


[15] 
CHAP. II. 
Of the Symptoms. 
FIRST then, A Clap or Gonorrhœa 
Virulenta, which the French call 
Chaude-pisse, has generally a vast Heat 
of Urine attending it. I need not tell 
my Reader, that Ulcers in the whole Pas- 
sage sometimes cannot bear the sharp 
Urine gliding over it, and grating it; and 
therefore till these Ulcers are some way 
benumm’d or cur’d, we find this Symptom 
seldom ceases entirely. 
Shankers are hard and callous Ulcers on 
the Glans, or Prepuce, or both; which are 
sometimes so large as to equal a Chestnut, 
and give the Operator and Patient much 
Trouble, for that they must in some 
Cases be cut away. I shall not say more 
here, only refer you to what I shall ob- 
serve hereafter. 
Bubo's: They are Inflammations on 
the Groin; ’tis a sort of an After-game, 
and a piece of Good-luck; for ’tis much 
better


[16] 
better this Part should be seiz'd than 
the Internal ones; because by Impostu- 
mating, the Humour is in great measure 
thrown out this way; which it could 
not, if it seiz’d on the Viscera. 
Inflam'd Testicles: All Tumours are 
raised, because more is brought to a Part 
than can be reconvey’d; and therefore 
when I name an Inflammation, I suppose 
some sort of Obstruction; and if any one 
throws into a Distractile Syphon a Quan- 
tity of Liquor by a Syringe, you will 
see it rise and settle. Why swells it, but 
because the Part is drawn up by the 
Quantity not passing on hastily enough? 
And why settles it, but because now it 
passes freely on? 
Caruncles are known by pissing in a 
double Stream, or an Obstruction of ma-
king Water: They are fleshy Excrescen- 
ces in the Urethra, (I have sometimes 
known them at the Neck of the Bladder, 
and this is dangerous) arising from the 
ulcerated Parts turning Fungous; and at 
last this Fungus (from a peculiar Acri- 
mony in the Humours) becomes even 
Scirrhous or Cancerous. 
Strangu-

[17] 
Stranguries are occasion’d by the Salts 
of the Urine pricking the ulcerated Parts, 
and thus corrugating and exasperating 
them; and as a sharp Instrument fails 
not to gall and irritate the Part ’tis fix’d 
in, this Humour in like manner, accord- 
ing to its Figure and Durity, fixes in 
some Corner of the ulcerated Part, and 
there galls till it is obtunded by the Mu-
cus spew’d out of the Glands of the Uri- 
nary Passage. Dysuries and Stranguries 
differ by Degrees only; but both are a 
Sharpness and Heat of Urine. 
Nocturnal Pains arise from the Heat of 
the Bed, which occasions a brisker Mo- 
tion of the Fluids around the Body, and 
particularly on the Surface: If the Salts 
(which by this Heat are melted) be gen- 
tle, then such only feel a Tingling and 
Uneasiness on the Surface of the Skin; 
but if they are very sharp and corrosive, 
instead of tingling, they pinch us prodi- 
giously, and bring on Pains. 
Erosions of the Bones of the Palate.
When the Humours have been suffer’d to 
lodge for a long Space of Time, with- 
out due Care, what Wonder if they cor- 
rode the Parts? For as this Ferment is of
such 


[18] 
such a Nature, as every day to grow 
more corrosive than other, we must na- 
turally conclude, the longer it lodges on 
any Part, the more Mischief it does: 
Why then should we wonder at such a 
Disfiguration? 
Nodes are hard Tumours on the Bones: 
However there are Degrees of them; for 
when they begin, they are softish, and 
are then term’d Gumma's; and, in the 
Head, Talpa's or Topinaria's; but when 
confirm’d, they are Nodes and Exostoses; 
they arise from the Lodgment of Hu- 
mours on the Bones or near them, be- 
cause some of these Tumours appear at 
first to be Cystical, and others seem to, 
and really do, grow on the Bones. 
Phymosis, Paraphymosis. I have already 
taken Notice, that these are Faults on 
the Prepuce; and if the Patient’s Penis is 
so fram’d, as always to be cover’d or un- 
cover'd, these Accidents seize them; for 
the Symptom is but a Tumour diversi- 
fy’d by this Structure. 
Cordee, is a French Word, signifying a 
String or Cord; and what they call Chaude- 
pisse Cordee, is a Clap with an Inflamma- 
tion

[19] 
tion on the Penis; but we never take it 
in any other Sense, than when the Frœ- 
num is drawn downwards, and the Ere- 
ction, which is troublesome at this time, 
cords the Penis around, and on the side 
of the Frœnum, with exquisite Pain; so 
that as Erection is unavoidable, from 
numerous Causes and Irritations, there- 
fore is also the Pain following it. 
Scabs or Blotches: These Eruptions are 
occasion’d; from the Humours stopt and 
confirm’d; and as an Acrimony may 
be wrapt up in gross Particles, so this 
Viscidity occasions an Impediment to the 
Circulation in the small Vessels (which 
we call Capillaries): When they have 
rested here some time, then their Acri- 
mony begins to exert itself, and gradu- 
ally inflames, throbs, and at last throws 
itself into the Surface of the Skin in 
Blotches and Scabs. 
Disorders from the Blood, and Nervous 
Disorders. When the Venom has desert- 
ed the Genitalia, it creeps gradually and 
insensibly into our Vessels, and then cor- 
rupts all our Juices, and changes them 
into Caustical ones; and as the Blood soon 
corrupts the Spirits, so bad Blood soon 
E hurries

[20] 
hurries on bad Spirits; therefore when 
the Blood is tainted, Crowds of Disea- 
ses attend a Patient thus unfortunate, and 
they every Day more than other begin 
to look Pale and grow Lean, because 
Nutrition is not rightly perform’d; for 
how shou’d a Body be nourish’d with 
Particles so keen-edg'd? How can they
be apply’d with Advantage, when they 
are utter Enemies to it? How can they 
grow without lodging there firmly? And 
if they do lodge, instead of nourishing, 
they pare them off, and even grate the 
very Bowels unmercifully. Thus Disea- 
ses grow up instead of Nutriment, and 
at last jam seges est ubi Troja fuit; nothing 
but Destruction and Death attend them. 
I shrink at the Thoughts of the innu- 
merable Disasters springing up from the 
Blood tainted: But when I consider that 
the Venom is deeper sunk, even so far 
as into the Nerves themselves, I am yet 
more in Concern for such Neglects; and 
I must here acquaint my Reader, that 
’tis not the poor Patients are always on- 
ly to be blam’d for these unhappy Ca- 
ses; for I have known many who have 
run the Gauntlet of Physick under igno- 
rant Hands, who have lock’d the Door, 
and suffer'd the Thief to ravage 
within;


[21] 
within; or even have sometimes over- 
done the Matter, and ignorantly thrown 
their Patients into Nervous Distempers. 
Lastly, I must observe to you, that tho’ 
these are the Common Symptoms, yet they 
are far from being the Complement, 
since Defluxions on the Throat, Coughs, 
Night-Sweats, Lassitudes, Pains of the 
Back, Leanness, Consumptions, Fissures 
any where, Falling off of the Nails, 
Crustiness on the Skin, Polypus's, Piles, 
a cancerous Thrush, Tetters on the Pri- 
vities, Melancholies, Madnesses; the A- 
lopecia or Falling off of the Hair, Ficus, 
Condylomata, Mariscæ on the Anus and 
its Verge; nay, we have seen some Hy- 
pochondriacal, others Phrenetick; we 
have often observ’d Hecticks, Vertigo's, 
Dropsies, Deafness, Blindness, Palsies, 
Epilepsies, all sorts of Breakings out, Dy- 
senteries, Fluxes, Diabetes; and in short, 
there is hardly any Distemper which this 
malignant and acrimonious Humour does 
not bring on; and the Reason I think is 
pretty plain, because all these Distem- 
pers are only some Share or Parcel of 
this Humour, fix’d on some one or more 
of the Viscera or Parts; which settling 
there, frets and exasperates the Parenchy- 
E2 ma

[22] 
ma of the Part seized, and either raises 
Exulcerations, Evacuations, Commotions, 
Tumours, Eruptions, Caries, and many 
such Disorders; or its Tenacity blocks up 
the Passages, and then it raises all Disor- 
ders which take their Rise from Ob- 
structions; and then the Parts are not ir- 
radiated by the Spirits; whereupon Fal- 
lings off of the Hair, Palsies, Gutta Se- 
rena's, and thousands of other Distem- 
pers follow, which I neither am at Lei- 
sure to nominate, nor cou’d they be 
comprehended within a moderate Com- 
pass; Mille modis morimur. 
CHAP. III. 
Of the Prognosticks. 
THAT such whose Hands this lit- 
tle Pamphlet may fall into, may 
conceive their Disorder somewhat more 
readily, I shall annex some short Prog- 
nosticks on their Condition. 
As to such who are seiz’d with the va- 
rious Symptoms of a Gonorrhœa, or 
other

[23] 
other Disorders about the Genitals; un- 
less their Blood have been violently taint- 
ed before with sharp Humours; if the 
Disorder be fresh and newly received, 
they recover with good Management ve- 
ry readily; and I cannot but be surpri- 
sed to meet with so many in this City, 
who have labour’d under common Symp- 
toms, easily to be remedied; and yet 
such hath been their Misfortune, that 
they have stalk’d thro’ some Courses of 
Physick; they have taken Pills, Bolus's 
and Electuaries, Elixirs, Specificks, and 
the Lord knows what, to no manner of 
purpose, but to plunge them deeper in 
the Mire; and in short, they have by 
these promising Medicines been seeming- 
ly cured of their Clap, and have barter’d 
it for a Pox. This I speak upon Expe- 
rience; and I must frankly own, I know 
not how it should fall out otherwise, if 
we speak of such Medicines as are com- 
monly disposed of at Toyshops; because 
the Patient is given to understand his 
Case by a false Glimmer, he proceeds 
by stated Directions, the Boot is ready 
made, and it must fit every Man's Leg. 
Now how ridiculous this Procedure is, 
will be evident upon taking a View of 
one Case I shall remark: Some People 
will

