give against his Book and therefore I shall give him a Philosophical One and shall leave him to consider whether there be fire in a green and growing Tree and if it be how comes it not to shew it self when we are certain most of it's Substance may be turned into Fire Page 31 He says I do still affirm that Fevers in general do proceed from a Constipation of the Emunctories And this Affirmation is very little to his purpose for since he elsewhere says that all the Excrements of our Bodies are Alkalies Alkalies cannot hinder their Evacuations but only Acids which by contracting the Pores of those Emunctories and withal thickning the Serum make it unfit to be carried off Page 34 He says By the way I beg of you that you will not rank the Rad. Serpentariae with the Pulv. è chelis and Spr. CC. for the Rad. Serpentariae belongs to me Truly Mr. Colbatch does well to claim his Priviledges but there is no other Reason why it should not be classed with Pulv. è chelis but this that it corrects Acids abundantly more powerfully and if that which evidently tastes Bitter and destroys Acids can be an Acid then Acid is Bitter and Black is White but till Mr. Colbatch can prove that Rad. Serpentariae will be no Acid. Page 35 He says I do boldly assert that in no Fever that ever I have yet met with let them be either Benign or Malign have I ever yet observed that the Patient hath been in the least Sensible of any Acidity in the Stomach or Mouth But notwithstanding Acidity is not perceivable in the Mouth yet it is probable and true that Acidity is the occasion of the foulness perceived there by making it too thick and clammy to go off by other proper Passages and Mr. Colbatch so far is Block-head-like in the Right of it for sometimes they have a clammy bitter Taste in their Mouths but yet according to his own Confessions Acids are the Cause of that Bitter Taste for he says Acids are Bitter Namely Rad. Serpentariae Again if Acids are Bitter perhaps he will say Choler is an Acid and no doubt but if it were for his purpose he would say so had he not elsewhere called it an Alkaly But that it may be more evident that Acidity is the Cause of all those ill Tastes which Feverish People have we are to remember that he often asserts that all the Excrements of our Body are Alkalies and if so Acidity is the Cause of those ill Tastes in the Mouth because they alone according to the Doctrin of Acids and Alkalies can hinder these Alkalies from going off by their proper Emunctories which I have sufficiently proved before and therefore need not say any more here Page 41. First He says The Life of Man is Flame c. And Page 42 he asks If Fire is not actually existent in Animal Bodies how is it possible it should be extracted from them As for the first of these I have Answered it sufficiently in my Treatise of the Heat of the Blood and therefore I shall refer the Reader to that for an Answer it being not necessary to transcribe all that I have there said in Answer to Dr. Willis his Opinion All that he further says from Page 42 to 54 is to assert that there is Flame in the Blood and that there is no Fermentation But it being only Dr. Willis his Opinion I shall also refer the Reader for an Answer there and I wonder Mr. Colbatch did not think fit to Vindicate Dr. Willis from those Objections but the Reason I believe is because he could not for when I was lately in London he told me he had writ something to this purpose and when I asked whether he had answered my Book he told me he did not love to mix his Notions with other Men's and that he would not read my Book till his was printed which I conceive was only an Excuse because at that time he had writ most of this Book against Tuthill and was willing to print it against him tho' at the same time he knew my Book contained a Confutation of it all that he says coming to no more than that the Blood grows hot by Accension and not by Fermentation the former of which is sufficiently confuted in my Answer to Dr. Willis and tho' I have asserted that the Blood grows hot by Fermentation yet any one that reads my Book and compares it with what he says will see that I don't mean by Fermentation such a Fermentation as he here denies but only such a Degree of Motion of the Minute Particles of Matter as are able to cause a Sensation of Heat upon our Sensory Page 44. To prove that Heat is not produced after the Cartesian Hypothesis He says I can assure you I know several Fluids the more brisk they are moved the colder they are as for Instance a River is always colder in that Place where there is a quick Current than where the Water stands still The Air is always more or less cold according as the Motion of it is greater or lesser and I can assure you I have been almost starved when forced to Travel in the high Winds in the Winter time at which Season the Air is most full of Nitrous Particles And again Page 50 He says If the progressive Motion from the Heart to the Extremities gives it it's Heat by the same Reason I think the Water which runs from our Cocks should be warm also Now from hence we way easily gather what an extraordinary Philosopher Mr. Colbatch is who attributes the Heat or Cold of Fluids to a collective Motion of a whole Mass instead of the Particles which constitute that Mass for he says a River is Coldest where the Current is greatest and to this I Answer that I having given the Reason of Heat in my Treatise of the Reason of the Heat of the Blood I need not repeat it again but least Mr. Colbatch when he finds it there cannot apply it I shall tell him that the Reason why Wind and Water tempestuously moved cause Cold is because those Parts are more forcibly driven upon the Sensory and how they cause a Cold Sensation there is plain from what I have said concerning the Vse of the Lungs in admitting Nitre into the Blood where I have asserted that tho' Nitre be in a gentle Motion it self when Fluid in the Air yet it is Naturally inclinable to rest and disposes those Humors to a rest with which it is mixed for which reason Water freezes in the Winter and tho' the Water and Air in which this Nitre swims be in Motion yet that is not such a Motion as causes Heat for a Sensation of Heat depends on Matter in such a degree of Motion as is a little above Nature which preternaturally affecting us causes Heat and that Motion is not a Motion of a whole Mass collectively but a swift intestin Motion of the Parts of that Matter
subtilized and rarified to a certain Degree from whence it appears that tho Water and Air be in Motion yet the Nitre which swims in them being laid down upon the Sensory disposes those Fluids about it to rest by which means there being a lower degree of Motion than is requisite to preserve a Natural Temper we feell a contrary Sensation to Heat and if so the more these Nitrous Parts are forced upon our Body the greater must be the Cold. And as for what he says of the Progressive Motion of the Blood in the Vessels I never heard that any ever affirmed it to be the Cause of Heat so that there he might have spared what he hath said against no Body but tho' Water in a River moved by some accidental Cause in a whole Stream does not grow hot yet if it be set over a Fire where it hath an Agent subtile enough to work upon it's Minute Parts and to put them in Motion it soon changes it's Temper Page 61 He says I am very glad you own Alkalies to abound in Pleurisies and Rheumatisms and other Inflammatory Distempers But Mr. Colbatch must not think that all the World grants it because Mr. Tuthill cannot defend Truth and therefore I having proved that all those Distempers proceed from Acids I expect he should confute what I have said or he gives up his Cause Page 64 He says Now for want of a due Secretion by the Excretory Vessels the Blood is clogged with too great a Quantity of Serum which Serum being admitted into the Lymphatick Vessels and being impregnated with Alkaline Particles cannot freely pass along these Vessels by Reason of it's gelatinous Quality c. And again Page 65 and 66 He says Such are the Excretory Glands of the Skin the Glandulae Renales the Glands of the Liver c. all which seperate an Alkaly from the Blood to be thrown off by Excrement and if by any Accident these Glands are made uncapable of performing their Office so that the Blood cannot be rid of it's Excrements then a Distemper of some kind or other must necessarily follow and Page 69 This damnable Distemper really a very pretty Epithite which although it be rately cured in a confirmed State yet in the beginning nay after it hath made some progress is frequently to be done and that as effectually by Chalybeats and Bitters as by any sort of Medicines But here for want of making Experiments you say that Steel and the Bitter Herbs are Alkalies And again Page 72. He says As for Bitters I will be bound to lay a good Wager with you that if you put a Pound of Centuary or Wormwood into a Retort and distill it with an easie Fire till all be come off that will and afterwards calcine the Caput Mortuum and extract the fixed Alkaly from the Ashes if you don't find a much greater quantity of Acid than Alkaly c. And from hence he would infer that Bitters are Acids But he hath rather taken an effectual way to prove the Insufficiency of Chymistry in discovering the Principles of Bodies for if it will alter Bitter and turn most of it Acid who can be so stupified as to believe that this discovers the Nature of Bitter Can Aloes be turned into Juice of Oranges and Aloes not be destroyed It 's in vain to reason with such Ideots yet this is not all we may throughout these Quotations see how miserably the dull Soul forgets himself having repeated the same things often in other Books and also how blindly he contradicts himself here according to his Custom and how fully he confutes himself For first