circulatory Vessel which must be set in Balneo Maria the space of a Moneth then you will finde the Tincture of the Gold mixed with the Spirit of Wine and the Gold powder in the bottom white as silver take out this powder when it is melted it is like Silver separate the Spirit of Wine from the Tincture in Balneo Mariae you shall have the gold Tincture in the bottom of this distilling Vessel This Tincture you must put in a Circulatory Vessel and circulate it alone some time The Tincture of Red Coralâ— The Tincture of red Corals which is the purest part of the Corals containing all the red colour of the Corals in it It hath such a secret faculty in purging the Blood that he who knoweth the right use of it hath a great secret for the preventing and curing of the Leprosie it will not suffer any Ulcer to breed in the body and it purgeth all the Blood in the Veins most excellently Let the Physician remember this that he should extract Tinctures out of such things which excel in colour for they have the greatest vertue for cleansing the Blood In extracting the Tincture of Corals you must proceed in the same maner as you extract the Tincture of Gold and when you have drawn off the Spirit of Wine from the Tincture then you must distil the Tincture alone sixteen times in the open fire And lastly you must distil it in Balneo Mariae six times that the Tincture may be well purged from all impurities When you use this Tincture take a scruple of it in a dram of Treacle water The Treacle water is made thus Take of the Spirit of Wine five ounces of good Treacle two ounces and a half of red Roman Myrrhe one ounce and two drams of Oriental Saffron two drams put them altogether in a distilling Vessel and distil them The Tincture of the Corals being taken with this water will throughly cure all Fistula's Cancers c. or any Ulcer whatsoever The Tincture of Balsom It falleth out oft-times that Ulcers which have continued a long time or have been badly cured they come to be of the nature of a Leprosie so that they cannot be helped by any Medicine because of their great putrifaction in such a case onely the Tincture of Balsom can do good which onely can cure such kinde of Ulcers and it is the best for all eating of Ulcers The Tincture is extracted thus Take of Balsom an ounce and a half of the Spirit of Wine one pound and a half and two ounces put them into a circulatory Vessel and circulate them the space of a Moneth then put them in a distilling Vessel and distil them Take that which you have distilled and mix with it another half ounce of Balsom and circulate them together some time distil them again then adde another half ounce of Balsom to that which you have distilled and thus you must do four times This Tincture of Balsom hath such a piercing faculty that there is not any part of the body but it will search into it there is not any disease or corruption of the body but it will cure it The Tincture of Antimony Antimony destroyeth all other Metals except Gold It purgeth Gold perfectly and taketh away all its Impurities after the same maner it purgeth the body of man and consumeth all impurities and corruptions in the body being rightly prepared therefore the greatest Chymists and Physicians have labored much in Antimony but in vain before our times and now by my industry it is rightly and fully prepared The Tincture is extracted thus Take Antimony made into fine powder put it in a close Reverberatory the space of a Moneth until it become volatile and it will be first white then clay-coloured then red and at last Purple-coloured then take it out and put it in the Spirit of Wâ—ne so much as it be twenty fingers breadth above the Antimony circulate them together the space of a monâ—th then separate the Spirit of Wine from the Tincture and so you have the precious Tincture of Antimony The Philosophers Salt The Philosophers salt Take of the Salt of Gold the salt of Antimony the salt of Balm of each half an ounce of common salt eight ounces make them into a powder and mix them together The Patient must take a little of these Salts strowed upon a piece of tosted bread every morning Another Take of the Salt of Germander the Salt of Succory the salt of Valerian of each one ounce of the salt of Wormwood two drams of the salt of Coperas one dram of common salt one pound make them into a powder and mix them These Salts the Patient may take with his meat and howbeit the operation of these salts is not so quick as the operation of the Tinctures yet they will undoubtedly root out any Ulcer in the Body whether Cancer Fistula c. The Use of the Tinctures The use of the Tincture of gold Take a dram of this Tincture of Gold and mix it with an ounce of the best Treacle of this mixture let the Patient take one scruple fasting then keep himself warm in his bed till he sweat this will drive out the hurtful humors of the body at the Ulcer by sweating and otherwise so as you may plainly see the operation of this Tincture in the Ulcer it self And when the Ulcer grows dry so that no more humor cometh out of the Ulcer which useth to be at the tenth or twelfth day then you may easily perfect the cure if you keep at the Ulcer a stictick Plaister The use of the Tincture of Corals Take of the Tincture of Corals one ounce and a half and mix it with ten ounces of the water of Germander or the water of Succory Let the Patient take two drams of this mixture five hours before dinner or five hours after Supper the space of six or seven days in the mean time he must use meats of easie digestion and he must drink very little he must take no other drink but the water of Succory or the water of Fumitory so long as he takes of the Tincture And when the humor hath flowed abundantly out of the Ulcer and the Ulcer dryeth and hath no pain then the patient must take no more of the Tincture The use of the Tincture of Balsom The Patient may take the Tincture of Balsom alone five grains of it at a time or he may take it in good old white Wine twice a day after meat and continue it so until the Ulcer be quite dryed up Apply outwardly upon the Ulcer some ordinary stictick Plaister until the cure be perfected The use of the Tincture of Antimony In Vintage time take new Wine and put half an ounce of the Tincture of Antimony to twenty quarts of it and when the Wine is well setled then use it Let the Patient drink of this and no other the space of a moneth and he shall finde wonderful vertue in this drink