[24] 
will have Shankers in a confirm’d Pox, 
and which the common Methods of Tur- 
pentine and Mercury, mention’d by Doctor 
Cockburn, will relieve indeed; but your 
Case becomes desperate thereby; for the 
common Operator (I talk not of Artists) 
will glory of a Victory, when his Ene- 
my has retreated; whereas in Truth his 
Disappearance is for no other End but to 
proceed by Sap, and undermine the 
Foundation; for the Blood being charg’d 
with a large Stock of sharp and corroding 
Humours, enters the Bones, and lurks in 
them, and either produces Carrier, Spinæ
Ventosæ, or Nodes; and then, to their Cost, 
they take hasty Measures, and come to 
the Grand Cure: However, if it be an 
old Gonorrhœa, or the Blood be much 
tainted, (as it is in some Scorbutick Per- 
sons) then indeed more than ordinary 
Care is required, and the Patient must be 
narrowly look’d after, and the Cure 
varies according to the Degree; which 
it is impossible to describe, and as impos- 
sible to be relieved by Medicines prepa- 
red by Bopeep Doctors, who never ap- 
pear, nor are solicitous about the Mat- 
ter, so long as their Specificks sell well; 
and who, if they did appear, know no- 
thing of the Case, unless perhaps what is 
in


[25] 
in their Pamphlets, which they have rifled 
Blegny, Cockburn, or some Writer or 
Pamphleteer for; such are the Reverse of 
what is requir’d; for instead of knowing 
more than their Writings contain, they 
know less, and even nothing of the Mat- 
ter, and therefore lie conceal’d; Such Pa- 
tients then must appear at the Bar, and 
take the Physician or Surgeon as Judges 
in the Case, must by their Assistance 
prove the Degree of Damages, and the 
Assailant must be oblig’d to quit Costs: 
In short, they must apply to their Deli- 
verer seriously, and follow his Directi- 
ons obsequiously. 
If the first Degree of this Venom re- 
quires such an exquisite Care, what must 
the more rooted Degrees of it demand? 
Surely double and treble. I don’t know 
that the Husbandman would trust his 
Brutes to the Hazard of a Receipt, but 
the Experienc’d Cow-Doctor must be 
call’d in to remedy the Disease; and 
how it comes that we trust to those Toy- 
shop Medicasters, who pretend to Receipts 
only, (as many there be in this City) is 
amazing! I must then observe to you, 
that if in this Degree the Excretory Ducts 
of the Prostatæ (or Glands in the Urinary 
Passage, which spew out upon Occasion, 
a


[26]
a glutinous, colourless Substance) are 
eroded or eaten away by the Acrimony 
of the Humours; or also, if farther, the 
Mouths of the Vesiculæ Seminales (or long 
Tortuous Membranes which hold the 
true Seed) are gnaw by this same Hu- 
mour; then there remains a perpetual 
Flux, and sometimes ’tis so large as to 
evacuate large Quantities, and emaciate 
the Patients, and brings on the Tabes Dor- 
salis, and kills them. However, we 
know not how to remedy these Evils, 
and therefore they lead an uncomfortable 
Life, because they are incurable; we 
have seen such a Case in the Dissection 
of an executed Person: In the same man- 
ner is it with Women whose Lacunæ are 
eroden; for then whatever Ichor arrives 
at their Mouths, is thrown out, and this 
cannot be remedied, as we have known 
some who have undergone several Saliva- 
tions for this purpose, without any Ad- 
vantage; and if the Undertaker had been 
skillful or honest, there wou’d have been 
no need to have treated these unhappy 
Mortals so roughly, since the Disorder 
was Local; and if Application would not 
succeed, nothing wou’d. 
Some Symptoms indeed are wholesome; 
so a Bubo appearing, if it suppurate, the
Venom 

[27] 
Venom is eradicated, and the Patient 
recovers with little Trouble; nay, and 
sometimes a Gonorrhœa runs off in warm- 
er Climes, but seldom or never with us 
in these cold Climates. In fine, the 
Consequences of this Disease bear a Pro- 
portion with the Continuance of it, with 
the lntemperies of the Blood and Juices, 
with the Nature of the Soil, and with the 
Number of the Symptoms: For the fresh- 
er a Pox or a Gonorrhœa are, the easier are 
they remedied. Phlegmatick Persons, as 
well as Spleneticks, are hard to be cured. 
Whoever are sickly or weak, undergo 
great Hazards, because the Evacuations 
necessary to carry off a great Part of this 
Disease, cannot in these Circumstances 
be made use of. 
A Pox, accompany’d with a Hoarse- 
ness, is hard to be taken off, and in a 
more particular manner if it is attended 
with a Caries of the Bones. Every Pox 
or Gonorrhœa is dangerous, especially 
when accompany’d with a Tumour of 
the Penis and a Stench of the Matter, 
and if Ulcers or Caruncles are sprung up 
in the Urethra. 
Ulcers of the Palate, Nose or Throat,
are more easily cured than those in the 
Anus; because the latter turn Sinuous, 
and the Humours are sharp and cachecti-
F cal, 

[28] 
cal, so that there can remain no Hopes 
but in the last Remedy; whereas the for- 
mer are often superficial only, and then 
they may be remedied by external Ap- 
plications: However it is confessed, that 
the former in our Clime are also very 
hard to eradicate, particularly if the 
Bones be any way eroded. 
Leanness and Barrenness do often fol- 
low this Malady; the first, because there 
can be no Nourishment without a Bal- 
samick Blood; and the latter, because 
the Vigour of the Parts is injur’d; but 
I am not fully at liberty to give in all 
the Reasons I could produce on this 
Head: I shall only observe to you, that 
whenever the Physician is apprised of 
the Method of Cure in the nice Manner 
he ought, I can by Experience allure my 
Reader, there is no Hazard in the latter 
Point. 
Women are less afflicted with this 
Disease than Men, because their Month- 
ly Purgations free them of a great many 
noxious Humours which are retain’d in 
Men. 
Altho’ most Physicians have told us, 
that the Seasons, particularly the Winter, 
have an Effect upon Bodies thus diseased; 
yet I could never find this true, farther
than

[29] 
than that Medicines may be better given 
in warm Weather than in cold; but 
how easily this is remedied, need not be 
mentioned. 
The severest Relick of a virulent Go- 
norrhœa is a simple one: Here many Re- 
medies are try’d without Success, if any 
Part of the Veru Montanum be eroded; 
which is undoubtedly the Case, where 
Glutinous Remedies, Stypticks, and even 
Injections, have fail’d of Success: In this 
Circumstance I would advise the Pa- 
tients to the continued and unwearied 
taking of certain Specificks, which I for- 
bear to name in these Papers; by the 
Use of which I have prevented that Spe- 
cies of Consumption called the Taber 
Dorsalis, whose dire Effects are Loss of 
Virility, and of all that follows from 
thence; of which enough; And since it 
is not in our Power to remedy this 
Symptom, yet it is fully in our Power 
to prevent any ill Consequence from it. 
Asthmas are dangerous in the Venereal 
Disease; because if once the corrosive 
Particles are lodged in any principal 
Viscera, it is almost impossible to eradi- 
cate them, by reason of the Tenderness 
of the Parts, and the quick Advances of 
the Ravages made in those Parts. 
F2 Fluxes


[30] 
Fluxes do often follow an inveterate 
Pox; and as they are the last Symptom 
in most Diseases, so here, where the A- 
crimony is so manifestly corrosive, what 
Ills do they not bode? 
I have been more particular in this 
Edition, concerning the Events of this 
Distemper; because I find some fool- 
hardy enough to flight the Disease, and 
let it run dangerous Lengths, before they 
apply themselves; and are too apt after- 
wards to excuse their own Neglects, and 
calumniate the Physician or Surgeon, if 
they are not in as perfect a State of 
Health as they were before Infection: 
But how unjust will this Calumny ap- 
pear to any Person who considers, that 
it is not in the Power of a Physician to 
frame new Parts, nor so to eradicate all 
the Taint of an inveterate Pox in such 
Persons, but that Scurvies may in certain 
Constitutions sprout up annually for their 
whole Lives after. However this Com- 
fort may be promis’d them, that if they 
apply to Judicious Men, they may lead 
a Life tolerably easy, free from danger- 
ous Maladies, and spin it out to Length 
enough, if they are contented so to do; 
but they must avoid all Extremes both in 
Diet and Medicine.
Where

[31]
Where the Blood is tainted, more Care 
is to be taken of this Leaven; for if neg- 
lected, the Disease grows apace, and en- 
ters the solid Parts, and destroys us. 
Hence due Regard had to the Taint, (of 
what Species cannot be determin’d) but 
by Sight of the Patient, by proper and 
Specifical Remedies, the Humour is either 
corrected, or else thrown off by proper 
Emunctories, and the Patient may be re- 
lieved in a Month’s time with Safety, Pri- 
vacy and Pleasure. 
Where the last Degree is, then any 
one, the least skill’d, may know the Fate 
of these Unfortunates; for what Trou- 
ble attends not rotten Bones, some of 
which are curable, others not at all? For 
such, which are hollow, and contain a 
Medullar Substance, will, with Time 
and Care, exfoliate and be cured; but if 
the porous Bones are tainted, (unless ve- 
ry superficially so) such as the Rotula, 
the Patella, the Articulations, the Os Cal- 
caneum, and those spongy Bones there- 
abouts, the Scull, and in short such Bones 
as are Cellular; how can we remedy 
them? 
No, ye Unfortunate, deceive not your- 
selves with vain and promising Airs, the 
Operators flatter ye with; all this is Gri-
mace,

