doth presently ease the pain of the teeth coming from cold or wind and takes away all corruption but this remedy is nothing worth if the pain proceed from a hot cause Also it is good to rub aking teeth with the diâ—â—lled water of Tobacco To cure the Thrush and Ulcers of the Gums a mixture is made with Honey of Roses and the juyce of sour Pomgranats which maudifies scoures and breeds flesh The leaves of Tobacco roâ—sted under the hot embers applyed to the pained part ease the pains of the Throat over-cooled by rheume and all other Diseases of the body proceeding from cold causes And a gargarism may be made of the decoction of this Herb alone or mingled with other Herbs proper for this Disease It wonderfully helps Diseases of the brest and those that spit bloody matter Also for short breath and other inveterate Diseases if a decoction of it be made with Sugar and the Stomach being first purged it be taken for somâ— daies together So the leaves of Tobacco boyled in water and Sugar put to the decoction Or rather juyce of the leaves pressâ—d forth and boyled into a syrrup Apozeme or Julep taken daily upon an empty stomach two or three ounces 〈◊〉 a time abates the difficulty of breathing and an old cough It brings forth thick clammy corrupt humours but the sick must be first well purged and generally his body must be well emptied by Physick Also a Syrrup may be made of other pectoral means adding the leaves of Tobacco to them or Liquorish Reasins Jububes Figges Prunes Dates and Herbs fit for this use as Maydenhair Scabious Horehound and the like Take Maydenhairs white and black Horehound Coltsfoot of each one handfull Tobacco leaves two or three Reasins without stones whole Barley of each one Pugill Liquorish scraped two drammes make a decoction to a pint sweeten it with Sugar and Honey what is sufficient Another that attenuates and cuts more Take Scabious Horehound Maydenhairs Wall-Ruâ— of each one handfull and half Figgs ten Reasins one ounce Tobacco leaves five Liquorish scraped two drammes make a decoction in a pound of Hoâ—ied water untill two parts be consumed Adde to the strained Liquor of simple Oxymel Syrrup of Maydenhair of each two ounces Oxymel compound one ounce mingle them Water of Tobacco with Eybright water drank daily upon an empty stomach doth the same as Doctor Iarnacus Goverour of Rochel hath proved who was an intimate acquaintance of Nicotilus and private to the counsels and businesses of the French King and whom he chiefly desired to communicate the Knowledg of this Plant to This man being at a Banquet of the Kings with the Embassodour professed that by this means he cured one of an Asthma I saith Nicolaus Monardus observed some men troubled with an Asthma returning from the WestIndies or from Peru chewing Tobacco leaves in their mouthes and swallowing the juyce of them to make them spit forth corrupt matter but though these men were drunk by it it appears they found much good by it to bring out matter and flegm that stuck in their stomachâ— The dry powder of Tobbacco performs the same if you hold as much of it as you can take between the top of your fore-finger and thumb at the root of your tongue near your palate taking care that you swallow not the powder for in a short space you shall perceive great plenty of flegmatique humours to run forth at your mouth and this will endure untill that you may fill a small dish with flegme When you think this watry huâ—our is come forth in sufficient quantity wash your mouth with some good white Wine Do this every morning upon an empty stomach If this be to troublesome do it every third day alwaies according to art premising universals The same way it is profitable for the Diseases of the Brest and the parts adjoyning as the Lungs Wesand Throat offended by afflux of humours It is wonderfull good for pains proceeding from a defluxion of humours upon the mouth of the stomach or bred there and for all old paines of it or preternatural long-during paines of the Reins and for contractions of parts from chronical and lasting Diseases to chew the powder of dry leaves of Tobacco in the mouth to make an Apophâ—egmatism with them The women of the West-Indies mightily commend the leaves of Tobacco because they take away the crudities of the stomachs of young and old and dispell winds restore concoction soften the belly if it be first annointed with oyl of Olives and the leaves being made hot under hot embers be applyed to the region of the belly and be renewed as oft as occasion is The ashes must not be wiped off but more must