are most vigorous and active for in the beginnings of Animals the Ferments are very languid especially I say in the Matrix and therefore the Transmutations they make are but very slender and tennious whence is the facil reduction of the minute Embryo into its first Spermatick Juyce or Elementary Liquor In Children the Ferments grow stronger but yet is very weak whence is their aptness to breed worms which proceed from a debilitude of the embalming Ferments as Children grow up in years the Ferments grow more strong and therefore they require stronger meat and the Transmutations of the Ferments are more vigorous whence the bones and flesh of young Men become more solid and firm and that increaseth till the body come to its full stature so that it is the vigour of the Ferments that gives flower and strength to the body and their defects give being to Diseases make the Spirits flag the sinews shrink and the flesh wast away by a lingring Tabes and that too oftentimes in the very spring of Youth even many times whilst we are upon the Meridian of our days occasionally from the assaults of many Diseases When we are once arrived to the Zenith of our Years that the florid strength of our bodies are demonstrable Indexes of the agil vigour of our Ferments and vital Functions we stay not long here but then begin to decline and to go down the hill our strength begins gradually to be impaired and that because our Ferments and Vital Powers when once mounted to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are labil and in continual Flux for so all mortal powers are they begin grow come to their full state decline and come to a Period either by a further transmutation or reduction into the first Hyle or primitive Chaos therefore they spontaneously decay and with them the Fabrick of the solid parts of the body so that old Men that live out the full number of days do but spin forth a longer consumptive thread than others they wear away with an insensible Tabes having their succulent parts dried up by the exiccating Blass of the Air and that through the deficiencies of the vital Ferments And thus Old Age performs that at the long run which a lingring Disease whose Seminals are deeply seated in any principal part as stomach lungs liver veins c. vitiating the Ferment thereof doth in a less time as perhaps in a year half a year three months or less viz. wear away the body by a continual wasting or Consumption until the parts are reduced to a Skeleton which being after entombed in the earth doth as all other bodies by the fracedinous odour thereof Fatiscere in succum suum primitivum legesque aquae subire turns into a sort of Leffas and that by a further reduction is nothing else but water not to say what a great quantity of effluvia or vapours which for the most part are materially water pass continually through the pores of our bodies perhaps if duly computed not much less than the one half of the weight of the food we take in and yet is nothing but water circulated in our bodies through various Fermentations and at length reduced to its primitive simplicity Thus we begin we grow we come to our full stature from the operation of Seed and Ferments upon water whose degrees of vigour upon the material stage thereof gives the various Stadiums of Life Then we bend to Diseases we decline we die when the vital Powers and formal Ferments march off the stage and have their exit into their primitive Hyle and the body then ultimately reducible into water by the Fracedo of the Grave Hence I conclude all bodies in the Mundane System whether Vegetable Animal or Mineral from water as the material Element and by Seed as the efficient Agent have not only the Beginning But THE END AN APPENDIX Concerning the ORIGINAL of SPRINGS 1. IT is not the least part of Dr. Wittie's Book to Discourse of the Original of Springs and therein to assert their original to be from Rain and Snow-water from the confluence of which two he supposeth all Springs to flow and that after this manner viz. the Snow and Rain falling from the Clouds in great abundance upon the Earth do by moistening the Superficies cause it to bring forth Vegetables which we grant viz. That the moisture exhal'd from the Sea and Earth carryed up into the Clouds becomes impregnated with an influential Nitrous Salt or Sal Hermeticum floting to and again in the Atmosphere And circulated or cohobated upon its Caput mortuum the Earth gives fertility to the ground and makes it apt to bring forth Vegetables 2. The remaining part saith he except what suddenly runs into Rivers sinks down by secret passages into the earth with which the Superficies doth abound and in rocky ground it runs through the clefts and by them is conveyed to the Subterraneal Chanels more or less deep in the earth where it is concocted by the earth and moves as blood in the veins c. We shall indeed admit thus far of what he saith viz. That Rain and Snow-water are the proximate cause of all Land-Springs and sudden Flouds silling the Porosities and Chanels of the Superficies of the Earth the remaining part restagnates till it find declive Currents out of Brooks and Ditches into other Rivulets and those again by further passages swell into Rivers and thereby cause inundations of low grounds till those Rivers empty themselves by other intermediate ones into the Sea it self But that the same should be the cause of the Fontes perennes viz. of Living Springs I altogether deny as shall afterwards be evinc'd more clearly 3. This Water saith he at length in its passage through the veins of the Earth finds vent and runs forth which place of eruption we call a Spring or Fountain And this springing forth or eruption of the water I conceive saith he to be made from its own natural inclination and tendency towards its proper place assigned to it by the Creator which is the convex part of the earth it not resting till it meets with its natural correspondent the Air under which it must needs lie because of its greater gravity as above the Earth by reason of its levity And this I think saith he to be the natural reason of its ebullition out of the Earth 4. Here the Doctor hath at once conceiv'd and brought forth the causes as he supposeth of all manner of Springs and their manner of issuing out of the Earth viz. from rain and Snow-Water and their tendency in the Channels of the Earth to their proper place the convex part thereof For he having numbred three general Opinions concerning the Original of Springs viz. first by percolation of the Sea secondly by transmutation of Earth or Air into Water within the Bowels of the Earth Or lastly by Rain or Snow with the last of which he closeth As for the second viz. the Opinion of the
to conclude No flattering Encomiasticks shall usher in this work nor pedantick Rapsodists attend these lines nor need we Casta Napaearum to adorn our Water-Nymphs nor let the Reader expect our contemplation upon our Water-Works nor yet any Chronogram or Anagram to sound abroad our fame nor shall we court great Patronages to cast a favourable aspect upon it Praevalet ipsa veritas imo in aeternum praevalebit For if the substance of the Discourse and what the Piece it self offers give not matter of entertanimet for the Reader whose Genius bends that way without such previous antick Stage-Playes Or if it sound not Harmoniously in the Readers Ear without such pratling School-Boy Preludes let it be thrown by and for ever buried in Oblivion If I have writ any thing in this following Tractate Judicious Reader worth thy while it is well If thou have but as much pleasure in reading as I had in writing it is enough If it find any encouragement abroad it may probably brood again Peruse and censure not till thou hast run it through and then do as thou seest cause Farewel Thine W. S. HYDROLOGIA-CHYMICA OR The ANATOMY OF SCARBROVGH SPAW BEING Some Animadversions upon Dr. WITTIE's Discourse of SCARBROVGH SPAW Pars Prima SECT 1. HAving lately seen a Tractate Intituled Scarbrough Spaw or the Description of the Natures and Virtues of the Scarbrough Spaw Written by Dr. Wittie being the second Edition by the same Author who therein undertakes to Discourse of the Nature of that and other Mineral Waters to omit all prolixity we will examine his deposited Principles of that Mineral Spring 2. He tells us of five Ingredients of which this water partakes and hath its Virtues from which are the Constitutive principles of this Spring as he supposeth and those are Vitriol Iron Allom Nitre and Salt with these he currently passeth along through his book where he hath occasion to elucidate the Virtues of the Well and make all the five Volens nolens contribute to this Spring 3. First as for Vitriol the Doctor might have distinguished whether he understood it to be Vitridelum martis or veneris viz. the Vitrio◠of Iron or of Copper for if it be of Iron then is one of the principles viz. Iron Superfluous because the Iron would be the Metalline part of the Vitriol in as much as every Vitriol is made of an Essurine Salt dissolv'd in the Subterraneal veins of a Spring which passing along the Minera of a Metal doth lambere venam licks upon that Vein of Metal whether Iron or Copper which it partly dissolves into it self and carries it as I may say in its belly to the visible appearance of a Spring which evaporated gives a Vitriol either of Iron or Copper according as the Metal was that it passed through 4. But if the Vitriol in Scarbrough Spaw be of Copper then would the operation of the water be most what Emetick or Vomitive because the body of Copper being dissolv'd by an Essurine liquor save that of the primum ens Salium or liquor Alkahest of Paracelsus and Helmont becomes desperately Emetick and can but with very great difficulty by the Chymical Art be separated from that Essurine Salt which hath coagulated it self thereon 5. Again If it was such a Vitriol the other ingredient of Iron would by their mutual imbraces be ting'd and almost transmuted into Copper which I have found by a strong decoction of Iron in Vitriolin Water but to omit that Let us suppose that there were a Vitriol of Venus dissolved in this Spring and in so small a proportion as being mixed in a great quantity of water viz. of 3 or 4 Quarts which is the quantity Patients frequently drink as not to work frequently by Vomit but most what by Stool and that the Purgatives property was from the mixture of this Vitriol and other Ingredients named by the Doctor 6. This being granted in favour of his Ingredients or Mineral Principles then let us see what will be the sequel viz. whether or no we may not lay by as useless one of his Principles I am now discoursing of viz. Iron as an impertinent and insignificant Ingredient I mean as to the body of it 7. For if the Essurine salt dissolved in the Water-Spring meet with a Vein of Copper in the bowels of the Earth which Essurine Salt is always required for the making a Vitriol of what sort soever fretting thereon dissolves it and at the same time that acidity is coagulated upon the metalline dissolv'd parts solutio coagulatio fiunt unico instanti una edeamque res solvit ac à solventi coagulatur and so both together become dissolv'd in the solitary Spring Water in an almost indissolvable nexure then and not till then is the action of that Essurine acidity terminated so as it can act no more and though it should in the secret meanders of the Earth in its incircling perambulation meet with a Vein of Iron yet could it take nothing thence because it had already lost its sting I mean its fretting Salt had satiated it self in coro metallico in the embraces of an already espoused Metal 8. Mars cannot be dissolv'd and appear in the form of a liquor without a dissolvent but this dissolvent viz. the Essurine acidity being already satiated and turned into a Vitriol to make up one of Dr. Witties precanious Principles is not at leisure to make another of them unless we grant such an indulgence to Nature which she never was yet so kind to her self as to take I mean to dissolve Mineral or Metalline Body without an agent proper for that purpose 9. So that indeed we find a flaw in the main Timber of his Building an inconsistency of two of his chief Principles of this Mineral Water Vitriol and Iron that which makes the one disannuls the other so that certainly they are not of the Fraternity of this Spaw however we come to find them thus thrust in by head and shoulders SECT 2. 1. THe Doctor undertakes to discourse of Vitriol and first he gives us an account of the several sorts not such as he had seen but such as he saith Sect. 12. late Writers name viz. three sorts viz. Roman Vitriol or Copperas which two I do not understand to be Synonima's for Romas Vitriol is factitious and adulterated with other mixtures to make it shoot into curious figures and to heighten the colour for pleasing the Eye having great quantity of the sluggish body of Copper is it which is the main Ingredient but very languid as to Spirits wherewith natural Vitriol is more replete as by distillation of both we have found and Helmont mentioning a distillation of it saith dedit parum spiritus ignavi acidi cessavity mox infra pauca hor as omnis spiritus c. as for Copperas it is a name most proper to most sorts of natural Vitriols cupirosum i. e. cuprum erosum The second sort is Cipryan Vitriol partaking of the nature
irrational as the former for to call the decoctions of these Diaphoreticks forenamed drying decoctions implies no less than a palpable contradiction for the operation of these Diaphoreticks are drying only à posteriori by carrying through the pores of the body by insensible transpiration or sweat that superfluous latex which cumbers the blood and not that they actually dry by a positive quality 15. But that I may give you one sleight hint concerning the manner of the operation of Iron in the Cures of the formerly named Diseases and that without taking cognizance of any drying or stiptick qualities it is thus First we must presuppose there are several digestive ferments in the body which if regular and uninterupted in their functions are the Authors of transmuting edible food from one manner of juyce or liquor into another until it terminate in nutrition coming for a supply of the continual wasting and transpiring spirits which so long keeps an occonomy and harmony of parts subservient to the health and vivacity of the body 16. If these digestions by any occasional cause of inordinacy of living perturbations or passions of the mind ex in equale partium robore ab origine nato or any other essential or accidental cause of Diseases become irregular degenerating from their primitive intentions perverting their original juyces thence a spurious acidity becomes exorbitant although a chiliferous acid ferment is peculiar to that digestion of the stomach extra lares suos fertur in alienam mensem reliquarum digestionum fluctuates in the vessels being too much heightened or decocted in the stomach it self causing Heart-burnings Pains and Gripings and sometimes Vomiting descending into the intestines causeth the Collick and Illiack Passion this getting into the veins and arteries becomes the intrinsick Minera of Feavers mortis inopinati 17. The same vitiating the spirituous Liquor of the genus nervosum gives the seminary of Apoplexies Palsies Spasmes and Convulsions also coagulating it self upon the bowels causeth obstructions thence oedematous and scirrhous tumours of the Spleen or Liver and lays the ground-work for Aposthumations in other parts the same acting diversly upon different parts vitiates their spermatick elementary Liquor distends the fibres of the parts beyond their natural tone perverting their peristaltick motion whereby the superfluous watry parts should be percolated from the Blood by Urine Sweat and insensible transpiration which distention and sometimes flagging of the fibres having original often from the same dilutes the Blood by retaining what should be separated thence whence come Dropsies 18. The same spurious acidity or Salresolutum vitiating several digestions defedates the Blood and floteing in divers parts too and again gives the beginings to the Scurvy causeth also obstruction of the Menses and having vitiated the most of the digestions produce a Cachexia or a totally corrupted and vitiated habit of body concerning which the noble Helmont saith Cujus viz. salis excrementii sive uterus hepar lien renes panchreas mesenterium vel stomachus fodina sit ingentes parere laborantibus molestias Which premiz'd 19. We say that Steel sometimes given in filings or in the form of Crocus Martis may precipitate and coagulate this Tartarum resolutum or Sal excrementitium I mean this spurious acidity that had fastened it self in the bowels of the Spleen and Liver altering the tone of the Fibres diluting the Blood letting forth the potulent part of the Blood not by the natural way of Urine Sweat and Transpiration but either by an unnatural back-door thrusting it between the Peritonium and Omentum whereby restagnating in the Abdomen swels the belly of hydropical Persons or running along the Vessels with the Blood into the habit of the body amongst the small capillary Veins which are subservient for the last digestion viz. Nutrition or Assimilation restagnates there being carryed in greater Vessels swels the legs but being amongst the lesser cause that sort of Dropsie we call Ascites 20. I say the manner of operation of Steel whether filings Crocus or Sugar of Steel is by coagulating this excrementitious Salt which because acid is therefore partly Mineral for as soon as Steel aforesaid enters the stomach and so passeth from the first to the second digestion in the intestines as it passeth along the spurious Salt runs head-long towards it to dissolve it but instead thereof is coagulated thereon spending its activity upon the Steel loseth its accuteness or sting and so is carryed away with the Steel by Stool hence the excrements of those that have taken Chalibeat Medicines are black and that for no other reason but that the corrosive fretting Spirits and spurious acid juyces of the body those grand authors of pains and torments are precipitated upon the Chalibeate body which by coagulation thereon grows black 21. Hence it is that those corrosive fretting pontick and acid juyces which vellicate and prick the Nerves in whatsoever part of the body they are found and twinge the Fibrous parts of the Membranes throughout the whole body utpote patrones dolorum ac torminum are I say dinted softned and sweetned by the taking in such fixed bodies of the Metalline compage of Steel or of animal or vegetable Stones or petrefied concretions in whose texture is wrapt up a fixt Alkaly viz. for instance Crabs Eyes Coral and Pearl 22. All which petrefied animal or vegetable concrete juyces as also testacea quaevis together with the body of Steel being taken into the humane body do coagulate the preternatural acid juyces upon themselves and do so alter the texture of the whole mass of humours that whereas before by their fretting nature they caused the floting to and again through the body divers Pains Swellings Indispositions c. they are now become sweet and circulate in the body in a due proportion proper for the functions of the several digestions 23. Even after the same manner as we sensibly perceive that when they are put into any sort of acid Liquors as Vineager or the like though their powders fall to the bottom yet they give not over working one upon another until the acid Liquor hath become sweet viz. insipid robbing it thereby of its sowrness the like doth almost any Metal dissolv'd in an Aqua fortis which thence separated by distillation or precipitation becomes most what debilitated so that it shall not be able to make another the like solution 24. Hence we may throughly resolve that seeming objection which might stare us in the face at the very first proposal of this Hypothesis viz. that seeing the Metalline body of Steel or petrefied concretions of Coral Pearl and Crabs Eyes being yet in the stomach or on their passage through the second digestion along the intestines do even there sweeten the acid juyces of the body whereas they themselves viz. the acid juyces may be in more remote parts and at a great distance how comes it therefore that these remote corrosive pontick juyces become dulcified at a distance 25. Which we
according to the Doctors supposition each of them being in several glasses viz. a solution of Nitre Allom Vitriol of Copper Vitriol of Iron and common Salt and desired him for the evincing the truth of his Principles that he would please to mix these in such a proportion in a glass of fresh water as might resemble the taste of the Spaw water and would equally with it answer the same coagulations and solutions 3. So when we came to the Well I desired an essay might be made of the mixture of those five solutions in fresh water to try if we could imitate the Spaw thereby he told the company that I expected from those Minerals which had undergone the fire to see the same as from those which had not passed the fire I answer'd they were naked and bare solutions of the Mineral Ingredients made without any stress of fire and therefore might well be taken to make experiment withall when he seemingly refus'd it I called for a porrenger of fresh water and put some of each of these solutions in tasting it after each distinct Ingredient was put in 4. The Vitriol of Iron made it taste very like the sweet Spaw at Knarsbrough a little of the solution of Nitre and Salt did not much alter the taste thereof to which a solution of Mineral Allom was added which did not yet bring it any thing near the taste of that Spaw comparing them both together nor did the addition of Vitriol mend the matter upon this mixture we poured the solution of Gauls which presently upon the account of the solution of Allom and Vitriol became thick and muddy like ink and became clear from the same reason with the addition of some drops of the spirit of Vitriol not that the solution of Nitre or Salt contributed any thing to this attrimentous curdling nor yet was alone from the solution of Vitriol but also from the solution of Allom which as to changing colours by the addition of Gauls or solution thereof doth equally answer the solution of Vitriol 5. But to come a little closer to the matter I took a little Spaw water in one porrenger and a little solution of the Calx of Allom in another upon both of which I poured the solution of Gauls made in fair water and filtred and forthwith both waters viz. the Spaw water and the water of Allom became coloured alike of a deep purple and from thence having a little more of solution of Gauls added became blackish and opacous almost like Ink by which I demonstrated to the Doctor what he would not otherwise believe had not his eyes convinced him viz. that a purple colour and from thence a dark opacity like lnk might he made from another liquor than Vitriol or Iron to which he solely ascribes the changing of colours by a Gaul put thereinto making that one of his demonstrations why Iron is an Ingredient in the Spaw which by an occuler testimony I convinced him that the changing of colour by a Gaul was not any sufficient evidence that Iron Vitriol must needs be an Ingredient thereof because the bare solution of the Calx of Allom having nothing of Iron or Vitriol in it doth give exactly the same alteration of colour 6. The strength of his Argument for Iron and Vitriol being plac'd in this viz. that the sediment which falls to the bottom upon the alteration with Gauls which in his book I take saith he to be the Iron Mineral with a little touch of the Vitriol which certainly had been much more proper if he had spoke of the Minera of Iron and left out Vitriol or of the Vitriol of Iron and so discoursed only of one for that both should be there we have in the first part denyed and held inconsistent nor is this variation of colour by Gauls a sufficient argument of the presence of the Minera of Iron though I do not deny it to be an Ingredient seeing a solution of the calcin'd stone of Allom will do the same 7. But to proceed upon both these coloured Liquors viz. of the Spaw and of the solution of Allom by the solution of Gauls I poured a little spirit of Vitriol and presently by degrees both of them became alike clear again the spirit of Vitriol working upon and dissolving all those scattered loose confus'd atoms which the Gaul shiver'd the waters into till they had all become dissolv'd again in the body of water and became as clear as at first 8. From whence I inferr'd a further similitude of parts between the Spaw water and the solution of Allom being alike in their precipitation and in their reduction to clear Liquors again 9. To these cleer solutions I poured some drops of Oleum Tartari per deliquium which caused them both to become alike coloured as deep almost as Ink for this Oyl of Tartar precipitates what ever acid spirits such as spirit of Vitriol of Salt c. dissolve and bring clear solutions into confus'd postures by which it appears that Mineral Bodies or Salts may by the force of acid Menstruums be resolv'd into clear Liquors which Bodies are not therefore converted into the nature of the Menstruum and become the same with it as Dr. Wittie would have Metals that are dissolv'd in Aqua fortis to be converted into the nature of the Aqua fortis whereas lixivial Salts evince the contrary for either a fixt or volatile Alkali will presently precipitate and make it fall to the bottom whatever acid corrosive Liquors have dissolv'd by which the Metal he thought lost would once more become the object of his Opticks 10. Then upon these Muddy Inky Liquors I poured some more spirit of Vitriol and clear'd them both again upon which clear Liquors I poured some volatile spirit of Harts-horn which as the Oyl of Tartar made them both become confus'd and Inky 11. By all which it appeared that the solution of calcin'd stone of Allom admitted the same precipitations and resolutions with that of the Spaw by acid Liquors and alkalizate Salts 12. Then we poured forth these Liquors and took fresh Spaw water and fresh solution of Allom upon both I poured some Oyl of Tartar per deliquium which caused a whitish curdling separation much-what alike in both which would again become clear by the addition of some drops of the spirit or Vitriol 13. Now the Query is how comes Oyl of Tartar or any lixivial Salt or volatile spirit to cause this separation of parts in all Mineral or Metalline solutions that are made by acid Menstruums Whether they do it by coagulating themselves upon the bodies of Minerals and Metals or by uniting with the Salts of the Menstruums and so thrusting forth the other bodies of Minerals or Metals 14. For the solving of which doubt we must first know that there are three sorts of Salts or Spirits out of which ordiarily Menstruums are made for the dissolving of most bodies commonly dissolvable commonly dissolvable I said because the Liquor
