cases of pulmonary consumption, without evincing any salutary effect whatever, and we are inclined to believe that the proprietor would be very sorry to risk its reputation by putting it to the test of experience.

As a proof of its inefficacy, and the great IMPROPRIETY of noblemen permitting their names to appear in testimony of the supposed virtues of any medicine, we insert the following case, communicated to us by a medical man of respectability.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE MEDICAL OBSERVER.

Gentlemen,

If the following account of the effects of an advertised specific for pulmonary consumptions, with the letters from the proprietors, accord with the nature of the publication announced on the cover of the Physical and Medical Journal, you have my permission to publish them.

In the month of January, 1805, I was requested to see a gentleman at Exmouth, in Devonshire, afflicted with that disease of the lungs, termed pulmonary consumption. In the history of his complaint he gave me to understand, that he had been for some time under the care of a very celebrated physician, from whose advice he derived considerable benefit, and in conformity to which, he had taken up his residence at that place for the winter season. Here, it appears he was prevailed on by a friend, to try Godbold's vegetable balsam,' which he agreed to, in consequence of the public recommendation of that medicine by a nobleman, of whom he had some knowledge, which one would have supposed with a gentleman of his sense and education, would have had no influence.

His lady accordingly sent his case to Mr. Godbold, who returned the following answer:

Madam,

'We received your Letter and have attended to the statement of your Husbands case, we are 6 sorry he did not apply to our Balsam sooner 'which is the misfortune of people under the like affliction to often, however we have cured hundreds as ill as he seems to be, and some whose bones have perforated the skin, under these circumstances we wish you not to despair, for if any Medicine in the world can restore him, the Vegetable Balsam will which we could put up a 'little more applicable to his disorder than what you purchase of our venders,* should it meet your approbation. We totally disaprove of Laudanum -but the drying up of his Issue we think right 'his fever is occasioned by his weakness and not 'from the nourishment of his Beverage-we wish you to keep his body open and NOT TO SPARE THE BALSAM ON ANY ACCOUNT for it will not effeccthis bowels, but act as a strong Febrifuge and is both a searcher and healer of the lungs, let him take 'the balsam every time the cough is troublesome over and above the Quantity prescribed in the printed ' bill of directions let him live well eat any thing 'he fancies (salt meat and high seasoned dishes 'excepted) take malt liquor with a toast in it at his diner and a glass or red port afterwards use gentle exercise such as his strength and the weather will permit, but not to fatigue, and be very careful not to get cold the Electuary will give one gentle motion and in case of a relax such

* It may be necessary to observe, that retailers of quack medicines are allowed from 30 to 40 per cent; which, of course, the proprietors save by selling the articles themselves.

would be occasioned from the disorder and not 'the opening medicine then the powders is used.

We are,

Madam,

Your most obedient

Humble servants,

(Signed) N. & S. GODBOLD.'

Bloomsbury Square, Nov, 21, 1804.

N. B.

If you wish any medicine to be put up from our house with the attendants will be two pounds but we may say 99 out of 100 Persons in the first stage of these complaints through God's Blessing a cure is performed.'

In consequence of this advice the gentleman discontinued the use of the medicines prescribed by an able physician, healed the issue in his side, and took to animal food and wine, which he had been strictly forbid to do by the physician who had attended him. This healing and searching balsam was taken according to the directions, which so far from affording him the promised relief, disagreed with the stomach, and was rejected as sour as the strongest vinegar. The hectic symptoms were also considerably aggravated, which however, I attribute more to the alteration in the diet, the use of wine, and drying up of the issue, than to the medicine.

Mr. Godbold was immediately apprized with the disagreeable effects of the medicine, to which he returned the following answer :

Madam,

In answer to your favor received this morning we assure you there is no accidity in our medicine 'whatever nor will it create any, nor has your husband any thing to fear by a perseverance in taking it we recommend his taking the Elec

tuary as it is highly necessary his body should be kept from costiveness he cannot take any thing 'better for the bile upon his stomach than Magnessia with a little Rubarb mixed with it-and now and then by way of change let him take a teaspoonfull of Epsom salts in a little mint water ' about 11 o'Clock in the forenoon-a child sucking at breast may take our medicine whenever you think proper we will compound a bottle of medicine "for him.

6

We are
Madam,

Your most obedient servants, (Signed) N. & S. GODBOLD.'

Bloomsbury Square, Nov. 26, 1804.

Notwithstanding this medicine is made with vinegar, Mr. G. does not scruple to assert in the most positive terms, that there is no acidity in it whatever!!! and although he declares it to be a pure vegetable balsam, yet it will not create an acidity!!!—so far from this being the case, the very article with which it is sweetened is capable of forming one of the strongest vegetable acids, and which there is no article in the medicine capable of counteracting.

The gentleman could not be persuaded against his reason to persist in the use of the balsam he then had, and accordingly he wrote to Mr. God bold to send him a fresh bottle with such alterations he thought proper to make, to which he receive the following reply:

Madam,

We received your favor and 27. note and have sent the medicine accordingly as you directed which we hope and trust with the blessing of God 'will have the desired effect-we have sent a double quantity of the Electuary and whenever he

G

' has that heaviness upon the stomach let him have recourse to it which will carry it off-and spare not the balsam by any means. You may depend upon its creating no aceddity whatever in other respects follow the printed directions excepting when the cough is troublesome then take it extralive well and be careful not to take cold.

We are
Madam,

Your most obedient humble servants,
N. & S. GODBOLD.

Bloomsbury Square, Dec. 1, 1804.

This fresh medicine however, was attended with no better effects, and finding his symptoms to increase rapidly, (particularly the difficulty of breathing, thirst, and hectic heats,) he resolved on discontinuing its use entirely, and re-applying to the regular profession. When I saw him, which was in a few days after, his pulse, which was about 90 at the time the issue was dried, was now increased to 120, and sometimes more, his breath very short and laborious, with frequent recurrence, of rigors, succeeded by heat and perspiration. In order to give him every chance of recovery, I advised an issue in the side most affected, forbid the use of wine and animal food, and requested he would live as much as possible on ass's milk and vegetable jellies. I also ordered him a little medicine to quiet the system and facilitate expectoration, which relieved the most distressing symptoms, and rendered his life much more tolerable, but unfortunately the lungs had sustained so much injury that they were no longer capable of effecting that change in the blood which is necessary for the support of life. Whether this organic mischief might have been prevented by keeping the issue open, by quieting medicines and