wort three ounces of Myrrhe half an ounce of Mummy two ounces make them into a powder and mix them with so much of the oyl of Roses as is sufficient to make them into a Plaister A Caveat You must not apply to this Soar Pitch hot Oyls Birth-wort Viride aris Arsnick salt Armoniack precipitated Mercury Orpment burnt Allum or any drawing herb XXVIII Swelling of the Veins If a Vein be swelled and this Vein breaks into stinking holes with a putrifaction of the skin and flesh this is a hollow Ulcer At last If not cured it turns to a Saint Antonies fire Cure We must not cure this Aposthume in the same maner as hath been said before in the cure of the swelling of a Vein viz. You must open a Vein c. and when you open the Vein apply this following Plaister Take of Lithargire and red Lead of each half a pound of Sallet Oyl one pound of Wax half a pound adde to them these powders viz. of Orange-skins of Celandine round Birth-wort of each three ounces being all mixed together make them into a Plaister A Caveat You must not apply to this Soar any Corrosive Water or Canteries or drawing Medicines made of Gums for if they be used they will change it to a St. Anthonys Fire XXIX If in men there be Pustules betwixt the shoulders or in the breasts of Women which become hard like Warts they come from the stopping of the Haemorrhoides in men and from the stopping of the Monethly courses in women they grow big sometimes within the skin sometimes without the skin accordingly as the humor floweth to them At last they break out into a running soar which draweth to it the substance of the Body and continueth during life-time Cure First If it be in a man you must bring out the Piles if it be in a Woman you must bring down their courses then you must proceed in the rest of the cure the same way as in Noli me Tangere A Medicine to bring down the Monethly courses in women Take the Liquor of Penny-Royal and of Mugwort of each three ounces of the corrected Spirit of Wine seven ounces the liquor of the milt of an Ox one ounce mix them and take half an ounce of them in a draught of Wine or Beer every morning and evening You may adde to this Composition some saven-Saven-water and some of the oyl made of the grains of Saven A Medicine to bring out the Haemorrhoides Take of clean gum Sagapenum half an ounce of Bdelium and Mastick of each one ounce make them into a Plaister which you must apply to the place of the Haemorrhoides XXX When there is in any place a great pain with redness and a burning heat and afterwards a swelling which breaks into holes and about these holes are small yellow risings shining and burning and it continueth so three or six years but when there is a burning heat with yellow risings and afterwards they turn to a blew or lead colour this shews it to be a most vehement inflammation A Caveat Beware of such Medicines which drive the humor inwards and beware of the Guaick-wood and all such Oyntments and Suffumigations which are used for the Pox. Cure I will first shew you how to cure it when it is beginning before it come to be an Ulcer then I will shew you how to cure it when it is an old Soar when it hath continued twenty years For the first cure Take of Frog-spawn half a pound of Camphire three ounces of Myrrhe and Frankincense of each an ounce put them in a Glass close stopt and set them in the Sun until they turn to be a Liquor in this Liquor dip a linnen cloth which you shall apply to the part pained And when the cloth is dry dip it again in the said Liquor and apply it and do thus so often until the pain be gone For the second cure Take of Turpentine two pounds set it over the fire and boil it a little take it off and let it cool and it will be hard and brittle as glass then take of Oppopanax half a pound dissolve it in a quart of Vinegar then strain the vinegar through a cloth and boil it until it be consumed and onely the Oppopanax remains to which you must adde the Turpentine which you have hardened being beat into powder and three ounces of the red powder of burned Coperas then take so much honey as is necessary to make a Plaister boil it and skim it and mix it with the rest of your Ingredients and so make them into a Plaister which you shall apply to an old Saint Anthonies Fire XXXI When below the Brest there is circle round the body of reddish colour which afterward breaks out into yellow risings and these in a long time after turn to holes with redness burning and pain And at last it inflameth the Diaphragma then death followeth A Caveat Abstain from eating Medicines Gums Pitch fat things and those Oyntments which are used for the Pox. Cure First we must cleanse the Diaphragma with Larks-spur and then apply to the Soar this Plaister Take of Colophony one pound the powder of Celandine and the powder of Orange skins of each four ounces of the best Turpentine so much as is sufficient to make the Plaister XXXII When in the hand there breaks out first Pustles which afterwards turn to a crusty substance and then there follows deep clefts in the flesh At last it spreads over all the body thereafter the crusty substance falleth off and then it ceaseth Caution Abstain from Corrosive or eating Medicines Cantharides Purgations Oyntments Fumigations and the Guaick-wood Cure Take of the four Gums viz. Oppopanax Segapenum Galbanum Bdelium of each one ounce of Colophony two ounces of washed Turpentine four drams set them over the fire that they may be mixed then make a Plaister which must be applyed warm to the chopt hands and let it lie at the hands twelve hours then take it off and wash your hands with clean warm water then apply the Plaister unto it again and let it lie other twelve hours then take off and wash your hands and thus you must do so often until the humor be quite dryed up which useth to be in fifteen days or thereabouts for the four Gums have a peculiar and and admirable cleansing and drying vertue XXXIII The Itch and Scab are so commonly known that I need not describe it Cure Take of Roch Allum one pound of Plum Allum half a pound mix them Another Take of Plum Allum and salt Entals of each alike mix them for the Itch. Another Take Coperas and Allum of each alike mix them XXXIV When many Pustules break out together and being rubbed they issue out a yellowish water then there comes on a hard crusty Scab which falls off again and in its stead comes another And at last it turns to an Ulcer Cure You must not use any Medicines but such as are cooling Take
