Use of Limbs I. IN many people here in England there is a loss of the use of their Limbs the most part caused by taking great Colds and sometimes it is the effect of the Palsie the like may happen in the West Indies but though in those hot Countries it is possible to proceed from such a Cause yet it is oftner and more generally known to proeeed from the Belly-Ach and that kind of Belly-Ach which proceed from dryness and Costiveness of Body II. If it proceeds from taking of Cold though Sudorificks are commonly used yet they ought rather to be used after a Legitimate purging and clensing the Body let the Sick first take our-Pilùlae Mirables from a Scruple to a dram And repeat the same for 2. or three times with due Intervalls between each Purging as of two or three days or more as they are in Age and strength III. After sufficient purging and cleansing the Body let the Patient sweat well with new London-treacle for 3. or 4. times or oftner as you see occasion and be very cautious that the Sick takes no Cold again and in the time of sweating Frictions ought to be used to the helpless Limb with course Cloths that as by the Diaphoresis the nervous juice becomes depurated and clean so also by the rubbing the natural Spirits may be called back again IV. After Sweating the weak Limbs are to be bathed alternatim with Powers of Amber and Powers of Juniper and in strong robust Bodies and where the Skin is very thick with Oyl of Amber pure and simple for some few daies and then afterwards with Powers of Amber c. V. If it be caused from a Palsie there ought to be some gentle Purging but with such things as more particularly carry off the cold glutinous and clamy Humour which has devolved upon the Nerves among which our Vinum Catharticum is none of the meanest if it be a strong Man and in the flower of his years you may with caution give the former Pilulae Mirabiles if he complains of a fulness and heaviness in his Stomach give him One Two or Three Doses of our Impetus Mineralis and you shall find a wonder succeed VI. But during all this you must sweat oftentimes and powerfully by giving our Vinum Catharticum inwardly and provoking the Sweat with Spirit of Wine in Hartman's Chair if you have such a one using Frictions withal as before directed VII Outwardly let the paralytick Limbs be well anointed Morning and Evening with this following Oyntment Take Chymical Oyl of Rosemary and Anniseeds of each an ounce Volatile Sal Armoniac in fine Powder half an ounce Palm Oyl half a pound mix them for use Rub it well in before a good Fire VIII Inwardly let the Sick take every morning this Take our new London Treacle Volatile Sal Armoniack ana Five grains mix it with pulp of Figgs and give it an hour after the taking of it give this Take our Spiritus Cosmeticus half an ounce Powers of Rosemary half a drachm Spiritus Antiastmaticus Twenty Drops mix and give it in a Glass of Sack or Ale and give the same at Night continuing this course for a month together IX But when it proceeds from the dry Belly Ach as for the most part it does in the West-Indies this following method is necessary to be pursued First Give the following Clyster R. Chicken Broth a pint Honey or Salt half an ounce Tinctura Aurea One Ounce or instead thereof boil two ounces of the Pulp of the bitter Gourd in the Broth then exhibit the clear Liquor warm if it comes away without any apparent effect repeat it again X. Then purge with our Pilulae Mirabiles two three four or six times as need requires with intervals between each Purge but for poor People who cannot go to the charge of these Pills or if they be not to be had use this Take a large quantity of Peach Leaves bruised viz. about fourty handfuls Pulp of the bitter Gourd Six ounces boil all in a gallon of Water to two Quarts strain and sweeten with Sugar and Honey Dose from half a pint to a pint according to Age and Strength This Purge at due intervals is to be repeated three four five or six times as you see need XI This done the Bowels and all the pained Parts and lamed Limbs are to be bathed with Powers of Amber Morning and Evening or with Oyl of Turpentine two ounces mixed with Hogs-lard Eight Ounces XII Lastly In the loss of the use of Limbs proceeding from what cause soever this following Drink must be constantly used and no other without which a perfect Cure cannot be expected Take Juniper Berries well bruised Seeds and all Four Ounces Fountain Water a Gallon boil all to Three Quarts or Five Pints strain out the clear and put to it of Spirit of Wine Four Ounces sweeten with White Sugar and drink it as your ordinary Drink This Dyet will seldom or never fail the desired end which is to restore the Sick to the perfect use of their Limbs and without which it can scarcely be done Salmon CHAP. XI Of the Cholick or Belly-ach I. To Cure the Belly-ach in a Child Take the best Brandy a Quart Cinnamon Cortex Winteranus ana half an Ounce Annifeeds an Ounce and half Rheubarb very thin sliced or grosly bruised two Ounces mix and in a gentle heat of a Bath make a Tincture Dose from two Spoonfulls to eight alone by it self or sweetned with Sugar but to Children give it sweetned with Sugar and mixed with a little Ale It is a thing not to be 〈◊〉 and which I have proved almost a thousand times Salmon II. Where a continuing and long lasting Belly-ach has been with a 〈◊〉 Flux I have Cured 〈◊〉 by the following Diet Drink Take strong Ale a Gallon choice Brandy a Pint Rheubarb thin sliced four Ounces Anniseeds bruised I Ounce Tie them up in a loose thin Rag with a Stone in it and put them into the Ale and Brandy and let the Sick continually drink of it I have used it in several Cures of Patients and never found it fail Salmon III. For the Cholick accompanied with a Quartane Ague Take Butter of Antimony rectified from Regulus of Mars 'till it is clear You may give of this from two drops to five in our Aqua Bezoartica Salmon IV. For a Pocky Cholick or the Belly-ach in Pocky Habit of Body This is difficult to be remedied and many times not without much trouble and sometimes danger to the Sick this following is of wonderful use Take Crude Antimony Sal Armoniack of each as much as you please reduce them into an Impalpable Powder then sublime so will you have red Flowers Take of these Flowers à Gr. iij. ad vj. Of white Proecipitate well edulcorated à Gr. iij. ad 8. Mix them and with Balsam de Peru a sufficient quantity make a Mass for one Dose of Pills 'T is a wonderful Medicine and not enough to
a cachectical Patient who formerly had the Pox but had been well of that Disease some years but fearing there should be yet some Relicks of it desired I should proceed in the Cure as if it had been the Pox nor could I prevail with the Man to admit of any other Cure At length I fumed him with the following Troches Take artificial Cinnabar six Drams Myrrh Amber Mastick Olibanum Cloves Nutmegs ana half an Ounce Mercurius Dulcis two Drams with Spirit of Wine make thirty two Troches for eight Fumigations I fumed him three or four times and took away all his swelling without any sensible fluxing and he became perfectly well But one thing which was very remarkable in this Cure was That an old Pain of the Spleen which he had been troubled withal for twenty two or twenty three years was totally and perfectly removed and much of the Disease went away by Urine XII A confirm'd Cachexy is without danger and may be cured in short time by Sudorificks only the Cause principally proceeding from a Debility of the Blood and noble Parts charged either with too great Acidities or an aqueous Matter which is sent into the Habit of the Body For this purpose a Tincture of the opening Crocus Martis or the Crocus Martis it self is profitably given and Grulingius saith for this purpose it excels all other Remedies because it strengthens so powerfully For internal Sudorificks which may also absorb the Acid we commend Bezoar Mineral from six to sixteen Gr. our Angelus Mineralis from six to twelve Grains Pilulae Angelicae from one to two Scruples or a Decoction of Guaiacum after the usual manner the Patient being in a Stove or Bed XIII Barbet saith that the watery Matter is first gathered in the Face and Limbs and if the tumid Parts be prest with your Finger that they are not so full as in a true Dropsie and that the cause of it is from the lymphatick Vessels being compressed broken or some other way obstructed whereby the natural Motion of the Lympha is himdred and so thrust into the fleshy and skinny Parts But all this we cannot concede unto nor do we believe that ever the Rupture of the lymphatick Vessels were or can be the Cause thereof but this possibly may be sometimes a Cause the two great thinness of the Lympha and the weakness or laxness of the Vessels containing it whereby it has an emission through their Pores and Plicatures into the fleshy Substance of the Body XIV If the Sick be of a cholerick habit of Body if they sweat in a Stove Chair or Bagnio it ought to be with a gentle heat If they be melancholly the heat must be greater but if phlegmatick the heat must be most intense that the Humors may be melted and the preternatural Gelly dissolved without which it can never pass away by sweat And this is of use chiefly in Virgins where the Disease proceeds from Grief drinking cold Water eating unripe Fruit or other hetrogene Things But in hot Constitutions and such as have been used to eat and drink hot Things whereby the Liver is made exceeding hot and dry and much Choler abounds in the first and second Region viz. in the Veins of the Liver Spleen and Mesentery and in the greater Veins and Arteries Baths are much more proper than Stoves and such-like because they moisten whereas a dry sweat irritates the Atribilious Humor XV. Being come out of the Bath you may anoint the Belly Feet Legs and other swoln Parts with the following Unguent Take tops of Elder Dwarf-Elder Doves-foot musked Cranes-bill Mustard Rocket Camomil ana two Ounces Palm-oil one Pound boil well strain out by pressing then add distilled Oils of Amber Anniseeds and Juniper ana three Drams mix them to anoint withal and inwardly give a Dram or two or more of our Aqua Bezoartica or good cinamon-Cinamon-Water XVI Catharticks are adjudged by most to be of evil consequence being given to cachectick Persons because they hurt the Liver and weaken the Ferment of the Viscera This is true it they be often or long given as we noted at Sect. 3. above for they destroy the Patient the 〈◊〉 and weakned Parts being extreamly hurt and more weakened thereby but Lenitives may be given and repeated with Strengthners between and sometimes stronger Purges provided there be pretty long intervals between and many times Corroboraters of the Bowels be given in the interim to support and restore their tone XVII Quercetanus commends this Pouder Take fine Filings of Iron one Dram Feculi Ari one Dram Essence of Coral Pearl Pouder of Amebrgrise ana half a Ounce Amber prepared Cinamon ana four Scruples Sugar q. s. mix and make a Pouder It is a good Thing for pale and depraved Colours Cachexies in Men Women and Maids whether young or old the Body being prepared and purged for some time before hand Schroder commends his Chalybeated Salt for the same purpose See it in my Seplasium Lib. 1. Cap. 16. Sect. 13 14 15. Lib. 2. Cap. 14. Sect. 4 5. XVIII Or this Take Filings of Iron sprinkle them with Waters of Wormwood Ash or Scurvy-Grass wherein their Salts have been dissolved leave them so long till all is converted to Rust or Crocus of which take six Ounces burnt Harts-horn prepared Magisteries of Coral and Pearl ana one Dram and half Cinamon Crystals of Tartar ana one Dram Sugar a sufficient quantity mix and make a Pouder Dose one Dram. XIX Sennertus commends this Wine Take Filings of Iron three Ounces and half White Wine two Quarts infuse them together in a Boltbead a Month in a warm place shaking it three or four times a day Dose five or six Ounces at a time in the Morning fasting and lying two or three hours in Bed after it or otherwise walking and stirring two hours after it As often as you pour out one Glass you must put in another till half the Rust or Crocus seems spent then you are to cease and put in no more Our Tinctura ad Chlorosin is also of experienced Use. XX. If the Patient finds any pain in the Abdomen or Belly you ought to bathe the Part with Powers of Amber twice a day Or with this Take Palm-Oil four Ounces Oil of Anniseeds half an Ounce mix and anoint with it Or this Take Palm-Oil four Ounces Oil of sweet Fennel-seed of Oranges ana two Drams mix and anoint with as before CHAP. XIX Of the STONE in the Reins 1. AS this is a Disease with which many are afflicted so it is of as hard and difficult Cure for which variety of Medicaments are instituted The cause of which is this That those things which do some good and cure them to boot yet do others no good at all and sometimes make them worse for which Reason sake we shall make it it our Business here to examine variety of Authors and hear what they all say II. It is a Disease like the Colick but it is
Compounds you may see in our Phylaxa Medicinae Lib. 1. and 2. Salmon LXI In a hot Cause and Constitution Barbet gives this Take Roots of Al theae one Ounce Liquorice two Drams Mallow-Leaves M. ij Melon-seeds half an Ounce boyl them in Barley-water in a Quart of the Colature dissolve Syrup of Corn Poppies two Ounces raw Crabs-Eyes bruised one Dram mix them Dose two Ounces three or four times a Day Or thus Take rose-Rose-water Strawberry and purslane-Purslane-water ana one Ounce Prophylactick-water Cinnamon water ana half an Ounce raw Crabs Eyes bruised one Scruple Laudanum Opiatum two Grains Fernelius his Syrupus de Altheae one Ounce mix them and let it be given by Spoonfuls LXII In a cold Cause and Constitution Take Roots of Rest harrow white Saxifrage ana one Ounce Liquorice half an Ounce Goats blood six Drams Crabs-Eyes bruised Nutmegs Cinnamon ana one Ounce Saffron three Drams Cloves two Drams Strasburgh Turpentine one Pound Spirit of Malmsey-wine five pound the Ingredients being cut and bruised digest fourteen days then distil in B. M. Dose one Ouuce Fasting and twice or thrice a day besides Barbet also saith That Cochinele being taken in fine Pouder in Rhenish-wine to one Scruple is a pleasant and sweet Medicine and of great efficacy LXIII Deckers advises the following Pouder Take Mustard-seed Tartar Vitriolate ana one Dram and a half Crabs-Eyes Salt of Bean-stalks of Broom of Rest-harrow of Pidgeons Dung ana one Dram mix and make a Pouder Dose from one Scruple to half a Dram in Parsly-water The Tincture of the Nephritick Stone is also very good but it is no where described but Moebius has this preparation Take Pouder of the Nephritick Stone put upon it rectified Spirit of Salt digest and there will be a green Tincture Dose from six Drops to twelve or twenty in Wine or proper Water Seeds of Violets are very convenient because they purge and expel the Stone especially if they be used in an Emulsion and is called by Schroder the Nephrocathartick Emulsion it is much commended both by Crato and Hartman and is a good thing against suppression of Urine LXIV Spiritus Acetosae Mineralis Take Tartar Vitriolate one Ounce Julep of Roses one Pound Cinnamon-water four Ounces mix them Dose two Ounces 't is an excellent thing Or Take Tartar Vitriolate one Ounce Radish-water one Pound Juice of Limons two Ounces Syrup of Corn-Poppies and de Altheae ana one Ounce Crabs-Eyes two Drams mix them Dose two Ounces Also Spirit of Juniper-berries affused upon Rob of Elder and Juniper and digested becomes of a pleasant red Colour and in Taste like Malmsey-wine and is truly a Medicine of great efficacy So also a Nephritick Liquor made of Nitre and Sal Gem calcin'd and dissolved per deliquium is a Nephritick of singular use LXV The Urinary Laudanum of Michael Take Spanish Juice of Liquorice dissolved in Winter-cherry-water one Ounce and a half Camphire one Dram Saffron four Scruples Winter-cherries half an Ounce Gum Tragacanth Mastick ana one Dram and a half Laudanum Opiatum two Drams mix them It is much commended for a peculiar Quality of provoking Urine opening Obstructions and expelling the same Michael his Nephritick Liquor Take Lynx-stone Jews-stone Nephritick-stone Sponge Crystal Crabs-Eyes ana q. v. dissolve them in rectified Spirit of Salt filtre the Solutions and distil to dryness so have you at bottom a coagulated Nephritick Liquor LXVI 〈◊〉 his Lithontriptick Pouder Take Crabs-Eyes prepared Goats-blood prepared ana one Dram and a half Jews-stone Nephritick-stone ana one Dram Pikes-Eyes Millet-seed ana two Scruples Crystals of Tartar half a Dram Salt of Tartar one Scruple mix and make a Pouder Dose from half a Dram to one Dram in any appropriate Water LXVII Forrestus his Decoction which some say exceeds all other things Take Red Tares three Ounces Barley hull'd two Drams Seeds of Marsh Mallows Mallows ana three Drams of the four greater cold Seeds ana one Dram fat Figgs nine Sebestens seven Liquorice scraped six Drams fair Water one Pound and a half boil 'till half be consumed then strain for an Apozem These Pills also are esteemed Take Pouder of Millepedes Crabs-Eyes Jews-stone ana one Dram Turpentine two Drams mix and make Pills Dose from half a Dram to one Dram every Morning Fasting Deckers his Apozem is yet better Take Spring-water three Pound red Vetches hull'd Barley ana two Drams Liquorice bruised Juniper-berries bruised ana one Ounce Seeds of Daucus Violets white Poppies Nettles Mallows ana half an Ounce fat Figgs nine Sebestens seven boil to a Quart strain and dissolve therein Syrups of Corn Poppies of the five opening Roots of Diacnicu ana one Ounce and a half Spirit of Sal Armoniack one Dram mix them Dose six Ounces twice or thrice a Day dropping into it at taking 2 or three Drops of the Juniperated Balsam of Sulphur LXVIII The same Deckers commends this Mixture Take parsly-Parsly-water two Ounces Fennel and Treacle-water ana one Ounce Spirit of Vinegar half an Ounce Crabs-Eyes one Dram Oyl of Juniper-berries six Drops Spirit of Nitre one Scruple Laudanum Opiatum two Grains Syrup of the five Roots or rather Syrup of Corn Poppies one Ounce mix them If the same be great this Emulsion may be given Take Hull'd Barley boil'd 'till it cracks two Ounces sweet Almonds blancht Violet-seeds ana half an Ounce white Poppy-seeds one Ounce with a sufficient quantity of Barley-water make an Emulsion to twenty four Ounces of which add Diacodium Syrup of Corn Poppies ana one Ounce mix them He also commends to all the Spirit of Sal Armoniack given in Rhenish-wine or some Diuretick Spirit or Water as a Specifick Medicine not only to prevent but to cure the Stone if brittle or easie to be broken Universals being given before-hand LXIX Junken Medicus Pars 2. Sect. 1. Cap. 18. prescribes this Take Strawberries fresh gathered a Gallon Winter-cherries half a Pound Horse-Radish Roots scraped two Pound Daucus-seeds half a Pound Juice of Birch or Birch-wine twenty four Pound mix and distil in B. M. Dose frome one Ounce to three with Syrup de Althaea half an Ounce sweet Spirit of Nitre ten or twelve Drops Or thus Take ripe Strawberries four Pound Winter-cherries two Pound Malaga-wine two Pound Juniper-water of Parsly-roots ana two Pound Ground-Ivy white Saxifrage-roots ana one Ounce Peach-kernels two Ounces digest in a Vessel close stopt for a Month then distil Dose from a Spoonful to four in the Morning Fasting it is said both to preserve from and cure the Stone Again Take Crabs-Eyes Sperma Coeti ana half a Scruple Volatile Salt of Amber six Grains mix for a Dose and to be often repeated Or thus Take Wild Bryar Seeds half an Ounce Crabs Eyes pure Nitre ana one Ounce mix them Dose one Dram. Or thus Take Crabs Eyes one Scruple Volatile Salt of Amber six Grains Laudanum Opiatum one Grain or two mix them for a Dose Again Take Malaga-Wine one Quart Opium in pouder Salt
