my Father was not only a Servant both in the Bed-Chamber and Privy-Chamber but also to your Majesty's Royall Grandfather all his Reign in England And likewise TO YOVR MAJESTY WHILST PRINCE that we be kept from Ruine it will be the Highest peice of Kingly bounty imaginable one And that is the more then ordinary abuse of THAT MOST NOBLE ART OF PHISICK by Illiterates Quackes Mountebancks and Empericks that have been are and will be if not prevented the Ruine of more of your Majesty's Loyall and Faithfull Subjects then either the Sword or Plague The Imployment is Weighty Difficult and of greater Importance then most of the world are capable either to apprehend or believe As our Learned Father of Physicians HIPPOCRATES most excellently shewes in Aphorism Sect. 1. Aphoris 1. Where he sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore as he also very well observes Lib. De Lege He that will be a Phisician Horum omnium Compotem esse debere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or as in Lib. De Decent Habitu it is exprest in short Medico futuro necessaria sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Natura Doctrina seu Scientia Doctrina Comparata usus seu exercitatio For such indeed are worthily called Phisicians that are both learned and skilfull and none else But that which must give life unto all according to Hippocrates is A Naturall Inclination Ingenuity Wit Phansie and Aptness to Learn sufficient Reason Judgment Memory Ex quovis ligno non fit Mercurius Every one thus endued is not fit to make a Scholler neither are all Schollers sit to be Phisicians What is sayed of all Disciplines Tu nihil invita dices faciesve Minerva Is likewise verified in Phisick in a Phisician chiefly And that withall he have a sharp apprehension to discover what will be the event of this or that and by the Signes to discern even hidden Destempers before there be the least appearance of them As also to know the Causes Indications and Method to be followed in the Cure In all which that a Phisician may be the more compleat It is most requisite he be well Learned in these Seven Particulars 1. LANGUAGE or Knowledge of the Tongues especially Latine and Greek that he may the better understaÌ„d the vast Labours and Volumes of our * Among which the chiefest are Hippocrates Theophrastus Dioscorides Galen Aretaus Rufus Ephesius Paulus Aeginetus Oribafius Aetius Tralianus Philaretus Theophilus Nicolas Mirepsus Actuarius Archengenus Appollonius c. which wrot in Greeke Antients and †Donatus Antonius ab Altomari Alexander Massarias Amatus Luâ—itanus Aurelius Cornelius Celsus Guilielmus Rondeletius Bernardus Gordonius Victorinus Trincavellus Nicholas Piso Carolus Piso Hieronimus Mercuriâ—lis Petrus Forestus Joannes Crato Joannes Baptista Montanus Felix Platerus Hercules de Saxonia Joannes Fernelius Leonhartus Fuchsius Duncanus Liddelius Joannes Riolanus Matheus De Gradibus Vidus Vidius Valescus De Taranta Benedictus Victorinus Foventinus Nicholas Florentinus Julius Alexandrius Valesius Christophorus A vega Thomas A vega Ludovicus Mercatus Guallerus Bruel Zacutus Lucitanus Joannes Heiurnius Daniel Sennertus Paracelsus Van Helmont Lazarus Riverius Capivaccius Stockerus Weirus c. Neotericks and if they had ‖ Rhasis Mesues Alsaharavâ—us or Albucasses as some call him Avicenna Averroes Avenzoar Serapio Haly Abbas Haly Rhodaham Rabbi Moyses c. Hebrew Arabick it were not amiss since many old Writerâ— also wrote in those Tongues And Translations many times vastly vary from the originall Copies whereby many mistakes and much mischief is occasioned 2. PHILOSOPHY That so he may know the subject on which he is to work mans Body with all its parts the Elements Humours Spirits the uses and temperament of every part the Animall faculties and functions That diseases may the better be discovered with their severall Causes And Signes both Diagnosticks and Prognosticks And the right Method of Cure which is the end of Phisicke To know how to order rectifie and praescribe according to the present Condition Constitution and Temper of the Patient what may prevent further evills Conserve health where it is and restore it where it is lost So that without Philosophy a man can never be a good