Page 64. He says The Serum being too much impregnated with Alkaline Particles cannot pass free through the Vessels by reason of its Gelatinous Quality as if the Gelatinous Quality depended on a Mixture of Alkalies whereas it appears from the Experiment he mentions in his Treatise of the Gout that the whole Serum of Healthful People is Alkaline and abounds with Alkalies where there is no such Gelatinous Quality and therefore as I have often taken notice we are to conclude that the Gelatinous Quality depends on a mixture of too much Acid because as I before said that is said to be the Cause of an Effect in whose Absence there is no such Distemper but on the contrary when mixed with it From whence it appears that the Reason why the Excretory Glands cannot perform their Office in evacuating Excrementitious Alkaly as he says Page 65 66 is because Acid is mixed with it and this is certain from his own Words for if the Excrements be Alkalies naturally they would not obstruct were there no Acids to coagulate them But let us see how coherent Mr. Colbatch is in his Thoughts Page 69. He asserts That the Distemper which in a Passion he calls Damnable if curable is to be cured by Chalybeats and Bitters the former of which I have before proved an Alkaly and that Bitter is not Acid any Body knows that can distinguish betwixt Tastes but if Mr. Colbatch can perswade People that Wormwood is Acid he may make any thing go down with them but since Children have too nice Palates to be so deceived I hope those of riper Years have not lost their Taste All that I need further to take notice of Mr. Colbatch his Productions in these Quotations is another Wonderful Confutation of himself For Page 66 He says The bitter Excrement of the Liver to wit Choler is an Alkaly Yet Page 72. Bitters are Acids and consequently Choler as may be seen in the Words I have quoted I might take notice of other Absurdities and Falsities contained in the foregoing Quotations but what I have said being sufficient I shall not extend a Book of this kind to too large a Compass Page 91. He says The Blood cannot super abound with Acids Because the Stomach will not receive or retain more than it hath occasion for The Reason he gives a little before is If at any time People are not sufficiently cautious of that Matter but load the Stomach with more manifest Acids than the Body hath occasion for she won't fail of rejecting them by Vomit That this is false every Body knows that have but lived in the World long enough to take notice of what occurs daily for nothing is more common than for Children to bring Distempers upon themselves by eating of unripe Fruit and not only Children but grown People and these Mr. Calbatch cannot deny to be Acids surely if he remembers what he ascribed long Life in Herefordshire to viz. eating Fruit besides it is too commonly known that many People almost ruin their Constitutions by drinking Vinegar the very same Acid he mentions And thus I have gone through all that he further says concerning the Use of Acids and proved it to be as absurd and ridiculous as the rest of his Incoherences and now shall leave him to consider when he writes again whether it will not be prudent to
with most noble Acids lie silent in the Grave Page the 19th He says The Gout may in general be defined to be a Pain of the Joints and Parts adjacent occasioned from an extravasated Alkaline Humour which irritates the Membranes of the Joints and Parts adjacent A very Learned Definition of the Gout How can it properly be called a Pain of the Joints when it is an Irritation only of the Membranes of the Joints except a Membrane were a Joint but he might as well call an Acron an Axle Tree But the Gout he says is nothing but a Pain he forgets how the Parts adjacent are swelled and that an Obstruction accompanyes it But no wonder when such a short sighted Man turns Definition maker that his Definitions are so defective But further He says The Pain is occasioned from an extravasated Alkaline Humour which irritates the Membranes of the Joints But truly he is to be excused he only contradicts himself either he knows not how or he forgets himself for the Page before he said He laid it down as a positive Assertion that all Pain is caused by a Stagnation of the Juices which causeth a Compression of the Membranes But supposing it were as he here says an Irritation of the Membranes and the first Account he gave were false yet an Alkalizated Humor such as the Serum of the Blood would be incapable of causing Pain if it were not Healthful People would never be without Pain but here I will appeal to those Ingenious Gentlemen that he hath so often made his Appeal to and shall instance another easie Observation whereby they may be satisfied that an Acid Juice is capable of causing very violent Pains whereas Alkalizated Humours are not at all subject to irritate the Membranes and to this end let them take a little Vinegar and wash but a cut Finger with it so that the sensible Membranes may be irritated by it and it will cause a most violent Heat and Pain yet it tastes cool on the Tongue from whence we may gather that an Acid sharp Humour when extravased so as to fall upon the sensible Membranes will cause a violent Heat and Pain in the Gout this is a very plain and obvious Experiment and any Body may be assured of the Truth of it very easily Now as this proves that Acids will cause Pain and Heat and consequently inflame so if those ingenious Gentlemen will but take a little Vinegar and put an Alkaly into it as Chalk or Crabs-Eyes and put that Alkalizated Vinegar upon a cut Finger they will find that it will not cause much Pain but they must be sure to put none of the Powder upon the Wound along with it and this shews not only that an Alkalizated Humour will cause less Pain than an Acid but also that Alkalies will abate the pain of the Gout for if Alkalies take ocff the sharpness of Vinegar why will they not from those Humours that corrode the Membrances in the Gout And here I would desire ingenious Gentlemen to taste Vinegar and then that into which they put Chalk and they will plainly perceive the good Effects of Alkalies in correcting sharp and irritating Humours Page the 20th He says Now Acids being the only things that hinder Fermentations and prevent Fevers it is impossible they should be in the Fault but Alkalies exciting Fermentations and by consequence causing Fevers they are necessarily here to be blamed and were timely Care taken to correct the Luxuriant Alkalious Particles I am sure it would be no difficult Matter to prevent a Fit But what is curing these Luxuriant Particles in Fevers to the Gout he might as well say if Dogs were kept from pulling the Hedges in Pieces on the High-Way there would not be such Wars in the World nor Countries spoiled and plundered for Fevers and Gout ingenious Gentlemen know are two different things and he might as rationally conclude that Killing a Mouse would Kill a Man as that curing a Fever would prevent the Gout The remaining Part of the 20 Page the 21 22 and Part of the 23 are taken up with a Description of the Manner of this Distemper's Invasion transcribed from Dr. Sydenham amongst which some simple Sentences of his own are interspersed which already have been sufficiently answered In the latter Part of that Page He says There are several Things occur in order to this Distemper But what he calls Things he should have called accessory Causes in the delivering of which I shall proceed to observe his Dexterity and then make Remarks upon the whole collectively Page the 24. the first of the Things as he calls them is Too moist a State of Air which hinders free Transpiration by which Means the Excrementitious Alkaline Particles which should be thrown out by the Cutaneous Pores are retained and the Quantity of Excrementitious Alkaly which is thrown out that way those Passages being free is not inconsiderable which Particles being retained in the Blood do greatly contribute towards the Raising of this Unruly Devil which the wisest of Physicians hitherto have not been able to lay which hath been the occasion of that Saying Solvere Nodosam nescit Medicina Podagram But here I must tell him that if the Moistness of the Air only produced such ill Consequences by preventing Transpiration all People would be equally prejudiced by it and we should as soon see poor People troubled with it who labour continually in moist fenny Countries and how dangerous would it be for poor Country Men to encompass their Ground with Ditches if the Dampness and Moisture that affects their Bodies there should throw them into the Gout by stopping Transpiration and hindring Nature from throwing off Excrementitious Alkaline Particles but were stopping Transpiration all the Prejudice moist Air could do that would be easily helped another way for as it is observed by the Famous Dr. Lower that which supplies Transpiration in Bed runs off by Urin when we are out of Bed so although in moist Weather Transpiration should be stopped more then in dry Weather it would do them no harm because the less runs off by Transpiration the more does by Urine and à converso But the Reason why moist Air is so prejudicial is because the Circumference of our Body is so Relaxed by that Moisture as to leave the Pores open which by admitting too much Niter into the Mass of Blood the Natural Heat of our Bodies being depressed Crudities are bred in the second Concoction as the Antients called it which External Accessary Cause concurring with a Natural Predisposition and the Acid Particles of the Air joyned with those Predisposed Humours cause such Coagulations as the Obstructions in the Parts affected in this Distemper are accompanied with so that besides the Moisture of the Air there is a Natural inclination and predisposition in our Bodies which makes that Moister Air prejudicial to Gouty People the Acid Coagulating their Blood and disposing them to Crudities and not because insensible