if not inveterate Trembling Gout or any weakness of the Nerves and Joynts coming of a cold and moist cause by anointing the afflicted parts therewith and taking of it inwardly as shall be immediately directed for it does gently and by degrees as it were carry off the morbifick Cause and matter almost to a Miracel 9. This marvellous Balsam opens all obstructions of the Liver and Spleen being taken Morning and Evening for a Month together in a little Syrup or other convenient Vehicle It is held for a great Treasure and has many other singular Virtues not here necessary to be named lest we should prejudice its worth and Excellency 10. The way and manner of taking it In diseases of the Head Brain and Nerves give it in Rosemary or Juniper-water or in Canary For the Stone and other Diseases of the Reins and Bladder you may give in Rhenish-wine For the Colick and Diseases of the Bowels you may give it in Juniper or Cardamum-water For Palsies and weaknesses of the Nerves and Joynts you may give it in some Antiparalitick Wine First grind or mix it with a little of the yolk of an Egg to open its body and then mix it with the Liquor you would give it in 11. If the sick cannot take it so it may be made up into Pills with some fit Powder as of Zedoary Nutmeg Cinnamon Bay-berries Cubebs Winter-cherries or what the Physician shall think more fit and so gilded for by this means it will be taken without nauseating you may give the Balsam from half a Dram to two Drams according to Age and Strength and it may be given Morning and Night for a Month two or three together 12. And it is certain that this Balsam is one of the greatest specificks in the cure of the Palsie Scurvy and Gout that is transcending all other Medicaments but it ought to be constantly given in a due Dose and with those Advantages that it may not loath the Stomach so taken it performs more than any other Balsam It cleanses the whole body of all Impurities mundifies the whole mass of Blood heals all inward Bruises Wounds Ulcers or Excoriations whether in the Bowels or Lungs restoring decayed Nature and carrying off all its Faeculencies by Urine and Stool It is only Sold by the Author of this Work at his House at the Blue-Ball by the Ditch-side near Holborn-bridge and at Mr. John Harris's at the Harrow in the Poultry London Price 24 s. the Pound or 18 d. the Ounce AT the sign of the Archimedes and Spectacles in Ludgate-street near the West-end of St. Paul's lives John Marshall who both turns and grinds makes and sell's all sorts of Glass Instruments as Perspective Glasses Telescopes Microscopes Horoscopes Sky-Opticks Reading Glasses from the smallest size to 20 Inches Diametre Microscopes according to Mr. Leewenhoeck Also Microscopes of the said Marshall's Designing a singular Invention for the advantage of Light the like of which were never yet done before Also Spectacles for all Ages Cristal Prisms Speaking Trumpets and all other sorts of Optick Glasses for brevity sake not here named SALMON'S Practical Physick The First BOOK CHAP. I. Of ACHES of all sorts I. For an Ach proceedings of Cold in any part of the Body TAke Oyl Olives Venice Turpentine ana two Ounces Oyl of Amber four Ounces Volatile Salt of Amber six Drachms melt and mix them together for a Balsam and anoint the place well there with Morning and Evening for eight or ten days more or less as occasion requires Salmon II. For an Ach in the Joints Take Palm Oyl Turpentine ana one Ounce Oyl of Wormwood three Ounces Volatile Salt Armonicak two Ounces melt mix and make a Balsam It is excellent being anointed with all Salmon III. For Aches in the lower parts of the Body Take Palm Oyl Turpentine Oyl of Amber and Anniseeds of each one Ounce mix melt and make a Balsam Salmon IV. For an Ach in the Bones Take Palm Oyl Turpentine ana two Ounces Oyl of Amber and Juniper Berries of each two Ounces and two Drachms Camphier two Ounces melt mix and make a Balsam Salmon V. An approved Searcloth for all Aches Take Burgundy Pitch one pound Oyl Olive six Ounces Wax four Ounces white Frankincense two Ounces powdered melt them in a Pipken stirring all well together and Boil to a Consistency then pour out all into a Bason or Pan of Water then anoint your Hands with Butter and make the Plaster into Rolls VI. An Excellent Ointment for the same Take the Gall of an Ox White-wine Vinegar Palm Oyl Aqua Vitae of each a like quantity boyl them gently on a Fire keeping it scum'd till it grow clammy and with this bathe well the part by rubbing it in before a Fire with a warm Hand Morning and Evening still laying a Linnen Cloth upon it VII For Ach in the Bones and the Gout Take of the best Aqua Vitae and Oyl of Amber of each a like quantity mix them well together and anoint the part well with a warm Hand before the Fire and bind on it a Linnen Cloth Morning and Evening VIII For the Joynt Ach and the Gout most Excellent Take the Juice of Sage Aqua Vitae the Oyl of Bays Vinegar Mustard and of an Oxes Gall of each a like quantity put them all together in a large Ox Bladder Tye it fast and chafe it up and down with your Hand during one hour and half then keep it for your Use and anoint the griev'd part Morning and Evening IX A Process against all Aches in the Back Hips Sides Knees or any part of the Body Take first Pil. Mirabile one Scruple to Purge now and then and take them in Syrup of Roses after Purging procure Sweat thus Take Guaiacum one Ounce and a half the Root of Enulacampane one Ounce boyl them in a Pottle of small Ale till half be consumed then drink thereof a quart in a Hot-house and Sweat often Then in the House bathe all the Body with this Oleaginous Balsame Take Oyl of Amber Oyl of Turpentine of Foxes of Excester and of Chamomil of each a like quantity and mix it well with some Brandy And if the Pains and Aches fall out to be most painful in the Night as many times they do Then at Night let him take this Potion Syrup of Poppy three Drachms Syrup of Betony one drachm and a half Waters of Bugloss and Sage of each an Ounce mix them well together X. This Cured a Man perfectly when he was Lame over all his Body Take the Gall of an Heifer for a Man and the Gall of a Steer for a Woman Brandy of each a like quantity then bath it well upon the Wrist a little before the Fit cometh and let it lie till the Fit be gone XI Aches from a hot Cause Take Spring Water two quarts Sal Armoniack Nitre of each four Ounces mix dissolve and keep it for Use Bathe the part with it then anoint with Oyl of Poppy Seed
is necessary to carry off the offending Matter And then you are to proceed in the use of the Laudanum to a Cure which will succeed to your good liking Salmon IX Fluxes Cured with Volatile Laudanum Take Decoction of Rue Rosemary or Sage ten Ounces common Spirit of Wine four or five Ounces our Volatile Laudanum ten or twelve Grains Dissolve the Laudanum in the Spirit and mix it with the Decoction and exhibit it warm once a day Clyster-wise it will cure in about three or four days Salmon X. Griping of the Guts and vebement Flux Take Rhubarb thin sliced two Ounces Anniseeds bruised one Ounce and half Gentian Cinnamon ana half an Ounce common Spirit of Wine a Quart mix and make a Tincture Dose from five Spoonfuls to eight twice or thrice a Day 'T is a Medicine without an equal and the best thing in the World for Gripings in Nureses Infants and little Children to whom you must proportion the Dose Salmon XI A pleasant Remedy against Fluxes Take Catechu which is choice in fine Powder three or four Ounces common Spirit of Wine a Quart white Sugar Candy in fine Powder three Ounces mix them put not in the Sugar-Candy 'till the Catechu and Spirit has been ten Days in Digestion then mix and dissolve Dose from half a Spoon full to two or three Morning and Night Salmon XII Fluxes not to be stopt rashly Celsus saith To be Loose for a Day is good for Ones Health or for more so there be no Feaver and it stop within seven Days for the Body is Purged and what would have done hurt is beneficially Discharged but continuance is dangerous for sometimes it causes a Griping and Feaver and consumes the Strength If therefore the Strength be not too much weakned in order to stopping of a Flux you ought first to Purge with our Family Pills such as come from my own Hand not those which Hollier sells and then to take my Guttoe Vitoe Spiritus Anodynus or Volatile Laudanum such as come from my Hand and after eight or ten Doses to Purge again with the Family Pills But if the Strength of the Sick be too much weakned you must not Purge first but as we directed at Sect. 8. aforegoing Salmon XIII Stubborn Fluxes Take Angelus Mineralis Grains ten or twelve Pulp of an Apple rosted as much as a Nutmeg mix and give it at Night going to Bed for eight or ten Nights after Purge with an Infusion of Rheubarb See the Angelus in my Phylaxa Lib. I. Cap. 42. Sect. I. It takes away all those Impurities or Precipitates them which often Creates stubborn Fluxes Salmon XIV An Inveterate Flux in a Scorbutick Habit. An Inveterate Diarrhoea or Flux in a Scorbutick Habit ought not to be stopt with Astringents nor is it easily Cured with Antiscorbuticks Salt of Vitriol is a good thing for it makes revulsion and evacuates upwards You may give it from one Drachm to half an Ounce in Posset-Drink in the Morning Fasting Tincture of Antimony given to sixty eighty or one hundred Drops in Claret-wine is good So also our Tinctura Martis well prepared which is preferred before all others Salmon XV. Several other approved Remedies against Fluxes Powder of unripe Mulberries is an approved thing and gratifies the Stomach Powder of Mastick taken in Conserve of Roses or juice of Quinces is an excellent thing Water thickned with Powder of Acorns by Boyling has Cured an Inveterate Flux universalls premised Quiddony of Sloes ripe or un-ripe is an approved Remedy Riverius commends Juices of spotted Arsmart and Housleek ana mixt and boyled away to a third part as a thing that never fails though the Flux be never so Inveterate Bees-wax given in substance is good but its Oyl in a proper Vehicle of admirable use Or this Take Wax boyl it in a Lixivium of Salt of Tartar then take it out melt it and mix it with Chymical Oyl of Nutmegs Dose twenty Grains to half a Drachm every Night Tincture of Oak-bark is a prevalent thing so also Tinctures of Balaustins and Pomegranate Peels Our Pulvis Bezoarticus has cured several who have been given over by many Physicians which it did by absorbing the Acid and Virulent Humour Nor is our Pulvis Antifebriticus any mean Remedy Salmon XVI To Cure an extraordinary Flux of the Blood Take Mastick in Powder one drachm 2 hard Yolks of Eggs temper them with good Rose-Vinegar Or Juice of Quinces and give it to the Patient to eat first in the Morning By this Medicine alone a Man was Cured of this Distemper who had daily 70. Stools a day when all other means failed XVII Against Gripings and Wind in the Guts Take Oyl of Aniseed half a drachm mix it with White Sugar and in a Cup of Wine drink it fasting it doth the Work XVIII A Clyster against Pains and Gripings in the Bowels Dysenteria Take Cows Milk one Pint common Spirit of Wine four ounces Gum-Tragacanth one drachm the Yolks of three Eggs Oyl of Roses two Ounces make it Blood warm to the dissolving of the Gum and so put it up Salmon CHAP. VI. Shortness of Breath I. Against shortness of Breath TAke of Saffron in Powder one Scruple of Musk in Powder one Grain give them in Wine after take Spiritus Antiasthmaticus in Wine II. For the same Take Juniper Berries two Ounces boyl them well in two Quarts of Water and drink of the Decoction first and last and at other times This helps all Diseases of the Chest and will make you breath freely Salmon III. Against shortness of Breath with a Cough Take the Roots of Valerian and boyl them with Liquorice Raisins stoned and Anniseeds and drink of the Decoction often this is singular good against the said Diseases for it openeth the Passages and causeth the Phlegm to be spit out easily IV. Shortness of Breath Physicians commonly say That the strongest Purges are most proper in this Disease if the Matter be highly peccant and inveterate Paulus advises even to Purge with Coloquintida Some despise Aganick tho' a Plegmagoge because of its weakness Elaterium is a good Purge not only in a Dropsey but also in an Asthma and Orthopnaea for that they are caused by gross Matter it may be given of it self in a proper Vehiele to five or six Grains in Composition you may give it thus Take Scammony ten Grains Gambogiae five Grains Elaterium half a Grain all being in fine Powder mix them for a Dose if the Sick be strong Galen also approves of the most violent things Take Mustard-seed one Ounce common Salt half an Ounce Elaterium fifteen Grains grind them together and make Troches Galen saith eight Troches so that in each Troche you will have almost two Grains of Elaterium Or you may give it in Powder with a little Honey or the Pap of an Apple But that the Cure may he safe Emollients Clysters may be given afore-hand and half a Pint of Aqua Mulsa after These Purges may be given every fourth
accompanied with a Feaver in which cases as also in an Inflamation of the Colon this Remedy never fails XXIX This is also to be noted That where there is occasion of using my volatile Laudan Guttoe Vitoe new London Treacle or any other of that kind that they ought to be used while there is yet strength For if they be used when the Forces are wasted and the sick consumed or near death they will not only do hurt but also hasten the Patient's death taking away Life and Sense together Nor ought they to be given by any means if the Pulses be low languid and weak Yet if they be at all used they ought to be applied externally or only used in a Clyster in a proper Vehicle and the Clyster being given the sick to lie on the pained side Salmon XXX They are also most effectual if taken after Universals as proper and fit Emeticks or Catharticks or both such as we have before described And without these Preparatives they ought not indeed to be taken Salmon XXXI Authors say Clysters should first be given as of Oils alone from six Ounces to a Pound which the sick is to keep all night If evacuation of Excrements follow not that then exhibit five Ounces of fat Manna dissolv'd in Broth aromatiz'd with Cinnamon or other Spices for that by its softness moistness and subtilty of parts loosens and penetrates and by softning expels the Excrements If this does not Oil may be given again from six or seven Ounces to a Pound When the Excrements are brought away purge with this Take Sena an Ounce Aniseeds bruised a Dram and half Salt of Tartar one Dram Juice of Liquorice half a Dram spring-Spring-water a Pint make an Infusion over a gentle beat for twelve or sixteen hours and strain it out for four Doses This will effectually cleanse the Bowels and take away all the Excrements or remaining morbifick matter Or instead thereof you may use our Tinctura Aured from half an Ounce to a whole Ounce at a time till the whole Cause is removed Salmon XXXII Should the Disease yet return and the Cholick pains be violent there is a necessity of having recourse to Opiates You may give them from 2 to 4 or 6 grains of our Volatile Laudanum after which give this Take of our Spiritus Cosmeticus a spoonful or spoonful and half choice Canary six spoonfuls to eight mix them to be given immediately after and the whole Region the Abdomen is to be bathed with our Spiritus Anodinus And these things are so much the better if the Constitution be hot But if cold the morbifick matter is made thicker and the Disease becomes yet more stubborn XXXIII When the Bowels or their Tunicles are thus afflicted with a gross tough and cold matter heating things ought to be used whether they be Cathartick or Alterative only In this case you may purge with this Take of our Tinctura Aurea from half an Ounce to an ounce Powers of Anniseeds half an ounce mix them with a Glass of White-wine or Ale for a Dose An Alterative Essence of Garlick is an admirable thing for it exceedingly heats warms discusses Wind profoundly and withal prevents the breeding and increase of the cold flegmatick Humor XXXIV To make the Essentia Allii or Essence of Garlick of so great use in this case Take a large quantity of Garlick beat it well in a Marble Mortar and reduce it to an impalpable Pap as much as you can put it into a long-neck'd Matrass or large Bolt-head which seal up hermetically or otherwise well close it set it to digest in Horse-dung or a Sand-heat of equal strength for forty days Then open the Vessel take out the matter which will most of it be reduced into a slimy Liquor strain out the thinner part by pressing Digest again in a little Sand-heat or rather in B. M. that there may be a residence of the grosser parts The thinner separate by inclination which perfectly purifie by adding to every quart of the Liquor from half an Ounce to a whole Ounce of its own fixt Salt or for want of the same as much Salt of Tartar digest again for forty days then separate the pure from the impure and keep the Essence for use in a Glass close stopt It will keep a long time and be as it were incorruptible Dose from half a spoonful to one or two spoonfuls or more The Essences of Plants made after this manner will be transparent either of an Emrald green or of a red Oriental Granate according to the quality and quantity of Salt Sulphur and Mercury predominating in each Plant. Salmon XXXV To make the Essentia Apii or Essence of Smallage which is a specifick in this Disease Take a great quantity of Smallage when in Flower beat it well as aforesaid digest in a long-neck'd Matrass for forty days close stopt in a Sand-heat strain out the thin by pressing Digest again in a very gentle Sand-heat or B. M. to make a farther separation Separate the thinner by inclination which perfectly purifie by adding to each pint of Liquor from two Drachms to half an Ounce of its own fixt Salt or for want of it as much Salt of Tartar digest again for forty days then separate the purely clear and keep it close stopt for use Dose from a spoonful to two or three spoonfuls or more in a Glass of Wine This is a Medicament not enough to be valued Salmon XXXVI These Essences thus drawn from the whole Plant or its parts are purified and exalted until they arrive to the nature of their first Being which will eminently posses all the central Virtues of their mixt for here Art and Nature in this Preparation have preserved all the seminal Powers with which it was endowed and these Essences contain in themselves all the efficacy and Virtues of the Plants of which they are made The addition of the Salt of the Plant not only adds to its virtue but it also causes to separate all the heterogeneous and slimy matter which did hinder the exaltation and perfection of the Medicine and brings it to the highest clarity and purity imaginable If three or four Ounces of white Sugar be added to every Pint of the Essence it will not only help to its conservation but also be more pleasant to the Patient And withal if you put a little Spirit of Wine or instead of the Sugar five or six Ounces of our Syrupus Volatilis the Preparation will not be the worse for it Note also these Essences may be given in Wine Water Broth or Decoction as the sick best likes They restore decayed strength and bring Nature back again into its old path for the health and preservation of the Body Salmon XXXVII The Essence of Peach-leaves Take Peach-Leaves long before the Fruit is ripe so many as by supposition you may have six Quarts of juice from beat them well as before digest all according to the former method for forty days
