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
Surfeits proceed from something that lyes upon the Stomack and affects it Preternaturally we have Reason to believe and that his Fever and Inflammation proceeded from those hot Liquors he had Drank and that the Obstructions of Pleura was caused by that Mutton which he eat for his Stomach being surfeited with Drink and unfit to digest what he eat and those Crudities being carried along with those Liquors into the Capillary Vessels of the Pleura would undoubtedly be subject to Obstruct there and were together with the Liquors he drank the Cause of his Distemper and as for his Nausea it is a common Symptom after a Surfeit Thus I have briefly taken a view of the cause of this Distemper and shall now with all the Brevity the Case will admit of proceed to consider whether of them took the true Method to remove these Symptoms and for that end I shall take a View of the Medicines prescribed by each And First I shall shew how Rationally and Judiciously Dr. Fry ordered Mr. Turner which Method had it been continued might undoubtedly have saved his Life The Medicines prescribed by Dr. Fry were according to Mr. Colbatch his Account as follow For Mr. Turner August 31. 1697. â„ž Ol. sem lin rec sine igne extract lib. semis â„ž Syr. Balsam Tolut unc quatuor What more Rational could any Physician have prescribed than by Balsmatick Medicines to heal the Stomach and Lungs and to guard them from the sharpness of those Liquors but Mr. Colbatch was afraid the Oyl would increase the Nausea at the Stomach but what a groundless Fear was that for nothing is more common than for common Drunkards after a Surfeit to drink great Quantities of Oyl to heal their Stomachs and that Balsamicks are proper when the Lungs are so affected is found by Experience nothing being more common than to take Balsams for to heal the Lungs and to correct those humours that inflame them so that so far Dr. Fry proceeded according to Reason and Experience the next Prescriptions were â„ž Antimon Diaphoret Corall Rub. pp. Margarit pp ana Drach duas m. f. pulv in Chart. 12. aeq reponend â„ž Aq. Hyssop cichorei an unc sex Limacum Mag. Lumbricor Mag. an Unc. unam sem Cinnam hord Unc. unam syr Capill ven Violar an Drach sex m. f. Julap â„ž Emp. de Cicut cum Ammon uncias duas â„ž Sem. Cum. Pulv. Unc. sem But for what end Mr. Colbatch hath set down those Medicines is plain viz. for the honour and credit of Dr. Fry for considering the cause of Mr. Turner's Distemper viz. that it proceeded from hot Liquors inflaming his Lungs and crude raw Chyle obstructing his Pleura what more Rational Method could be taken than by Coral and Pearl prepared to attenuate and dissolve that crude indigested Matter which obstructed the Pleura and at the same time by Diaphoretick Antimony to carry off those hot Liquors by a moderate Sweat for as long as they remained in the Mass of Blood the Inflammation could never be taken off the Cause remaining in it But Dr. Fry not only prudently gave these Medicines to attenuate the Coagulated Matter and to carry those hot Liquors out off the Mass of Blood by a moderate Sweat but at the same time gave the aforementioned Balsamicks to heal the Lungs in the mean time and to abate the Inflammation of the Pleura And that those might be the more serviceable to Mr. Turner Dr. Fry along with the Powder gave also the Julep which is made up of extraordinary good Pectoral Medicines The Hysop and Succory Water together with the Syrup contributing to heal his Stomach and Lungs and the Aq. Limac. and Lumbricor Mag. help to dissolve that Matter which caused his Pain and also to carry off Part of his Distemper if possibly it might by Urin and again that nothing might be wanting that could relieve Mr. Turner Dr. Fry also used outward Applications applying Empl. de Cicut cum Ammon to dissolve that Matter that obstructed the Pleura that it might be carried off with less difficulty And now what Fault can be found with this since there was all the Reason that can be expected to make one hope for Success from Good Medicines judiciously prescribed And what were the Effects Mr. Colbatch himself truly confesses when he came to him the Pain in his side was gone and that he sweat prodigiously with a shortness of Breath little Reason then had they to discharge Dr. Fry and Mr. Turner deservedly fell a Victim to Ignorance and Mr. Colbatch for had he been continued under the Care of Dr. Fry undoubtedly he was in a fair way of Recovery for the Pain in his side being taken away was a good sign that Dr. Fry's outward Application together with the Medicines he gave inwardly had all the success could be hoped for and now all that was to be done was to carry off those hot Liquors that he had drunk which were discharged by Sweat and had Dr. Fry been there who had Judgment and Skill to manage him without Question after that Sweat the Matter of his Distemper being carried off his Peripneumony with his shortness of Breath would have gone off and as for his Pulse it would have easily been raised by a moderate Cordial But for as much as I can guess by the Account that Mr. Colbatch himself gives all the Reason that Dr. Fry was discharged was because Mr. Turner was so weak with Sweating but that was a Reason too small to part with a Physician that had his Expectation so far in the removing of his Pleurisy For what is more common than for an Healthful Person if he takes a Sweat to almost faint under it if it be violent yet after that Sweat is over they presently recover and find themselves better in a short time and weakness in Mr. Turner's Case was nothing but what might be expected in two such severe Distempers But one that would be cured in two Days would not have Patience to stay three and therefore Mr. Colbatch was in all hast sent for to be his Physitian Accordingly Mr. Colbatch came and finding Nature throw off the distemper'd Humor by Sweat he presently pour'd in Acid Medicines and was not content with this but presently ordered him to be laid in clean Linen by which means he endeavoured all he could to stop that Sweating so that the distempered Humor that ought to be carried off was in great measure prevented which oppressing Nature with it's Quantity Mr. Turner from that time by degrees began to yield to the Distemper and submit himself Mr. Colbatch's Victim But that it may more plainly appear that Mr. Turner's Death might rationally be laid to his Charge let us consider how Mr. Colbatch his Acid inwardly and his exposing his Body outwardly would influence him and first it is plain that let them be never so cautious when his Body was in such a Sweat and all his Pores open the Circumambient Air must needs affect