of washed Lithargire one ounce of Frog-spawn an ounce and a half the juice of Housleek and the juice of Water-Lillies of each three ounces mix them and apply them in the night time Another Take of Rose-water two ounces in this dissolve a dram of Camphire and anoint the Soar with it XXXV When the Nose burns exceedingly and being rubbed there comes a hard scurf upon the place which continueth so a year And at last it turns to a Fistula Cure We must not use any of those things for this which are used in the cure of a Fistula But use this Oyntment following Take the juice of Agrimony an ounce the juice of Onyons half an ounce the Oyl of Dill an ounce and a half Mix them and in this mixture dip a linnen cloth which you shall apply to the Soar until the cure be done XXXVI If there be a swelling in the Throat with a pain in the Head it turns to a Squinancy and afterwards to an Ulcer Cure It is cured with the water of Self-heal A Gargarism to wash the Mouth and Throat Take of Pellitory one ounce the juice of Saint Johns-wort two ounces the juice of Ars-smart three ounces of Oximel Scylliticum six ounces mix them Another Take the Liquor of Mmmmy one ounce the juice of Ars-smart two ounces of Vinegar three ounces Mix them and therewith wash your mouth and throat The cure of the Squinancy There are three Medicines which we must use in this Cure viz. a Gargarism a Plaister to be applyed outwardly and a remedy for the pain and heat of the head The Gargarism Take the honey of Roses four ounces round Birth-wort and Winter-green of each half an ounce the water of Prunes and the water of Self-heal of each seven ounces mix them with this wash your mouth letting it fal down to your throat three or four times a day this Gargarism doth good if the Aposthume be broken but not else And if there be a very great swelling then apply outwardly this following Plaister Take the Mucilage of Faenugreek ten ounces white Lead two ounces of Camphire made into powder half an ounce make them into a Plaister this Plaister will take away both the swelling and pain In the mean time you must also use this following remedy for the pain and heat of the head Take red Rose-water the water of Shepherds-purse the water of Nightshade the water of Housleek of each alike mix them in this dip a linnen cloth which you shall lay over all the head XXXVII When any have from the Womb some spot in their body blew or black or clay coloured Cure Take the flowers of Beans half an ounce the burned shels of Eggs two ounces Sal Peregrinorum one pound the water of Comfrey and spirit of Wine of each fifteen ounces distil them and in the water distilled dip a linnen cloth and apply it to the spot Another Take Plum-allum and Roch-allum of each one pound and distil a water from them to which adde Camphire half an ounce Salomons-Seal two ounces distil them again and dip a linnen cloth in the water distilled and apply it to the spot XXXVIII When there are dry clefts or chops in the hands or soles of the feet without Scabs Cure Take the meal of Barley and of wheat of each one ounce of Winter-green Agrimony Centory Self-heal of each half an ounce boil them in water and set your chopped hands or feet over the water to receive the vapor of the decoction this you must do every day four or five times Then purge the blood with this Take Germander and Succory of each alike boil them in wine and drink it this Potion will purge and rectifie the blood Then anoint the chops or clefts with this oyntment Take Petroleum the fat of a wilde Cat Harts grease Hogs grease of each half an ounce set them over the fire and mix them with this anoint the chops morning and evening XXXIX The cure of Warts Take the Oyl of Juniper Berries one once the oyl of Spike two drams Oleum Laterinum or Brick oyl seven drams mix them and with this anoint the Warts You may also drink the decoction of Germander and Succory to cleanse the Blood XL. If there be chops in the entrance of the Fundament or Matrix which burn and are very troublesom to the Patient when the Excrements or Urine are evacuated At last they turn to be a running soar inwardly Cure For the chops of the Womb Take Aloe Succotrine one ounce the root of round Birth-wort three ounces of washed Turpentine so much as is enough to make a Pessary with the Aloe and Birthwort which must be put up into the Womb. Another Take the Mucilage of Flea-wort one ounce the oyl of bitter Almonds three ounces the juice of the Flowers of Vervain six ounces Mix them and dip a linnen cloth in this mixture which you must apply to the place where the chops are every third hour Another Take the juice of Winter-green the juice of Comfrey of each four ounces the flowers of St. Johns-wort of the Flowers of Self-heal and the Flowers of Centory of each one ounce of Betony seven ounces the oyl of Dill four ounces mix them Another For the chops of the Womb and the Haemorrhoides Take of Mummy one ounce of red Lacca half an ounce the powder of Oranges and the powder of Antimony of each two ounces make them into powder and mix them XLI There are some swellings in which are bred small worms like Lice which grow broad and they make a reddish scaly scurf like the scales of Fishes Those who dig salt Mines as Coperas Mines or boil Salt or dig Copper c. are troubled with such Tumors Cure This Tumor requires outward Medicines not inward let it be anointed with this oyntment Take the oyl of Juniper Berries half a pound the oyl of sweet Almonds one pound the oyl of Beach-wood eight ounces mix them and anoint the Tumor therewith Another Oyntment Take of the oyl of Spike half an ounce the oyl of Oak three pound Cats grease a pound mix them over a fire and annoint the Tâ—mor therewith It is a good Preservative to keep us from the hurt of these Mineral Vapors XLII A swelling without pain retaining the natural colour of the skin and being pressed it retaineth a dimple after the pressure At last it putrifieth first inwardly and then breaketh out into a hollow Ulcer A Caution This Tumor must be cured by outward Medicines and not by inward Medicines Cure We must first open the Tumor then cleanse it lastly fill it with flesh A Medicine to open the Tumor Take Realgare one dram Talce three drams of Misselto so much as is sufficient to make the Plaister which you must apply to the Tumor until it be opened The cleansing Medicine Take of Colophony an ounce of Wax four ounces of Turpentine so much as to make the Plaister with this Plaister cleanse the Soar The Consolidating