I commend my Angelus Mineralis or my Piluloe Anglicoe if given according to the Directions in my Phylaxa Medicinoe Lib. 1. cap. 42 53. For they not only stop the Flux of Matter to to the part hinder the generation of new but also dispose the whole habit of the Body and all Humors thereof to a healing temper XXIX If there be an inward Aposteme Nature commonly breaks it yet things proper for the same ought to be given for which purpose some commend Anisated Balsam of Sulphur When it is broken and become an Ulcer it is clearly and fully cured by taking for some time or continuance Antimonium Diaphoreticum or Bezoar Minerale or some other more effectual refined Medicine made of Antimony whose Elixir Magistery Essence or Powers will perform things wonderful although they seem incredible to most not only in curing this Disease which is dangerous and hard to be cured but also other like Distempers which may at any time seize the Viscera XXX Some Men commend the Juice of Water-Cresses as also the Juice of Garden Cresses strained and drank for the speedy breaking of inward Apostemes in the Body This is good Take Mustard-seed grind it well with Water then with a sufficient quantity of Water wash out the Virtue from it which Water sweeten with Honey and drink it XXXI To ripen also an external Tumor you may apply a Cataplasm made of Water cresses and Garden-cresses beaten up with Hogs Lard A Cataplasm also of Goose-dung fresh and hot or of Pidgeons or Hens dung will do the same Or this Take Cresses cut and bruised well Goose dung Hens dung Pidgeons dung ana one handful Goose-grease eight Ounces with Pouder of Aron-Roots make a Cataplasm See my Synopsis Medic. Lib. 3. cap. 24. sect 30. CHAP. XIV Of the THRVSH I. 'T Is certain That every Thrush has its rise from a morbifick Acid and that is the true Reason they are so frequent in Children and in Children rather than in those of riper Age and this is first caused either from ill Milk in the Nurse spoiling the Stomach of the Child or from a natural Weakness of the part and sharpness of Humors there which curdling the Milk breeds or encreases the acid Humor so much 'till it comes to that acidity as to corrode the Skin so that the Mouth and parts adjacent seem as if it was a part scalded and in some as if it was scalded and the Skin rubb'd off II. The first thing therefore to be considered in the Cure is to absorb the acid Humor and that with all the speed that may be For the soreness of the Mouth though it be bad enough yet is not that which indicates the greatest danger inasmuch as the acid Humor may be carried down into the Bowels and do the same thing there at least cause gripings sharp prickings of the Bowels and sometimes a vehement Flux if not a bloody Flux which does not always go alone but are many times attended with dire Symptoms as Convulsions Fevers and the like III. It is also to be noted That where this acid Matter or Spirit extravagantly prevails in little ones by reason of the softness and ductileness of the parts the said acid penetrating and through a thousand Intricacies acscending up to the Brain being volatilized by the infant-heat and subtilty of the Spirits it strikes upon the Ventricles of the Brain and seizing as it were upon the Substance of the Brain contaminating all the animal Spirits with its acidity it forthwith causes an Epilepsie And this is the true ground of this Disease which so often and so much afflicts Children which might easily be preyented in the beginning were but care timely taken to depress the acid and sweeten the juvenile Juices IV. The next thing is to expel the Excrements or Matter contaminated with the acid We must not only correct or absorb the acid Humor but the Matter affected therewith must be expelled for otherwise it will lie both in the Bowels and Vessels and there corrupt or grow sowre again and indeed it easily resumes its former state V. The acid is corrected with Alcalies and such indeed are best which may best and with most ease and the least danger be given to Children Such are impalpable Pouders of Crabs Eyes Pearls Corral Salt of Tartar Lapis Haematitis Antimonium Diaphoreticum Bezoar Minerale Cinnabar of Antimony which last being levigated into subtil Powder is a most absolute thing Out of these things you may make the following Prescriptions or the like VI. Take impalpable Pouder of Crabs Eyes from one Scruple to half an Ounce Syrup of Poppies two Drams mix for a Dose Or this Take Bezoarticum Minerale one Scruple Syrup of Poppies or of Planiane enough to malax it for one Dose Or this Take Antimenium 〈◊〉 ten Grains Cinnabar of Antimony one Scruple All being in fine Pounder let them be given in a little Milk Or this Take Bezoar Minerale Cinnabar of Antimony in impalpable Pounder ana fifteen Grains mix for a Dose And some of these things are to be taken Morning and Night for four or five days These Doses are for elder Persons but if for Children you must diminish the Dose accordingly Ex. Gr. Take Bezoar Minerale four Grains Cinnabar of Antimony eight Grains mix for a Dose Or this Take Salt of Tartar eight Grains Cinnabar of Antimony six Grains mix them VII To carry off the morbifick Matter the vulgar Physicians commonly purge Children with Syrup of Cichory with Rheubarb and it may do indifferent well But Purges which cool the Body are here to be chosen Take Manna half an Ounce Extract of Cassia one Dram mix for a Dose Or the Manna may be made into a Syrup with Water and the Cassia dissolved therein Or two or three Drams of Cassia with two or three drops of Oil of Anniseeds may be given dissolved in Milk Or this Take Sena from half a Dram to a Dram Liquorice bruised half a Dram Anniseeds one Scruple bruised infuse twelve hours in a gentle heat in two Ounces or better of Water strain out and sweeten with Manna Or this Take Sena Liquorice bruised half a Dram Anniseeds Caraways ana ten Grains infuse as before in Water two Ounces for twelve hours strain and dissolve therein Cassia extracted from half a Dram to a Dram and give it for a Dose But if it be to be given to one of riper years you must double treble or quadruple the Dose according to Age and Strength VIII Fat and oily Things take off the edge of the acid but Opiates do it much better For this purpose you may give from ten to fifteen or twenty drops of my Guttae Vitae in any thing the Child drinks at bed-time I have found it very prevalent It not only blunts the points of the acid and dulls the edge of the sharp Homor but gives Nature rest and ease 'till she can recruit her self again as also it puts a present stop
to the flux of the Humor to the sore or raw parts Elder Persons may take my Laudanum Volatile from three to six Grains beginning with the smaller Dose first They that cannot swallow a Pill may take ten or twelve Grains of my new London Treacle in any fit Vehicle These things thicken the fluid acid so that it cannot approach with that violence to the diseased parts IX But whereas Opiates strangely disagree with some People my Tinctura ad Catarrhos answers all the Intentions both of sweetening and stopping the flux of the said Humour and it may be given even to Children with a world of safety and security from half a Dram to one or two in any proper Liquor which the Child will take See it in my Phylaxa Medic. Lib. 2. Cap. 9. Sect. 2. c. X. If an Epilepsie or Convulsion be present or feared you may give with it from ten Grains to fifteen or twenty of Cinnabar of Antimony or from six Grains to twelve of the native Cinnabar levigated into a very subtil Pouder purging presently after with some of the things before named XI If the Child be taken with a vomiting withal it certainly shews the foulness and dissaffection of the Stomach and then you must cleanse it with the most innocent Gilla Theophrasti or the Salt of Vitriol given to fifteen or twenty Grains which has this Property in it not only to cleanse the Ventricle of the sharp and acid Humor causing the Thrush but also even to heal the places already raw And in those of ripe years it is a most admirable thing if given from two Scruples to a Dram in Broth or some such-like XII Sylvius de le Boe saith be prefers a metallick or mineral Sulphur fixt above all in comparison of which nothing saith he that I have hitherto tried does so kindly certainly speedily and safely restrain those vicious effervescencies But what those Sulphurs are or how in his sense to be prepared he has no-where told us I am well satisfied that the Sulphur of Antimony if well made is a most admirable thing But then it must be given to Men and not to Infants Truly I cannot tell whether it may safely be given to Children in any Dose whatsoever or no especially as it is now made There is a Sulphur of Antimony that I know which may be so prepared as it may be given to little ones without danger but that is no where to be sold that I can tell of XIII Among the rest of the ordinary Remedies Lac Sulphuris is no mean thing and it may be given to Infants as well as to elder Persons with a very great advantage XIV Topicks must be also used to the mouth throat and afflicted parts among which elder Persons may use this Take white Vitriol Roch Alum one Scruple Plantane or Spring-water four Ounces mix dissolve and sweeten with Sugar for a Gargarism But Children to whom it cannot so easily be used must have the juice of baked Turneps to wash withal or swallow down or the juice of Parsneps baked with Milk These things are Balsams in their kind and besides their healing Property have a faculty of sweetning and taking off the edge of the acid XV. Moreover you may if you please sweeten these Juices with Honey or Syrup of Roses both which still contribute to the healing of the sore and raw mouth And if the Child has discretion enough it ought to hold the same in its mouth for some time And to these things you may add Syrups of Violets Jujubes Liquorice Lettuce juice of Purslane c for that they all blunt as it were the edge of the sharp Humor and withal contribute to healing XVI But that which is more observable and remarkable but only for Persons of ripe years is the use of Spirit of Wine or pure Brandy for that only held in the mouth and sometimes Gargled with for two or three minutes at a time and that four or five times a day and then spit out certainly heals and cures the afflicted parts to a miracle And though it may smart much at first it is vehement but for a while viz. for the first two or three times using of it afterwards it is easier and at length the parts are as it were pleased and refreshed with the use thereof and in the end it perfectly heals them And this it does not do only from its balsamick Property but also as it is an Alcaly and absorbs the acid in the Ulcer XVII Sylvius commends the Yolk of an Egg mixt with a little Rose-water and Sugar for that it draws to it the acid Humour that hurts the Stomach and so by degrees 〈◊〉 the parts affected and promotes the falling of the Thrush you may use it as the Turnep and Parsnep-Juice Concerning both which Juices you are to note this That they correct the evil Ferment both in Stomach and small Guts whereby the acid effervescency is hindred and the Disease the sooner cured XVIII While the Thrush is ripening to wit gradually falling from the afflicted parts a new Cuticle grows under it and covers the place and although this follows of its own accord by the Benefit of the Medicines now commended yet it will be promoted by Syrup of Red Roses Honey of Roses and the like Also Powder of fine Bole Terra Sigillata Crabs Eyes c. mixt with fair Water and Sugar or Honey and held for some time in the mouth promote the healing XIX This is also observable That as in the curing of other Ulcers Driers are used so on the contrary much spitting is good here as if the Patient was in a Flux for then it is cured with the more speed and ease In other Ulcers things that temper the acid Acrimony and then dry are used In this you must use such things as may temper the said Acid but withal moisten XX. AEtius commends Galls beaten and boiled in Water the strained Decoction made into a thick Syrup with Honey being rubbed upon the place it is good Others commend a Decoction of Cinquefoil Roots You may also if you please use the Leaves too A Decoction of Savory in Wine is said to do it in two or three days If it be malignant Hercules Saxonia used Lixivium of Tartar or Vitriol-Water by which he conquered them Joel first washes the part well then lays on this Take Honey of Roses half an Ounce Oil of Vitriol one Dram mix and make a Liniment This he says is a present Remedy whether in old or young XXI Goclenius advises for a Thrush in children this Take Roch Alum Sugar ana half an Ounce boil in Plantane water add Juice of Mulberries a sufficient quantity mix and wash the mouth often with it But Riverius saith that the best and only Remedy is Spirit of Vitriol or Sulphur if there be no Inflammation which in those that are grown may be used alone Dip a little Cotton bound to the end of a stick in it and give
means a great quantity of the acid Humor causing the Pain and coagulating the approximate Juices inducing the Deafness will be taken in a great measure away and that is done many times with one Blister which forty Purges and Vomits would not so well accomplish the Success of which having often tried this means I could not but commend to the Consideration of Artists XVIII Whatever Medicines you put into the Ear be sure they be warm unless some great occasion require the contrary but not very hot because the natural temperature of the Ear is cold and dry And be sure you put no new Medicine in 'till they are cleansed from the filth of the former The Sick ought to lie on the contrary side and the Medicament put in ought not to exceed four or five drops at a time The less unctuous the Medicament is so much the better for when it is gotten into the Labyrinth of the Ear it comes not easily out again Things more subtil and spirituous are much to be preferred in this case because they do their Work and then go away in Vapor XIX Dropping in Things into the Ears may do but syringing is much better provided it be done with a fit Instrument and a skilful Hand You ought not to syringe violently but leisurely lest by such a violence the Tympanum should be broke which would cause an incurable Deafness Moreover you ought to be very careful how you apply Topicks 'till Universals are premised though the afflux of the evil Humors be first abated XX. The passage of the Ear being very sensible you must be careful that you use not sharp Things yet Wallaeus boldly attempted the use of Unguentum 〈◊〉 and he saith that therewith he cured a sore Ear that ran with purulent Matter for the space of eight years And Petrus Johannes Faber saith That Nitre dissolved in strong Vinegar and often dropped into the Ears quickly cures any ringing or noise in them XXI Galen advises Opium dissolved to be put into the Ear and Paulus dissolves it in Milk for that purpose But these may be dangerous If an Opiate be required there is nothing better of that kind than our Guttae Vitae or Spiritus Anodynus for by reason of the heat of the Spirit and other Things joined with the Opium the Optate can do no hurt whereas otherwise it might stupifie and much encrease the Deafness and may destroy the Instruments of Hearing However Opiates of any kind must be given if the Sick be in danger of death by the Pain because the saving of the Life of a Patient is much greater than the Hurt should it be a total and perpetual Deafness XXII If 't is certain there is an Aposteme Authors say You may use Juice of Crowfoot 't is much commended but 't is scarcely safe because 't is very hot and corrosive If the Bone that is covered with the thin Membrane be comes carious after such Suppuration you must often drop into the Ear Spirit of Wine mixt with Honey of Roses Marcellus saith That Cows Milk two Ounces mixt with Honey one Ounce being dropt into the Ear and the Ear stopt presently with Wool or Cotton will wonderfully heal the Ulcer yea though it were cancerous XXIII Crato's Medicine for a Noise and Tingling of the Ears Take bitter Almonds blanched an Ounce White Hellebore Castoreum ana two Drams Costus one Dram and half Rue two Scruples Euphorbium half a Dram boil all in a sufficient quantity of Water for an hour over a gentle Fire then strain and drop of it warm into the Ear three or four times a day XXIV Sennertus advises to this Take Ox-Gall Goats Gall Juice of Onions ana four Ounces Vinegar Twelve Ounces mix and put them over a Chafing-dish of good live Coals and let the boiling Fume be taken up the Ear through a Funnel XXV A Deafness which had been of many years continuance I cured with the Powers of Anniseedss dropping them into the Ear but I purg'd the Patient four times with my Pilulae Mirabiles and drew several Blisters both behind the Ears and on other Places adjacent thereto XXVI A poor Man had lost his Hearing as some thought by the Pox falling into an Empericks hand he cured him by fluxing him with the following Medicine Take Turbith Mineral eight Grains Mithridate one Dram mix for a Dose It raised an effectual Flux which continued twenty four Days after which the Patient heard as well as ever he did in all his life Some may wonder at the Success because that some have wholly lost their Hearing or had it mightily depraved by this kind of Operation But this is not to be wondred at since that in some Bodies such Sulphurs abound as are not only able to fix the Mercury but also to condense or coagulate it which mixt with the Humors as it will be if much of it be used coagulates or thickens all the morbifick Matter contained in the part whereby the Organs or Passages are more firmly obstructed than before and a perpetual Deafness succeeds CHAP. XVII Of BUBOES I. A Bubo is a Swelling of the Glandules whether in the Throat Arm-pits or Groin and they proceed either 1. simply from the afflux of Humours caused by Cold or some other Matter 2. Or are complicate with Poyson and Venom as in the Plague or Pestilence and French Disease II. If it be a simple Bubo and indeed let it arise from what Cause soever whether simple or complicate if there be any hope of its breaking you must wholly desist from Purging and Vomiting for those Operations destroy the End of the Bubo since Nature thrustsout the offending Matter by those Emunctories and the nature of Vomiting and Purging is to draw from the Circumference to the Centre whereby the Bubo is hindred from rising and coming to its perfection In all these Cases Natures End in thrusting forth the Bubo ought to be promoted which is best done by a sudorisick means inwardly given and strong Attractives and Suppuratives mixed outwardly III. In order to this end you may give some few Gr. of our Laudanum Volatile or our Guttae Vitae or if for some particular Reasons Opiates are not to be given the Diaphoresis is to be promoted with Antimonium Diaphoreticum or Bezoar Minerale or with some more powerful Medicine as is Mercurius Sudorificus or our Angelus Mineralis or Angelick Pills or you may compound something after this manner Take of our New London Treacle twelve Grains Bezoar Mineralis sixteen Grains mix for a Dose Or this Take of our Antidote one Scruple Antimonium Diaphoreticum twenty five Grains mix for a Dose giving often one Ounce of our Aqua Bezoartica The Patient is to be covered down warm in his naked Bed and he ought to Sweat as long as he can well endure it or 'till Faintness after which let him cool gradually or by degrees Where Opiates are wholly useless give this Take Bezoarticum Minerale one Scruple Juice of Alkermes