AN EXAMINATION OF Mr. John Colbatch HIS BOOKS viz. I. Novum Lumen Chirurgicum II. Essay of Alkalies and Acids III. An Appendix to that Essay IV. A Treatise of the Gout V. The Doctrin of Acids further Asserted c. VI. A Relation of a Person Bitten by a Viper c. To which is added An Answer to Dr. Leigh's Remarks on a Treatise concerning the Heat of the Blood Together with Remarks on Dr. Leigh's Book intituled Exercitationes Quinque Printed at a private Press in Oxford without the License of the Vniversity AS ALSO A short View of Dr. Leighs Reply to Mr. Colbatch c. By RICHARD BOULTON of Brazen-Nose College in OXFORD LONDON Printed for A. and J. Churchill at the Black Swan in Pater-Noster-Row 1698. Liber Coll. Omnanim Fidel. defunct in Oxon. TO THE Learned and ever Honoured CHARLES GOODALL Doctor in Physick Physician to the Charter-House AND CENSOR to the COLLEGE of Physicians London Learned SIR AS no one can be more concerned than your Self in Vindicating Learning and discouraging it's Opponents so without Presumption I may say no one is more able to take upon him such a Task of which You have long ago satisfied the World by appearing Publickly in the Defence of That College of which You are now a very worthy Member And as you have given a very full Proof that you are sufficiently qualified to Defend Learned Men from the Attempts of those who endeavour to Oppose them so it consequently follows that I could not possibly make choice of a fitter Patron for this Book which is a Vindication of all Learned Physicians from the vain and false Pretences of an ignorant Man And tho' I presume to ask your Patronage of this Book yet it is not because I think the Adversary I appear against nor all his adherents formidable Opponents but because any thing that carrys with it a Vindication of that Learned Society of which you are a Member cannot have a more proper Name prefixed to it than Yours who have so signally appeared in their Defence But tho' it be an Honour to appear in such a Cause yet it is not that which bears the highest Place in your Character For Religion and Vertue which are the Measures and Rules of all your Actions make you Useful both to the Church and State it being Part of your continual Care to instil into young Men a just Veneration for a Deity and noble and great Notions of the extraordinary Merit of so great a King And your Prudence is not more remarkable in respect of the Publick than your own Private Affairs where Judgment and Learning are the sure Guides of successful Practice and Vertue and Tranquility extend themselves throughout your Family These are but short Hints of so great a Character as the Conduct of your Life affords materials for a Character which claims a better Pen than mine to take a Draught of and which one that is intimately acquainted with those Vertues in their utmost Extent can only describe For which Reason I fear that whilst I only endeavour to shew my self sensible of those Obligations your Favours have laid upon me and for which Gratitude can be the least Return I shall rather be condemn'd by those who know how far I come short of your Merit for undertaking to mention any thing that belongs to a Character so much above my Reach Yet from your self I can easily hope for Pardon since you are so free to give it to all those that transgress not too far Divine and Human Laws nor unreasonably triumph in their Ignorance to the Dishonour of Learning and Learned Men for all which you have so great a Veneration and therefore I am more hold humbly to subscribe my self Learned SIR Your most Obliged Servant at your Command R. BOULTON THE PREFACE TO THE READER THE Doctrin of Acids and Alkalies hath been so long since rejected as False and Erroneous by the Famous and Honourable Robert Boyle Esq and others that it is a wonder any Man should have so much Impudence as to advance it afresh without answering those Objections which have sufficiently proved the Insufficiency of it much more to dare with so much Boldness to Contradict all Learned Men upon such false Grounds as Mr. Colbatch hath done And therefore I think it fit to acquaint my Reader briefly with the true State of the Controversy that he may more clearly judge how far he is from Truth in what he hath writ and what Reason I had to write in the Method I have In short then they must understand that Mr. Colbatch hath endeavoured to Account for and to cure most Distempers upon so false a Bottom as the Doctrin of Acids and Alkalies which hath been long since rejected and laid aside by all the most Rational Physicians and that herein he hath been so bold as not only to tell all the World that they were mistaken but hath taken upon him to call University-Learning nothing but fusty Philosophy and all Rational Physicians all the ill Names he could invent impudently complaining that he was sorry to see Physick a Scene of Slaughter These Imputations with a great many more hath he laid upon the World and if we look into his Books we shall see very little Reason for it for he hath not only Err'd with the Vulgar in building all his Writings on a false Doctrin but to shew how grandly he is mistaken he hath proved himself two Removes from Truth for granting the Doctrin of Acids and Alkalies true what he hath said will not hold so that he must needs be doubly mistaken And therefore in Answering his Books and laying open his Faults I all along proved that granting the Doctrin of Acids and Alkalies true what he says it false And here it is not amiss to declare a little more clearly that tho' I have argued against his Books as if the Hypothesis he built upon were true yet I don't at all grant it to be so only to shew how widely he is distant from Truth for to have shewn that he only Erred in assuming the Doctrin of Acids and Alkalies would but have proved him guilty of a Fault that hath been common to others as well as himself but his Faults are of a more absurd kind for which Reason it is excusable that I have treated him in such a proper Manner as to represent the Man as well as the Physitian However I must confess that tho' I have proved him guilty of such grand Faults both in Physick and his Behaviour towards the Learned World yet it wants an Apology and perhaps may be no small Disadvantage to my Arguments to mix such Remarks as I have amongst them for which Reason I desire my Reader to consider the State of the Controversy and the Person against whom I write it is not a Man who hath the good Opinion and Approbation of Learned Men but like a Mountebank the Cry of a few of the Rabble and one that
overcome by his weakness and misled by him who want Judgment and Knowledg to perceive his Errors and to arm themselves against large Pretences For the greatest Part of Mankind know so little of Physick nay are so Ignorant of it that when a Man is bold and positive they cannot imagin that he can have so much Impudence to pretend to Knowledg if he was really Ignorant that this is the Case of Mr. Colbatch I shall take Pains to shew what he writes being an Inconsiderate piece of confused and incoherent Assertions I shall therefore lay open his Errors so fairly that the World may be no longer imposed upon in a Matter that is of such Consequence as the Health or Destruction of some tho' a small Part of Mankind for if such fatal Absurdities as those which Mr. Colebatch hath broached were not corrected what Mischief might be done Or rather what might not be done By such Methods as he irrationally and injudiciously asserts and practises by his own Hands as well as other Physicians who are too easily credulous and misguided by him But it is not only to undeceive the Vulgar and Unlearned that are thus easily imposed upon that I engage my self in this Cause But to defend and vindicate the Royal Learned and Judicious Society the College of Physicians and all other Learned Men from his ungrounded Impudence his rude assuming Behaviour and the Aspersions he hath boldly cast upon all rational and regular Physicians daring to assert without Reason or Foundation what is repugnant to the most