Alkahest of Paracelsus and Helmont that primum ens salium their grand Solvent doth as Helmont saith dissolve all sorts of concretes whatever into their primitive juyces These Salts or Spirits out of which common Menstruums are made are either acid and those either naturally so as the Essurine acidity which is to be found in Allom and Vitriol Stones also in the sowr juyces of Herbs and Fruits amongst which that from Grains or Wines is most eminent or are so made from Mineral Salts by force of fire as spirit of Vitriol spirit of Nitre Salt c. 15. Or secondly from Alkalizate Salt and those either fixed as Salt of Tartar Wormwood Broom or any other vegetable fixed Salt or volatile as spirit of Urine Blood Harts-horn or the like volatile spirit from any vegetable as Sage Wormwood and the like the Alkalizate Salts are used to dissolve in water for the extraction of Brasil Sena c. and the volatile spirits mixed with a vinous spirit helps to procure a stronger solution and tincture of Mirrh Aloes and Saffron than spirit of Wine alone would for the making Elixir Preprietatis 16. Or lastly Menstruums are made from vinous spirits which is the frequent Menstruum for extracting the subtil sulphurious Medicinal parts of many vegetables though I have seen and made a fourth sort of Salt in order to a Menstruum which was an artificial one made by the fire which indeed is a kind of result from the three former Salts or Menstruums and being dissolv'd in water or spirit of Wine makes no ebullition with either alkalizate solutions or acid spirits 17. Now whatever it is that one of the two first dissolves the other being added precipitates if any solution or extraction be made with alkalizate Salts or volatile Spirits upon the mixing a little acid spirits of Vitriol Allom Nitre or the like a precipitation is presently made of the dissolv'd body as for instance in the preparation of the Magistery of Chochineel or other vegetables as the primary Ingredient for the confection of Alkermes which is made by a decoction of the Berries in water acuated with Oyl of Tartar when by this means by itterated affusions of more of the same Menstruum all the tincture is got upon which filtred pour the solution of crude Allom which is alone as if so much spirit of Vitriol answerable was poured on and what the lixivial Salts had dissolv'd the acid precipitates which being washt both from the taste of Oyl of Tartar and Allom is the Magistery of Kermes 18. Where take notice that the ingenious Zuelfer saith That in the preparation of this Lacca Florentina as he calls it he hath got almost double the quantity thereof respect of the Berries he first took in hand that which made up the bulk was an addition from the Menstruum and precipitating Salts 19. So likewise in the solution of Minerals or Metals as for instance in a filtred solution of Vitriol made in fair water into which if Oyl of Tartar be dropped there is presently as I said before a separation and precipitation of the Metalline parts of Copper or Iron according as the Vitriol was made and with the Colcotarine parts there doth also fall some of the very salts both of the Menstruum viz. acid salts for whose sake it is the Metalline parts appear under a form of a Liquor and also of the alkalizate salts in as much as to make the Colcotar appear single and solitary there is need of a dulcification by warm water which being filtred and evaporated gives a sediment or neutral salt of the same nature with that which is left after the evaporation of the Liquor out of which the Metalline parts were separated viz. a Tartarum Vitriolatum 20. By which it is evident that when a Mineral body is dissolv'd by an Essurine acid salt acuating a quantity of water wherein the solution is made fretting upon and subtillizing all the otherwise grosser parts of a Mineral in minima grinding them as I may say into the minutest particles that then if some of the contrary sort of salt viz. fixt or volatile alkalies be poured on the salts immediately close with one another but being of different textures of parts and thence apt to make different sorts of Menstruums and so of a contrary nature one to another fret themselves into other shapes in which fretting they cause an heat and sensible or insensible ebullition according to the intenseness or remisness of these hostile salts in the Duel they thrust forth the already dissolved Mineral or Metalline body which loosening the salts that dissolv'd them fall headlong to the bottom whilst the salts have turn'd themselves into a neutrum quid and part are faller together with the precipitated body 21. So that the salt of Tartar immediately reacheth the acid salts of the Menstruum that hath dissolv'd any Mineral body and thereby precipitates and lets fall to the bottom the dissolv'd body and part of it with some of the acid salts are carryed along with them which appears because the water wherein the Mineral precipititate body is dulcified upon evaportion gives as I said before the same things as is made from the combining of the two salts in the superstagnant water viz. a Tartarum Vitriolatum 22. Hence it is that Oyl of Tartar being dropt into the Spaw water makes a whitish coagulum or separation because of the solution of the Minera of Iron which is dissolv'd in the Essurine acidity either as it passeth through Allom stones or other proper matrixes in the bowels of the Earth wherever its sound as to its simple primitive elemental acidity it 's all one and therefore by some called the primum ens of all natural Minerals solutions Spaw waters and salts 23. For this Mineral acidity is the very solvent in the water which pervading a Minera of Iron makes a slight solution of it and being equally contempered together makes up the body of the Spaw upon which if spirit of Vitriol or any other acid Liquor be poured it makes no alteration in the water because of similariness of parts between the acid spirit of Vitriol and the acid solvent in the water no more than fair water mixed with fair water or spirit of wine mixed with spirit of wine but fixt and volatile alkalies being of a contrary temper precipitate whatever Mineral solutions the other hath made for an ingenious Friend of mine took a good quantity of the Spaw water upon which he poured some lixivium of Tartar which caused a great curdling separation of a white matter by standing a while a white sediment fell to the bottom which when the water was poured off and the rest dryed to a powder became a white and almost insipid calx by which it was evident that both the salts viz. the acid salt of the Spaw and the lixivial salt became dissolv'd together in the restagnant water and only let the aluminous calx which the acidity of the
water had before dissolv'd into it self fall to the bottom and that without the least perception either of Vitriol Iron or any other Ingredient SECT 2. 1. THus far I assented to Dr. WITTIE viz. that an alluminous salt from a Mineral acidity had dissolved a slight touch of the Minera of Iron and both dissolv'd in the current spring of water makes up the Spaw I asked him how he would demonstrate his other three Principles and first as to Vitriol he said that in the carriage of the water from the spring to remote places there was found to be a loss of spirits which he called Vitrioline spirits first that these were Vitrioline spirits and that they were lost remained to be proved that there was an alteration in the water by carrying to distant places I granted but that I told him I apprehended was from a quassation of parts which a wooden vessels might easily admit of an incipient putrefaction whence might really proceed an inversion of parts which would beget a great alteration in the texture of the water not to say what alteration may be made from oken vessels which by precipitation may make a great alteration 2. But an ingenious person being by asked the Doctor whether suppose the water was sealed up in a glass bottle hermetically and so carryed to a remote place whether it would be altered by carriage or no he answered he thought it would if so thâ—â— it was not from any volatility of parts because the glass was supposed sealed up therefore the alteration of the water was not from the loss of any volatile spirits and consequently not from the loss of the Vitrioline But the foresaid ingenious person put some of the Spaw water into a glass bottle and stopt it up from the air into an other glass bottle he also put of the same water but let it stand open the first he observ'd that though it was kept until the water suffered a little putrefaction did yet give a tincture to Gauls he tryed another bottle after the very same maner which yet did not give the tincture as the other did but the bottle that stood open to the air within two or three days lost its tincturing property so that though we should grant there are volatile parts which take wing in the air yet are they not Vitriol because though kept in closely stopt vessels yet in time they lose themselves which if a body of Vitriol was there would be permanent it is therefore an apporrhea mineralis whether Vitrioline or Alluminous 3. But being he mentions this loss of Vitrioline spirits which by agitation of the water in carrying it at distance evaporates I wonder seeing those are so considerable according to his own supposal making the water act more lively why I say in his experimenting the water he did not set upon the distilling of it and saving by accurately closed joints those Vitrioline spirits that he might have tasted them or by other means have brought them upon the test and examined their nature but he very civilly because they are volatile le ts them go 4. If you view the Doctors tools by which he undertakes to hew out the rudiments of this Spaw they are indeed very rude and of a low rank viz. a skellet a culinary fire but not a word of a glass Still which an ingenious Artist supposing volatile spirits would rather have chosen for the satisfaction of himself and the World he tells us almost a wonder viz. that when the water was almost evaporated and spent it riseth up in billows making a bubling noise like the boiling of Allom in the Mines at Whithy which he might see very frequently in the evaporations of most Mineral Metalline nay vegetable solutions but that it may be it is the first he hath seen and therefore excusable 5. I arguing with him against Vitriol as being inconsistent with that of Iron in the Spaw told him that I apprehended that if there were any common Vitriol in it would be emetick or vomitive that it had no such operation constant experience convinc'd as also an example he produc'd of a man that every morning drank Eighteen Quarts for two weeks together without any vomiting at all 6. But the reason he blusht not to urge why though Vitriol be in the water yet it should not vomit you will wonder at it is this viz. we frequently give in our Cordials saith he spirit of Vitriol as also to quench thirst but doth not at all make the Patient vomit saith the Doctor 7. As if according to his account the spirits of Vitriol were nothing else but Vitriol it self and then indeed it would hold good what he saith that when the Vitrioline spirits were gone the Vitriol it self would also take wing to which we return'd that the spirits were but one part or element of Vitriol and the caput mortum or Coltotar another and that the chief vomitive property lay not singly and distinctly in either of these for if the Colcotar should cause vomit yet it is because there remains still some salts or spirits unseparated which when throughly dulcified hath nothing near if at all that emetick property it had when the salts were joyned to it 8. Copper amongst all the Metals if resolv'd into a Viridaeris or Vitriol by any acid salt is the most if not the only emetick Metal excepting Mercury which although mater metallorum yet is reckoned one of the seven which by Aqua fortis or Oyl of Vitriol is brought in to precipitate or turbith Mineral either of which is desperately emetick I say Copper or the Minera of Copper being resolv'd by an acidity becomes emetick these salts being separated either by distillation or otherwise by a Menstruum the Metal or Minera becomes what it was again 9. Now the Quety is whence the vomitive quality of this cuprous solution should proceed It is not surely singly from the Sulphur of that Metal because it being separated from that Metal by the Liquor Alkahest becomes as Helmont saith a sweet fixt anodynous Sulphur and therefore quite contrary to an emetick property nor is it alone from the Mercurial part because then the same would be had from Saturn Jupiter Luna c. inasmuch as they have as great a proportion if not a greater of Mercury than Venus Now the Saccharum Saturni nor the Sal Jovis as far as I understand hath any thing near such if at all Emetick qualities and as for the Sal Lunae or Salt of Silver that is chiefly purgative witness the Pillulae Lunares 10. It is therefore from the Salts preying both upon the mercurial and sulphureous parts jointly considered which together make up so hostile a texture of parts as that they become wholly inimical to nature becoming totally refrectary to the acid ferment of the stomach which not admitting so tyrannical an Enemy gathers all its Forces together rallies them and opposeth with all its might this grand Antagonist 11. But reduce again this
Vitriol into its primitive Elements viz. Sal acidum terra Mineralis sive Colcotar veneris or reduce viride eris into the acid Salt and cuprous body and none of these singly and alone shall be Emetick for the Spirit of Vinegar nor soure Juyce of Grapes nor the Spirit of Verdigreese is at all vomitive nor yet is the Salt of Vitriol of Venus if totally by an artificial Menstruum it be separated Emetick nor is the Spirit of the same Vitriol at all vomitive So that it 's very clear that the hostile property of vomiting is jointly from the commixtion of the Menstruum that dissolves either the Minera of Copper whence the Vitriolum cupri or of that acidity that coagulates upon the very body of Copper for making of it viride eris SECT 3. 1. I Queried with the Doctor how he came to understand that Nitre was an Ingredient and that the chief in the Spaw water being as he writes the most predominant his arguments for it were twofold the first argument he urged was this which as he thought was grounded upon experiment Take saith he the Spaw water into which put some Gauls which strikes a colour then after it hath stood awhile give the vessel a shake and somewhat like a blackish sediment will fall to the bottom then pour off the clear water and set it upon the fire and in a little time there will be a separation of a whitish curdling matter take it off the fire and let it stand to cool and there will be found another whiter precipitation than before and pour off the clear water again and this precipitate saith he tasts somewhat like to Nitre the clear remaining water being boyled up to a dryness give the rest of the Minerals 2. To which I replyed that after the first precipitation was made by the addition of Gauls the the clearly decanted water receiving an alteration from the fire begun to make a spontaneous separation of part of the contents thereof which I had no other cause from any argument of his to look upon otherwise than of the very same nature with the sediment which remained after the boyling up the rest of the water as to the taste of it which he thought was somewhat Nitrous I suppose might be spoke in favour of what he would willingly it should have tasted 3. Many solutions may upon the fire give a separation of parts which are yet but of the same nature with those left after the evaporation or distillation of the Liquor so that this whitish separation severs no distinct Ingredient from the Spaw water neither doth it evince any truth in favour of the multiplicity of principles in that water 4. His other argument which indeed is the chief he insists upon is twofold viz. first from the Nitre which is frequently found upon the Cliff at the bottom whereof the Spring break out this he thinks must needs because so near the Well contribute its assistance to the water and that which confirms him in his judgement as he imagines is that when the Rain comes it washed off this Nitre and after that more sweats thorough the earth as he supposeth and fills the vacancy of the former 5. To which we answer that it is true there is Nitre found along the Cliff near the Well but that this Nitre should contribute any influence to the water I deny by shewing first that that Nitre is ingendred chiefly from the air and next to that that it is only superficially to be found 6. First that it is chiefly begotten from the air is apparent because it is to be found very plentifully on old Walls either Brick or Free stone upon the Lime in the seams of the Walls especially where the Rain comes not but the air hath free access for otherwise the Rain washeth it off when it comes this is called Nitrum murarium or Nitrum aereum being a volatile aereal Salt coagulated upon Lime Allom Stone or the Mineral Earth of Allom. 7. To the coagulation of which Salt is required a competent body or subject which may answer the indication of a Magnet upon which these Nitrous particles floting in the air settle themselves of which sort are the forenamed bodies viz. Lime Allom Stone Mineral Earth of the same as also any fixed salt penetrating the body of an earthen Pot as likewise an Essurine Colcotar made barren of its imbred spirits by force of fire all which centre upon themselves the volatile Nitrous Atoms dispersed in the air 8. So that this Nitre lyeth not in veins of the earth as a Mineral salt as Dr. Wittie supposeth but is meerly superficial and therefore washed away by every dash of Rain for if a solution were made of the same Mineral earth where this is found it is very probable we should upon examination find nothing of Nitre in it 9. The other part of his argument which he thinks is instar omnium to confirm his opinion of Nitre the chief Ingredient is this experiment viz. that upon the exposing of the Minerals as he calls the sediment left after evaporation of the water some while in a moist and cold air that there have been found stiries or little Icikles among them which is the form of Nitre as to the veracity of the experiment we are not incredulous but that this should evince the preexistence of Nitre in that sediment is the thing we contend and very much question 10. For we say that the alluminous body left behind after evaporation of the water is of the same nature with the Mineral earth or stone of Allom found upon the Cliff and so the one as well as the other becomes equall magnetical and attract or centre upon themselves the floting Nitrous particles dispersed abroad in the air so that it is not the moist air that extraverts any preexistent nitrous parts from the body of the minerals but the vollatile nitrous salt fluctuating in the air settles it self upon proper magnetical bodies among which the sediment of the Spaw water being chiefly an Alluminous Salt is most peculiar SECT 4. 1. BUt that we may the better illustrate the truth of what we assert viz. That an acid alumenish mineral Salt preying upon and dissolving a slight touch of the Minera of Iron gives essence to this Spaw consider this following Experiment Take a duskish yellow Earth which lyeth much in veins as also interspersedly here and there upon the Cliff near the Well which is discernable enough in taste being sweet and stiptick like Vitriol or Allom or both 2. This I dissolv'd in simple distill'd Water and filtred with which mixing a little powder of Gauls gave an alteration of colour towards a purple though not speedily which with Spirit of Vitriol became clear again after the manner of the Spaw water 3. The same clear Solution of this Minera found upon the Bank under which the Spaw runs being mixed with Oyl of Tartar gives a white Coagulum of milky separation
thereof every Plant in its kind to the great and wonderful variety which we see upon the face of the earth so that presentem refert qualibet herba Deum 6. So in like manner the invisible Divine Power hath according to his own beneplacit dispersed variety of Mineral and Metaline seeds in hidden places of the opake body of the earth whence indeed the great and manifold difference of Mineral Glebes or Earths which Mineral seeds as well as all others whether vegetable or animal are indemonstrable a priori taking at first their immediate beginings from the very bosom of the Eternal Being 7. And therefore only demonstrable to us à posteriori viz. to our common sense by appearing in a visible garb upon the Stage of the World Now these dispersed Mineral Seminaries wherewith several parcels of earth become impregnate being set at work by the primitive fiat which is the same to this day as ever in their begining to shape bodies for their ideal essences to become manifest in form to themselves a Mercurial volatile juyce and an embrionate Sulphur as the materia proxima prima to Metalization 8. With these two proximate principles the Mineral Archeal faber operates ripens the elemental crudities and in a linear process puts on a tincture and weight and at length terminates in the coagulation of a perfect Metal specificated according to the form of the innate seed for the ripening coagulating fire of the embrionate Sulphur is as the Solterrae id quod est inferius est sicut quod est superius which kills the Python viz. exiccates and maturates the radical Mercurial moisture and terminates it in a Metalick species But I digress this being more fit for a Philosophick discourse upon another subject 9. We say therefore that these Mineral Glebes have for the mostpart a Mercury and a Sulphur in solutis principiis and both dissolvable in an essurine salt for salts are the keys that unlock the Mineral Kingdom These are those Menstrual Salts which teach Minerals and Metals how to dissolve in water by breaking them in minima and thereby how to communicate their medicinal virtues for the health of mans body 10. Here the Chymistry of nature is most admirable which by its own peculiar Menstruums extracts the essential innate virtues of Mineral Glebes and that by an intrinsick invisible fire in the digesting vessels of the earth yea and by the help of Art supplying the difficulties of Nature by frequent solutions and coagulations may yet further graduate these mineral virtues into more noble Arcana's whose essential tinctures may the better penetrate the vital ferments of the Microcosm 11. But how this Sulphurious essurine Salt becomes determined and specificated according to the difference of the Mineral Glebes it meets with into this or that fossile Salt or Mineral mixture may perhaps not unaptly be represented by this following instance as suppose several colours and salts placed at a distance one from another upon a large Marble and common simple water is convey'd to each of these this water though the same to all yet as it comes to every of them it becomes differently tincted and tasted according to the colour and taste of those parcels it meets with 12. So this essurine Sulphurous Spirit meeting with variety of Mineral Earths though the same in it self to every one yet becomes altered and tinctured according to the different property of the Mineral Earth and that according to the degree of Sulphur maturating the crude Mercurial juyce Now to confirm this our Thesis we must assume these two considerations first that all the various specificated Mineral Salts as Allom Vicriol Nitre c. have aliquid commune something in common amongst themselves and secondly that thereby all these Salts become transmutable one into another 13. For the first that they have something in common among themselves besides confirmation by our previous discourse is yet further demonstrable by matter of fact upon our second consideration viz. the transmutability of one salt into another by the Chymical Art we can out of sal marine or the spirit thereof make a Vitriol of Iron or Copper and by dissolving Quicksilver in Oyl of Vitriol according to what is done in making turbith Mineral as suppose four Ounces of Oyl of Vitriol to one of Mercury after the phlegm is evaporated and distilled that there remains a white precipitate which edulcorated by washing gives a Citrine powder and being revived as by distilling it from pot-ashes it may gives the same weight of current Quicksilver as it was at first This water which is impregnate with the Vitrioline Salts by being boyled up gives a true Allom here Vitriol salts are transmuted into an allumenish salt and that without the addition of any thing but Quicksilver which is again totally separable and yet salts by the very odour of the Mercury is turn'd into an Allom. 14. And not only Oyl of Vitriol with Mercury but also Oyl of Vitriol with common sal marine gives Alumen for if you put Oyl of Vitriol as we sometimes have done upon common salt and distil it in a glass body or retort with a gentle heat you will find a very volatile spirit of salt will come over the helm which will fume exceedingly the caput mort ' or remaining salt being dissolved gives a salt exactly resembling Allom. 15. Also Allom in its Minera exposed to the air is as a Magnet to Nitre attracting and centring it upon it self and common salt is in the body of Nitre Thus you see a relation or circulation of salts one into another and all this because they have in their Centre that one common Essurine spirit of salt which according to various alterations in Mineral beds admits of different coagulations 16. In short by way of recapitulation it is thus the Essurine acid salt having in its solution got a slight touch of a Vein or Minera of Iron and passing through a Rocky Mineral Glebe of Allom of which along the shore of Scarbrough and Whithy is found great plenty becomes more specificated in an allumenous than any other salt with which the water of the Quick-spring which breaks forth at the foot of the Rock is impregnate which makes that Fountain viz. the Spaw we discourse of SECT 7. 1. HAving thus run through the essential principles of this spring which make up this body of Mineral water which is so frequently and that for the most part not without the expected success drunk for the health of mens bodies I think it not impertinent to speak somewhat of its virtues and that the rather because Dr. Wittie gave forth as I was inform'd that I endevoured to defame the Spaw in that I held it to be an allumenous Spring 2. Let him therefore and the World know that in the Essurine salt of Allom as noble medicinal virtues are to be found as in any other Mineral specificated salt whatever for this salt in its primum ens is volatile and
