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I am dissapointed in the solution of Guaicum not answering as
a Laxative, and as in large doses it may be too heating I cannot
advise your Lordship to take it in the quantity that might
be necessary to render it laxative: and for that, you must trust
to the Radcliffe Elixir or some other medicine which your
experience has taught You to answer that purpose by, in a
certain and easy way & that is without much purging.

But still I am persuaded that Guaiacum is useful to all
Gouty persons when taken in the quantity that is not very hea¬
ting; and at times when the gouty disposition of itself produces
some feverish heat the Guaiacum should be entirely laid aside.

I am very well pleased that your Lordship should have it pre¬
pared at home, tho I have a settled aversion to giving prescrip¬
tions to any but apothecaries; but my respect for your Lordship
prevents my refusing &cc. I have no experience of Guaiac
failing by any length of keeping but I do not know what may
possibly happen in twenty years, & the Copperas or as I un¬
derstand it the very green appearance of the Gum gives some

Of Gum Guaiac & the double refined hardest sugar, take of each a
quarter of an ounce. Put them into a marble mortar & rub them
together till the Guaiac is reduced to a very fine powder: then take
an ounce of Gum Arabic, dissolve it in four table spoonfuls of
boiling water. Strain it thro a linnen cloth as hot as it can be
handled squeezing out the mucilage very strongly. The mucilage
thus obtained is to be put to the Guaiacum & sugar, and rubbed
w these till the whole is intimately & uniformly mixed. If the muci¬
lage does not afford so much moisture as to allow the whole
to be rubbed very perfectly: a teaspoonful of boiling water
m. b. added from time to time till the mixture is made compleat.
When this is done, make a mixture of six ounces of Penny royal
water & two ounces of french brandy. Add this mixture by
little & little to the matter in the mortar rubbing always in the
mean time till the whole is united together, when it is to be put
into a Phial well corked & put by in a cool place. The best mark
of this solution's being well made, is, when the Gum does not
fall readily or copiously to the bottom of the Phial or that when
it does fall it is easily by shaking brought up again and uni¬
formerly diffused amongst the liquor. This shaking up should
always be practised carefully, when a dose of solution is to
be taken & the solution should never be Left so long as that
grow mouldy or the Gum falls down in a manner not to be easily
shaked up again, nor so long as to grow mouldy or shew any other
signs of spoiling.

NB. In preparing the above an iron mortar might be em¬
ployed, but by no means a brass one and a hard marble one is the
safest of all.