Celebrated Writers whose Writings are backed and confirmed by the daily Experience and Universal Consent of those Members who are not byassed by Interest or that dont value the Cry of the Vulgar above the Approbation of Learned Men and that have not engaged themselves to cry up one another tho' by never so dishonourable Methods or absurd Means And the Consideration of the Greatness of such a Design encourages me to slight and contemn all the Aspersions that may be made by such bold Impertinent Pretenders for I am so far from valuing the displeasure of half a Dozen of such above the meritorious Cause of a whole Body of Learned Men that I profess I had rather deserve the good Opinion of one ingenious Learned Man than oblige a hundred Block-heads And now if a Reason should be asked why I should be so zealously concerned in defending a Body of Men who are much more able to vindicate themselves I must also answer for them that it is below them to take notice of such mean and weak Assaults and to appear in Disputes with such impotent Assailants where so little is contained that the most suitable Answer to such an insolent vain Person from Men placed by eminent Learning and Judgment so far above him would oblige them in Justice to themselves and him as well as the Cause they Defend to reprimand him and correct his Folly with Words and Language more severe perhaps then what their Manners and Civility would permit them to make Use of For if such Men as the greatest Part of that Learned Society is made up of should so far condescend as to use Civil Language to him where he deserves the contrary they would by that means bring Reflections by the Learned upon their own Judgments and too much demean themselves in such sordid Company for should they convince that small Part of Mankind who are so easily captived by Mountebanks and such vain Pretenders that his Methods and Practice were never so distructive the Conquest would be no Advantage to them nor tend to their Honour it being below them to take notice of a Man Unlearned Ignorant and Vain yet Rude Self-conceited and Impertinent And truly had I any great Opinion of my self I should think my self no Gainer by such a Victory which the least Degree of true Sence and Reason can assure any Body of And as the Matter now stands I should think my time ill spent and should blame my self for making no better Use of it if the Reasons I have already given did not prevail with me viz. To undeceive the Vulgar and to Vindicate the Honour of so many Learned Men for what strange Notions must those that admire him frame of the College of Physicians and Him and what hard Thoughts must they beyond Seas have of our English Physicians to see such a poor Patch of a Phylosopher that hath but three Words of any thing that looks like Phylosophy in all his Scribling and those Nonscence set up for a Champion and one that boldly asserts without Reason or any shew of it undertake to be a Reformer of Physick in England a Nation that hath always abounded with the most Sagacious Learned Men and the greatest Improvers of Physick I say what must these think Should not his Vanity be corrected and deservedly exposed so that the Honour of such a Profession will yet be another Addition to my Apology for using him according to his Desert And it will be yet more excusable when by Representing truly his Character and Behaviour to all Learned Men and his Erroneous Absurdities in Contradiction to all Reason and Experience it appears how ill he deserves not only of Physitians but Mankind and how Impudently he is mistaken I shall therefore give a true Account of his Character and Behaviour which I shall do by way of Remarks on his Writings that they may not seem to be without Grounds and I shall unvail his Weakness and Mistakes in what he hath asserted and writ and shall prove that he hath more Reason to be ashamed than boldly fond of such Mistakes in which all I have said of him already or can will be but the same Measure that he hath Measured others and tho' he did not at all deserve it I might have more Reason to take any Liberty in the worst Sence with him and might make a better Apology for it than he can for what he hath said to Men to such his Superiours But this being a public Accusation and the Charge I have laid to him being also Public it is fit the Proof of it should be so too to which End it is necessary to take a View of those things he has wrote wherein the Grounds of this Charge is laid by his own Pen. The First Elaborate Piece of Service this famous Author was bold enough to do the World was to pass away two or three hours time for those that had two much leisure in Reading about six sheets of Paper to which he perfixed a Title and would have the Book to be thought Novum Lumen Chirurgicum a Title that made very fair Promises and might probably raise ones Expectation but when I look'd a little further upon the Title And saw his Name writ in Latin and withal his Book in English I was very impatient to read it over which when I had done I began to think that there was more Sense and Learning in the Title Page
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
Learned Men whose private Designs do not byass their Sentiments and what is more without any shew of Reason or appearance of Truth And I could rather have believed that you would not be concerned in such a Cause for this Reason because it is below any Man of Sense or Learning to appear at the Head of such a Cause which is against both And I fain would have such Thoughts of you still and conclude that you only did it to satisfy the Importunities of one that had been formerly your Apothecary in Worcester This Sir is the Interpretation I would willingly put upon it in Favour of your Reputation which must needs be lessened otherwise especially amongst the Learned by Patronizing any thing which directly and manifestly is repugnant to Learned Men and Truth since the common Interest of the former so far as it is consistent with the latter should incline you rather to defend both than Patronize their Opponents viz. Ignorance and Falsity upon any consideration whatever This I say is the Interpretation I should put upon it though if it were so it would not be blameless to oppose Truth and Learned Men to serve a Friend or your Self were there not something in that Dedication so plain and evident as to suggest some other Reason for your Patronage For Mr. Colbatch says the Doctrin advanced in his Book is not new to you it being what you long ago Practised even before he knew you how he came to know what your Practice was before he knew you looks to me like Contradiction and I am inclined to believe he strained to say so much beyond Truth only that your Name might the better recommend his Book so that it seems if your Name will serve him by adding Authority to his Book he 'll tell an Untruth to serve you so that I am apt yet in Favour of your Reputation to understand that you have permitted him to say it is your Practice to recommend it to the World that his Applause of you might go the farther And the Truth is this either your Practice agrees with what he says or you can make no good Excuse for permitting him to say so And truly Sir if what he says be not true you 'd do your self Justice to tell the World in Vindication of your Judgment and Practice that he hath imposed upon you but if you allow what he hath