other specific than mercury, and its different preparations. In defence
of the opinion of other specifics being in use, it has always been urged,
that the disease is frequent in many parts of the world, where it could
not be supposed they were acquainted with quicksilver, and the proper
method of preparing it as a medicine. I must own, that I expected
to have been able to have added one other specific for this disease, to
our list in the Materia Medica, being informed that the disease was
common, and their method of treating if successful; nor could I allow
myself to think that they were acquainted with the method of preparing
quicksilver, so as to render it a safe and efficacious medicine. In this,
however, I was mistaken.
The disease seems in this country to make a more rapid pro*
gress, and rage with more violence, than in any other. This is to be
accounted for from the grossness of their food, and little attention to
cleanliness.
There is one preparation of mercury in common use with them,, and
made after the following manner. A portion of alum, nitre, vermilion,
and quicksilver, are placed at the bottom of an earthen pot, with
a smaller one inverted, put over the materials, and well luted to the
bottom of the larger pot. Over the small one, and within the large
one, the fuel is placed, and the fire continued for about forty minutes.
A certain quantity of fuel, carefully weighed out, is what regulates
them with respect to the degree of heat, as they cannot see the materials
dining the operation. When the vessel is cool, the small inverted
pot is taken off, and the materials are collected for use. I attended the
whole of the process, and afterwards examined the materials. The
T IB E T. 41 1
quicksilver? had' been- acted1'onf^By ttbe other ingredients, deprived of
its1 metallic form, and rendered a safe afrd efficacious reined^ P
knoivlfedge -oFcBtfoffikt^' «tore certain method of
rendering this v a lu able ffiiedic i he, active' and efficacious*: I yet we find
this preparation answering every gBodpifrpfk^e, Wd] by'tfleif?guarded
manner'Of exhibiting -itf «perfectly '‘“Ttfiisfpowde^il" the basis of
th erm it and often used in "external 'hppticatioi&^Tlie whole, when
intimate'll mixed,1 formed' a reddishrpowder,' a^d w'iS made in&the
form # pilfer 'by the" addition'ofh ’pWrfo’or date.1' Ttvov'fcrithree' pills’,
taken twice a da$fc, generaM^bri^^ibbu^WffOuAlf oY lifth‘ '&ly, %’
spittingj which isJ encouraged', fey -cbntiOuing the Usd lof thc^pills for a
day Or two longer. As the salivation* advances, they put, a stidk
across' the patient’s ffiouffi in the fornf #<va' gig,: and make f§ fast'
behind. This, they say;is done to promote fife prevent
the loss of their teeth. They keep up the, saliva£for& fori teii or?twelve
days;- during which time the patient is- nourished icbngee, ;aisk
other liquids. Part of this powder isCfeftelfi'used externally, by diff
fiisisf it ih warto Water, and washing sores and buboes. T h e s is -1
perse buboes frequently, by poultices ‘of1 turnip top's:,' in < which* they
always put vermilion, and sometimes ‘musk. Nitre; as1 a*tddldr;' is
very much used internally by them, in this 'dikCase, and thfiy'st^tiy1'
enjoin warmth andrconfinementy during the slightest mercurial-coUFseif
Buboes, advanced to suppuration,? are opened by a lancet, with a
large incision, which -they do' not allow to^tloSeijf before ’The h'ardiress *'
and tumour are gone. In short; f found very'ffttltdroom for inipfov-
ing their practice1 in this disease. I introduced the method of killing Ml a