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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11334	Opiologia: or, A treatise concerning the nature, properties, true preparation and safe vse and administration of opium For the comfort and ease of all such persons as are inwardly afflicted with any extreame griefe, or languishing paine, especially such as depriue the body of all naturall rest, and can be cured by no other meanes or medicine whatsoeuer. Dedicated to the illustrious, high and mighty lords, the estates generall of the vnited prouinces in the Netherlands. By Angelus Sala Vincentinus Venitus. And done into English, and something inlarged by Tho. Bretnor. M. M.	Sala, Angelus, 1576-1637.; Bretnor, Thomas, fl. 1607-1618, tr., ed.	1618 (1618)	STC 21594; ESTC S101645	41,817	118

ingenerall become not only more able bodied and stronger thereby but also more apt and able to eate and digest diuers things which the tender and nice Christians cannot iudure and that the truth is so Let vs but consider a little the difference of naturall toughnes and strength betweene a Christian Paysant or Carle here amongst vs and a Gentleman or Citizen do not we see I pray you that the Paysant can more easily indure a purgation made of White Hellebore Tithymalls Euphorbium or Colocynthis which are accompted violent and venemous Medicines then these tender sparkes aforesayd can brooke Rheubarbe Mechoacan Sena Aloes or the Damaske rose But why the Turkes deuoure Opium on this fashion ought rather to be imputed vnto an ordinarie custome and common vsage among them then to any other cause whatsoeuer euen as the Indians are accustomed to take Tobacco which is a plant not onely Narcoticke and stupefactiue but of a violent and extreame vomitiue quality also Notwithstanding we see that Christians all Europe ouer by little and little haue brought themselues into such a custome and habit thereunto that they feele no alteration or preiudice at all as they thinke by the vse thereof I make no question but a man might finde a number of people among Christians that if they cannot alreadie could easily accustome themselues to eate Opium as familiarly as they take Tobacco although they could not vse ●t in such quantitie nor so often in regard it is a pure essence and extract which Nature hath seperated from its plant For essentiall things are alwaies farre more effectuall then grosse bee for confirmation whereof we neede not doubt that if a man should separate the rosinous and sulphurous substance of Tobaccao and bring it into such a consistence as Opium is and afterwards giue it vnto such as vsually take Toba●co they could not possibly indure the tenth part so much of this as of the leaues as hath beene alreadie practised and tried There be some Empericks I know which giue crude Opium to their Patiens in as great or greater quantitie at a time then Discorides hath limitted and that without any great daunger or hazard of life at all onely correcting it a little with the powder of Caraway-seed and in case of necessitie I my selfe would not sticke or make any scruple to vse it yea I durst if neede were take two or three graines thereof at a time my selfe for although I neuer did eate thereof hitherto indeed yet haue I often tasted the same and also receiued great quantitie of the sulphurous vapours both into my stomacke and head in time of the preparation thereof without any perceiuance or the least touch of any offence in the world neuerthelesse it is not my counsell that any Physition should vse it crude in this maner seeing we haue Art and meanes to prepare it otherwise The second assurance that wee haue concerning the vse of Opium is in that wee finde and see that the most expert and wisest Physitions of olde found it good and therefore prescribed this Medicine as a principall ingredient and as one of the most important bases in their chiefest compositions Alexiteries Diaphoretickes Anodynes Cordialls which naturally resist the most grieuous and violent diseases that can any waies happen to humaine bodies for which cause they vsually call them Opiate Confections as that of their Tre●cle of Andromachus their Mithridate of Danocrates their Triphera magna Aurea Alexandrina Philomuim romanum Requies Nicholai and others which they haue vsed as principall Medicines for these many hundred yeares and yet doe for they are indeed the most pretious and necessarie compositions their ordinarie Apothecaries haue The causes which moued Ancient Physitions to put Opium vnto the foresayd confections are not few seeing that its properties are to asswage all inward paines strengthē the passages conduits which are open loose disbanded precipitate disperse and consume these venemous vapours which are raised from one part to another incrassat and thicken al subtill corros●ue humors by correcting their malignitie and acrimonie stop and stay all fluxes as well Dysenterick as Menstruall appease and extinguish all extremities in burning Feuers prouoke naturall rest and sleepe to Distressed and Lunaticke persons and finally like a Balme defend the partes from corruption which operations and effects are required in all compositions which are generally ordayned to resist the violence of diuerse diseases in appeasing and repelling whereof some of these properties before named are ordinarily desired as Quercetanus in his Pharmacop●a intreating of the vetues of Opium affirmeth in these wordes saying Pauci en●m sunt morbi qui non simul complacentur vel ardoribus vel inflammationibus vel inquietudinibus commotiomibus la●guoribus oppressionibus vigilijs de●luxionibus vel var●● generis doloribus capitis pectoris ventricul● ventris vel cu●scunque alterius Patris ad quorum omnium Symptomatum ferociam compescendam Opium specificam peculiarem quandam habet proprietatem qua vel vnum exhis Symptomatis seorsim vel plura cum malo coniuncta Simul cum admirabili astantium ipsorum aegrorum admiratione euincit ac subigit vnde saepeumerò in e●usmodi casibus tam mirandos sanationum effectus prodere videmus Theriacam Muhridatium Antidotos Esdrae similes quae Opium exciiunt c. For there bee very few diseases which are not either