Of the bad effects of mercury on the constitution much might be said. Treatises have been written on mercurial pox, a species reported to be much the most violent; and others have detailed an accumulation of evils, under the title of mercurial disease. There is no doubt that extensive, deep, and sloughy ulcers of the throat are produced by mercury; and of this I witnessed the following unexceptionable instance:—The fauces presented one extensive mass of ulceration, sloughing at its margins, and the uvula was almost detached. The patient was an old and emaciated woman, who neither had, nor could be supposed to have, any venereal complaints. She employed herself in coating mirrors with quicksilver, and to that she ascribed her malady. In fact, her system had been long under the influence of mercury, in consequence of her occupation. When I visited her, her daughter and husband, the latter of whom was paralytic, and almost bedridden, were affected, from the same cause, with a pustular eruption of the face, with disease of the nostrils, and snivelling. Another old woman had numerous and deep ulcers of the fauces, tongue, and lips, having been kept unmercifully under mercury for nine continuous months. She had, besides, taken it from time to time, for upwards of four years, though her sole complaint was slight sore throat. Pains of the joints, too, I believe, are attributable to the use of mercury. That medicine has no power to prevent the occurrence of nodes, for these often form during its action. Affections of the periosteum are very frequent in horses and other lower animals, and also easily excited in some human subjects who have neither had pox nor been put under mercury; but in no instance of venereal disease have I observed serious affections of the bones where mercury had not been given. Even the advocates for mercurialising speak of mercurial nodes. It has been asserted that nodes do not occur when mercury has been given for liver or other complaints; but they do form under such circumstances, though not so frequently as when the medicine has been exhibited during venereal symptoms. A cachectic state is often induced by a continued use of mercurial preparations, or at least by mercury and disease together, in constitutions not originally strong. It is marked by pale lips; bloodless conjunctiva; a rough anserine skin; a relaxed state of the mucous membranes; hemorrhages from these, particularly from the gums, which may prove fatal, as I have myself witnessed; exfoliations of the alveolar processes; slimy stools; pale urine; pains of the limbs; sores, showing great indolence, or even assuming malignant action; dropsical symptoms, and other evils, of which a lengthened catalogue might be made out. Such symptoms were often met with when mercury was exhibited for every trifling or suspected sign of disease arising from carnal conjunction. On this subject, Mr. Samuel Cooper has well remarked: “Experience has