in this I think Galen was wholly in the wrong I am clearly of the contrary Opinion for the curdy part of Milk is only Nutritive and the greatest part of it dissolves in the Stomach into a chylous Juice God Almighty Himself seeing it the best and most innocent Nourishment even for Infanes as soon as they are Born And who dares to doubt His Wisdom whilst the oily and serous parts of it cool moisten open cleanse and make slippery the Passages XIX Now things are said to open rather in respect to their emollient attenuating and discussive Qualities than to their Diuretick because there are many things-which powerfully open Obstructions that provoke not Urine at all amongst which are most bitter Herbs and Plants which open by a Specifick Virtue as Centory Wormwood Hops Gentian Carduus Camomil and Carminatives which do it by a discussive property such are Angelica Southernwood Parsly Smallage Anniseed Cuminseed all the sorts of Pepper Cloves Nutmegs Fennelseeds Caraways Carotseeds c. And Emollients which do it by their softning and making slippery such are Oil Olive Mallows Marshmallows Lillies Spinage boiled Onions Garlick Leeks c. But the true great and chief of all Openers is Iron and the aperitive Preparations thereof which do that in a Day which none of the others will do in a Month for which purpose I commend my Tinctura Martis as one of the most famous things in the World to which may be added Tinctura ad Chlorosin an approved thing for opening the most obdurate Obstructions XX. The Matter being prepared the next thing is to cleanse the Vessels and Passages of slime filth matter sand or gravel which does or may obstruct the Passages of the Urine and this is properly done with Diureticks of which kind of Medicaments Authors admirably abound We shall not here tell you all that has been said upon that Subject but rather give you an Abstract of the choicest and most approved Experiments of that kind Take of our Tinctura Stomachica two Dra. Juice of Garlick one Dram White or Rhenish-wine six Ounces mix for a Draught I have often proved it with good success Or this Take Juice of Onions two Ounces Juice of Hydropiper half an Ounce White or Rhenish-wine eight Ounces mix for a Draught I gave this to one in extremity a Woman that had not made Water in eight or nine Days it made her make Water and gave her ease in less than an hour Take Onions four Ounces bruise them Anniseeds Caraways ana two Drams bruised Infuse them all Night in White-wine then squeeze forth the Wine and let the Sick drink it it is a singular Experiment XXI Sennertus commends Lignum Nephriticum and Lapis Nephriticus and so does Experience too Take Raspings of Lignum Nephriticum two Ounces Spring water two Pound infuse 'till the Water is blewish for twenty four or forty eight Hours then decant for three Doses Or thus Take Raspings of the Wood two Ounces spring-Spring-water White-wine ana one Pound digest for forty eight Hours then decant or strain out the clear for use for three Doses Or thus Take Raspings of Lignum Nephriticum two Ounces Winter-Cherries bruised one Ounce White or Rhenish wine two Pound mix digest forty eight Hours and strain out for use XXII Or you may draw forth the Tincture with our Spiritus Universalis after this manner Take Raspings of Lignum Nephriticum two Ounces Spiritus Universalis one Pound digest twenty four Hours so will a substantial Tincture he drawn decant and filtre to the filtred Liquor put Alchool of Spirit of Wine one Pound digest twenty four Hours more so will the Sulphur of the Wood be drawn into the Wine which you may decant leaving the Spiritus Universalis at the bottom with which you may perform the like again Dose one Dram to two in any convenient Vehicle as Waters of Onions Parsley or Hydropiper Mead White or Rhenish-wine or the like The Lapis Nephriticus is seldom given inwardly if you do it give the levigated Pouder from one Scruple to half a Dram or two Scruples in Syrup or other fit Liquor But the usual way of using the Stone is to wear it as a Jewel being tied to the Wrist or Arm or hung about the Neck or Hip. I once knew a Lady which experimented the truth of this as long as the Stone was tied to the brawn of her Arm she had ease and voided much Gravel continually upon making Water but as soon as the Stone was removed the Gravel stopt and the pains returned and that she might be sure this was the effect of the Stone she oftentimes laid it by for experiment sake and the stoppage and pains in some few Hours would return upon the taking it off and again upon the putting it on she would have as sensible ease and freedom of passage as before XXIII Trallianus Lib. 3. Cap. 39. saith The Herb Peony in Pouder drunk with honied Wine is an excellent thing against obstruction of Urine caused by a Stone so hard as not to be broken But the Tincture drawn from the Herb with our Spiritus Universalis as above directed and then with Spirit of Wine being drunk with the said honied Wine is much more effectual After the same manner you may make a Tincture of Golden-Rod which will be no less effectual for that the Crude Herb had been proved in this case in innumerable Persons as Carolus Piso saith with happy success XXIV Zacutus Lusitanus Praxis Lib. 2. Observ. 58. saith A Man sixty Years old of a cold Constitution was cured of the Stone by Purgations made of Turpentine which he took divers ways and a daily use of a Decoction of Lignum Nephriticum by which he voided red Gravel and a Stone and was well for two Years together His Disease afterwards coming upon him again Clysters Ointments Fomentations Plasters Phlebotomy Baths were all used in vain his Urine being retained eighteen Days he began to be afflicted with the Falling-Sickness by Fits and the Sick was given over as desperate at length he took Oyl of sweet Almonds with drops of Natural Balsam I suppose he means Balsam of Peru it made him void a clammy Humor by Stool and small Gravel by Urine and continuing the use of the said Remedy he voided with Bloody Urine a Stone of the bigness of a Date-stone of a purple colour long round rough and very hard and now making Water very freely he took a greater quantity of the Oyl of sweet Almonds viz. to three Ounces and the Balsam to the quantity of half an Ounce and in the space of ten days he voided sixty five Stones hard and of the bigness and shape of Vetches And with this Remedy alone he was preserved for the future for he used every Morning to take half an Ounce of the Oyl with six drops of the said Balsam by which he voided gravelly Urine and lived many Years By this Balsam Avenzoar saith he cured a Scrivener who was at
Bowels but even from the Brain it self Salmon VII Alterative Remedies for the same Nothing is better than our Powers of Rosemary Amber and Spir. Antiasthmaticus given as directed in our Phylaxa Salmon CHAP. III. Of AGVES I. A rare Secret to Cure all Agues whatsoever TAke Venice Turpentine half an ounce incorporate it with as much Camphire and Mastick beaten into fine Powder as will make it into a Plaister then take of it and spread it on a piece of Sheeps Leather cut round and lay it on the Stomach and Navel pretty warm a day before the Fit cometh Probat II. Against an Ague Take Posset-drink a pint and half put into it nine heads of Carduus boyl it 'till half be wasted to every quarter of a Pint put in a quarter of a Spoonful of gross Pepper stir it well and take half a Pint an Hour before the Fit cometh and be sure to Sweat him in his Bed upon the taking of it III. A Plaister against an Ague Take a piece of Leather pricked full of Holes spread it over with Venice-Turpent and on that spread all over Rue and Frankincense beaten into Powder of each a like quantity then bind it to the Wrist a little before the Fit cometh and let it lie 'till the Fit be gone IV. Against a Tertian Ague Take at the coming of the cold Fit half a Pint of expressed Juice of Germander for Germander is styled by Physicians the Scourge of a Fever V. Against all burning and pestilential Fevers Take of the Herb Fluellin cut small and infuse it twenty four Hours in White Wine then Distil it and drink of this Distilla ion with three four five or six Drops of Oyl of Vituol in every Draught when Thirsty This hath cured Old and Young that took it VI. An Excellent Process to Cure all Quotidian Tertiane Pestilential and Burning Fevers and Agues Take Aloes three drachms Myrrh one drachm Saffron half a drachm Sugar three drachms beat them well together then infuse them in a pint of White Wine over Night and give it two several Mornings half a pint at a time to purge with And for ordinary Drink when-thirsty use this Take White-Wine-Vinegar half a pint Rose-water Conduit or Fountain Water ana one Pint seeth them together with a Pound of Sugar VII Sleep to procure in an Ague If he want Sleep Take Syrup of white Poppy one ounce distilled Water of Lettice Sal Prunella 15. grains mix them and take it at Night for Sleep cools the Body and prevents motion and Motion is one of the principal Causes of heat VIII An Ague with a sore Mouth to Heal. If the Mouth be sore take of red Sage grosly cut one handful of French Barley beaten Roach Allom ana one ounce Boyl all these together in a pint and a half of spring-Spring-water then duleifie it before it be cold with Honey and therewith wash the Mouth and gargle the Throat IX Against a new Ague Take one drachm of pine Tobacco in the Leaf infuse it all Night in half a pint of White-Wine then strain it and drink it fasting two Hours after it This will purge Phlegm and Choler throughly X. Against a burning Feaver Take Water distilled from Wall-nuts a Week or two before Mid-Summer and give of that Water one ounce and a half at a time an Hour before the Fit It Cures XI An Excellent Julep in all Fevers Take Poppy-water four ounces of Prune-water Juice of Oranges Syrup of Gilly-flowers two ounces a few drops of Spirit of Vitriol mix them and let the Patient drink two or three spoonfuls at a time often XII A Specifick against all manner of Agues Take Quin-quina or Jesuits Bark two Drachms beat it into Powder just about the time of using it Infuse it in a good Draught of Claret or other Generous Wine for the space of two Hours then give the Patient both Liquor and Powder at once as they lye in Bed Some advise to give it as the Fit is coming others as the Fit is going off the latter way is best if the Sick be very weak Salmon XIII Another Remedy for the same If you give my Catharticum Argenteum to forty fifty sixty or one hundred Drops according as the Patient is in Age and strength as I have directed in my Phylaxa Medicinae Lib. 1. Cap. 3. and continue it for five or six times taking it will go near to Cure any Ague whatsoever more especially if after such universal Purging you give either my Guttae Vitae or my Volatile Laudanum in such due Dose as in my said Phylaxa is prescribed about three Hours before the coming of the Fit so as the Sick may be in a good Sweat about the coming of the cold Fit by this means used five or six times the Ague goes off and comes no more I scarce ever fail of Curing an Ague by this method Salmon XIV Agues Cured by another Medicine I have Cured hundreds of Agues exactly by the former method except only that instead of the Catharticum Argenteum I have used either my Tabulae Emeticae or Vomiting Lozenges Or my Vinum Emeticum and sometimes some other proper Emeticks and Catharticks alternately But before either Quin-quina or Opiates be given if you would do like an Artist you ought to premise Universal Cleansers Salmon XV. A violent burning Feaver with Vomiting and Bloody Flux Where the Disease has been long the Patient wasted and brought as it were to Death's door there is nothing in the World better than our Pulvis Antifebriticus mentioned in Phylaxa Medic. Lib. 1. Cap. 45. You may give it to half a drachm or a drachm in any convenient Vehicle an Hour and half before the coming of the Fit Salmon XVI Agues chiefly Quartans Cured by the following Arcanum Rolfinc Lib. 5. Sect. 6. Cap. 12. Take Leaf-gold a drachm dissolve it in Aqua Regis Glass of Antimony a drachm dissolve it in Aqua Fortis Quick-silver six Drachms dissolve it in Aqua Fortis mix these Solutions together and Distil them by an Alembick cohobating twelve times at last to the Powder left in the bottom put Spirit of Wine which abstract from it six times then Calcine it upon a Tile or in a Hascican Crucible in a Circulary Fire so have you one of the best Remedies for an Ague chiefly a Quartane yet commonly known Take of this Powder six Grains Scammony twelve Grains mix for a Dose give it in the Morning the day before the Fit or in the Morning the same day if the Fit falls towards Night Salmon XVII Riverius his Ague Frighter Take Flowers of Antimony thrice sublimed with Sal Armoniack and Dulcified Perlucid Hyacinth Glass of Antimony ana half an Ounce Aqua Fortis made of Nitre and Alum 4 Ounces Praecipitate the said Antimony in the said Water Again Take Quicksilver revived from Cinabar six Ounces Aqua Fortis made of Nitre Alum and Vitriol q. s. in which dissolve and praecipitate the Mercury Take also fine Leaf-Gold one
or fifth Day Salmon V. Shortness of Breath cured by Vomiting Experience shews That when a great quantity of impacted Matter lies in the Lappets of the Lungs especially if there be a Sickness at Stomach also that then I say Vomits are of great use and sometimes the Paroxysm is taken off with this Remedy alone Salt of Vitriol may be given from half a Drachm to a Drachm Aqua Benedicta from three to four Drachms or one Ounce to an Ounce and a half if to very strong Persons My Catharticum Argenteum given from one to two Drachms is one of the best of Remedies Salmon VI. Shortness of Breathing Cured by reiterated Clysters Take Mutton-Broth eight Ounces Tincture of Colocynthis half an Ounce Infusion of Croous Metallorum Elixir Proprietatis of each an Ounce mix and give it warm In this case Clysters ought to be given in small quantity lest the Guts too much distended should press upon the Diaphragma and make the Paroxism more vehement and dangerous and they ought also often to be repeated Salmon VII For a vehement shortness of Breath I have often given with great Success my Syrupus Nephriticus see it in my Phylaxa Lib. I. Cap. 34. Sect. I. for that causes the Matter contained in the Cavity of the Breast to be avoided with the Urine through the Bladder the Urine for the most part being much thick and troubled by which the peccant Humours are carried not only from the Breast and places of Respiration but also from the head Veins and other parts I have done wonders in this case by the assiduous use of Spirit of Sulphur per Camp given in pectoral Drinks Salmon VIII A Pectoral Drink Take Raisins of the Sun stoned Figs slit ana Liquorice bruised two Ounces Elecampane Roots bruised one Ounce Spring water a Gallon Boyl all to two Quarts and strain it for use Dose half a Pint three or four times a Day Salmon IX Of the use of Opiates If Rest has been long wanting and there be withal a vehement Flux of Rhoum and Cough though the stopping of the Catarrh cannot be without sensible danger yet you must immediately give an Opiate such as my Laudanum Volatile cum Aloe for otherwise the Obstruction will so increase with the Catarrh that before you are aware the Breath will be stopt which there is no great fear of by giving the Opiates for that all Opiates stop the Flux by no other way than by thickning the Matter whereby it cannot so easily flow to the part the Humour then being thus thickned through the whole Man and not flowing to the Bronchia of the Lungs as formerly it at length finds a vent by other ways and that for the most part by Sweat Urine or Stool either of which ways you must endeavour to promote according as you see the disposition of the Body is inclinable Salmon X. An Inveterate Asthma I Cured an Inveterate Asthma that had been of fifteen or sixteen Years standing by giving my Piluloe Mirabiles twice and then my Family Pills as they are now prepared by me not as Hollier pretends to make them once letting a Day or two be between each and so reiterating this Course two or three times as you see occasion Salmon XI Shortness of Breath in a Woman with Child Truly because I saw the peril of her Life was not small by reason of her being with Child I could not pursue the usual methods of Cure I took the following course I gave her my Volatile Laudanum at Night going to Bed and the Spiritus Antiasthmaticus in all her Drink and by this course in about a Months time she was freed perfectly from her Disease Salmon CHAP. VII Diseases of the Breast I. A Pultess for a Sore Breast Take new Milk and grate white Bread into it then take Mallows and red Rose Leaves I handful of each then chop them small and boyl them together till it be thick then put in Honey and Turpentine of each two ounces white Lead six ounces mix them spread it on a Cloth and apply it II. For an Ague in the Breast Take good Aqua-vitae and Linseed Oyl and warm them together on a Chafing-Dish of Coles dip therein two Cloths made fit for the Breasts and lay them thereon as hot as may be suffered Morning and Evening III. To heal an Inflammation or Ague in the Breast Take the Whites of two Eggs and Housleek two handfuls let the Whites be first well beaten then pound them with the Housleek and three handfuls of Barley Meal and apply it very hot IV. To heal Ulcers in the Breast tho inveterate Take Oyl of Sulphur and touch them with it then apply this following Oyntment Take Yelks of two or three new laid Eggs Turpentine Butter Honey of Roses Barley-Flower ana half an Ounce Grind them all in a leaden Mortar and dress them therewith till they be whole V. Against Pain and Swilling of the Breasts If it proceeds from Gold taken or from a Blow Bath the Place very well Morning and Evening with Powers of Amber for three or four or five Days and the Pain and Swelling will go away Salmon VI. For a Sore Breast If the Sore be recent it may be Cured with our Balsamum Vulnerarium two Ounces Mercurius Dulcis Levigated half an Ounce mix them well and apply it Salmon VII For an Inveterate Ulcer in the Breast Take our Balsamum Ami. cum two Ounces Angelus Mineralis half an Ounce mix and apply it dressing the Sore Morning and Evening It will Cure it in a Short time Salmon VIII For a Painful Swelling in the Breast Take our Balsam of Amber and Anoint therewith Morning and Evening and keep the part warm If it proceeds from Cold or a Blow it Cures Salmon IX For hard Tumors of the Brest Take Gum Ammoniacum strained and made up into a Plaister it cures them to a Miracle much more if it be made up with Juice of Hemlock Or you may use Emplastrum de Ammoniaco cum Cicuta it is a Remedy that hardly ever fails Salmon X. A Cancerated Breast not broken I Cured two Cancerated Brests with the following Take Diapalma six Ounces Oyl an Ounce of our Hercules 3 Ounces mix them over a gentle heat spread it upon soft Leather or Cloth and apply it The Cancers that which was oldest was not above six Months standing The assiduous use of this Medicine eased the Pain in five or six Days time and in the space of four Months time or thereabouts prefectly dissolved the Tumour Salmon XI Soreness of the Nipples cured Take Bees-wax 1 Ounce Fresh Butter two Ounces Venice Turpentine half an Ounce mix melt and anoint with it it will be so much the better if you add to it two Drachms of Oyl of Wax Salmon XII A Tumour of the Breast broken Let the Patient Purge every day or every other day with Elixir Proprietatis according to their Strength and outwardly let it be drest with this Take of our Balsamum