Phisician Quod enim optimus Medicus idem est Philosophus Galen proves in a peculiar Book by it self For ubi desinit Physicus incipit Medicus As Aristotle well observes 3. LOGICKE is Requisite for a Phisician Logismus est actus rei in Hominem And is indeed the first in order of all Arts for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the thing must needs be before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enim est actus rei ab Homine in Hominem Without which Discipline he can never be able to give a perfect Definition of any Disease or Symptome of a Disease much lesse a reason why it is so 4. ASTRONOMY for the knowledge of the Ascensions Culminations and settings of the Stars with their Right and oblique Ascensions Severall Positions and Declinations is also of great and eminent use And for the knowledge of the several Quarters of the year and such like But especially as SENNER TUS thinks who is the PRINCE OF OUR NEOTERICK PHISICIANS As it is an help furtherance and introduction to ASTROLOGY The 5 th and most necessary Discipline of all the rest Not as it is commonly practised and indeed abused by broaken Mechanicks and Illiterate Novices And hath beeÌ„ of late years when every one did what seemed best in his own eyes bringing shame and contempt upon that Noble and worthy Art which because as the Learned know it is of excellent use in Phisicke they under that Colour Deceive men of their monyes and foo them out of their lives There being more Empericall Impostors praetending to Astrology that are very Ideots Cheats Illiterate and of the vulgar sort Then of any other kind whatsoever which abuse it could be wished your Majesty would likewise Amend and restrian this their Licentiousnesse which on every Post and Piller through all the streetes of this City of LONDON wherein notwithstanding there is a COLLEDGE OF ABLE AND LEARNED PHYSICIANS they publish not only to the seducing but ruinating of many of your Majesties poore Subjects I say it is not this I allow or speak for in this place but the Pure Astrology of the Antients without which Hippocrates and Galen accompted a Phisian a foole Advising men not to trust themselves or their lives in such mens hands And without which Avicenna accompted them Butchers rather then Physicians Homicidas Medicos Astrologiae Ignaros And Thurnesserus Paracelsus with others will admit of no Phisician without it Medicus sine Coeli peritia nihil est Many Phisicians I know are of the Contrary Opinion But as the one is too nice the other is too remiss To mediate therefore between both I shall in short give your Majesty what may justly be sayed for it In these two propositions 1.
Whosoever is ignorant of the Causes of the Alterations of the temperatures of mens bodies by which Diseases are occasioned must needs be ignorant in the Cure and of that which much conduces and helps thereunto But mens Bodies alter in their teÌ„peratures with the seasons which change according to the Motions and Places of the severall Constellations and Coelestiall bodies whence follow many Infirmities and Diseases Ergo whosoever is ignorant of Astrology that is that do not know the Influencies of the stars which cause Diseases and alter our Temperatures are ignorant of the Cure And therefore that Astrology is necessary to be known by all such as practice Physicke will not be denyed For so Hippocrates stifly maintaines in Lib. De Aëre Aqua Locis And therefore concludes in many parts of his workes that Man who is ignorant in the Natures and Virtues of the Coelestiall Bodies is blind and in the Darke Referring all Alterations in our Bodies and Diseases to the Starrs and mutations of the Moon So doth Galen throughout all his workes especially in Lib. 3. De Dâ—â— bus Decretoriis Cap. 2 3 4 5. c. Secondly whatsoever discovereth unto us the state and Câ—â—sis of an acute disease And is the only true and exact way to the knowledge thereof is fit to be studied known by all Physicians But Astrology and it only by the Knowledge of the Motions Nature Positions and influencies of the Moon discovers unto us the true Crisis in all sharp and violent Diseases as is aboundantly shewed by Galen in his Bookes De Diebus Decretoriis De Crisibus Avicenna Lib. 4. Fen. 