be laid on to make it more effectual Also if you lay the said leaves so prepared to one that is surfeitted with meat or drink you shall very much remove his Crapula and repletion The same reason serves for the powder of the dry Herb if you put so much of it as you can hold between your finger and thumb into a spoonfull or two of Aqua vitae when you go to bed For it takes away your surfet and makes you sleep and resolves flegm They that swound away presently recover their former strength if the smoak of the leaves come into their mouthes or nostrils drawn by a Pipe or Reed Tobacco wonderfully helps the torments of the Guts and Belly and pain of the Colick and other paines proceeding from wind or cold if you lay the leaves on very hot and change them often untill the pain abate The powder of the leaves dried is good for the same use taken in white Wine or some other liquor when you go to bed about half a dram or a dram weight or thereabouts The leaves used the same way cure the wringing of the small Guts and it is proper to put this Herb with others in decoctions for Clysters as also to use them for Plasters and Fomentations that will do great service For Example take Mercury Râ—e Marsh Mallows Little Centâ—ury of each one handfull Hysop Calamint Wormwood of each one handfull and an half Tobacco leaves six roots of Marsh-mallows half an ounce Linseed Fenegrek of each three drams Cumminseed Anniseed of each one dram and half let them boâ—l in sufficient quantity of water untill the third paâ—t be consumed then take of the liquor boil'd and strained one pound Hiera Picra half â—n ounce Benedicta Laxativa â—ix drams fresh Butter Honey of Roseâ— strained of each six drams Oyl of Rue and Dill of each one ounce and half common Salt one dram Mingle them all and make a Clyster If Tobacco leaves be distilled with Fumitary it wonderfully helps all Diseases of the Liver But observe you must take less quantity of Fumitary then of Tobacco The juyce of the leaves of Tobacco bruised with a little Vineger or the Oyntment of them
as before that it be not mingled with the faeces then filtrat it lastly evaporate what is filtrated These are the various waies to make artificial Salt not only of Tobacco but of all Vegetables that are prepared by the fire and the use of them may be wonderfull in curing those that are dainty and such as abhorre all Medicaments putting that Salt in their Broth or Salt-seller to season their meat To this may be referred what the famous Physician and Philosopher of his age Lionaâ—dus Fioravantus hath written in his Physicall Observations I took sath he Tobacco with Seed and Root and I stamped them all the leaves weighed LIV ounces I hid them in Horse dung to ferment thirty daies and that they might not corrupt I put some salt to them and six ounces of aqua vitae then I distilled them in Bâ—lâ—eo Mâ—riae untill all the moisture were drawn from them and that it might keep the better I added so much Oyl of Brimestone as might make it taste sharp I used this composition in many things In all Feavers a spoonfull drank cured them Wounded men if they drank it or annointed their wounds with it they were cured to admiration Oytments are made of Tobacco divers waies though the Herb used by it self is far more effectuall Take the fairest greatest greenest most rosiny leaves of Tobacco freed from all filth and dust diligently that are no waies wet with Rain or Dew one pound bruise them with a Pestle in a Morter of Marble or of Wood half a pound of Hogs-grease prepared that is purged from all its skins and melted in a brazen Vessell to this must be added the juyce of Tobacco and the thick substance bruised Let them boyl together upon a Trevot in a brazen Pot with a very small gentle fire namely live Coles being put under the Trevot or else in Balneo untill you see the watryness of the juyce to be vanished and gone and the unguent brought to a Consistence Or an unguent may be made of the manifold infusion of Tobacco in Oyl of Roses three or four times renewing the leaves in Balneo and when you press it out adding so much of the juyce of the same Herb and wax what may suffice and make an â—nguent according to art Or thus Take juyce of Tobacco one pound common Oyl new Wax Rosin of the Pine-Tree of each two ounces Oyl of St Johns Wort one ounce Let them boyl at a gentle fire for three hours strain it and adde to it two ounces of Turpentine Boyl them to the consistence of an unguent It is good for old Ulcers of the Pox Scrophulas Ulcers or Spots contracted by the fire in Winter Kibes