[32] 
mace, and poor Policy, level’d at enrich- 
ing themselves with your Spoil; but if 
you applied in Rags to them, their true 
Judgment (if they have any) wou’d ap- 
pear. 
CHAP IV. 
Of the Cure. 
IT would be in vain to split this Disease 
into so many trifling Divisions, and 
thus to make the Cure of it appear intri- 
cate; for in Truth, the Parts are only 
affected around the Genitals, or the Juices 
and the Solids are also tainted; so that 
whoever considers what I have said, will 
soon be Master of the Methods. 
When it seizes in the Form of a Gonor- 
rhœa, the Methods of Cure are the fol- 
lowing; the Ulcer of the Urethra indi- 
cates Detersion and Cleansing: When this 
is sufficiently done, we must incarn; or
if this be look’d on as too tedious, we 
must cicatrize: But I look upon it as ne- 
cessary to be somewhat flow in this last 
Indication; and tho' this Caution has 
been

[33] 
been slighted by many Persons, yet how 
many Complaints do we daily meet 
with in this City, for want of such a 
Piece of Justice? I can’t but acknow- 
ledge there are short Methods of Curing, 
and easier than what we ordinarily find 
used by many unskillful Men: But as 
each Man seems to glory in his own Skill 
in this Point, I believe it would be in 
vain to endeavour to persuade some Men 
to proceed in a manner more Christian 
than they do: If they wou’d obey me, 
I do assure them, I wou’d avoid all 
dangerous Proceedings: I wou’d not 
with one use Sublimate Water internally, 
and chouse the too Credulous out of their 
Money, (for so I must call selling a Pint 
of this Water for a Guinea) and at the 
same time endanger their Persons; for 
who does not know that Sublimate is 
rank Poison? I only desire the Reader 
wou’d consult the most learned Dr. Mead 
on Poisons upon this Head, and see what 
Consequences attend the giving of it in- 
ternally; and I believe I shall terrify all 
honest Men from administering it, and 
such as value their Lives from taking it; 
and that what is advanced by me here, is 
not said Gratis, or out of Envy, the Rea- 
der shall be convinc’d of, by his Senses, 
before

[34] 
before I leave this Discourse. Nor wou’d 
I with others give Mercurius Vitæ, Green 
Precipitate, and many more such danger- 
ous Medicines, daily too much used in 
this Town; for in Truth, there is no 
Necessity, that Persons to be cured of 
one Evil, should be thrown headlong into 
others, equally hazardous; and there- 
fore I avoid (as much as in me lies) all 
such Devious Practices. These are the 
Harsh Methods used in Town; and I 
should be sorry that Men of Learning, and 
supposed Knowledge, should be found 
Guilty of what I condemn: I wish they 
may not, for their Patients Sakes as well 
as their own; they must expect the fatal 
Consequences which follow such Usage, 
and which they need not be advertised 
of, as knowing them as well as my- 
self. 
It would be too frivolous to tell the 
World of giving Cathartics, such as Ro- 
sin of Jalap, Mercurius Dulcis, Pilulæ 
Cochiæ, Rudii, Ruffi, Rosin of Scam- 
mony, or Guaiacum, and such like; it 
would be trifling to tell that Bal- 
sams of Capivi, Peru, of Chili, of Gilead, 
are useful to cleanse the ulcerated Part, 
or that Tinctures made of these Rosins or 
Balsams, are much used by some as
won- 

[35] 
wonderful Secrets to cure and chouse the 
Vulgar withal: I shall not trouble my 
Reader to descant upon Or Sepiæ, Crocus 
Martis astringens, Sal Martin Saccharum 
Saturni, Oleum Martis per deliquium, boil'd 
Turpentine, some fashionable Jellies, which 
are fram’d for the completing the Cure; 
nor shall I mention the Injections of Mer- 
curius Dulcis, with Mel Rosarum and Plan- 
tane Water, nor of Decoctions of Roses, 
Balaustines, Vitriol Saccharum Saturni, 
and such like; because they are to be met 
with in every Writer on this Distemper: 
But I shall frankly own some have been 
modest, but many more have exceeded 
all Bounds on this Head: I shall for my 
part study to say so little on this Point, 
that may offend Modesty, or prove an 
Incentive, that I hope I shall have nothing 
to answer for, either to a Superior Being, 
or to any Court of Judicature; and I 
wish some, who otherwise want not 
Parts enough to distinguish themselves, 
would avoid this Ungentleman, as well 
as Unchristian Demeanour. But Quo 
semel est imbuta recens servabit odorem 
Testa diu. 
As for Shankers, I shall not mention 
how some use Cathereticks, in order to 
eradicate them along with the general 
G Methods


[36] 
Methods to keep us safe. I know in Ca- 
runcles, the common Methods are Era- 
dication by Catheretics on Candles. 
Bubo's we all know are treated with Sup- 
purative Pultises or Plaisters, or the Lan- 
cet is at last made use of: We know that 
Heat of Urine is allay’d by Mucilages, 
by Sal Prunellæ, by Opiates, and other 
Methods of Cure. I need not trouble 
my Reader to inculcate to him, that Cor- 
dees are alleviated by Anodyne Fetus's or 
Cataplasms: I shall, I say, lay aside all 
these Considerations, they having been 
canvassed by all Writers even to a Loath- 
ing: But I shall make the Reader observe, 
that my Method is easy and safe, quick 
and certain; and tho’ I can brag as well 
as others of my Electuary and its Salu- 
tiferous Effects, because I have try’d 
it above these twenty Years successfully; 
yet I am not altogether so vain nor em- 
pirical as to tell the World this Medicine 
does never fail; only I shall inform you 
and desire you to give an attentive Ear to 
what I am about to say, That if I manage 
this Electuarium Mirabile myself, I will 
give any Person who tries it, double the 
Value, if it ever fail to cure the first De- 
gree of Infection: And as for the rest, I 
do suppose they will apply, otherwise I 
do


[37] 
do faithfully allure them, ’tis hardly pos- 
sible for them to recover truly; for some 
unfortunate Reliques will sooner or later 
grasp them too close ever to be rid of 
their Misfortune, unless by a skillful 
Hand. I would then have my Readers to 
observe, that what is possible to be done 
by one Medicine, this Electuary will ef- 
fect; it evacuates the Humours gently; 
it revulses from the Part affected, and 
draws it off; it obtunds the acrimonious 
Humour; it destroys the Venom in Bud, 
and all this with Ease, Safety, and Con- 
sistence with the nicest Reputation. But 
as every one cries up his own Secret and 
Nostrum, ’tis natural for them to decry 
other Mens, and therefore has this un- 
dergone that Fate; but how unjustly, 
appears, because it has surviv’d all Envy, 
and will continue so to do; and so it is 
with all excellent things: If they are Good, 
nothing will sink their Credit; if they are 
Bad, nothing will make them continue. 
In case the Venom has tainted the 
Blood, and begins to produce such Symp- 
toms as I have already named, an easy 
Matter will not complete the Cure; for 
then we must have Recourse to more po- 
tent Remedies, either to evacuate roundly, 
or to alter strongly; and even this Method
G2 will 

[38] 
will not answer, without Regard had to 
the Parts too much injur’d by the Venom 
deep sunk into them. 
However, my Reader must not misap- 
prehend me in saying we must cure by 
strong Remedies; for I can understand the 
Word strong in no other Sense than this, 
to wit, that the Cure must be propor- 
tion’d to the Quantity of Poison in our 
Veins, and Strength in our Patients; and 
if the former be in such a Quantity as can- 
not be eradicated without exhausting the 
latter; who does not see the Danger? 
However, even then, there are certain 
Ways and Means unknown to common 
Managers, to be made use of, in order to 
retrieve the Patients, as I may say Invitâ 
Minervâ; which I know myself under 
no Obligation to discover; only such as 
fall into my Management, and under 
my Care, will experience even in this 
Desperate Case Safety and Comfort, not 
to be met with from many: For to era- 
dicate a Disease, is to be well instructed 
in the Causes of that Disease by Reason 
and Experience: Neither alone can be 
sufficient. By the Causes, I mean all 
that is contain’d within our Bowels and 
Vessels. Now how is it possible for Per- 
sons not train’d up in the Investigation
of

[39]
of the Causes, to lay Symptoms related 
together, so as to help his Imagination 
to conceive what is the individual Ail- 
ment? I am sure, without this it is im- 
possible for any Physician to assert what 
his Patient ails; and then I am sure he 
must be at a loss to know what to do or 
how to relieve; and as there is an infi- 
nite Number of Symptoms which direct 
us in the Methods we are to pursue, who 
but the Experienced can venture to act 
with Safety? and who but the Ignorant 
will suffer under ill Managers? I hope 
this little Treatise will plead for my 
Knowledge, whilst my Success will se- 
cure Patients from my Enemies. 
Some will expert me in this Place to 
make Excursions, and to discourse to 
them of the Method of Cure by Diapho- 
retics: I know in Foreign Countries, 
they are very fond of this Method of 
Cure; and in the Indies, from whence 
we received this venomous Disease, they 
entirely depend on this Method; nay, 
and even in this Town some boast of 
their Royal Decoctions, or Diet Drinks, 
and order them to be taken plentifully, 
and religiously confine you to Roast Meat 
and dry Victuals, and poor Fare at Night, 
and order their Drinks to be swallow’d 
down

