Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 18th century
‘She has a most excellent Dyet Drink which cures the worst of
Consumptions, or any Impurity of the Blood: And an Antiscorbutick
spirit, which, being taken one spoonful in the Morning, and another
at Night, with moderate Exercise, cures the _Scurvy_, tho’ never so
far gone, and all broke out in Blotches: with many other Secrets in
Physick, which you may be satisfied in when you speak with her.... She
has an approved Remedy for Barrenness in Women.’
Very late in the preceding century (he died May 12, 1691), there was a
most famous quack, Dr. Thomas Saffold, one of whose handbills I give as
a curiosity:
‘Dear Friends, let your Disease be what God will,
Pray to Him for a Cure--try _Saffold’s_ Skill,
Who may be such a healing Instrument
As will Cure you to your own Heart’s Content.
His Medicines are Cheap, and truly Good,
Being full as safe as your daily Food.
Saffold he can do what may be done, by
Either Physick or true Astrology:
His Best Pills, Rare Elixirs, and Powder,
Do each Day Praise him Lowder and Lowder.
Dear Country-men, I pray be you so Wise, }
When Men Back-bite him, believe not their Lyes, }
But go see him and believe your own Eyes; }
Then he will say you are Honest and Kind,
Try before you Judge, and Speak as you Find.
‘By _Thomas Saffold_, an Approved and Licensed Physician and Student
in Astrology, who (through God’s Mercy), to do good, still liveth at
the _Black Ball_ and Old _Lilly’s Head_, next Door to the Feather-Shops
that are within _Black-fryers_ Gate-way, which is over against
_Ludgate_ Church, just by _Ludgate_ in _London_. Of him the Poor,
Sore, Sick, and Lame may have Advice for nothing, and proper Medicines
for every particular Distemper, at reasonable Rates ready prepared,
with plain Directions how to use them, to cure either Men, Women, or
Children of any Disease or Diseases afflicting any Body, whether inward
or outward, of what Name or Nature soever (if Curable); Also of this
you may be sure, he hath Medicines to prevent as well as Cure.
‘Lastly, He doth with great certainty and privacy: Resolve all manner
of Lawful Questions, according to the Rules of Christian Astrology, and
more than Twenty One Years’ Experience.’
Talk of modern quacks--they are but second-rate to Saffold! His
_Pillulæ Londinenses_, or London pills, were advertised that ‘not only
the meaner sort of all Ages and each Sex, but people of Eminence, both
for their Rank in the World and their parts, have found admirable
success in taking these Pills.’
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account