chaps of the hands especially if you rub the part affected first with the green Herb and put it into hot salt water and after anoint it with the said unguent Take Pitch Rosin new Wax Turpentine of each three ounces Let them melt and boyl together in a brass Vessell with live Coles under it when all are melted and boyl'd then adde of the juyce of Tobacco and bruised substance one pound let all boyl together five or six hours at an easy fire upon a Tripod in a double Vessell that is a Kettle full of boyling water move them constantly untill all the watryness be consumed and the rest be thickned to an unguent then press them out through a thick hempen cloath and put them again into the brass Skillet adding half an ounce of Venice-Turpentine yet let them not boyl but stirre them carefully then let them cool and keep them for use Take leaves of Tobacco bruised one pound Yellow Wax Turpentine Oyl Olives Pitch white Rosin of each three ounces Let them boyl together two hours in a new Pipkin to the consistence of an unguent then use it in a small quantity spread on leather or linnin Some there are that in both descriptions do not adde the juyce of Tobacco with the thick substance but they only strain it and crush it through a thick cloath and they reserve the juyce alone which is not the best way But the first unguent is farmore effectual for Wounds cancerous Ulcers Tetters Itch Knots upon the face because it hath a greater force to resolve and cleanse away which is the property of Tobacco if it be not hindered by other things that are joyned with it The latter is better to heal wounds and repair flesh to resolve Impostumes to ease paines and such like Operations But it seems needless to Iacobus Gohorius to edde new Wax Rosin common Oyl Turpentine because one of these is sufficient for the clamminess of Tobacco For such an heap of Simples that are in that Oyntment make the Oyntment only fit for Wounds which otherwise is good for cancerous Ulcers Itch Imposthumes Tetters and other Maladies It is no reason also so to waste the juyce of Tobacco that nothing should remain besides the bruised substance and strange Ingredients It will not be amiss to set down an unguent to cure wounds made with Gun-shot and fit for all other purposes the proper making whereof is taught by Iosephus Quercetanus Take the juyce of Tobacco one pound Turpentine five ounces compound Oyl of St Johns Wort eight ounces the best white Wine half a pound let these digest for eight daies afterwards boyl them untill the Wine be consumed then adde Colophonia Wax of each three ounces Mummie Amber of each two drams melt them again at the fire and make an unguent according to Art Iacobus Weckerus teacheth to make an unguent against the Scabs thus Take the juyce of Tobacco one ounce and half powdred Brimestone Salt of each one ounce Oyl of Tobacco Oranges of each two ounces Oyl of Wax Goats suet of each two ounces make an unquent according to art Iacobus Weckerus saith That he received another unguent from a Frenchman to cure wounds Take juyce of Tobacco one pound new Wax Pitch Rosin common Oyl of each two ounces boyl all together untill the juyce be consumed then adde Venice Turpentine three ounces strain all through a linnen cloath and keep it in a Box This cures Wounds and Ulcers certainly Adde to all this that a most fragrant Balsam is compounded of Tobacco Take as many leaves of Tobacco as you please bruise them in a Mortar and press forth the juyce cast away the gross body and set the juyce with an equall part of Oyl of Olives in a glass Viol in the Sun for a long time stop the glass close with Gums and Wax and fasten it with a sound skin of leather Or if you like it best set it in a Kettle full of boyling water or in Balneo or hide it in Horse dung and leave it there full forty daies renewing the dung sometimes when the forty daies are ended you shall find a Balsam in the Glass no less effectual for all Causes then the Quintessence of Tobacco it self