vinegar in which Coperas is dissolved let it dry and sprinkle it again and thus doe four or five times when it is thus prepared it will search to the bottome of the sore But the best way of preparing this calcined Coperas is thus distill the water off from the Coperas the grounds remaining is calcined Coperas put the water distilled to the said grounds distill it again do thus so often till no water will come from the grounds If you use this for any sore you will find it to be very subtil and piercing In curing sores you must consider well the degrees of sores and that which will not yeild to the calcined Coperas must bee cured by the oyle or water of Coperas So that if wee can do no good by the calcined Coperas wee must not therefore despair but we must prepare it further by distillation and in so doing wee may bring this medicine to that height that it can cure all kinds of sores as Canker wolf fistuls c. CHAP. III. Of the true Spirit and true oyle of Coperas how they are made and what are their Vertues ALchimy hath discovered many excellent secrets to physicians whereby great cures have been done and therefore physicians formerly when they entred upon the study of medicine they also studied Alchimy because it is the mother of many worthy physical secrets These two Arts viz. Medicine and Alchimy as companions were studied together till those talkative cheaters the humorists poisoned Medicine and made that virgin to be a strumpet and so must remain so long as they prevail for when ignorant men take upon them the profession of an art which they know not that Art certainly doth suffer violence and must be wronged Thus Alchymy hath been wronged in many things especially in Coperas how many deceitful oyls and spirits of Coperas have we in stead of that true oyl and true spirit of Coperas which the ancient physicians used they had the true spirit of Coperas and they exalted it to the highest degree whereby they perfectly cured any falling sicknesse in men women or children but others since who were unskilfull in Alchymy thinking to take a better way have endeavoured to draw out the spirit and to exalt the vertues of the Coperas otherwise and so leaving the first secret way of the Ancients which they lost they laboured to draw the oyle out of the calcined Coperas but in vain for what they draw out of it is of no use for that which cureth the falling sickness must have a subtle piercing spirit The true spirit or true oyl of Coperas hath such a piercing searching nature that it goeth through the whole body and nothing can escape it and when it meets with the disease it resists it and overcomes it in its own place now a physician cannot certainly know the seat and center of the disease and therefore he hath need to have such remedies as will search through the whole body and find out the disease and this is the reason why Humorist-doctors can never cure this disease and so they shame their profession because they have not the right remedies which can do it I can certifie this that the oyl which the common Alchymists draw out of the calcined Coperas which the Apothecaries call the spirit of Vitrial it hath nothing of a subtle or piercing nature in it it is a meer earthly dead thing which hath no profitable operation It is much to be lamented that through unskilfulness the true way should be suppressed and the false should be thus received in its stead I am perswaded that the divel doth this for this end that the sect of the Humorist-Doctors may be prevalent and that the diseased may not re-enjoy their health But to return to my purpose I will now shew you how you may get the true oyl and the true spirit of Coperas and how the Ancients found out the spirit first they distilled a water from the Coperas this water they distilled alone circulated it till it was fully corrected as their way teacheth and this water they used for many diseases both inward diseases as falling sicknesse c. and outward diseases and thereby they performed wonderful cures then they took this water so corrected and they powred it upon the grounds which remained in the first distillation and they distilled it again from the grounds thus they did eight or ten times with a strong fire whereby the wet spirits were united to the dry spirits so firmly that by continuall distilling the dry spirits at last came out with the wet spirits then they took these two spirits thus firmly united and put them in a glasse vessel where they exalted them to the highest degree these two spirits together thus exalted the Ancients found them to have greater operation then the foresaid water alone and with this one medicine they could do more then the Humorist-Doctors can do with all the medicines they have Artists do adde to this medicine sublimed wine to make it more piercing Now I will shew you my way which I use and commend it to all physicians especially for the falling-sickness which is cured only by this spirit of Coperas my way is thus I put so much spirit of wine to the Coperas as the Coperas will drink in then I distil a water from the Coperas and so I proceed in the same manner as is said before when the medicine is perfected I adde to it these things following viz. to one ounce of the spirit of Coperas I adde two ounces of the corrected spirit of Tartar and two drams of the warer of Treakle camphorated The patient who is troubled with the falling-sickness should take this medicine before his fit come upon him he may take it twice or thrice a day so much of it as the physician shall appoint Nature cannot afford a better medicine then this for the falling sickness My way of preparing this medicine is the same which was used by the Ancients I only addâ— the spirit of wine before I distill it and I adde to the medicine when it is perfected these things which I have named This precious spirit of Coperas is not only good for the falling-sicknesse but also for all diseases of the like nature as sounding extasie c. It is also good for all obstructions and inward imposthumes for fits of the mother and falling down of the mother Physicians might find out many other excellent vertues in this spirit of Coperas if they were diligent in searching them and if they would shew themselvs good and faithful physicians and careful of the health of their patients cursed be all those physicians who regard only their own gain and not the health of their patients especially those patients who are afflicted with that sad disease the falling-sickness I hope all good people will approve of what I have done here and truly I have described the way of preparing this spirit
