virtues reside in acrid oil, and the secondary effects of spirituous liquors. It is therefore a fair question, Whether the spirituous menstruum with which this nostrum is made, does not, in some degree, destroy or counteract the peculiar pro perties of the ginger?-We would likewise ask Dr. " Pearson, as a Member of the Royal College of Physicians, What advantage this preparation has over the tincture zingiberis of the pharmacopoeia of that College?

We can scarcely believe that Dr. Pearson, as a philosophical chymist, in giving Mr. Oxley perInission to use his name, thereby meant to patronize an arcanum-we always conceived that among true philosophers there is no such thing as a secret: and that it is inconsistent with the spirit of philosophy, must be allowed, and derogatory to a liberal profession.

Nor can we suppose that Dr. Pearson, as a physician, meant to sanction the indiscriminate exhibition of this medicine as a remedy for those diseases, for which it is so much extolled by the proprietor.

In BILIOUS DISORDERS it is stated positively "that it never fails to correct a vitiated "state or condition of that most useful fluid, of "which it equally checks a redundancy, and

promotes a proper discharge." In the cholera morbus, which consist in a redundancy of bile, attended with violent vomitting and purging, diluents and the most cooling medicines are recommended to weaken and obviate the effects of the acrimony of the bile; in such cases what must be the consequence of a dose of the concentrated essence of ginger? Bilious complaints are often the effect of inflammation of the liver, in which case every prudent practitioner must condemn the

use of ginger, or any stimulating medicine, whicht must tend to promote suppuration, the prevention of which is the object of practice. An obstruction of the biliary duct is a very common cause of bilious disorders, in which case the object of the physician is to prevent inflammation in the duct, and to relax the parts in order to facilitate the passage of the obstructing body-neither of these ends are likely to be attained by ginger, but on the contrary, the most serious mischief is likely to be the consequence of its exhibition. The term bilious, has been introduced by designing quacks, in order to impose their antibilious medicines on the credulous and ignorant, and in this respect they have so far succeeded, that there are very few ladies or gentlemen that do not more or less complain of being bilious, to the great annoyance of the regular practitioner. All dyspeptic symptoms are now attributed to the bile, and it is very common to find people complaining of a redundancy of bile in the stomach, when there is every symptom of a deficiency of that secretion. A variety of morbid actions have been attributed to the bile by quacks, which we shall notice when we come to consider of the Rev. Mr. Barclay's antibilious pills.

Rheumatic complaints are both chronic and inflammatory; if the essence of ginger be therefore proper in one kind, it must on the same principle be injurious in the other.-The lumbago and sciatica are in young people often attended with considerable fever, and even local inflammation, in which the internal and external use of the concentrated essence of ginger might from its stimulating property promote extensive suppuration, which we have known often to follow the injudicious use of stimulants, and which, in spite of the first sur

gical abilities, have terminated fatal. Rheumatic pains are generally so much involved in ambiguity, that they should never be tampered with, as by a trifling mistake the patient may lose his life. Dyspepsia is often the consequence of organic disease of the stomach, particularly the pylorus, in people addicted to the use of spirituous liquors, in which case the stimulus of ginger must prove hurtful, and in all cases of indigestion, we believe that ginger alone would prove of temporary advantage, and the symptom would probably return on its being discontinued; this we generally find to be the case in stomach complaints when relieved by aromatics. Cramp, and pains in the stomach and bowels are generally symptomatic of inflammation, when the internal use of the essence of ginger would be highly improper.

The term nervous comprehends a class of diseases, which arise from very different causes and very opposite in their nature some being attended with an increased, and others with a diminished excitement. If, therefore, it be applicable to one, it must from the same circumstance be injurious in another.

Mr. Oxley, like many of his cotemporary advertisers, concludes his remarks by observing, that "no family ought to be without this valua"ble preparation of ginger, as it is now become

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one of the most necessary medicines in the "Materia Medica." We did not know that the essence of ginger had been introduced in the Materia Medica, and we have no hesitation in asserting that it never will.

In opposition to the opinion of Dr. George Pearson, and those medical gentlemen whom Mr. Oxley states to have approved of his concentrated essence, but who, we suppose, are ashamed of

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their names appearing publicly in its recommendation, we shall quote the observations of a popular writer, with which we shall conclude.-This Author after narrating the properties, &c. of ginger, observes,

"A tincture of ginger has been sold under the "name of essence of ginger, and lately puffed off "in the public prints, as superior to the ginger in "substance. The rectified spirit of wine with "which it is made, must counteract its peculiar salutary aromatic, and the preparation cannot contain its mucilage, to which, in cures of gout and indigestion, much of its efficacy is "attributable."

BY THE KING'S PATENT,

WHITEHEAD'S ESSENCE OF MUSTARD, "A safe and effectual remedy for rheumatisms, gout, "rheumatic gout, sciatica, lumbago, numbness, palsy, flatulencies, head-ach, pains of the sto"mach, sprains, bruises, chilblains, &c. prepared

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only, and sold wholesale and retail, by the in"ventor, R. Johnson, Apothecary, Greek Street.”

"It is universally acknowledged (observes the "proprietor,) that mustard is a plant possessed "of the most powerful virtues; its reputation as a medicine for the rheumatism, gout, lum

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bago, and palsy, has been established for ages. "Amidst an innumerable variety of remedies for "these inveterate diseases, which have succes

sively risen and fallen in public estimation-

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"Mustard has successfully stood the test of experience. But the faculty have ever observed, and the afflicted feelingly regretted, that the use of this invaluable medicine is, in all cases, "attended with disagreeable circumstances." He further states, that "mustard is found upon analysis, to be clogged with so many impurities, and "its medicinal virtues so widely diffused and' closely united with the gross parts, that persons "afflicted with the gout, rheumatism, &c. can"not take a dose sufficiently large, without nauseating the stomach, and if externally applied "it irritates and inflames in a most violent manner; were it not for these causes, it is highly probable other remedies would have been unnecessary!!!"

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"To render therefore so excellent a medicine "universally beneficial, every inconvenience is " entirely removed in WHITEHEAD'S ESSENCE OF MUSTARD. It is prepared in PILLS, and in a FLUID STATE, for the convenience of external "and internal use, and is so perfectly innocent, "that it may be used by persons of every age."

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For this invaluable discovery, the proprietor, it appears, has obtained a PATENT, but on what grounds it could have been solicited or granted by the legislature we cannot surmise. As this nostrum was first invented by Mr. Johnson, and still continued to be made by him, why it should be named Whitehead's, appears to us somewhat extraordinary. It seems to indicate that Mr. Johnson was at first ashamed to have his name affixed to it, from the consciousness of its neither deserving the title or character he has given it.

We do not find on examination, that this valuable preparation is, from its composition, entitled