whatsoever of the solid substance is wasted is repaired again so by Ayre and smoke is regain'd what is spent of aeriall and moist substance If therefore Ayre and smoake only which is nothing else than a thin substance and aeriall quality do nourish as Galen teacheth elegantly l. 1. de Sanitat tuend. c. 2. much more will an Odoriferous quality perform this when it is mixed with a quality that is friendly to nature Also Mathiâ—lus after Theophrastus reports that the Scythians will be content with Licoris only for ten or twenty daies and desire no other Meat or drink Object 1. Truly for the Negative part very maâ—y Arguments may be brought as that of Aristotle 2. de Anima c. 3. Where he saith that touching is the sense of Nutriment as if he had said that alâ—ment as it is tâ—sted is the Object of touching for tasting is a kinde of touching wherefore smoke being not to be touched cannot nourish Object 2. Again Nothing can give nourishment to a body unless it first concocted in the Stomach Liver and Spleen as Galen saith 1. de temper c. 1. Object 3. The same is the matter of Nutrition and Generation of the same Galen 1. de sem c. 16. wherefore Man being not Born of Smoke cannot be fed by smoke Many more Arguments may be urged Answ. We answer that smoke may be understood two waies First Formally and then it is an insensible quality different from the first qualities yet resulting from the actions of them Secondly Materially that is for the substance it is inherent in and that is Tobacco here Now this is hot and dry to be considered of for its heat and thin substance I say then that an Aromaticall sweet smell doth refresh the forces and strengtheneth the brain heart and stomach for it is a most welcome quality to these parts and therefore it preserves their temperament and substance and the vitall and animall sprits are renewed and made most fit for natures operations by a smoke joyned with a sweet sent and sucked in with that Aromaticall Vapour Apposition and Fasting together must go before Nutrition and this fume seems to be to thin and simpler than that we can imagine it can glew and fasten anywhere therefore it cannot be said to be the matter of nourishment Secondly Water cannot nourish at all 4. de usu part and 3. acut Com. 17. Therefore smoke that is more thin and unmixed cannot nourish and Galen saith 10 Meâ—h 2.9 That the Liver receives no profit by the Ayre that is drawn in and of things we Eat and Drink the Liver hath less profit than the stomach yet it receiveth some benefit as it is manifest and that reason is confirmed by Galen's Doctrine 3. de usu part c. 1. and often elsewhere when he faith That the common and greatest and first way of nourishment is by the Mouth and from thence the food is carried to the Stomach as to the common Store-house for all the parts and set in the middle of the living Creature where being once concocted it penetrateth to the liver to be turned into Blood whereby all the parts are fed but this smoke is not suckt in by the liver to be concocted into Blood therefâ—re it cannot nourish But Hippocrates may be produced for the other part lib. de Aliment where he saith that an Aery smoke drawn in by the throat may nourish his Words are The beginning of nourishment are the Ayre Nostrils Mouth Throat Lungs and Breathing c. To unâ—y this knot observe first That a man beiâ—g in continuall motion and consisting of a double matter namely Earthy and Watry which forms the solid and fleshy parts and of an Aery and fiery which forms the Spirits another principle of life Hence it is that he wants a double matter to repaire the decayed and dissipated substance of them both Namely Meat and Drink to restore Earthy and Watry part consumed but Fire and Water to make up the spirituall part as Galen doth plainly teach 1. de sâ—nit c. 2. The second Note is That though Hippocrates doth say lib. de Aliment now cited That the Spirits are noâ—rished yet they are not truly nourished since they are not the true and living parts of the body nor have they any naturall faculty to nourish them whereby they may change Aeriall matter like themselves into their own substance but they are perpetually bred fresh by the most powerfull force of the heart and strong heat tempering the thin vapours of blood with the Ayre that is drawn to it But Hippocrates saith they are fed because the life is perceived to be very much recreated and refreshed when the proper instrument is refreshed and again when the Spirâ—ts are decayed the life deprived of its proper instrument decaies also Wherefore the Spirit is bred not of its own faculty but from that which is inserted into all the principall parts and they are bred the same way almost as the Chylus is made in the stomach and blood in the Liver yet not so as if the Spirits as well as they were the matter of nutriment for they are so thin and subtill that they can stick and joyn to no part These things being first laid down it will be easie to answer the contrary Arguments To the first I answer That the Ayre 's not joyning needs not trouble us nor the unfitness of it to nourish For we do not think that