t this Essay,
imperfect as it is, might serve to waken the Attention of some ingenious
Physician, who would give himself the trouble to handle this Matter
with greater Accuracy than my small Penetration will permit me to do.

1. How many People neglect to purge themselves, and are so obstinate as
to refuse to do it, when they have the greatest need of it, and this
because of the great Distaste they have for ordinary Medicines? Will it
not be of the greatest Service to teach them to purge themselves after a
delightful Method, and even, if it was necessary, to purge them without
their knowledge? To do this, you need only mix 20 or 26 Grains of
_Jalap_ in Powder, (more or less, according to the Age and Strength of
the Person) with so much Powder of Cinnamon as is common for a Dish of
Chocolate, and to give this Dish as if it were ordinary Chocolate. I
have had great Experience of this, it is a good Purge without Griping;
several have mistaken the Effect for the Benefit of Nature only, being
entirely ignorant of the officious Deceit which I made use of for their
sakes. What Advantages may not there be drawn from this Method of
Purging apply'd to Children, who are so backward to take any thing that
has the least ill Taste?

2. The Preparations of the _Cortex_, both Galenical and Chymical, have
not succeeded. Its Infusion in Wine, heretofore so much cry'd up,
contains but a part of the Vertue; for the _Faeces_, or the Bark that
remains at the bottom of the Bottle, has Strength enough to cure the
intermitting Fever. Thus after a thousand fruitless Trials, it is now
given again in Substance, reduced to a very fine Powder, which is either
made into _Bolus's_, or taken in Water. This Practice however is
attended with several Inconveniences; for a great many People,
especially Children, cannot swallow it in _Bolus's_. The same
Inconveniences follow the other Way of taking it in Water, and is
neither less troublesome, nor less nauseous.

To avoid all this, a Dram of the _Cortex_ reduced to a fine[1] Powder,
and finely searced, and afterwards ground dry on a Porphyry, with the
Cinnamon designed for a Dish of Chocolate, and mixed in the Chocolate
with more Sugar than ordinary, may be taken without the least
Reluctancy, and, if necessary, without being perceived: The Person will
be nourished at the same time much better than with Broth, which is
easily corrupted by a feverish Stomach; neither will the Particles of
the _Cortex_ offe