I Received your Letter of Thanks for the last Specifick I communicated to you, and that hath proved so successful, that I find you very importunate with me to ac­quaint you with what I have found most effectual against Malignant Spotted Feavors.

[Page 4]I am sorry to hear that London Physi­tians are so often disappointed in the use of vulgar Medicines. The great Dr. Sidenham in his Discourse of Feavors, tells the World his Art is defective in that Distemper; and that if any Man can be found who can pro­pose a better Method, or Communicate a good Specifick, for the more effectual Cure of that Distemper which carryeth so many thousand to their Graves, he will prove him­self a good Citizen.

For my own part I declare, I knew no better Remedy than the Indian Serpent Stones, for it powerfully expels Poysons of all sorts, both externally and internally applyed, it re­sists Putrefaction, promotes insensible transpi­ration, raiseth the Vital Spirits, comforts the Heart, and gives a new Fermentation to the Blood, and helps Nature to cast off all Ma­lignity. I have found it more serviceable than any sort of Alexipharmics.

Mr. Boyl in his Discourse of Specifick Re­medies, [Page 5] gives very strange Accounts of the Extraordinary Virtues of these Stoney Con­cretions, said to be found in the Heads of Indian Serpents, and particularly of an Ex­periment he made himself upon a Cat bit­ten by an enraged Viper, which caused its Tongue and Head to swell, and made the Cat raving mad, yet upon giving it a little of the Powder of this Stone inwardly, it had recovered, had not the rude People killed it by Violence. He confesseth that there are many of them Counterfeits, and such were those that Mounsieur Redi made Experiments upon. He also tells us, that an Eminent Physitian of the Colledge performed a very great Cure by the External Application of one of the Stones.

I was sent for unto a young Man who had a very dangerous Feavor, and all the Symptoms of Malignity very well known to Physitians; I gave the usual Remedies pre­scribed in that Case; his Distemper threat­en'd every Day more and more, and all Friends despaired of Recovery; at length I [Page 6] gave him a Tincture drawn out of these Stones, with the Powder in substance, and it powerfully expels all the Malignity by gentle breathing Sweats, and the Patient speedily recovered, and gained his Strength beyond Humane Expectation.

An Ancient Gentlewoman who had a high Malignant Feavor, being first surprized with a Rigor, and shivering Coldness in her Back, and afterwards a hot burning Fit, which lasted many Hours without any intermission, a low weak Pulse, cold, clammy, faint Sweats, Purple Spots in the Skin, little or no Thirst, a pale thin Urine, and very delirous, but no Complaint of any Pains in the Head, or o­ther parts; a Hitch-cough, frequent Sighing and Dozeing; I finding all Remedies fruit­less, gave this Specifick, and found a speedy Recovery attend it.

I could tell you of several Familes in our Countrey that have been seized with these Malignant Feavors, that have been secured from the Dangers, by the Use of this Speci­fick [Page 7] Remedy: But I find People generally displeased when Physitians mention their Names in print, if it be in English; they are prone to suspect the World never thinks them sound afterwards, and therefore I omit Names.

I knew one Man about Fifty, who was seized as if he had been infected with the Plague, had Swellings under his Arms, and all other Pestilential symptoms upon him; and only giving him a few Drops of a Mixture made with the Powder of this Stone, he was restoared to Health in a miraculous manner.

I could Name one Patient who was sa­ved from Death, when two in the same Fa­mily dyed of the Spotted Feaver, after they had taken large Quantities of Bezoar and Goa Stones.

I can truly say with Dr. Sidenham, in his Discourse of Pestilential Feavors, that I have delivered faithfully all things relating to Pra­ctice, and never proposed any thing but what I had often and sufficiently tryed; and when [Page 8] I come to Dye, I hope I shall have a chear­ful Witness within my own Breast I have done my Duty.