the Ayre doth nourish the solid and fleshy parts really but being so mingled as I said and concocted by the strong heat of the heart I maintan it doth goe into the substance of the Spirits To the second the answer is easie For though the water alone be unfit for nourishment yet mingled with other things that nourish we find it gains a nourishing condition I answer to the Confirmation That it is true that Meats and Drinks can indeed be converted into nourishment no where but in the stomach and liver but I deny that the Ayre wants those Transmutations But to return whence I digressed Thomas Hariot in his description of Virginy reports that Tobacco is so much esteemed amongst the barbarous people that they are perswaded 〈◊〉 gods take delight 〈…〉 also wherefore they kindle sacred fires and instead of Sacrafice they cast this in in powder and when they sail they will cast the powder of it into the Ayre and Water They observe the same custome saith the same Authour making strange mimicall apish gestures sometimes stamping the earth with their feet sometimes leaping sometimes rejoycing clapping their hands and lifting them up on high sometimes looking towards Heaven and speaking incongruous words if at any time they escape any great danger I cannot let that pass that you shall hardly meet any one of these Barbarians who hath not hanging about his neck a small bundle of Tobacco with pipes made of Palme tree Leaves and who also taking with his
chearfull of their work and saith Nicolaus Monardus we found that by their example our servants and the Mâ—ors that come strangers into the West-Indians used to do the same for when they are weary and tired with many leapings and danceings they draw this Herb in by their Mouthes and Nostrils and so the same thing befals them that doth the Indians for about three or four houres they seem as if they were dead after this they are well refreshed and more able and chearfull to work then they were before And they take such pleasure in this that sometimes they will go out of sight that they may the more freely take it though they be not weary Yea they grow so mad that sometimes they are therefore punished for it by their Masters who also take care that their Tobacco may be burnt that so they may take from them all occasion of this pleasure What need more words I saw saith Nicholaus Monardus both the Servants and Moores that were not suffered to make â—hemselves drunk with Wine to drink the juyce of Tobacco and make themselves drunk wherein they take not small pleasure and they boast that it takes away wearinesse from them It is also as strange and wonderfull that the Inhabitants of Florida at some set times of the year will feed on the smoke only of this Plant which they suck into their Mouths by horns made for this use The Marriners are sufficient witnesses and many more that newly returned from Florida and more are daily coming back who having some things like horns or tunnels tide about their necks made of Palm tree leaves are much delighted with Reeds or Canes in the ends whereof these Leaves are fastned in Bundles when they are grown dry and withered Then put lighted Coles to the more narrow part of the Tunnel and draw with open mouth the fume that is raised as much as they can and they swear and maintaine it that hunger and thirst is thereby abated their Strength is restored their Spirits are cheared and their Braine is comforted with a kind of pleasant Drunkennesse and the superfluous Humours of it are consumed and an incredible quantity of Flegmatique Humours are drawn into their mouths Like to these is that which the said Monaâ—dus left in writing in his own Spanish Language The Indians saith he use Tobacco to stay hungâ—r and thirst and to drive it away for some daies that they may not need to eat or drink when they have cause to go abroad into Woods and Desarts and inhospitable places where meat and drink can hardly be got For they chew the leaves and mingle them with powder of great Cockle shels and these they hold in their mouthes together untill they come to a Mass and of that they make Trochisks so great as Pears which being dried in the shade when occasion is they use after this manner They put this pellet under their lips and fore-teeth and suck it as they travell and having sucked it all they swallow it down instead of meat and drink and fill their stomach By this means they will fast for three or four daies and lose no strength preserving as I think their native heat by the plenty of flegm which being suckt into the mouth is