2. Tract 2. Cap. 2. Joannes Fernelius Lib. 2. De Abditis Rerum Causis Cap. 10. Daniel Sennertus Pract. Med. Lib. 3. Part. 3. Cap. 12. Et in Methodo Discendi Medecinam in Institutionibus c. Andothers Ergo Astrology and the Nature Motions Influencies c. of the Sun Moon and Starrs are requisite to be studied and known by all Physicians And as Acute Diseases follow the Moon So do Chronick the Course of the Sun As common experience evineeth us And it iâ— dâ—â—ly seen that Quartain Agues begin with the Autumnal â—quinoctial and end in the Vernal Wherefore Avicenna Ascribeth Health to the fortunate Starrs And sickness to the unfortunate In Contie Part 〈◊〉 Text 104. Nay Paracelsus De Podâ—gra Ascribes more to Starrs then Humours stâ—fly affirming the Constellation alone may be a cause of Deseaâ—es without the mediation of any Humours at all Instancing in Lunaticks which Distemper As Reason and common Experience evinceth followeth the Course of the Moon As I have noted in my Astrology Restored Lib. 1. Cap. 4. And in divers places of my * A Book yet in manuscript and not condemned to be prest Mel Medicorum Neither is it my Opinion only that â—strology should be well studied and â—â—own by all that practice physick to Instruct them in the Nature of Diseases their Causes finding out their true Crisis which can no otherwise with Certainty â—e Discovered And other most necessary beings conducible to the persecting of the Cure But also over and above those Authours before mentioned it is the Advice of Joannes Crato Joannes Picinus Joannes Hosâ—urtus Antonius Mizaldus Joannes Bodinus Berâ—ardus Gordonius Magninus and infinite others that they be all Astrologers Wherefore since I have written more â—agrely hereof in a Treatife called * A small Tract not yet Published Flagellum Empericorum I shall of this Point add no more at present But proceed to the sixth thing requisite for a Physician which is CHYMISTRY with the KNOWLEDGE OF METALLS STONES c. To know how to distinguish between the true Stones Metalls c. from what are adulterate and false And when need Requires to joyn Chymical with Gaenical medicines in their proper places times and with parties and Bodies convenient For a little Chymistry may serve the best and greatest Physician I know Paracelsus Crollius Hartmannus Querceranus Severinus Leo Sâ—avius Ravelascus Van Helmonâ— his Expositors with all the Brethren of the Rosy Cross And other Sectarists in Physick stifly maintain it is the only thing a Physician is to busie his heaâ— about that none can be perfect nor 〈◊〉 Cure effected without it that it is all in all c. But Joannes Crato Thomas Erastus Joannes Fernelius Daniel Sennertus and others of the more Rationall and Methodicall Physicians are of the contrary opinion And although Paracelsus ostentatiously boasts himself a Monarch in Physick triumphing over Hippocrates and Galen as Infants affirming he did thereby more famous cures then all the Galenists in Europe besides Yet Erastus accompts him but an Impostor an Emperick an Heretick affirming him to do the same in Physick which Lutheâ— did in Divinity That he was a drunkeÌ„ Rogue a base Fellow a Magician having the Devil for his Master Devills for his familiar Companions And what 〈◊〉 did was by the help of the Devil In a word as none will or can deny Chymistry to be of great use in the practice of physick rightly prepared and fitly applyed So must they likewise that are Raâ—â—onall confess that the rejecting of â—â—l other medicines Admiring the Lâ—rge Encomiums of their Aurum Potabile's Elixers of Life Quintessence's Panacea's and universal medicines and the like using these only without any Judgement Art Method As Women do Receipts because they hear they are good for such a Disease is a madness rendring such Practitioners rather Quacks and Empericks then Rationall Physicians Lastly a Physician SHOULD KNOW THE VEGETABLES AND PLANTS that are to be used at least the chiefest and most effectuall And their virtues c. And thus may it please your Majesty if such as dare to adventure the Practicâ— of Physick be not endued And are unablâ— to give an accompt workeman like oâ— their Actions where the lives of you Majesties poor Subjects lye at stake Theâ— are to be