accompained with heates inflammations inquietude preturbation languishing oppressions watching fluxes c. for mitigating and ●epressing of which Symptomes Opium hath a specificall and a certaine peculiar proprietie c. And this may serue to assure vs that wee may boldly vse Opium inwardly without any preiudice to life yea rather for its better conseruation being administred with iudgement and discretion as all other Medicines whatsoeuer ought to be CHAP. III. Concerning the good and euill affects which Opium may produce in mens bodies THat Opium as aforesaid being wisely administred to the diseased produceth in them many good effects and contrariwise abused exciteth diuers dangerous and mortall accidents is in no sort doubted among discreet Physitions but touching the cause why Opium doth worke these effects in mens bodies is disputable for most Physitions impute it to that extremitie of the fourth degree of coldnesse wherewith it is endowed and for proofe and confirmation hereof they produce an argument drawne from the effects of its operation in this manner Opium say they prouoketh a vigilant or watchfull man to sleepe and incrasseth thin and subtill humours vigilancie then proceeding for the most part from a hot and drie cause with matter or without and the dissolution also of the humours from the like distemprature Opium therefore contrarying and impugning the causes of these effects must needes bee of the qualitie aforesayd and for the further confirmation hereof they alledge Galen Plini● and others who in like manner witnesse that when Opium is vndiscreetly vsed it causeth Lethargicke sleepe priuation of sense stupe● faction of

OPIOLOGIA OR A Treatise concerning the Nature properties true preparation and safe vse and Administration of Opium For the comfort and ease of all such persons as are inwardly afflicted with any extreame griefe or languishing paine especially such as depriue the body of all naturall rest and can be cured by no other meanes or Medicine whatsoeuer Dedicated to the Illustrious High and Mighty Lords the Estates generall of the vnited Prouinces in the Netherlands By ANGELVS SALA VINCENTINVS VENETVS And Done into English and something inlarged by THO. BRETNOR M. M. LONDON Printed by NICHOLAS OKES 1618. To the Learned and my worthily respected friends D. BONHAM and Maister NICHOLAS CARTER Physitions BEE not offended worthie Doctor if I presume to parallel you with a Physition which netther is nor wil be dubbed Doct. for any mans pleasure nor cares a whit for any clothing in Bysse how worthy soe●er For the which I blame him the lesse sithence neither Aesculapius Hippocrates Galen Auicen nor any other of the old stampe euer assumed any such title though better giuen them But tempora mutantur and therefore now adaies for distinction and decorum sake it is very conuenient and necessarie to giue such attributes especially to men indowed with so excellent a qualitie as the true knowledge of Physicke and guift of healing is But how vilely this worthie Science and profession is traduced and abused Witnesse the multitude of Mounte-bankes Quack-saluers Horse-leaches Cunning-women Imposters and Vpstarts who hauing learned my chance the Calcining of Mercurie the preparation of Antimony or the composition of some home-spun medicine and hauing scraped together some triuiall experiments out of some old Manuscripts or from some brazen-fac't Bragadotio will presently forsooth set the Physition at open defiance boasting and protesting that they haue saued the life of twentie whom such and such a Physition had quite forsaken and giuen ouer for dead Nay I haue heard a good fellow I will not say a Pharmacopaean and that no simple one neither bouldly affirme that if hee should not now and then adde or diminish something from the Physitions Bill the fat were in the fire and t were as much as the Patients life were worth aggrauating the matter in such manner that my very eares haue glowed to heare it seeing that by this their scandalous detraction they arrogate to themselues and impose vpon the simple people bringing them into fooles paradise But the Physitions are well enough serued for if they would expulse one packe of these snaffle another and take a little paines with Fernelius to prepare or see prepared their principall Medicines and not to be so idle as to giue too much credit to the Druggist nor let each giddie-headed fellow be partaker of their secrets it were doubtlesse better for the Common wealth more profitable vnto themselues and more pleasing vnto God but of this inough There resteth nothing now my worthy friends but that you would vouchsafe to stand betwixt me and such malicious detractors for if they dare baspheme the tall Cedars what will they not doe vnto the lower shrubs The subiect of this treatise is so well knowne vnto you that howsoeuer some nice and scrupulous persons may make question of the veritie of the passages or of the safetie and excellencie of the medicine you are so well instructed in the composition and vertue thereof that no wise man will oppose you some may imagine that I might haue made better choice of some famous and remarkable Collegians for my patrons but vnto you onely and vnto that worthie Doctor Gwin am I obliged whose multiplicity of learning iudgement and discretion accompanied with affabilitie humanitie and curtesie is more then apparantly knowne to all your acquaintance Let me therefore craue this boone at your hands that you would accept this simple translation as a testimony of my louing remēbrance towards you and that you would defend it from the obtrectations of scandalous tongues and you shall euer make mee Yours THO. BRETNOR To the ingenious and indifferent Reader THE cause moouing mee curteous Reader to trāslate and publish this smal Pamphlet was not onely the scarsitie of the French Copies but the especiall want of such a Treatise in our owne mother-tongue for not onely the rude multitude and men of some iudgement through vaine delusion and superstitious feare but many Physitions themselues through a Galenicall perswasion make no small question and scruple whether Opium may bee taken inwardly or not Nay I