Spasms c. all which depend upon the depravation of the spermatick juyce of the genus nervosum 15. But if it reach to or be depraved by the fifth or last digestion viz. the assimilative ferment of the solid parts of the body thence Abscessus Aposthumations Fistula's Ulcers Tumors Prurigoes c. all which depend upon the vitiating of the ultimate digestion in the habit of the body 16. I look upon the alimental juyce in its way to nutrition to undergoe many alterations from specifical ferments placed in different parts of the body to suffer many separations and to pass through many Colanders or Streiners where it is percolated and depurated each ferment after other while a symmetrie in the occonomy of parts inricheth it with new and more balsamick tinctures enlivens it with more elaborate spirituous particles adapted for the clarity of sensual functions as a more depurate diaphanous vehicle for the soul to act in 17. I say these Spirits which are almost the ultimate result of all the digestions have their constitution and daily supply from the succulent parts of the aliment which passeth various fermentations and are at last fabricated out of the purest parts thereof according therefore as the vigour of these ferments are and the depurations of the nutritive juyce more or less so are these Spirits in their Crasis more pure and serene or dull and opake whence the soul which sees and acts by these organical Spirits either becomes lightsome and cheerful in the outward fancy and portals of the external senses thence the sanguine and colerick complexion Or becomes dark dull and heavy and as it were incarcerated in the dungeons of the senses and sensual fancy the cloudiness of those Spirits darkens the soul and makes up the melancholy complexion which with a little variation makes the phlegmatick 18. I look upon the Spleen and the ferment thereof to contribute very much to the Crasis of these Spirits for if the ferment thereof be deprav'd so as a due separation of the blood is not made which yet ought to be and that which should be separated is yet retained thence obstructions in the very parenchym of that bowel a darkning and cloudiness of the Spirits a melancholy vaporous steam soyls the channels of the animal Spirits and obscures the function of those nimble agents inverts their order breaks their ranks and brings a sad catastrophe upon the animal powers 19. The soul while in the body hath these airy Spirits for its Vehicle having thereby an influence upon all and every part is not determined to any particular place neither in the glandula pinealis of the brain according to Des Cartes nor yet in the membranous tunicles of the stomach according to Helmont though I do not deny but in the one it may have its peculiar residing place for the regulating the culinary digestions and in the other its turret to take in the sensible impressions from outward objects to look about it through the casements of the senses yet is essentially in every part and where ever it finds any hostile enemy which impugneth the texture of those Spirits there the sensitive soul by which I mean the vital and animal Spirits which yet are but one and that the Vehicle of the immortal Soul acts ad nutum rallies up all its forces incounters the Disease and at length si vires ferent plucks out the morbid thorn and all is well again 20. So that all the digestions and ferments the separations and depurations thereunto belonging are but to prepare and so elaborate the nutritive juyce as thence a continual supply may come in for the preservation of these animal Spirits the Vehicle of the soul whose different Crases make different complexions and whose different alterations by various depravations of intermediate ferments cause no small off spring of Diseases 21. Now as the crudity of the alimental juyce first made so for want of a due fermentation in the stomach and passing on uncorrected from one digestion to another lays the foundation as I said of several Diseases so in like manner the over acidness or spurious ponticity of the stomachical ferment which is also a depravation of the ferment thereof gives begining to several other Diseases 22. For though the genuine ferment of the stomach be specifically acid and as such doth so temper dissolve and equally mix the meat and drink we take as to bring it to a chyliferous cremor and that as a necessary preparation to the succeeding digestions yet if it become too exorbitant even while in the stomach working up to the upper mouth thereof causeth Cardialgia's Heart-burnings and sowr belchings That a spurious acidity is the cause thereof appears by their Cure which is done by such things as have power to correct by diluting and sweetning such superfluous acidities viz. by any fixed salt of Vegetables or any concretes which contein a fixt Alkali in them as Crabs Eyes Corals Pearl c. 23. This spurious acidity transmitted into other digestions cause other Diseases extra suos lares saith Helmont in alienam messem transmissa evadit hostile venis arteris c. for if it be sent into the second digestion it causeth sometimes the Colick Gripings Iliack Passion with Spasms and Convulsive motions of the Guts and sometimes from an acid flatus or sowrish gas fretting upon the spermatick parts of the intestines causeth Gripings Disenteries which grating upon the tender tunicles thereof liquates the blood from them and the adjacent parts at every tormenting liquation puts nature upon the rack makes the tender parts confess their weakness to so powerful a fretting agent 24. Where by the way take notice that in a complete digestion of the stomach where there is no more than a proportionable acidity the cremor comes somewhat acidulate to the second digestion which by the ferment of those parts is transmuted into another taste viz. as Helmont saith it becomes of a saline taste I say though it come somewhat acidulate yet is conquerable by the ferment of the next digestion so that unless the acidity be beyond the natural proportion it causeth no alteration as to the foresaid Diseases 25. If this exorbitant acidity be carryed to the third digestion in the heart it becomes hostile to the arteries subverts the Crasis of the blood by altering the sweet balsamick soft natural temper thereof impressing an austere sowre property sometimes causeth Fevers but mostwhat lays the foundation of a depraved scorbutick ferment by perverting the sweet temperature of the blood inclining it to a sowr saltishness which precipitating the balsamick parts and giving fluidity to the saltish and sulphureous parts of the blood in the same sowrish property hinders the natural fermentation of the blood and in lieu thereof begets this scorbutick ferment 26. This pervertion of the genuine ferment of the blood proves a remora to its circulation making it at sometimes to restagnate in some of the arterial or venal chanels in
some parts of the body where coagulating causeth Tumours Imposthumations inward Ulcers Pains becomes a thorn in those parts which pricketh if I may so say the Archeus incenseth the Spirits inflames the parts brings on a Fever which if mortal hurries all out of doors 27. The scorbutick ferment prevailing by degrees spreads it self by vitiating one digestion after another until it appear clad in all its colours branched forth in all its symptomes and products which are various sometimes in one dress sometimes in another viz. in erratick Pains Dulness and Heaviness of Spirits Tumors Ulcers of many sorts Spots Looseness of the Teeth Soreness of the Gooms Foulness of the skin by Botches Roughness and other impurities of the outward parts For the blood is so corrupted by the vitiating ferment of the Scurvy as that it constantly breaths forth staining Apporrhea's or impure steams which making their egress through the pores of the skin are by obstructions they find there coagulated upon the outward parts and so make Spots Botches Foulness Roughness as if nettled and other impurities of the skin I cannot otherwise at least not better compare the skin of mans body in these and such like foul Diseases than to a transparent glass which if the steams rising from a spurious fermentation of the blood and humours become too gross to be pervious to the pores thereof then they condense along the sides begeting Spots Stains foul Damps c. analogical to the dampy mists of the Scurvy which if it were possible to cover the body over with transparent white glass we might easily discover the impure mists and dark steams arising from the bastardly fermentation of the blood in Scurvies venereal Diseases malignant Fevers Plague c. which if the interception of the circulation of the air that necessary bellows of Life would not prevent the successfulness of the experiment of glass-Receivers we might discern very strange and unthought-of Apporrhea's cloudy mists impure steams circulate within the atmosphere of the aforesaid diseased bodies perhaps not much unlike those foggy mists cloudy vapours and tempestuous confusions which frequently happen within the Orb of the Earths atmosphere which gives that frequent change of weather in the Macrocosm as these cause alterations in the Microcosm These vaporous steams arising from the blood of persons infected with the foresaid Diseases are not simple distillations or meer evaporations of the blood for then neither our glass-Receivers or our skins would condense or percolate any other than fair simple water which would cause neither Spots nor Stains but the steams of spurious fermenting blood is quite otherwise for here nature endevours an analysis of the morbid matter in the resolution whereof it carrys of vapore tenus the very seminal Miasmes equivolent according to their proportion to the relicts thereof strugling in the chanels of the blood for we see in all fermentations a separation of some terrene faeces to the sides of the vessels also of an incoercible flatus which carries along with it some slight touches of the radical principles in the fermenting Liquor Whence first we see the reason of the infectiousness of the foresaid Diseases for in such spurious fermentations nature attempts a resolution and separation of the peccant matter which takes wing by those impure vaporous steams in its road it leaves its character of Spots Stains Blotches Buboes Ulcers c. in the outward parts of the skin and so goes on to the utmost extent of the activity of its own Orb which if as I said could be retained by glass-Receivers we should not only see the extent of its Orb but also view the corrupting soiling Apporrhea's which issue from such infected bodies now what bodies come within the orb of their activity if duly fitted for the reception of those Miasmes they become tainted with effluvia's thereof which retain the platform of the very seminal principles of the Disease in the body or at least carry along with them somewhat analogical to those very Diseases they spring from even so much as to be sufficient to propagate the like Disease in the next infected body as we see most frequently in malignant Fevers especially the Plague Whence also we see the reason why some precious stones worn in Rings or otherwise per modum appensorum will suffer a loss in their oriental splendor and brightness when near such bodies as have these soyling steams arise from their fermental impurities viz. in such bodies as have the Small Pox malignant Fevers Plague yea sometimes in such as have the French Disease and Scurvy in an high degree whence the Saphir or the Hyacinth being so held to a pained Member in suspicion of the Plague as that it reflects the light upon the affected part doth so collect and concentre those malignant steams which arise from the infected blood as that in a very small time if the party be really infected it makes the part grow wan and black and becomes the insallible indication of the Plague by which afterward as Helmont saith the virulency as through a tube or chimney is driven forth that a piece of red Coral should grow pale upon the touching of an hysterical or I rather think menstrual woman is from the same cause for upon the regurgitation of the menstrues there happens an extrordinary defedation of the blood which by a kind of virulent fermentation sets the blood into a venemous steaming which oftentimes is so powerful as it not only soils the external parts but also passeth forth and meeting with any trannsparent or reflecting glass or Gem stains them which is not so much from the breath of a menstruous woman as from other steams which pass through the pores of the body round but especially at the portals of the eyes In like manner appears the reason of the Evestrum vitae bene vel male affectae for amongst precious stones some are diaphanous others opake as Coral Cornelian Turcois Jaspis c. but in pellucids as Helmont saith that Evestrumvitae reverberates it self for as he saith gaudet vitaspeculo lucido reflecti and therefore he looks upon Gems as opake well polished glasses And seeing as he further saith that something doth constantly and necessarily breath through the pores of our bodies which participates with life it self and acts within the sphere of its orb and this in the most sound bodies which if it find a polite body reflects it self therein in the manner of a glass and hence it is that many periapta become effectual by being such polite bodies wherein the evestrum vitae reflects it self in modum speculi and from this very root ariseth most of the arcana sympathetica yea and from this original by sigmental additions came the Ganiahen and Talis manica of the Arabians from whom Paracelsus was taught that sort of Magical Doctrine viz. his Archidoxis Magiea c. 28. This Dyserasia sanguinis is not only compatible to the Scurvy but also to other chronick Diseases as the
Quartan Ague and the Dropsie in both which the peculiar natural ferment of the blood is much vitiated in the first of which the blood losing its native balsamick sweetness becomes acid and pontick even in an high measure thence the great difficulty of its redintegration to its former eucrasia in the latter the blood becomes too much diluted drowning its rubicund balsamick tincture in a watery deluge having the latex regurgitated in too great a proportion into the vessels of the blood or other receptacles from an obstruction in the veins which should if well disposed separate from the blood an urinous latex and by other more abbreviate passages betwixt the stomach and it a great deal of the potulent parts taken in but being obstructed makes both regurgitate the one into the vessels of the blood thereby vitiating its ferment by too great a dilution which in the habit of the body causeth an Anasarcosis and the other in the cavities of the abdomen between the omentum and peritoncum swelling the belly causeth the Hydrops which with a flatus extending the membranous parts begets a Tympany 29. But if this spurious acidity reach the fourth digestion where the animal spirits are fabricated and there afflict the genus nervosum it causeth by vitiating the ferment scorbutick Palsies Apoplexies Spasms Convulsions and Cephalalgia's which prove inveterate and sometimes Epilepsies yet commonly this hostile acidity as solitary is not sufficient to beget these scorbutick Apoplexies Palsies and Epilepsies but also hath quid cadaverosum spirituale and therefore virosum some spirituous putrid and therefore poysonous matter to accompany it By which I mean such a portion of the nutritious juyce as not having received due fermentations in the several digestions but become more and more vitiated and putrid and being circulated from one digestion to another grows more putrid and penetrative and in continuance of time becomes so spirituous as to be able to insinuate into the more retired recesses of the vital principles for being by these rotations volatiz'd hath more easie ingress into the inward retirements of the vital and animal functions so that it becomes gradually exalted to a kind of virulency which joyning issue with this transmitted spurious acidity insidiantur vitae sits upon the skirts of life betrays it into the hands of these truculent Diseases Hence it is that the Palsie or Apoplexie prove suddainly mortal if not at the first yet commonly at the second or third paroxysm and from the same basis ariseth the causes of other kinds of suddain deaths for when this depraved circulated matter hath reached so far and be wheeled so often as to acquire a virulency or cadaverousness it then takes an occasion by the next exorbitancy of the digestions joyns hands with it and conspires the extinction of the vital flame 30. This fourth digestion as I conceive begins in the arteries and is complete in the nerves for when the alimentary juyce being dasht with blood in the vena cava receives a vital ferment in the heart and becomes elaborate in the tunicles thereof into a rubicund balsamick liquor which by the perspiration of the lungs in the bloods passage thorough the vena arteriosa and arteria venosa receives a volatizing ferment from the air conducing much to its circulation is thence by the systole of the left ventricle carryed into the aorta and other arteries where the blood begins to be further elaborated for the producing of spirits which may be subservient for the animal functions of sense and motion where from the continual elixation of the blood in these vessels it begins to sublime or distil into more pure refined spirits which pass directly into their proper Receivers or Conduits the Nerves to complete their digestion and absolve their function of sense and motion for as much as every Arterie hath a vein and a nerve annexed to it the one to carry away these volatile spirits the other to bring back the blood after it hath been exhausted of these spirits and spent its other balsamick parts in nutrition in the habit of the body to recive a fresh impregnation by the vital ferment in the heart again in its return out of the solid parts by capillary veins into larger vessels untill it come to the vena cava it meets with fresh nutritive juyce coming from the jugular and thoracical vessels which thence pass along together into the heart to become freshly replenisht with the vital balsam 31. So that these animal spirits are made in every part of the body while the arterial blood is fraught with a vital ferment out of which the Archeus by a further volatization hews forth these spirits here the hermetical adage is most true id quod inferius est sicut id quod superius vice versâ for the vital agents if not interrupted are alwaies and in every part at work nunquam feriatur uatura therefore sensation and motion are alwaies and in every part except some interrupting cause break the links of this noble chain 32. Now any disturbance in this digestion such as by a conflux of the foresaid spurious hostile acidity cadaverous virulency c. may confound and so blunder the texture of these spirits as thence all the various exorbitances and different anomalous products with all the heteroclite symptomes of the genus nervosum are reducible which I shall not now take the time further to illustrate But pass on 33. This exotick acidity coagulating the blood in the Matrix in women is the author of most of their uterine infirmities for in women who are not with child or give not suck if all be well with them the blood attempts to make a lunar evacuation which it doth by separating a portion thereof at the critical season into the vessels of the Womb which according to the intent of nature is for the nourishing of the Foetus after conception being a precursory provision for that end if no conception be as in Maids Widows c. then nature endevevours to separate and carry away that superfluous blood by vessels fitted for that purpose where it receives a fetid menstrual virulent ferment which gives the uncleaness not to say more to that evacuation 34. Now when the superfluous blood is proscribed into the remote vessels ready to be expel'd is there robb'd of the vital balsam its Crasis perverted and becomes infected with an acid virulent alumenish tincture Nam lintcum menstruo tinctum ut Helmontius loquitur si demergatur in aquam bullientem maculam contrahit inposterum indelibilem quae tertiâ saltem elotione excidit è linteo foraminato non secus ac si spiritu sulphuris acido aut tincturâ aluminosa corrosum foret which depraved virulent acidity is not transmitted from other digestions but is innate and connatural to the place like the stercorary ferment to the cacum and rectum of the Guts 35. If this virulent aerimony with which the separated menstrual blood is vitiated becomes
from that spurious one of the stomach but sometimes are new products hatcht in the very latter digestions by the occasional and spontaneal depravations of their ferments and therefore must only cause Diseases where they are found Next That these transmitted acidities are sometimes in other digestions transmuted into other properties no less hurtful than before as for instance may be turn'd in the third digestion in the blood to a spurious saltishness or styptickness c. as prejudicial to the balsam of the blood as the other would have been 45. And lastly I answer by saying That spurious acidities may be transferr'd at distances ad nutum Archei at the beck of the Archeus which is the overseer of all the Engine-works of the digestions as for instance In those erratick pains of the Gout how suddainly will the Archeus in whose aura vitalis the morbid character of that Disease is intimately imprest transmit an acid ferment from one part to another from the left foot to the right shoulder or arm in a small moment of time yea from one foot to the contrary knee and to the contrary foot in a little time all which is done by an Archeal transmission of an acrimonious ferment skipping by an influential manner the intermediate parts and hitting upon this or the others Juncture sets the humours of those parts a working which fretting the tender membranes and periostium like a Mole sometimes works under-ground and otherwhiles throws up its little hills viz. Tumors Tophous knots and coagulations SECT 8. 1. NOw some may say What 's all this to the virtue of the Spaw water The answering to which quaere will give me liberty to prosecute what I aim at viz. The restoration of the digestions and redintegration of the blood and humours by removing the interrupting obstacles and how far the virtue of the Spaw may reach in the cure of the foresaid Diseases For having in the former Section given a short account of the essences and original causes of many if not most Diseases what they are and whence they proceed how they arise from a vitiating of the several ferments either causing a rawness or over-acidness or other hostile properties in the nutritive juyce having distinguisht them into the several classes of the digestions 2. I shall therefore now signifie what Diseases this Spaw is proper for what not Helmont tells us Potae Spadanae non multùm conferunt in epidemicis eudemicis astralibus morbis ut sunt pestis pleuritis prunella c. nec quibus venenum subest vel assumptum vel intus genitum vel contagio participatum ut neque in morbis tincturae quales sunt lepra lues Veneris Morphea Cancer Epilepsia c. viz. that the Spaw water avails nothing in pestilential Diseases Plurisies Prunella's Poysons taken in or inbred neither in the Leprosie French Disease Morphew Cancer Falling Sickness nor in the Apoplexie Palsie or Asthma 3. And though in womens Diseases upon occasion of obstructions of the Menstrual evacuations there may happen Epileptick Paralytick Apoplectick and Asthmatick affections which by frequent drinking of the Spaw the obstructions being thereby remov'd the foresaid dreadful Diseases may cease yet doth it not thence follow that they as such Diseases considered as from their own natural causes or as they are found in the male Sex are therefore curable by drinking the Spaw water so that great distinction must be made between those Diseases flowing from their natural seminaries in the body and those which proceed from the regimen of the Matrix which Proteus like puts on the same vizard of such Diseases as if sprung from their proper inbred causes in the male kind 4. So that to the curing of the Epilepsie Apoplexie Palsie and Asthma the solitary drinking of the Spaw though accompanyed with all the rules imaginable is not sufficient unless assisted by the efficacy of some noble specificks which yet without the Spaws might do their work though it 's not amiss to absterse the sordes of the primary culinary digestion by the Spaw which may thereby somewhat contribute to the energy of specificks whose work is to dint and mortifie that malignant-blass which arising from the virulent circulated recrement suddainly surprizeth stupifieth and taketh the animal spirits 5. For in the Epilepsie the circulated cadaverous excrement coming to its maturity brings on a fit of that Disease by impugning the aura vitalis of the Archeus From the antipathetical concourse of which two ariseth a secret incoercible flatus which being pent up by obstructions in the ultimate digestion smites quasi ictu oculi the animal spirits which ceasing to act the body falls down or if they act it 's after a retrograde and irregular manner causing Convulsions and Distortions of the musculous parts but the flatus being after a while disperst the spirits return to their former offices Which happens otherwise in apoplectick and paralytick Diseases for though there be the same concurring causes to these as to that of the Epilepsie and a flatus which at the second or third fit proves mortal by secretly stifling the spirits yet the flatus inclines to one side of the body striking in with the peroledi if I may so call them or influential chanels of the Microcosm settles the anodynous cadaverous recrement in the organs of Sense and Motion and there lodgeth along time to the great disinablement of the animal spirits hence the tediousness sometimes of apoplectick and paralytick paroxysms 6. The incoercible flatus which accompanies these Diseases is no better demonstrable than by putting one ounce of sal-armoniack into four ounces of Aqua-fortis stop the glass up close and in half an hour or less you will be convinced of the power of an incoercible glass for you will see the glass and that with a great noise broken into many shivers which happens from the antipathy of those two working one upon the other exciting thereby a strong flatus which being pent up by the sealing or stopping of the glass forceth its passage by breaking the glass though never so strong 7. So in the body of man the incoercible flatus arising from the mutual contact of the circulated cadaverous recrement and the aura vitalis though it splits not the body yet it either quite extinguisheth the vital taper or at least flattens and disinableth the animal spirits 8. Now the remedy must either be equivalent to the cause or it effects nothing But the Spaw water comes short and reacheth not to those inward recesses where the animal spirits lie on their death-bed and therefore can administer no help especially if the Disease by graduated to the maturity of one or two paroxysms For though by abstersing the primary digestions it may help to prevent the plenteous ingendring of the excrements in the after-digestions and so consequently if timely taken might prevent the occasional cause thereof yet if the Disease have once become raised from its seminaries to a full stature then nothing