said I am sorry the Absurdities and Falsness of his Book obliges me to lay open the groundless and unreasonable Assertions there laid down because they are tho' falsely said to be so agreeable with your Practice But in this particular I must beg your Pardon for as I shall never write for the sake of Writing but Truth so I shall always endeavour to detect Falsities and vindicate the latter And though I shall ever have all that Respect for you and all Learned Men that I think due to Learning and Qualities so I must ever shew as little Respect to those that make it their Business to run down Learning Learned Men and Truth and without Reason tho' not some base and private End for tho' I have Learning or Knowledg little enough to make me so zealous in their Defence yet I shall ever think it worth my while to Defend that which I am willing to spend my time in the search of And were I in your Case I should never condescend so far as for Interest to Patronize that which I could give no Reason for But Sir The simplicity and falsness of his other Books I have already shewn and when I have laid open this I hope the World will see the shallowness of Mr. Colbatch and the Falsness of what he says so plainly that it will be no longer misled by him in a Matter that relates to the future Ruin of their Constitutions And Sir it at the best will be but little Credit to profess your self of the same Opinion with Mr. Colbatch an Apothecary and much less is it Honourable to joyn in a Cause with such a one that hath neither Knowledg nor Learning but Arrogancy and Boldness to support his Ignorance and to forsake the Cause of Truth and Learning to make a Party with such For all the Cry and Noise he can make of you will tend less to your Honour than your Reputation amongst Learned Men tho' it may help to captivate those who are easily deceived But Sir as I had formerly a great Opinion of your Merit so I would fain perswade my self still that you only permit him to say what he does in compliance with his too earnest Requests than any Opinion you have of the Truth of what he says and therefore when I have run over his Preface without any other Apologies I shall proceed to detect his Errors and shew the Falsness of what he there asserts without entituling you to so weak and open Errors and profess my self as ever Your very Humble Servant R. Boulton The next thing that comes in view after his Dedication is his Preface where Page the 11th he says The History of the Blood is to be fetched out of the Fire there being not one Page in it that does not cost me near a days Labour and Attendance at home in my Laboratory That he fetches it out of the fire I am afraid is ominous and that it will scarce be fit for any thing else but to return to that Element for there is so little Analogy betwixt Chymical Preparations and the Parts of a Mans Body that he 'll discover little to the purpose there to make the Use of them more intelligible and sorry I am he takes so much Pains to no purpose Page the 12 He says The following Piece is a Composition of Observations and Speculations at Coffee-Houses and such Places A very fit Place for such Compositions for any thing may serve for a News-House for want of better but it would have been better for him to have considered it at home in his Study for I am afraid he drank his Coffee so hot that he was scarce qualified for what my Lord Bacon says viz. That a cool Head is fittest for Consideration But how came he to take Observations of the Gout in Coffee-Houses Those I thought had been only to be made with his Patients but perhaps he had as many Patients there of that Distemper as any where else and consequently it might be as fit a Place to make Observations in But why not rather in his Study I warrant he had taken notice that the Ingenious Sir Richard Blackmore had writ his Heroic Poems in Coffee-Houses and such like Places and because he thought it sounded well to say so he must needs be a Wit too nay in time he may do well but I would have him think of the old Saying Nosce teipsum for if he were sensible of his own Weakness it would be better for him to take a private Thought at it if he knows how to think In the same Page He says
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
the Body Sweat c. may be said not to be Excrements of the Body but of the Blood but that Sweat and Tears are not Alkalies but Acids any Body that hath acquaintance with Mr. Colbatch's Goddess Angerona may taste Tears evidently tasting Salt and likewise when People sweat much their Sweat does not only taste Salt but People that work hard have a strong sowre Smell about them when their Heads sweat much which are sufficient proofs that Mr. Colbatch is mistaken and Angerona hath done him very little Service Thus I have gone through all that Mr. Colbatch hath said relating to the cause of the Gout from which I think I have made it plain that in every particular he is egregiously mistaken and I have not only shewed that he is mistaken but that what he alledges in his own Defence is strong Proof against him and I have also added a great many plain and obvious Observations whereby it is manifest how little he understands what he hath gone about and as he hath oft been bold to tell Learned Men they grope in the Dark so it now appears how miserably he is lost in it which I hope is so evident that Gentlemen will be no longer imposed upon by him tho he make his Pretences with never so much Impudence since the Method he takes is so pernicious and as I have shewed from his own words increases the Distemper and procrastinates its Cure CHAP. IV. Contains Remarks on his Second Chapter HAving thus run over what he has said in his first Chapter concerning the Gout and shewed upon what false Conclusions he has grounded his Method of Practice for want of Judgment to understand those Experiments he made and what gross and erroneous Accounts he hath given of the Abuse of Non-Naturals I say having so fairly detected his Grand Mistakes and so plainly made it appear that he hath not only very short but false Notions of things and having all along laid him open so fairly to the View of Mankind that they may discern his very Essentials to be nothing but Mistakes Blunders Oversights Pretence Impudence and Inconsistency I might spare my self the Trouble of going any farther in laying open his intolerable Absurdities it being certain that whatever is built upon such false Bottoms must not only be very false but dangerous to Mankind and of very ill consequence but since I have gone so far with no other design but to lay open his Faults the clearer that Gentlemen might be forewarned how much they hazard their Health if not their Lives by putting themselves in such Hands so that they may be if possible more fully convinced what danger they lay themselves open to by so doing I shall for their further satisfaction shew them the ill Consequences of his Practice by laying open its Faults there committed The remaining part of his Book is made up of three parts the first he calls the Dietetick Cure the second is levelled against Rational Practice and the third is to lay open his own ill Practice which I shall examine in the order he hath laid them in and first I shall observe his wonderful Dietetick Rules Where First He says Page 44. It is said by some Body that plus Aere quam cibo vivimus we live more by Air than