down to the soar then we must mortifie the Soar Lastly we must consolidate it or fill it up with flesh The defensive Take of salt Anatron one ounce of an Anodine half an ounce make them into an Oyntment with the Oyl of Spike The Anodyne is made thus Take of Frog-spawn and of the juice of Nightshade of each an ounce of Varnish half an ounce mix them together Then apply to the soar this mortifying Medicine viz. Take Parmacity Frog-spawn of Chervâ—l of Juniper Berries of each alike let them stand in the Sun some time then use them This must be applyed once a day the space of three weeks afterwards wash the soar oft-times with the water of Oak leaves or Salt-water By this Medicine the soar is mortifyed and the pain is taken away and now you must apply the Oppodeltoch Plaister or Stictick Plaister described in the Treatise of Wounds in the first Chapter until the cure be perfected V. A Fistula is an Ulcer which hath one or more small holes outwardly but within it is hollow and deep it useth to be near the joynts or places of evacuation or where som wound thrust or bruise c. hath been badly cured This Soar issueth forth a water or froth at the small holes and purgeth twelve hours this kinde of soar is not painful If it be not cured by Medicines it will never be well of it self yet it doth not cause death but continueth still the same so long as the Patient liveth Cure First let the Patient take this Potion Take of the water of Sow-bread and of the water of the leaves of small Sea-Buck-horn of the water of middle Consound of each four ounces mix them and take four ounces of this at a draught morning and evening until the cure be done Another Potion Take of the water of Harts-horn one pound of Centory golden Consound Feverfew of each six ounces of Rheubarb choice Manna Parmacity of each an ounce Mix them well and of this mixture take one spoonful every Morning and after it take three spoonfuls of Wine By this Potion the Fistula shall be cleansed inwardly yea this Potion alone will cure it that you need not apply any Medicine outwardly to the Soar yet you may apply this following Plaister Take of these four Gums viz. Oppoponax Bdelium Ammoniacum Galbanum of each two ounces of Wax six ounces melt them together and adde to them three ounces of Turpentine Make a Plaister VI. When there is a firm hard tumor which lyeth amongst the Muscles and hath a burning heat which strikes into the bone and it breeds many hard knotty lumps within the flesh it s never changed into an Ulcer neither doth it consume the flesh but continueth in one maner thirty or forty years yea so long as the Patient liveth But if the Patient falleth into some accute disease or shall have a Carbuncle then the Wolf becomes deadly Cure First you must use cooling Medicines then Mucilaginous Medicines to dissolve the hard knotty lumps then apply the Plaister Oppodeltoch To cool it you may use the Anodyne or mortifying Medicine before described in the cure of Herysipelas The Mucilaginous Medicine Take the liquor of Mummy of Mastick and Camphire of each half an ounce the Mucilage of Fenugreek the Mucilage of Flea-wort and the Mucilage of Quinces of each alike so much as you think fit to make the Plaister this Plaister you may use in stead of the Oppodeltoch Plaister There are also other remedies whereby the Wolf may be cured as these following Take of Crystaline Realgare one ounce of burning oyl two ounces of white lead two drams make an Ointment with this anoint round the Wolf but not upon it once in twelve hours do so six or eight days then leave and that about which you anointed will fall off Afterwards you must wash the place evening and morning with this following water viz. Rose water the water of Fish-spawn of each six ounces the water of Feverfew five ounces mix them Then apply this Plaister viz. Take of Lin-seed oyl half a pound of viride aeâ—is and wax of each a quarter of a pound of Bdelium two ounces make a Plaister VII The Malum mortuum or dead evil beginneth at the feet and goeth upward it maketh the skin to be without feeling And at last It comes to be a running soar and so continueth twenty years afterwards it turns to a Leprosie Cure We must begin the cure with a Cautery to take away the dead skin then we must annoint the place where this evil hath spread it self the space of three moneths with the oyl of Pepper The Cautery is made thus Take of Brimstone four ounces melt it put to it three ounces of Frankincense and of Rosin seven ounces the oyl of Colophonia the oyl of Amber of each four ounces set them over the fire that they may mix together and with this being warm anoint the place twelve times in a day and in three days the dead skin will break and come off VIII When certain spots appear in the skin sometimes removing from place to place sometimes they are fixed in one place some are of a reddish colour some of a clay colour sometimes they are of a yellow colour At last It spreadeth it self over the whole body and breaks out into small blisters which grow hard and crusty then they chop and at last they turn to Ulcers Cure First The Blood must be purged then we must use the Cautery described before in the cure of the Malum Mortuum Lastly the cure must be perfected with Plantain The Medicine to purge the Blood Take the juice of Succory the juice of Germander of each one pound of the juice of Maidenhair half a pound of Manna two ounces of the true Spirit of Coperas described in the Treatise of Coperas one dram Mix them and distil an oyl from them of this oyl take at a time in a draught of Wine one or two or three drams as the Physician shall appoint IX When the face is first of a yellow colour then turns to be of a red colour and every day grows more and more red without Pimples or Itch so that both skin and flesh come to be of a Scarlet colour At last the skin and flesh do putrifie with a sharp smart humor Cure Take the whites of ten boiled Eggs and of the burned shels of Eggs six ounces distil a water from them then take Silver Tin Lead Copper beaten into very thin leaves of each one dram the leaves of Gold Silver Marchasite and Gold Marchasite of each two drams put them in a Glass and set the Glass in warm dung a moneth then distil an oyl from them with this oyl anoint the place X. When the face hath had a very red colour or hath had the guâ—ta râ—sacea and changeth from that to another colour viz. a blackish or lead colour with a little swelling and breaks out into waterish Blisters and Wens At last
