MEDICAL RECIPES OF THE SEVENTEENTn CENTURY. 77

Countess of Denbigh 40"." It appears, however, that Floyer had even greater reHance on the sovereign virtues of cold Avatcr, administered externally. He spared no pains to in- culcate on sufferers from rheumatism, nervous disorders, and other maladies, the virtue of cold bathing, and maintained that the prevalence of consumption in this country dated only from the time when baptism by immersion had been discontinued. This remarkable feature in his medical prac- tice brought Floyer into special favour with the Baptists, and their annalist, Crosby, cites repeatedly his " Enquiry into the right use of Baths," and his " Essay to restore the Dip- ping of Infants," in support of their dogma in regard to the proper administration of the rite. It must not be forgotten that Sir John had faith in the time-honoured practice of having recourse to the Royal Touch ; by his advice, it is believed, Dr. Johnson, when an infant, was conveyed to London to benefit by the healing powers of Queen Anne. The identical golden angel suspended by a riband on the occasion by the Queen's hand is now preserved in the British ]Museum, and has been figured in this Journal, vol. x. p. 198. The belief in such inherent virtue was, however, general amongst the faculty, both in this country and in France. A learned prelate, in a careful examination of such miraculous gifts, quotes the testimony of the Sergeant-Surgeon to Queen Anne, affirming that the facts " cannot be denied without resisting evidence far from contemptible." ' " Some singular recipes are contained at Amsterdam in 1603. In the course of in a small volume kindly brought by Sir the work the author speaks of the won- Jervoise C. Jervoise, Bart., in illustration derful cures effected by Robert Flud, a of the above subject. It is entitled " La "savant Anglois," by a process of trans- Physiiiue occulte, ou trait<5 de la Baguette plantation which de Vallemont evidently Divinatoire," by M. de Vallemont, printed favoured.