accompted rather Cheats anâ— Murtherers And ought to be proceedeâ— against according to Law Such therefore may by this Treatise do more hurt then good Will your Majesty therefore be graciously pleased to cause such wholsome Statutes as are provided in that Case already to be put in execution And where they are defective they may be supplyed and amended as to your Grave Wisdom shall be thought fit That so every one may abide in the Calling wherein he is called The Divine not Intrenching on the Physicians nor the Lay man on either nor the Chyrurgion on the Apothecarie's nor the Apothecary on the Chyrurgion's neither both or either on the Doctors As they too frequently take the liberty and boldnesse now to do even in this City of London in the face of the Colledge of Physicians to their great shame That so every thing may be done decently and in order That the GOD of order â—ay blesse us and Confâ—sion be wholly â—anished from among us Which is the Hearty Prayer of him who casts these his unworthy
much as a stool after it But Auhours are â—ull of such like relations not to be derided unlesse we resolve to render our selves ridiculous So that then we see by what hath been said that Poysons are of different Natures Some if eaten by degrees will become nutritive Some retaining both a Poysonous and medecinall faculty As those which may be taken in a small quantity without prejudice And some absolutely venemous ever prejudiciall and mortall tota ipsorum substantia aliena est à natura nostra never being capable of nourishing or helping us As you will find in this Treatise Of all which we are especially to beware since many times people unawares have been thereby not only injured but absolutely destroyed For the prevention of which I thought it necessary to give a short description of their severall kinds of Poysons their Nature Signes Diagnosticks Prognosticks and Antidotes And for the better avoiding those Horrid Mischiefs which I have known occasioned by the unadvised and ignorant rash actions of Empericks and Intruding Practitioners in the Art of Physick Which we hope the Judicious and Ingenious are so sensible of As that they will make it their endeavour in their several places to rectifie and amend by discountenancing and suppressing of them And that I shall not need to add any more but that I am and shall be so long Die 7.niâ—7 â— â—â—obâ—â— 1660. Thy Servant W. R. TO THE MORE IMPRUDENT AND RURALL READERS THe more prudent and Judicious sort of Men will not be much Concerned in what I shall in this Epistle deliver Being for the most part already Convinced of the Truth thereof But of this sort there are but a few It is to the major part of our little world Therefore I address my words at present Of whom many if not most will 〈◊〉 know Conclude they may with this Tract be able to Cure themselves and other of what Poyson soever they have taken But they will find themselves deceived for although I have indeed to their Capacities shewed how many severall wayes they may not only be prejudiced but also destoyed Yet the Cures and Antidotes are beyond the Sphear of their Capacities For if alâ— the Physick books in the world should be Engâ—ished unto them there would still be a necessity of having Able and Learned Physicians that can by severall signes discover the Causes and Nature of the Maladys And thence know how to administer a proper Agent to the Patient for effecting the Cure Which the vulgar being ignorant can never be Capable of For it is not the knowing of medicines only that will make them Practitioners for then An Apothecary were most probable to make the best Physician But how rightly to apply and administer the Remedy the Disease Cause Constitution Temperature Age Sex and other Accidents Customes c. of the â—atient â—eing Considered Moreover To Practise out of Books meerly As many Gentlemen and Gentlewomen And all Empericks and ignorant Practitioners do is extreamly pernitious without good Advice For many times Death and Destruction follow thereupon as daily examples evince us Amatus Lucitanus tell us Cent. 2. Curat 33. (a) Javinis quidam â—um sâ—â—â—ie unicersâ—â—â— eâ—â—â— Coâ—â—us 〈◊〉 pâ—â—â—e fâ—â—dâ—â—tâ—r 〈◊〉 gâ—â—nto 〈◊〉 Aâ—senicum mâ—â—â—â—m 〈◊〉 eâ—at