turn to Dr. Willis de Fermentatione where Chap. 11. Paragraph the 4th you will by the Assistance of your Spectacles at Mid-day see these Words Rei cujusque Temperies quoad Calorem à Sulphure imprimis dependet i. e. The Temper of all hot Bodies in Respect of Heat chiefly depend on Sulphur where you see you are of the same Opinion with Dr. Willis exactly and it is good Luck to agree with such an Author but pray Doctor did you take this Notion of Heat from Dr. Willis or did he take it from you think of it and when you do remember that his Book was writ long before yours but again look back to Page the 32 of your own Book where you quote these Words from Monsieur le Grand Provenit ergò Thermarum calor à Bituminis Sulphuris Misturâ quae dum inter se confunduntur per quandam Fermentationem Calorem concipiunt i. e. The Heat therefore of hot Baths proceeds from a Bitumen and Sulphur which whilst they are mixed acquire Heat by Fermentation now Doctor what does this differ from your Opinion you say Heat depends on a Mixture of sulphureous Particles so does le Grand for a Mixture of Bitumen and Sulphur is but one sulphureous Body with another now it is strange that Dr. Leigh should be so angry at me when he hath so much more Reason to be angry at himself and really he is so for when Dr. Willis says Heat proceeds from Sulphur and le Grand is of the same Opinion Dr. Leigh cannot bear it he contradicts them and keeps the Reasons to himself yet when he himself affirms the same thing as his own he thinks he hath done well phy Doctor I thought you had not been quite so crazy if you go on at this Rate Bethlem will not hold you And now Doctor must not this argue that your Brain is extreamly hot that you cannot discern your self of the same Opinion with these Men but there are further Instances than this nothing will serve you but my Notion of the Heat of the Blood must be taken from Dr. Willis le Grand and the Exercitationes Quinque truly had it been taken from one it had been taken from all because there is no Difference betwixt them but no body that pretends to Knowledge will pretend to say that my Notion of the Reason of the Heat of the Blood is to be compar'd to yours I mean Dr. Willis his for the formal Cause of the Heat of hot Baths is widely different from the formal Cause of the Heat of the Blood for the Heat of Baths according to Dr. Willis depends on a Mixture and Fermentation of sulphureous Parts but the Heat of the Blood I say depends on a Mixture and mutual Fermentation of animal Spirits and Blood which Account in my Treatise is different from all others yet laid down and which I believe I have sufficiently proved and if what I have said will not be sufficient to prove Truth I conceive I am furnished with Reasons which will which I did not lay down in my Book because what is there is enough N. B. That where I have said the Heat is caused so or otherwise I mean a Power to cause such a Sensation upon our Sensory for Fire is not actually hot in it self but as it affects our Sensory as I have proved in my Treatise of the Reason of the Heat of the Blood But how came I to forget I was talking to Dr. Leigh Doctor I beg your Pardon for being so serious and for talking of Reason I did not remember such Talk would disturb your Head come come Doctor let 's divert you a Windmill Diego and his Spanish Geese Roger a Coverly the Elephant Cheesemonger or what you please chuse your Subject and pray talk to your self for it 's usual for one in your Distemper I for my part shall pass my time on Subjects which are more proper Objects of Reason Your next Exercitation Doctor contains an imperfect Account of a Fever in Lancashire which since it only appear'd in a small part of Lancashire it would be as impertinent to trouble the World with a Refutation of what you say as it was useless for you to write it had you done it ingeniously I shall therefore only take notice of the first Page of it which seems to be very ominous Page 54. Vix datur Lunae Circuitus quin Febris quaedam exaestuans populariter grassatur ac si Ignis elementaris sub concavo Lunae hospitans c. i. e. There is scarce a Month but some burning Fever is abroad as if that Fire in the Concave of the Moon continually broil'd Mankind c. But you should rather have said as if Mens Constitutions and Way of living were the Cause of it then Fire in the Concave of the Moon for to say as if Fire in the Concave of the Moon caused it is as much as to say as if there were no Cause for it because there is no such Fire but poor Man Diego and his Spanish Geese and the Moon have influenc'd you the one hath made you a Goose the other a Mad-man In the next Place let us consider the Substance of your fourth Exercitation de Febribus intermittentibus where Page 87 you say Supponimus Febres omnes intermittentes Particulis salinis esse ortis i. e. This is your Opinion of the Cause of intermitting Fevers now pray Doctor turn to Dr. Willis of intermitting Fevers Chap. 4. Paragraph the 4th where you will find these Words Haec Sanguinis Constitutio in hac sita est quod Sulphuris ac Salis plus debito impregnatur And again Chap. the 6th he says Quod in hoc Morbo Sanguinis Liquor à Natura dulci spirituosa balsamica in acidam nonnihil austeram instar Vini acescentis transierit nimirum adest Sanguinis Penuria Sanguinis Pars terrestris seu tartarea quae constat imprimis Sale Terra nimis exaltatur Where you see Dr. Willis and you both agree that there is too much Salt in the Blood in intermitting Fevers now you see how much you are mistaken for in your Remarks you told me that I had taken my Notions from Dr. Willis but it seems you are still under the Influence of the Moon for instead of me it 's your self bless me Who could imagine you so much out of your Senses to take me for Dr. Leigh does not Dr. Leigh know himself No alas Tertius è Coelo descendit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but tho' you don't know your self Doctor one would think you might know your own Book but how should you when it 's plain you don't know your Name at all times for in your Exercitation de Thermis calidis in a heat you cry experto crede Roberto i. e. believe experienc'd Robert instead of Charles but perhaps you thought no body would believe Charles Leigh and therefore you cry Crede Roberto but perhaps there may be another Reason why
the same time to contradict himself for if the Cause differs it cannot be the same and that the Cause is not the same is plain because the same Cause would have the same Effects I mean the same formal Cause Page 38. He says in most continued Fevers I have found Alkalies equally as pernicious as in the Small-Pox and Acids equally as Beneficial That Acids are useful in most continued Fevers is not of his finding it being the common Practice of most Physicians And it is as generally known that strong Alkalies except in Malignant Fevers are very hurtful and not at all used except by absurd Practisers but that Alkalies are highly to be preferred before Acids in the Cure of the Small-Pox I think I have given Reason enough to prove except People value Beauty before their Lives and had rather hazard their Children in the Hands of a Fool than commit them to the Care of sober and wise Men. CHAP. III. Of the Scurvey HAving therefore run over what he hath said of the Small-Pox and shewed that it is neither consonant to Reason nor Experience I shall in the next place make it plain that he hath also mistaken in the Scurvey which will yet be a furthor Demonistration that he is not qualified for an Apothecary Page 42. But here I expect the Cry of all Mankind against me What Say there is no Acidity in the Blood in the Scurvey What Is it but an Acidity in the Blood that is the occasion of Breaking out of Scabs c. upon the Skin What! But a Sharpness and Acidity in the Blood occasions those wandring Pains c. And Page 43. Says he My Friends have a little Patience and I will presently make it appear to you that those Symptoms are not occasioned by Acids but from Acrid Lixivious and Alkalious Particles Behold How sharp Witted he is grown of a sudden And it lasteth for a whole Page together what a true Picture of a short Head And what an excessive Rapture of Zeal my Friend Mr. John Colbatch is falen into Truly if I could believe he were of any Religion I should perswade my self he were inclining to Quakerism as well as Quackerism for here he seems to have a mighty glimps of the Spirit and speaks in a very agreeable Form But I wonder why he should expect all Mankind to cry against him he must either have a very ill Opinion of all Mankind or himself if he thought he had Reason for what he did then he spoke very harshly of all Mankind for to say they would cry against was in effect to say they either did not understand Reason or that they were such Enemies to Learning that they could receive nothing but what was suited to their own Heads A very heavy Charge and much becoming such an Ignorant Man to lay upon all the World But I rather think he had a Self-consciousness of his own Falsness and like guilty Persons did not know how to conceal it But the Scurvey he says proceeds from Alkalious Particles and not from Acids to which I answer that it being the Nature of Alkalies to thin and attenuate those Humors that cause Coagulations in the Skin it is unreasonable to say that Alkalies cause those Things which their own Nature inclines them to cure But those Bloches which appear in the Scurvy rather proceed from Acids joyned with Acrimony the Acids cause the Humors to stagnate in the Skin and the Acrimony by causing a Ferment there makes that Matter corrupt and corrode Page 43. He says The Blood