preventing Abortion and then use Forcers Loosners and Forcers lest any of the Membranes or after-Birth or any part of it or other foetid and putrid Matter should be left behind by which the Woman would certainly Perish But if the Child be not Dead nor expelled but only a Danger and the foetus retreats then you ought to use restingents and things above directed that Abortion may be prevented and the Child preserved Salmon XV. A Medicine after Miscarriage If part of the After-birth should remain and a continual Flux of Blood for some Months should accompany it the most Excellent Sylvius has restored the sick by three ounces of the following Decoction taken twice or thrice a day Take Bistort-root three Ounces Marjoram Pennyroyal ana a handful Water White-wine of each a sufficient quantity Strain and Sweetten with Syrup of Mugwort a Tenth part Cinnamon-water a Twentieth part By Virtue of this a piece of the After-birth as big as ones Fist was voided and the Flux of Blood stopped and cured CHAP. IX Want of Appetite I. IF want of Appetite proceeds from a cold Cause or cold Flegm afflicting the Ventricle or Stomach 't will be necessary to give a proper Vomit and then such things as may heat and corroborate it II. A Vomit evacuating Flegm and cold and watery Humours Take our Pulvis Argenteum 10. grains mix it with the Pulp of a rosted Apple and give it in the Morning fasting drinking warm Broth or Posset-drink after it The third day repeat the same Dose III. Then to warm comfort and restore the Stomach Take our Tinctura Stomachica from half a Spoonful to a Spoonful in a draught of Ale or Wine Morning Noon and Night a quarter of an Hour or more before eating it does Wonders and restores the Appetite tho lost for many Months I have proved it many Hundreds of times for these Twenty five or Twenty six Years together Salmon IV. Salt Meats are also good because they iritate and provoke the languid Faculties of the Stomach Salts also have an inciding and attenuating Virtue and next to these such things as have a volatile heat and sharpness as Mustard seed Onions Garlick Leeks Shellots c. V. When Flegm disaffects the Ventricle that is tough thick and viscous whereby the Appetite seems to be almost destroyed it will be necessary that you use Medicines of another Nature viz. such as are acid sharp and cutting for that these things not only separate the offending Matter from the Tunicles of the Stomach but also prevent Putrefaction and the Generation of the like for the future VI. For this purpose Spirit of Vitriol is most commended by some and 't is doubtless a good Medicine but ought to be cautiously used to dry Bodies lest it induces a Consumption VII But in fuller and moister Bodies it is not only safe but very profitable more especially if the Anorexia or want of Appetite proceeds from Choler Yellow or Green abounding in the Stomach VIII In this case I commend my Spiritus Aperiens and Syrupus Diasulphuriis see them in my Phylaxa Med. Lib. I. Cap. 14. Sect. I. and Lib. 2. Cap. 36. Sect. I. given the first to 30. 40. 50. or 60. or more Drops in a Glass of Ale the other in all the drink the Sick drinks to a Spoonful more or less as they can Affect it and to take it assidiously for ten Fifteen or Tweny days together they are Medecines that seldom fail of their effects and are beyond my Commendation Salmon IX I always adjust the Medicaments for cure according to the Causes where there is an exceeding Coldness of the Stomach my Tinctura Absinthij is beyond compare so also Elixir proprietatis sine Acido To these things add our Aqua Bezoartica and Tinctura Corallorum Composita given in Wine X. If the want of Appetite is restored by taking Acids it is a Sign that the Acid Humour in the Stomach is Languid debile and weak but if not or it rather is hurt by it it is a sign that it is too Rampant and Vigorous and therefore Alcalies as Tincture of Tartar Volatile Sal Armoniack or our Spirit Antiasthmaticus ought to be given and other like Volatile Salts Bezoar Mineral in our Syrup Volatilis is of good use in this case Salmon XI The loss of Appetite which arises from decay of Strength or old Age is seldom or never cured unless it proceed from a Cold cause in which case Volatile Sulphurs and Spirituous Things are proper but things that dry too much must be cautiously given The Stomach may be Anointed with Oyl of Mace or you may use this Take Balsam of Amber one Ounce common Oyl I dram mix them XII If there be neither Sickness nor weakness nor old Age present and yet the Person complains that he never comes to his Food with a Stomach or eats with an Appetite the only way to restore such an one is to let him fast till he is a hungry for long want of Victualsand emptiness insuch always breeds an Appetite XIII In Women especially such as have Gross Bodies want of Appetite is cured if not with Child by proper Emeticks and Catharticks For the first of these I commend our Cartharticum Argenteum given to a dram in a Glass of Ale For the latter either our Family Pills or our Family Powder both of which may be taken 2 or 3 or 4 times with due intervals Salmon XIV If it happens in a Woman with Child all or most of the Preceeding Courses must be avoided and other Courses taken The juices of Oranges and Lemons with white Sugar may be daily taken for some time so also Canary made acid with juice of Limons and if heat also abounds a Decoction of Tamerinds sweetned alone or mixt A Syrup or Infusion of Rheubarb is of good use XV. Want of Appetite in Consumptive People is of dangerous Consequence some commend as the best thing Elixir Proprietatis given in wine it may be good for a little Season but long it must not be taken left it also induce the Consumption The best thing which I have found by my large experience is Our Tinctura Stomachica given to a spoonsul 2. or 3. times a day in a large draught of new Milk And altho the ingredients thereof heat Violently yet by reason they are of thin Substance and parts their heat is quickly discussed and so do no harm Salmon XVI If Sickness at Stomach and want of Appetite proceed from worms as sometimes it does Our Tincturo Absinthij or Infusion of Worm-wood in Rhenish Wine or Canary is good Salmon XVII Galens Antidotus Thespesiana for want of Appetite Take Smallage-seed xij drams Myrrh Anniseed Opium ana vj. drams White-Pepper V. drams Parsly-seed Long-pepper Spicknard Cassia-Lignea ana iv drams Castor Saffron Flowers of Juncus Odoratus ana iij. drams Cinamon ij drams Honey 1 pound make an Electuary dose the quantity of a Hazle-Nut at Bed-time in a little Drink CHAP. X. Loss of the
joined with a volatile Alcalie and such are the Spirit of Wine and Essence of the Blood Dose from ten to twenty or thirty or forty Drops in any convenient Liquor It opens all manner of Obstructions in any part of the Body provokes Urine powerfully and is an admirable good thing against the Disury and Ischury viz. where the Water comes scalding and by drops or where it is totally supprest IX I have found much good in this following for bringing away Sand Gravel or any mucous Matter obstructing the Urine Take Strasburg Turpentine two Ounces Oleum Petroleum one Ounce Oleum Anisii Baccarum Juniperi ana half an Ounce Millepedes prepared Earth-worms prepared pure Salt of Tartar volatile Sal-Armoniack ana three Drams mix them Dose from six Drops to twelve or more in a Glass of Ale Wine or Mead. Sometimes I prepared it thus Take Strasburg Turpentine two Ounces Oleum Petroleum one Ounce Oil of Limons Caraways sweet Fen nel-seed ana half an Ounce Crabs Eyes Goats Blood prepared volatile Sal-Armoniack volatile Salt of Amber ana three Drams strong Tincture of Thebian Opium made with the best rectified Spirit of Wine an ounce and half mix them Dose from ten Drops to twenty thirty or more according to age and strength in any proper Vehicle X. This is a thing I have often experienced with good success Take of our Spiritus Universalis two Pound brui sed Onions eight Ounces Parsley bruised four Ounces digest twenty four hours strain out by pressing then pass it through a Filter Dose from half a spoonful to a spoonful or more in a Glass of Ale Mead Wine or Parsley or Arsmart-water Or thus Take common Spirit of Wine a Quart bruised Onions Aniseeds Parsley roots ana six Ounces mix digest three days strain filter and keep it for Use Dose three or four spoonsuls in any fit Vehicle XI Laurenbergius Riverius and others mightily commend this as a thing almost infallible Take pure Salt of Tartar one Ounce Parsley-water a Quart mix dissolve and filter it two or three times through brown Paper that it may become clear then put into it the fresh outward Rind of Orange peels so much as to colour it of a Citron-colour viz. about two Ounces after three days decant the clear and keep it for Use The Dose is a spoonfull or more in half a Pint of White or Rhenish-Wine or Wine in which Mustard-seed or Horse-Radish-root has been infused XII This is commended by some for to expel the Stone in the Bladder Take Millepedes prepared Bedugar or Sponge of the Briar bush seeds of purple Violets ana one Ounce Species Lithontripticae two Drams mix them make a Pouder Dose two Drams in ten Ounces of a Diuretick Decoction mixt with two Drams of Spirit of Juniper It was given at five in the Morning for some time and a little after a great quantity of reddish Urine came away with flakes like Scales of Fishes which was the Coat or Crust loosned from a larger Stone and by the continual use thereof the Sick was freed from his Disease XIII This has been approved of Take a Hare with young calcine it to Ashes these Ashes mix with an equal quantity of Sugar Dose two Drams in any convenient Vehicle as Syrupus Nephriticus mixt with a Glass of White or Rhenish-Wine But Arnoldus de Villa nova took a Hare and fill'd the Bolly with the skin Saxafrage Millet Lapis Lyncis Lapis Judaicus Lapis Spongiae Cinkfoil and golden Rod and then calcin'd it of which he gave a spoonful in a Glass of Wine every day it broke says he and forced away the Stone in the Reins and Bladder XIV I have often given this following Medicine with incredible success Take Strasburg Turpentine two Ounces Hercules noster half an Ounce Bezoar Minerale Crabs Eyes Millepedes prepared ana q. s. mix and make Pills Dose two Drams twice a day drinking after it the following mixture Take Rbenish-Wine eight Ounces Syrupus Nephriticus an Ounce Potestates Litbontripticae fifteen Drops mix for a Draught This I have also proved with good Success Take Balsam of Peru half a Dram Oils of Nard and Mastich ana ten Drops Oil of Juniper six Drops Lapis Judaicus prepared Crabs Eyes fifteen Grains mix and give it in White or Rhenish-Wine or a Decoction of Millet XV. If by these or some of the Medicines mentioned in the former Chapter the Sick receives no benefit you must come to manual operation how that is to be performed whether by the Apparatus minor or major we have taught in our Synopsis Medicinae Lib. 3. Cap. 16. Sect. 7. 8. to which we shall refer you But there is another way of taking out the Stone which is thus The Artist puts his Finger up the Anus and moves the Stone to the fore-part of the Belly and then by a hole cut in the Musculus Rectus according to the Duct of the Fibres above the Os Pubis he takes out the Stone by the help of the Lapidillium or a pair of Forceps The Operation being performed this way a dripping of the Urine need never be feared and besides a larger space is allowed to take out the Stone in However this Operations is not without its danger besides the trouble for if the Lips of the Wound made in the Bladder be not united to the Muscles of the Abdomen an Exulceration of the Bladder follows which both makes much pain and creates an Ulcer more incurable than the Stone it self Roussetus commends cutting in the Groin especially for Children and is approved by Hildanus in larger Stones which cannot be brought to the Perinaeum it being there taken out with less pain and danger of an Hemorrhage The healing of the Bladder is not extraordinary because it has fleshy Fibres by the help whereof and the innate heat the Wound is the more easily cured XVI Some inject by a Catheter into the Bladder thinking thereby to break the Stone for that the Medicines are not altered in their passage nor lose any thing of their Virtue as those do which are given by the mouth but reach the Stone immediately I have injected Opiates with good success for giving ease If the Liquors be sharp they ought to be such that breaking the Stone they may not hurt the Bladder as Waters made of the Ashes of Scorpions Parsley-roots Kneeholm Crabs Eyes Pellitory of the Wall Pigeons dung c. Baverius injects Petroleum in which Lapis Lyncis has been boiled and strained forth embrocating at the same time with a Decoction of Mallows He says it wonderfully breaks the Stone in the Bladder Or you may inject with this Take a small Lixivium of Pot-Ashes one Pound crude Opium two Drams mix digest twenty four hours then strain out the Liquor for use CHAP. XXI Precipiolum The Universal Medicine of PARACELSUS WHat we have aenigmatically delivered in our Doron Medicum Lib. 1. Cap. 27. concerning the universal Medicine of Paracelsus by reason of
the Gold Take the Gold which you have scraped out of the Retort and pouder it very small in your Glass Mortar with which mingle your Mercury by degrees or by little and little your Mercury will hardly mix with your Gold the reason is the Gold is full of the Praecipiolum and then it is time to separate the Praecipiolum from the Gold and Mercury which is a Womans work when her Cloths are foul she washes them from their foulness The same way you must cleanse or separate the Praecipiolum from the Gold and Mercury as followeth XI When you have the sign that your Mercury will hardly amalgamate or mix with your Gold or that the Gold will not enter into the Mercury then pour on it the fairest Water distilled Water is best three Fingers breadth above the Sol or Luna and Mercury which wash together in the Mortar with a Pestel very well till the Water is blewish black then it is a sign that the Gold le ts fall its Tartar or Praecipiolum into the Water Pour off this Water into a Glass but be careful that not any of the Mercury goes off with it for this Mercury will no more mix with common fair Water than Oil and Water will mix Put more fresh Water upon your Gold and Mercury and wash it again 'till the Water is blew again pour it off as aforesaid Thus continue washing 'till your Water remains white Put this last Water to the other Waters in the Glass and cover the Glass very close that not any foulness may fall into the Glass XII The Praecipiolum being thus washed away the Mercury will again amalgamate with the Gold as Oil will dissolve Wax Take the Amalgama dry it upon warm Ashes very softly with a Sponge or on Paper and by a little heat that the Amalgama may be dry which put again into the Retort and distil it as aforesaid by Sect. 8. 9. so long 'till the Gold will hardly Amalgamate with the Mercury then separate the Praecipiolum as aforesaid by Sect. 10. 11. XIII Now observe I gave you a charge that you should keep your Glass close wherein you put your blewest Water which will be clear and a Pouder at bottom which is some of the Praecipiolum The clear Water pour off without disturbing it as soon as you can into another Glass Now when you see that your Gold will hardly mit with your Mercury or not without great trouble pour the same Water which you poured off from the Praecipiolum upon your Amalgama and wash it again 'till the Water is blewish as aforesaid which pour off and continue so doing 'till the Water is colourless by Sect. 11. XIV Then take the Amalgama again and dry it and repeat the same Work again by Sect. 12. 'till you have the sign which wash again with the aforesaid Water by Sect. 13. and you will find that your Praecipiolum will 〈◊〉 daily This distillation and washing you shall continue 'till the Mercury is freed from the Mercurium coagulatum or Praecipiolum XV. Observe that as the Water grows less you add to it as need requires fresh Water Now the sign when the Mercury has lost all its Sperm or its Tartar or Coagulum or Praecipiolum is That that Mercury will Eternally Amalgamate with the Gold so that they will always mix well together And if you should a thousand times Amalgamate that Gold and Mercury and as often distil the one from the other yet they will still Amalgamate again or mix And if you should wash them a thousand times with fresh Water the Water will be clear and not blewish As long as any Salt or Praecipiolum is in the Mercury you cannot distil two three or four times the Mercury from the Sol but it will be difficult to Amalgamate or mit the one with the other and when you will have it to mix you must wash it and then it will Amalgamate well again But when that the Salt or Praecipiolum is all separated from the Mercury it will Amalgamate or mit after a thousand distillations as aforesaid And if it be wash'd a thousand times the Water will always be clear XVI To prepare the Praecipiolum to a Medicine Pour the clear Waters from the Pouder which lies at the bottom in the Glass that no Water may be left on the Pouder put the Glass on a little warm Ashes that the Pouder may dry which will look blewish Yellow Put this Pouder into a little Cucurbit Glass or Bolt-head and distil off from it the Water of Eggs five or six times or so long 'till the Pouder becomes Red and distil off from it five or six times Spirit of Wine so is it fitted for Medicine Dostwo or almost three Grains XVII To make the Water of Eggs. Take a good quantity of Eggs boyl them very hard take the Whites and cut them very small and distil them in an Alembick per Cineres very softly 'till you have got all the Water from the Whites then take the Egg-shells calcine them put them into a Retort put upon them the former that is their own Water and distil per Arenam with a strong Fire put this Water upon Ashes again and distil it again Thus continue it five or six times so the Water will be fitted for the Praecipiolum XVIII The Philosophers Key which is the Sal Prae cipioli or Salt of the Mercury coagulate You may remember that I gave you Instruction that you should pour off the clear VVater from the Praecipiolum and you should make dry the Praecipiolum and bring it into a Medicinal red Pouder Or you should bring it into its first Matter which shall bring all Mettals principally its own Body into its first Matter which cannot be done without the Sal Praecipioli which is hidden in the VVater you pour off from the Praecipiolum That same VVater filtre through brown Paper and set the VVater to evaporate in a round Glass very softly in Ashes VVhen the VVater is evaporated away you will find at the bottom of the Glass a yellow whitish Salt which is Sal Praecipioli and the Clavis Philosophorum wherewith they do unlock the Lock of the Praecipiolum which brings the same into its first Matter If you know not this Salt you know nothing of the true Chymistry This Salt does decrease in the decrease of the Moon and increase in the full One Grain will purge very safely all Podagra's Struma's venerial and hydropical Humors with two Grains of the Praecipiolum prepared XIX To bring the Praecipiolum into its first Matter or slippery Water Take of the Salt p. 1. of the Praecipiolum p. 2. being dry first dissolve the Salt in warm Water and put it upon the Praecipiolum and evaporate it away very gently in warm Ashes with a very gentle fire then is the Praecipiolum with its own Salt put it into a little Retort nip up the neck of the Retort very close put it into Balneum