pâ—â—ter medâ—â—â—â—ium 〈◊〉 â—â—m se iâ—â—everit 〈◊〉 in leâ—â— deâ—umbentem 〈◊〉 dâ—mâ—stâ—i invenerâ—â—â— Of a Young Man of his Acquintance thus meeting with a Receipt of an Unguent against the Itch wherewith he was much molested without further advice anointing himsâ—lf all over with the same which having a considerable quantity of Arsnick in it a thing whose virtue and force he was ignorant off was thereby killed instead of being Cured and lying down to sleepe never awoake more Another likewise is mentioned by Franciscus Valeriola in his Observation who having met with a small Tract of the prayse of Hellebor would needs practice upon himself And so mostaking Ê’ j for ℈ j would have been Poysoned had not other occasions accidentally prevented And Zacutus Lucitanus Lib. 3. Prax. Admirand Observat 141. Mentions one of a hot and dry Temperature that put himself in to the hand of an Eminent Emperick for esteem and name among the Rurall of the world by reason of his gray haires and Age his boasting vaunts the like was by the unadvisedness of this Quack applying contrary medicines to his condition so tormented with intollerable paines Continuall Watchings whereby his malady was increased so that from a languishing Condition Death in a few dayes followed Whence the aforementioned Valeriola affirmes out of Damascen 2. And 3. Aphoris (b) Operart eâ— librit absque â—â—gâ—â—tionâ— soleâ—ti ingenio pericun sam est unde monemuâ— quam â—â—â—prâ—um 〈◊〉 Auâ—â—â—â—â—es 〈…〉 peâ—i 〈◊〉 That to work out of Books without knowledge a good Wit and Judgement is most perilous Wherefore we admonish Men to be waâ—e For how rash and unadvised a thing it is to believe the writings of the Learned or to take all upon Trust without Art Reason Judgement may appear by this Patient And Penotus concludes in Praefat. Nar. Med. (c) In libellis quae vulgo versantur apud literatos incautiores multa Many things are found written in our Books which to the ignorant Reader may seem excellent Remedies But when they come to use them they oftentimes find themselves deceived and take Poyson instead of Physick Thus did that Titular Physician in the afore mentioned Zacutus Lucitanus Lib. Citat Observat 143. Kill himself trying Conclusions on his own Body If therefore these Cheats be ignorant in their own Condition how much more in others But how can it be otherwise being ignorant in those seven Doctrines and Disciplines mentioned in the Epistle Dedicatory Yet there are some who do not forbear to vindicate these Idiots Affirming them so carefull Cautious and Conscientious as that they will give nothing but what is safe And if it do no good will do no hurt Have been of long experience and known to have cured many of divers Maladies c. I Answer As to their Carefulnesse Cautiousness and Conscientiousnesse in their Practice which the ignorant fansy to themselves is ridiculous and Repugnant to common sense For how can any Man be Carefull or Cautious in what he knows not will all the Care and Circumspection in the world availe when they know not what to take care of nor what to avoid Care and Cautiousnesse consist not in administring that which they call safe and good medicines such as in themselves because if they do no good will not poyson or kill the Patient But in praescribing such as may take off the Cause of the Malady and may suite with the Disease the Constitution Age Sex Temperature c. of the Patient And if in these he be ignorant And of them knowes not how to judge his Care and Cautiousnesse is a non ens And Consequently to affirm him then Conscientious is Nonsence For if he had any