but specificks will doe such I mean as hath power not only of correcting and preventing the enormous flatus but also of abstersing the subtle cadaverous sordes reposed in the inward chanels of the animal spirits by inclining them to a transpiration sweetning also the concomitant spurious acidities which is particularly done by some noble vitriolin Arcana's The Elixir Propâ—ietatis and volatile tincture of Coral of Paracelsus and Helmont per spiritum sanguinis per lac perlarum per appensa c. 9. The same circulated cadaverous recrement sometimes settles upon the spongy parenchyme of the Lungs at which borret Archcus flatum suffocativum extimulat which suddainly obstructs the porosities thereof and causeth an Asthma which often intercepting the air hinders the ventilation of the vital fire in the Heart if prevalent suddainly puts out lifes taper 10. This is not curable by the Spaw being too languid in its virtue to reach the Lungs especially when it is come on to the ripeness of an Asthma is curable by the former specificks and that because an Asthma Epilepsie Apoplexie and Palsie are identical in their material and efficient causes viz. The same circulated anodynous cadaverous recrement settling in different places cause the foresaid Diseases in the brain the Epilepsie in the membranous and nervous parts the Apoplexie and Palsie If it only vitiate the organs of motion salvo sensu then it 's the Palfie but if both motion and sense be deprav'd and that with a vibration upon one side or through the whole body then it is surely an Apoplexie 11. But if by a transmigration of this peccant matter it become coagulated in the Lungs then an Asthma of which as also of the other syncritical Diseases I may say as formerly hath been of the Quartain That they are ludibria Medicorum and therefore to be found only in the Catalogue of Incurables And what 's the matter Nothing but we want well prepared Medicines which either our idleness or our ignorance or both will not suffer us to attain to 12. These Disease being congenial in their causes are the same in their Cures therefore none of them curable by the solitary assistance of the Spaws but by the power of abstersive and restorative Arcana's such as the aforesaid remedies and the like 13. It is true Dr. Wittie brings in two instances of the virtue of the water in the Palsie but if you observe The Disease in both Patients was at the declining hand and probably nature by degrees might have wrought it forth without the help of the waters It 's very probable the change of air and the exercise of the body by riding might contribute as much to the Patients assistance as the water Besides it may be The paroxysm of this Disease might be hastened by the exorbitancy of the stomach and foulness thereof which being rectified by the abstersive property of the Spaw might be alleviated thereby 14. He gives one and but one instance of help in the Epilepsie by the water He tells us of an excellent success he had seen in that one that was Epileptick but how or after what manner it appeared we must not know though he doth indeed ingenuously confess if the Diseases of the Palsie Epilepsie Vertigo be idiopathick be radically in the head or otherwise though the malady arise from sympathy if it be in the begining of the paroxysm or in its state the morbid humour being fixed in such cases he acknowledgeth the improperness of the water 15. Where by the way take notice that those three Diseases have not always the head for their principal seat for though in the Epilepsie and Virtigo in the one there be a vellication of the membranous and perhaps nervous parts of the brain and in the other a consternation of the animal spirits lodg'd there and that either by a deuteropathy being disturb'd from other parts or by an idiopathy in the very membranous and nervous parts themselves yet notwithstanding the Palsie hath not its original seat in the head but in the genus nervosum and the inhabitants thereof viz. the animal spirits and therefore may be and is in other parts of the body salvo capitis regimine For it is the catastrophe of these spirits that gives being to the paroxysm of these Diseases viz. of the Epilepsie and Palsie c. and when ever they are found smitten with a flatus arising from the antipathy of the putredinous cadaverous recrement and the aura vitalis there to be sure is the Disease in what part soever of the body it is found To confirm which viz. that the head is not the chief seat of the Palsie I shall bring in a considerable instance of a paralytick Patient to whom I had the hap to be called after seven or eight other Physicians and pretenders to Physick had been consulted he lives in Fernedale belonging to the Duke of Buckingham This Patient had lingred most part of two years under his Distemper the occasional cause whereof was as far as I could learn either from the damp of the earth being imployed to over-see and sometimes did work in an Hough as the Country-People call it of Blacomoore for some suppos'd Mine of Plute some treasure deeply lodg'd in the earth but found none or else by going into the water in the Summer time to Fish either of which might occasionally give being to his Disease He was gradually taken of all his joynts and sometimes had neither sense nor motion in most parts of his body but most frequently if not altogether had little or no sense especially from the lower parts of his body downward insomuch as if any weight lay heavy on those parts or any great heat from the fire scorched them he was not sensible nor at all complain'd He could mostwhat move all his joynts as he sate or laid and that pretty nimbly but when he came to stand his knees shaked under him his legs bended and he glad to be held up from falling in ones arms His hands and arms he could move very well but when he came to take up any meat to put in his mouth he always either left it or let it fall so was helped by another both for his meat and drink taking Yet all this while salvoregimine capitis had all his senses in his head for saving a glimmering of his eyes whereby he could not read distinctly which might very probably be from the weakness of the optick nerves together with some alteration of the texture of the vitreous and cristaline humors thereof I say excepting this weakness in his eyes he had his memory as perfect as ever could cast Account as well as before had his hearing taste and smelling in good order could eat his meat pretty well without the least trembling or shaking of his head The Physicians he had consulted had ordered him Vomits and Purges in great plenty Unguents not a few and Baths too many for he was alway the worse after
them They so much enfeebled him as that he lost the use of his limbs for a time after and almost weakened him to death The Medicines I ordered him were chiefly volatile Spirits viz. Spiritus Salis Armoniaci to smell at and Spiritus Sanguinis to take inwardly together with a Plaister of Mustard Seed and Vinegar anointed over with the Balsam of Antimony Amber Turpentine c. applyed to the shaved crown of his head The volatile Spirits had a very remarkable operation for so often as he held the bottle to his nostrils which he would do a long time together having an eager desire of receiving benefit by what was ordered him he could after a while feel it run sensibly down the vertcbrae of his back disperse it self into his loyns and upon those parts to bring a fine gentle warmth which before usually were very cold and then run down to his very feet also to run along his arms to his very fingers ends with a dindling and pricking as it run along but he had not this sense of this operation of the volatile Spirits he smelt to at the first till he had several times taken inwardly the Spiritus Sanguinis which usually brought him into a moist sweat thereby opening obstructions of the genus nervosum after the use of these for awhile he found a stiffness in the sinewy parts of his joynts then began the shaking and trembling of his joynts upon endevouring to stand or to go a little which before frequently troubled him to go away and that stiffness brought strength from the sinews into the musculous parts so that he could after the use of these awhile go a little alone upon the house-floor and begun to get the sense and use of his hands so that he can now not only serve himself but cut his own meat which he never could do before since the Distemper seiz'd upon him also can put on his own cloaths From all which duely weighed results these following considerations First hence appears the reason why Patients do not usually reap that expected benefit from volatile Spirits in these and such like Diseases for these Spirits whether inwardly or outwardly administred or both are neither palatable nor pleasant to the smell but being nimble and quick do ferire nares after a smart manner which many people too much indulging their sense and palat will not have the patience to undergoe but boggle and fly back at the first onset of such penetrative Medicines and consequently deny themselves the expected efficacy thereof Secondly That sense and motion are the products of life and not the life it self for this Patient sometimes lay void of any visible sense or motion and that once or twice after he came out of his Baths and yet life was present so that all vital functions whether fermentations heat motion sense c. performed by organical parts are but the sequels and posterior products of the anima sensitiva Thirdly That sense and motion are different modifications of the animal Spirits in the genus nervosum and membranous parts of the body For it is not enough that nervous vessels be replete with so many of the animal Spirits as to give motion to the muscles and those to the joynts I say to have such store of these Spirits in those vessels as to cause motion is not enough also to cause sense unless these Spirits retain their natural sting and acuteness by which they communicate that we call sense to all the membranous parts of the body as happened to this Patient and so vice versâ The Spirits may be acute enough and give their vibration to all the membranous parts so as to cause sense and yet the motion of those Spirits may be so intercepted and dull'd in the nervous vessels of some parts of the body as to cause a defect of motion in the same parts which happens in the generality of paralytick and apoplectick persons only with this difference that the virus cadaverosum viz. the putredinous anodynous circulated recrement which is with the explosive incoercible flatus thence arising the efficient cause of all the Diseases of the genus nervasum whether Palsies Apoplexies Epilepsies Convulsions c. The foresaid anodynous recrement is I say more or less according to whose graduated accumulation the Disease becomes more or less mortal For if this recrement be ultimately carryed and settled in the membranous parts of the body then becomes the sense deprav'd as happened in this Patient but if it seize upon the animal Spirits in their current glidings along their own vessels it becomes their remora mortifies them in some parts thence comes the depravation of motion and all symptomes accompanying the common sort of Palsies Apoplexies c. Fourthly Hence it also appears that the volatile Spirits in the blood are of the same family with those of the genus nervosum and membranous parts only in their own vessels they receive a more natural determination to their proper functions of sense and motion For unless the blood give being to the animal Spirits they are not and unless they were a kin to those saline Spirits in the blood the Patient could not upon the use thereof I mean of the volatile Spirits of blood have perceived his joynts to have become more stiff and strong than before Fifthly That there is a concatenation of the vessels of the genus nervosum and anastomosis of one into another through the texture of the whole body was apparent in that the Patient felt sensibly the volatile Spirits which he strongly smelt at to pass through the processes of the medulla spinalis down the vertebrae into his loyns and so down to his feet also along his arms to his hands and to his very fingers ends Whence also it is more than probable that the springy motion of the animal Spirits in the nervous kind have their original in the brain for as the heart is the spring of all the Arteries the liver of all the Veins so likewise the brain of all the Nerves Which yet doth not infringe our doctrine of the generation of the animal Spirits from the Spirits of the blood being the pure defecate essential parts thereof ingendred from all parts of the Arterial blood becomes exquisitely elaborated in their own vessels and at length receive a determination of motion in the brain Sixthly That the head is not the chief seat of the Palsie was evident in this Patient for all the senses of his head were untouch'd save a weakness as I said of his eyes so that the animal Spirits in what part soever of the body are the subject matter upon which the cadaverous recrement seizing gives being to the Diseases of the genus nervosum And that without respect to the head unless the same efficient cause be there and then indeed it gives original to the Epilepsie Catalepsie Convulsions c. of that part More observations I could make but am not willing to prosecute them to
the full at this time till I am more confirmed by some collateral experiments 16. The Doctor gives us two instances of the Cure of the Asthma by the Water viz. of an Alderman of Hull and of a Gentlewoman As to the first we answer that it is very if not more than probable That the Asthma wherewith the Alderman laboured was from a deuteropathy from a stuffing of the stomach which might compress and streighten the Diaphragm as also from some trivial obstructions in the lungs which together might very well produce a spurious Asthma or Shortness of Breath than which in ordinary foulness and oppressions of uhe stomach nothing is more frequent and upon that account might easily enough be cured by the Water which doth notably cleanse the sordes of the stomach c. But that this was a real Asthma I fear the Doctor mistakes in his diagnosticks 17. And as for the other Cure of the Gentlewoman I cannot otherwise apprehend from his enumeration of concomitant circumstances but that it was from an uterine cause Asthma ex regimine matricis influentiali prognatum and so was not primarily in the Lungs but only secondary and symptomatical depending upon the depraved occonomy of the Womb and that from inordinate obstructions therein which was caus'd as I suppose from cold taken at an unseasonable time when Nature was about its critical evacuation Now the Spaws by reason of the aperient Mineral Salt therein contained was very proper for opening those obstructions sending away what ought to be by those inferior chanels and so consequently the cause being removed the symptomatical Asthma might by degrees cease in which judgment I am further confirm'd in that he saith that not long after she had a Child 18. As for Rheumes or Catarrhs He mentions one that received benefit thereby which Disease according to the Galenists as I apprehend proceeds from vapours ascending from the stomach which being condensed by the coldness of the brain and obstructions in the head distill per foramen palati thorough the small chanel of the palate or by the nosthrils which falling upon the Lungs brings a Cough and sometimes a Consumption and descending in other chanels cause other Diseases all which may indeed be reckoned inter deliramenta Catarrhi 19. The essentials of which Disease we deny viz. any vapours to arise from the digestion of the meat in the stomach after such a manner as vapore terus to reach the head Which suppose we should grant let us see what absurdities would follow first no sooner would the meat and drink be taken into the stomach but the heat and moisture therein would forthwith send up vapors and we should thereupon be constantly troubled with Catarrhs Also the most sound strong stomachs whose heat was lively would certainly always breed Catarrhs because of sending up most powerfull vapours from the liquid parts of food also in cold Winters from the forcible injury of the cold air working upon the brain and causing a cold Distemper there we should never be kept free from a Catarrh not to say what constant droppings there would be at the pipe of the Alembick the Nose enough to fill a Receiver in a little time and to make every one go with one hung at his Nose 20. Also it would follow that all defluxions of Rheumes should have but one taste and that insipid too because if the vapours suppose in a pot arise from never so many sorts of meats where there is a competent moisture yet that which is sav'd by condensing will have but one taste viz. an elemental simple water whence therefore according to their own doctrine should the variety of consistence and tasts proceed that one should be falt another sharp and fretting one thin and another more thick So that difficulties and absurdities on all hands sit upon the skirts of this doctrin of a Catarrh 21. To be positive We say the stomach no sooner receives food into it but it closeth the upper mouth and the membranous oesophagus claps close together which also happens at every bit that is swallowed down so that no vapours can pass it and though vapours should arise which no doubt in small quantities they do from the lower concave of the stomach where the food lyes to the upper part thereof yet they are carryed up with so easie a digestive heat as that they circulate and fall back upon the digestive mass again like a globe of glass half filled whose neck is close sealed up and set in an easie heat of digestion the steams which arise circulate back again upon the matter without any pressing thorough the neck of the glass or any danger of breaking the glass 22. It is true that from the incongruity of the food in the stomack and from the reluctancy thereof and the indigestion thence following a flatus spiritus sylvestris or incoercible gas may arise which not suddenly finding vent by the opening of the upper mouth of the stomack stretcheth the membranous parts thereof makes one sick and faint but at length getting passage by the upper Portall flaps open the Oesophagus whisks forth with a sudden noise of a ructure or belch This flatin or wind carries with it the odour or taste of that part of the food which is most difficultly digested and this is all the vapour which is carried up which yet is not a vapour but an incoercible wind never condensable as all vapours are into water 23. But it may be objected That if no steams or vapours are carried up from the stomack to the brain as is usually and vulgarly supposed how comes it to pass that after meat we commonly find our selves dull and indisposed and as it were heavy to sleep many times Is it not from the vapours which ascend into the head and incline to heaviness I Answer no. But we are then inclinable to an heaviness and sleepyness from the same cause we are inclinable to the same at any time sleep follows waking as night the day heaviness and dulness are as precursory to sleep as the evening to the night waking is a vigilancy and action of the spirits each standing centinel in the Portalls of the senses sleep is a quiescence of the spirits from their action the animal Spirits are after a time of working wearied and willingly give themselves up to a lassation for a further recruit so that there is no need of vapours to arise into the head to cause sleep For though a man fast 24 hours or longer and consequently hath small matter left on his stomack to cause vapours yet is he nevertheless inclinable to sleep and many can sleep as soundly upon an empty as a foul stomack Employment either in mind or body keeps the Spirits in action and awake once give way by Idleness or solitary sitting after meat or at other times and a dulness begins which is the Harbinger of sleep and the Spirits fair and easily fall to rest 24. Another Objection
offers it self How comes it That when we drink plentifully of strong Drink we become stupid and inebriate therewith is it not from the vapours of the strong Drink ascending into the head that makes a man drunk The Answer is no. For strong Drink is no sooner taken if in an excessive quantity but the subtle inebriating Sulphur thereof begins to act upon the Spirits whether animal or vital communicable with the brain by the nerves of the sixth conjugation and every where at work in all parts of the body so that there is neither need of ascending nor descending the Spirits which are overcome by the toxicum of strong Drink are every where present and as easily oppress'd in the stomack by the inebriating Sulphur of vinous Spirits as in any place 25. But before I go from the figment of a Catarrh I shall give you some account how I apprehend that defluxion of Rheume to happen which I have denied to proceed from vapours ascending from the stomack It is therefore a spurious depravation of the Latex which runs along with the blood and is every where while in the channels of the veins and arteries one with it under a ruby colour but upon any injury inflicted upon any part is almost at hand at the beck of the Archens ready to be separated from its boon companion the blood and to assist towards a washing of that stain impress'd upon the weakned part 26. So that if any injury of Cold become as a Thorn to prick or offend any part which is the same as is meant by taking of Cold presently the Latex which upon all such occasions is ready at hand is commanded away to bring what speedy help may be to the injured part but not being able to perform that work by reason of the prevalency of the thorny impression if I may so call it becomes rather tainted thereby receiving an exotick ferment from the injured part becomes thereby the Patron of all those exorbitant defluxions which are accompanied with pains inflammations or the like This falling upon the Larynx already alienated from an injury of Cold is sometimes turned into a copious mucous matter frequently expell'd by a Coughing 27. But if the Larynx happen to be debilitated through a continual defluxion thereof then it falls upon the Lungs where it perverts the alimentary juyce of that part turns it into a putrelaginous corrupt matter which as worm'd up by the force of a Cough still increaseth as fast so as at length fretting upon the spungy substance of the Lungs wears them away hence Ulcers of the Lungs Tabes or Consumption 28. If the Ossa Ithmoeida in the Nostrils be the parts affected from an injury of the cold Air or smoke of Coals or other bad offensive fumes thence a Coryza viz. a Disease we should all be troubled with in case that vapours actually ascended from the stomack to the head If the eyes be the parts offended thence an Ophthalmia viz. a defluxion of Rheums with an accompanied inflammation If the teeth or nervous parts therein be offended and that from the injury of the Air reaching thither through the hollowness thereof thence an Odontalgia viz. Tooth-ach with a defluxion of Rheum or portion of Latex showring down that way 29. Besides the exotick quality the Latex gets from injured parts to which it is carried by the next adjacent glandules to wash away the things offending or the impression it hath left behind as if a Mote injure the Eye a great quantity of Latex will presently flow to it to wash it out and that too from the soundest of bodies The like happens if any volatile acrimonious Spirits as of vinous Sal armoniack or Harts-horn smite the Nostrils presently an insipid Latex runs to the affected part and makes the Nose run The like also if any unwonted taste offend the Palate what a spitting doth it cause which is nothing but an insipid Latex which hasts away to wash off the impression the offensive thing hath left so a thorn pricking any fleshy part presently the adjacent Latex is sent away which endeavouring to wash off the impression the Thorn hath left but cannot thence upon a further conflux of more Latex comes a tumour and a pulse a pain and inflammation c. which being vitiated by the perverted ferment of the part turns sometimes to an Ulcer 30. I say besides the hurtful quality the Latex gets from the injured parts it also sometimes becomes depraved and badly qualified from some inbred cause even in the very vessels of the blood or in the lympheducts often tinctured with an hostile sharp pontick saltish acrimony which upon that very account is often proscribed from the oeconomy of life into some external parts quibus poenas luit whom it punisheth with its own crime tainting them with that they knew not before If this by the motion of nature be thrown upon any part it actually weakens it by impressing its own character thereon Hinc tincturae ac impressiones venenosae in vitam durabiles if it be thrown upon the Lungs it certainly causeth a phthisis Tabes or Consumption wears away the life insensibly 31. If upon the menninges of the brain hence inveterate and most obstinate head-aches not bending unless to the best of Arcana's If upon the Eyes it causeth Opthalmia's of most difficult cure If upon the Gums it ulcerates them loosening the Teeth together with intolerable pains If upon the Palate it ulcerates and mortifies them and in the French Disease it is that spurious Latex which retains the venomous properties for wherever it settles it ulcerates when tainted with the venom of that Disease It is also the author of Scorbutick and other cacoethical Ulcers 32. The waters of the Spaw may I confess at the long run and with continual use for a competent time help to dint the acrimony of this spurious Latex if it be not too much graduated nor hath not too immoderately weakned the parts for then nothing short of noble Chymical Arcana's that are enriched with a penetrative and restorative Balsom will effect the cure such as are the Spirit of Salt of Tartar the prepared Sulphur of Vitriol the tinctura lilii c. 33. Now as the forenamed Diseases are not curable by the Spaw so neither are Fevers especially continued for a Fever is a spurious fermentation of the blood from a depravation of the Elementary juyce coming too crudely into the third digestion where it should be elaborated into vital blood but by reason of its rawness or other alienated properties it perverts the natural ferment of the heart causeth a preternatural working and boyling in the blood by reason of plenty of Heterogeneities that are heapt up with the nutritive juyce 34. Now whatever hinders the natural fermentation of the blood from purifying it self by separation of Heterogeneities that I say rather aggrayates than abates a Fever but such is the coldness of the water Cold being the great enemy to the ferments of