[40] 
down in such a plentiful manner, that 
they either evaporate your Blood to a 
Cinder and a Caput Mortuum, or at least 
endanger a Fever: We hear of all that 
have the good Fortune to escape; but 
who sink? they are perfectly hush in 
that. Others believe it necessary in these 
last Extremities, to have recourse to vio- 
lent Vomits, and never think the Diseas’d 
can be too roughly treated for the sake 
of the Disease; Festina lentè is my Mot- 
to; I am for making no more Haste than 
good Speed; for ’tis very usual to hear 
these Pretenders murder at once the 
Disease and the Diseased: I wou’d in- 
deed murder the Disease, and can do 
it; but they kill two Birds with one 
Stone. 
I am not a little surprised to find some 
of Opinion, that Salivations are little to 
the purpose, if not rais'd by Unction, 
and unless they spit two or three Quarts 
in a Day! Quisque sensu suo abundet. I 
shall not endeavour to dispossess these 
Gentlemen of the good Opinion they 
have of themselves, for I know no body 
that loves to be contradicted; but I shall 
only say, I act otherwise, and gain my 
Point; and if they always do so, I wish 
them much Joy; I shou’d not submit
myself 

[41] 
myself to such a rude Management, nei- 
ther shall my Patients be treated so 
roughly. The Disease does not vanish, 
nor is it reputed to do so, unless the 
Symptoms disappear; and whenever they 
do, for a small Space of Time we need 
go no farther; (what is done over and 
above, is at the Expense of their Lives or 
Spirits); for what will do this, will leave 
a small Relique at most, which may be 
otherwise handled by a Person moderate- 
ly skill’d; and in this I appeal to all 
such as practice Physick or Surgery. 
I am sensible that Physicians have in- 
culcated to us, that a Disease is cured 
when its principal Symptoms disappear; 
and if the Cure, be it by what Method 
you please to name, be firm, the Symp- 
toms will never return. I can’t say but 
we may sometimes be deceiv’d in this 
Affair; but the Patients ought to know 
their Person, that he be a Man of Inte- 
grity as well as of Knowledge: For In- 
stance, a slight Salivation may take off 
the Ulcers, Shankers, the Scabs, the No- 
cturnal Pains, the virulent Running: 
And should an unskillful Manager cease 
here, they would all return with equal 
Violence in a certain Space of Time; 
whereas it is sufficiency to a skillful Person 
that


[42] 
that they disappear: The Residue of the 
Cure is easily completed without much 
Torture.
I don’t know that Diureticks will avail 
at all in this rooted Degree, because they 
are too weak for the Disease; and be- 
sides, Dr. Freind has lately observ’d in 
his Treatise of Fevers, that they seldom 
answer our Ends, saying, p. 154, Ita ut 
hodie hæc Medicinæ pars quæ ad urinas 
provocandas pertinet, sit omnium maximè 
manca. 
This Observation is true as to Fact; 
and Dr. Paxton in his Tentamen, p. 117, 
first asserted it in the following Words; 
“ Diuretics or Medicines causing and 
“ increasing Urine, may be observ’d to 
“ be very uncertain in their Operations; 
“ For Urine being a Separation from the 
“ Blood, whatsoever causes or increases 
“ that, must some way so dispose or 
“ alter the Blood itself, that such of its 
“ Parts may be more plentifully secern’d 
“ by the Kidneys, and from thence flow 
“ into the Bladder. And the Blood being 
“ so very different in several Bodies, it. 
“ can be no Wonder if the same Reme- 
“ dy does not at all times, in all Bodies, 
“ produce the same Effect; as it is most 
“ evident it doth not, that being often a
“ pow- 


[43]
“ powerful Diuretic in one, that in 
“ another will discover no such Virtue. 
“ For, perhaps, modestly and nicely 
“ speaking, Art hath not as yet prepar’d 
“ any one Medicine, that will at all 
“ Times, to all Persons, prove itself a 
“ nice and real Diuretick. 
Some I know there are, that pretend 
to evacuate by Saliva for two or three 
Hours in a Day, and no more; and thus 
are for carrying off, by Degrees, the ve- 
nomous Particles out of the Blood; and 
if so, why may not this be done by To- 
bacco as well as Mercury? For in such a 
Case these enter not the Blood: But this 
is bare Shuffle and Pretence; and if they 
neglect at the same time other advanta- 
geous Methods, 'tis an Imposition upon 
their Patients. 
Of late, Injections have been strong- 
ly advertised, and speciously supported 
by a rational Account given of their man- 
ner of Operating. Were this Gentleman 
assured that there is no more Venom in a 
Venereal than a common Ulcer, I cou’d 
very readily come into his Measures, and 
he ought in good Manners to suppose it 
no great Difficulty for us to find out De- 
tersive, Digestive, Incarning, and Cica- 
trizing Injections, equally proper as his 
H are;


[44]
are; but alas! we find to our Sorrow 
that a Venereal Ulcer may justly be 
termed universal, whilst a common Ul- 
cer remains particular. That I may be 
comprehended the more easily, the Rea- 
der must excuse a small Digression. I 
say, that Venereal Ulcers are of such a 
Nature, that if they are neglected, they 
spread and branch into a thousand dan- 
gerous Maladies, each of which is suffi- 
cient to hurry us headlong into the Grave, 
whilst a common Ulcer is often used as 
an Issue to drain noxious Humours out 
of the Body; And altho' the Methods of 
Cure in either be univocal, as to the ex- 
ternal Application, yet it is not always 
necessary to make use of Internals in 
common Ulcers, because they are void 
of a diffusive Virulency, which never is 
wanting in Venereal Ulcers: From 
whence it is very easy to see, that a Per- 
son may be freed of a Gonorrhœa with the 
Use of pompous Injections, and yet be 
under a Necessity of undergoing a severe 
Salivation to cure him of a Pox in less 
than half a Year. I am at no Loss to 
produce a fresh Instance in this very Case; 
but that I am under Obligations of Si- 
lence from the Nature of the thing. Ex- 
amples are Convictions; but I hope the 
Rea-


[45]
Reader will consult his Reason, and give 
Credit to what I affirm. I cannot deny 
that Injections may be useful in the first 
Moments of the Infection; but how few 
are there who make so early an Applica- 
tion? In fine, Washing off same viru- 
lent Salts from the Urethra and prostate 
Glands, with a Lotion gently Corrosive, 
is a Detersive, with Smooth and Emol- 
lients, is Digestion; and with Styptics, 
is Cicatrization: But when you have thus 
artificially cured this Sore in the Passage, 
and have Reason to hope you are freed 
from the Gonorrhœa , the Virulency be- 
ing very active, taints your Blood and 
Juices, lies unheeded and unregarded in 
your Veins, and attacks your Bones. 
Hence it is we see so many Scenes of 
Misery in this Metropolis, so many Per- 
sons disabled from their lawful Employ- 
ments, so much Barrenness in Women, 
who wou’d otherwise have been teeming 
Dames, but that their Spouses have had 
heretofore Misfortunes in the Manage- 
ment of themselves. For my own part, 
I have had Opportunities to see too much 
of this kind, and I heartily wish there 
were no Occasion to complain; but so 
long as all who undertake to remedy 
this Disease, have not the good Fortune 
H2 to

[46]
to be well instructed in the Methods of 
Cure, I think I may safely affirm, that 
so long shall we hear Complaints. 
If Preventives succeed, Temporal Pu- 
nishment, for the Sin of Impurity, is in 
good part cut off. This Advertiser, I 
must confess, is the most whimsical of 
any I have yet read of: The Venetian 
Courtezans are said indeed to have a Me- 
thod of communicating with Mankind 
with Impunity, and there are several 
Ways recounted in Physical Authors to 
guard the Combatants from any Dan- 
ger; but to publish the Method, smells 
so rank of the Libertine and Free-Thinker, 
that it ought not to be allowed in a 
Christian Country: And pray, good Sir, 
from whence had you this mighty Arca- 
num? Who are you? Whence come 
you? Where are your Testimonies? I 
doubt you import Goods that are Con- 
traband. Surely, Sir, you advise all 
Mankind, which is prompt enough of 
itself to offend, to use Machinery, and 
to fight in Armour. If so, you are not 
the Inventor, but the Propagator of Wick- 
edness: But we see how some Persons 
aim to deceive the World. 
In short, I shall only add this one Ob- 
servation, which may lead a skillful Per-
son 

[47] 
son through the whole Range of the Dis- 
ease; and it is this, That in what manner 
soever the Disease has been found to be cri- 
tically carried off in warmer Countries, we 
may lawfully conclude that Medicines which 
are found by Experience to force this same 
Separation by Art, will do the same Feats; 
and as it has been found that the Indians 
did it by Sweating, (in the Sun, Bagnio’s, 
or by any other Means) so we find in 
England, that Sweating goes a great way 
to complete the Work: For I could ne- 
ver yet find that Sweats alone, in our 
Clime, did totally carry off the Venereal 
Virus: And it is reasonable to think that 
our Fluids are not attenuated to that 
Pitch as theirs are in hotter Regions; that 
the acrimonious Particles are lodged in 
a more viscous Vehicle; and that a Dia- 
phoresis cannot carry off so much of it, 
nor so freely, without much greater In- 
conveniences than the Advantages re- 
ceiv’d; for Fevers are frequently subse- 
quent to great Sweats, and therefore in 
England we dare not follow this Method 
so much as the Foreigners may, because 
our Pores seem to be much less than 
theirs, and our Juices less fluid; so that 
we give Purgatives more frequently, and 
Foreigners Diaphoreticks: And moreover,
as 