thing of Conscience he would not dare to meddle with what he knowes not especially where the life of Man is concerned and at stake Neither can he be sayed to have experience and to have cured Any much less many of Divers Maladies This Conception arises from a praved Imagination of the vulgar who being Ignorant can not judge either of Causes means or effects But falsly take the event to be the effect of their medicines Because an Ignorant boasting Quack which hath only a few Receipts that have been recommended for good medicines and perhaps they are so which he uses at adventure and a like to all infirmities Temperatures Ages and Conditions gives a medicine to a sick party And he afterwards mends and recovers All his Relations and ignorant Acquaintance presently conclude it was the Emperick's Physick availed and produced this effect when for ought they or their Mountebanck can tell the Patients own Nature wrought out the violence of the Disease and so Recovered Or perhaps it was the wholsom and proper Physick he took before from some Rationall Physician that took off the Cause and was the Introducer of his Recouery although at the present it could not be so apparently discerned And being impatient of Health took the Advice of the Ignorant Practitioner as many people too frequently do And then attribute all to that it being the last thing he took Or to speak the best of this kind of mad Practice If the Emperick were instrumentall of the sick parties Restauration As it is not impossible for them to hit upon the right means sometime or other yet it was but by chance accidentally for he can neither describe the Disease offending nor the Cause introducing it or the reasons either why it works such symptomes in this party or why he praescribed such a Remedy So that Although he did the Cure he can * Fubrum sanitatem fecisse accidens est quonium non est aptus ad facâ—endum sanitatem Faber sed Medicus Aristot Metaph. 5. not say he did it because he knew not what he did And therefore he cannot be said to have experience For as Aristotle rightly teacheth Metaph. Lib. 1. Experientia singularium Ars universalium cognitio est Much lesse when not once in a thousand times he hitts the mark happens on the right Disease Temperature Constitution and Condition of the Patient that suits with his Recipts If Recipts alone were sufficient to make a Physician An Apothecary were the likeliest man to become the best Physician having the Receipts of many Learned Physicians sent daily unto him But as the Bodies Conditions and Accidents usually differ so that divers medicaments are accordingly praescribed so will it be requisite to know first where they shall meet with PatieÌ„ts in all respects suitable to those for which they were first praescribed before they with any certainty use them again Nay and sometimes they will find such intricate Causes Symptomes and Affections as will puzle and put the best Physician to a stand Thus Sennertus that Famous Neoterick Philosopher and Physician Confesses of himself Insticut Med. Lib. 2. Part. 3. Cap. 9. ubi agit De Epilepsia who notwithstanding was the great Restorer of the Art of Physick to the whole world So doth Montanus ut testatur Erastus Part. 4. Disput Contr. Paracels Victorinus Trincavellus a famous Venetian Doctor as you may see in his Counsells Consil 15. and 16. Together with Falopius and Francanzanus two Learned Physicians being all three Conferred with at one time about one and the same matter gave each of them their severall opinions And the same Trincavel being demanded his advice of a young man oppressed with melancholly confessed he was indeed melaÌ„cholly But knew not to what kind to appropriate it Heildishem likewise Speciel 2. Fol 166. Tells us that Paulus Regulinus being consulted in the like case was so confounded with a Confusion of Symptomes that he knew not to what kind tâ— refer it But this is common in our daily practice Wherefore if there be this difficulty in one Disease what is there think you when there is a Complication and mixture of Distempers together As is frequent in Affections of the Head and Brain For as Marcellus Donatus Cap. 4. De Medica Historia mirabili Lib. 2. Excellently notes (d) Cerebri affectiones omnes inter sevalde affines esse it a ut saepius unum alteri succedere usu quotidiano percipiamus quodmirabilius est pluribus eodem tempore eundem hominem affici Distempers of the Brain are of near affinity one with an other And that oftentimes one followeth in the neck of another as we daily see and which is more wonderfull Divers do semel simul at one and the same time altogether afflict one and the same Man Felix â—laterus in Ment. Conservatione Lib. 1. Tells us of a Patient of his that was molested with Caro Convulsio Memoria Laesa Visus Halucinatio one upon the neck of an other Also in Lib. 1. De Mentis Alienatione