Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 003.djvu/231

 bringing the said Dr. Witties constituent Principles of those Waters to the Test, he could not find them there; nor, upon a thorow examination of the Vertues ascribed to them, see cause to believe them to be such as that Doctor affirms; but, after he hath endeavour'd to make it out by severe Trials and Observations, that the five Ingredients assign'd by the said Doctor, viz. Iron, Vitriol, Allum, Niter, and Sea-Salt, are not there, as he layes them down; he declares that he means not to deny them all, but to assert those, which he finds there demonstrable by Experiment; and thereupon affirms, that that, which indeed gives the Essence to this Spaw, is an acid Aluminous Mineral Salt, preying upon and dissolving a slight touch of the Mineral of Iron. And saving cleared this by Experiment, he proceeds to consider its Vertues; where, after a short account given of the Original of most Diseases, how they arise from a vitiating of the several Ferments, either causing a rawness, or over-acidity, or other hostile qualities in the Nutritive Juyce; he declares, for what Diseases this Spaw is proper, and for what not; affirming, that it avails nothing in Pestilential Diseases, Pleurisies, Poysons, Leprosie, the Lues Venerea, Morphew, Cancer, Falling-Sickness, Apoplexy, Palsie, Asthma; but that its efficacy is most discernable in the Scurvy, Dropsie, Strangury, or Stone, Jaundice, Hypochondriack Melancholy, Cachexies, and Womens Diseases proceeding from the Obstructions of the Menses: adding, that in the Esurine Salt of Allom are as noble medicinal Vertues to be found, as in any other Mineral specificated Salt whatever; this Salt being, in its first Essence, volatile and exquisitely penetrative, forcing its passage through the obstructed Meanders of the bowels, and notably opening the closed parts, and thereby restoring the blood, and other peculiar spirituous Juyces of the Genus nervosum, to their primitive fermental vigor.

Secondly, In the same Treatise is contain'd a short Description of the Spaws at Malton and Knarsborough; the former of these two having, in our Author's opinion, the like ingredients with those of Scarbrough, but with a fainter spring; the latter, imbued only with a small portion of Esurine acidity, that hath preyed a little upon, and acquired a slight touch from the Minera of Iron.

Thirdly, He discourses of the Original of Hot Springs and other Fountains; where having shew'd that they come from Mineral Salts; and how Rh