[48] 
as Mercurials are the best Remedies yet 
known in this Malady, and as they work 
mostly by the Mouth or Anus; so it 
seems to favour our Clime the most, and 
the Disease is not more certainly eradi- 
cated in any Country than it is with us. 
And as it has been found that Stools do 
carry off this Distemper, so may we 
imitate and ape Nature, and order Ca- 
thartics to carry off the Load; after 
which however, a tedious Course ought 
to back this Method, in order to correct 
the Reliques, lest it sprout again. 
A Course of Alternatives, justly pro- 
portion’d in Dose and Quality to the 
Quantity of Virus in the Blood and the 
reigning Acrimony, the Symptoms sub- 
sisting, give us plain Hints that we must 
continue our Endeavours in changing the 
Mass of Blood into still a better Condi- 
tion than it is now under; and the Spe- 
cies of Acrimony is often detected from 
the Nature of the Symptoms, which 
give us Light how to vary our Prescrip- 
tions; But as I have not Room nor Lei- 
sure to insert all Particulars concerning 
this Affair, the Reader must content him- 
self with the Sketch given. 
How the Salivation was found to cure 
this Disease, is too late an Invention to 
be


[49] 
be forgot; and therefore I shall proceed, 
the History of Physick not being my 
Design at this Juncture. 
As for the Symptoms which retain to 
the several Degrees of this virulent Dis- 
ease, it behoves a Physician to follow the 
easiest and surest Methods to root them 
soon out; and as I have acquir’d by Ex- 
perience several short Methods to effect 
this, I shall give my Reader to under- 
stand their Names and Uses; and I shall 
leave it to the Patient to let the World 
know, how truly they are Nostrums and 
Specificks in their kind. 
Electuarium Mirabile; or, the Admira- 
ble Electuary. I have already spoke of 
the Virtues of this Electuary; and as too 
much cannot be said in its Praise, the 
Reader must excuse a little Excursion on 
a favourite Medicine; Favourite, because 
I admire its Efficacy and Palatableness: 
To be pleasant and grateful to the Taste 
only, wou’d be a small Recommenda- 
tion indeed; but when I say ’tis success- 
ful in the first Degree of this Disease, and 
seldom, if ever, fails of answering its 
Ends, as thousands can sufficiently testify, 
I think I need not add much farther, than 
to advise the Unfortunate to consult their 
Safety,

[50] 
Safety, in having speedy Recourse to such 
an admirable Remedy in time. 
Pilulæ Antivenereæ, or my Antivenereal 
Pills, I never found it advisable to pro- 
ceed to Stronger Medicines, when I was 
sure Weaker wou’d serve the turn; nor, 
vice versâ, is it convenient to dally with 
Weak ones, where Stronger are plainly 
required. When therefore People have 
neglected themselves, or have been treat- 
ed ignorantly till their Case becomes 
Desperate, I have recourse to these admi- 
rable Pills and Powder following, which 
together will not fail to root out the very 
minutest Atoms of the Poison with Cer- 
tainty and Safety; the Truth of which 
(upon Trial) the Afflicted will soon be 
convinced of; as many I have already 
had under my Hands have largely expe- 
rienced. 
Pulvis Specificus; or, my Specifick Pow- 
der. This Powder is an Alternative, and 
great Sweetener of the Blood and Juices, 
corrects efficaciously and suddenly all 
Taints proceeding from this Poison, and 
indeed is almost universal in its Virtues, 
as several Physicians, who however use 
it too sparingly, can testify in their Pra-
ctice; 


[51] 
ctice; but my Method of using it being 
different to theirs, I reap greater Benefit 
by it in proportion; as daily Experience 
sufficiently proves. 
Electuarium Balsamicum; or, my Bal- 
samic Electuary. This is a Medicine 
which is extremely cleansing and healing; 
therefore particularly adapted to Gleets, 
after the Cure of the Venom; for it often 
happens, that after all the Venom is car- 
ried off, yet the Vessels are not closed, 
tho' good and wholesome Methods have 
been used; then this Electuary, with my 
Balsamick Pills, will effectually succeed; 
as also in all Gleets and Seminal Weak- 
nesses, whether occasion’d from ill cured 
Claps, Self-Pollutions, or other Disor- 
ders, if neither the Vent Montanum, or 
the Mouths of the Excretory Ducts of 
the Parastatæ be quite eaten away; for 
then ’tis impossible to be done, because 
’tis impossible to frame new Parts; Ex- 
perto crede. 
Linimentum Carcinomatosum; or, the 
Liniment for Shankers. This Liniment is 
design’d chiefly for Shankers, to eradicate 
them gently, and yet not in such a manner 
that they shall retreat into the Blood, as 
I is

[52] 
is the Misfortune of many Medicines of 
this kind. As for Directions for its Use, 
I must beg that the Persons who may be 
concern'd will not expect any here; for I 
don't think it safe to give general Dire- 
ctions, but will expect to see, and then di- 
rect; and indeed I would be glad to know 
how any Patient can be Judge of the De- 
gree of his Misfortune; for this is the Re- 
sult of Experience and Practice only. How 
many young Physicians are there, that 
know very well what is to be done with 
a Patient; that is, they know what Re- 
medy is to be used; but how many of 
them are at a stand to give the sufficient 
Quantity, and to time it? This is too 
evident, and is in Practice granted by 
the whole World, when they reject young 
Physicians (tho’ Relations) for old ones, 
whom they trust with their Lives, by rea- 
son of their Experience. 
Emplastrum Bubonicum; or, the Plaister 
for Bubo's: The Part is shav’d, and this 
is applied; it draws the Part to a Head 
in a little time; so that ’tis easy to digest 
and perform all other Intentions after- 
wards. I need not cry this Plaister up, 
because I am sure of its Effects, which 
arc quick and certain; for otherwise the 
Venom

[53] 
Venom might retreat into the Blood, and 
give the Operator a great deal of Trou- 
ble, in obliging him to a long Course, 
which this Method wou’d soon accom- 
plish. 
Pulvis Anti-Dysuricus; or, the Pow- 
der against Heat of Urine, (or Spirit,) I 
have contrived this Medicine for the Pa- 
late, so that it may be given in Powder 
or Drops: ’Tis one of the best Reme- 
dies known for this Sharpness of Wa- 
ter, which is one of the most trouble- 
some Symptoms that reigns in this Dis- 
ease; it relieves it by a sort of Enchant- 
ment, by allaying the Pungency of the 
Humour, and correcting it specifically: 
It may be taken in Wine, or any other 
Liquor which pleases the Patient best. 
Emplastrum, and Unguentum Anti-To- 
phicum; or, the Plaister and Unguent for 
Nodes. These two Medicines will utter- 
ly extirpate or dissipate these Nodes; 
which, if they be suffer’d to continue, 
at last produce Caries of the Bones, 
and endanger Loss of Life; the one is 
milder than the other, that if one should 
not operate, the other will effectually do 
it; for as it is sometimes more rooted 
I2 than

[54] 
than at another, weaker or stronger Re- 
medies are required. When Patients 
have neglected themselves till Nodes seize 
them, they must apply seriously for their Re- 
covery, or they are in the high Road to be 
lost. 
Pulvis Extirpans; or, the Powder a- 
gainst a Caruncle. Whatever is used 
against a Caruncle, ought so to be mo- 
derated, as not to inflame the Urethra; 
for so many fatal Symptoms might be 
brought on, that a total Suppression of 
Urine might ensue. This Powder is 
exactly proportion’d, and performs its 
Work gently, yet certainly. 
Mr. Wiseman's Powder and Plaister, 
used according to his Directions, are 
pretty effectual: He takes the Bark of 
Pomegranate powder’d two Drams, Al- 
lum powder’d a Scruple, Cerus one 
Ounce; as also he takes Red Precipitate 
one Ounce, Lapis Calaminaris three Drams, 
Vitriol calcin’d one Dram and a half, 
Plaister Diacalciteos six Ounces; mix and 
make a Plaister; which melted, is to be 
dawb’d over a Wax Candle: However, 
if it is not large, there are other Me- 
thods not so tedious nor so tormenting;
which 

[55] 
which it is enough to have hinted at in 
this small Book. 
Many other Medicines I have for other 
Symptoms, experienced over and over 
successfully, which I will not trouble 
my Reader withal at this Juncture; only 
I shall add, that Method is the true Secret 
in Physick; and whoever does not study 
it, can have no Glory due to him; for 
nothing of Invention can issue from Ig- 
norance, and Chance will never make a 
Man wise, no more than a World will 
be fram’d out of Atoms jumbled toge- 
ther, as Lucretius wildly teaches. 
It might be easy for me to proceed in 
the ordinary Road, and bring my Vou-
chers for the Cures I have done; but in 
the first place, I find none but poor and 
worthless Wretches who are willing to 
subscribe to this Method, and such I 
don’t value; for, depend upon it, I will 
not (like the Scheme-Maker) hire any to 
own the Favours I have done them; and 
for the Better sort, they hate even the 
Sight of a Person who has done them 
Service in this kind, lest they shou’d dis- 
cover, to their Prejudice, what they have 
too much in their Power; and indeed I 
should

