MEDICINE.——The vulgar are remarkably credulous with regard to the cure of the scrophula; many of them believing in the virtue of the royal touch, that of the seventh son, &c. The truth is, we know but little either of the nature or cure of this disease, and where reason or medicines fail, superstition always comes in their place. Hence it is, that in diseases which are the most difficult to understand, we generally hear of the greatest number of miraculous cures being performed. Here, however, the deception is easily accounted for. The scrophula, at a certain period of life, often cures of itself; and, if the patient happens to be touched about this time, the cure is imputed to the touch, and not to Nature, who is really the physician. In the same way the insignificant nostrums of quacks and old women often gain applause when they deserve none. There is nothing more pernicious than the custom of plying children in the scrophula with strong purgative medicines. People imagine it proceeds from humours which must be purged off, without considering that these purgatives increase the debility and aggravate the disease. It has indeed been found, that keeping the body gently open for some time, especially with sea-water, has a good effect; but this should only be given in gross habits, and in such quantity as to procure one, or at most two stools every day. Bathing in the salt-water has likewise a very good effect, especially in the warm season. I have often known a course of bathing in salt-water, and drinking it in such quantities as to keep the body gently open, cure a scrophula, after many other medicines had been tried in vain. When salt-water cannot be obtained, the patient may be bathed in fresh water, and his body kept open by small quantities of salt and water, or some other mild purgative. Next to cold bathing, and drinking the salt-water, we would recommend the Peruvian bark. The cold bath may be used in summer, and the bark in winter. To an adult half a drachm of the bark in powder may be given in a glass of red wine four or five times a-day. Children, and such as cannot take it in substance, may use the decoction made in the following manner: Boil an ounce of Peruvian bark and a drachm of Winter’s bark, both grossly powdered, in an English quart of water to a pint: towards the end half an ounce of sliced liquorice-root, and a handful of raisins may be added, which will both render the decoction less disagreeable, and make it take up more of the bark. The liquor must be strained, and two, three, or four table-spoonfuls, according to the age of the patient, given three times a-day. The Moffat and Harrowgate waters, especially the latter, are likewise very proper medicines in the scrophula. They ought not however to be drank in large quantities, but should be taken so as to keep the body gently open, and must be used for a considerable time.