Part of a Letter from Mr. T. M. in Salop, to Mr. William Baxter, concerning the Strange Effects from the Eating Dog-Mercury with Remarks thereon by Hans Sloan M. D. and S. R. S.

VIII. Part of a Letter from Mr. T. M. in Salop, to Mr. William Baxter, concerning the strange effects from the eating Dog-mercury with Remarks thereon by Hans Sloan M. D. and S. R. S. W. Matthews, his Wife and Three Children, have been lately very ill, and like to dye; the occasion and manner of their Sicknes was very odd, and therefore I shall give you a particular account of both. About Three Weeks ago, the Woman went into the Fields and gathered some Herbs, and (having first Boyled them) Fryed them with Bacon for her own and her Families Supper: After they had been about Two Howrs in Bed, one of the Children (which is Dumb and about Seven Years Old) fell very Sick, and so did the other Two presently after; which obliged the Man and his Wife to Rise and take the Children to the Fire, where they Vomited and Purged, and within half an Hour fell fast asleep. They took the Children to bed as they were asleep, and they themselves went to bed too, and fell faster asleep too than ever they had done before. The Man waked the next Morning about Three Hours after his usual Time, went to his Labour at Mr Newport's, and so by the strength of his constitution carried it off; but he says, he thought his Chin had bin all the Day in a Fire, and was forced to keep his Hat full of Water by him all the Day long, and frequently dipt his Chin in it as he was at his Work. The Woman wakened a while after her Husband, and being forced to go up to look after her little Family concerns; but she was very Sick and has continued so till within these few Days, since which she is very well recovered. One of their Children slept from that Night (which was Thursday Three Weeks). till Monday Evening following; and then (having just only opened her Eyes and made Two Sprunts, without speaking one word) dyed immediately while she was asleep; endeavours were used to awaken her, but in vain. The other Two Children slept about Twenty Four Hours, and upon their wakening fell a Vomiting and Purging again, which I think saved their Lives. By Mr. Newport's and my Direction, they sent some of the same Herb to the Doctors and Apothecaries in Salop, who generally say 'tis Dog-mercury, but some say 'tis a sort of Night shade: whatever it be, 'tis certainly Poisonous, and 'tis observed that the Cattle never browse it. Matthews told me he never eat so pleasant an Herb in his Life; and his Wife says that her old Master, viz. Mr. Moxon did frequently eat of it; but I guess it to be a mistake. I know your profound Judgment and Learning in these matters, and have therefore given you this large Account. I am no herbarist, but this I observed of the Herb; 'tis branch-ed and seeded something like Spinage or Mercury, but leaved rather like Lakeweed. The leaves are dented too. Yours, T. M. SIR, The enclosed Letter was sent last April, to Mr. William Baxter, who soon after did me the Favour to show it me; I found the operations of the Plant therein mentioned to be extraordinary, and the Circumstan- ces related very particularly, and that the account was the more Surprizing if it should be Dog-mercury; which by all Writers I have perused, is reckoned innocent and to have the same Vertue with the ordinary Mercury used every day by Phisitians. On these Considerations I begg'd the Favour of Mr. Baxter, that he would please to write to the Gentleman who sent the Account, for a Dried Sample or Specimen of the Herb; which he did, and it proves to be the same they thought it was, the Stalks, Leaves and Spikes agreeing exactly in everything with those of Dog-Mercury. It is describ'd and figur'd in several Authors. Mr. Ray in his History of Plants calls it Mercurialis Perennis repens Cynocrambe dicta, p.163. Gerard calls it Cynocrambe, p. 333. Parkinson, Mercurialis Sylvestris Cynocrambe dicta vulgaris, p. 295. Theatr. Botan. Johan. Bauhine in his Second Tome, Lib. 23. Cynocrambe mas & femina sive Mercurialis repens, p.979. And Caspar Bauhine in his Pinax, p.122. Mercurialis Montana testiculata & spicata: In which Books the other Names given it by other Herbalists may be found, whither I refer you for a further Account of it. Whether the Quantity or Quality of this were the Cause of the Effects I know not, but think that every Body will do well to be cautious and wary in the use of it in such Quantities, after such a Warning. Yours, &c.