SOME OBSERVATIONS Made upon the HERB called Perigua, Imported from the INDIES: SHOWING Its Admirable Virtues in Curing the DIABETES.  
Written by a Dr. of Physic in the Country to Dr. Burwell, Precedent of the College of Physicians at London.  
LONDON, Printed in the Year 1694.   

SOME OBSERVATIONS Made upon the HERB called Perigua; SHOWING Its Admirable Virtues in Curing the Diabetes. In a LETTER, etc.  
SIR,  
I Thought fit to give you an Account of the Success I find in the Use of the Herb Mr. Boil sent me, in Curing that sad and deplorable Distemper known by the Name of Diabetes, or making abundance of Water, which quickly Ends in Death, and contemns the best of our European Remedies.  
I find it an Excellent Medicine, it sometimes gently Purgeth, and sometimes Vomits, sometimes neither only promotes insensible transpiration, according as it finds Nature disposed, and by a peculiar quality it Cures the  Distemper.  
I gave the Tincture of this Herb three Months together in Wine and Water to a Merchant who had lived in Turkey, and had been Baunioed for it, and used all the Remedies that Country could afford; but finding no help there came over into England, and this Medicine, with God's Blessing, Cured him, his immoderate Evacuation ceased, his Water came to be of a good Colour, and saltish taste, his Thirst abaited, and he recovered his Flesh and his Strength, tho' brought very low by the Distemper.  
An old Man who was reduced to a mere Anatomy by the prevalency of this Disease, and several Physicians had delivered their Prognostics, that there was no hopes of Recovery, because their ordinary Methods of Cure had failed them, yet I gave the Tincture of this Herb upon the Report that Mr. boil had given of it, and I found it wonderfully answering Expectation. I have written to Mr. Box at London to send me down what can be procured at any tolerable rates.  
I find admirable Success by giving the Tincture in Decoctions of China Root, and sometimes in Heart's horn Drink, the Horn being first Calcined.  
The Learned Marchioness of Dorchester, who was an excellent Physician, told me by way of Lamentation, that most Physicians of his Acquaintance did pertinatiously jog on in the old Road of Vomiting, Purging, Bleeding, Blistering, Sweeting, Urining; and if that would not do, they'd rather let their Patients die than prescribe a Specific.  
I also used the same Medicine in the Cure of a middle Aged Man, who made much more Urine that what proceeded from his liquid Aliment, so that all his radical Moisture, seemed to be dried up, like a Brook in Summer. I only directed him to a temperate, moist and nourishing sort of Diet, that might help to incrascate the thinness of the Humours, and also Correct the Acrimony of the Blood, and nourish the macerated Habit of the Body, such as Broths made of Knuckles of Veal, and Panado's, and Caudles of Newlaid Eggs, and Milk boiled with Water and Pearl Barley, and sometimes with Rice. This Method, with the Tincture of this Specific, wrought a wonderful Cure.  
This Disease is very dangerous in Old Men, by reason of the decay of the Natural Heat; and it is hard to Cure in young Men, because they will seldom be obliged to observe Rules, and therefore it usually brings into Consumptions, all their Nourishment running away by Urine.  
I lately knew a Country Gentleman who drank his Bottle at his Club every Night, seven Months in the Year, when he was at London, and by that means brought himself into this Disease: Much Advice was taken, and many of the ordinary Shop-Medicines were used, but all in vain: Six hours before he died his Friends desired the Drops drawn out of this Indian Herb, but it was too late.  
I also knew a Clergyman who drank abundance of Tea, and whatever Friends came to visit, he must drink three or four dishes with them; at length it brought him into this Distemper: I gently purged him with Syrup of Mirabolans, desired him to quench a piece of Gold in all his drink, and gave him twenty Drops of the Tincture of this Herb, with the Extract and Spirit of the same in his Spoon-meat and he wonderfully escaped with his Life.  
An Eminent Physician, my Neighbour, who suspected himself going into the same Disease, and hearing of this Specific, desired a little of it, and told me he owed his Life under God to this Medicine. These things I thought fit to acquaint you with, that you may tell others.  
FINIS.