of this two grains at a time with six grains of the Oyl of Spike Observe That when you have taken from the Quick-silver its sharp piercing and eating â—aculty and its moving or running nature then it is fit to be used but not before Howbeit Quick-silver as it is commonly used in suffumigations for the French Pox seemeth sometimes to do good yet it cannoot be so used without great danger for the nature of the Quick-silver is so subtil that the vapor of it hath the same operation upon our bodies as the Quick-silver it self hath There is nothing can be used so many ways as the Quick-silver yet it is not therefore the safer as many do think If yâ—u would use the Quick-silver profiâ—ably in Suffumigations you must prepare it so that it may have an attractive vertue Remember this That Quick silver hath such a nature which may by Art be brought to have any operation viz to binde to purge to cleanse a sore to fill it with flesh to consume or eat c. Therefore it is needful that you know how you should prepare the Quick-silver for each kind of the French Pox. Some Ulcers of the French Pox may be cured by sweating some Ulcers must be cleansed and filled with flesh some must be c. Accordingly the Quick silver must have its several preparations for these several Operations and if it be not rightly prepared it is dangerous So when it is used in Suffumigations if it be not rightly prepared before it is of the nature of Sublimats which do very great harm to the Body and oft-times they do pierce to the heart and are deadly Therefore if you would use it in suffumigations safely and profitably prepare it thus Take Sulphur vivum make it into powder and take Quick-silver and mix with it sublime them and so proceed as they do in making Cinabrium then take of this and of Salt-peter of each alike beat them together into powder then put a live coal into them and fire them then take out your Quick-silver put it into a long glass which hath a broad bottom and narrow top Set the mouth of your glass or vessel to the place where the humor makes its passage out of the body or where we may bring the humor out of the body most conveniently and hold some fire-coals under the glass or vessel to heat the Quick-silver a little so that the vapor of it may come to that place of the body where we set the mouth of the glass but you must have a care that it do not vapor out In the Lotions or washings with Quick-silver used for the Ulcers of the French Pox Mountebanks adde to it Pepper Cardamome Dittander which increase the evil qualities of the Quick-silver they adde to it also aqua vitae or strong water which carrieth the Quick-silver to the heart whence are Fevers and fluxes of the Belly whereas we use these washings with Quick-silver for this end viz. That the Ulcers do not encrease and therefore the venomous qualities of the Quick silver should be taken from it that it go no further then the sore which is done thus Take Quick-silver and sublime it alone three or four times then mix it with the Liquor of Salt and sublime it again three or four times then take the Quick-silver so sublimed and pour a good quantity of the Spirit of Wine upon it and distil the Spirit of Wine off from it again then pour upon it more Spirit of Wine and distil it and thus do several times until you have taken from the Quick silver all its corroding or consuming faculty Then take this Quick-silver thus prepared and boil it in the water of Celandine half an hour pour off the water from the Quick-silver and with this water wash the Ulcer Having shewed you the several ways of preparing Quick-silver for the French Pox I will conclude with this admonition That they who use Quick-silver in Oyntments Lotions Suffumigations c. Let them carefully consider the right time when the Patient should use it for diseases alter according to the times sometimes a disease may be more easily cured then at other times diseases suffer no delay and Medicines must be used in time Again the Physician must have a care that these Oyntments Washings or Suffumigations with Quick siâ—ver do not touch any sound part but onely the place diseased left they thereby do more harm then good A Plaister to cleanse Vlcers Whereas Physicians do oftentimes burn ulcerated places with hot Irons sometimes they cut off members which they think helpless sometimes they use eating Medicines to take away dead flesh and the corrupt bottoms of Ulcers in stead of those practices I advise you to use this one cleansing Medicine Take of honey one pound of Aloepatick made into powder a quarter of a pound of burned Allum quenched in Vinegar one ounce the yolks of twenty eggs of Turpentine half a pound mix them well together and keep it for your use Observe That without hony gums eggs Turpentine Lithargire Wax Oyl I say without some of those no Ulcer can be cleansed A plaister to be applyed to a place cauterized When you would draw out an humor at any place you must lay some Caustâ—ck Medicine to the place and when there are Blisters raised in the place and broken then apply this following attractive Medicine viz. Take of the apples of the Fir-tree twenty boil them in water until you have boiled the gum out of them then boil away the watet from the gum put to this gum Rosin and Turpentine let them together over the fire until they be well mixed together Another Take of Oppopanax a half ounce of Sagapenum Galbanum Ammoniacum of each two drams of Bdelium six drams dissolve these Gums in Vinegar then strain the Vinegar and boil it away until the gums be almost dry then mix with them Rheubarb made into powder two drams of Amber made into powder half an ounce and when they are all well mixed make them into a Plaister This Plaister apply to the place where the skin is broken which was raised by the Caustick Plaister A sweating Medicine for the French Pox. For those kindes of the French Pox which are cured by sweating use this following sweating Medicine which is the best of any for the French Pox Take of Tin and Quick-silver of each alike melt your Tin and when it beginneth to cool and hardeâ— pour your Quick silver upon it that they may be mixed or put Quick-silver to thin plates of Tin let them stand together two or three days till the Tin have drank in as much of the Quick-silver as it can then let the Tin stand till the Quick-silver be dryed in it then let it drink in some more Quick-silver and let it dry do thus three or four times then beat it into fine powder If there be an ounce of this powder put it in a Gold Poringer set the Poringer in good Wine-vinegar up