haue knowen men of good discretion so farre infatuated by conceipt and heare say as they haue rather chosen to indure intollerable paines then they would take three poore graines of well prepared Laudanum but I cannot greatly blame them for the naked truth is many moderne Physitions know not well what to make of it Forestus Montanus and many others with Galen absolutely conclude that it is stupefying and cold in the fourth degree at least and therefore not fit to be inwardly taken at all but in Syncopes and extreame necessitie Mercatus is indifferent Capiuaccius is forced by common experience to grant with Auicen that for its foure degrees of coldnesse it is furnished with three of heate in operation But Platerus Bauhinus Zwingerus Scaliger Quercitanus and others affirme with Rhasis that Opium is rather hot then cold seeing that in tasting thereof it doth Palatum linguam vrere caput tentare Sudorem prouocare venerem promouere sitim excitare pruritum insignem parere animositatem fi●e potius furorem inducere and being outwardly applied doth contrarie to all cold things blister the skinne discusse and mollifie hard tumors and nodes But whether it bee hot or cold it skils not much seeing it is confessed of all true Physitions that it doth ex forma specifica naturally resist putrefaction and wonderfully and speedily release the bodie from intollerable paines for let the torments or griefe proceed from what cause soeuer either hot or cold inward or outward it worketh the same effects so that this onely Medicine well prepared would doubtlesse saue many thousand mens liues that trauaile or faile sub aequatore vel polo Arctico into the East Indies or Northerne discoueries vnder the hottest or coldest climes in the world seeing it resembles much the oyle of Vitrioll Vinegar Chymicall salts and such like which are giuen with good successe as well in cold as hot diseases but what needs many words seeing the Author himselfe hath sufficiently discouered the benefit hereof I onely wish you to haue great regard to its preparation for as in most Physicall Drugges there remaineth some bad qualitie or other which needeth correction so doth Opium require Vulcans helpe and other specificall meanes to driue away its sulphurous malignitie you may read in Quercetane his answere to Anonimus Cap. 2. and in Sennertus his Institutions Lib. 5. part 3. Sect. 2. Cap. 1. that the ancient fathers of Physicke made their chiefest Medicines with their owne hands and intituled them

the relaxed and feeble conduits and those whose vertue retentiue is weakened by reason of some long sicknesse or by the too much vse of purgatiue medicines Laudanum is more particularly vsed with good successe in these diseases following 1 Against all maner of head-ach as inueterate Megrims Cephalalgia or any other kind of excessiue paine hauing regard that the stomacke bee first clensed from all grosse and corrupt humours the Dose is one small Pill to bee taken at bed-time some two houres after supper either in the water or syrrup of sweet Maioran B●tony or some other Cephalick liquor as the Physitions shall thinke good or otherwise a man may take it in ale or broth or swallow it dry as it is continuing the same as long as need shall require that is vntill the paine be so tamed that Laudanum is needlesse which order must be obserued in all other diseases wherein it is vsed 2 Against all subtill Catarrhons Destillations which fall from the braine vnto the eyes teeth or eares or vpon the inferiour parts as the lungs brest stomack c. wherein Laudanum is vsed as aforesaid keeping the Patients head in the meane time neither too hot nor too cold nor suffering him to drink any wine stale beere or other strong drinke as also to forbeare eating of mustard garlick onions all spices and other things of a hot and drie qualitie which further and prouoke too much the foresaid distillation If it bee conuenient to open the body you must vse no other purgatiue then that of Aloes washed in rose-water and thickned with the iuice of Rheubarb Manna Syrrupe of Roses or with a conuenient Clister which indeed is much better for all other kind of purgatiue dry and attractiue medicines are very dangerous in such accidents 3 Against all paines of the eares with noise and flatulent tingling be it by reason of certaine wind inclosed in the braine or of any other vapours arising from the stomack this medicine is best taken in the water of Fennel Sage or a little white wine going to bed as aforesayd 4 Against the ayrie Epilepsie I speake vnto Naturalists whose sits happen with great ebullition of bloud and afflict the Patient with an Haemorrhagic and great head-ach we vse to giue Laudanum in the water of Paeonie wild Poppy or other appropriat liquor before or after the fit and this must be giuen once euery quarter of the Moone in the morning before Sun-rise causing the patient to keepe a good diet and to bee let bloud in due season and oportunity 5 Against tooth-ach caused through any hot and subtill destillation we vse to dissolue a little Laudanum in Vinegar a few drops whereof the sicke patient must take and hold in his mouth a while and after spit it out and so take more and more in that fashion vntill the paine cease 7 To those which cannot sleepe by any means we commonly giue a little La●danum with a spoon-ful of the water of Hypericon or Balme some twice or thrice a weeke as long as need shall require 7 To those which haue any great fluxe of bloud at the nose or mouth after due inquisition of the precedent cause to the end Phlebotomie Cupping-glasses or other means for revulsion-sake may be vsed which taking no effect we should instantly giue the patient a little Laudanum in the water of Plaintaine bursa pastoris Tormentill or rather as most effectuall in Aqua spermatis ranarum per descensum distillat And if the bloud issue from the nose we put a little lint therein that is soaked in the sayd water and Laudanum mixed and also apply some dipped therein to the fore-head by meanes whereof the flux will immediatly stay But if the partie hath bled much alreadie vse no more Phlebotomie but presently haue recourse to this remedie 8 To those which