of Scorbutick People abounds more with Alkalious Parts than Healthful Peoples when Analized But as I said before what is drawn from Blood Analized proves nothing what was the Temper of that Blood before it was Analized Of which if he would but take Pains to look into the famous Mr. Boyl's Sceptical Chymist he may be fully satisfied For those Acrid Acid Parts of the Blood being Spiritualized by the Fire loose their Pristine State and are carryed along and embody'd with other Alkalious Particles Page 45 and 46. He tells a Story of a parcel of Seamen that landing at Cadiz were cured of the Scurvey by the Use of Lemmons and Oranges The less Reason then hath he to be fond of or value himself where he owns his Knowledge to Seamen but it is no news in Physick that Acids joyn'd with Alkalies cure the Scurvey it being common Practice to mix Acids and Volatile Salts in Scorbutick diet Drinks and a Method long used by the famous Dr. Willis and others so that there was no need for him to have said any thing here of the Scurvey since it is only what others have done before to more advantage and incomparably better Page 47. He says As for Alkalies I don't believe that any was ever cured by them of this Distemper But I am sure that a great many are and though a great many are cured by a Mixture of Alkalies and Acids yet as many are cured by Alkalies alone Page 48 49 and 50. He mentions a Preparation of Antimony and Spirits of Tartar and would have these which Page 51 and 52 he says are Panaceas to be Acids but as they have been generally termed Alkalies and are known to be so by their Effects he must not think to change their Names since he cannot change their Natures For by their Effects we know that they correct Acids because they take away Obstructions and dissolve coagulated Humors which are thickned by Acids But as I took Notice in his Preface we see he will use all the means imaginable to make his Design good and having said enough on this purpose there I shall not need to repeat it again Page 53. He thinks he answers an Objection against him which is That there is a manifest Saltness in the Blood of Scorbutick People But he like a Man as dull as ignorant cunningly would turn it off and says if they will strictly enquire into it they will find it not an Acid but an Alkalious Taste But does he think no Body can taste besides himself People are sensible that for the sake of his own Cause his Reason if he may be said to have any will byass his Taste whereas other People in such Cases have their Reason steady and their Taste too But to conclude this second Specimen of his Ingenuity He must be informed that the Blood of Scorbutick People does not only taste Salt but those that spit much and who know what a Salt Taste is find a manifest Salt Taste in that Saliva CHAP. IV. Of the Gout THe next Thing that this eminent Man undertakes to give an Account of is the Gout And truly this I must needs say in his Praise That though his Merit be extraordinary and cannot place him amongst those Men who are eminent for good Works yet he hath this mighty Chance that it will undoubtedly eternalize him for an eminent vain pretending Impostor and an Emperick extraordinary For Page 54.
the Distemper To this though what I said in the last Paragraph is a sufficient Answer I shall add that though the Blood should sooner than he can suppose it run through that Part yet the Substance he calls Alkaly when it is once sufficiently impregnated could cause no Alteration in the Acidity of it besides though it had it's full Force active and vigorous so much as makes up the Nodes would no more prevent the Acidity of the Blood than a Grain of Alkaly would prevent a Hogshead of Drink from growing stale Moreover so little Blood could be laid down at once in those Parts that the whole Mass being depraved we must conclude that that little Blood as soon as it was mixed with the Maâ—â— of Blood again would be again depraved and tainted all these Objections I say would occur if we would suppose what he says to be true concerning the Blood circulating through those Parts but he should take notice that the Blood Vessels have no Communication with those Nodes they being as it it were Matter extravasated and out of the way of Circulation but one hath always more Trouble to confute one Blockhead that three ingenuous Men I don't mean convince one for that is a thing not to be expected but the Reason why it is so difficult to confute such a one is because Fools make such Blunders that have neither Sense nor Meaning and are so widely absurd that one must run out of Method and Order to trace them Pag. 59. He says It may not be amiss to take Notice that few People are troubled with the Gout but those who drink large quantities of Wine or some other generous Liquors abounding with Vinous Spirits so that the Blood and other Juices being impregnated with the said Vinous Spirits these Spirits meeting with the Volatile Alkalious Salt of which even the Blood of sound People is never destitute by means of which Salt the Vinous Spirit is Coagulated c. What is the Reason that drinking of Wine is so hurtful I shall not here explain but shall only shew that he is so far from explaining it that he confutes himself and that he is at a loss how to make even trifling Explanations of it And first I ask him if it be caused by drinking of much Wine and that being Coagulated by the Alkalies in the Blood why does not those Alkalies also Coagulate his Acids that he would cure it by and how comes it to pass that they sooner Coagulate Spirituous Acids than more crude ones But this Objection he did not foresee and truly no body can blame a Man to be thus bold that 's so short sighted and inapprehensive of Danger but certainly if an Alkaly in the Blood would cause so Spirituous an Acid as Wine to Coagulate it would much sooner Coagulate a more crude one and consequently his Medicine must do more harm than Wine so that here I leave him to condemn himself A second Question I ask him is whether it is not impossible to cure this Distemper by Acids if Acids cause the Alkalies in the Blood to Coagulate to which the true Answer is that it is impossible for as long as the Blood is so impregnated according to him all the Acids we can take must be Coagulated so that they would increase Coagulations and not cure them But not to ask a Man any more Questions who does not understand common Reason I shall prove from what he says and also from Reason that Acids cause this Distemper and first from what he says it is plain for if he says upon taking of Acids the Alkalies Coagulate them it implies there was no Coagulation in the Blood before those Acids were taken now if our Blood when so full of Alkalies can be without Coagulation and upon the taking of Acids it presently thickens it must needs follow that those Acids cause this Distemper there being no Coagulation before those were taken so that the Acid Coagulates the Alkalizated Blood and not the Alkaly the Acids for that is said to be the cause of a Distemper or a Coagulation whose Mixture with the Blood produces such a Distemper and in whose Absence there is no such Effect so that here he is judged by his own Words For as a Man's head is not the cause of it's being cut off till the Instrument is applyed that separates it from his Body and when Water is thrown in the Fire the Water is properly said to extinguish it so Acids taken into the Body cause the Coagulation and not those Humors that are vitiated by the mixture of it and these Instances I have given that it may be plainer to People that understand not Physick I mean those Gentlemen he so oft makes his Appeal to Besides Acids being of a cold Nature and cool Bodies Naturally Coagulating those Bodies that are subject to Coagulation and it being the Nature of Alkalies to take off Coagulations and to prevent them it would be absurd to say that they cause such Effects as are quite different from their Nature And That it is the Nature of Acids to Coagulate is not only plain from what he hath said but it is also manifest that Phlegmatick Constitutions are injured and that Indisposition increased by them whereas by Alkalies that Phlegm is attenuated and made fit to be carryed off The next Page he would suppose that the Coagulations in the Stone proceed from Alkalious Particles Coagulating Acids but it appearing from-what I have already said that Alkalies are not and that Acids are the Causes of such Effects I need not say any more to this the same being an Answer to both I shall only here take Notice of the Strain and Humour of our Philosopher who when he found it would be necessary for his purpose does not only change the Names of things but also calls those Humours that are Passive Active and on the contrary CHAP. V. Of Rheumatisms THe next Distemper that he gives us an Instance of his weakness in is A Rheumatism where Pag. 74. he says Having by the Fire Analized the Blood of Rheumatic Persons I have found it to abound more with Alkalious Particles than that of sound People But as I said before the Analized Blood is not sufficient to determine what Blood was before it was Analized but if by mixing those Substances together which he draws from Blood by Analizing it they will make just such a Composition as Blood then I will believe he takes the right Method to discover the Causes of Distempers but if they will not then it is evident that the Fire modifies the Parts of the Blood anew and rather destroys than discovers it's Principles Pag. 75 and the 76. he would suggest Acids are not the Cause of the Bloods Viscocity and says those that affirm that they are don't prove it And I say neither does he prove that Acids are not But it appearing from what I have said the Chapter before that Acids cause Viscocity there is