[56] 
should be of the same Opinion myself. 
And in the next place, this is done to 
persuade the World of the Goodness of 
a Medicine which they have good Reason 
to doubt of: And lastly, when these 
Gentlemen do us the Favour to balance 
the Account of such as Live and Die 
under their Methods, then would it be 
reasonable for the World to follow them, 
according to their Deserts; but they 
publish an Advertisement now and then, 
certifying what vast Advantage such and 
such have received by their Specificks and 
Elixirs; but not one Word is said of such 
as have died by the Neglect of better 
Remedies; Culpas eorum tegit terra. I 
shall then supersede all Discoveries of 
this kind, they being odious, and sit for 
nothing but to bring Reproach upon the 
Physician and the poor Patient; and shall 
proceed to a short Account of Specificks, 
as they are called, and demonstrate to 
Mankind the Extortion and Folly of these 
Pretenders and Presences. Indeed I must 
own, they are properly Specificks in their 
Sense; for as each Remedy is worth 
what it brings in of Profit, so they who 
get the most Money for their Specificks, 
fancy themselves the wisest Men, and 
their

[57] 
their Specificks must be very Valuable; 
but I can’t stoop to this Sense of the 
Word, as will appear in the next Chap- 
ter. 
CHAP. V. 
Of Specificks, and the Abuse of the 
Name, and how it covers Ignorance 
and a Cheat. 
I Can’t but admire the Assurance of 
some Men, who adapt the Significa- 
tion of Specificks to their own Remedies, 
and who cry up a paltry Mixture for the 
finest Invention in the World; but my 
Wonder ceases, when I consider the Mat- 
ter in a different Light; for Profit will 
make a Man of no Honour say and do 
any thing; and as Mr. Dryden says, there 
is a certain sort of Impudence in Want. 
An Assertion or Authority in Physick, 
is like the Quotient in Division; no one 
is sure ’tis true, till it is proved; and I 
must in a particular manner let the World 
know,


[58] 
know, that as no Person who is a Party 
concern’d, ought to be admitted as a 
Witness in that particular Case; there- 
fore Dr. Ch-b-l-n sharing in the Profits 
as he did, was an improper Judge of 
the Virtues of his Specifick, because the 
World could expert nothing from him 
but Elogiums, and extravagant Expressions 
to cry up this Specifick Panacæa: (as he 
term’d it, a learned Blunder!) But I 
may be answer’d, Why then so many 
Advertisements, if this were not a Real 
Specifick? In the first place, too much 
is pretended to be proved by these Ad- 
vertisers; for by them, it must be the 
Dew of Heaven! and this Gentleman has 
been stamp’d on purpose by the Almighty 
Power, to find out a Secret in a Profes- 
sion he is entirely ignorant of; (as a Re- 
ward, think we, for having dropt his 
Priestly Function?) 
In the next place, I have already told 
my Reader, that these Advertisements are 
hired at the Expense of a Guinea to the 
Advertiser, and at the Price of the Ad- 
vertisement also, as his printed Directions, 
which I have by me, do testify. 
As for a Specifick, I must acquaint my 
Reader, that I own no infinite Power in 
any

[59] 
any natural Body, and therefore I cannot 
suppose any Material Acts beyond its 
Sphere; and particularly an Evacuating 
Remedy has little Leisure to correct any 
Humours, but hurries them off in the 
Position they are under; and what comes 
first to the Glands of the Guts, is first 
evacuated, and according to the Violence 
more or less is emptied; therefore if this 
wonderful Specifick stays in the Guts 
some few Hours, it is soon carried off 
again; and I must observe, that it is Phy- 
sically impossible that five or six Grains 
of any Medicine can produce those won- 
derful Alterations in the Blood and 
Juices so tainted; and therefore this is a 
ridiculous and an absolute Chouse, to de- 
lude poor Unfortunate People, and at 
once to empty their Bodies and their 
Purses. 
But this Gentleman returns to his Ar- 
gument, and tells me, Sir! Remark this 
Necklace! ’tis but a sorry one to look at! 
Nothing better for Teeth and Childbed- 
Women! Sir, ’tis an appended Remedy! 
only acts by Effluvia! weighs but a few 
Grains itself; and yet, Sir, take my Word 
for’t, it makes such Alterations in the 
Fluids, and such Impressions on the So- 
K lids,


[60] 
lids, that, as the late worthy Dr. Ch-l-n 
said again, ’tis surprising. I shall not 
now give myself any Trouble about this 
Affair, only if its Effluvia were so strong 
as to make a Wind-Mill go, I cou’d tell 
him how to make it turn to good Advan- 
tage; and I can, in the mean while, tell 
the World, that if he pleas’d to affirm it 
would do so, he had then a Father to 
cite for his Assertion. 
But I have design’d this Chapter to 
convince the World how they are impo- 
sed on by some designing Men. 
First then I must inform you, that there 
is a Specifick Water made use of in 
Town for a Gonorrhœa: I had the Op- 
portunity of some brought to me by a 
Patient to make Trial of it; and ac- 
cordingly, upon dropping the common 
Fluids into it, it plainly appear’d by the 
Precipitates to be Mercury Sublimate, dis- 
solved in Water; the Danger of which 
(given internally) I have hinted at be- 
fore. 
Some time after, the Scheme-Maker's 
Specifick Elixir came to my Hands in 
the same manner, (as it often has since, 
together with his Specific Electuary:) I
judged

[61] 
judged it by the Taste to be Gum Guai- 
acum and Turpentine, dissolv’d in Spirit 
of Wine; and accordingly I evaporated 
the Spirit of Wine by Flame, and found 
the Spirit to be strongly rectify’d, for it 
evaporated entirely; and in the Spoon 
I found a Gum of the Colour of Gum 
Guaiacum, which, upon Taste, I found 
to be the very Gum; but, upon farther 
Trial, I believed I tasted Camphire in it; 
upon which I poured some of the Tin- 
cture into Water, and, upon pouring in 
a little Oil of Vitriol, the Water grew 
vehemently hot, and immediately at the 
Top swam the Camphire, which tasted 
and smelt very strong. 
The other Grand Specifick which he 
has made such a Noise about also, and 
to so little Purpose, (unless to deceive 
People of their Money and Health) is 
nothing but some of the common Purga- 
tives; such as Rosin of Jalap, Coloquin- 
tida, and Scammony, together with Mer. 
Dul. made up with Balsam of Capivi; 
and the Danger of giving Balsam Ca- 
pivi in the beginning of the Cure of 
Claps, Thousands, in this City, have ex- 
perienc’d to their Ruin. But my Aim 
here is this; Is it not a vile Imposition in 
K2 these

[62] 
these Men, to dispose of such common, 
useless, and dangerous Medicines, at so 
extravagant a Rate? For neither of these 
can cost above 6 d. or 8 d. at most, and a 
Guinea is paid for them at Toy-Shops or 
elsewhere; upon which I say again, with 
the late worthy Dr. Chamberlen, ’tis very 
surprising. 
But what is most surprising to me, is, 
that Men of Sense and Worth should 
hazard their Lives and Fortunes, by 
buying Medicines at such Places, and 
taking them, without knowing the Au- 
thor, or where to apply to him upon the 
greatest Emergency. 
Besides, is Gum Guaiacum, Camphire, 
and Spirit of Wine, such a mighty Se- 
cret? or the Purgatives before hinted, 
with Balsam Capivi? No, they are such 
common things, that a Boy of Twelve 
Months Skill in Pharmacy wou’d be a- 
sham’d to boast of. 
As to my own Nostrums, I will give 
them up to any one to make what Trials 
they please upon them; they cannot find 
them out: But what is it to the Purpose 
if they shou’d? I can only say, I de- 
pend upon Judgment, and will not scru- 
ple to alter my Medicines as I see Occa- 
sion; for no Medicine can fit every Age 
and

[63] 
and Constitution, nor is every Person 
that applies alike affected; some have a 
Bubo and a Running at the same time; 
others, a Bubo only: Some have a Sharp- 
ness of Water, and some have none: 
Some have watery Gleets, others a ropy 
one: Some have Shankers, others a Ca- 
runcle: Some have Strength enough, 
and Venom enough, to bear and re- 
quire strong and potent Remedies; others 
have a great deal of Poison in their 
Veins, and little Strength: And there- 
fore, I say, ’tis ridiculous and prepo- 
sterous to expose to Sale an Universal 
Remedy, which is suppos’d to be adapted 
to every one’s Age and Constitution; 
or to pretend to cure this Disease by a 
Dose or two of any Medicine, as some, 
who have more Assurance than Skill, fre- 
quently do; or with a Chymical Bolus, 
which is as much as if we should say with 
a Simple Compound, and that is full as pro- 
per as to fay a long Circle, or a Circular 
Quadrangle. 
--Sibi convenientia finge, 
Scriptor. 
Since my writing this Sketch of the 
Venereal Disease, Practice has furnish’d
me

[64] 
me with Cases enough to convince Rea- 
ders how little I am out in my Con- 
jectures as to the Practical Scheme, which 
I shall briefly insert for their sakes. 
A young Gentleman having contract- 
ed a Venereal Taint, and being asham’d 
to reveal his Case, bought at Mrs. Gar- 
raway's the Specifick Electuary and Elixir, 
at the Price of Two Guineas; and tho’ 
the Directions were follow’d, yet he was 
oblig’d to apply to me for Assistance, 
having a Shanker and a Phymosis upon 
him, and was cured by my Antivenereal 
Pills and Specifick Powders, along with 
Applications proper for his Shanker, &c. 
NB. 'Twas by the Favour of this Gentleman I 
had the Electuary and Elixir I made 
Trials on. 
Another Gentleman, who had been 
treated by a Surgeon, and who had us’d 
the Specifick likewise, but was cured by 
neither; upon the Perusal of this Trea- 
tise apply’d to me for Assistance: He was 
afflicted with a watery Gleet, a Pain at 
the Root of his Penis, and a continual 
Heat along the Urethra: He was treated 
with my Elect. Mirab. my Spirit Anti-
dysu-