are subiect to too much vomiting and cannot brooke any meat on their stomack by reason of some offensive matter there heaped congealed it is necessary that expulsion of the aforesaid matter be first made by the fittest Emunctory either vpward or downward as occasion shal require or if the vomiting proceed through the abudance of wind or vapors inclosed in the bowels by reason of some obstruction in the reins as often it falleth out or of some other part in such case these obstructions should be opened with some good Diureticke Diaphoretick other conuenient medicines otherwise if the vomiting proceed from the particular debility of the stomack f●ō some vlcer or any other cause then those aforenamed In such case a man may administer Laudanum in the Syrrup of Quinces or Betony reiterating the same as often as need shall require 9 Against burning malignant and pestilent Feuers after conuenient vse of vomits Bezoardicks and other remedies fit to euacuate grosse humors or purifie the bloud if it be needfull a man may giue the Patient Laudanū in the water of Carduus-be●ed ctus Veronica Celondine or such●like for in such cases it doth precipitate and consume the venemous vapors which arise frō the center of the body to the braine causing madnesse rage phrensey and diuers other dangerous accidents which by this means may be preuented for it asswageth the extreame heat in Feuers comforteth the body and recreateth the spirits 10 In intermitting Feuers after due euacuation of the offending and grosse humors by vomit or siege appropriate and the subtil and thin by conuen●ent Diaphoretickes as also by giuing respiration to the star of Microcosmick-fi●e by Phlebotomie if need require after which intentions if the Feuer cease not a man may bouldly administer Laudanum in the water of Centory Carduus-be●edictus Mouseare or others appropriat an houre or two before the fit by which meanes twice or thrice vsed I haue seene many Aguish people cured when no other remedie preuailed yet I will not affirme this to bee an infallible cure in all for intermitting Feuers fall out to bee such many times that the best Physitions in the world know not what to say vnto them seeing they mock and scorne as it were both them and their medicines 11 Against the Collicke and all griping in the bellie hauing regard that the bodie be alwaies kept soluble by some Clyster or Laxatiue Medicine we commonly giue Laudanum in a spoone-full of good white-wine but the paine falling out too violent and intellerable we stay for no other remedies but vse this at the very beginning and the griefe being ceased the Physition may happily proceed in his cure by remouing the offending cause otherwise if hee shall see occasion 12 In extreame paines and pinches which proceed from the small guts called Iliaca p●ssi● we administer Laudanum in the oyle of sweet Almonds or Muscilage of Quince-seed 13 Against paines of the Matrix we giue Landanum in the water of Chamomill or Mugwort but if the paines doe particularly proceed from retention of the menstrues then must the cause bee taken away by prouoking them with conuenient medicines

were for no other reason then this my labours me thinkes were not vnworthie regard but the profit which may redound to many persons by this discouery is not small as the discreet Reader may easily perceiue hereafter To conclude with the common prouerbe As hee cannot spit sweete whose throat is full of gall no more can such as are stuffed with their owne passions thinking themselues onely wise euer speake well or commend others labour or knowledge then their owne yet notwithstanding neither these nor any other obstacles whatsoeuer either ought or can hinder the good will and entire affection of him which desi●eth the aduancement of Art to Gods glorie the benefit of his neighbour and his owne priuate ioy and contentment Whether Chymicall Medicines in generall are more violent and dangerous then other ordinarie Medicines are and whether in respect thereof a man may lawfully administer them except in desperate diseases onely as some imagne A man shall finde some Physitions in the world which hauing no skill in Chymicall art being demanded of their patients and other people what they imagine and thinke of Chymicall Medicines and their vse ingenerall will not altogether blame and reprooue them as not long since many d●d but in answering perhaps will say the Medicines are ind●fferent good but are alwaies more violent and dangerous in their operations then other ordinarie Medicines are in regard whereof they ought not to be vsed but in desperate d●seases onely Therfore before we speake any more of Opium or the Chymicall preparation thereof for the better purging of chymicall Medicines and such as vse them from suspition and blame I thinke it fittest to resolue this question on this fashion First it may bee easily perceiued that these Learned M. M. by this maner of answering fall into a double error and are therefore worthily taxed in two principall points which makes their consequence vnsauery and idle First that they iudge and censure of things whereof they haue no skill nor exact experience at all so that what they answere in this point is either by some vaine coniecture blind tradition or idle report secondly by making no distinction betweene generall and particular they condemne all Chymicall Medicines without exception to be such as a foresaid But leauing to reproue the former of these two points as a thing exploded by each discreet mans conceipt let vs insist a little to confute the later in pro●ing that they wrongfully impose violence and churl●shnesse to chymicall Medicines seeing that vnder this generalitie they doe not only condemne those excellent Vomiteries and Cathartickes of Antimonie and Mercurie but also all other kinde of Vomitiues both meane and gentle all kind of Vegetable Deiectories or Purgatiues from the strongest to the weakest euen from Scammonie to Aloes and so the very Rose as also all other formes and degrees of Medicines whether they be Diaphoreticke Diureticke Vulnerarie Be●oardicke Cordiall Anodyne Somniferous Roborating or Specifically approp●i●tted to diuers parts of the