the Regions above but truly by forbearing to Flie. Salmon In this our Art are two Principles which spring from one Root and which are the subject of our Stone viz. Argent Vive and Sulphur of which the one is Volatile and superior the other fixt and below from the Conjunction of which often repeated is made the true and Philosophical sublimation and fixation And that is the fixation when the Body receives the Tinging Spirit and takes from it its Volatility this is done by frequent Reiterations till a Calx of perpetual duration is produced and will remain for ever in the Fire But in the very beginning of this work the substance of the Stone which in it self is most fixed by a Spirit not fixed or Volatile as Sea Water acetum radicatum and such like is to be made Volatile And by this means it will be more fit to be cleansed of its Filth or Rust which in metals is a most certain sign of Imperfection V. Hermes If therefore you shall deliver it out of its Imprisonment or Cage or Straights then afterwards you shall Order and Govern it according to the number of days I shall note to you according to Reason and then it shall be a Companion to thee and by it thou shalt be made great and powerful Salmon That is the fixed Body is to be lifted up by sublimation and to be so often repeated till the Volatile is made fixed or fixed with it But this is not to be done hastily or all at once but by little and little and by degrees Lest by too great a haste you break the Vessel or come to some other hurt God himself made all things in Number Weight and Measure that is in due and just proportion as well in respect of Time as Matter If you proceed wisely in this Case you will receive the fulness of your expectations VI. Hermes Extract from the Sun Beams the shadow and the sordid Matter by that which makes the Clouds hang over it and Corrupts it and keeps it from the Light because by its Torture and Red Fiery Heat or Redness it is Burned Salmon The shadow always goes along with the Body walking in the Sun Now that a clearer Light may appear through the Body without any shadow the Body must be opened made thin and dissolved which is the Patient by the Spirit or Sun-Beams which are the Agent the living Fire by whose Power it is brought to a Calx and the Corruptible part is Burnt up and destroyed or made fit to be separated VII Hermes Take this Redness Corrupted with the Water which resembles the Matter holding the Fire as in a live Coal from it As often as you take this Redness Corrupted in Water away from it so often you have the Redness Purified then will it Associate it self viz. become fixed and Tinged in which 〈◊〉 it will rest for ever Salmon That is Our Magnesia which is sown in our Philosophick Earth is to be Corrupted or Putrefied and then to be Digested Coagulated Sublimated Incerated and Fixed This Magnesia or Redness is thus made pure by separation and then it becomes Dissolved Digested Coagulated Sublimed Incerated and Fixed and Tinged being first lift up into the highest Heavens and then Buried again in the deepest Earth that therewith it may arise and in the same have a Habitation and be fixt for ever The Water is the Spirit the Redness is the Soul or Tincture and the Earth is the Body Now the Spirit is the Life of the Soul as the Body is the Clothing or Habitation thereof so that the Body is a substance fixed dry and containing both the Spirit and the Soul The Spirit Penetrates the Body the Body fixes the Spirit the Soul conjoyned Tinges of its own Color whether it is White or Red. VIII Hermes Return the Coal being extinct in its life to the Water in the thirty days I note to thee so will you have a Crowned King resting upon the Fountain or Well but drawing it from the Auripigment and wanting the Humour or Moisture Now have I made the Hearts of the attentive who hope in thee glad and their Eyes beholding thee in the hope of that which thou possessest Salmon The Life of the Coal is Fire which being removed from it is like a Dead Body nor in a Coal only but in all other things it is Fire that excites or stirs up the Life comforts it and conserves it Yea the Essence of Life is nothing else than Pure Naked Unmixed Fire not that which is Corrupting and Elementary but that which is Subtil Coelestial and Generating all things This in Metals is the Aqua Philosophica Oleaginosa Sulphurea and in this the Earth is to be raised up in the space of 30 days which is a certain Number for an uncertain By the Crowned King is meant the perfection of the Tincture The Well is the Fountain of the Philosophers inexhaustible out of which it draws the Auripigment or eternal Tincture but wanting indeed its moisture or Running-Water which is for so long time to be Digested and Boiled with Fires c. IX Hermes Now the Water was first in the Air then in the Earth restore thou it then to the superior places through its own meanders or passages and not foolishly or indiscreetly change or alter it and then to the former Spirit gathered in its Redness you must carefully and leisurly joyn it Salmon Convert the Elements and you shall have what you seek The Earth which is Cold and Dry agrees with the Water in one quality which is cold The Air which is Hot and Moist participates with the Fire which is Hot and dry and consequently the Earth with the Fire because of its Driness The Earth is the only true and first Element of the Stone which by a Philosophical Calcination is to be Burnt up and Rarified afterwards to be Dissolved in a Moist place into a Ponderous Water This by Sublimation is made more subtil and converted into Fire This Oyl by a most strong Fire into Ashes or a Red Rubicund Earth Thus the Dragon devours his own Tail and the Pelican with her own Blood nourishes her Young ones The Blood of the Pelican is this Red Spirit Now nothing is joyned together with it but that which before was separated from it This Mixtion of the Elements is not Corporeal but Spiritual not with Hands done but the work of the Metalline Archeus or Spirit which you ought well to know and then you will not long err from the Truth CHAP. V. A Dialogue between Hermes and his Son I. HERMES Know thou my Son that the fat of our Earth is Sulphur that Sulphur is Auripigment Siretz or Colcothar of which Auripigment Sulphurs and such like some are more vile or mean than others in which there is a difference or diversity Of this kind also is the Fat of Glewy substances to wit of Hair Nails Hoofs and Sulphur it self Oyl of Peter and the Brain or
the Water and the Fire dwelling therein which does contain its own Water drawn from the Four Elements and their Waters This is not Water in its form but Fire containing in a strong and pure Vessel the Ascending Waters lest the Spirits should flie away from the Bodies for by this means are they made Tinging and Permanent or Fixed Salmon That is the Mercury and the Sulphur dwelling in the Salt or the Spirit and the Soul dwelling in the Body which is our Stone The Fire saith he contains its own Water drawn from the Four Elements That is the Sulphur contains the Mercury drawn from its Original Fountains This is not Water in Form but Fire Nor is it Quick-Silver in form but Sulphur nor Spirit in form but Oyl or Tincture containing the Clouds and Ascending Waters which are of a dry consistency or Body sticking to the sides of the Glass lest they should flie away in sublimation from the Bodies by this means being often iterated at least three times but if it be six or seven times it is yet better the Spirit enters into and peirces and penetrates the Body in Order to its Fixation which at length is perfected which the highest Fixation and Tincture by the Fixing Oyl or Sulphur VII Hermes O Blessed Water in the form of Sea which Element thou dissolvest Now it behoves us with this watery Soul to possess a Sulphurous Form and to mix or joyn the same with our Vinegar Salmon Great is the Virtue and Power which dwells in the Aqua Philosophica from whence it is caled Blessed For as common Water washes away the Filth from things and cleanses them outwardiy so this our Elementated Water not only Dissolves Bodies but also Washes away and Cleanses them inwardly from all manner of Defilemens and Impurities and being joyned with the Philosophick Vinegar brings forth from them their incombustible Sulphur which by projection tinges and transmutes all imperfect Metals into most pure fine Gold and Silver This Water is the Key of the Art by which the Bodies are oftentimes to be opened that is they are to be Dissolved and by the same to be again Coagulated to be made more noble pure and perfect So that no Foot-steps of Death Blackness Corruption or Imperfection may any more remain in them The preparation of this Water is known but to a few nor do many attain to it because the Well is Deep out of which it is drawn nor do the Vulgar Chymists understand it But whatever you do you can do no great Matter without the help of Nature and tho' Aqua Fortis and Aqua Regis and such-like are usefull in their places to dissolve and Tear Bodies into Atoms yet are they Alien and far from the true Aqua Philosophica which has the Power to enter into the insides of Metals whereas they only divide them into many Superficies And therefore say the Philosophers the preparation of this Water is not to be Learned of Masters but it must be taught by the Dictates of Nature her self VIII Hermes For when by the Power of the Water the Compositum also is Dissolved you have the Key of the Restauration then Death and Blackness flie away and Wisdom proceeds on to the Finishing of the Work Salmon This Water does not Tear or Gnaw Bodies into Pieces and Bits but it Radically Dissolves them and reduces them into their Prima Materia as they were in their Original Generation Of this Nature are those Fountains Springs in Hungaria which have a Faculty of Transmuting what Iron soever is cast into them into good Coper and those other Fountains into which if any Wood be cast so as it remains but some certain time by the Lapidescent Virtue of the Water it is transmuted through its whole substance into Stone which Memorable and well known Powers and Operations of Nature in these particular things are in part a demonstration or at least an Argument to persuade one to the belief of other Operations and Transmutations in the Metalline Kingdom Ignis Azoth say the Philosophers are enough for the whole Work Learn therefore from Nature the preparation of this Azoth or Water of the Philosophers which Water being prepared does with a simple Operation through the help of Nature gently boyling in a soft Fire bring the work to a conclusion and perfect the same This Operation indeed or simple Coction is that which opens the Door into the Chambers of Life making Putrefaction and Death and blackness and darkness to vanish and flie away This Water and this Fire tho' simple and simple in their Operation yet are they hid and known but to a few for that they lead into the most recluse and abscondite recesses of Nature CHAP. VII The Operations of Nature in the Aqua Philosophica as in a Seed I. HERMES Now know my Son that the Philosophers chain up the Matter with a strong chain or band when they make it to contend with the fire because the Spirits in the washed Bodies desire to dwell therein and to rejoyce there In these habitations they vivifie themselves and dwell therein and the Bodies hold or contain them nor from them can they ever be separated Salmon The Bodies before they can be 〈◊〉 united with the Spirit and joyned one to another in a strong Confederation must first be purified and washed with Azoth and 〈◊〉 for the washing is that which puts an end to the blackness and the purification is made and continued till the White Elixir is made perfectly white and till the red is made perfectly red being thus cleansed and purified the Spirit out of a natural propension is drawn to the Bodies in which being ardently inflamed it immediately commixes with them and they are conjoyned with an indissoluble conjunction under the Chains of which they remain inseparable for ever Now this conjunction is not made by chance but from the meer affinity which is between the Bodies and Spirit for they both proceed from one fountain and principle though of the two the spirit by reason it vivifies and holds the Particles of the Bodies together is much the more noble the more excellent and most powerful Agent II. Hermes Then the dead Elements are revived and the Compositum or 〈◊〉 Bodies are tinged and altered and by wonderful operations they are made permanent or fixed as the Philosopher saith Salmon The Domicils of themselves remain dead but the Inhabitants in them are alive Now the Bodies of the Metals are the Domicils of their Spirits which when they are received by the Bodies their terrestrial substance is by little and little made thin extended and Purified and by their Vivifying Power the Life and Fire hitherto lying Dormant is excited and stirred up For the Life which dwells in the Metals is laid as it were asleep nor can it exert its Power or shew it self unless the Bodies be first Dissolved Exalted and turned into Spirit for that the Spirit does only Vivifie being brought to this
and Water too soon it will not be Levened If it lies too long it will be over done so in our Work if you be too hasty you will perform nothing at all If too long and with too Violent a Fire you will hazard the breaking of your Vessel and by an over Volatility frustrate the fixity of your Medicine The making of Cheese is Famous for almost every Housewife can tell you how easie it is to ruin or spoil all how good soever your Milk and Rennet may be if you be unskilful in the Art If the Milk be too hot or too cold or the Rennet be too much or too little or the Coagu lum lies too short a time or too long you may spoil your Cheese and miss the Perfection or Goodness which therein you seek after These are Familiar examples and need no farther exposition The Matter therefore is first by our Ferment corrupted and brought into a blackness by Death but not such a blackness out of which it cannot be recovered but so that in the Course of the Fermentation the Mass of the Confection may pass through the mutation or changes of all the Colors Now Heat working at the first in humidity brings forth the blackness but Heat working in the dryness causeth Whiteness and in the White the Citrinity and wonderful deep Redness These Varieties of Colors are caused only by the Ferment in a proper and fit heat so that the Corruption of one is the Generation of another and the Ferment becomes the Ferment of the Ferment as the Philosophers speak He who cannot taste the Sapor of Salt will never attain to this desired Ferment of Ferments which is the Soul even before Fermentation If therefore this Ferment be not well prepared your Magistery will be nothing worth and know that this Fermentum is taken only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Luna that is from Gold and Silver and converts the other Bodies into its own Nature Therefore it behoves you to know how to introduce this Ferment into Dead and imperfect Bodys that is to make Ingression because it is the Soul and this Soul gives to them Life and Perfection so that together with this living and perfect Soul they are made alive and perfect and one perfect Body II. Hermes The certain Color of the Golden matter for the Red and the Nature thereof is not sweetness therefore of them we make Sericum which is Ixir the Ferment and of them we make Enamel of which we have Written Salmon Altho' it does not here sufficiently appear what our Author means by Sweetness and Sericum yet afterwards he so explains himself that we may guess at it and that it is the Golden Ferment for the Red the adumbration whereof he gives us under the Mask of Encaustum or Enamel and truly by Figures 〈◊〉 and Tropical ways of speaking he has been pleased to deliver himself through this whole Work I suppose he uses the Similitude of Sweetness here in respect of Leven for that Leven is not Sweet III. Hermes And with the King's Seal we have tinged the Clay and in that we have put or placed the color of Heaven which augments the sight of them who can already in some measure see Salmon By the King's Seal is meant the Virtue Power Character or Tincture of Gold which tinges Lutum the Clay that is the Mercurial Mass or Earth which is now but one thing and a Secret drawn out of the Fountains of the Wise for which reason it is by some called Sigillum Sapientum Also Sigillum Hermetis and Sigillum Mercurii This is the thing which many have sought after in vain and could never find that is the outward turned inward and the inward parts turned outwards that which was below raised up and that which was above laid down below the Superiors and Inferiors the Heavens and the Earth joyned together in one Globe or Mass and digested together in one till they produce the heavenly color the light of Sol which gives such as have Eyes to see the happiness of seeing a Fountain inexhaustible an Eternal Spring the permanent and endless Treasure IV. Hermes Gold therefore is the most pretious Stone without Spots also temperate which neither Fire nor Air nor Water nor Earth is able to corrupt or destroy the universal ferment rectifying all things in a middle or tempe rate Composition which is of a Yellow or true Citrine colour Salmon Our Hermes here confesses plainly that the Philosophick Gold is this most pretious Stone without blemish and incorruptible and differs as much from vulgar Gold as Leven does from the Paste or Yest from the Ale or Beer which is made by it For as clear well-wrought Ale cannot change other Wort into Ale nor Levened Paste leven another Mass of Meal and Water till it 〈◊〉 brought to the perfection of Leven so neither can vulgar Gold which is the product of Mercury and Sulphur transmute or change any other body into its own Purity Tincture and Fixity No This is only the work of our Stone Elixir Tincture the true Philosophick Gold V. Hermes The Gold of the Wise Men boiled and well digested with a fiery Water makes Ixir Salmon The Gold is to be exquisitely boiled as much as you please with a fiery water and digested This fire is found no where more perfect better or more powerful than in Minerals and their Roots which Roots the Philosophers say are in the Air And the Gold is Spiritual Gold not the body of vulgar Gold unprepared This Aqua Ignea is nothing else but the Mercury of the Philosophers drawn from its Mineral Root This Water is the Mother which does dissolve the Gold conceived in its Belly being digested and nourished there for forty Weeks at the end of which digestion like as in the hour of a mans Nativity the Soul i. e. the Tincture arises but not first nor quickly In this point is all the hazard but this being past there is no more peril the danger is wholly over VI. Hermes For the Gold of the Wise Men is more weighty or heavy than Lead which in a Temperate or due composition is the ferment of Ixir and contrariwise in a distemperature or undue Composition the distemperature or hurt of the whole Work or Matter Salmon Our Gold the Off-spring of this great Work is much heavier than Lead because of its Weakness Volatility and Intemperature Our Infant is of a most strong and temperate Composition healing the Infirmities of its proper Parents and tinging the Mercury of all Bodies whatsoever into the best and most pure fine Gold By this is understood the Vital Roots of the Minerals into which if the Bodies be reduced they are made apt or fit for a new Regeneration so that from the same you may have the true Tincture of the Philosophers VII Hermes For the work is first made from the Vegetable Secondly from the Animal in a Hens Egg in which is the greatest assistance and the constancy of the Elements
