An Account of the Extraordinary Medicinal Fluid, called Aether. | Page 4

or by
a Dose of _Manna_, or _Glauber's Salts_, taken occasionally.

The AETHER is an extraordinary Diuretic in DROPSIES: It is an
excellent Medicine in an ASTHMA, and the HICCUP; and may be
looked upon as a Specific in that Disease of Children called the
HOOPING- COUGH, or CHIN-COUGH; in all which Cases it must be
taken inwardly, according to the General Direction below, and the
repetition of the Dose must be regulated by the violence of the Disease.
A Dose of it taken at going to Bed after Drinking too freely, has been
found to prevent the Head-Ach, Sickness, &c, which usually follow
next Morning.
It has removed DEAFNESS, and Hardness of Hearing, by Moistening a
little Cotton with a few Drops of it, putting it into the Ear, and holding
the Finger for a few Minutes over it, at the same time snuffing a few
Drops of it, mixed with Spirit of Lavender, up the Nostrils, or putting a
bit of Rag wet with the AETHER, up the Nostrils.
It has frequently removed a temporary DIMNESS OF SIGHT, attended
with a Swimming or Uneasiness in the Head, by external Application to
the Forehead; and is a promising Medicine in that Sort of Blindness
called a GUTTA SERENA, and in Beginning CATARACTS, in which
Cases it should be taken inwardly, as well as applied to the Forehead,
and up the Nostrils.
It is likewise found to, be of great service in removing PLEURITIC
PAINS, and STITCHES in the Side, by applying it to the affected Part,
in the Manner directed for external Application.

_The Method of taking the AETHER Inwardly._
The General Dose for a grown Person is a common Tea Spoonful; and
the best Vehicle to take it in is a Draught of Cold Water. If it be only
stirred, in the Water with the Spoon, and the Mixture drank
immediately it strikes the Nostrils by it's Volatility, but may be thought
by some as agreeable when so taken as when the two Liquors, are more
intimately mixed, by shaking them in a Phial, and from thence pouring
them into a Glass to be drank; for tho' it has but little Smell in this
Manner, it is more warm to the Palate than in the other. The Patient
may use, the Way of Mixing he likes best, and if he has any Objection
to Water, may take it in any other agreeable cold Liquor. Children in
the Month may take two or three Drops for a Dose; those of a Year old
may take seven or eight Drops; those of five or six Years old may take

from twenty to twenty-five Drops, and so encreasing according to their
Years: Or it may perhaps be better, in giving it to Children, to mix a
Tea Spoonful of AETHER, with a convenient Quantity of Water, and,
shaking it well, give at a Dose about one twentieth Part of this Mixture
to a Child a Month old; about one eighth Part to a Child twelve or
fourteen Months old; to those about five Years old one third Part of the
Mixture; half of the Mixture to those about seven Years old, and two
thirds of it to those about fourteen Years old.

_The Method of applying the AETHER Externally._
To apply it Externally, you must procure a Bit of Linen Rag, of such a
Dimension as to be conveniently covered by the Palm of the Hand;
moisten this Rag with a little of the AETHER as it lies upon your Palm,
and instantly apply it to the Part affected, pressing it very close, so as to
prevent the Escape of it's Fumes, for two or three Minutes, in which
Time the Rag will be found dry, and may be taken away. It will be
more convenient, on some Occasions, (as in applying it to Paralytic
Parts, Rheumatic Pains, and the Gout,) to place the Rag upon a Piece of
a soft, thin Bladder and, when moisten'd with the AETHER, to bind it
gently upon the Part. A slight Redness usually appears upon the Part
after the Application, but it quickly vanishes; but it may sometimes
happen, where the Skin is very tender and too much AETHER has been
applied to the Forehead, or within the Ears, that it may affect the Skin
more than the Patient chooses; which is avoided by applying a less
Quantity for the future. This is the Secret of a present famous
Practitioner, who having a Method sometimes of concealing his
Application, is said to, cure the Head-ach, fixed Rheumatic Pains, &c.
by the Touch of his Hand.
It is very easy to conceive, from the extreme Subtlety of this Medicine,
that it must produce many excellent Effects in such Diseases as those
above mentioned, as it