no need I should make a Repetition here Page 77. By what I have said I hope I have freed Acids from occasioning the Viscousness of the Blood in Rheumatisms which Viscocity if it can be once taken of every one knows that the Distemper immediately vanishes but this is not done by Alkalies but by Acids as Tincture of Antimony and Chalybeates What he hath said he hopes is sufficient but truly I don't see that he hath said any thing to the purpose as Grounds of such hopes but if we believe him that Rheumatick Peoples Blood abounds with Alkalies more then healthful Peoples which is false it does not therefore follow that this Distemper is caused by Alkalies because Alkalies according to him cannot Coagulate without Acids so that it thence follows that as Acids differ in quantity more or less so the Blood is accordingly Coagulated and then we must conclude that the Coagulation depends on the Acids and then as I said before Acid Medicines would increase it But here to prove that Acids cure this Distemper he calls two Medicines eminently Alkalious Acids by which Rule he may say with as much Reason that a company of Statues took Barcellona from the Spaniards and if any Body should contradict him and say that they were Men he must Answer but they ought to be called not Men but Statues as I call them and this is just his Case to which I having before said enough I shall here say no more to it but refer the Reader to what hath gone before Pag. 79 80 and 81. He makes an Harangue that Steel is turned into a Vitriol before it can be carried into the Blood and consequently acts as an Acid upon it But granting it so I have already shewn what would be the Effects according to his Supposition viz To encrease the Distemper but as he is not the first that hath supposed it to work upon the Body by that means so he is not the first mistaken in that Point for Chalybeats don't cause such Effects as we see they do by being turned into a Vitriol but by absorbing those Acids in the Stomach and Pancreatick Juice by which means the Ferment of the Liver is more powerful and helps to correct the Acidity of the Chyle and the Blood not being supplyed with Acid Chyle those Acidities in it's Mass are soon altered and digested to a higher Degree of Maturity by a long continued Circulation and Fermentation Pag. 82 83 84 and 85. are filled up with two preparations of Steel which he account Acids and a story to tells us that Cinnaber which he once thought an Alkaly proves to be an Acid. But it only proves so for his Conveniency for there is no Reason that he gives for it and therefore we have Reason to believe that it is what all Learned Men know it to be for it does not only correct Acids in the Stomach but is of very great Use almost always where the Mass of Blood hath a manifest Viscidity And here before I leave this Chapter I shall observe that those Acids in the Stomach which he says Page 80 cannot get into the Blood till vitriolized is a Mistake for we may take notice that some People if not most that are subject to Rheumatick Pains and the Gout feel a manifest Acidity upon their Stomachs sometime before their Paroxysms and when that Acidity is carryed off they feel the dreadful Effects of it in the Mass of Blood But supposing it to be turned into a Vitriol a Vitriol is but a stronger Acid than that in the Stomach and consequently would do more Mischief than if it were not turned into a Vitriol as I have elsewhere shewn CHAP. VI. Of Consumptions THe last Distemper that this Gentleman pretends to give an Account of is Consumptions but if he had consider'd and understood what an Ingenious and Learned Tract Dr. Morton hath writ on this Subject he might have been ashamed to offer such a small Parcel of Nonsense But as there is no Reason in what he says so there is as little he had in Writing Page 89. He says my Reasons in short for the Use of Acids are as follow The Globules of the Blood being broken and confusedly mixed with the Serum by Reason of so many Acrid Alkalious Particles mixed with it and together with the Serum admitted into the small Glandules of the Lungs and not being capable of being discharged cause Inflammations there and by consequence Hectick Fevors What he means by broken Globules thrown into the Glands I profess is such a Peice of Philosophy that I neither see that it hath any Meaning or Sense in it for I have already shewed that those Particles of Blood which he takes Notice of swim in the Serum confusedly must be divided into an innumerable small Particles before they can pass through the capillary Vessels and consequently can do no Prejudice by being broken but suppose they were forced into Vessels which they ought not Acids by Coagulating the Alkaly would rather fix them there than remove them Nay allowing his own way of Assertion which I have before confuted viz. that Alkalies coagulate Acids it would not help him because those Alkalies in the Glands could not be removed according to his own Assertion but by Acids and what a Removal would it be when as his Acid Medicines were laid down in the Glands the Alkaly would coagulate the Acid and so fix it there as much as the Alkaly As for what he says Page 90 and the 91 of the Use of Alkalies I don't believe any rational Physician would ever give any Alkalies in such a Case so that here he might have kept this Advice to himself Page the 92 and 93 he makes a very simple Objection against his foolish Assertion and makes an Answer to it agreeable to so great a Peice of Nonsense but both of them being not worth while to take notice of I shall leave them to the consideration of those that think they deserve any thing else besides a sharp Reprimand Page the 94 He tells us a story that Riverius cured one of a Consumption by Conserve of Roses and Oyl of Sulphur by the Bell but any one may guess what a Consumption it was since the same Remedy will scarce cure an ordinary Cough From Page the 94 to the 100. He tells a long story of an old Man and a Pot of Oyl of Sulphur But that being nothing at all to this Distemper but a Story by the by to fill up his Book and least he should seem to say not only nothing to the purpose but to little for a Chapter of Consumptions I shall take Notice of it no further Page the 100 101 and the 102 he tells another story of a Man who that being bit with a Viper could not be cured by Alkalies and no wonder for no rational Man would depend upon a Medicine he knew not the Effects of in such a Case but would have immediate Recourse to a
the Expence of his Experiments is so chargable that it would be fitter to be carryed on at the Expence of the Nation Nay and he states the Charge too a Thousand Pound a Year would not be felt by the Nation O! what a mighty Projector He has a Thought as extensive as the Nation 't is a Wonder he is not sent for to Court he 'd put them upon Ways and Means with a Witness if not to raise Money yet to lay it out But O! Vanity of Vanities verily every thing in Mr. John Colbatch is Vanity No less than a Thousand a Year must be spent upon Experiments made by a Man who hath neither Discretion nor Judgment to make them nor Philosophy to direct him how to make and how to apply them Truly it is a Wonder and a great one too that the Nation does not take Notice of him for he would be a mighty Jest were he known to the bottom Pag. xvth He says we do now grope most miserably in the dark and it grieves me to the very Soul when I see People in Distress and know not how to help them Poor Soul But I hope he hath a Cordial and a most noble Acid by him to take a Lick of now and then or else he might pine away for he looks very thin and what must then become of all those Angelic Faces that brought such a mighty Qualm over his Stomach in the Small-Pox Ah! Beauty and Distress are two great Causes of his Grief but I believe Money is the Root of all the Evil. Really if turning his Books would do good poor Man though he does not understand them he 'd never cease to do it but it hath proved in vain and now he confesses himself ignorant and truly I think not without reason for through all his Books I have yet examined he hath groped so miserably in the dark that I had sometimes much ado to find where he was or what Cloud he was lost in he was so far from Truth and the Light which ought to be in his Expressions but God be thanked he 's come to Moon-shine at the last but his Misfortune is that glimmering Light has led him into a Wilderness where he is no better then in the dark having lost his Way in Experiments that he misapplies and makes bad Use of because he does not understand them But why must it be we grope in the dark Is Mr. John Colbatch more then one or does he speak for his Companions As for rational Physicians they are not so miserably in the dark but that they have Reason for what they do and know what to do tho' Distempers are sometimes so violent as not to yeild to proper Medicines But well may Apothecaries grope in the dark when they pretend to things they don't understand since even in the Light they mistake their Way most miserably Pag. xvi He says He hath grounded his Hypothesis upon plain Experiments and he expects an Answer should be backed with Experiments And so far I shall satisfy his Curiosity by and by Pag. xvi He says he remembers he said in his Essay of Alkalies he had not had many Patients and really the Number has not been much increased yet what little Reason then hath he to write upon a Subject where were what he says true as to his Pretensions in the Cure of Distempers general Rules are not to be made by a particular Constitution but since what he says is false he had much less Reason to be so bold and it is but a sorry Recommendation to his Book that he grounded it upon such small Reason Pag. xvii If People are once satisfy'd that the Bloods abounding with Alkalious Particles is the