Meat and that Air doth assist in the Nutrition of Animal Bodies the famous Instance of Vipers so well known is sufficient to evince for let a young Viper be put into a Glass Receiver and let the Receiver be covered over with a Bladder with holes pricked in it and the Viper will become as large and fat as if it were in the open Fields What the design of this part of his Dieteticks is he best knows I for my part can't tell what he would have by his instance we live more by Air than Meat except he would have People to eat no Meat but gape for Wind continually but why breathing of Air is so necessary I have elsewhere shewed in my Treatise of the Heat of the Blood and of the Use of the Lungs and that People cannot live without Meat a little Experience tells them But he hath given an Instance of a Viper that does not only live without Meat but grows fat but to what purpose does he mention this except he would persuade his Patients they can live better without Meat than with it sure he would not persuade his Gouty Patients to be closed up in Receivers as the Viper was but if he would they are a little too cunning for him yet I doubt not and how much soever he can impose upon them with his Medicines they will sooner be pinned up in a Coffin by his Medicines than closed in a Glass Receiver to suck Air till he hath been in it himself Page 45. He says People who are troubled with the Gout should endeavour to live in a clear and most serene Air that possibly they can and avoid that which is thick and foggy and full of Extraneous Particles That a clear Air is better than a foggy one is no news of his finding out it being always delivered in Dietetick Rules but would he have Gentlemen to overrun their Countries Should they go into France or some warmer Country perhaps they would be less troubled with it but this is such a piece of old Advice that few can take and therefore he might have left it in those Books he found it in where it was deliver'd with Judgment and Learning All that he further says from Page 46. to 50 is but a Reduction to six Heads what in the Chapter before to make his Hydra more formidable he extended to Eleventhly and as what was there contained was so many Blunders and Marks of his Ignorance in reckoning up the Misuses of Non-Naturals so here he repeats those Faults in less compass and extenuated by extending them only in falsely and as simply prescribing Non-Naturals which tho he had the Dieteticks of Judicious and Learned Men writ ready to his Hand yet fancying himself a great and able Man he must needs mould them anew and turn them into his own simple Form that he might interpose two or three Sentences to recommend the use of Acids but I having already shew'd the dangerous Consequences of the use of Acids and that even according to his own supposition viz. that the Blood would be coagulated by the use of Acids and consequently the Distemper increased I hope Gentlemen will be so cautious of their own Safety as not to be misguided by such a Man who throughout his Book hath so egregiously given us lasting Patterns of his Ignorance CHAP. V. Contains Remarks on his Third Chapter I Come now to his Third Chapter which is irrationally levelled against all judicious and experienced Practice where from Page 50 to 58. he hath set down a Method which was taken with Sir J. G. and Page 58. He says Instead of being any way serviceable it exasperated the Symptoms But I here
leave it to the Consideration of those Ingenious Gentlemen who are troubled with this Distemper since they by dreadful Experience find that when they take Medicines the Symptoms are almost Intolerable whether it be not more reasonable to think the violence of those Symptoms proceeded from the violence of the Distemper since I have so plainly made it appear all along in answer to his Books that Acids are the Causes of this Distemper and what more plain and obvious an Experiment can there be to prove the Reasonableness of using Alkalies in the Cure of this Distemper than that which I have before mentioned viz. by applying Vinegar it self to a fresh Wound and at the same time to another Vinegar whose Acrimony is dulled by the use of Chalk or some other Alkaly for if the strength of so sharp a Liquor as Vinegar is taken off by the mixture of Alkaly this is the strongest and plainest proof in the World that Alkalies are very useful in the Gout and always to be made use of by Rational Physicians since I have so evidently and beyond Rational Contradiction proved that the Gout proceeds from Acids for Alkalies do not only take off the Acrimony of that Humour which irritates the sensible Parts but also by absorbing part of the superabundant Acid attenuates that matter which by coagulating the Humour fixes it in the part affected and conseqently dispose that Matter to be absorbed into the fluid Mass of Blood again to be carried off by proper Excretories so that nothing can be plainer than that the use of Alkalies in the Gout is highly reasonable since it so evidently appears from so many Instances as I have throughout this Book given that Acids cause Coagulations and consequently are to be taken off and corrected by the proper Use of Alkalies Page 58. He says The Medicines here prescribed are those that are generally used by most Physicians and if any Body ever received Advantage by them I dare be Burn'd and that ever Men should have such dull Phansies as not to vary from a Method that hath never once stood them in any stead looks very odd And as for Alkalious Medicines in general I dare be positive that they never yet cured any one Distemper but very frequently have done a great deal of Mischief they being given in Foul Distempers What mischief they do when used by absurd Practicers as himself that know not how to manage them I don't now dispute that being nothing at all to the Gout but since I have so manifestly made it appear that this Distemper proceeds from Acids and that Alkalies are of very great Use I think it is all the Answer I need to give to this that the Medicines he prescribes are never given by Rational Physicians and never by Quacks without ruining Mens Constitutions in a little time and except he leaves of such ill Practice he really deserves what he so zealously dares viz. to be Burn'd and I am amazed that this Man should have such a dull Fancy as all the reason in the World cannot persuade him from it tho it be so very pernicious and dangerous and truly it looks odd enough to use his elegant Expression that Peoples Constitutions must be ruined to please his dull Phansie and as for his Acid Medicines I am positive they have ruined more Constitutions than he 's aware of but some People are lead into their own Destruction by blind Promises which they know not how to perform which is the reason he does so much Mischief Page 59. He says In Chronical Distempers such as the Gout c. there poor Mortals are let alone to languish under their Oppression and the Physician will be for putting the poor Wretch into a Course of Alkalies to correct those luxuriant Acid Particles which he would fain persuade his Patient that his Blood abounds with but yet he never found any such thing there to the pauling of his Stomach and exasperating his Distemper and if ever the poor Patient finds relief it is from Opium that is between whiles given and if from that he hath any little intermission of his pain they