Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 18th century
There is another, which may belong to the previous century--but it is
so hard to tell, either by means of type or wood blocks--put forth
by ‘_Salvator Winter_, an _Italian_ of the City of _Naples_, Aged 98
years, Yet, by the Blessing of God, finds himself in health, and as
strong as anyone of Fifty, as to the Sensitive part; Which first he
attributes to God, and then to his _Elixir Vitæ_, which he always
carries in his pocket adayes, and at Night under his pillow; And when
he finds himself distemper’d, he taketh a Spoonful or two, according
as need requireth.‘ It is needless to say that the _Elixir_ was
warranted to cure every evil under the sun, including such diverse
maladies as catarrhs, sore eyes, hardness of hearing, toothache, sore
throat, consumption, obstructions in the stomach, and worms. The net
was arranged to catch every kind of fish. In fact, his business was so
profitable that he had a successor, ‘_Salvator Winter, Junior_,’ who
says thus: ‘My father, aged 98 years, yet enjoys his perfect health,
which, next to the blessing of God, he attributes to the _Elixir Vitæ_
having alway a bottle of it in his pocket, drinking a spoonful thereof
four or five times a day; snuffing it very strongly up his Nostrils,
and bathing his Temples; thus by prevention, he fortifies his vital
Spirits.’
Nor did the sterner sex monopolise the profession of quackdom, for
‘At the _Blew-Ball_ in _Grays-Inn Lane_, near _Holborn Barrs_, next
Door to a _Tallow-Chandler_, where you may see my Name upon a Board
over the Door, _liveth_ Elizabeth Maris, _the True German Gentlewoman_
lately arrived.’ It seems that we were much indebted to Germany for
our quacks, for ‘At the _Boot_ and _Spatter dash_,[99] next Door but
One to the _Vine Tavern_, in _Long-Acre_, near _Drury Lane_, Liveth
a German D^r. and Surgeon, Who by the blessing of GOD on his great
Pains, Travels and Experience, hath had wonderful Success in the Cure
of the Diseases following,’ &c. There was also ‘_Cornelius à Tilbourg_,
Sworn Chirurgeon in _Ordinary_ to K. _Charles_ the II., to our late
Sovereign K. _William_, as also to Her present Majesty Queen _Ann_.’
A certain _John Choke_, whose motto was ‘NOTHING WITHOUT GOD,’ and
was ‘an approved Physician; and farther, Priviledged by his Majesty,’
advertised ‘an Arcane which I had in _Germany_, from the Famous and
most Learned _Baptista Van Helmont_, of worthy Memory (whose Daughter I
Wedded), and whose Prœscripts most Physicians follow.’
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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