SOME OBSERVATIONS Made upon the Calumba Wood, Otherwise called CALUMBACK: Imported from The INDIES: SHOWING Its Admirable VIRTUES in Curing the GOUT, and Easing all sorts of Rhumatical Pains.  
Written by a Doctor of Physic in the Country, to the Precedent of the College of Physicians in London.  
LONDON, Printed in the Year 1694.   

SOME OBSERVATIONS Made upon the Calumba Wood, IMPORTED FROM The INDIES: In a LETTER, etc.  
SIR,  
WE are told by good Historians, that before Physic was reduced into Art and Method, the Custom was to carry Sick Persons into Streets and Markets, and such places of public Concourse, that they might have Opportunity to inform those that passed by what their Complaints were: And also to hear what experienced Remedies they could communicate to them. And this Method with God's Blessing hath proved Advantageous to the Relief of Multitudes.  
I'll now tell you an excellent Specific that I have found admirably useful against the Gout, easing all sorts of Pains both external and internal, it is that excellent Drug called the Calumback Wood: It corrects those flatulent Acrimonious Humours which afflict not only the Joints, but also the Periostia of the Bones, the Muscles of the Body, and the Membranes of the Stomach and Bowels, and by its Alcalizate Quality it destroys those Acidities which put Nature upon the Rack; and this it doth by cleansing and strengthening, without creating any disturbance to Nature, but leaving the parts more firm and strong, and less subject to receive new Defluxions, whereby the returns of the Distemper are much prevented.  
Sir William Temple observes, that amongst all the Diseases into which the intemperance of this Age disposeth it, he had taken Notice of none to increase so much within the Compass of his Memory and Conversation, as the Gout, nor of any of worse Consequence to Mankind, because it falls generally upon Persons engaged in Public Affairs, upon whose Thought and Care the Service of their Country very much depends; and therefore he tells the World, that whoever proposeth a way of Curing and Preventing it, would do great Service to States and Kingdoms, as well as to private Persons.  
I knew a young Merchant who had been at the Bath for Pains and Weakness in his Limbs, and found no Relief, he took the Tincture drawn out of this Wood with Spring-water, and in two months' time was strangely recovered, and can walk ten Miles in a day.  
A young Gentlewoman extremely afflicted with Rheumatic Distempers, and by going often into Hothouses to sweat, had brought herself into Hectic Fevers, and yet could find no Ease of her Pains, until she used the Spirits and Extract drawn out of this Arthritick Wood  
An old Gouty Gentleman, about Seventy five Years of Age, who was Confined to his Bed many Months, with great Extremity of Pains, yet found Ease by the use of this Medicine, which he took sometimes in Milk, and sometimes in Wine and Water, but continued it a Month.  
A Gentlewoman about Fifty, who was Let Blood seven times in a Year for her acute and violent Pains, her Blood very foul, yet found no relief, but grew every Day weaker and fainter. I also directed her a Vitriolic Balsam, which is a kind of Potential Cautery, for it causeth Tingling, and a little Pain in the Part for the present, and draws out a moist Humour, and sometimes fetches off the Skin; this gave her great Ease, but did not totally help her, until she took the Medicines drawn out of this Specific Wood, which she did in Water-gruel, and sometimes in Tea and Coffee, and now she hath had Health and Ease many Months.  
A Humoursome Gentleman, much afflicted with the Gout, unto whom I had recommended the Use of this Wood, objected against it that 'twas an Outlandish Plant, and we had Herbs enough in our own Gardens to Cure our Distempers. I told him that Plea would never become him nor myself, who took so much Tobacco, and drank so much Coffee: Upon that he fell to the use of it, and finds much Relief by it, more than by the two former Drugs.  
A Virtuoso of my Acquaintance told me, he had read such an excellent Account given of this Wood in Mr. Ray and other Authors, that he resolved to try it, and has found it answer his Expectation, and give him help in such a Disease which is worse than Death, for that Easeth us of all Pain, and this keeps us in continual Torment.  
FINIS.