Cause of the Gout and other Distempers it necessarily follows that Acids are only proper to correct the said Alkaline Particles And further Pag. xviii He says I do assert that the Cause of the Gout is not the Bloods abounding with Acids but Alkalies But in Opposition to this Assertion I say I assert that it is not from Alkalies but Acids and this I shall prove from what he hath said of the Gout in his Book of Alkaly and Acids and because he desires that Arguments against this Book should be backed with Experiments I shall bring as substantial Experiments against his Hypothesis as he hath for it to wit the same and shall shew that he hath so overlooked these Experiments and understands them so little that he hath drawn false Conclusions from them and this I shall do when I come to his Book in its proper Place Page xix He asks if Acids abound in the Blood how comes a Dead Body to stink so soon every Body knows that Acids preserve Animal Substances from Stinking and Corruption But this relating to the Cause of the Gout I should answer it when I come to that Cause which he hath laid down in his Book But for once I shall answer this Question where it is asked for that a dead Body stinks so soon only shews that a Body in a Natural State abounds with Alkalies for a Body that is killed by some sudden Accident will stink as soon as one that dyes by a Distemper so that this proves nothing at all in Relation to Distempers Page xxiij He says He hath had wonderful and astonishing Success in the Cure of Fevers And truly It is astonishment to me for I wonder how any Body ever scaped with their Lives considering the Methods he takes in most Distempers but perhaps he used his Acids moderatly so that the Mischeif might be less conspicuous Page xxv He says I must needs confess that I have been the warmer in some of my Expressions that thereby I might exasperate those who are my professed Enemies to convince me of my Errors and if so he did well but he only saith this to suggest to his Friends that they must take all that write against him to be his Enemies lest they should believe what they say but I profess I am so far from being exasperated towards him or being his Enemy that I write only to detect such notorious Errors and for Truth sake and did it lie in my Power to make Interest for him in his own Trade I would do all I could to set him in it as far as he deserves it for I am sorry to see him grope in the Dark so miserably in a way he hath no Understanding to lead him and were I his Friend I should cordially advise him to follow Light rather than Darkness and like an honest Man to fall to his Trade again now he has broke that Impostume in his Head that filled him so much with Vanity and a corrupted Mass of dismal dark Thoughts But I am afraid he is not capable of Advice being so much blown up with Conceit that though a Wise Man would hear Instruction yet a Fool hates Knowledg as the Wise Man says Page xxxij He says If any one will by well grounded and
Transpiration is stop'd But the wonderful Discoveries of this Mr. Colbatch are not a little to be Admired For he is the first Man that ever perceived the Devil to appear in the shape of the Gout I heard indeed when I was a Boy that the Devil was to be distinguished from a Man by a great Cloven Foot but I could never have thought that Mr. Colbatch would have compared his Gouty Patients to so many Devils except he had Dream't he was a Physician to such before he wrote this Page in his Book He says The Wisest Magicians being not able to cure the Gout was the occasion of that Saying Solvere Nodosam nescit Medicina Podagram But why they should say Physicians cannot Cure the Gout because Magicians cannot I see not any Reason except a Physician and a Magician are equally the same Page 23. But this is one of those Devils which are not to be cast out but by Prayer and Fasting that is Nature her self without help is not able to get the Mastery of it to rid her self from it It seems it is a Devil in earnest and truly I believe they are worse than Possest that make Use of such a Physician but he hath too soon concluded that this kind is to be cured by Prayer and Fasting I scarce think he ever cured any by such Prescriptions And I cannot but admire what a pretty sort of a Divine he would have made who hath such an excellent knack at interpreting Scripture who calls Prayer and Fasting Nature Page 24. Nature hath hitherto been rather Oppressed than Assisted this Hydra being not to be overcome but by pouring in of fresh Battallions armed with pointed Spears and Launces upon him viz by giving large Quantities of Medicines whose Particles are pointed O what a strange Metamorphosis The Devil is turned Hydra And what 's more ingenious Gentlemen must swallow whole Battallions of Armed Men with pointed Spears and Launces Truly a hard Task and a very strong Prescription this sure was a Dream in Flanders where he had reason to think of such terrible Medicines but he unriddles this and calls Acids Armed Men and Spears and really not without reason but Gentlemen have reason to fear that such pointed Medicines would rather increase than ease their Pains since I have shewed them what ill effects Vinegar hath when applied to any Sensible part Page 24. Secondly The use of many sorts of Meat and the too great Ingurgitation of them and then he says The Stomach being put out of order a foundation is laid for Distempers and for that reason Page 25. he says As his Predecessors have explained Distempers by Acids so he will by Alkalies A very noble design and upon very good Grounds but it were unreasonable for either him or his Predecessors to ascribe Acids or Alkalies for the Cause of Distempers merely because the Stomach was foul but he ought first to consider whether of these two were predominant in the Stomach when the foundation of such Distempers was laid which is the way to make it appear whether Alkaly or Acid be the cause of that Distemper So that in order to a right knowledge whether of these two are predominant we are to consider how Digestion is carried on naturally and then it will appear what is the reason that two much Meat hinders it I shall not here go about to explain Digestion any further than is necessary to our present Purpose and shall therefore refer the Reader to his own Observation who cannot but take notice that the better his Meat and Drink is the better he digests it if what Mr. Colbatch says were true in his Novum Lumen Chirurgicum viz. The more generous our Drink is the better so that were he to be judged by his own Words which I have shewed how far they are false Indigestion when we eat too much must proceed from the Fermentation in the Stomach being too low and consequently Crudities or raw undigested Chyle must be carried into the Blood to lay the Grounds of a Distemper now in all Crudities it must needs be acknowledged that Acids abound so that according to Mr. Colbatch his own canting Scraps of Philosophy there wants Alkalies to break the Globules and consequently the Gout must proceed from too much Acids Page 25. he says The same Alkaly which being thrown upon the Joints cause the Gout being thrown upon the Membranes of the Brain may cause a Staggering and may occasion an Apoplexy Really since Mr. Colbatch said it it is very much to be wondered at that Alkalies should be so mischievous as to coagulate the Morbifick Matter of the Gout and cause Apoplexies and yet in the Small Pox break Globules and be guilty of a contrary mischief by thining the Blood and throwing it out through Vessels through which it was before too fine to pass but any thing that 's mischievous hath such a kindness for him that it will be black or white as he wou'd have it otherwise one would think to thin and to thicken are widely different Actions for Alkalies to do but I have before shewn the Absurdities of what he said as to these Distempers and shall not now enlarge upon them The remaining part of Page 25. and Page 26. he fills with a Repetition of an Account he formerly gave of the Reason why drinking Wine does Men that are inclined to the Gout so much harm which I having in his Chapter of the Gout published in his Essay of Acids and Alkalies and also in this shew'd to prove that the Gout proceeds from Acids there is no need to repeat what I there said Again Page 27. He says Fourthly The immoderate use of Venereal Exercises every Body experiences that by a few Venereal Embraces his Spirits become more Languid Poor Man one may see what comfort his poor Wife hath if he hath one if he hath not one may learn how he came to be so compassionate to Angelick Faces in the Small-Pox he speaks so sensible in the case but he says every Body experiences it truly then the World is worse than I thought it had been for one might reasonably expect a Boy at Ten had never experienced such things but one may see he begun to enervate himself betimes But to be serious If Alkalies were the cause of the Gout then Venery would cure the Gout because it draws off the Alkalies of the Blood and Spirits by taking away those parts that invigorate the heat of the Blood but since taking away Alkalies makes Men subject to the Gout by leaving the Blood weak and flaggy it follows that the Gout proceeds from Acids which always most abound in Blood that is least Spiritous as more in Old People than Young Page 27. Few or none are ever troubled with the Gout before Marriage or the use of Venery and yet the Roman Priests who abjure Matrimony are frequently troubled with this Distemper O strange What a mighty stickler for the Church of England That only