almost to the brims then fill the Poringer with the Spirit of Wine let it stand so four or five days then kindle the Spirit of Wine with a piece of burning Paper and keep it burning so until the Quick-silver and Tin are changed to an oyl in the Spirit of Wine of this oyl let the Patient take one grain at a time in a draught of the best wine warmed and let him keep himself well covered in his bed until he sweat A Treatise of Vlcers SECTION III. VVherein are described the Tinctures which are Catholique Medicines for all kinde of Ulcers THe diligence of wise men in former times was great in searching out the causes and preservatives of long Life the natures and uses of all kindes of remedies therefore they were called The students of Wisdom but they knew not the right way of preparing Medicines they learned this from the Alchymist So they and the Alchymist together have discovered many excellent Medicines the chief of which are the Tinctures but these Tinctures have been much abused by Gold Smiths and those who thought to change Metals into Gold with them I have shewed in some other of my writings how much may be done by them therefore I will not here speak any thing of it In former times they made Tinctures whereby they coloured Metals purged them and afterwards they used these Tinctures as Medicines for the bodies of men what great vertues are in these Tinctures are declared in the Books of Ancient Writers which have long time been kept hidden by false Physicians but I will publish them for I have had the experience of them and I know they have a wonderful faculty in cleansing the blood And because I now write concerning the cure of Ulcers I conceive it fitting that I shew you whence I have had these my remedies and I confess that I have learned them in the School of Chymistry But because many errors have crept into this Art of Chymistry partly through ignorance and partly through the envy of Chymists whereby those who followed the practice of Chymistry being much seduced they were forced to seek new ways and so of themselves they found out many things some profitable and some hurtful Therefore I have endeavored to reform this Art of Chymistry leaving those things which are hurtful or unprofitable I discover onely such things which are useful and good for the Body of Man This task I am able to perform so much the more happily in regard my first studies were in this way of Chymistry in which I took great delight and followed it with great diligence under excellent Masters who were most skilful in secret Philosophy My Masters were first William of Hohenheim my careful and loving Father and many others who hid nothing from me which they knew and besides I was much helped by the Books of learned men viz. Bishop Setgaius Erhradus Laventalius Bishop Nicolaus Hipponensis Trithemius Abbot of Spanheim and other most learned and experienced Chymists I have had also many Experiments from several Chymists and of those I will now name onely the most noble Sigismundus Fueger Schwatzensis who maintaineth many servants in the practice of Chymistry at great charges and hath enriched the Art of Chymistry with many Experiments To conclude I conceive that I may very well undertake this talk Of reforming Chymistry and Physick considering my knowledge in Philosophy and my skill of Chymistry and Physick And here I will give you some taste of my skill in the following Tinctures The Simples out of which the Tinctures are extracted are these viz. Gold Quick-silver Antimony the Philosophers Salt Balsom red Corals Mummy Baulm Celandine Valerian Germander Succory Swallow wort And beginning with Gold I will briefly and Methodically teach you the way to extract the Tinctures out of these Simples The Ancient Chymists who writ Fables more then serious matters if they had eased us of this labor we should have been very thankful to them but seeing they have failed us I will make up this defect The Tincture of Gold The Tincture of Gold is the purest part of the Gold wherein all its colour is contained and this being extracted there remaineth the white body of Gold this coloured part of the Gold differeth much from the white Body as the pure from the impure and therefore they must be separated or else you do nothing When you have extracted the coloured part you must exalt it to the highest degree and whereas the colour in Gold may be exalted to the twenty fourth degree the Tincture extracted must be exalted ten times more and no further This Tincture hath a wonderful vertue in cleansing renewing and restoring the Blood not onely in the part diseaâ—ed but also throughout the whole Body how much of this Tincture you must take at a time you shall hear afterwards I will now shew you how you must extract it First melt your Gold with Antimony that it may be well purged by the Antimony according to the usual way Take this Gold and dissolve it in the distilled water of common Salt this water of Salt must be made thus Take of the best white Salt made by the Sun and melt it in a very hot fire as Brass or Silver c. is melted several times Then make it into powder and mix it with the juice of Radishes and when the Salt is dissolved in the juice distil them together then take the water which you have distilled off from them and mix it with the juice of Bloodwort of each alike and distil them together take the water which you have distilled off from them and pour it again to the grounds remaining distil it again and so you must do five times Then take of the water of the first distillation and in this dissolve your Gold when your Gold is dissolved put a little of the Spirit of Tartar into this water of Salt to make the Gold powder fall to the bottom then pour off this water of Salt from the Gold powder and wash your Gold powder with common Water distilled until all the Spirit of Salt be well washed from it Then take this Gold powder and put it in the Spirit of Wine which must be made thus Take of the best wine and put it in a Circulatory Vessel which must be very well closed up so that no vapor can get out fill the third part of your circulatory vessel with the Wine and leave two parts empty and how much of the circulatory vessel is filled with the Wine so much of it must be set in Balneo Maria the space of ten days then put it in a distilling vessel and distil it and that which comes out first is the Spirit of Wine the rest is onely sublimed Wine Put your Gold powder after it is washed with the distilled common water into this Spirit of Wine so much of it as that it may be a hands breadth above the Gold powder put them together in a