bodie or resisting diseases of diuers natures and finally all other kind of wholesome and necessary Medicines vsed generally as wel among the Spag●riques as other ordinary Physitions differing only in maner of their composition and preparation Hereby you may at first dash perceiue that if they would speake any thing against the vehemence which may subsist in any Chymicall Medicine whatsoeuer they should change this generall enuntiation into a more particular and say among Chymicall Medicines there be some which be vehement and not to say absolutely and generally that all Chymicall Medicines are so in performance whereof we will do them right and presently draw them to confesse that wee onely haue not some vehement and churlish medicines but that they themselues also haue the like no man can deny Seeing therefore we accord in this as wee cannot choose if they will further aggrauate the former accusation they must of necessitie prooue that chymicall medicines of a vehement nature are more churlish and daungerous then their ordinary Medicines of the same nature are as also that their milde and gentle Physicke Chymically prepared becommeth more dangerous then before but alas good men they can proue no such matter For primarily touching those Chymicall Medicines which they pretend to be vehement as those of Antimonie and Mercurie vomitiue there is no question made among vnderstanding Physitions besides daily experience that being compared with those vehement vomits which the auncien● Physitions haue prescribed as those of white Hellebore Tythimalls Spurges c. they would bee found as gentle and familiar in their operations a● Sena and Rheubarbe are in comparison of Scammonie Colocynthis and other vehement and alt●ratiue purgatiues And furthermore if they should say that they neither vse white Hellebore nor Tithymalls in regard of their venemous proprieties or because they are found daungerous in working this is the thing wee looke for at their hands for they can neuer make it appeare that either Antimony or Mercurie well prepared cause any such Symptomes in the bodie as these doe or if they esteeme it a thing fit and requisite to desist from the institutions of ancient Physitions exploding the vse of such Medicines which they finde to be daungerous we thinke it far●e more rationall on the other part obseruing the main end of the foresaid intentions and so cutting off quite the vsage of euill things to appoint and ordaine in their roome such as are more gentle and familiar Here they may finde fault but nothing to the purpose and say that they custome to make sicke people to vomit is very daungerus and therefore to that intent they ought to vse no Med●cine at all c. But hauing sufficiently answered this obiection and proued the contrarie in my Treatise intituled Emetologia concerning the nature and vse of vomitiue Medicines I thinke it needlesse to repeate the same in this place If notwithstanding what is said these M. M. persist in their opinio● saying that Antimonie and Mercurie are Medicines not so free from Maligne qualitie as I pretend but that that they in-here and cleaue to the guts and leaue some secret infection in the blood or Radicall humours the which in continuance of times comes to manifest it selfe And these are those common nuisances which many obiect thinking thereby to drawe mens affections after their owne fantasies But this vaine opinion is quickely confuted by plaine and euident demonstration when they please for most men which take either Antimonie or Mercurie well prepared evacuate or cast the same out into the vessell whereinto they vomit euen at the very first operation of the Medicine either vpward or downeward so that it hath beene often found in the excrements when nature did worke that way first as sometimes it falleth out Secondly these being mettallicke and fixed bodies cannot bee concocted or brought into chyle or naturall nutriment by any meanes whence it consequently followeth that they cannot intermixe themselues with the blood or any other

substance of the bodie as all other vegetable and animall Medicines may easily doe in regard of that Symbolization they haue with the foresaid substances so that the stomacke may reduce them into chyle at pleasure which is the cause also that the poysons of euill plants serpents and other venemous creatures are more actiue sodaine and piercing then Arsink it selfe or Realgar minerall I could produce a number of other reasons to demonstrate that Chymicall Medicines of a vehement nature as principally the two before named against which all this controuersie doth particularly arise are more gentle then any violent vomitiue Medicine which our Ancients prescribed yea farre more safe then any vomitorie vnder Hellebore or any aboue named but to auoide long discourse let these suffice at this time Now let vs come to resolue our selues whether those ordinarie Medicines which be naturally gentle and without any offensiue qualitie after chymicall preparation change their naturall mildenesse into that which is euill and so become vehement and dangerous Concerning which point wee haue in this discourse alreadie spoken some thing in defence of purgatiue Medicines as those of more frequent vse then others among diseased persons and therefore wil be contented to determine the whole matter in the generall defence of Diaphoretickes Diureticks Alexiteries c. chymically prepared First therefore it must of necessity be granted of all opponents that euery Medicine ingenerall bereaued of its earthinesse and seculencie and made pure cleane and well digested by fire must of consequence be lesse hurtfull lesse dangerous and lesse offensiue and is also farre more apt to worke ci●òtutò miundè as the Physitions wish then any crude earthie impure or ill prepared Medicine may or can doe by any meanes ' possible the reason is that when such ill-prepared stuffe is once gotten into the stomacke of any diseased person nature alreadie strugling against the disease becommeth thereby more wearied ouer-cloyed and oppressed in concocting and seperating the pu●enesse from the impurenesse of such drugges then it was before and therefore can