to the Galenists proceeds from an hot and dry Distemper of the stomach to answer which indication they most frequently order cool and moist things which if the cause of thirst were as they suppose they would have a most facile ready way of Cure in case that were true Contraria suis contrariis curantur viz. That every distemperature were curable by its contrary for then supposing such and such degree of heat and dryness of stomach in a Fever it is but applying the same answerable degree of cooling and moistning liquors and the Cure would forthwith be effected If so Why are not the thirst in Fevers presently quenched That after great draughts of cooling Julips and the like are drunke down they yet cry out Drie Drie as thirsty after a while as ever 50. What Can the elementary properties of cold and moist so much conspire the Patients prejudice as to forget their own natures of cooling and moistning Surely these qualities if they may be so call'd of heat and cold of dryness and moisture must act one upon another upon the very contact and no sooner can heat be encountred with cold but the heat must be abated and if the degree of cold be proportionable must become quite extinct so neither can driness meet with moisture in the like degree but the driness will cease 51. So that indeed a Feverish thirst hath not these elementary qualities for its efficient and so is not curable by the contrary qualities but hath a more abstruse cause and that is from a depravation of the ferment of the stomack which not being able to digest after the wonted manner what is upon the stomach turns it into recrement which by the heat of the part having lost its curb the ferment is burnt into a kind of Alkali or friable mass which being fast impacted in the tunicles of the stomach becomes the efficient cause of a febrile thirst 52. These burnt Alkalizate sordes parch the very membranous parts of the stomach oesophagus and tongue which membrane is but as one continued web overspreading all those parts thence the intollerable thirst foulness roughness and parchedness of the tongue which by abstinence from drink as is the foolish custome of some Physicians who understand not the Disease too strictly prohibit the Fever becomes the more increased the thirst the stronger and all the symptomes more exasperated For there must be some liquid thing of necessity to dilute and soften these burnt sordes though it do not satisfie and quench the thirst or else all things go the worse but if the skill of the Physician be such as to mingle with these diluting potable liquids something to absterse these sordes and to satiate these Alkalizate recrements then he effects something as to the real quenching of thirst which otherwise proves obstinate and rebellious to all simple liquids 53. For if all simple water or fermentally married to a vegetable juyce viz. Beer Ale or Wine be thrown into the stomach upon these friable sordes they do but and that scarcely for a moment quench the thirst but by the untameable heat of the stomach are cast into vapours and by sweat or insensibly are driven through the pores of the body and in the conclusion encrease the heat cause cold sweats faintness debilitudes and wasting lassitudes after the manner of water poured on an hot stone is presently dispersed vapore tenus or as Spirit of Wine poured upon an Alkali of Tartar causeth a great heat more than was before 54. But if these adust sordes be absters'd by the well prepared Salt of Vitriol or other proper emeticks or some proper solutive that may cleanse downward the recrement of the primary digestions and be seconded with Spirit of Salt Sulphur or Vitriol acuating the Patients common drink together with the use of some anodynous Diaphoreticks not only the thirst will be abated and quenched but the Feverish fermentation and consequently the Fever it self I have often wondred the Galenists should not more seriously take into consideration the efficacy of Diaphoreticks or sweating Medicines in Fevers in as much as in the whole round of their Practice they find not a more effectual means to quench thirst and to abate a Fever than by Sudorificks which is most obvious both to them and to ordinary People and yet there is nothing they less frequent If it were no more than observing the operation of a Dose of Laudanum methinks it might convince them of the excellency of Diaphoreticks and put them upon ingenuous enquiries how they might promote and improve that stock of Diaphoreticks they have in the Shops might I say put them upon enquiring how a few grains of Laudanum should so quiet the Spirits for a time quench thirst and allay pains and all this as a Diaphoretick which surely if the narcotick Sulphur was castigated and the power of the volatile Diaphoretick Salt thereof exalted would prove a much more effectual Diaphoretick than any Laudanum in the Shops 55. As for Antimonium Diaphoreticum because it is Chymical they are afraid of it and if they order any it is in so inconsiderable a quantity as the effect cannot answer the Patients expectation They will prescribe 3 grains it may be 4 5 6 or 7 grains and a great Dose too and this forsooth must be clogg'd with some other farraginous mixture which together makes such a confus'd jumble upon the stomach that the Archeus or vital regent knows not what to make of it for by their mixtures they miss the mark of Specificks and thereby of the best Diaphoreticks In effect do nothing sincerely viz. without mixtures in the whole course of their Practice They will wonder perhaps if I tell them that of this Antimonium Diaphoretick which they scruple to give 6 7 or 8 grains I can and do with good success give from one scruple to an whole dragm which is 60 grains and that without scruple or danger but with great satisfaction to the Patient Bezoardicum Minerale another as dangerous anti-febrile Diaphoretick as they account it as the former of which they scarce dare give above 3 4 or 5 grains of which I with the like success as the former give from half a scruple to 24 grains Indeed they are both of my own Preparation and therefore dare more confide in them 56. Now the conclusion of all this is That Diaphoreticks whether Vegetable or Mineral after a previous abstersion of the primary digestions are the only quenchers of thirst abaters of pains allayers of Feverish fermentations composers of the Spirits and in fine the chief Curers of Fevers and therefore whether duely to be considered let the World judge seeing it conserves thousands of Lives Thus far as to particular Diaphoreticks Besides which Helmont speaks of an universal Diaphoretick or Panacea by the name of Mercurius Precipitatus Diaphoreticus which is a fixation of Precipitate by the cohobating the Elementum ignis extracted out of the Vitriol of Venus at last
7. Or else the liquid potables coming by a shorter cut to the Reins by reason of their obstructions flows back and is heaped up between the Omentum and Peritoneum which stretching the membranes thereof bears up strongly against the Diaphragme thereby contracting the cavity of the Lungs makes the Patient short-winded as commonly they are 8. This congested potable latex accompanyed with a flatus gives being to a Tympany and hath no urinous Salt in it as that had which was about separating from the blood and by the obstruction of the Veins flowed back again into the mass and therefore those who are tapp'd for the Dropsie let forth an almost insipid liquor so that water which passeth from those who drinke plentifully of the Spaw has no urinous Salt and so neither tincture nor sapour 9. Now the Spaw water doth notably cleanse the stomach first by loosning and dissolving the close sitting sordes and that through the dissolving power of the alumenish Mineral Salt which gradually attenuates and thins the viscous recrements of the stomach after which solution of the otherwise fixt feculencies of the stomach the plentiful gulping of the water doth easily wash it away by stool besides which a great quantity of the water acuated with its Mineral Essurine Salt passeth the short way to the Reins I mean by those chanels that great drinkers of Wine and Strong Drink have to convey away suddainly the potulent parts of what they take in to the Reins whereby the penetrative power of the Essurine Salt which as a Solvent in the water dissolves the coagulated matter opens the obstructions and makes free passage both for it self and for the exit of the restagnating latex which before floted in the Abdomen and swell'd the belly 10. That obstruction of the Reins is the chief if not the essential cause of the super-abundant floting of the potable parts in the Abdomen is manifest because all Dropsical Persons piss very little and that often with difficulty so that the most part of that which should pass forth by urine through obstructions regurgitates back upon the bowels or else fills the bloody vessels with a dilating overplus latex whereas if the passages were open and the current kept clear all the superfluous watry parts would be dreined away by their natural and proper chanels and so all would be well 11. The Spaw therefore hath its efficacy in Cure of the Dropsie two ways viz. by abstersing the sordes of the digestions and by being a Diuretick not to say that in some obstinate Dropsies there may be an extravasated blood about the Reins which may so irritate the innate Spirit of those parts as to make a spontaneous occlusion of the vessels and resist all Medicines except the noblest of Chymical Arcana's 12. Those Medicines which chiefly relate to the Cure of the Dropsie are as I said such as are abstersive and diuretick together with such as have a restorative astringency communicable to the debilitated membranous parts of which sort are the lixivial Salts of Vegetables whether of Broom Juniper the Vine Wormwood or the like among which there is small difference wherewith the ordinary drink of the Patient is to be acuated also the Cinnabar of Antimony often resublim'd the Spirit of Salt of Tartar the saccharum Martis or Sugar of Steel Bezoardicum Minerale which is Riverius his Diaphoretick out of the Butter of Antimony the Pilulae lunares of which last I must confess I never found any considerable success and for the sake of the corroding Aqua fortial or nitrous Spirits shall for the future rather advise against than otherwise also the magistery of Wine which is the fixt Salt of Tartar so prepared as to dissolve in the most rectified alcool Spirit of Wine which being often purified by reduction is a noble Diuretick essential Salt of Tartar also the Precipitatus Diaphorcticus and Precipiolum Paracelsi the sappy liquor of the Birch c. For most of which Medicines if you consult the dispensatory you will be mistaken they are not attained to by idleness and meer speculation but by boldly handling the coals and putting our fingers into fire 13. The next Disease is the Stone and Strangury upon which the Spaw hath the more efficacy because a great part of the water glides through the Reins and Bladder the places where Gravel and the Stone have their nativity so that first by the abstersive virtue of the Essurine Salt in the water it hinders the encrease of growth of the bulk of the Stone by carrying away the recremental sordes of those parts also by often drinking and that too great quantities of the water it keeps the current open dilates the passages and takes the opportunity of slipping a Stone now and then with a stream of water through the sphincter of the Bladder 14. But as to a resolution of the Stone into a liquid juyce by a retrograde Analysis is not feasable either by this or any other Spring but only at least chiefly competible to the Alkahestical Preparation of the Ludus Paracelsi calculosorum Solamen magnum of which is the Alkahest distilled from the Ludus by which the Ludus is reduc'd into a Salt dissolvable in the Air into a Liquor this digested in a sealed glass until the Salt swim upon the top of the attracted moisture in the form of a greenish Oyl or Axungia of which Fourteen Grains sometimes repeated resolves the compage of the Stone of what magnitude soever and upon the solution is also expelled and thereby the Stone perfectly Cured according to the process of Paracelsus and Helmont who both as they say had it by which as Helmont reports not only the Stone was reduced into a liquid form and driven forth but also the inclinatio petrifica was taken away I have by a succedaneal Preparation so opened the body of the Ludus as that it would yield a deep saturate green tincture to Spirit of Salt as also to another liquor of Salt I have by me but what that will effect as to the Stone I have not yet tryed The well prepared Spirit of Salt Helmont highly commends for the Strangury and the Tinctura Aroph Paracelsi 15. The Jaundise if not too deeply graduated into that called the Black is also curable by the Spaw and that because this Disease proceeds from an error of Crudities in the second digestion transmitted into the fifth or habit of the body where that which should of due have been separated by the right fermentation in the second digestion was carryed into the last digestion and there discoloured the blood in the ultimate fibres through the whole habit of the body Now the Spaw as I said helps to separate that which of due ought to be separated by opening the obstructions of the second digestion and so may prevent the feeding of the Disease from its own original scource and by the help of specificks may thoroughly be Cured of which sort are Ens Veneris
testimonium defectuum naturalium signaque in fronte gerunt aliquid amplius in venis ac arteriis adesse Whence sometimes Pustules in the Face Redness of Eyes with a swelling of the circumjacent veins whence also Tumors in several parts of the body Pain in the head and other parts and many other Diseases which owe their original to no other than this essential cause 27. All which indicate a Plethory or Turgescence through overmuch plenty of blood whence the mass of blood through a distention of the membranes of the vessels doth as it were restagnate therein especially in the Bronchy's of the Lungs where the blood setting as the vulgar word is and the motion of the Diaphragme being unproportionable towards its agile transmission into other parts and that by reason of the Laxation and flagging of the membranes thereof over-charged with too great afflux of blood Whence an Indisposition Dulness and Sluggishness of the body Shortness of Breath an oppression of the Praecordia or upper mouth of the stomach c And in a further degree of this restagnation or setting of the blood proceeds sometimes Syncopes Palpitations and Suffocations yea at length Death it self And all this from a bare solitary restagnation of the blood in the vessels through a retention of that which should naturally be separated at its due critical season 28. Now further if the blood upon these retentions restagnate about the mouths of the vessels of the Matrix especially if tainted with any virulency from the reflux of some corrupt Menstrual blood whose current hath been stopped by cold passion or the like at the very time of Critical evacuation thence the Archeal Regimen of the Matrix that Animal furibundum becomes rouz'd up which acts at a distance viz. in other remote parts of the body by that manner of operation which Helmont calls a Blass alterativum which I cannot nearer compareto any other than to the spiritus sylvestris or flatus incoercibilis mentioned before yet is not formally the same 29. It is an influential manner of acting which I judge to be Identical with that whereby the Soul acts upon the Body by passion darting a Raye here or there upon this part or the other ad lubitum for this influential Blass or what other name we may give it so it comprehend the nature of the thing it exerciseth its tyranny on remote parts viz. the Hypochonders Stomach Lungs Brain c. as by violent forcible motions and tensions of the Hypochonders enough to require the strength of two or three men sometimes to keep down and by causing the blood to restagnate in the Lungs and Heart whence a cessation of the Pulse and circulation of the blood also an instantaneous Asthma together with a cespitation of the animal Spirits accompanyed sometimes with a contorsion of some musculous parts whence Convulsions and the like in the conclusion it puts a stop to all the digestions and functions of the body save its own and that irregular 30. These Hysterical paroxysms are often occasionally brought on by passions in those women inclinable thereto which like as a Feverish Delirium imitates the narcotick Sulphur of Opium or rather as the animal Spirits are identically wrought upon by a Fever as by a large Dose of Opium both working the same effect perverting the imaginative faculty causing wandring irregular Phantasms and sudden irrational Idea's with preposterous glances the operation of the one scarce distinguishable from the other So in like manner the uterine Archeus or Spiritus impetum faciens connatural to that part is equally irritated and provoked by a passion of the mind as by a virulency from regurgitated foetid Menstrual blood recurring upon the innocent mass thereof in those I mean inclinable to these Hysterical Fits 31. This uterine Faber takes a like occasion from both to become furious and to act by its alterative Blass upon other distant parts and that à vi regiminis as the noble Helmont calls it whereby it equally from the one cause as from the other stretcheth the Hypochonders by a furious incoercible flatus which if it should proceed from a windiness of the Matrix according to the vulgar Galenical notion the part had need to be charged with wind like a gun yea and ramm'd too which how they will be able to make forth I know not and after every discharging the wind or air must be forcibly attracted by the mouth or posteriors to make a fresh charge for a new fit which forcible attraction hath never yet that I ever heard of been observed only if the Paâ—ient get a rift the incoercible flatus gets vent and she is better until the next arbitrary Blass or flatus stretch the parts again 32. This flatulent Blass of the uterine Archeus is far more prevalent than the Elastick power of the air for if the trite notion were true That the Fits of the Mother were from a bare windiness of the Womb which rowls up the Abdomen to the Hypochonders puffs and swells up the parts then must the Womb be supposed as a Pneumatick Engine out of which the air being exhausted how or by what means I know not the air of the convex part must of necessity have a strong pressure or Elastick force to return into the concave thereof to supply the forced vacancy so that the pressure would not be so much from the Womb as towards it unless at the time of the suction of the air Which suppose we grant yet would the external pressure of the air be as strong to return into its vacant and deserted cavity and thereby force the membranous parts of the Matrix to give way flag and falk before it till it came to an equal poyse again and so no forcible wind would thence press the adjacent parts to any such injury as ordinarily the uterine flatus doth 33. So that let them contrive all the ways imaginable how to solve all the urgent Phoenomena's of this Hypothesis grounded upon a solitary flatus which according to the ordinary acceptation is only a latio or motus aeris and we shall find a flaw in them for as such though forced with Engines in the body which we know not how they can prove yet cannot perform neither with that clerity nor force what the otherwise violent operative Blass of the Matrix can suddainly display even ictu oculi For as a blast or malignant influence in the chanels or peroledi of the air doth suddainly smite and wither branches of Trees or other Fruits of the earth or Faces of People where they hit so quanquam hand passibus equis where this malevolent influential Blass or incoercible flatus of the Womb hits those parts are afflicted with the raging force thereof But to return 34. Now as obstructions and regurgitations of the Menstruals and passions of the mind are the Procatartick or occasional causes of Hysterical Fits and concomitant symptomes thereof so as I said are debilitudes of the Placenta