He mentions a noble man who was troubled with the Hypochondriack melancholly Palpitation of the Heart with divers Symptomes of the Head and Belly all together Joannes Montanus Consil 128. For the Duke of Millain shewes that he was troubled with a (e) Primo Distillationem Catarohi quae interdum difficultateÌ„ anhelitus inducit Assidul Tussicula infestatur non nunquam etiam podagrico delore afficitur ac praeterea â—â—detnate tumore cruruÌ„ laborat dolore etiaÌ„ capitis vertiginis non parum vexatur Catarrh a Cough Difficulty of Breathing Pain in the Head Vertigo the Gout And an Hydropicall swelling in the Leggs by intervalls And sometimes with most of them together And in Consil 36. He hath a Paâ—ient both molested with both the Vertigo and Palsie at once Likewise in Consil 38. He gives his Advice of one affected with the Vertigo and Cephalalgia (f) Scribit habuisse hominem curandum annum sexagessimum quintum natum qui eodum tempore Apoplexiam debilem Pralysin universaleÌ„ frequentissimâ—s Epilepsiae Paroxismos Pateretur Valescus also writes that he had a Man in Cure of 65. years of Age who at one and the same time was perplexed with the weaker sort of the Apoplexy the universall Palsie And the Falling sicknesse by fits Joannes Crato Consil 73. Lib. 7. Mentions a Woman who with the Vertigo was also affected with a Delirium Trembling of the Heart An universall leannesse Convulsion Gnashing of the Teeth with an hurting of the Chief faculties Sometimes as it were taken with the Catalepfie c. Of which examples are infinite Thus Physicians themselves may bâ— sometimes Confounded with a mixture of Symptomes and in Complicated Maladies in their Practice of this most serious and Weighty Art of Phsick How much more then such as are not fitteâ— and made capable of so great a Function So that then there is no place left for such Mens practice nor Colour
Records one to have lived an whole year before he dyed yet was all that while in a most intollerable torment And Petrus Forestus observat med Lib. 18. Schol. observat 28. Tells us he hath known some have lived many years after but in grievous misery Et ego novi qui multos annos supervixere sed in magna miseria cruribus resolutis ut vix incedere possent et mulierem post dnos annos tandem vita orbatam Ita et religiosa quaedam Delphis veneno infecta longo tempore sed misere supervixit And Cardan Contradict 7. Tract 2. Lib. 2 Tells us of one that eat almost an ounce of Arsnick without the least prejudice The cure may be effected if taken in time first by vomiting it up if possible before it have diffused it self out of the stomach into the parts and that by butter and warm water or the Decoction seminis Rapi Atriplicis in quo Butyrum recens aut ol lini vel rosaceâ—m sit liquefactum or any other sat liquor Forestus observat med Lib. 18. in schola observat 28. doth much commend oyle with a litttle chickin broath for a vomit Memini ego pueram apud Delphenses c. I remember I cured a Boy at Delph who had unawares eaten that kind of Arsnick which they usually lay for Mice commonly called by us Rats-bane onely with a vomit of oyle and chickin broath Adding a little after that he hath found of great use amongst such as he hath cured oyle of sweete Almonds given to drink with buttered-ale Milk likewise is highly commended by some Authors to this purpose whence the same Forestus loco citato affirmes that in Italy they use when poyson is first taken to drink Milk perpetually mixt with oyle of sweet Almends which he sayes Avicenna had experiencâ— of De cura Iâ—teritiae in fine decerptum And Mâ—ntaâ—us will have them drink Milk till their thirst be quenched if possible for this kind of poyson doth exceedingly cause thirst For hereby he attests himself to have cured severall that had eaten fish fryed with butter and rouled in meal wherein Arsnick was mixt shewing farther that all such as drank liberally thereof were quickly well such as deferred the drinking of it grew worse and fell into grievous symptomes and paralytick sits and such as refused it wholly Dyed Petrus de Apono Tract De Venenis Commends Asses Milk who sayes he cured a young man that had taken that kind of Arsnick called Realgar in drink and was so affected that through too