The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift/Volume 12/From John Arbuthnot to Jonathan Swift - 19

by John Arbuthnot

FROM DR. ARBUTHNOT^[1].

DEAR SIR,

THE passage in Mr. Pope's letter about your health does not alarm me: both of us have had the distemper these thirty years. I have found that steel, the warm gums, and the bark, all do good in it. Therefore, first take the vomit A; then, every day, the quantity of a nutmeg, in the morning, of the electuary, marked B; with five spoonfuls of the tincture marked D. Take the tincture, but not the electuary, in the afternoon. You may take one of the pills marked C, at any time when you are troubled with it, or thirty of the drops marked E, in any vehicle, even water. I had a servant of my own, that was cured merely with vomiting. There is another medicine not mentioned, which you may try; the pulvis rad. valerianæ sylvestris, about a scruple of it twice a day. How came you to take it in your head, that I was queen's physician? When I am so, you shall be a bishop, or any thing you have a mind to. Pope is now the great reigning poetical favourite. Your lord lieutenant^[2] has a mind to be well with you. Lady Betty Germain complains you have not writ to her since she wrote to you. I have showed as much civility to Mrs. Barber as I could, and she likewise to me. I have no more paper, but what serves to tell you, that I am, with great sincerity, your most faithful humble servant,

J. ARBUTHNOT.

I recommended Dr. Helsham to be physician to the lord lieutenant. I know not what effect it will have. My respects to him, and Dr. Delany.

A.

℞ pulv. rad. ipecacoanæ, Эj.

B.

℞ conserv. flavedin. aurant. absynth. Rom. ana ʒvj. rubigin. martis in pollin. redact, ʒiij. syrup. e succo kermes, q. s.

C.

℞ as. fœtid. ʒij. tinctur. castor. q. s. M. fiant pilulæ xxiv.

D.

℞ cortic. peruviani elect. rubigin. martis ana ʒj. digere tepidè in vini alb. Gallic. ɮij per 24 horas: postea fiat colatura.

E.

℞ sp. cor. cerv. sp. lavendul. tinctur. castor. ana ʒij. misce^[3].

1. Endorsed, "Received, Nov. 13, 1730."
2. The duke of Dorset.
3. As these receipts may possibly be useful to some person troubled with the dean's complaint of giddiness, Dr. Arbuthnot's receipt of bitters, for strengthening the stomach, is added.
   
   Take of zedoary root one drachm; galangal and Roman wormwood, of each two drachms; orange peel, a drachm; lesser cardamom seeds, two scruples. Infuse all in a quart of boiling spring water for six hours; strain it off, and add to it four ounces of greater compound wormwood water.