volatile as not the least of it discernable in any body of Sulphur or otherwise nay though one should distil it with never so much curiosity of exactly fitting and joynting Receivers yet would nothing of a Sulphur become apparent but would be gone insensibly as happened to a solution of above a pound of thrice calcined Salt which upon the affusion of water did exactly resemble the Sulphur Well as I said which filtred and placed over the fire to evaporate before one half was gone it had lost all its embryonative Sulphur being so volatile as it took wings by the assistance of so much heat and left no footsteps of its presence 8. Thirdly I conclude that such a solution of the Sal Marine together with its embryonated Sulphur in a sabulous Spring having received that previous digestion in the intrails of the Earth as to make apparent its Embryo Sulphur may be nearer the Primum Ens Salium then a coagulated Salt and may be better taken in order to the preparation of that great Solvent the Sal circulatum And my reason is partly grounded upon a sentence of the grave and long experienced Helmont where he saith In Sulphure sunt fermenta fracedines odores sapores specifici seminum ad quasvis transmutationes that is In Sulphur are ferments hogo's smells specifick tasts of seeds fit for all transmutations so that in the bosom of Sulphurs lyeth the main wheel of all transmutation the beginnings to which are also putrefactions which those Embryo-Sulphurs may much promote For all bodies that are capable of resolution into Heterogeneities their texture is subverted by the working of ferments upon the Sulphurs of such bodies whereby they may be readily analyz'd or taken in pieces 9. Lastly That Spirits such I call the Primum Ens salium before they are coagulated upon Minerals or other bodies are but in Embryo or in their infancy as I may call it or nonage and therefore coagulable upon bodies to the impairing of their own activity by locking themselves up in the textures of bodies and so require a resolution from their coagulation before they can be brought to that purity and simplicity they were in when they found bodies to dwell in viz. before incorporation 10. Hence it is that Paracelsus giving an hint concerning the preparation of his grand Liquor Alkahest which I do not remember he calls by that name in all his Writings save De Viribus Membrorum Cap. De Hepate but by Sal circulatum Primum Ens salium c. saith à coagulatione resolvatur iterum coaguletur in formam transmutatam that is as I apprehend That seeing we can scarcely find the Primum Ens salium in its pure spirituality and naked simplicity but as it is infolded in the arms of a Mineral body and so coagulated into many shapes of Salts as Marine Vitriol Allom Nitre c. which are several bodies wherein this hidden Spirit or universal embryonative Solvent appears to our view in divers corporeal dresses putting on Proteus like new shapes according to the Mineral vestment wherewith he is cloathed requires therefore if we would have him appear unmasked to be resolv'd from his coagulation till then we cannot expect him capable of performing much in the way of a penetrating Master-Solvent but acts according to the freedom of his keepers 11. And though this Spirit or Primum Ens salium while it is in its infancy or embryo be so weak as to clasp hold of every body that comes near it and prostitute it self to every woer in many strange Mineral bodies so as to dibilitate it self before it arrive to those more mature and masculine functions of penetrating and dissolving bodies without being contaminated with their touches or debilitated and baffled by their re-action I say notwithstanding this weakness of the Spirit before coagulation yet if after the the resolution it becomes set at liberty from its bonds divorced from its first consort and then exalted and fortified in its own purity by a gradual process becomes so noble and virile a liquor as that it acts upon all Mineral Animal and Vegetable Concretes dissolving them into their Primum ens or seminal Crasis whereby their medicinal virtues are at hand and that without the least re-actions of those bodies upon this universal Solvent Liquor But to return 12. This Spaw as to medicinal use is not of much more efficacy than so much Trencher-salt dissolved in such a proportion of water answerable to that of the Sulphur-Well which both alike would much-what have the same operation only the foetid embryonate Sulphur doth somewhat provoke nature and therefore extimulate the expulsive faculty of the stomach purging either upward or which the rather downward 13. The plenty of the Salt wherewith it is strongly saturate preserves much against Putrefaction and Diseases thence proceeding viz. against worms and wormatick corrupt matter in the stomach and intestines which so much common Salt as I said dissolv'd in fair water would effect the same The blackish Salt which remains after the boyling up of the water hath no more virtue against worms for which it is frequently used than a like quantity of common Salt for it hath no specifical difference from common Salt especially when depurated by solution filtration and evaporation then it is exactly the same 14. And though there be a Marcasite or stone of Vitriol to be found about Sixscore yards from this Well which will fall in the Air in a moist place and by solution filtration and evaporation will become a transparent green Vitriol as an ingenuous Friend of mine for tryal sake made I say though this be found near it yet doth not in the least partake thereof neither in taste nor virtue Concerning the Original of Hot Springs IT is not the least amongst Chymical Enquiries to know the true original cause of heat whether in Vegetables Animals or Minerals amongst which the cause of hot Springs is not inconsiderable seeing that in them are found many medicinable virtues useful for the help of Man Where I shall proceed first to shew That hot Springs or Baths are from Mineral Salts next How Mineral Salts upon the contact of one another or of Mineral bodies are the efficient causes of heat in those Springs and thirdly How artificial Baths may be made analogical in virtue and operation to the natural and Lastly shall shew the efficacy of hot Springs and Baths whether natural or artificial As to the first That hot Springs or Baths are from Mineral Salts is evident because no Mineral or Metalline body is dissolvable or alterable in the bowels of the earth without the concourse of Salts for in the Mineral and Metalline Kingdom there are but two Agents which makes the great alterations amongst those bodies and those are Fire and Salts by Fire I mean not only the external and elementary fire by whose force Metals and Minerals become separated from their connate Heterogeneities and brought to the best but also the
Country-man chuseth for some grounds rather than Manure That there is an acid Salt therein is somewhat distinguishable by the taste Another sort of heat I have observed to proceed from the contact of Salts and the Calx of Metals as for instance in the following experiment I took of the Caput mort of Viride Eris from whence the Spiritus Veneris had been rectified being a very subtile Calx of Venus with which I mixed an Anatical proportion of Sal Armoniack pulverized very well in a large brass Mortar in mixing it came to such an impalpable powder as the particles seemed to be as minute and almost as continuous as the particles of water are for it was almost as fluid as water so that by the by it is plain minuteness and adaption of parts amongst themselves are mainly if not solely conducible to fluidity and fluidity the essential property of water When I had well incorporated them together for so they should be in as much as when any sutable body or Spirit is to penetrate and work an alteration in another body they then do it best when they touch each other per minima thence Contritions and Sublimations are the Pistilla Chymica by which alterations are made of one body by another I say when I had well incorporated them I put them into a paper thinking the next day to have put them into a Retort but within less than one quarter of an hour I perceived such a strong penetrating urinous smell as made me admire whence it should proceed which put me in fear of some glass being broke in my Balneum At length I came near the paper and presently found it to be that which sent forth such a strong odour which when I took up off the Table was so hot as I could scarce suffer to hold it I made hast to put it into a Retort which before I could do it well-nigh burnt my hand By this experiment thus far Two things considerable appeared one conducing to illustrate as I said the nature of fluidity to consist in minuteness of parts the other is That heat and so consequently the rest of the qualities so call'd are a certain disposition and adaption of parts of bodies amongst themselves after such and such a manner as to work differently upon one and the same body so that a brisk motion of the constituent particles either by an innate fermentation or extrinsick excitation from another subtile body is sufficient to cause that we call heat Some other causes there are of hot Springs viz. Subterraneal Fires set on work by the flagration of Bitumen or Sulphur which being kindled in some parts of the Earth where being close pent up not finding vent causeth Earthquakes but when it breaks forth it sometimes forceth with that violence as that if it break forth under the Sea it throws up stones and earth in such abundance as that a new Island is thrown up of a suddain in the midst of the Sea and that for many Leagues together the Sea is at that time covered over with the spongy Pumice-stone which is the Caput mort in the flagration of that Mineral Other places there are by which as Chimneys or Flewes the Subterraneal Fire finds vent as Aetna Vesuvius Strongilo Vulcano c. These Subterraneal Fires the ingenuous Kircker in his Mundus Subterraneus calls Pyrophylacia which being conveighed by several Subterraneal Pipes or Chanels to those Cisterns or receptacles of water called Hydrophylacia which thereby become heated and that in places not far from day I mean the superficies of the Earth breaks forth in hot Springs These Pyrophylacia it is very probable are the cause of some hot Springs as the kindling of Calx Vive are of others Of which last Fallopius tells us In agro Volaterrano ad castellum montis Cerbari vocatum sunt lacus dicti vulgo lagoni quasi lacunae ubi est aqua ferventissima undique cinis quinimo mons qui ibidem est totus calce cinere refertus est calido adeo ut calceamenta exurat uti ipse sum inquit aliquando expertus These Phyrophylacia heat the waters sometimes in ipsis cuniculis otherwhile they heat Mineral stones through which water passeth either way make hot Springs Thus having numbred up the several sorts of heats and amongst them pitched upon that which is the efficient of hot Springs amongst which also by the by the preparation of the body of Steel is performed whereby it will the most part of it readily dissolve in any Vehicle and make a Mineral water like Tunbridge Epsom and Knarsborough Spaw Let us now consider how artificial Baths may be made and those are either such as are more common as the decoctions of Vegetables and Salts in water and other liquors wherein Diseased Persons are frequently put also to have the body all but the head inclos'd within the steams of hot water or to sit under a frame of Pastboard with Spirit of Wine flaming in a large Lamp-vessel which is a kind of Stoving Bath or Stoves c. or such Baths as are more rare viz. Spirit of Wine with Salt of Tartar either for some particular parts of the body or for the whole if some Patients upon extraordinary occasions would go to the charge thereof also Sulphur so artificially contriv'd as that the flame thereof shall heat a large vessel of water in imitation of the terrestrial fires wherewith some Baths or Springs are made hot which Bath might constantly be kept hot by the continual supply of fresh Sulphur in manner of the Fountain which the Romans made constantly by art to flow hot which was performed by some brass Pipes wound up in Gyres In spiras voluti instar Draconis which were therefore called Dracones under which they made a fire by which the first Spires were made warm the next more the next again yet hotter so that the water did continually flow forth hot After which sort with some little variation Physicians might keep hot baths with Medicinal waters suted for the Patients Disease constantly at work with a small charge after the vessels were once artificially contriv'd To which purpose I have had a Balneum Maria kept hot for digestions by Leaden Pipes placed in Gyres in a wooden vessel The advantage of such artificial contriv'd Baths is this That the Physician may presently change his medicated waters as occasion offers can give what degree of warmth he pleaseth and keep them constantly in an equal heat which cannot easily be performed by the common sort of Baths and therefore comes nearer in efficacy to the natural hot Springs than the other and so consequently more effectual Now as to the virtues of Baths natural or artificial they are of large extent and may be if skillfully managed of much use in helping many Diseases as the Palsie Convulsions c. Which by opening the pores and thereby removing the obstructing or afflicting causes of the Genus Nervosum may
probably be successful in all the Diseases thereof also the Hypochondriack Melancholy by opening the external portals alieviating of the Spirits giving vent for the flatus and with the help of inward aperients may dulcifie the blood and humours from their feculent tartness whereby the cohobations and depurations of the blood upon its Caput mort or rejection of its feces in its passage through the Spleen may succeed the better Also may be effectual in Atrophyes Aridura Witheredness of the parts by helping a fresh fermentation of the blood which may force its passage into the otherwise deserted parts and thereby become capable of distributing an equal nourishment to all parts Likewise Baths are of efficacy in all sorts of Stiffness Pains Numbness and Lameness of the Joynts by opening the pores of the body absolving the Nerves from their obstruents dinting the acrimonious sharpness of the Latex giving current to the blood and at length reducing the nervous and membranous parts to their due and proper order and tone Also in other Diseases as Rickets in Children Ulcers Tumors and Defedations of the skin in elder People towards the effecting of which no small variety of the Chymical Apparatus or Mineral Drugs are in promptu for that purpose A short Vindication of Chymical Physick 1. THe strange uncouthness of Chymical Physick is such yea the very name of Chymistry hath been so much a stranger in these Northern parts of England that what through the Odium cast upon it by the Galenists on purpose to keep it under hatches and what through the empty fruitless boasting pretenders thereto who not being Artists were its onely disparagers By both which it hath suffered severely in the ears of the generality of People in so much that when they have heard of it they have stood amaz'd To venture the taking of any Medicine preparable thereby they durst not Why What was the matter They knew not only they had heard strange reports which frighted them Their Physicians told them They were hot things such as would burn their bowels and therefore very dangerous 2. Yea till within this ten or a dozen years this Noble Science hath undergone much ignominy or else mostwhat unknown in most parts of England yes and in Forreign Parts too unless here and there one who if he practiced by it did it privately so that he who hath bent his endevours that way to find out more effectual Remedies by the Spagyrical Art hath been lookt upon in these as a Mathematician was in former days who by the ignorant vulgar was esteemed no better than a Conjurer so that a Mathematician and a Conjurer were accounted in the vulgar Idiom Synonima's words of the same signification For if they dealt with Circles it was enough they knew no difference between a Mathematical Circle and demonstrations drawn therefrom which still was as strange to them and a Conjuring Circle like as a boy was once accused before a Magistrate for being a Fortune-Teller or Astrologer It happened he had a little book in his pocket wherein was some Schemes I suppose drawn by the help of Lillie's Introduction which no sooner did the Justice espy but crys out Circles Circles Sirrah these are dangerous things we 'll take a course with you and so ordered the boy to be carryed away By which you may surely conclude that himself was no Conjurer for he lov'd no Circles Thus poor Circles and Chymistry hath been deeply accus'd 3. It is not long since the genius of some pregnant wits began to set to work to understand and rightly prepare Chymical Remedies first Duely considering the nature of Ferments and next To search after the various Solvents and their manner of operation without which nothing very considerable is preparable in Chymical Physick so that very good improvement of late hath been made therein witness the elaborate Pieces of some ingenuous Persons 4. We shall therefore first say what the Spagyrical Art or Chymical Science is next endevour to take off the reproach or calumny laid thereon by answering the objections against it and lastly signifie the great help nature hath thereby above ordinary Shop-preparations in order to the Cure of Diseases 5. First as to what it is It is in short such a due Preparation of all Medicinal Concretes whether Animal Vegetable or Mineral as the pure balsamick lively parts becomes separated from the impure feculencies for we see that in all Concretes there is a mixture of pure and impure of gross and tenuious parts some feculent and dreggy others refin'd and depurated though indeed the mixture of these together makes up a complete body which hath its use and place in the creation yet as to Medicinable use it 's the pure nimble spiritous parts of Vegetables or Animals or the depurated fixt parts or lastly the reunion of both after purification which effects the work in assisting nature against the Malady 6. Which Preparations are performed two ways viz. either by digestion or by distillation under that of digestion is comprehended fermentation solution extraction and putrefaction and that by agile Solvents connatural with or emergent from the bodies of the Concretes themselves or by additional Menstruums all which doth macerate ferment and dissolve the texture of the body and fits it for separation by distillation The additional Menstruums for extractions are either vinous oleaginous urinous or acetous Spirits or a product from their commixtures all which do prepare towards the separation of the Crasis of the Concrete 7. All Vegetables or Animals or at least the most by bare distillation yield a Phlegm a volatile Salt an Oyl and in the Caput mort a fit Salt separable from the remaining useless Faeces but by a previous fermentation if the juyces of Vegetables they first yield a vinous Spirit then a Phlegm leaving their Tartar behind out of which by distillation with a stronger fire is got a Phlegm an acid Spirit an Oyl out of whose Faeces again is a fixt Salt separable but if the Vegetable undergo a more natural spontaneous fermentation then that which otherwise is an Oyl separates it self by distillation mostwhat in a volatile Spirit or volatile Salt All sorts of Wood or Plants by naked force of fire are distillable into an acid Spirit Phlegm Oyl and Salt as we see in burning of Wood by the bare fire the Chimneys become the Receivers to which the Soot cleaves and that again distill'd yields a Phlegm an Oyl and a volatile Salt which last by rectification becomes pure and of a lovely white colour A very penetrative Medicine useful in Diseases of the Genus nervosum also a great preservative against Putrefaction and Feavers thence ensuing But I dare not prosecute particulars least I swell the volume too much 8. But in general all Vegetable separations of the pure from the impure are made as I said by digestions and distillations the two main hinges of Chymical Preparations by which their Spirits and Essences become separated which
united with the extracted fixed Salt out of the Caput mort and further digested together especially if the fixt Salt be made so as to dissolve in most rectified Spirit of Wine give most noble abstersive and diuretick Salts Whose virtues in my Practice I have much admired 9. Not that I deny the great blessing of the Most High in those specifical endowments he hath pleased to inrich some Vegetables and other Concretes withal who perform their work to which by a Divine Hand they are destin'd and that without any Chymical Preparation And yet some Specificks are not altogether without some previous Preparations An error in the due observation of which many times prevents or intercepts the full efficacy of the Remedy 10. There are it may be about a Score of choice Plants which well managed with a skillful hand at due seasons may by their singular virtues produce considerable effects the rest are not that we know of much use saving for ornament pleasant smells and food to Cattle What heaps of Plants by some Physicians are ordered to stuff Diet-bags withal whereas a few choice good ones might probably be more effectual Some Physicians being call'd to consult about a Patient who ordering a Diet-bag for him having put in a sufficient number of Plants yet some of them would have heap'd in more one wiser than the rest very merrily bid them put in a Hay-cock and then to be sure they would have enough And indeed it would have proved a very good Magistery for an Horse 11. As for Animals or the parts of Animals preparable by the Chymical Art for the use of Man are chiefly the Blood and Urine the first of which viz. the Blood is as an Elixir of all the parts of the body where if any Spirits Life or Vigour be it 's there the other viz the Urine is a Latex percolated through the Reins from the Blood and retains in it self much of the very same principles the Blood hath in it so that both unfermented without any previous preparation only by bare distillation yields first a Phlegm and that in a great quantity then a volatile Spirit and Oyl and volatile Salt and in the Caput mort of both is some fixt Salt somewhat resembling Sea-Salt if not really the same separable by solution from the remaining sordes But if both undergoe a previous fermentation then the volatile Spirits becomes loosened from their bonds and works themselves at liberty and that whether in close or open vessels So that then distilled yield at the very first with a gentle fire their volatile Spirits and the Phlegm after 12. So that fermentation inverts the order of the parts coming off by distillation and that whether in vinous or urinous liquors by urinous I also include the blood For take the juyce of the Grape or of any vegetable fruit whether Apples Pears Cherries or the like distill them and you shall at the first have nothing but a great quantity of phlegm and at last a small portion of the true genuine Spirit together with a fetid Oyl even as is got though with some difference of Spirit from blood and urine distilled crudely 13. But if you ferment the juyce of Grapes Apples Pears Cherries or the like then is the vinous Spirit set at liberty from the bonds of the compage of the body and in distillation with a gentle heat comes up first and the phlegm after and that which was an Oyl before is partly by the volatizing ferment transmuted into Spirit and partly by refining in the vessels after fermentation is setled to the sides thereof in form of Tartar which distill'd with a stronger fire gives amongst other distillables that fetid empyreumatick Oyl which we see it yields in plenty 14. So that I say Fermentation makes no small alteration whether in vegetable or animal juyces by setting the true genuine Spirit whether vinous or urinous at liberty from the fetters of the body thereof which juyces if neither distill'd nor fermented degenerate into acid sowre vinegarish Liquors which if not kept from the Air by close stopt vessels will very shortly contract a mouldiness and decay into vapid useless Liquors even so also the blood in its own vessels if not volatized from its connatural ferment becomes sowrish degenerates into a vinegar or rather blood in Chronical diseases and by a further impoverishment of Spirits becomes at length vapid whence death 15. And as blood and urine are Animal parts which receive also a separation of their heterogeneous parts by distillation and that differently by being fermented or not so also Harts-horn may well be accounted another whose parts are separable by the Chymical Art and if well prepared are of much efficacy I speak the rather of the Horns of that Creature because no other that I know of renews his Horns yearly as the Stag doth which being vegetable as well as animal I mean the Horns gives no small hopes of yea we know gives a good Medicine 16. This Creature when fresh Grass cometh in the Spring begins to have an efflorescence in his blood which becomes turgent with volatile active spirits and having more then can well be dispenced with in the vessels begins from a natural instinct peculiar to that Creature to attempt a new production by laying a foundation of new Horns which increasing by the yet more turgidness of the blood with those volatile Spirits i' th' conclusion part of which volatile Spirits together with some succulent parts of the blood become animated into little vermicles by an incipient putrefaction which begets a pruriency or Itching in the blood and that makes the Stag run his Horns against every thing in his way and never quiet till he hath knock't the old Horns off 17. And that is the reason Harts-horn above all other Horns is so replete with volatile Spirits which how to separate requires the help of the Chymical Art It s not by reducing it into Gelly by boyling it in water that 's not enough for in Gellies of Harts-horn such as is made usually for weak persons in Fevers Consumptions or other lingring Distempers the volatile Spirit wherein the real efficacy consists is not at all set at liberty but so closely hedg'd in with other parts in the compage that Nature can find very little benefit therefrom So that as a Gelly I look upon it as no better than any other Gelly from knuckles of Veal or the like for all flesh and horns by boyling in water are reducible into Broth and that by further boyling into Gelly Which is indeed a good Kitchin-Preparation of meat for weak stomachs but as to matter of Medicine yields very small or none 18. So that if we would share with its virtue which lodgeth in its volatile Spirit or Salt we must distill it which may be well done in a glass Retort and by degrees of fire it yields first a Phlegm then by a stronger fire a Spirit and at last an Oyl and
