piric first administered those powders, he usually added a small proportion of the red ptecipitate of mercury to each dose; but he soon relinquished this practice, after observing that some patients were salivated by the use of his nostrum. Hence we find that he has conscientiously annexed the following clause at the end of his specification given into Chancery: "The dose of this medicine is uncertain; but, in general, thirty grains of the antimonial, and one grain of the mercurial, is a moderate dose." Signed and sworn to by Robert James.
It is to be lamented that regular practitioners have sometimes deviated from the more rational path of medical science, and degraded themselves by following the numerous herd of quacks: nay, it is still more surprizing, that even intelligent physicians have often humoured their prejudiced patients, by prescribing those fever powders, of which the inventor himself had but an indifferent opinion. For it is a well-attested fact, that the Peruvian bark, and not the antimonial powder, was the remedy to which the late Dr. James generally trusted in the cure of fevers. He gave his powders only to clear the stomach and bowels; after effecting that purpose, he poured in the bark as freely as the patient was able to swallow it; for he has repeatedly declared to Dr. Monro (see his Medical and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, vol. i. p. 366, and foll.), that if there was a possibility of curing a fever, the bark was the remedy to be relied upon; and, if the disease did not yield to the latter, he was convinced that it could not be removed by any other medicine.—However empirical this declaration must appear to every professional man possessing a moderate share of medical knowledge, yet it is amply sufficient to evince the fallacy of Dr. James's Fever-powders, which, from the nature of their ingredients, are so violent in their operation, that we trust no prudent person will in future purchase, or use, them without submitting his case to the discretion of an unbiassed and competent judge.
FIELD, in agriculture, a piece of land inclosed, either for the purpose of tillage, or for pasture.
The best season for laying land down to grass, is the latter end of August, or the beginning of September, when the roots of the young plants will have time to strike deeply, before the frost sets in. Moist weather is the most proper for this purpose, as the earth will then be sufficiently warm, and the seeds quickly vegetate: but, if that season prove unfavourable, they may be sown in the middle of the month of March following.
In order to obtain a fine pasture, the soil should be thoroughly cleared from all noxious weeds, by repeated ploughing; for, if any of them are suffered to remain, they will speedily outgrow, and destroy the young grass. These weeds ought next to be raked up into heaps, burnt on the land, and their ashes spread as a manure; but, if the soil be clayey, and wet, it will be necessary to make some drains to carry off the water; which, if suffered to stagnate, will both chill and sour the grass. Previously to sowing, the land ought to be laid as level and as fine as possible: thus, if the grass-seeds be clean, three bushels will be sufficient for an acre. After sow-