swallowed down with it and the stomach for want of better juyce turns it into nourishment To these things I shall adde what the most famous Physician to the Emperour Rombertus Dâ—doneus a great Scholar and who deserved much for his great skill in Plants reports in his late History of Plants I understand by the relation of my Friend saith he that drinking the juyce of this Plant about four or five Ounces in weight their belly is mightily troubled and they purge up and down after that they fall into a long and deep sleep There was a Countrey man that was strong of a middle age who had a Dropsy and he took this juyce and he when he awakened demanded for meâ—t and drink and after that he was well He relates also that he cured many Countrey-men of Agues with the distilled water of the leaves of Tobacco drâ—nk a litâ—le before his fit come But with the powder or the dry stalks and rabbish he soon cured gallings not only of men but of horses and other creatures These arâ—Dodonâ—us his words But to come more particularly to the Effects of Tobacco First of all the powder of the leveâ— of Tobacco finely beaten and sifted and blown into â—oth Noâ—trils in the morning through â— Quill is good against Catarrâ—s and all deâ—luxions upon the eyes and for pains and giddiness of the head if these proceed from a cold cause It purgeth all Humours that trouble the head marvellously like to an Errhine or nose-Purge and diverts them so we use it in the morning for some daies the body being well purged before The paines of the head legs armsf coming of wind or cold abate if you lay on one of Tobacco leaves green rosted on the fire upon the part If you want green leaves use those that are dry which you must moisten in Wine and lay under hot embers then sprinkling them with water of Naphtha they will be applied happily to the part You may do as much with the powder of the leaves dried mingling such things as are proper for these Diseases But you must repeat the cure so often untill the pain be gone In Convulsions and such like Diseases the leaves of Tobacco will do good if they be laid to the nape of the Neck Carolus Clusius affirms that the distilled water is good for clouds of the eyes to discuss them and to preserve the sight if you often wipe the eyes with it warm It cures deafness especially from a cold cause if you drop in one drop of the oyl or juyce warm into the ears for some daies together Doctor Monardus writes that he saw a man who for a long time had Ulcers in his Nostrils from whence there ran much fretting matter and filth that eat his Nostrils but at length when by his advice he snuft up the juyce of Tobacco into his Nostrils first he hawked up above twenty small worms then greater untill there were none remaining so that the inward Ulcers of his Nostrils you would have thought it a kind of Polypus were cured but the parts corroded and eaten up were not to be repaired and so it had been with all the rest had he not had the Physicians advice The juyce and oyntment of Tobacco takes away the redness of the face if you dip a fine rag in it and apply it to the cheek-bones Anoynting with the oyl doth the same or washing with the water of it A little leaf of Tobacco wrapt up into a lump be it a green or a dry leaf and this held in the mouth but the teeth must be first rubbed clean with a linnin cloath wet in the juyce of Tobacco
worms in foul Ulcers and all creeping Ulcers like as sublimate doth Also this cures hard flesh growing upon the legs of Cattle and Pack-horses whose backs are galled with burdens and Pack-saddles or if they be more hurt though the wound or wounds encline to a Cancer only apply the leaves or juyce with lint or use the dried Herb. They will be so well cured without any other Medicament that you need not to forbear your Journey Tobacco is an Antidote against Hellebore The Hunters of Spain are wont to use Hellebore because it is a present poyson to kill Deer and wild Beasts The Catholick King to try the truth of it bad a Hunter to hurt a little Dog in the throat and to put Hellborne into the wound and by and by after the juyce of Tobacco upon lint and so to bind all up and the Dog received no harm to the wonder of them all The like happened last Winter at Antwerp where one gave to a Cat of a Matron of the Town a Bolus mingled with venome because the Cat was to fierce After this the Cat could stay no where but ran up and down and tryed in vain to vomit up the poyson the Matron observing this found a way to open the Cats mouth and to thrust in a little Ball of Tobacco made