volatile Salt These separated and purified by reiterate rectification gives the pure nimble volatile Spirit or Salt of Harts-horn very proper in Fevers both to help the ferment of the stomach as also to absterse the sanguineous vessels and to carry off a spurious tainted Latex from the blood by transpiration also proper for Colical-gripings and other pains from sharp fretting humors in other parts of the body only it is not very palatable which makes some disgust it before they receive the expected benefit by it 19. But how to make this volatile Spirit or Essence of Harts-horn come over the helm before the Phlegm and that with a gentle heat whereby it may be capable of insinuating the better and more naturally into our digestions that is I say the difficulty because it wants such a copious moisture as Blood and Urine hath by which they easily ferment and give their Spirit first but this is an hard drye solid body and exposed never so long to the Air will nor resolve or ferment 20. To which purpose there is a way which now occurs to my mind though I must confess I never tryed it because it is the first time I thought of it which though conjectural yet very probable and it is thus Take the simple Gelly of Harts-horn put a competent quantity thereof in a Matrass lute it exactly set it in the heat of Horse dung or Balneo to putrefie for Twenty or Thirty days then put it a Retort or glass-body and head distill which very probably will yield its pure volatile essence with a gentle heat before the Phlegm because its volatile parts by fermentation will become extricated from the other more sluggish constitutive parts 21. As in Vegetables and Animals so likewise in Minerals the Chymical Art is no less requisite for all Mineral Salts middle Minerals or Marcasites and Metals are all either so crude lockt up or actually poysonous as that without the help of the Pyrotecknical Art in opening maturating and correcting by the fire they deny us that innate hidden virtue granted to them by God for the help of Mankind Mineral Salts unless they be distill'd or sublim'd with other additionals they communicate little of their operative virtue to us whereas by fermentation putrefaction or distillation they prove noble Solvents for Mineral and Metalline Solutions Middle Minerals as Antimony the Marcasite or Mineral stone of Vitriol Bismuth c. have such venomous properties that unless corrected by the power of fire and good Solvents they do not only deny us the noble medicinal virtue those native endowments but actually impress their virulency upon our vital principles 22. Whereas if rightly prepared by the fire and proper Solvents correcting their virulency by mortifying and separating their malignant Arsenical combustible Sulphurs and thereby setting at liberty their genuine inbred medicinable Arcana's becomes noble Medicines for all curable Diseases All which is done by fire or by that which is equivalent thereto nay sometimes more powerful than fire viz. Solvents which if rightly made are only liquid fires or Ignis Aqua by which Mineral bodies are calcin'd in humido as by an actual fire in sicco 23. Also all Metals if not wrought upon by proper Solvents are lockt up as to communicating their virtues and therefore need particular Solvents to open their bodies which if rightly done must be brought into an Oyl of the colour of the Sulphur of the Metal which are the Hematina Metallorum Paracelsi irreducible to their pristine Metalline form Whence the true Aurum Argentum potabile c. 24. Thus you see in short How necessary the Chymical Art is to the unfolding of the various Concretes whether Vegetables Animals or Minerals How by that noble separating Art we learn to take things in pieces to resolve them by a genuine natural Analysis into their native principles to separate superfluities to reunite the volatile parts with the fixt and thereby produce generous essences and all this without any great force of fire except in those bodies whose compage is more firm and bends not to gentle ways of resolution Such bodies we examine with a stronger fire till they yield and at length confess their natures 25. Now I shall answer what the Galenists are ready to object against this Art First they say Chymical Remedies are dangerous because they are hot Where in the first place they do petere principium supposing all such preparable Remedies to be hot which yet we deny according to the vulgar acceptation of heat viz. such as is actually so to the palate witness Antimonium Diaphor Bezoardicum Minerale Cinnabar of Antimony c. None of which are actually hot to the taste 26. But we will suppose with them that they are actually hot in taste and operation and let us see what inconvenience will thence follow First we find it certainly true that cold is the greatest enemy to life and to vital heat the product of life and therefore above all things care is taken against unseasonable cold Why do we wrap our bodies and make our houses as warm as we can against the injury of the cold Why have we our meat every day yea in Summer excepting those who are not able to go to the charge provided warm for our stomachs Why do we take our broths as hot as we can sup them Is it not to help the fostering and cherishing our vital heat and to preserve the digestions intire against the grand enemy of nature cold Which is not a meer negative and privative quality of heat but is a real positive Ens or actual being and therefore abhorr'd of nature which she shuns and flies as the Harbinger of Death 27. You will say then If cold be so great an enemy and so dangerous to the vital heat How comes Feverish Persons so much to desire cold things viz. cold drinks or any cold thing to hold in their hand or cold part of the bed to reach their feet to I answer That they only desire cold things through a depravation of their senses and appetite which now not being competent judges requires things at random It 's a meer juggle upon the senses and appetite being impos'd upon by the irregularities of the Fever for first the adust Alkalizate recrement re-united in the tunicles of the Stomach of a Feverish Person begets that unquenchable thirst and unsatisfied desire after cold drink which thirst that it is erroneous and deceitful appears because if great quantity of cold drinks be poured down yet the thirst remains whence through the depravation of the ferment the appetite also becomes depraved The ground of the deceitfulness of the sense of Feeling I presume proceeds from some sordes which also are impacted upon the sides of the vessels of the blood together with some Heterogeneities in the mass of blood which Nature endevouring to absterse and separate rowseth up a strong fermentation in the vessels of the blood and the more the recremental Tartar is
fastened to the sides of the tunicles of those vessels and the more the Heterogeneities are the stronger is the Nisus or endevour to separate them and consequently the greater is the sensible heat which thereby perverting the sense makes it irregular in its pressing after cold things 28. That the coveting of cold drink and cold things in Fevers is as I said a deception of the sense and a depravation of the appetite further appears because notwithstanding the inordinate desire of cold things yet if by any cold drink taken into the stomach or by any accidental uncovering of the body the Archeus or Regent Spirit of any part becomes offended at its antagonist the cold the Fever or other Distemper doth certainly encrease the spurious fermentation of the blood becomes stronger and consequently the Feverish heat which is the constant product thereof is more violent and all symptomes grow worse And all this because cold the great enemy of vital heat makes its onset upon the vital principles unawares through some incautious accident or designedly through the depravedness of the appetite which is bent to require that which is harmful to it yea of which even in the very taking it becomes convinc'd of its folly by finding it doth not answer its expectation viz. the quenchiing its thirst 29. That cold is a real positive quiddity something really existent in nature and not a meer negative of heat as some would suppose which if so would in effect be nothing but vital heat and mortal cold stand both positives counter one opposing another is I say demonstrable by matter of fact In cold Countries in New England Freezeland Swethland Russia where in the Winter time the cold is actually so intense as that if they do not by some artifice defend themselves from the rigour thereof it will freeze off their very Noses yea their fingers will become mortified if they are too much exposed to the injury of the cold But we need not go so far for we see in our own Country in the Winter time in strong Frosts that some parts become mortified for instance About three Years ago a man was drunk at a Country Town and in returning home his partner left him upon a Bridge where expos'd to the cold frost upon the hard stones he had his lodging that night the next morning he was found alive but his hands and feet the most remote parts from the fort of vital heat the heart were absolutely mortified grew black as Pitch and never reducible to life or vital heat again and therefore were cut off It 's very probable if the man had not been drunk the cold would absolutely have kill'd him but the Spirits of the Liquor fortified the vital Spirits against the total subversion thereof by cold 30. And not only upon Animals but also upon Vegetables Cold exerciseth its tyranny How are tender Plants in the Spring nipt with cold frost How do they flag and as it were hang the wing after a sharp cold morning Nay How actually are the blossoms of fruit-Trees mortified and kill'd by frosts the grass nipt and kept back from growing And all this by the mortal enemy Cold. That it is not a meer privation of heat appears further because though the Sun be got into Taurus or Gemini and thereby is in great force and very vigorous yet we see that frosts come in May and prove then mortal to many tender Plants yea as intense Cold will often happen in the latter end of May when the Sun is approching to the Tropick of Cancer as when he is depress'd as far below in the Tropick of Capricorn yea and more too it is sometimes warmer weather in December than in some parts of May So that the height and nearness of Sun is not always the cause of heat nor the lowness or remoteness thereof of cold 31. And though some suppose the cause of Cold and frosts in the Spring to happen from the approch of the Sun into the Northern Signes whereby the frozen Seas near the Pole become melted and the cold being driven away by those winds which comes over us give us the cold and frosty air at that season of the Year which suppose it were so yet would it nothing infringe our doctrine of the positive essence of cold but rather confirm it yet we cannot imagin that to be the cause of intense cold frosts in the Spring and because if it were so then when the Sun came to such a point as that its heat begun to resolve those frozen Northern Seas as the heat I say of the Sun would be continually resolving those frozen Seas so answerably the cold frosts which should thereby annoy us would prove as constant which we see to the contrary for in March April and May the frosts and cold weather are very uncertain some days and nights together very warm others again as cold then warm again c. 32 I rather think that Winds Heat and Cold Rain Snow and Drought are the Treasures of God in the deep and that they are committed to tutelary influences of the Stars which have keys to let them out upon the face of the Earth at their due seasons appointed by God and that by those Peroledi and secret sluces or chanels in the Air over which the Stars are placed as Vicegerents which whether they receive their influences immediately from God or from some intermediate intelligences or Angelical Powers which are deeper than themselves yet certainly this Divine Chain of coordinate and subordinate cause reacheth from the Earth as the Poets feign'd to Jupiter's Chair I mean from the ultimate product to the primitive original cause God himself Although indeed its far otherwise as to difference of weather in Islands than upon the Continent for upon the main Continent the temperature of the Air is much at a certainty according to the points of the Aphaelion or Perichaelion remoteness or neerness thereof to the Sun and that according to the several positions thereof in different Climates which as the reverberation of the beam of the Sun is more or less in the lowest part of the Atmosphere or along the surface of the Earth so is the heat or temperature of the Air answerable in those places Whereas in Islands it 's far different for those being environed with Seas on all hands and it may be some of them old thrown up as an Abortive Birth out of the Womb of the Earth by the great Demogorgon or Subterraneal Vulcan witness the Islands of Strongilo Vulcano c. As well as others have been swallowed up in the vast Caverns thereof and drowned in the Seas witness the Terra Atlantica which was reputed bigger than Asia and Africa was swallowed up by the Atlantick Ocean as the ingenuous Kircker relates out of Plato Of which great Island those called the Canary Islands and others in the Atlantick Ocean are suppos'd to be the highest and therefore left after that Deluge I say seeing many
the Salts in the corrosive Oyl of Antimony close with the Spirits of Aqua fortis or of Nitre for the same happens to both and thereby becomes a powerful corrosive which presently set upon the flowers of the Antimony contained in the butter do in effect no more than so much Aqua fortis or Aqua Regia poured upon crude Antimony for in both the combustible Sulphur is ready to take flame which calcining in a humid way the flagrable Sulphur burns it off in a dark thick horrid fume even as Tartar and Nitre by the help of fire doth burn away that Sulphur in a dry way After the Sulphur is burnt away by the corrosive Salts the flowers become fixt into a Bezoardicum Antimoniale which Menstruum being distilled off is somewhat yellow and will dissolve Gold which it doth as an Aqua Regia of the best sort having some of the body of the Sea-Salt which was carryed over the helm in a complicated form with Mercury Vitriol and Nitre this distilled over with the other Salts into a Butyrum close with the Spirits of Aqua fortis or the Nitrous Spirits calcines the Antimomony and distill together in the form of an Aqua Regia and all this by the help of fire Thus you see a specimen of the power of fire which raiseth up corrosives and those corrosives dulcifie one another and correct Minerals of their Arsenical Sulphurs and that by the dry and moist way which is still by fire It fixeth things that are volatile as for instance Nitre and Arsenick both which if single are easily consum'd but joyntly and helped by the force of fire the one fixeth the other and becomes by dulcification with Spirit of Wine Paracelsus his Balsamus Fuliginis proper against cacoethical Ulcers It also volatizeth things that are fixed separates things that are separable it sweetens four things maturates crude things and hastens all productions whether Fruits or Vegetables to their perfection or full state of ripeness and therefore unripe Berries Apples Apricocks c. are by Coddling or Baking suddenly dulcified and Sallads whether Lettuce or other herbs are made more wholesom by boyling By a digestive heat in close vessels caustick acrimonious plants as Flamula Jovis Urtica Romana Persicaria c. become blunted and lose their sting yea even the same happens by bare distillation of them though no stinging or pricking acrimony is at all perceptible in their distilled water These things duly considered will necessarily evince the extensiveness of the use of fire both as to Food and Medicine Vegetables are not only crude but many of them virulent too and therefore need fire to ripen them and by correcting their venomous properties to make way for their intrinsick Medical virtues to appear Also Animals communicate not their virtue which lodge chiefly in the Blood and Urine unless helped by fire or ferments or both whereby their parts become separable and applicable to our mummial ferments And as for Minerals they are most what virulent and lock'd up and therefore of necessity require a correction and opening of their virtues by the fire which must be done by such degrees of fire as are proportionable to the strictness of the texture of their bodies and to the prevalency of their virulent properties which cannot be done by such gentle sost fires as Vegetable separations are usually performed by It is for the sake of the unlocking these Minerals that the great stress of fire is so frequently us'd in the Chymical Analysis of them which gives cause to the Galenists to accuse Spagyrical Preparations with being too much fired which how frivolously grounded Let all that have skill therein judge For a strong fire is as requisite in some Mineral Preparations as a mild fire to some easie Vegetable separations the one altogether as proper and necessary as the other Would not a Cook-Maid be accus'd of ignorance if she intending to Roast a joynt of meat should lay it down at a disproportionate distance from an ordinary fire thinking to take a longer time to do it in Surely if the distance from the fire was such as only to warm the meat gently it would not for many days and for ought I know never Roast but would dry up become insipid and turn to a kind of mummial flesh For as I apprehend Roasting of meat is perform'd thus viz. When the meat is plac'd at such a competent distance as that the fire penetrating the midst thereof forceth forth the crude blood and moisture from all parts which meeting with fresh assaults of fiery particles are driven back again and search all cavities of the flesh thereby maturating the rawness thereof which if the meat be taken whil'st this moisture remains and yet thoroughly penetrated by the digesting particles of fire it is then sapid sweet and savory but if this be spent and the meat yet kept longer at the fire then it begins to be burnt and thereby becomes tastless but if it be perform'd by a pretty quick fire it 's the soonest and best done So in Baking of Bread if the Oven be not throughly heated the bread will remain dough and not wholesom for food Though these be homely Examples yet are they sufficient to demonstrate the necessity of degrees of fire to be us'd according to the strictness or remissness of the texture of the body applicable thereto Besides I look upon my self here as speaking to those who need familiar comparisons to convince them thereby of the necessity of strong fires in some cases for to those acquainted with Chymical Preparations these are superfluous Again What Preparations are there in Shops which have undergone the fire but are Chymically Prepared and yet no less notwithstanding useful in order to the removing of Diseases What are all the Spirits and Cordial-waters but Chymical Separations of Urinous Spirits marryed with the tinctures and odours of Aromaticks and that by distillation by the fire What are the best of their Purging Pills viz. the Extractum Rudii but a Chymical Extraction of the tinctures of so many Vegetables as is requisite thereto by a good rectified Spirit of Wine which if neatly done and drawn off in Balneo as I do in the making it for my own use upon occasion and the fixed Salt of the species after calcination and separation thereof being reunited with its extract is not only Chymical as being prepared by the fire but the very best amongst the Shop-Purges What are the best Emeticks or Vomitings in the Shops but such as are Chymically Prepared and that by force of fire too Witness the infusion of Crocus Metalorum and Mercurius Vitae The one is prepared by fire and Salts out of Antimony which we call Hepar Antimonii from the Hepatick colour thereof whereby the external malignant Sulphur of the Antimony is mostwhat consumed The other is prepared by fire and Salts out of Mercury and Antimony but consists chiefly if not solely of the flowers of Antimony incorporated with
whom such vain confidence gives occasion to suspect that either the Physician predicts Life to please the Patient and Friends about him or that through a confident ignorance he rapps at the prediction and at a venture because he would have it so saith assuredly his Life for his he will Live and Recover after all which with many other circumstantials of his confidence nothing is more frequent than that the Patient dies This makes Physicians a by-word amongst the vulgar and gives occasion to other understanding Persons to conclude that Physick as it is generally practiced is nothing but a meer quacking and a grand juggle impos'd upon the vulgar and others of inferior capacities which gave occasion to one ingenious Person to say That three grand Imposters of the World in that Art died in one Year which was Riverius Sir Theodore Mayhern who the third was I know not Thus we see how injurious confident Physicians are to their own Art how two or three days sometimes puts a period to their boasting in particular Patients brings a Catastrophe upon all their fair predictions blasts the deceitful hopes they have lull'd the Patient and his Friends withal and they live to prove themselves false Diviners And all because they are too short-witted to consult the Oracles of Heaven have not the right Jacob's staff to take the true altitude of the Disease nor what degrees it wants of the Horizon of Life they are too short-sighted to view the Records of Heaven and too inferior to know the Counsels of the most High and therefore it is just with him â—o baffle them in their judgements and confute them in their predictions How uncertain are the predictions by Urines which are as readily changeable as any liquid juyce in the body It hath indeed most what the same constituent principles as the Blood viz. a Phlegm a Sulphur volatile Spirit or Salt and a Salt Marine with some resident Faeces so that sometimes the Crasis of the Blood is indicated thereby For as from a due proportionable mixture of the constitutive Principles thereof the Sulphur well tempering and tincturing the volatile Salt in the Phlegm gives that curious citrine colour to healthful Urines yet are they not always sound because so coloured for we see that in any languishing Distempers where some principal parts are much vitiated both in their native ferment as also in the Parenchyma thereof and yet the Urine keeps its natural colour whence springs as from one root much deceitfulness in Urines as to predict any thing of truth as to the form of the Disease thereby and any slight disorder of the last passages it runs through will easily pervert the indication of all other primary parts and this gives an other ground of mistakes in the judgement upon Urines Some indications in some Diseases may be had from the Urine but they are incondesirable if compared with those we either have from conference with the Patient or the Patient's Messenger The truth of it is the World is so generally trained up with the custom of bringing their Waters and expecting a large Lecture of their Disease to be read thereon which many Physicians make a shift to do pumping with a few considerable previous Queries Insomuch that the People look not upon him as a Physician of skill who cannot read to them the Disease out of the Water which if he can do though it be but from what he hath already gathered from them by the by yet he then passeth for a man of judgement though he is wiser than to think himself so upon that account Many People are so credulous that they verily believe he whom they repute a skilful Physician doth certainly know the Disease and every punctilio thereof from the Water and look upon his conjectures as Oracles from the Urinal which they firmly believe he speaks from his depth of judgement therein thus the People are willingly deceived And some Physicians of this opinion Si Populus vult decipi decipiatur as the Learned Abbot riding through a Country-Town the vulgar People whom he passed by desired his Blessing to whom he replyed very gravely as if he had uttered a form of Benediction Si Populus vult decipi decipiatur streching forth his hands after a solemn manner which they received very thankfully and perhaps did them as much good as his Blessing would The gross mistakes that some are apt to commit either accidentally or designedly might methinks startle Physicians from being too positive in their predictions therefrom as for instance a Maid mistook the Vinegar-bottle for her Mistresses water carryed it very orderly to a Physician who upon previous Queries gave his judgement very methodically upon her Mistresses Infirmities thus far all was pretty well but the Maid returning found her Mistresses water in the Urinal in the same Window she had accidentally taken the Vinegar-bottle away she carryed it to the Doctor told him her mistake but it 's no matter the Diseases he saw in the Vinegar-bottle were somewhat alike with those in the Urinal-glass and therefore the judgement he passed upon the Vinegar-bottle was for ought I know as skilfully done as that upon the water it self and perhaps more for every ordinary Physician can make a shift to discover some Maladies by the Patient's water but to read a Lecture thereof out of a Vinegar-bottle was indeed extraordinary But really I could wish Physicians were more serious and would deal more fairly above board that in time they might unhinge the World from of this accustomed folly they have been by consent trained up in that the people may no longer be nuzzled up in the expectation of a Physitians looking at the Physiognomy of Diseases or staring them in the Faces through the Glass of the Water that henceforward they may not look upon them as Oracles to divine Life and Death therefrom Also I could heartily wish they would consult a more facil way of practice such as by the efficacy thereof might prove more delightful to themselves and more grateful to their Patients which certainly cannot be better attempted then by a serious Scrutiny into the natures of Concrets into the ferments of the Blood and humors and Depravations thereof also into the Sympathy and Antipathy of all medicinal ingredients how the Vital or Animal spirits stand in agreement or dissonance therewith All which and the rest necessary to be known by a Physician and best illustrated and confirmed by demonstrable experiments which are the onely satisfactory Criterions in all solid knowledge the want of which makes Physicians too erratick and inconstant in their Judgments A probable way propounded for the improvement of Experimental Philosophy TOwards a promoting an Hypothesis of experimental Philosophy one large branch whereof would be this of Physick I think it would not be impertinent yea perhaps necessary to lay aside all or most of our Books excepting such as by some Judicious persons might be reputed faithful in their communication of
