Observations on antimony E-Book

John Millar

• Herausgeber: Science & Technology Publishing
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 66

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

Observations on Antimony: Read before the Medical Society of London, and published at their request is a seminal medical treatise from the late 18th century, offering a comprehensive exploration of the medicinal uses, effects, and controversies surrounding antimony—a widely debated therapeutic agent of its time. The author, drawing upon both personal clinical experience and a thorough review of contemporary medical literature, presents a detailed analysis of antimony’s pharmacological properties, methods of preparation, and modes of administration. The book delves into the historical context of antimony’s use, tracing its journey from alchemical curiosity to a staple in the physician’s pharmacopeia, and addresses the skepticism and opposition it faced from various quarters of the medical community. Through a series of meticulously documented case studies and observations, the author examines the efficacy of antimonial preparations in treating a range of ailments, including fevers, inflammatory diseases, and other common disorders of the era. The narrative is enriched by discussions on dosage, potential side effects, and the importance of careful patient monitoring, reflecting the evolving standards of medical practice. The treatise also engages with the ethical considerations of medical experimentation and the responsibilities of practitioners in adopting new remedies. Published at the request of the Medical Society of London, this work not only serves as a valuable historical document but also as a testament to the spirit of scientific inquiry and debate that characterized the Enlightenment period in medicine. It provides modern readers with insight into the challenges and triumphs of early pharmacology, the complexities of medical consensus, and the enduring quest for effective treatments. Observations on Antimony remains a significant contribution to the history of medicine, illustrating the dynamic interplay between empirical observation, theoretical speculation, and clinical practice.

Leseprobe

OBSERVATIONSON ANTIMONY,

Read before the Medical Society of London, And published at their Request,

BY JOHN MILLAR, M. D.

LONDON:Printed for J. Johnson, No. 72, St. Paul’s Church-yard, and D. Wilson and G. Nicol in the Strand, MDCCLXXIV.

TO THE MEMBERSOF THE MEDICAL SOCIETYOFLONDON.

GENTLEMEN,

The following observations having been honoured with your approbation, are now published at your request, and presented to you as a testimony of the author’s respectful regard.

Candour requires him to acknowledge that some gentlemen of the Society were averse to the publication, judging that the free censure of popular opinions would rather provoke resentment than produce reformation. Not deterred from his purpose, he has availed himself of their friendly cautions to obviate some objections which may be made to the design.

The account of the earlier chymists may, on a superficial view, appear superfluous; but it was thought necessary to illustrate the Medical History of Antimony, and to shew how little credit is due to those writers whose exaggerated praises of that medicine have contributed so much to mislead and abuse mankind.

It may be objected that the author has not himself assayed the antimonial ores, nor repeated the chymical processes. But by drawing the chymical and mineralogical materials from other sources, all imputation of prejudice or partiality, on his part, is prevented, since he appeals to the testimony of the patrons of antimony themselves, for the authenticity of the facts by which some of their opinions are subverted.

I am,

GENTLEMEN,

Your most obedient, and most humble servant,

John Millar.

Pall Mall, April 2, 1774.

THE CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION

Page 1

SECTION I.

Some Account of the earlier Chymists, and of their opinions concerning Antimony

4

SECTION II.

Of the Natural History of Antimony

13

SECTION III.

Of the Chymical Properties and Analysis of Antimony

27

SECTION IV.

Of the Antimonial Preparations and their Medical Effects

48

SECTION V.

Of the Secret Antimonial Medicines, and particularly of the Fever-Powder

71

OBSERVATIONSON ANTIMONY.

INTRODUCTION.

Read 1st and 15th Febry. 1774.

Remedies have often acquired reputation without sufficient evidence of their innocence and efficacy. Some have been introduced by an injudicious application of the theory of the schools, others by rash and precipitate conclusions drawn from partial experiment, and many by a refined species of imposition on the credulity of mankind, veiled under the specious pretence of strict morality, extensive benevolence, and disinterested love of science.

It is not surprising that a steady exertion of these arts should prevail, when we consider that physicians, whose duty it is intelligently to examine these boasted remedies, and if frivolous or dangerous, to expose and resist the patrons of them, have too often contributed to establish the deceit. Some are borne along by the torrent of vulgar prejudice; while others stand aloof beholding, with indignant pride, the triumph of imposture; and many judging a compliance with popular prejudices their surest and safest course, unite in supporting error and imposition, and in confirming the most pernicious practices.

Thus is the publick confidence betrayed, the art of physick brought into contempt, bold and extravagant assertions gain ground, and dangerous remedies are established.

The common interest calls us to expose these intrigues, since men do not knowingly sacrifice life and health, but are unwarily misled by misrepresentation. Let us therefore unite in promoting a safe and effectual practice, and in repelling the common enemies of science and of mankind.