[65] 
dysuricus, and Balsamick Pills, and effe- 
ctually cured. 
Upon the Perusal of my Book, I was 
consulted by a Gentleman of near fifty, 
who labour’d under a constant Gleet, 
and had been so afflicted for many Years. 
I cured him with my Balsamic Electuary 
and my Balsamic Pills; upon which we 
were both of us well satisfy’d. 
A young Man brought upon himself, 
by Onanism, a Weakness in the Seminals; 
after he had perus'd my Book, he ap- 
ply’d, and was perfectly cured by my 
Balsamic Electuary and Pills. 
A Captain of a Ship (under the Hat- 
ches) bought the Specifick, and injected 
according to Directions; the Success was 
a Translation of the Matter to the Scro- 
tum, which swell’d prodigiously: Upon 
reading this Pamphlet, he apply’d, and 
with my Anti venereal Pills and Powders, 
and proper Topics to the Scrotum, in a 
Month’s time we dismiss’d each other 
well satisfy’d. 
Whilst this was writing, a Gentleman’s 
Servant apply’d, who some time since 
had got the Distemper, and bought a 
Guinea Pot of the Specifick, which soon 
stop his Running: He laid out Three 
Guineas

[66]
Guineas more, to confirm the Cure, (as 
he term’d it;) but about Three Months 
after, he found he had only barter’d his 
CLAP for a POX. Such Effects the 
Balsam Capivi will mod certainly have 
when improperly administer’d, as Thou- 
sands many Years ago have dearly ex- 
perienc’d. 
The Specificks had the following Con- 
sequences attending their Use, a Stop- 
page of the Gleet, a Pain in the Back, a 
Weariness in the Thighs, a Scalding in 
the Urine, with fleshy Filaments in it. 
Upon buying this Book, he confess’d his 
Mistake in believing a Possibility of Uni- 
versal Remedies. In five Weeks I dis- 
miss’d him, recover’d perfectly. 
Since the Publication of the Third 
Edition, the following Remarkable have 
happen’d from the Use of the Specifick; 
one took Thirty Pots of it, Part of the 
Bone of his Nose grew Carious, which 
fell off with blowing it: The Surprise 
was great, and he apply’d himself to 
me, (having seen my Book) and was 
by proper Care perfectly restor’d to his 
Health, and the Nose sav’d without be- 
ing disfigur’d. A Second spent Five
Guineas 


[67]
Guineas on the Specifick, but yet was un- 
cur’d; whom I restor’d perfectly. This 
Person gave me to understand, how he 
had unwarily abused a Friend of his by 
the Specifick; for, said he, I recommend- 
ed it as an admirable Medicine, that 
had cur’d me, (as I then unfortunately 
believ’d) so he purchas’d it; but his 
Friend found his Remedy in the Hospi- 
tal only. A Third had his Running 
stop by one Pot: After three Months 
he marry’d to a very virtuous Woman, 
and presently appear’d a Shanker, a Bu- 
bo, and a Swelling of his Testicles; a 
sufficient Caution for all sorts of Peo- 
ple not to trust to these pernicious Me- 
dicines in Cases of this Nature. His 
Wife shar’d of the Misfortune, and both 
were oblig’d to apply for Remedy. 
These Histories can be well attested, 
and I wish ’twere all the Injury could 
be prov’d against its Use. But such is 
the Efficacy of Noise and Vouchers, that 
the World will try, and then repent; 
Wisdom is valu’d by its high-pric’d Pur- 
chase. 
These few Cases I was willing to in- 
sert, in order to convince the World of 
the Inefficacy of Universal Remedies; 
L more


[68]
more I did not, because we are hardly 
at full Liberty to day all we wou’d. 
I hope I shall not be look’d on as idle 
in my Generation, if I to these few Ad- 
ditions subjoin a little Digression on the 
Gout, and discover to the World a new 
Collusion in this Particular. 
This Disorder has so much hitherto 
baffled the Endeavours of Physicians, 
that they now at last begin to conclude 
it an useless Enquiry to seek after its 
Cure; and he would only convince the 
World of a superlative Folly, who wou’d 
go about to reason Persons into an Opi- 
nion of Specificks for it, at a time when 
the most diligent Practitioners give over 
such Attempts. Has it ever been known 
that any Remedy was yet found out to 
prevent a Return of the Gout, nay, 
which did not throw it upon the Bow- 
els, and lay the Foundation for a Nest of 
Distempers? Jumbles of Words which 
Pretenders join together, without Cohe- 
rence or Design, may cajole an unthink- 
ing Multitude into a Belief, that some- 
thing Extraordinary is attempted, be- 
cause somewhat Extraordinary is pro- 
mis’d, but the Men of Brains never
judge

[69] 
judge of a Book by its specious Title; 
those stale Tricks are out of Date. 
The Learned talk of Indigestions and 
Periods, which are never reliev’d; they 
speak of Natural Tendencies which they 
only can further; and the Unlearned 
prate of Specificks cook’d up for the Mar- 
ket. The Difference then is, that the 
Modesty of the former instructs us how 
cautiously we ought to proceed in ma- 
naging Human Carcasses; but the latter 
aim at the Disposal of their Wares. In 
short, the Atoms plainly discoverable by 
the latter, are never to be seen (even 
with the nicest Glasses yet fram’d) by 
the former; but the Auri sacra fames 
makes Men very clear-sighted; for this 
the World runs unfathomable Lengths. 
A Sydenham, a Lister, a Musgrave, a 
Wintringham, must sink under the Weight 
of the New System; and were this to hold 
true in all the Branches of Sciences, Learn- 
ing must yield to Ignorance, and Re- 
ligion to Enthusiasm. Happy Age! 
in which the BLIND only hit the 
Mark! 
I shall in few Words dispatch this 
Affair under Consideration; but first, it 
will not be deem’d from the Purpose to 
L2 relate


[70] 
relate the Particulars of the Trials made 
on the Anti-arthritick Specifick Tincture: 
One of the Purchasers made me a Pre- 
sent of a little of this pretended Specifick, 
which I try’d in the following manner: 
I exhal’d, as also in another Trial defla- 
grated, the Spirit of Wine, which I found 
rectified, and there was left behind 
a Gum, which I found to be Gum 
Guaiaci. I pour’d some of the Tincture 
into Water, and it immediately turn’d 
Milky, as all Gummous Bodies are ob- 
serv’d to do: To this Milky Liquor I 
pour’d on Ol. Vitriol. and presently the 
Camphire emerg’d, and smelt then very 
strong. This Trial having answer'd, 
and being like the Specifick mention’d 
in the Practical Scheme, I try’d that a- 
gain in the same manner as mention’d, 
and all the Difference I found was, that 
in this latter Specifick there was more 
Camphire, and in the Venereal Specifick 
there was more Gum Guaiaci; but in 
both of them I find a little Scammony; 
so that the Difference between these two 
Specifics is plainly no other, compara- 
tively speaking, than Beer and Ale, and 
Ale and Beer. 
Is


[71] 
Is it possible then for Collusion to run 
higher than in this pretending Scribbler! 
Can he believe the World is grown so 
credulous, that he may impose any fri- 
volous Change upon them for wonder- 
ful Secrets? Or does he believe it is so 
Ignorant or Idle, as to take all he affirms 
upon Trust? No, these Banters are not 
like to be swallow’d down, nor succeed 
much longer; nor shall I cease in every 
following Edition to expose all such vain 
Pretensions to the Publick. 
To add some Reasoning upon the 
Point, I must remark to you what have 
been the standing Opinions concerning 
this Disease. Dr. Sydenham, and most 
Authors before and after him, have given 
it in as their common Sentiments, that 
the Humour resting in the Joints, is 
such as cannot freely pass the Glands, 
and the other minute Passages adjacent; 
and the Wiser of the Faculty have ad- 
ded, that this Humour is so noxious, 
that it cannot be safely translated from 
thence into the Blood again. If then 
nothing can effectually put a stop to the 
Humours being thrown upon the Joints; 
and I think we may safely enough af- 
firm, that nothing has hitherto been 
dis-


[72] 
discover’d which has had this Effect;
I must then necessarily conclude, that 
it is not safe to apply any thing exter- 
nally, which will throw this Humour 
back again into the Blood. Now what 
is any Tincture apply’d externally, but 
dispersing this Humour, and throwing 
it upon the Bowels? but shou’d it not 
do this, ’tis not owing to the Care of 
this Prater. Let it not be any farther 
affirm’d so boldly, how many are cured 
of this Distemper; but let them tell the 
Story half a Year hence; let them then 
give us an Account whether they are not 
afflicted again and again, and then we 
shall be able to judge of its Efficacy. 
I cannot disown that Dr. Sydenham's 
Method of giving Bitters is useful to 
attenuate the Juices, and to evacuate a 
share of them by the Pores; but neither 
he, nor any other since him, have ever 
affirm’d that Returns of the Gout were 
for ever prevented by such Medicines: 
And yet a Person without Skill on Hu- 
man Bodies, or in the Practice, shall 
set up to be an Æsculapius! ’tis to me 
surprising, both because of the Igno- 
rance of the Pretender, and the known 
Impossibility of the thing to be dore. 
It