defends it by calling Roman Priests Whoremasters but it is a Wonder Mr. Colbatch did not quote Hypocrates his Aphorisms for this Observation Page 28. He says Fifthly Overmuch Sleep and to explain how overmuch Sleep does Gouty People so much prejudice he tells us that his Worthy Friend Dr. Cole hath made it appear that the Nervous Fibres during Sleep are relaxed and receive a large quantity of Nutritious Juice the Superfluities of which are thrown off when awake but when we sleep too long so much is heaped up that Nature cannot throw off the Excrementitious Particles Page 30. This is the substance of what fills part of his 28th 29th 30th and most of the 31st Page only repeated in a different Form three or four times over I shall not here dispute what he inserts as Dr. Cole's Opinion but shall shew that granting it were true it would not be of any service to him for as it is remarkable in that Observation of Dr. Lowers that Transpiration is much more plentiful when we sleep than when we are awake and more particularly may be observed by any Ingenious Gentlemen that more of the substance of our Bodies is consumed by lying in Bed three Days than we can recover in six so it evidently from thence appears that Alkalies are not the cause of Distempers because it Alkalies were according to what Mr. Colbatch said a little before Sleeping much would cure the Distemper for he there would have that Juice that is carried off by Sweat to be Alkaly and Page 24. says moist Air does harm by hindring the Evacuation of that Alkaly but if that were true the more we sleep the less subject we should be to the Gout because more of that Alkaline Humour would be carried off by Insensible Transpiration and consequently we must be induced to believe that the Blood is made more dull and gross for want of Moisture and Alkalies to dilute it and it would be more reasonable to say that the reason why People are so sluggish after so much Sleep is because the Humours are more gross and thick and circulate through the parts with less ease so much alkalized Serum being carried off by Sweat in Sleep and the gross parts being left behind in which Acids abound But one may see that not only Alkalies turn Acid and Acids Alkalies to do him a kindness but when he hath a mind Transpiration being stoped promotes the Gout Page 24. But now in contradiction to that Sweating much hath the same effect so that his Alkaly is so mischievous that whether it be in the Body or not it hath the same Effects there Page 31. He says Sixthly Overmuch Watching and Fasting and Study and Sorrow and Care and much Labour occasions the Gout the Nerves and nervous Fibres being kept in a state of Laxity too long by being overcharged with slimy moist Particles Here he hath coupled no less than six words in a Gang with a whole Troop of and 's to link them together perhaps in Imitation of and Compliance with a late Act of Parliament in which it was ordered that not above six Horses should be linked together in Service upon the High Road but whether that was his reason or not I shall here take notice that it being allowed that the Fibres are overcharged with a slimy Moisture proves nothing to his purpose but against him for since I have already so plainly shewn that Acids are the cause of Coagulations and that Alkalies are not it must needs follow that the cause of that slimy Juice is acid and that Acids do cause Coagulations is further plain by applying of Vitriolick Acids to stop Bleeding which presently obstructs a small Orifice by coagulating the Blood Page 32. He says Seventhly Overmuch Rest and Ease do greatly contribute towards the producing this Distemper c. And then he says Eighthly Sudden Rest and exposing the Body to cold or moist Seasons And then Page 33. Ninthly A total bearing off of any accustomed Exercise But his Seventhly and Ninthly being both comprized under what he said Fifthly and what he says Eighthly but the same he said First these are to be carried to their proper Heads to receive the same Answer and I can see no reason why his Tenthly should not be comprized with the First since keeping the Feet too hot or too cold would not influence our Bodies much otherways than moist or dry Weather only a little more violently and he had no need to have proceeded so far as Eleventhly since what he said might be comprized under six Heads answerable to the six Non-naturals But I remember Page 24. the Devil turned Hydra and so he was resolved to give his Hydra as many Heads as he could tho they were all like one another and perhaps he did it to imitate Nature in the forming of that Creature But Eleventhly Since an odd Number is lucky let 's see how Fortunate he is with it Page 34. The stopping of any usual Evacuation as the Monthly Courses in Women and a Flux of the Hemorrhoids in Men. Poor Man Here according to his usual Failings and his laudable Custom of contradicting himself and mistaking his own meaning he is safe but hath the ill Fortune to mistake in another Method and judiciously takes the Cause for the Effect for the stopping of the Courses and Hemorrhoids is not the cause of the Gout but that vicid acid Juice that causes the Gout also causes the obstructions of Courses and Hemorrhoids for as long as the Blood is in a Natural State the Courses never are obstructed but when it is thickned by Acids it obstructs in those parts so that that vicid Matter which causes the Gout also precedes a stoppage of the Courses and causes both Having shewed you how he hath furnished his Hydra with eleven Heads he now comes to another and says Secondly That the Blood and Juices during the time of the Fit abound not with Acid but Alkalious ones I abominate Tautologies c. Truly there is great sign that he abominates Repetitions since this hath been repeated in almost every Page of his Book and I have so often shewed that these Distempers proceed from Acids that should I repeat what I have so often confuted it would be but unnecessary Repetition I shall therefore refer the Reader to what hath gone before Page 35. He says It will raise ones Admiration to see how we have groped in the dark for want of making Experiments I have often found the quantity of Alkaly that is obtained from the Blood of People labouring under a Fit of the Gout to exceed that obtainable from People in a state of Health Now supposing this were true and I only suppose it for he that hath told so many Untruths in his Novum Lumen Chirurgicum may very well be suspected any thing that he says still Mr. Colbatch can by no means leave off his groping in the Dark and shewing People that he 's got out of his way in
mentioned does afford a much greater Quantity than that of the Healthy Person But this I say proves that there is a great deal more Acids in the Blood of those Distempered People and does not at all prove that there is more Alkalies for the Blood of Healthful People hath as much Alkalies in it as distempered Blood as I have shewed in answer to his Introduction in his Treatise of the Gout and the difference of the Blood and Serum in respect of the Distemper is only this that the distempered Mass abounds more plentifully with Acids by which means it is more viscous and soapy and is subject to those Coagulations that healthful Peoples Blood is free from And this being already proved the reason why distempered Blood yields more of that Spirit than healthful Blood is very plain from that Observation I in another part of my Answer to that Book have laid down For I there observ'd common Distillers who draw Inflamable Spirits from Wort take notice that before it is sowre and degenerated into an acid Liquor it yields less Spirit than after it hath acquired that acidity those acid Particles being a more compact Subject for the Fire to work upon and as that Wort yields more Spirit the more it degenerates from its Sweetness to an acid State so the sweet Mass of Blood the more it is impregnated with those Acids that cause it to coagulate the more it yields of that Spirit the Volatile Parts of the Blood being made sharper by the Union of those more compact pointed Particles and also being more plentifully yoked together and kept from flying away by which means greater Quantities of that Alkaly is raised by the Fire and carried off by Distillation All that is contained further in favour of his Hypothesis from Pag. 24. to Pag. 29. is That the Fire produces no new Substances which were not existent in Bodies before and if any one will demonstrate such a thing without Fallacy he will own himself his humble Servant How far he will be my humble Servant I value not I would only desire him to be humble where he hath reason and then he would like an honest Man follow his Trade again for he cannot long make People believe that giving two or three Medicines without Reason or Judgment is cutting off Hydra's Heads or performing any such Exploits and if he does not draw in his Horns in a little time he may expect that Ingenious Gentlemen will be undeceiv'd and laugh at his Knight-Errantry but if he hath a mind to be my humble Servant I shall demonstrate it to him from his own Words that new Substances are produced which were not existent before not only by Fire but without it For Page 12. He says That Bodies of very different Natures may and do receive Nutrition and increase from one and the same Substance which in it self seems to be simple and homogeneous And this is what he had learned from Mr. Boyle and that not only the Honourable Mr. Boyle but all Philosophers of any Note have agreed That tho Fire cannot create a new Substance yet by Fire the Form of Matter may be so changed and modifyed anew as to produce a new Substance out of any Body which in respect of its Form is a new Body different from all others and not existing in that Body from whence it was drawn and I appeal to all those Gentlemen he hath so oft appeal'd to whether those Substances which he draws from Blood by analizing it be not different in colour and taste from Blood it self from whence it is drawn All that is further