received the recipe from her late husband. A number of persons in the higher classes of society had been cured, or believed they had been, by taking her remedy, and in the year 1738 a movement was started to buy the formula from her for the benefit of the public. This was specially advocated in the Gentleman's Magazine, and the lady being approached expressed her willingness to sell the recipe for £5,000. An account was opened at Drummond's Bank, and £500 was subscribed in the first few days. Dr. David Hartley, of Bath, was the chief organiser of the fund, and the Bishop of Bath and Wells, the Principal of Brasenose College, Oxford, and other responsible persons wrote letters testifying their knowledge of the good effects produced by Mrs. Stephens's treatment. Hartley published an account of "Ten Cases of Persons who have taken Mrs. Stephens's Medicines for Stone." When Hartley died Warburton in his letters referred to him as "a philanthropic visionary, a martyr to Mrs. Stephens's medicine." It is said in some accounts that Horace Walpole was one of Mrs. Stephens's cures.
The subscription list was kept going until the end of the year, and though it included dukes, earls, bishops, and several doctors of medicine, only a total of £1,356 3s. was promised. Evidently some strong influence was therefore brought to bear on the Government, for early in the next year the Act referred to was passed and the trustees named in the Act being satisfied that Mrs. Stephens had made the full discovery required, the £5,000 was duly paid to her.
Mrs. Stephens's "full discovery" was published in the London Gazette of June 19, 1739. It was very full indeed. Omitting superfluous details it ran as follows:—
"My medicines consist of a powder, decoction and