[73] 
It were however Folly to deny that Fitts 
of the Gout may be staved off for a con- 
siderable time, or that their Violence 
may be so abated, that Gouty Persons 
may live with some Comfort, and enjoy 
the Gout and Health together, as I may 
justly say. 
This Secret is worth the Gouty Per- 
son's while; and if my Subject were not 
foreign to the Business, I could descend 
to some surprising Particulars, which I 
have no room to mention here; there- 
fore I will defer this Head till a more 
convenient Opportunity, to communi- 
cate my Thoughts to the Publick, and let 
them see how willing as well as capable 
I am to serve them. But if the World 
is resolv’d to favour the aforesaid Impo- 
sitions, ’tis their own Choice, not Want 
of Discovery in me. 
Thus, my dear Readers, have I for 
your Sakes said much in a little Com- 
pass: I have, it is true, decry’d some 
Mens Practices, but I hope I have done 
it with good Manners and Decency; and 
as Mens Lives and Health lie at stake, I 
could hardly say less. I am not how- 
ever insinuating that I alone possess Se- 
crets for this Disease, which other Men
have 

[74] 
have not; no, I admire and kiss the 
Feet of the Learned Body of Physick in 
this City: I cannot enough praise the 
Industry and Ingenuity of our Body of 
Surgeons in this great Metropolis, who 
of late Years have outdone those Mon- 
sieurs, who carry too much Sway even 
yet; but how deservedly, they only 
know, who are skill’d in this Noble Art; 
Those Gentlemen being regular in their 
Proceedings, I allow them all that they 
can request of me; and I hope they will 
also allow me some Competency of 
Knowledge in this one Point, in which 
I have labour’d so long with Success, as 
will appear to any considering Person; 
for ’tis odds but he that applies to one 
Distemper only, shall discover some- 
what Particular, which another who has 
not a Patient in a quarter of a Year has 
no Opportunity to do. And this, dear 
Reader, I hope, to your Comfort, is 
my Case. 
From my House, at the Golden-Ball 
and Lamp in Bow Church-yard, 
in Cheapside. 
POST-

POSTSCRIPT. 
IF after all that hath been said, there 
be any who thro’ Bashfulness, or 
any other Reason, will not appear them- 
selves, let such send a true State of their 
Case in Writing, and they shall have 
proper Remedies sent ’em; but no Let- 
ters will be answer’d, either in Town, 
or from the Country, unless such as 
bring Orders for Medicines; and Money 
is expected on the Delivery of them. 
M THE



THE 
TABLE. 
CHAP I. 
THE Introduction to the Book.
Page I. 
Experience is the Foundation 
upon which this Book is 
built. p. 2. 
An Appeal to the World that I have hi- 
therto dealt fairly by them. p. 3. 
The Design of this Book is to recount to 
the World experienced Facts. p. 4. 
A Description of Infection. p. 4. 
Ulcers in the Vagina of Women how dis- 
cover'd. p. 5. 
The Signs of a Clap. p. 6. 
Whether the Occasion of a Clap be an Acid 
or Alcali, is not very material. ibid. 
M2 How


The Table. 
How the Infection steals upon Patients 
p. 7. 
What a Phymosis and Paraphymosis are, 
and how they are discover'd. ibid. 
Swell'd Testicles. p. 8. 
Warts on the Anus, and Shankers on the 
Glans. ibid. 
Buboes on the Groins. p. 9. 
The Hernia Varicosa, what. ibid. 
How Symptoms are produced in the Blood, 
Nerves and Blood. ibid. 
How the Nerves and Bones become preju- 
diced. p. 10. 
The Manner of their being affected parti- 
cularly explained. p. 11. 
What Medicines are usually given in this 
Disease. p. 12. 
What convinces us of the Nature of the 
Cause of this Disease. ibid. 
An Objection against this Explanation an- 
swer'd. ibid. & 13. 
My Pretensions to Practice on this Disease 
vindicated. p. 13. 
Collusions of the Author of the Practical 
Scheme. p. 14. 
CHAP.

The Table. 
CHAP. II. 
OF the Symptoms. p. 15. 
Signs of a Clap. ibid. 
Of Shankers. ibid. 
Of Buboes, ibid. 
Of inflamed Testicles. p. 16. 
Of Caruncles. ibid. 
Of Stranguries. p. 17. 
Of Nocturnal Pains. ibid. 
Of rotten Bones. ibid. 
Of Nodes. p. 18. 
Of a Phymosis and Paraphymosis. ibid. 
Of a Cordee. ibid. 
Of Blotches. p. 19. 
Of Nervous Disorders. ibid. 
Why we grow pale and lean. p. 20. 
Of the many dangerous Symptoms that fol- 
low the Pox. p. 21. 
CHAP. III. 
OF the Prognosticks. p. 22. 
Such as have been seized with this 
Disease about the Genitals are easily
cured,

The Table. 
cured, unless the Blood hath been also 
tainted, and proper Remedies have been 
neglected. p. 22, 23, 24. 
The rooted Degree ought to be carefully 
treated. p. 25. 
A Bubo appearing, of use to the Cure of a 
Pox. p. 26, 27. 
A Pox with an Hoarsness accompanying it, 
dangerous. p. 27. 
Ulcers of the Mouth dangerous. ibid. 
That Leanness and Barrenness often ensue 
upon the Pox. p. 28. 
Why Women less dangerously afflicted with 
the Venereal Disease ibid. 
Whether the Seasons make this Disease more 
dangerous. p. 28, 29. 
A simple Gonorrhœa, how dangerous. p. 29. 
Asthma's dangerous. ibid. 
Fluxes come upon inveterate Poxes. p. 30. 
Why I have been more particular on the 
Prognostics in this Edition. ibid. 
When the Blood is tainted, what is to be 
done. p. 31. 
In the last degree what can be done. ibid. 
Bold Promises have no Grounds. ibid. 
CHAP.


The Table. 
CHAP. IV. 
OF the Cure. p. 32. 
In the Pox what Parts are affected. 
ibid. 
The Cure of a Gonorrhœa in general. ibid. 
Short but dangerous Methods and Cheats 
in Town. p. 33. 
The usual Methods for the various Symp- 
toms of the Pox made mention of. p. 34. 
Shankers how eradicated. p. 35. 
Buboes how cured. p. 36. 
Heat of Urine how remedied. ibid. 
Cordees how cured. ibid. 
My Electuarium Mirabile; what Degree 
of the Pox it is effectual in. p. 36. 
What is to be done when the Venom is 
rooted. p. 37. 
What I mean by strong Remedies. p. 38. 
What is meant by Causes. ibid. 
The Use of Diaphoreticks in Poxes. p. 39. 
High Salivations, and such as are raised 
by Unction, are dangerous, and not more 
successful than gentle ones. p. 40. 
Whether the Disease be cured when its chief 
Symptoms disappear. p. 41. 
Diu-


The Table. 
Diureticks are of no use in the rooted Poxes. 
p. 42. 
Observations on Diureticks. ibid. 
Some aim to throw the Pox off by a Saliva- 
tion rais'd for the Space of two Hours in 
a Day, which is vain. p. 43. 
A full Account of the Danger of Injections, 
when and how they may be used. p. 43, 
44, 45. 
How far Preventives may be communica- 
ted to the Public. p. 46. 
A Maxim which holds good thro' all the 
Stages of the Pox. p. 46, 47. 
Sweats alone seldom complete the Cure. p. 47. 
How a Course of altering Medicines must be 
used. p. 48. 
A Salivation. ibid. 
A Physician ought to use the safest Methods 
to cure this Malady. p. 49. 
My Electuarium Mirabile, its due Enco- 
miums. p. 49. 
My Antivenereal Pills, and their just Prai- 
ses. p. 50. 
My Specifick Powder. ibid. 
My Balsamic Electuary. p. 51. 
My Liniment for Shankers. ibid. 
My Plaister for Buboes. p. 52. 
My Powder and Spirit against scalding of 
Urine. p. 53. 
My


The Table. 
My Plaister and Ointment for Nodes. p. 53. 
My Powder against a Caruncle. p. 54. 
Mr. Wiseman's Powder and Plaister a- 
gainst Caruncles. ibid. 
What is the true Secret in Physick. p. 55. 
Vouchers for Cures, a base Practice in the 
Venereal Disease. ibid. & 56. 
CHAP. V. 
OF Specificks and the Abuse of the 
Name, and how it covers Ignorance 
and a Cheat. p. 57. 
The Assurance of common Empiricks. ibid. 
No Assertion in Physick to be trusted till ex- 
perienced. ibid. 
Advertisements, how hired. p. 58. 
What a Specifick is. p. 58, 59. 
What are the Cheats of Physick in Town. 
p. 59. 
A Specifick Water against a Clap, dan- 
gerous. p. 60. 
A Specifick Elixir also dangerous. ibid. 
What it is. p. 61. 
The Grand Specifick. ibid. 
My own Nostrums. p. 62. 
N An


The Table 
An universal Remedy is impossible. p. 63. 
A Chymical Bolus, what. ibid. 
Histories of Cures, when People have been 
spoiled by others. p. 64. 
Onanism by me. p. 65.
The Cure of an old Gleet. ibid. 
Bones falling off from the Nose cured b. 
me. p. 66y 
A Digression on the Gout. p. 68. 
What the Gout is occasioned by. p. 69. 
Trials made upon several of the Town Me- 
dicines, and what they are. p. 70. 
Collusions great in Pretenders. p. 71. 
Sydenham’s Sentiments on the Gout. p. 71. 
His Method of Cure. p. 72. 
How we may enjoy Health and the Gout 
together. p. 73. 
The Conclusion. p. 73, 74. 
FINIS.