contained in what he says from Page 27. to Page 32. is That the Inferences he draws from the Serum of the Blood turning Syrop of Violets Green prove the Blood to abound with Alkalies and to shew that two or three besides himself have used the same Experiment to as little purpose as he hath done How far that Experiment pleads against him I have already sufficiently shewn in the beginning of his Treatise of the Gout so that there is no need I shou'd repeat it again so oft And as for what he says of Dr. Fran. Andre of Caen. and Swalve the same Answer I gave to him will be an Answer to them so that all the Service these two Doctors will do Mr. Colbatch is to shew that the Experiment he there laid down was none of his own he only having borrowed it from another Man as much mistaken as himself in this Point Page 34 35. He says That the Blood of sick People in all or most Distempers doth abound with such Particles more than that of those that are in a State of Health and if you take an equal proportion of the Serum of the Blood of a Healthy Person and that of a Person in a Fever Pleurisie c. and pour them into equal quantities of Syrop of Violets of the same Strength you will find that whereon the sick Person 's was poured will be much greener than the other and if you commit the Blood of a distempered and a healthful Person to Distillation the former will yield more Alkaly How distempered Blood comes to yield more Spirit I have already shewed viz. because there is more acid to inviscate and embody the Spirit and how in some Cases as the Gout c. the Serum of the Blood comes to turn Syrop of Violets greener notwithstanding the Distemper proceeds from Acids I shall here briefly explain and to make it more intelligible we are to consider what State the Mass of Blood of a distempered Person is in taken collectively and with respect to the whole and how it differs from healthful Blood and here we may remember that I observed before that the Essential Difference betwixt healthful Blood and distempered was that Viscidity observable in the whole Mass of Humors from whence it appeared that this Experiment had no power in trying the different degrees of its Viscidity but only shewed the difference betwixt the thin Serum which our Author says turns Syrop of Violets greener when distemper'd and as I there shewed of what little force his Experiment was except against himself I shall now shew that tho it turns Syrop of Violets greener than healthful Peoples Blood it is of no use to him for we are to observe that whereever there are fiery acid Salts in a State of Fluidity in the Blood these meeting with the Spirits at the Extremities of the Vessels where the Blood and Spirits are mixed together cause a preternatural Ferment by which means the Volatile and most Spirituous parts are put into a more brisk and violent motion than what is consistent with the Natural Temper of the Blood and thus accidentally being put into motion too much exagitate the Mass of Blood by which means it's volatile parts are dissolved and as the Learned Dr. Willis expresses it carried forth into a State of Fluidity or Exaltation the distempered Matter being partly or wholly thrown
off into some Part or the Habit of the Body but the coagulated distempered Matter is not only thrown off by this preternatural Ferment seperating it from the purer Mass and leaving it in these Parts but the Serum of the Blood is also by that means more plentifully impregnated with those Spirituous Particles which turn Syrop of Violets green From whence it appears that tho the Viscidity which causes the coagulated Serum to obstruct proceeds from Acids yet the volatile parts of the Blood being thus accidentally exalted by fermenting with more Spirituous Acids accidentally cause the Serum of the Blood of such Persons to turn Syrop of Violets greener than that of healthful People does But perhaps Mr. Colbatch may have it put into his Head That if the Cause of the Distemper should proceed from Acids the Alkalies thus exalted would correct those Acids and cure the Distemper without Medicines To this I should answer that it would and does so which is the reason so many of those Distempers go off without the Assistance of Physick that acid coagulated Humour being at the last digested and by destroying the Acids reduced to a State of Tenuity and as in a Pleurisie c. the Mass of Blood is apparently more clammy than healthful Blood so it is observed that when that acid that causes it thus to coagulate is conquered it again becomes thin and tho alkalious yet healthful that Viscidity being taken off which caused the Distemper as in the Gout Rheumatism c. But if the quantity of acid be so much that the volatile Parts of the Blood thus exalted cannot over-power it then that is never conquered without the assistance of Medicines which correct and carry off the Acidities of the Blood But to proceed Page 36. He says If there were not a Principle of Death within us how is it possible for a Man one Hour to be in a good State of Health and the very next to be expiring What Mr. Colbatch means by a Principle of Death no Body on this side the Grave can well tell for amongst all the Philosophy I have yet read I never heard of such a Principle but Poor Man he writes like one that groped in the Dark and since all along throughout his Books he hath been in it we must not think strange that he is so now From Page 37 to Page 42 He makes a long Speech in which all that is contained is That all the Alkalies in the Blood are Excrement and are in the way to be carried off but being hindred by Obstructions or by taking cold and so preventing these Excrements from being carried off What Excrements are Alkalies according to his Notions and what are not or whether any are I shall not now determine but granting that they all were Alkalies I shall shew that those Distempers are caused by Acids for we must take notice that as long as this alkalizated Serum is carried off so long our Bodies are healthful and free from Distempers but as soon as this Alkaly is hindred from going off then our Bodies are distempered from whence it appears that whatever hinders that Alkaly from going off is the Cause of those Distempers which he says are either Obstructions or taking Cold. As to the first viz. Obstructions Whatever causes Obstructions must hinder the Excrements from going off that way and that Alkalies cannot cause those Obstructions is plain because all that goes off that way in a Natural State according to him is Alkaly and yet does not obstruct so that all Substances if what he says were true being either Alkalies or Acids from the first to the last it appears that Acids must cause those Obstructions which cause the Distemper and that Acids will thicken and coagulate is plain from his own Words and also because taking Cold occasions such Obstructions as prevent the Alkaly from going off which taking Cold can no otherwise do but by the Acid Nitre of the Air coagulating and obstructing those Humours So that granting the Excrements to be Alkalies all Distempers must proceed from Acids coagulating those Alkalies And Mr. John Colbatch hath Vindicated his Hypothesis prettily here we may see what a penetrating Judgment he has and what vast short Foresight And is not this a fit Man to have Peoples Lives intrusted in his Hands How must he give Medicines with any certainty as to the Event who speaks thus without understanding the Consequence of his Words Page 42. He says All Alkalies that I know off will presently cause Rottenness and Putrefaction in Animal Substances as may be seen in making of Glovers Leather an Instance of which I have given in my Tract of the Gout c. This truly is very ingeniously done who would ever have thought he could have kept any thing in his Head so long who throughout his Book hath been so forgetful but to speak the Truth he hath reason to remember his Philosophical Companion who furnish'd him with such a neat Phrase as through-stitch in the beginning of his Book and communicated to him also that Wonderful Observation of the Skins of Animals but why will all Alkalies presently cause Rottenness and we who are so full of Alkalies live a great many Years and are no more Rotten than himself But in his Preface to the Gout he hath observed that when we Die our Flesh presently rots but what advantage is that to him It only shews that in a Natural State our Bodies ought to have more Alkalies in them than Acids and consequently if Alkalies Naturally abound in our Bodies Acids must be most prejudicial which are quite contrary to the Natural Constitution of our Blood From Page 43 to Page 64 all he says being an Attempt to prove that Life is a Flame and also what supplies it I having already in a late Treatise Of the Heat of the Blood and of the Use of the Lungs made it appear in Answer to Dr. Willis his Opinion of which his seems to be but scraps that there is no such Thing as Flame in the Blood I shall not here repeat that but refer him and the Reader to that Book for an Answer and shall here proceed to consider what he further asserts in favour of Acids all that is contained in those Pages being already answered From Page 64 to Page 89 his Book is filled up with nothing but an Answer to some Objections raised by Mr. Tuthil but as there is nothing Material either in the Objections or the Answers to them they being inconsiderable and simple I shall pass them by and leave them two like Children to squabble it out since in such Nonsense it is no great matter which overcomes Page 90 Mr. Colbatch says But supposing Acids to be the most proper Medicines in the World to ease Pain as I believe they are yet it is not improbable but upon giving a small Quantity of Acids in such Cases where there is a large Quantity of Alkaly lodged up in any Part so as to