are generally so ungrateful as not to set the Saddle upon the right Horse to give the Opium its due but presently hug themselves and cry God a Mercy Alkalies and so go on with a repetatur pulv è chelis c. Now as this was to be laid upon all Rational Physicians upon condition that their Practice was false so having all along in answer to him made it appear that their Practice is Rational and Good and that his is false and erroneous it must needs fall to his own share and in his own words to lay the Saddle on the right Horse I must say in Chronical Distempers such as the Gout c. there poor Mortals are let alone to languish under their Oppression and Mr. Colbatch neither understanding their Distemper nor the true Method that he should take with them would be for putting the poor Wretches into a Course of Acids and would fain persuade his Patient that his Blood abounds with Alkalies contrary to Truth and Experience to the Detriment of his Constitution depressing of his Spirits and encreasing of his Distemper And alas If ever the Patient he imposes upon finds relief he may thank God for it and the strength of his Constitution which helps to carry off and abate the Distemper But what a tender compassionate Creature is Mr. Colbatch who hath such a tender Love for poor Gentlemen that will give him Money For he is so enraged at that Hydra That Devil That Gout that he calls it all the ill Names he can and hath such esteem for Opium that gives them all the ease they must hope for from him that he 's offended they don 't fix some Mark of Honour upon it it hath such an excellent stupifying Quality and truly no Body knows how much he is ingaged to be zealous for the Honour of any thing that relates to dulness and stupidity he hath so much of it himself and indeed he may well hug himself and cry God a Mercy Stupidity O the wonderful Effects of Opium where Acids would increase the Distemper Page 60. He says If we do not look about us and regain our Reputation we may chance to be laid aside in other Distempers as well as the Gout This is a mighty considerable piece and shews the honest Endeavours of the Man who is so much afraid of being laid aside that he uses all the means he can only to get Patients and truly without this by his whole Writings one would guess that the Man only Huffs and Contradicts and Writes that People might think he hath something in him but alas poor Man He hath so much ill luck along with it that he cannot long impose upon People for those very Writings shew according to the old Maxim Nil dat quod in se non habet that he hath nothing at all in him but Pretence
not attribute to the Medicines but the Malignity of the Distempers I was resolved upon the first Poor Patient I had in a Fever to try what the forementioned Acid would do and upon a Multitude of Tryals I found by my Acid I could Cure most sorts of Fevers much more effectually and certainly than ever I could before by the Means of Alkalies and Alexipharmicks The Effects of this Medicine backed with some other Observations put me upon thinking that Fevers and other Distempers did not proceed from the Blood 's abounding with Acid Particles but on the contrary with Alkalious ones Truly whatever Mr. Colbatch may think 't is scarce to his Advantage for whatever Good he did with that Acid it was not to be ascribed to him but the Gentleman But why should he not give Credit to it Since he was jogging on in the ordinary Method for Acids were always used in most sorts of Fevers before his time tho highly prejudicial in the Gout Rheumatism Small-Pox Consumptions c. but it seems he was as ignorant in those Days as he is now and most absurdly gave them Alkalies and Alexipharmicks which are never to be used in Fevers except Malignant which I have more fully taken notice of in my Answer to his Book of the Gout But to proceed it seems being instructed by a Gentleman he fell to use Acids as other Physicians did and as long as he kept within bounds had the like success but he at the last finding that Physicians were in the right and he had been all along mistaken not only gave Acids in most Fevers but transgressed the bounds of Reason and Experience and boldly gave Acids in Malignant Fevers which by all the Learned and Experienced Physicians for an hundred Years past and also at this time are known to be very dangerous But this was not all those that are Ignorant fear nothing because they are not apprehensive of danger he went on boldly in a false way and wittily drew this Conclusion Acids do good and have good Effects in Fevers and therefore other Distempers proceed from Alkalies Very strange and worthy of Mr. John Colbatch and it must be a very great Specimen of his Wonderful Judgment for he might as well say Water will set a House on Fire because Fire will as that Alkalies cause the Gout Rheumatism Small-Pox c. because they cause some sort of Fevers were it allowed that those Fevers proceeded from Alkalies From Page 6. to Page 21. is filled up with a Parcel of Stories nothing at all to his Purpose but to tell us that he hath distilled the Blood of eleven Persons to no purpose but to get so much Spirit as will turn Syrop of Violets green and what Service that will do him I have already shew'd viz. that he does not truly ascribe the Cause of the Gout c. to Alkalies but that they proceed from Acids and I shall make it appear more fully by and by in its proper place I shall in the mean time take notice that Page 21. It would be almost impossible for any Private Man to make a sufficient number of Experiments without the Assistance of the Publick which occasioned me in the Preface to my Treatise of the Gout to propose a Publick Stock to carry on this Work O strange Has this mighty Projector this Thought in his Head yet Sure it makes him very uneasie to see the Publick not take notice of him Alas Poor Man It 's a most Noble Acid that keeps up his Spirits or how would such a mighty Champion dispense with such Slights He that in his Book of the Gout has the sole Faculty of casting out that Devil which is not to be cast out without Prayer and Fasting who tamed the Raging Lyon cut off the Hydra's Heads and expelled the Mighty Tyrant Why are they not afraid of his Resentments Page 23. He says Now if such a Substance as this be not to be called an Alkaly meaning the Spirit which he draws from Blood I should be glad to be informed what is I shall not here inform him what Medicines are truly called Acids and what Alkalies It is sufficient to shew that he does not know which I have already done since he calls Steel and Antimony Acids which have always been found to correct Acidities and by their Effects to be Alkalies but he asks whether this Spirit be not an Alkaly To this I shall give him this brief Answer That if all Substances were either Alkalies or Acids it would be more properly called an Acid than an Alkaly but since all Substances are not to be classed under those two Heads it is neither an Acid nor an Alkaly and because he knows not what else to call it I shall tell him he must call it a Spirit and since it is drawn from an Oily Substance the Blood according to what he says Page 7. of his Appendix to his Essay of Alkalies and Acids it must consequently be an Acid all Oily Substances according to him being Acids But he says it is an Alkaly because it turns Syrop of Violets Green if for that reason it were to be