Among the delusions of the present age, one of the most dangerous is the universal belief of the perfect innocence and superlative efficacy of antimony. The extensive use of this mineral demands our particular attention, since it not only obtains among regular physicians, but has been generally adopted in domestic practice. But if its reputation shall appear to have been raised by falsehood or misrepresentation, it becomes us to resist that tyrannical fashion by which it hath been established.

SECTION I.Some Account of the ancient Chymists, and of their opinions concerning Antimony.

Antimony was originally used by the Chymists, who, as they pretended to preternatural illumination, affected to conceal from the vulgar and profane, the sacred mysteries of the adepts, who arrogantly stiled themselves the favourites of Heaven. An exact chronological account is not to be expected in an art which took its rise among illiterate Miners, and in the most superstitious country in the world. How long it was cultivated by the lower set of people, with whom it originated, is uncertain; but Trismegistus, having, as is believed, first treated it in a scientifical manner, has been honoured by his successors as the Inventor and founder of the art. He is stiled a philosopher, a priest and a King, is said to have been instructed in all manner of learning, to have been the Inventor of medicine among the Egyptians, and to have lived about fifteen hundred years before the christian æra, or according to some about the time of Moses.

Chymistry, among the Egyptians, was joined to the magic art, it passed, thus corrupted, from them to the Arabians, where it was rendered still more unintelligible; and, in the course of the pilgrimages, and warlike expeditions to the holy land, it was imported into Europe, during the dark ages of ignorance, where it was still further vitiated by those impostors who scrupled not to corrupt the christian doctrines, and to pervert a religion, instituted to promote the happiness of mankind, to the purpose of oppressing them, by erecting, under the pretence of obedience to its precepts, a temporal and spiritual dominion over all whom they could intimidate or deceive.

In these rude times, when the nations of Europe were overwhelmed with ignorance and slavery, it was not to be expected that Chymistry could be much reformed. The little learning of that age was confined to the ecclesiastical orders, who avowedly reprobated all knowledge which was not derived from divine illumination.

Hence we find the chymical writers of that period boasting of their weakness, yielding up all confidence in their faculties, glorying in what they termed poverty of spirit, which was a state of absolute quietism, and betaking themselves to the invocation of supernatural assistance, on which they depended for that information which had been wisely placed within the reach of their natural capacity. An implicit submission to these monkish tenets was, however, strictly enforced, and all who presumed to depart from them, called forth the severest censures of the catholic church.

But, even in those times of ignorance an ecclesiastic arose worthy of a better age and happier fate. Roger Bacon, undaunted by the terrors of the church, boldly attempted to stem the torrent of superstition, and recal the world to truth and sound philosophy. Such of his writings as yet remain, are composed in a rational, manly stile, void of hypocrisy and dissimulation. He leads us to examine the works of nature and of art, chastly distinguishing those from the sacred truths of revelation, and clearly demonstrating their united operations to be far more wonderful than the pretended miracles of those who boasted of supernatural assistance, whom he justly censures as amusing the ignorant with the fumes of drunkenness, or the ravings of a distempered brain.

The age in which he lived was too much depressed to be roused by his vigorous efforts; and his laudable attempts to emancipate the christian world from that slavish ignorance in which it was held, were, for very obvious reasons, severely censured by the Roman church: he was arraigned, condemned, and cast into prison, where he was exhausted by a tedious confinement and severe penance[1], and soon after fell a victim to the vengeance of his enemies.

The papal tyranny having thus prevailed against the strenuous efforts of this rational and intelligent philosopher, it was easy, under the pretence of exalted devotion, to suppress more feeble attempts toward improvement and reformation.

But those high pretensions to extraordinary sanctity have been so often used as a cloak, by men of an intriguing spirit, that they are now justly deemed suspicious; and we need only look into the lives and writings of the ecclesiastical chymists to be convinced that they were assumed by them, to cover their ignorance, ambition, and dissolute manners. An overweening conceit of their own opinions, and an arrogant contempt for those of others, is, notwithstanding all their pretensions to humility and self-denial, the genuine characteristic of those hypocritical writers. Thus we find them extolling themselves to the disparagement of all mankind. Ye doctors of physick and surgery, says Basil Valentine, come to me, a religious person, and servant of God, I will shew you what ye have never seen, I will make manifest to you the way of health and salvation, which you have not yet known.[2]

In delivering their chymical processes, an invocation of God is the first precept, and they, then, proceed in the name of the Lord. But not content with having magnified themselves beyond their equals, they address their disciples in the stile and manner of the founder of the christian religion: I warn you, says the same ecclesiastical chymist, my disciple and apostle, if you would imitate me, you must take up your cross, and suffer as I have suffered, and learn to bear persecution as I also have done[3]