perfect Luna XIII The Regiment of Luna Dissolve and Coagulate it 7 times or at least 4 times and to it dissolved adjoyn the fixed Rubifying Waters which we shall declare and you will find the body aptly solar for it agrees with Sol and remains quietly with it In this Venus admirably well purged and dissolved may be a great help to you because a most clean tinging and fixed Sulphur may be extracted from it And I tell you that Mercury purified and fixed has power to palliate or illustrate the foulness of imperfect Bodies and fixed Sulphur extracted pure from bodies to tinge them with splendor XIV Hence you may gather a great Secret viz. That Mercury and Sulphur may be extracted as well from imperfect Bodies as from perfect For purified Spirits and middle Minerals are an help and very peculiar for deducing the Work to perfection XV. Another Regiment of Luna This is to reduce it to a more noble state Take Luna dissolved 3 Pounds of Venus dissolved 4 Pounds of Ferment dissolved 1 Pound conjoyn the dissolutions decoct them sor 7 days with gentle fire in a sealed glass as in Mars with their whole water then augment the fire leisurely for other 7 days and let it be as a fire of Sublimation For other 7 days give it fire yet stronger that the whole water may be fixed with it This pouder reduce in a small quantity and if it retains with it self part of the Mercury which you will easily perceive if you know how to calcine it is well indeed but if not put it again to be fixed until it is sufficiently fixt This must be reduced with red reducing Medicines so will you find your Luna tinged transmuted and fixed XVI The Ferment of Luna for the White It is made by dissolving Luna in its own Corrosive water and then boiling this water away to a third part it is to be exposed to the Air or set in B. M. or in Dung for certain days so will it be Oyl of Luna and Ferment which keep for the White Work XVII The Ferment of Ferments upon Mercury for the White Take of the Ferment of Luna which is its Oyl add to it twice as much of Arsenick sublimed and dissolved in water Quaer what Water then to both these add of Mercury dissolved as much as of the Arsenick mix the Waters set them over the fire for one day to be incorporated then draw off the water by an Alembick and cohobate fifteen times so incerating it will be fluid as fusible Wax Add to it as much Virgin-Wax melted commix them and project the mixture upon Mercury washed Quaere What is meant by washing here according as you see fit for that resolved is augmented in Virtue and Weight XVIII A Work upon Luna and Mercury Take Litharge Salt of Pot-Ashes mix and make a Cement Put the Cement first into a Crucible an Inch thick upon which put a Ball of the Amalgamation of Mercury and Luna upon which put the remainder of the Cement that the Ball may be in the middle Dry lute and set the Crucible in a gentle fire for half a day leisurely augmenting the fire and so continue its leisurely in crease from the Evening unto the dawning of the day with moderate ignition at last then take it out and prove it by Cineritium and it will be Luna in weight and surdity and much better in fixation XIX Another Work Amalgamate Luna with Mercury to which add as much Saturn as there is Luna put it into such a Crucible that a fourth part of it may be empty Affuse on it Oyl of Sulphur and decoct it unto the consumption of the Oyl Afterwards keep it for two hours in a moderate fire and there will be generated a black Stone with a little Redness This Stone prove by Cineritium and you will find your Luna augmented in Weight Surdity and Fixation XX. Another Work Take Luna amalgamated with Mercury Grind it with twice so much Metaline Arsenick to which a tenfold proportion of amalgamated Venus viz. That the Amalgamation of Venus may be 10 times as much as the whole Amalgama of Luna and Mercury mixed with the duple quantity of Arsenick grind the whole and fix Then reduce it into a Body and you will find a good augmentation XXI Of the Citrination of Luna or tinging its Body yellow Dissolve 〈◊〉 Philosophick Zyniar which is Verdigrise deduced from Venus prepared in the water of the dissolution of Luna Aqua Fortis to which adjoyn half so much as its self is of Mercury rubified by sublimation and in some sort fixed and dissolved to these add as much of Luna dissolved as the Zyniar Verdigrise is from which fermented for one day extract the water by distillation and cohobate 10 times then coagulate and reduce into a body and you will find it a good Work XXII Or thus Dissolve Zyniar 1 Ounce and our Crocus prepared with Mercury sublimate till it wax red 1 Ounce add as much Sal Armoniack and sublime it thrice from that Crocus which dissolve To which add of Luna dissolved 2 Ounces Then do as in the former incerating and reducing and you will find satisfaction XXIII Or thus Take of Crocus and Zyniar dissolved ana add as much Sol dissol ved incerate as before then coagulate to the coagulate add a fourth part of its weight of the Oyl of Salt-peter and project upon so much of Luna and will be a Tincture of a Citrine aspect XXIV Or thus Make a Water of our Zyniar and of our said Crocus and imbibe the Calces of Sol and Luna of each equal parts therewith until they have drunk in their own weight of it Then incerate with the Oyl of Sal Armoniack and Nitre and reduce the Mass into a Noble Body XXV Or thus Sublime Sal Armoniack from our greenness to which add Crocus and Zyniar from which well commixed sublime the Sal Armoniack and repeat it twice or thrice Then dissolve the whole to which add a third part of Gold dissolved incerate as before and congeal then project upon Sol 1 ounce Luna 2 Ounces mixed together and it will be good CHAP. XLVII Of the Alchimie of Sol. I. PErfect Bodies as Sol is need no preparation in relation to their farther perfection but that they may be more subtilized and attenuated we give you this Preparation Take Leaves of fine Sol which lay stratum superstratum with common Salt well prepared in a Vessel of Calcination Set it into a Fornace and calcine well for 3 days until the whole be subtily calcined Then take it grind it well wash it with Vinegar Quaer Whether Spirit of Vinegar or some other acid Spirit and dry it in the Sun Then grind it well with half its weight of prepared or purified Sal Armoniack and set it to be dissolved until the whole by help of the Common Salt and Sal Armoniack is reduced into a most clear water This is the pretious ferment for
rei volatilis quae est sui generis II. Per quam Corpora redduntur volatilia spiritualia sese elevando subtiliando sublimando contra naturam propriam corpoream gravem ponderosam III. Et hoc modo fiunt non Corpora quinta essentia de natura Spiritus quae vocatur Avis Hermetis Mercurius extractus à servo rubeo IV. Et sic remanent inferius partes terrestres aut potius grossiores Corporum quae perfectissimè non possunt solvi ullo ingeniorum modo V. Et fumus ille albus album illud aurum id est haec quintessentia dicitur etiam magnesia composita quae continet ut Homo vel composita est ut Homo ex Corpore Anima Spiritu VI. Corpus ejus est terra Solaris fixa plusquam subtilissima per vim Aquae nostrae divinae ponderositer elevata VII Anima ejus est Tinctura Solis Lunae procedens excommunicatione horum duoruns VIII Spiritus verò est virtus mineralis amborum aquae quae defert animam five tincturam albam super Corpora ex corporibus sicut portatur tinctura tinctorum per aquam supra pannum IX Et ille spiritus Mercurialis est vinculum animae Solaris corpus Solare est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 continens cum Luna spiritum animam X. Spiritus ergo penetrat corpus figit anima copulat tingit dealbat XI Ex his tribus simul unitis fit lapis noster id est ex Sole Luna Mercurio XII Cum ergo aqud nostra aurea extrahitur natura omnem superans naturam ideoque nisi corpora per aquam hanc diruantur imbibantur terantur parce diligenter regantur donec ab spissitudine abstrahantur in tenuem spiritum impalpabilem vertantur vacuus est labor XIII Quia nisi corpora vertantur in non corpora id est in Mercurium Philosophorum nondum operis rogula inventa est XIV Et illud ideo quoniam impossibile est illam tenuissimam animam omnem in se tincturam habentem à corpori bus extrahere nisi prius resolvantur in aqua nostra XV. Solve ergo corpora in aurea aqua decoque quousque tota egrediatur tinctura per aquam in colorem album sive in oleum album cumque vide ris illam albedinem super aquam scias tunc corpora esse liquefacta XVI Continua ergo decccti onem donec pariant nebulam quam conceperunt tenebrosam nigram albam I. IT is most certain therefore in this Art That this Soul extracted from the Bodies cannot be made to ascend but by adding to it a volatile Matter which is of its own kind II. By the which the Bodies will be made volatile and spiritual lifting themselves up subtillizing and subliming themselves contrary to their own proper nature which is corporeal heavy and ponderous III. And by this means they are unbodied or made no bodies to wit incorporeal and a Quintessence of the nature of a Spirit which is called Avis Hermetis and Mercurius Extractus drawn from a red Subject or Matter IV. And so the terrene or earthy parts remain below or rather the grosser parts of the Bodies which can by no Industry or Ingenuity of Man be brought to a perfect dissolution V. And this white Vapor this white Gold to wit this Quintessence is called also the Compound Magnesia which like Man does contain or like Man is composed of a Body Soul and Spirit VI. Now the Body is the fixed solar Earth exceeding the most subtile Matter which by the help of our divine Water is with difficulty lifted up or separated VII The Soul is the Tincture of Sol and Luna proceeding from the conjunction or communicating of these two to wit the Bodies of Sol and Luna and our Water VIII And the Spirit is the mineral power or virtue of the Bodies and of the Water which carries the Soul or white Tincture in or upon the Bodies and also out of the Bodies like as the Tinctures or Colours in Dying Cloth are by the Water put upon and diffused in and through the whole Cloth IX And this Mercurial Spirit is the Chain or Band of the solar Soul and the solar Body is that Body which contains the Spirit Soul having the power of fixing in it self being joyned with Luna X. The Spirit therefore penetrates the Body fixes and the Soul joyns together tinges and whitens XI From these three united together is our Stone made to wit of Sol Luna and Mercury XII Therefore with this our Golden-Water a natural Substance is extracted exceeding all natural Substances and so except the Bodies be broken and destroyed imbibed made subtile and fine thriftily and diligently managed 'till they are abstracted from or lose their grossness or solid Substance and be changed into a thin and subtil Spirit all our Labour will be in vain XIII And unless the Bodies be made no Bodies or incorporeal that is be converted into the Philosophers Mercury there is no Rule of Art yet found out to work by XIV The reason is because it is impossible to draw out of the Bodies all that most thin and subtile Soul which has in it self the Tincture except it be first resolved in our Water XV. Dissolve then the Bodies in this our Goldenwater and boil them till all the Tincture is brought forth by the Water in a white Colour and a white Oil and when you see this whiteness upon the Water then know that the Bodies are melted liquified or dissolved XVI Continue then this boyling till the dark black and white Cloud is brought forth which they have conceived CHAP. XII Of Digestion and how the Spirit is made thereby I. PONE ergo corpora perfecta in aqua nostra in vase Hermeticè sigillato super ignem lenem coque continuò donec perfectè resolvantur in oleum pretiosissimum II. Coque inquit Adfar igne leni sicut per ovorum nutritionem donec solvantur corpora eorum tinctura conjunctissima nota extrahatur III. Non autem extrahitur tota simul sed parum ad parum egreditur omni die omni borâ donec in longo tempore compleatur hujusmodi solutio quod solvitur semper petit superius IV. Et in tali dissolutione sit ignis lenis continuus donec in aquam viscosam solvantur impalpabilem tota egrediatur tinctura in colore nigredinis primum quod est signum verae solutionis V. Continua deinde decoctionem quousque fiat aqua permanens alba quia in suo regens balneo fiet postea clara tandem deveniet sicut argentum vivum vulgare scandens per aêra super aquam primam VI. Ideoque cum videris corpora soluta in aquam viscosam scias tunc corpor is esse conversa in vaporem te habere animas à corporibus mortuis separatas in spirituum ordinem sublimatione delatas VII Unde ambo cum
proper Womb it becomes fixed Thus the Wise man does that by Art in a short time which Nature cannot perform in less than the Revolution of a Thousand Years XIV Yet notwithstanding it is not We that make the metal but Nature her self that does it Nor do or can we change one thing into another but it is Nature that changes them We are no more than meer Servants in the work XV. Therefore Medus in Turba Philosophorum saith Our Stone naturally contains in it the whole Tincture It is perfectly made in the Mountains and Body of the Earth yet of it self without art it has no life or power whereby to move the Elements XVI Chuse then the natural Minerals to which by the advice of Aristotle add Art For Nature generates Metaline Bodies of the Vapours Clouds or Fumes of Sulphur and Mercury to which all the Philosophers agree Know therefore the Principles upon which Art works to wit the Principles or beginnings of Metals For he that knows not these things shall never attain to the perfection of the Work XVII Geber saith He who has not in himself the knowledge of the Natural Principles is far from attaining the perfection of the Art being Ignorant of the Mineral Root upon which he should work XVIII Geber also farther saith That our Art is only to be understood and Learned through the true wisdom and knowledge of Natural things that is with a wisdom searching into the Roots and Natural principles of the matter XIX Yet saith he my Son I shew thee a Secret though thou knowest the Principles yet therein thou canst not follow Nature in all things Herein some have erred in Essaying to follow Nature in all her properties and differences CHAP. XXXVIII Of Mercury the Second Principle of the Work I. THe second Principle of our Stone is called Mercury which some Philosophers call as it is simple of it self a Stone One of them said This is a Stone and no Stone and that without which Nature never performs any thing which enters into or is swallowed up of other Bodies and also swallows them up II. This is simply Argent Vive which contains the Essential Power which Explicates the Tincture of our Elixir or Philosophers Stone III. Therefore saith Rhasis such a thing may be made of it which exceedeth the highest perfection of Nature For it is the Root of Metals Harmonises with them and is the Medium that explicates and conjoyns the Tinctures IV. For it swallows up that which is of its own Nature and production but rejects what isForreign and Heterogene being of an Uniform substance in all its parts V. Wherefore our Stone is called Natural or Mineral Vegetable and Animal for it is Generated in the Mines and is the Mother or Womb of all Metals and by projection converts into Metals it Springs or Grows like a Vegetable and abounds with Life like an Animal by peircing with its Tincture like Spirit and Life every where and through all particles VI. Morien saith This Stone is no Stone that can Generate a living Creature Another faith It is cast out upon the Dunghil as a vile thing and is hidden from the Eyes or understandings of Ignorant Men. VII Also in Libro Speculi Alchymiae it is said Our Stone is a thing rejected but found in Dunghils i. e. in putrefaction or the Matter being putrefied containing in it self the four Elements over which it Triumphs and is certainly to be perfected by humane industry VIII Some make Mercury of Lead Thus R Lead melt it six or Seven times and quench it in Salt Armoniac dissolved of which take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sal Vitrioli 〈◊〉 j. Borax 〈◊〉 ss mix and Digest Forty days in Igne Philosophorum So have you Mercury not at all differing from the Natural But that is not fit for our work as the Mineral is If you have any understanding this Caution may sufficiently instruct you CHAP. XXXIX Of the Purification of the Metals and Mercury for our Work I. THis is a great and certain truth that the Clean ought to be separated from the Unclean for nothing can give that which it has not For the pure substance is of one simple Essence void of all Heterogeneity But that which is impure and unclean consists of Heterogene parts is not simple but compounded to wit of pure and impure and apt to putrifie and corrupt II. Therefore let nothing enter into your Composition which is Alien or Foreign to the matter as all Impurity is for nothing goes to the Composition of our Stone that proceedeth not from it neither in part nor in whole III. If any strange or foreign thing be mixed with it it is immediately corrupted and by that Corruption your Work becomes frustrate IV. The Citrine Bodies as Sol c. you must purge by Calcination or Cementation and it is then purged or purified if it be fine and florid V. The metal being well cleansed beat it into thin Plates or Leaves as is Leaf Gold and reserve them for use VI. The White Liquor as Mercury contains two Superfluities which must necessarily be removed from it viz. It s foetid Earthiness which hinders its Fusion and its Humidity which causes its flying VII The Earthiness is thus removed Put it into a Marble or Wooden mortar with its equal weight of pure fine and dry Salt and a little Vinegar Grind all with the Pestle till nothing of the matter appears but the whole Salt becomes very black Wash this whole matter with pure Water till the Salt is dissolved this filtby water decant and put to the Mercury again as much more Salt and Vinegar grinding it as before and washing it with fair water which work so often repeat till the water comes clear from it and that the Mercury remains pure bright and clear like a Venice Looking Glass and of a Coelestial Colour Then strain it through a Linen Cloth three or four times doubled two or three times into a clean Glass Vessel till it be dry VIII The proportion of the parts is as 24 to 1. There are 24 Hours in a Natural Day to which add one and it is 25. to wit the Rising of the Sun To understand this is Wisdom as Geber saith Indeavour through the whole Work to over-power the Mercury in Commixtion IX Rhasis saith Those Bodies come nearest to perfection which contain most Argent Vive He farther saith That the Philosophers hid nothing but Weight and Measure to wit the Proportions of the Ingredients which is clear for that none of them all agree one with another therein which causeth great error X. Though the matters be well prepared and well mixed without the Proportions or Quantities of the things be just and according to the reason of the Work you will miss of the truth or the end and lose all your Labour you will not indeed bring any thing to perfection XI And this is evident in the Examination When there is a Transmutation of the Body or that