called an Alkaly then what he says in his Appendix is not only prov'd false by what I have there said but by his own Words here also but that it may appear he is mistaken here also I must put him in mind that Acids will turn Syrop of Violets Green as well as Alkalies viz. Arsnick and Sublimate the first of which I have proved to be an Acid in his Appendix to his Essay and the latter in the beginning of his Book of the Gout and indeed it is the most unreasonable thing in the World thence to conclude any thing either to be an Acid or Alkaly because both Alkalies and Acids will turn Syrop of Violets Green and we may not only observe different Substances to have the same Effects in respect of Colour in this Experiment but even throughout Nature for Aloes and Cinnamon are much of the same colour but different in all other respects Sugar and Sublimate are of the same colour yet the one is innocent and the other strong Poyson but tho all are not to be esteemed Alkalies that turn Syrop of Violets Green yet it is certain a great many will and I have therefore in Answer to his Book of the Gout granted That allowing the Doctrine of Acids and Alkalies to be true which is by no means his Experiment was good and upon those Grounds I shewed also that the Experiment is very strong proof against what he builds upon it I shall also here upon the same terms grant that this Spirit is an Alkaly and also shew that tho' it be allowed to be so it will prove against him viz. that Acids are the Causes of Distempers In order to which I shall further take notice that Page 23. He says In examining the foregoing Experiments it plainly appears that the Blood of People labouring under the Distempers there
mentioned does afford a much greater Quantity than that of the Healthy Person But this I say proves that there is a great deal more Acids in the Blood of those Distempered People and does not at all prove that there is more Alkalies for the Blood of Healthful People hath as much Alkalies in it as distempered Blood as I have shewed in answer to his Introduction in his Treatise of the Gout and the difference of the Blood and Serum in respect of the Distemper is only this that the distempered Mass abounds more plentifully with Acids by which means it is more viscous and soapy and is subject to those Coagulations that healthful Peoples Blood is free from And this being already proved the reason why distempered Blood yields more of that Spirit than healthful Blood is very plain from that Observation I in another part of my Answer to that Book have laid down For I there observ'd common Distillers who draw Inflamable Spirits from Wort take notice that before it is sowre and degenerated into an acid Liquor it yields less Spirit than after it hath acquired that acidity those acid Particles being a more compact Subject for the Fire to work upon and as that Wort yields more Spirit the more it degenerates from its Sweetness to an acid State so the sweet Mass of Blood the more it is impregnated with those Acids that cause it to coagulate the more it yields of that Spirit the Volatile Parts of the Blood being made sharper by the Union of those more compact pointed Particles and also being more plentifully yoked together and kept from flying away by which means greater Quantities of that Alkaly is raised by the Fire and carried off by Distillation All that is contained further in favour of his Hypothesis from Pag. 24. to Pag. 29. is That the Fire produces no new Substances which were not existent in Bodies before and if any one will demonstrate such a thing without Fallacy he will own himself his humble Servant How far he will be my humble Servant I value not I would only desire him to be humble where he hath reason and then he would like an honest Man follow his Trade again for he cannot long make People believe that giving two or three Medicines without Reason or Judgment is cutting off Hydra's Heads or performing any such Exploits and if he does not draw in his Horns in a little time he may expect that Ingenious Gentlemen will be undeceiv'd and laugh at his Knight-Errantry but if he hath a mind to be my humble Servant I shall demonstrate it to him from his own Words that new Substances are produced which were not existent before not only by Fire but without it For Page 12. He says That Bodies of very different Natures may and do receive Nutrition and increase from one and the same Substance which in it self seems to be simple and homogeneous And this is what he had learned from Mr. Boyle and that not only the Honourable Mr. Boyle but all Philosophers of any Note have agreed That tho Fire cannot create a new Substance yet by Fire the Form of Matter may be so changed and modifyed anew as to produce a new Substance out of any Body which in respect of its Form is a new Body different from all others and not existing in that Body from whence it was drawn and I appeal to all those Gentlemen he hath so oft appeal'd to whether those Substances which he draws from Blood by analizing it be not different in colour and taste from Blood it self from whence it is drawn All that is further contained in what he says from Page 27. to Page 32. is That the Inferences he draws from the Serum of the Blood turning Syrop of Violets Green prove the Blood to abound with Alkalies and to shew that two or three besides himself have used the same Experiment to as little purpose as he hath done How far that Experiment pleads against him I have already sufficiently shewn in the beginning of his Treatise of the Gout so that there is no need I shou'd repeat it again so oft And as for what he says of Dr. Fran. Andre of Caen. and Swalve the same Answer I gave to him will be an Answer to them so that all the Service these two Doctors will do Mr. Colbatch is to shew that the Experiment he there laid down was none of his own he only having borrowed it from another Man as much mistaken as himself in this Point Page 34 35. He says That the Blood of sick People in all or most Distempers doth abound with such Particles more than that of those that are in a State of Health and if you take an equal proportion of the Serum of the Blood of a Healthy Person and that of a Person in a Fever Pleurisie c. and pour them into equal quantities of Syrop of Violets of the same Strength you will find that whereon the sick Person 's was poured will be much greener than the other and if you commit the Blood of a distempered and a healthful Person to Distillation the former will yield more Alkaly How distempered Blood comes to yield more Spirit I have already shewed viz. because there is more acid to inviscate and embody the Spirit and how in some Cases as the Gout c. the Serum of the Blood comes to turn Syrop of Violets greener notwithstanding the Distemper proceeds from Acids I shall here briefly explain and to make it more intelligible we are to consider what State the Mass of Blood of a distempered Person is in taken collectively and with respect to the whole and how it differs from healthful Blood and here we may remember that I observed before that the Essential Difference betwixt healthful Blood and distempered was that Viscidity observable in the whole Mass of Humors from whence it appeared that this Experiment had no power in trying the different degrees of its Viscidity but only shewed the difference betwixt the thin Serum which our Author says turns Syrop of Violets greener when distemper'd and as I there shewed of what little force his Experiment was except against himself I shall now shew that tho it turns Syrop of Violets greener than healthful Peoples Blood it is of no use to him for we are to observe that whereever there are fiery acid Salts in a State of Fluidity in the Blood these meeting with the Spirits at the Extremities of the Vessels where the Blood and Spirits are mixed together cause a preternatural Ferment by which means the Volatile and most Spirituous parts are put into a more brisk and violent motion than what is consistent with the Natural Temper of the Blood and thus accidentally being put into motion too much exagitate the Mass of Blood by which means it's volatile parts are dissolved and as the Learned Dr. Willis expresses it carried forth into a State of Fluidity or Exaltation the distempered Matter being partly or wholly thrown