receiue very little or no comfort at all by such Medicines whereas on the contrary part other medicines made subtill actiue pure and well prepared by art doe begin to disperce and dilate themselues gently into all parts of the bodie as soone as they are receiued thereinto and being neuer so little exagitated or moued by naturall heate assist nature her selfe without any alteration or disturbance at all and like a good friend aide and promone her whereas the other wearieth and tormenteth the body like a Tyrant Moreouer wee may consider that Chymicall Medicines being pure and neate as aforesaid leaue no feculent residence or corruption in the bodie at all as others commonly doe But if it commeth to passe as it is not vnlikely that some should deny these reasons obiecting that Chymicall Medicines being subtill and pure can more easily disturbe nature and moue the body more sodainely then other Medicines do to whom we answere that although among our Chymicall Medicines there bee some of a subtill Nature as our distilled oyles the quintessence of wine and other vegetables and as there be diuers liquors we acknowledge very sharpe and piercing so in like manner be there some diseases wherein such Medicines be very requisite and necessary whereas others of a crosse seculent and clammy substance can yeeld no ease or comfort at all in regard whereof wee ought not to accompt them daungerous or hurtfull but rather very beneficiall and wholesome especially being well applyed and vsed a● all Medicines of what nature soeuer ought to bee But vnder colour of these no man ought to comprehend other Chymicall Medicines or proclaime them to bee of such a piercing nature for comming to purgatiue Medicines extracted being of a sappie thicke and condense forme wee know well that they are not nor cannot bee so subtill or piercing as oyles nor are called subtill in regarde of their penetratiue vertue but rather because they are farre more easily conuerted into Liquors then the substances from whence they are extracted and therefore ought in no ease to be called irritatiues Experience her selfe teacheth vs that the extract of Mechoacan Rheubarbe or Sena being gentle Med●cines duely administred shew themselues farre more milde gentle and effectuall then when they are exhibited after an entire and grosse preparation But what need many words doe we not plainely see that our Chymicall Art bringeth Colocynthis and Scammonie acrimonious and venemous purgatiues ●o bee so gentle and milde in operation that a man may as safely and freely administer them as Rheubarbe hauing onely regard to the qualitie of the disease and the humour they naturally purge as namely that of Scammonie whereof a man may boldly giue to one of a strong constitution twentie graines at a time in sugar rosat or any other conserue And this will worke easily and well without any touch of paine perturbance or inflammation in the bowells as otherwise it would surely do And this is a Maxime that not only Scammonie but euerie other purgatiue Medicine of such venemous and vehemēt nature as Hellebore Tithymalls c. loose their acrimonie and maligne qualitie and by meanes of this Art become gentle and effectuall in the extirpation of all such diseases as they naturally concerne or respect without any inconuenience or danger at all and this is no vaine coniecture of mine owne braine for I can produce a hundred sage and learned Physitions which can will testifie and make this good as well as my selfe And this is all which I purposed to speake at this time in defence of Chymicall Medicines against the suggestions of scandalous tongues not meaning or intendeng hereby to disgrace or vilipend those ordinarie Medicines wherewith the world is and hath beene furnished and serued for so many ages together for both the one and the other may be found good or euill according to the diuersitie of their vsage notwithstanding I haue at all times indeuored my selfe to the vttermost of my power to amplifie and illustrate the Art of Physicke for the comfort of the diseased as euery one ought without any passion or malice in condemning things newly inuented for Paradoxes and Heresies before due examination and triall Ad Authorem EXcuse me worthy Sala if I chance For want of iudgement thy intent to misse In fitting that for England which for France Thou paines hast tane and labour to Iwis For which and others thou deseruest blisse I wish I were thy neighbour or that I With such a one might spend my daies and die But now the world is such we cannot find A man with whom we freely may conuerse Some proud some stately others so vnkind That 't greeues my heart their manners to reherse Or talke of such selfe-louers in my verse When men by nature friendly creatures borne Doate on themselues and others foulely scorne But thou Patauian-like I heare dost ioy To do poore schollers good and to

Cappadocia Galatia Cilicia to transport the same into Persia India and Europe and other parts of the Great Turkes Dominion in Africa and else where the which we should haue hardly beleeued if hee had not related to vs by peece-meale as it were what quantitie might bee made and brought from each seuerall Village about the Confines of Carachora and the Villages of Paphlagonia Cappadocia Armenia the lesse and Gall●grecia hee told vs moreouer that the Persians vsed it more aboundantly then the Turkes Wee desired one day to make an experiment and try how much Opium a man could take at a time without any offence or hurt and wee found that a certaine Ianisarie of our acquaintance did vse to eate thereof euery daie who tooke at one time in our presence the weight of halfe a Dragme and meeting with him the next daie at a Mercers shop wee caused him to weigh vs out a whole dragme which wee gaue him and hee swallowed it vp all at once without any daunger or hurt at all sauing that for a while hee seemed like a drunken man To ●ate Opium in Turkie is no new thing and the reason why it is vsed so amongst them is because they perswade themselues that it maketh them more aduenterous and lesse fearefull of daungers in warre so that when the Turke assembleth or mustereth any great Armie together