much Drought remained aâ— Immoveable First he administred Vomits as is before described then Clysters but the chief business was drinking of Asses Milk Lastly the specificall Antidotes of this kind of poyson Sunt in primis Christallus Fossilis pulverizatusÊ’j pondere cum oleo Amygdalorum dulcium recenti potus Secundo oltum è nucleis piniÊ’iij pondere exhibitum Tertio utilis est lapis Bezoar quod probat historia illa quam recenset Claudius Richardus in descriptione Bezoartici Lapidis Jordani de peste operi adjuncta ut scribit Schenkius observat med Lib. 7. fol. 994. SECTION IV Of Argent Vive its severall sorts and Antidotes ARgent Vive or Mercury as our Chymists vulgarly phrase it is of three sorts for it is either 1. Crude or 2. Sublimate or 3. Praecipitate To which we may add Cinabar being composed of Mercury But Naturall Cinabar I shall here pretermit wherefore then of these in order And first of Crude Mercury which taken rather in substance or by inunction or in fume causeth grievous affections and symptomes by its weight and eroding malignant quality as intollerable paines in the stomack and bowels wind gripings and erosions a generall indisposition of the whole body and sometimes a violent lask And if it be retained long in the body as many times it happeneth when it is mixed with some other medicament of a retaining quality or lies in some cavity longer then it ought or some such accident happening whereby it is kept still in the body unevacuated there followeth a suppression of Urine and the passages being stopt the whole man becomes infected and all his humours so that he turnes pale wan and of a leaden colour having a very corrupt and soetid breath And at length causes Palsies in severall parts and sometimes the Falling-sicknesse Apoplexie Swounding fits nay and Death it self as that Apothecary recorded by Cardan de venenis Lib. 1. cap. 20. who being exceeding thirsty in the night time drank instead of beere or other convenient liquor very largely of Crude Mercury in so much that being found dead in the morning and dissecting of him to find out the cause in his stomack was found allmost the quantity of a pint of Mercury the blood coagulated in his heart yet Alsaharavius Pract. Tract 30. c. 3. saies he saw one who devoured ten dramgs of Argent Vive without any hurt at all Botallus likewise Lib. de lue venerea affirmes that he hath seen one heard of divers that swallowed as many ounces and yet was thereby no wise damnified See more in Agricola Lib. 8. Fossilium Wierus Lib. 4. edit 6. Sanbarolitanus Comm. Avicen de cura casus et offens Pag. 189. Which record some to have dranke some pounds without any hurt Whence by the way it would argue it of a cold quality notwithstanding what some Authours have said against it much after the same manner are they affected that use it outwardly by inunction of receive the sume thereof As is apparent by that young man in Forestus observat med Lib. 8. observat 5. who receiving the vapour thereof into his brain could neither sleepe rest nor be at ease in any place with an universall trembling over all his body extraordinary palenesse and baldnesse his hair thereby falling off And Ferdinandus Ponzettus De Venenis Lib. 2. cap. 21. Tells us of a man in his time who by indevouring to convert Mercury into Luna or silver being one day negligent received the sume thereof into his head and so fell down dead immediately without one word speaking Likewise several have been kill'd by using oyntments in which Mercury hath been mixt by its penetrative nature through the pores affecting and infecting the blood and humours Joannes Schenckins observat med Lib. 7. fol 990. Records one who by the frequent use of Mercury it came to pass that his veines at length were perceived to be full of Mercury being penetrated therewith so that it was discerned to run up and down as his armes were elevated or depressed Yet there are Antidotes against all these as is to be found in the writings of the Learned Vtile est valde Lac Copiosius potum imprimis Asininum ut inquit Sennertus magnum verò imprimis auxilium praestat auri limati scobem vel folia auri sumere ut alii dieunt atque ita postea argentum vivâ—m per alvum cum auro egeritur Nec multum Ã