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
know what Method to take in the Cure of Fevers than any thing you have said in your Remarks can vouch for you for to know the curative Indications is one half of the Cure But pray Doctor why should you be angry that I have said no more of Fevers than I have were you sensible of any such Distemper in your Brain if you were you might have writ to me and in Compassion to your Infirmities I should have advised you but it seems the Distemper admitted of no Advice but when you were angry you must shew your Passion with sending Geese Mice Dogs and Elephants amongst us pray what Reason had you to think these Creatures would take your Part except you had us'd them a little more gently than to call them ill Names Pag. the 15th you say You would gladly know what I mean by Acidity joyning with Acrimony and how I will make it out that in Fevers the Blood is too much exalted with Sulphur when in malignant Fevers it 's plain the Pulse is most commonly depress'd and languid Doctor I was glad to find this Remark amongst the rest for had it held for any time I should have thought that there had been more hopes of you because you seem glad of Information but it made me pity you when I remembred that it is a common Observation that People seem a little better some time before Death and really when I found by your last Page that it was but a short Remission I was affraid it was only an Omen in a short time your Lodgings would be at Bethlem but I beg of and earnestly intreat all your Friends Neighbours and Acquaintance that if your Distemper should continue they would close you up in some private Apartment there for should you be sent to Bethlem you might infect the Place and drive those that are indifferent stark mad pray good Dr. keep at home for Bethlem's sake and I 'll tell you what I mean by Acidity joyning with Acrimony and if your Indisposition will permit you look upon that Page again and you 'll find I mean a Liquor compounded of a Mixture of Acids mixed with sharp Scorbutick Salts and as for malignant Fevers I need not now give you my Opinion of them the Words in my Book being these Altho' in Fevers where the Blood abounds with too much exalted Sulphur c. where I only speak of such Fevers in which too much Sulphur does abound namely in sanguine Constitutions and such as diary Fevers In the same Page you say Dr. Morton allows the Expansion of the Spirits and so does Dr. Willis and there was no need of you to mention your Exercitationes quinque only you would promote the Sale of it for tho' so many Authors have allow'd the Expansion of the Spirits yet his Opinion was nevertheless new neither was he said to steal it from others such things as those being common to the Philosophical Part of the World and every one supposed to know them Page the 16th You ask What are the Bladders of the Lungs impleted with And if so how come some Airs to be pestilential others scorbutick it's plain they would not be if the Particles of Air mixed not with the Blood Poor Man In what a sad Condition What 's become of his Understanding Good Doctor give me leave to say it's plain you are mistaken and don 't be angry if for once I speak a little roughly for Men in your Condition ought to be checked sometimes but I have very little Reason to be angry with you and therefore calmly let me tell you that I don't deny in my Book but that the Bladders of the Lungs are impleted with Air and that mediately it is mixed with the Blood because those Vessels are mixed with the sanguiferous Vessels but I say it is not immediately mixed with the Blood and tho' it be not we may easily understand how some Airs become pestilential others scorbutick for tho' I deny Air to be mixed with the Blood yet since I say the Nitre of the Air is your Questions are easily answered because as that Nitre is differently impregnated with heterogeneous Parts so it will differently affect the Mass of Blood And now good Doctor I have taken a View of your Noble Performance and have answered all those Questions which your Passion and Indisposition together have prompted you to ask and I hope I have assisted your Understanding in those Points which before you seemed Ignorant and Incapable of And since you have been pleased to tell me whether it was the Effects of a Dream or not I cannot tell that I had better sat still may I like a Friend venture to ask you one Question Whether it had not been better for you to have sounded a Bethlem-Man's Horn about the Street than to have made your self ridiculous by your Remarks for had you done so People would have imagined you were past the worst and cured but as it is it 's feared you are in a very bad condition Yet for ought I can see I am obliged to you for I dare be bold to say you have a good Opinion of my Book or you would not have thought it worth your Notice for Men in your condition have usually very high flown Thoughts of themselves And now Doctor besides your Indisposition since it appears that you are also in a Passion laying aside for a while your Distemper let us consider the Cause of your Passion and really Doctor if may guess you could have nothing else to incense you but that I am your Country Man and that your Book I mean the Quinque Exercitationes is not taken Notice of by the Learned World It 's true you have spent a great deal of Money in making Experiments to no Purpose and your darling Notions which have no dependence on Experiments are of no value But why should you be angry with me it's none of my Fault I wish you well with all my Heart and did not envy you in the least but pitied you But it seems you are offended at my Age and think I have not been trimm'd often enough but. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which if applyed to your self will signifie that the Goat is Wiser than your self because it hath a longer Beard And tho' I be Young it is not the Custom of good Husbandmen to cut down those Trees that bear Fruit betimes for tho' a young Tree bears not Fruit in abundance yet wise Men know what it is and how to value it And since the Tree is known by the Fruit and not the Fruit by the Tree you are to take my Age in Physick from my Books and if by comparing 〈◊〉 Book with your own you find I have given less Reason than your self then I am a young Man but if yours be Irrational then you are the Younger of the two for mistake not an Man may be an old Man and a young Physician and a ingenious Man and