they make such hauocke of their Opium that they almost disfurnish the whole Countrie They take it in as great snuffe amongst them and accompt it as great an iniurie when one vpbraides another with eating of Opium as another Countriman would do if one should call him a drunkard A Christian-Armenian with whom wee lodged long time vsed many times to eate Opium in our sight and prouing the same our selues we found no other accident sauing that it heated our stomackes troubled something the braine and caused vs to sweat in our sleepe Wee thinke that if men were disposed they might as easily plant and sow Poppie in France Germanie Italie and some other places of Europe as well as in Asia if they would but take the paines to dresse and gather it as they should doe for surely the Climate of Natolia is as colde as that of France It is made in the same manner as Authors doe describe but I am affraide if wee haue anie brought ouer hither it is sophisticated mingled for the Merchants do questionles multiply it before they vent it abroad into the Countries and therefore because we know some marks and tokens how to choose the best it is not amisse to set downe the same The best Opium is that which is very bitter and so hot in tast that it wil almost scorch and inflame the mouth it is in colour something yellowish or like to a Lyons skin and being formed into a lumpe it seemes speckled as a masse of diuers colours for in gathering the sayd Opium the seeds are found clustered vpon the Poppie-heads which being amassed cleaue together like a cake its smell is fulsome and strong and although it be accompted but of a cold temprature yet it many times scaldeth the mouth Opium is formed into cakes in the Country of Natolia which exceed not aboue foure ounces or halfe a pound at the most but the Merchants to make the greater profit by their sophistication double the aforesaid quantitie for the subtill Venetians make the Cakes in their shops to weigh a pound at least and this is the report of Bellon concerning Opium Now considering that in his time a man could hardly get any in Christendome that were good how should we finde any now adaies either in the Apothecaries or Druggests shops which hath these tokens or is so effectuall or pretious in its operation letting passe the seeds or graines as the onely difference in gathering It is called ordinarily Opium Thebaicum in respect of the Prouince of Thebes where the best is made CHAP. II. Of the assurance we haue that Opium may bee vsed and taken crude or mixed in Medicines without any preiudice or indangering the Patients life at all A MAN shall find some Physitions now a daies who adhering too much a conscience to the opinion of olde Leeches capitall enemies to Opium its vse doe not onely beleeue it as an article of their Creed that whatsoeuer any Author hath said in detraction and disgrace of Opium is an vndoubted truth To whom I answere and say that wee ought not to submit our selues to their iudgement altogether nor to beleeue the opinion or saying of any Physition whether antient or moderne otherwise then daily obseruation of the vse of things our Grandame experience confirme in our vnderstanding for truth for seeing that the ancient Physitions as well Grecians as Arabians how great or learned soeuer they were esteemed yet being all but imperfect men and subiect to errour had their owne proper passions and were full of contention and iealousie one against another as wee are now adaies whence it followes that wee ought not to receiue all their workes for gospell without condition as aforesayd for as for example Galen Plinie and others put the world in feare and suspition of Opium and contrariwise Oribasius Diescorides and others commend it and assure and affirme it to bee profitable and necessarie for the cure of many diseases who then in this case can giue vs better knowledge and satisfaction of truth of these things then Experience her selfe Now shee tells vs that a man may safely vse Opium inwardly in mens bodies Oribasius therefore and Diescorides haue spoken truly whereas the errour and abuse of others is manifest which howsoeuer it falls out it hinders vs nothing at all to search into these things seeing that neither cause nor reason can preiudice or hinder the authoritie of daily experience That the vse of Opium deserueth to be applauded of all Physitions wee haue two principall and certaine assurances whereof the former is not onely the certification of Peter Bellon aforesaid but of a hundred honorable personages who haue beene in Asia and affirme that the Turkes eate thereof in great quantitie almost euery day ordinarily without any mischāce or hurt to their bodies at al which may in part be a sufficient demonstration that Opium is not a thing so venemous and daungerous to the life of man as some giue out and proclaime it to be But heere some to small purpose may tell mee that the Turkes may easily digest Opium how colde soeuer in regarde of the hot Clime they liue in whereas the Christians dwelling vnder a colder in Europe can doe no such matter to whom I aunswere that if it were graunted that Opium were of such qualitie as aforesayd yet whether a man could digest it or not cannot bee Physicallie attributed to the temprature of the Climate but rather to the strong constitution or naturall vigour of the people for the Turkes being from their very cradle more grossely brought vp and sed then the Christians are