their bodily Compage nor by pounding Vegetables to make Conserves thereof with the addition of Sugar nor the like addition of Sugar to the juyces thereof to make Syrups nor the additions of several Species together with Sugar and Honey for Lohochs and Electuaries I say None of these do suffer any considerable separation of the pure from the impure but the Sanguis cruor stercus of Vegetables the good and bad are all jumbled together and therefore Noble Helmont saith in his Pharmacopoeia Error Scholarum fuit succos Herbarum cum suo Parenchymate Fermento prius non subigere antequam optimarum partium selectio sit possibilis Who observing the frequent Preparations of Vegetables into Syrups Conserves and the like without any separation of parts tells us That the error thereof is for want of the knowledge of Fermentations and thereby of due separations of the pure from the impure and therefore also he saith in another place to the same purpose Discant Tyrenes sanguinem à cruore parenchymate plantarum distinguere separare si quicquam laude dignum egisse per simplicia meditentur so that unless there be some peculiar separations of earthly feculencies and other impurities which must be done by previous Fermentations in the Preparations of Vegetables we can scarce reap the Essential virtues thereof Now in Syrups Conserves Electuaries c. there are made no previous Fermentations or putrefactions and so consequently no separations of pure from impure Absque reseratione clausarum virium five vitae radice ac participatione emendatione defectuum cruditatum excrementorum potestatum violentarum Indeed Syrups and Conserves do by keeping work and ferment as we see that Syrups whilst working being close shut up in glass-bottles frequently break them though never so strong Conserves especially if made with powder'd Sugar and kept one or two years not with Loaf-Sugar which is commonly boyl'd up with a Lixivium of Calx vive do Ferment whereby the Compage of the Vegetable becomes opened out of which by a slight artifice I sometimes prepare a curious Spirit as of Roses or Rosemary Flowers which retains the taste and virtue of the Species whence they were extracted 4. Chymical Remedies are frequently more effectual in their operation than the Galenical By Chymical Medicines I do not mean such as every ordinary bragging Chymist exposeth to Sale who themselves are through their vain empty boasts no otherwise than a reproach to the noble Art of Chymistry and their Preparations spurious in comparison to the genuine products of the Spagyrical Art but such I call Chymical Medicines whose efficacy I am treating of as are made by a skilful Artist who by continued experience knows how to correct things corrigible and how by every succeeding Preparation to further inrich his Medicines with more noble virtues by making exquisite depurations and gradual seperations These will therefore more readily penetrate in intimos naturae thalamos into the more inward recesses of the Digestions and Fabrick of the vital and animal Spirits and thereby become more capable of rectifying the enormities of those nimble Agents who sit at the stern of the Digestions and govern the vital and animal functions much more than those clogging Medicines of Syrups Conserves Electuaries Lohochs Potions c. Which commonly are either rejected as nauseating to the Digestions or carryed off by seidge as cumbersom by reason of the unseparated Heterogeneities or else stuff and clog the vessels causing obstructions and thence enormous Flatulencies Concerning the constitutive Principles of all Coneretes whether Vegitable Animal or Mineral BEsides all which the Preparation of Chymical Medicines gives a diligent Searcher much insight into the Principles of Natural Philosophy which first insinuated the Tria prima of the Philosophers viz. Sal Sulphur Mercurius to be Principles of all things and that because they found in the Analysis of Bodies by the fire that they were reducible to some or all of those three for in reduction of Metals and Minerals to their first Principles as they suppos'd they found by this Art that they were separable into a Sulphur or Oyl which was the Hematina Metallorum retaining the true tincture of the Metal and into a Mercury which in the Mineral Kingdom is current Quicksilver and the key to this separation they found to be in a Mineral Salt which also needed reduction by Art to its primitive simplicity and graduation to its greatest activity They find also that Vegetables and Animals were by the Pyrotecnical Art separable into a Sulphur viz. into an Oyl or in Vegetables by Fermentation into a vinous Spirit which is the same thing with an Essential Oyl saving the different determination it receives from Fermentation also into a Salt and that either fixt or volatile for in the Concrete they are the same owing their difference to no other than to the force of fire and lastly into a Mercury which is their Phlegm or watery parts separable by fire or otherwise by the exiccating Blass of the Air. Now some of our modern Chymical Philosophers as the ingenious Dr. Willis multiply these three into five Principles which in effect are but the three first still the five which he reckons Bodies are most-what separable into rare Spirit Oyl Salt Water and Earth if by Spirit he means the vinous got by Fermentation What difference is there for both are Sulphurs both take flame and burn alike only the one is made by Fermentation the other not and being they have both the same Essential properties of Flamability What should hinder them from being Sulphurs But if he mean by Spirit the volatile saline Spirit which is not combustible This volatile Spirit by frequent rectification may be brought into the form of a volatile Salt whose Vehicle was water Phlegm or Mercury but the body of volatile Salt is Salt and therefore should not be accounted as another Principle As for that Principle which he calls Earth if a Concrete may be volatiz'd and brought over the helm without any resident Caput mort as the Chymical Adepti can perform Then I pray what becomes of his fixt Principles he calls Earth So that in the conclusion we shall find his five to be reducible into the first three These three Principles of Sal Sulphur and Mercury into which many Concretes are reducible by the Analysis of the fire are again reducible into two and those are Aqua Semen Water and Seed which are the primitive constituent Principles of all Bodies in the Mundane Systeme to which two the Sal Sulphur and Mercury are but posteriour products or offsprings of that double Original Yea whatever parts or supposed simple Principles any sort of Bodies are reducible into they are but the sequels or after-products variously extorted by force of fire of those two real Principles Water and Seed Water we suppose and perhaps may prove to be the first matter of all visible Bodies It is the true subject matter of all
Earth up to the Clouds and from thence down again to the Earth but that the moysture in the Air should be reputed Air transmuted into Water viz That which falls upon stone-walls in moyst seasons is so absurd as it 's enough to confute it to name it So that we may conclude that the moysture in the Air which settles it self upon the Walls and floors of Stone-buildings neither is nor ever was Air and that the transmutability of Air into Water in the bowels of the Earth is impossible and lastly that Springs viz. the fontes perennes have not their Original from Rain and Snow 36. Thus I have run through the most considerable things which the Doctor offers in order to the confirming his opinion of Rain and Snow Water to be the Original of Quick-springs and all along I think have probably if not demonstratively overturn'd his Opinion together with the grounds arguments and reasons thereof I might I confess multiply more words in prosecuting at large his whole discourse but studying brevity I have couch'd all he hath to say that is any way pertinent to his purpose saving the story he relates out of Dr. Heylin concerning the Island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea which without reflection on that worthy Author who as well as other Historians may probably take many things upon trust which I say as to the verity of matter of fact I should very much scruple viz. That a drought should continue so long as thirty six years so as all the Springs Torrents or Rivers were dried up and that in the dayes of Constantine the Great It 's very probable he had it by Tradition which many times to wing Fame makes large plumes That an Island so near the Mediterranean Sea should want rain for 36 years together would certainly put an ordinary credulity upon the Tenter-hooks and stretch a Thomas beyond his ordinary pitch for of all places Islands are the most frequented with Showers And that it should be done designedly by God upon a miraculous divine account I do not well understand because that has its ends and aims for the punishing the Natives where judgements are brought forth which done they frequently cease but here according to the story they were forc'd to forsake the Island and to seek for new habitations so that probably it may pass for a drought in Utopia 37. And lastly the two Rarities he mentions that are to be found upon the Castle-Hill in Scarborough viz. the deep Well which reacheth to the bottom of the rock which hath no water and the spring-Well which is within half a yard of the edge of the rock towards the Sea which never wants water which he saith doth somewhat illustrate the point in hand The first of which seems to me onely to be a Well digg'd within whose compass no Chanels have happened and therefore it is dry for so narrow a compass as a Well is may sometimes happen to miss of subterraneal Chanels And as for the other which is so neer the edge of the Rock towards the Sea which never wants Water I look upon it as supply'd from the same cause that other digg'd restagnant Wells are viz. from Land-springs which are feed from Rain or Snow-Water which yet makes nothing in reality towards the confirming his Thesis for it is no current Spring to the best of my remembrance which yet suppose it were it will not be uneasy to conceive the manner and way of its supply when I have propounded what I have to say in order to the establishing a new Thesis which will be positive to the point in hand 38. And that is as I hinted before from a circulation of Water in the Terraqueous Globe by the mediation of Subterraneal Channels along the Sabulum bulliens from Sea to Sea yea and from the Sea to the Heads of Springs and from them into Rivulets and those into Rivers and thence into the Ocean and so circulates round which also includes an other circle of Rain and Snow which first arising by exhalation from the Sea and Earth is carryed down again upon the Earth and Sea joyning Issue with rivulets from Springs swell Rivers which again discharge themselves into the Sea 39. So that a Circulation of water is as justly requisite according to the order and appointment of the primitive Cause for the upholding the Symmetry of parts and intirenes of the whole terraqueous Globe as the Cirulation of blood is necessary for the preservation of life and vital functions in the Microcosme or body of man The earth can no more produce Vegetables or Minerals without this connatural circulation of water replenish'd with Celestial influences than the blood in the body of man can produce Vital or Animal Spirits requisite for absolving the functions of life without its inbred circulation which concatenation of parts in the circulation thereof gave cause to some Philosophers of old to call the world a great Animal either because that animarum omnia plena viz. that the Seeds of all things are at hand and at the beck of the primitive Fiat alwayes at work or because of the great Symmetry of parts or coordinate circulations of the constituent Particles of the World whose proportions were so exact and actions upon each other in the circle of nature so uniform as if actuated by some Panspermion or universal operative Spirit Spiritus intus alit totumque infusa per orbem mens agitat molem 40. Not to say how Analogous the Sea and Hydrophylacia those great Cisterns of Water and Springs of the Deep that in Noah's Food joyn'd Issue with the Cataracts of Haven for drowning the World are to the heart of the Microcosme nor how Analogous the Channels of the Quellem or Sabulum bulliens which cary the Waters into the uttermost circle of the Earth for the supply of Mineral Glebes Minerals themselves and Vegetables upon the Green Carpet thereof are to the Arteries in the body of man by which the blood circulates from the Heart for the nourishment of the whole nor yet to determine the analogy of these circulating Waters further drawn up by Solar exhalations which clime up the slender Threds of Aereal Syphons into the Capitol of the Air to be impregnate there with Coelestial influences or Animal spirits if I may so call them which cohobated upon their own body promote vegetation yea and animation too by becoming that cibus occultus in aere of which the Cosmopolite and other Hermetical Philosophers discourse at large I say not to determine the Analogy of these Waters replenish'd in their circuit with Heavenly influences with those Animal spirits in the little World Man which in the Head receive a determination for obsolving the functions of sense and motion 41. Nor lastly to determine thoroughly the Analogy of water whilst circulating in the bowels of the Earth along the Channels of the Sabulum to the blood whilst circulating in the Veins and Arâ—â—ries of the humane body though
as an auxiliary to the Scorbutick Pills in the cure of many diseases it is also exquisitely proper for most diseases in women and that whether the disease be from the Splene Matrix or mother or Genus Nervosum yea if I should comprize all these in one and say from the Stomach and its Regimen upon all the parts at the remotest distance I should not I think much say amiss For otherwise why doth a proper remedy while yet in the Stomach give help to other parts as for example to the Splene Matrix Genus Nervosum c. not but that the Matrix hath a proper Regimen of its own which being discompos'd puts the Stomach and other parts by the Links of the Animal Chain out of order The Elixir I say gives help to most diseases incident to women whether with Child or not for it appeaseth Wind very much which accompanieth most diseases women are troubled with It is a very good remedy against fits of the mother which is an incoercible Flatus or Wind arising from a reluctancy between the recremental Faeces of the Matrix and Archeus or Spiritus impetum faciens thereof especially if taken after a gentle evacuation made by our Scorbutick Pills which may be done very safely to women breeding or with Child as I have further treated in my Hydrologia Chymica To both viz to women breeding and to others with Child I have given the like yea stronger purges and that did its work not onely innocently but also with good success both to the woman and Child and that too not without very good reason For whence is it that women frequently during the whole time of their breeding and being with Child are so tormented with Pains Vomitings Gripings Faintness Sickness and the like but cheifly from a great foulness of the Stomach and plenty of recremental Sordes heap'd in the Womb and that from causes not pertinent here to speak of which often procure feverish Fermentations in the Blood gripings weakness of the Back illness faintness of the Stomack and by any sudden passion of the mind rouseth up the Splene and Mother to the great discomposure of the whole fabrick of the body Now what is more pitiful than to see miserable women groaning under the weight of these real diseases while they are with Child and under that colour of being so they fancy to themselves they are to take nothing of Physick for their assistance least they harm the Child and so willingly languish under distempers that might easily be helped and they themselves live more cheerfuly and bring forth the Child more livelily For if they take sometimes 1 or 2 of these gently purging pills over night or â—n the morning onely taking some broth at noon and eat a little warm meat without any further trouble to keep their body open carrying off thereby the dross which oppresseth the Stomach causing wind sickness and faintness and withall if they take often of the Cordial Elixir according to following directions they would I say find them selves more healthful and cheerful and might thereby be inabled through the blessing of God to bring forth with more strength and that not onely for their own good but also thus doing together with an orderly diet it helps to make the constitution of the Child to be more sound and healthful For if the blood and humours wherewith the Embryo is nourished be tainted with impurities and distempers may easily thereby lay the foundation of a weak constitution and make the Child prove sickly and diseased and all for want of help in curing the Mothers infirmities That these pills and Cordial Elixir are safe and harmless in this case yea and stronger Medicines than they not to say vomits themselves which I have sometimes ordered to women in that condition and that with good success is evident First from the mildeness of the vegetable Ingredients having not a grain of a Mineral in it and next from the experimental good effects thereof so that if women at length would admit of taking some thing for their own and Childs good they might live more comfortably and cheerfully during that time than otherwise they do Also these Pills and Cordial Elixir are proper for the infirmities of young women as the Green-Sickness Asthmatical Cachexies and other diseases depending upon the Aliquid amplius viz. upon the obstructions of the Menses For those obstructions are originally from a rejected Sordes of the blood which furs up the Orifices of the vessels of the Matrix whereby the blood being prevented of its natural critical evacuation flows back and causeth a Plethory and sometimes Fevers and Stagnation of the Blood in the Lungs and other parts whence short-windedness stuffing and stopping of the Stomach want of appetite indisposition to action with other Symptoms pains swellings and the like which are the sequels of this obstruction of the uterine vessels Towards the correcting of which Enormities these Scorbutick Pills and Cordial Elixir avail much For the essential Salts wherewith these preparations are impregnated are aperient of the vessels and with the other Ingredients are abstersive with all thereby answering the chief Indications of these diseases And as to the Diaphoretick or sweating Pills their use is of pretty large extent as an auxiliary to the other two and that chiefly in all Fevers whether continued or intermittent in all colds and coughs which require to the cure thereof sweatings and breathings of the blood also in all Colicks Loosenesses Vomittings bloody Fluxes Defluxions of Rheume Head-aches and generally of most pains to which they certainly give ease especially if they are taken after an opening of the body by the Scorbutick Pills for so taken they frequently give ease in the greatest torments and gripings as also stay violent vomitings and purgings by composing the inragements of the Archeus or regent spirit of the Stomach and putting the Pylorus in good order makes it observe the due seasons of its opening and shutting Now as to the directions for the manner of use of these three Medicines take as followeth and first as to the Scorbutick or Cathartick Pills the Dose is from one to four or five but two or three is the common ordinary Dose swallowing them down in a spoonful or two of Posset-drink or any other liquor alwaies beginning with a less number as one or two and as they work so accordingly to keep to that number or to take more to four or five according as the body is more difficult to work on or the disease more radicated If you take but one that may be done over night last to bed-ward which will give one stool or perhaps two the morning following if you do so you may go about your occasions the day following But if you take two or three then you are to take them betime in the morning in bed or up if you take them in bed you may lye two or three hours after and when you get up take
a gentle heat Analogous thereto and therefore could not have different colours from different degrees of heat none of them underwent any Calcination or stress of fire nor received any alterations from any additionals being simply done without mixture save of distill'd Rain-water all these sabulous separations were insipid for the Salt where the taste was became concentred in a small room Now if the water be drunke while these stony concretions are in it as it is in all that is drunke at the Spring or elsewhere if any harm I say happen to any Patients that drink of it for want of other good Medicines to carry away the feculent dregs thereof it is chiefly from these sabulous concretions which precipitate upon the bowels sides and Orifices of the Vessels which preventing or obstructing the wonted fluidness of the blood and intermediate juyces occasionally in some bodies apt thereto may cause Fevers Dropsies Defluxions of Rheume and the like It may also increase the Sabulous Duelech and thereby become improper for those afflicted with the Stone For the Spirit of Urine that Calculorum Architeccus meeting with these Earths or Sabulous Concretions becomes coagulated thereon in bodies prone thereto and by its petrefying Coagulation gives beginning at least increaseth the Duelech The same Sabulums may also contribute to the Torments or Gripings of the Guts by clinging to the Tunicles thereof and further may vitiate the Systole of the Membranous parts of the vessels and thereby may suffer the otherwise current Latex to stagnate in the vessels and thence produce swellings in the belly legs or elsewhere as some after returning from the Spaws find themselves troubled with For we are to consider That the several Digestions first have a concomitant heat by which the water may be inclin'd to a sabulous Precipitation upon the bowels themselves unless it be carried off by some other good Abstersives which ought of right to be given upon the drinking of the Waters and next to that we are also to consider the Anastomâ—sis of the vessels each into other in the whole circuit of the body to be as so many Colanders Streiners or Filters by which the recremental Sabulum may suppose as to the courser part be left upon some of the bowels and the finer part by closer Colanders may be left upon other more remote vessels and in both cause obstructions sufficient sometimes to procure trouble enough Not unlike to these stony Concretions is the Tartareous Sediments of our meat and drink and though Helmont laughs at Paracelsus for his bringing in a Clessis of Tartareous Diseases yet after that rectifying the Notion tells us That there may be a Tartarum resolutum in primâ vel materiâ ultimâ existens I say the better Kitching-Preparations and Fermentations our meat and drink undergo and the stronger the fermental Digestions are the less of a Tartar or rejected Sediment is thrown upon the parts and consequently the more raw our meat and drink is taken and the weaker the ferment of the stomach is not throughly volatizing the nutritive Juyce the more of this tartareous Sediment is by the Streiners and Filters of the several parts of the body left behind which encreaseth the Duelech gives beginning to Obstructions Dropsies Imposthumations c. Now from what stones these Sabulous Ramenta are I know not and at present have not a Microscope by me to make Observation of the various shapes thereof and though Masons tell us That the same stone differently cut nay though with the same Tools doth by various reflections give several and somewhat distinguishable colours yet here the water only as we may suppose running over or along the superficies of a Quarry or other Stones cannot penetrate into the inward parts thereof and so cannot make several colours from one stone Therefore it 's more probable That these Concretions are from several stones sands or earths And if it were water turned into earth according to the Experiment of an ingenious Friend of mine communicated to that great Naturalist Squire Boyl it would retain muchwhat the same colour and figuration of parts but here the parts separated seem to the unassisted eye to be very dissimular some gritty and hard others soft and impalpable some bright and glittering as if from Talke scales of Venice-glass or other bright Mineral stones and others are more dull The last of these stony Concretions which was separated and which one would have expected to have been the most subtile and impalpable powder I found to consist of larger siz'd particles and those bright and sparkling as if they had been razings of Crystals And that these should lie dormant and inconspicuous in the water after so many previous separations of powders much more impalpable than it self gives cause to suspect that there is a variety of pores in the body of water and those two of different sizes and angularities wherein sabulous Bodies and Salts of various shapes may lie undiscovered to the bare eye in the texture of water Therefore if Microscopes were so contriv'd as to take a view of Liquors we might discover many considerable things pertinent to the solving diverse Philosophical Phaenomena's whereof we are yet ignorant Now as to that which remains after all these sabulous separations I mean the esurine Salt which I call the Essence of Scarborough-Spaw is a kind of alumino-nitrous Salt or Sal Hermeticum and therefore where you meet in our Hydrological Discourse with the word Aluminous Salt you are to read it Alumino-nitrous Salt or Nitro-hermetical Salt This Salt if duly ordered is Crystalline shoots into long Stiria's and brancheth it self forth in curious shapes upon the bottom of the glass which I cause to be crystaliz'd in Balneo Mariae It s taste is more discernably nitrous than otherwise yet is a such a sort of a Nitro-hermetical Salt as being exactly dryed and cast upon hot coals or a glowing Spatula takes no flame nor doth it melt nor boyl in a Crucible as that Nitre Dr. Wittie speaks of doth for he means the common Nitre to be had in Shops viz. Such as is added to Cerots and Plaisters as his own words testifie Now this Hermetical Salt in the Spaw flows not in a Crucible in a strong fire but keeps in a dry white body and loseth some of its taste by the force of fire Therefore what we have said against Nitre in our foregoing Discourse is to be understood the common inflammable Nitre which is vulgarly used And it 's very probable that there may be a Magnetical earth not far from the breaking forth of this Spring upon which the Aereal Nitre whether in the Atmosphere upon the surface or in Caverns of the earth doth centre it self which joyning issue with a Mineral acidity may become a competent cause for the production of all Mineral Springs For to my knowledge there are some Bodies to be found in the World that are truly Magnetical of the Universal Spirit or Nitro-hermetical Salt which