Colour to Colour till such time as it comes to the fixed Whiteness VIII Synon saith All the Colours of the World will appear in it when the Black humidity is dryed up IX But value none of these Colours for they be not the true Tincture yea many times it becomes Citrine and Redish and many times it is dryed and becomes liquid again before the Whiteness will appear X. Now all this while the Spirit is not perfectly joyned with the Body nor will it be joyned or fixed but in the White Colour Astanus saith Between the White and the Red appear all Colours even to the utmost imagination XI For the varieties of which the Philosophers have given various Names and almost innumerable some for obscuring it and some for envy sake XII The cause of the appearance of such variety of Colours in the Operation of your Medicine is from the extension of the blackness for as much as Blackness and Whiteness be the extream Colours all the other Colours are but means between them XIII Therefore as often as any degree or portion of Blackness descends so often another and another Colour appears until it comes to Whiteness XIV Now concerning the Ascending and Discending of the Medicine Hermes saith It ascends from the Earth into Heaven and again descends from Heaven to the Earth whereby it may receive both the superiour strength and the inferiour XV. Moreover this you are to observe that if between the Blackness and the Whiteness there should appear the Red or Citrine Colour you are not to look upon it or esteem it for it is not fixt but will vanish away XVI There cannot indeed be any perfect and fixt Redness without it be first White Wherefore saith Rhasis no Man can come from the first to the third but by the second XVII From whence it is evident that Whiteness must always be first lookt for after the Blackness and before the Redness for as much as it is the Complement of the whole Work XVIII Then after this Whiteness appears it shall not be changed into any true or stable Colour but into the Red Thus have we taught you to make the White it remains now that we elucidate the Red. CHAP. XLVI Of the Way and Manner how to educe the Red Tincture out of the White I. THe matters then of the White and Red among themselves differ not in respect to their Essence But the Red Elixir needs more subtilization and longer digestion and a hotter fire in the course of the Operation than the White because the end of the White work is the beginning of the Red work and that which is compleat in the one is to be begun in the other II. Therefore without you make the White Elixir first make the matter become first White you can never come to the Red Elixir that which is indeed the true Red Which how it is to be performed we shall briefly shew III. The Medicine for the Red ought to be put into our moist fire until the White Colour aforesaid appear afterwards take out the Vessel from the fire and put it into another pot with sifted Ashes made moist with water to about half full in which let it stand up to the middle thereof making under the Earthen pot a temperate dry fire and that continually IV. But the heat of this dry fire ought to be double at the least to what it was before or than the heat of the moist fire by the help of this heat the white Medicine receiveth the admirable Tincture of the Redness V. You cannot err if you continue the dry fire Therefore Rhasis saith With a dry fire and a dry Calcination decoct the dry matter till such time as it becomes in Colour like to Vermilion or Cinabar VI. To the which you shall not afterwards put to compleat it either Water or Oyl or Vinegar or any other thing VII Decoct the Red Matter or Medicine the more red it is the more worth it is and the more decocted it is the more red it is Therefore that which is more decocted is the more pretious and valuable VIII Therefore you must burn it without fear in a dry fire until such time as it is clothed with a most Glorious Red or a pure Vermillion Colour IX For which cause Epistus the Philosopher saith Decoct the White in a Red hot Furnace until such time it be clothed with a purple Glory Do not cease though the Redness be somewhat long before it appears X. For as I have said the fire being augmented the first Colour of Whiteness will change into Red Also when the Citrine shall first appear among those Colours yet that Colour is not fixt XI But not long after it the Red Colour shall begin to appear which ascending to the height your Work will indeed be compleat XII As Hermes saith in Turba Between the Whiteness and the Redness one Colour only appears to wit Citrine but it changes from the less to the more XIII Maria also saith When you have the true White then follows the false and Citrine Colour and at last the Perfect Redness it self This is the Glory and the beauty of the whole World CHAP. XLVII Of the Multiplication or Augmentation of our Medicine by Dissolution I. OUR Medicine or Elixir is multiplyed after a two-fold manner viz. 1. By Dissolution 2. By Fermentation II. By Dissolution it is augmented two manner of ways First by a greater or more intense heat Secondly by Dew or the heat of a Balneum Roris III. The Dissolution of heat is that you take the Medicine put into a glasen Vessel or boil or decoct it in our moist fire for seven days or more until the Medicine be dissolved into Water which will be without much Trouble IV. The dissolution by Dew or Balneum Roris is that you take the Glass Vessel with the Medicine in it and hang it in a Brazen or Coper Pot with a narrow Mouth in which there must be water boyling the Mouth of the Vessel being in the mean Season shut that the Ascending Vapours of the boyling water may dissolve the Medicine V. But Note that the boyling water ought not to touch the Glass Vessel which contains the Medicine by three or four Inches and this Dissolution possibly may be done in two or three days VI. After the Medicine is dissoved take it from the Fire and let it cool to be fixed to be congealed and to be made hard or dryed and so let it be dissolved many times for so much the oftner it is dissolved so much the more strong and the more perfect it shall be VII Therefore Bonellus saith When the AEs Brass or Laten is burned and this burning many times reiteated it is made better than it was and this Solution is the Subtilization of the Medicine and the Sublimation of the Virtues thereof VIII So that the oftner it is sublimed and made subtil so much the more Virtue it shall receive and the more penetrative
thick as an Oyl which Oyl first with a soft fire and after with a stronger fix into dry Pouder IV. This Work is not to be done all at once but by little and little at a time till it goes through with it in the Color of Blood then will it precipitate into a Red Pouder called by the Philosophers Sericon Dissolve it with as much of Our Vegetable Sal Anatron the space of an hour then set it in Balneo in a long Receptory till it be clearly dissolved and becomes as it were a fine Wine which with the very softest heat make it to Evaporate and Congeal so will you have a pure Stone and of subtil parts V. Also if you dissolve this same Red Pouder of Mercury in Water or Spirit of Common Salt prepared as Bachon and Albertus have taught you shall have an Oyl or Salt of Gold which no Fire can destroy which will melt and tinge with a solar Color upon a Plate of Venus This Treasure carry always with you wheresoever you go Who knows not the Secret of this prepared Salt in Our lesser Works knows little of the hidden things of Alchymie VI. Try this fixt Pouder at Sect. 3. above for the fixation reiterate still the Work with the same Fire against Nature upon the same Pouder Ten times and it will be dryed up no more into Pouder but remain in a thick Oyl the which will turn Argent Vive and all Bodies into pure Alchymick Gold sufficiently good for all works of the Goldsmith but not for Medicine for Man's Body VII A Second way Gold is much more wonderfully Elixirated by the said Fire against Nature compounded with the Fire Natural after this manner Let Vitriol of the Fire of Nature made of the most sharp Humidity or moisture of Grapes and Sericon joyned together in a Mass with the Natural Mineral Vitriol called the Gum of Adrop or Vitriol Azoth made somewhat dry and with Sal Nitre be dissolved VIII First Ascends a Fair Weak Flegmatick Water which cast away Then a White Fume making the Vessel appear White like Milk which Fume must be gathered into the receiver so long till it ceases and the Vessel becomes clear of its own Color This water of the White Fume is the stinking Menstruum which is called Our Dragon against Nature This Menstruum if the said Dragon against Nature was absent would be our Fire Natural of which we shall hereafter speak in its proper place IX Raymundus saith this Water is made of four things 1. The Composition of Sal Amarum 2. Menstru um Foetens 3. Argent Vive which is a common substance in every Corruptible Body 4. Mineral Vitriol X. This compounded Water Mineral and Water Vegetable being mixed together and made one Water as aforesaid doth work contrary Operation which is wonderful it Dissolves and Congeals it makes moist and dry it putrifies and purifies it divides asunder and joyns together it destroys and restores it kills and makes alive it wounds and heals again it makes soft and hardens it makes thin and thick it resolves Compounds and Compounds again It begins the Work and makes an end of the same XI These two Mineral Waters Compounded together in one are the two Dragons Fighting and striving to gather one against the other in the Flood of Satalia viz. the White Fume and the Red and one of them shall devour the other And here the Solutory Vessels ought to be Luted but gently or closed with Linnen Cloth or with Mastick or common Wax or Cerecloth XII These two Dragons are Fire and Water within the Vessel and not without and therefore if they feel any exteriour fire they will rise up to the top of the Vessel and if they be yet forced by the violence or strength of the Fire they will break the Vessel and so you will lose all your Work XIII This Compounded Water aforesaid does Congeal as much as it does Dissolve and lists it up into a glorious Crystalline Earth This is our Secret dissolution of the Stone which is always done with the Congelation of its Water The Fire of Nature is here put to the Fire against Nature therefore as much as the Stone has lost of its form by the power and strength of the Water or Fire against Nature so much has it gotten and recovered again of its form by the Virtue of the Water or Fire of Nature But the Fire against Nature by the means of the Fire of Nature cannot be destroyed CHAP. LXV The Practice with the said Compounded Water upon the Calx of the Body Dissolved I. THE Practice with the said Compounded Water upon the Calx of the Body duly dissolved and prepared Take the prepared Body made with a thick Oyl put to it so much of the Compounded Water as may cover the same Calx i. e. Our prepared Calx with Our Vege table Menstruum by the depth of half an Inch. The Water will presently boil over the Calx without external dissolving the Stone and lifting it up into the form of Ice with the drying up also of the said Water II. The said Calx being so dissolved and sublimed into the form of Ice you must take away after this is done the residue of the Calx remaining in the Vessel undissolved shall again be well dryed by the Fire upon which put so much of the said Compounded Water as you did before dissolving subliming and drying till the Calx is wholly dissolved III. The substance thus dissolved subtily separated and brought into a Pouder must be put as thereafter shall be shewed into a good quantity of the Fire of Nature which is a Quintescence the same being first well rectified and the Vessel well stopp'd to the end that the means of the heat outwardly administred unto it procuring the inward heat to work it may be dissolved into an Oyl the which will soon be done by reason of the simplicity of the Water or simple Fire of Nature IV. And therefore when you have brought the said Pouder so dissolved sublimed and prepared with the said Compounded Water into an Oyl 〈◊〉 is our Menstruum Visible unto sight by putting thereto a good quantity of the aforesaid rectified simple Fire of Nature as before declared then abstract or draw away the said Water again from the same Oyl by Distilling the same in a moist Temperate heat so long till there remains in the bottom of the Glass a thin Oyl V. This Oyl the oftner it is dissolved with the said simple rectified Fire of Nature and the said Water Abstracted or Distilled by a Temperate heat so much the more will the said Oyl be made subtil and thin VI. With the said Oyl provided the Calx be the Calx of Sol or Luna you may incere the substances or Calces of other Bodies the said Bodies being first dissolved exalted sublimed and prepared with the said Compounded Water in manner and form of Ice aforesaid till that by the Inceration of the
Calces of all Bodies may be so depurated and Citrinated that thereby they may become most pure Gold IX When also Argent Vive is dissolved then dissolve in it a little of the aforesaid Red Ferment and so put all into Kemia or a proper Vessel which firmly close up with a Philosophick Seal Then with a continual and easie or gentle Fire draw out the Charriot of the four Elements through the Depth of the Sea until the Floods being dryed up there appears in the Matter a bright shining substance like to the Eyes of the Fishes X. For by this Operation if you keep your Temperate Fire continually alive the Floods shall dry up with an exceeding drought and the dry Land or Earth shall appear as in the days of Noah the waters were dryed up from off the Earth and behold the Face of the Ground was dry And by lifting up the Rod of Moses and stretching out his hand the waters were dryed up and the dry Ground appeared in the midst of the Sea for so says David He Rebuked the Red Sea and it was dryed up he led them through the Depths as through the Wilderness XI And then by the Space of Forty days following it shall be Rubified as the Philosophers Demonstrate by the help of a Vehement Fire as the Nature of it requires continuing and remaining in the same strong Fire till it melt and flow like Wax whereby it will be able to transmute all Bodies into pure fine Gold XII And thus the White and Red Medicines are multiplied with their own proper humidities viz. only by the solution of the White Medicines in their own proper White and Red humours and by their Coagulation again of the same as necessity requires Thus have we explicated with singular plainess of Speech the Elixiration of Mercury per se or Argent Vive alone CHAP. LXVIII The second of the former Elixirs with Mercury and the Body Alchymick I. TO Elixirate with Mercury and the Body Alchymick Take One part of the most pure Kibrick quod est pater Mercurij omnium Liquabilium Sea water twelve parts in which dissolve the Kibrick being dissolved strain the water through a Linnen Cloth and what remains undissolved which will not go through put into the Vessel called Kemia set it over a gentle fire as it were the heat of the Sun untill there appears on the Top a Red Color II. Then put to it a quarter more of the Sea-water aforesaid being kept in a very clean Vessel set it on a very gentle fire and dry it up again as you did before by little and little at a time III. For in this Work by so much less there is put of the Spirit and more of the Body by so much the sooner and better shall the Solution be made the which Solution is made by the Congelation of its water IV. And therefore as the Rosary saith you must beware that the Belly be not made over moist for if it be the water shall not receive or attain to its dryness V. This manner of Imbibition must be Observed and continued so long till the whole water by several Imbibitions shall be dryed up into a Body VI. This done let the Vessel be firmly and Philosophically Sealed up and placed in its proper Fornace with a mean or gentle fire which must not wax cold from the first hour you begin to set the same into the Fornace till you have made an end of the whole work VII And when the matter is sublimed then let it be made to Descend by little and little without Violence the fire being Artificially made or set over it which done let it be again sublimed as before VIII And so let the Soul of the Sun of the Vulgar the which Soul is Our unclean Oyntment the Spirit not yet conjoyned with the Body Ascend from the Earth to the Heaven and again make it to Descend from Heaven to the Earth till all becomes Earth which before was Heaven IX To the end there may be made a substance not so hard as the Body nor yet so soft as the Spirit but holding a mean disposition standing fixed and Permanent in the fire like a White peice of melted Wax flowing in the bottom of the Vessel X. The which White substance of a mean or middle consistency must be fed and nourished with Milk and Meat till the quantity thereof be increased according to your desire XI This Medicine being Fermented to the Red with a portion of Sol Dissolved in the water of the Sea by reason of separating the first the form from the Matter to the end that it may be in a more noble form than it was before when the first qualities did remain undivided and that it may be brought into a Purple Colour by the help of a strong and continual fire whereby is made the true Elixir both for the White and Red Work XII Now this Elixir be it White or Red shall be increased an hundred fold more both in Virtue and Goodness if its Quintessence be fixed with it and that then afterwards it be brought and reduced by the Fire of Nature into a thin Oyl the which must be done in a Circulatory Vessel for truly then the least drop thereof does Congeal a thousand drops of Mercury into the very greatest Medicine CHAP. LXIX Of the Vegetable Stone I. THe Vegetable Stone is gotten by Virtue of the Fire of Nature of the Composition of which fire we now intend plainly to treat and of the way how to work with it in every respect II. Its Composition is of four things as Raymundus saith in his Book of Quintessences It is a Composition of Sal Amarum which is Ignis adeptus a fire that is gotten without Wood or Coal and by an easie working does work against all manner of sharpness of Action of the Visible Fire like as if it were the fire of Hell and therefore altho' Wine be hot yet this water of Mercury is hotter for it is able to dissolve all Bodies to putrefie and also to divide the Elements which neither common Fire nor Wine can do III. Some think that this Fire of Nature is extracted or drawn from Wine according to the common way and that it must be rectified by often Distillations until its Flegm is wholly abstracted which hinders its Heat Virtue Strength and Burning But this when it is done to all advantages and its highest perfection which Fools call the pure Spirit and then put to the Calx of the Body never so well prepared yet will it be weak and ineffectual to Our purpose for Dissolution Conservation c. IV. The true and Pure Spirit is Our Silverish Spirit of Wine which is our Vegetable Mercury and the true water of the Philosophers Concerning which see in Ripley's secret Concord V. Wherefore since the vulgar Spirit or Wine is such it is evident that there is an Error in choosing of this Principle for the true Principle which is