of them in manner as followeth The Obiections 1 First that Laudanum being principally composed of Opium and still re●eyning its Somniferous propertie might consequently suffocate naturall heate and benum and stup●fie all the senses 2 Seeing Laudanum doth incrassate thicken the subtill humors it followed that although it did cease paine for the time yet afterwards it made the cause of the sicknesse malignant fixed and incurable 3 That it hath beene obserued that some sicke people haue died some few houres after the taking of Laudanū inconsideration wherof we should abstaine from its vse altogether The Answere Concerning the first obiection I am of opinion that if such men as goe about to propose any such thing would either giue place to the authority of great Physitions or experience-self both which assuring vs that c●ude Opium taken in small quantity neither suffocateth naturall hea●e nor dulleth the senses as hath beene already sufficiently proued in the beginning of this discourse they would neither blame nor so basely esteeme of it but suppose that a very smal Dose of crude Opium did produce such effects must it therefore doe the same when it is depriued of the superfluity of its narcotical Sulphur his Acrimonie corrected and after mixed with such Bezoardick and Cordiall things as aforesaid No man of iudgement or of any experience in the Mysteries of nature can deny that Opiū the principall ingredience or Basis of Laudanum being thus altered both in forme and substance becōmeth likewise changed in its vertues and operations and therefore can with no reason censure so hardly thereof as when it is crude And notwithstanding that Laudanū doth prouoke the diseased to sleepe yet daily experience teacheth vs that it doth not suffocate naturall heate but rather preserue it when it is about to consume and in danger to be suddainely extinct by reason of its violent motion extreame paines and extraordinary watching whereby it is as rudely handled as a lampe or burning-torch is in a mightie tempest which causeth a greater wasting of oyle and losse of light then it would doe if it were defended from such an accident 2 For the second obiection Laudanum is so farre from aggrauating impairing or making worse the causes of the disease by reason of its incrassating faculty that quite contrary it prepareth some offending humours and maketh them far more apt and easie to be expelled as in the 21. passage before cōcerning Gouts we haue something declared For is it not the consent and verdict of the best Physitions in the world that the preparation of humors before purgation doth chiefly consist in two operations that is in subtilizing and attenuating of those which are Viscouse thick and clammy and incrassating and thickning indifferently those which are too subtill virulent windy vagant in the body Now the greatest part of extreame paines and inward heates proceeding from some dissolued matter that is either salt sharpe or corroding or from such as doth excoriate inflame and alter the member affected whereby malignant vapors arise which passing vnto the adioyning parts doe by consent produce sūdry tormēts many euil accidents as by experience is manifest what better course can a man obserue then by meanes of Laudanum to thicken and digest the sayd humors sequestring consuming the aforesayd vapours in such sort that they can by no means exercise their cruelty as before And in case of superfluity if it be any waies requisite to be purged a man may doe it afterwards farre more warily and safely then in the former estate is not this represented to any mans vnderstanding by sundry outward vlcers which being inflamed and distilling from some subtill and corrosiue humour cause great Pricking Dolour and paines and oftentimes by consent a Feuer to the Patient so that the true remedie in such a case to take away such accidents is some excellent Anodyne which may mitigate and asswage that vnnaturall heate and suddenly ripen and indifferently thicken the offending humor which was so subtill and corrosiue which being done al other Symptomes cease whatsoeuer Laudanum then not onely producing these effects by its naturall propertie but also mundifying resisting putrifaction and healing and comforting the weakened parts as it were Balsame may by good consequence take away or extinguish the cause of many euill Symptomes rather then impaire and make them incureable for although it doth moderately incrassate yet notwithstanding it doth not coagulate the bloud nor fixe the substances which in their owne proper nature are liquid in stone nor soder or glue the parts together as Gypsum doth for which cause onely men should blame it in such maner as before 3 Thirdly we will not deny but that some sick person may chance to die soone after the receipt of Laudanum but that Lauda●um was the cause of their death that in regard therof its vse is vtterly to be abandoned and forsaken is the matter now in question First therefore it is very apparant by our former discourse that Laudanum is not a thing of such a venemous quality as will cause death to the receiuer for albeit the obseruation be true that some haue died soone after the taking thereof yet that ought not to supersede all other reasons attestations experience concerning the good effects and safe vse of Laudanum for as it is an absurd and foolish thing for a man to say ● did see certaine graines of Bezoar-stone Vnicornes-horne Pearles or such like pretious Cordials giuen to a sicke person who died not long after ergo that was the cause of his death and therf●re take heed of vsing any such thing hereafter or I saw one giue a Clister to such a sicke person who died soone after Ergo Clisters are dangerous remedies and ought not to be vsed as many simple people are accustomed to argue Euen so it is as absurd a thing to hold Laudanum in suspition because such a one tooke it after dy●d for although it doe principally and speedily cause all torments to cease and prouoke the diseased to sleepe yet that is no consequence that it can preserue a man from death when by God his secret decree his houre is come for neither that nor no other Medicine in the world can doe sleepe and exemption from paines are necessary things as well for sound as sicke men the one with distinction the other without all exception but that these two doe sometimes serue for the maintenance and strengthening of mans life and other sometimes are vnnecessary and of no vse this proceeds not through any fault in themselues but in nature which doth not receiue them for her owne good and benefit as other times she vseth to doe which thing is liuely represented vnto vs by the vse of meate drinke and all other things called Medicines not naturall which sometimes are good and profitable to the bodie and sometimes quite contrary euen as nature disposeth of them for our good or euill howsoeuer in themselues they