Medicine Take the juice of great Comfrey the juice of round Birth-wort of each two drams of the yolks of Eggs and Turpentine of each alike so much as to make the plaister keep this Plaister at the soar until the cure be done XLIII A hard swelling which will not be soft nor will not break but continueth firm and hard you may soften it and ripen it with this Medicine Take of Varnish half an ounce the Mucillage of Faenugreek four ounces the water of Sea-holly and the water of sharp pointed Dock of each two ounces the juice of Marsh-mallows three ounces mix them and apply them to the swelling Another Take the Oyl of Lithargire Colophony Mummy the oyl of the yolks of Eggs of each one ounce mix them and apply them The oyl of Lithargire is made thus Take Allum Vinegar and Lithargire and boil them together until the Vinegar be almost consumed then adde more Vinegar and more Allum and boil it again and thus you must do until the Lithargire be turned into an Oyl XLIV If there be risings under the ears and about the ears with a swelling and the third day after they grow red then the Patient is troubled with a pain and heat in his head and a swelling in his throat At last It turns to a putrefaction and goeth inward Cure We must first ripen and break the Aposthume then cleanse it and lastly consolidate it or fill it with flesh The maturative or ripening Medicine Take Oleum Laterinum or oyl of Bricks one ounce Oppopanax half an ounce dissolve the Oppopanax in Vinegar then strain the Vinegar through a cloth and boil it until it be boiled away and the Oppopanax remaineth dry then put to it the oyl of Bricks and make them into a Plaister The cleansing Medicine Take Honey and Self-heal of each an ounce of round Birthwort and Aloepatick of each one dram make them into a Plaister this Plaister you must apply to the Aposthume after it is opened The consolidating or fleshing Medicine Take the yolks of four Eggs of the best Turpentine three ounces of Wheat meal and Barley meal so much as will make a good mixture for a Plaister XLV If any part of the Body exceedeth its proportion and is bigger then it should be not through any disease but by a natural growth without any pain in that part or in the Stomach For if there be any pain in the Stomach or Brest it is a sign of a Ptisick Cure Take of the Lees of Wine ten ounces of the Spirit of Wine four ounces the fat of a Fox five ounces of the Oyl of Dill nineteen ounces Mix them and make an Oyntment wherewith you must anoint the part so grown XLVI The swelling in the Cods and betwixt the Groin and Privities commonly called a Rupture there be three kindes of it There is a waterish swelling a windy swelling and a fleshy swelling You may know the waterish swelling by this If you press it with your finger it will leave a dimple in it this waterish swelling if it be not cured it will at last putrifie the Testicles and the Cod and turn to a Bubo if it continue three weeks or a moneth it is incurable Caution Before the Physician entereth upon the cure let him well consider which of the three kindes of swelling it is for if he should mistake and apply unfit Medicines it would be very dangerous Obs That cleansing Medicines or drying Medicines are not fit this Tumor must not be opened Cure Take of Figs one pound the Oyl of Juniper-Berries four ounces Bean-meal six ounces mix them together over the fire and apply them to the swelling as warm as the Patient can endure it thrice a day viz. Morning at Noon and Evening Another Take Bean meal one pound the seed of Flea-wort and the seed of Quinces of each an ounce of great Comfrey four ounces Wine and Vinegar of each so much as is requisite to make a Poultis XLVII The second kinde of Tumor of the Cods is a windy Tumor which you may know by the hardness of it and stretching of the skin it makes the Cod to be without feeling Caution We must not open this Tumor and we must beware of drying things Cure Take the oyl of sweet Almonds two ounces Bean meal half an ounce Pigeons dung and Goats dung of each three ounces of Vinegar so much as is sufficient to make a Poultis which must be applyed very warm morning evening and at noon Another Take of common Rosin six ounces of Mummy five ounces of Elder buds one ounce mix them Another Take of Turpentine half a pound Cummin-seed four ounces of Lettuce-seed six drams of Wax so much as to make them into a Plaister XLVIII The third kinde of Rupture or Tumor of the Cods is a fleshy Tumor which may be disearned by the touch it is firmer then the waterish swelling and not so hard as the windy swelling it is a superfluous flesh sometimes within the skin sometimes growing without the skin If it doth not ripen in five weeks it is incurable At last it putrifieth and turns to a Fistula Caution You must not take Potions for this Tumor or any inward Medicine and you must not apply to the Tumor any fat thing or any drying thing And remember this that we do not reckon distilled oyls among fat things Cure In this cure we must use Plaisters and Chyrurgical Instruments The Plaister is made thus Take of Oleum Laterinum or Brick oyl seven ounces Oppopanax Galbanum Bdelium of each three drams of Bean-meal three drams four Figs of Camphire and Ruc of each one dram Mix them together over the fire and make them into a Plaister this softneth ripeneth and putrifieth the Tumor and keepeth the Tumor that it shall not be bigger nor be any more painful This Tumor as also any superfluous flesh or any hard Tumor as Warts Corns c. may be dissolved by these following Medicines viz. Distilled oyl of Bays the oyl of Nuts the oyl of black Poppy seed the oyl of Dill the distilled oyl of the fat of a Cat the Spirit of Wine distilled with Beans or with the seed of Flea-wort the water of Pepper-wort the water of Swallow-wort the water of red Ars-smart the water of Sea-holly the juice of sharp pointed Dock c. XLIX When a womans Monethly Courses do not keep their right time but sometimes comes sooner and sometimes later and much water comes down with the Courses likewise when the Urine is evacuated there comes out corrupt matter with it and there is pain in the Matrix and in the Belly and in the time of the act of Venery this pain of the Womb and Belly is greater If it continueth so a Moneth there comes forth Blood and if it continues a year it then comes to be an incurable Ulcer Caution Abstain from Purgations cleansing Medicines and consolidating Medicines Cure In this cure we must use three kinde of Medicines viz. Potions