up with butter The Cat presently after cast up the poyson and escaped death Thus much for Male Tobacco but the use and faculties of the Female are almost the same as of the Male and when the Male is wanting we used the Female as I have directed you before for the Male to cure by Observe this that the leaves of the Female Tobacco are good in decoctions for Clysters They are excellent against Dysenteries and the Balsam of it yeelded to no Medicament to cure a Cancer especially of the Brests The third sort of Tobacco which some call black others yellow Henbane is contrary to Tobacco in nature and qualities and therefore they do ill that foolishly use it for the true Tobacco Yet it may serve to revulse hot humours and in part to resolve hot Impostumes also in a Cancer it may restrain the heat of black choler Iohan. de vigo capite de hernia useth Henbane to resolve humours It is strange saith Monardus lib. 3. of simple Medicaments that are brought out of the new world what notable vertues and faculties are daily discovered in Tobacco For besides those related I can saith he relate as many were which I have heard others speak of and I my self have observed The juyce pressed out of the fresh leaves of Tobacco and drank the quantity of two ounces vehemently purgeth water and flegme above and beneath and therefore it is profitably given in Dropsies and the Falling-sickness Also water is distilled from the leaves of Tobacco cut in pieces in a glass Limbeck which is afterwards rectified in the Sun This is almost as good as the juyce of the Plant chiefly for Wounds Tumours Kibes and for nails that fall off from the fingers of themselves if the water be but poured into the part affected or now and then a lint or cloath wet in it and applyed Leo Suavius bids us gather the leaves in Iuly bruise them and distill them in a double Vessell with glass Instruments presently set it in the Sun and keep it a year This water taken fasting the quantity of an ounce or an ounce and half is good for an Asthma and an old cold The Oyl by infusion is thus made Take the leaves torn or cut in pieces boyl them in Oyl Olives which will be coloured press it forth rejecting the leaves then infuse fresh leaves and expose them to the Sun in a Violglass or boyl them untill the juyce be consumed this is good against Scabs Wounds and Ulcers It cures pains of the head and foulness of the skin Also Oyl may be drawn from the Seeds of Tobacco which drank in a small quantity is excellent against venome and bites of Vipers Distilled Oyl is made by descent as the Chymists call it is a Glass retort Salt is made by the Art of Chymistry from Tobacco and both of these namely the Oyl distilled and the Salt far exceed the leaves or juyce the powder or distilled water to cure Diseases because the most thin and excellent essences of it are separated which are better then the terrestriall matter for these are the next and immediate seat and subject of the faculties themselves Let no man despise or scornfully laugh at the name of Essence for Galen used it explaining the thing very fitly For I understand nothing else then he doth when he saith that some Herbs are of a more thick thin or fiery nature and essence then others are Iacobus Gohorius of Paris shews the way to make Salt of Tobacco thus Calcins Tobacco dissolve the Calx strain filtrat evaporate it there will be a Salt which will do no harm in a Caustick and not so Corrosive in dissolving malignant Ulcers wherefore this is the common way to extract Salt from all Vegetables Burn the Herb in the fire the place being swept clean with Brooms some first set it in the Sun others dry it in the shade let it burn untill it stick together in a lump Or if you proceed further to burn it to burn it to ashes you shall have more Salt Put the ashes into a glazed earthen Pot and pour fair water upon them and let it seeth some hours at the fire pour it forth into another Vessell and when the dregs are setled strain it through a linnen cloath set the strained liquour at an easie fire with few Coles that the water may evaporate and the Salt remain in the bottom The next way is more curious Burn the dried Herb in an â—arthen Pot covered by a long and strong fire untill the ashes come to be pure white and that is a sign it is perfectly calcined then let it boyl in Rain or distilled water in a Glass vessell in sifted ashes let it boyl untill a fourth part of the water be wasted then let it stand a while Pour it into another Glass and putting in some new very fine Tongues to filter it the pure and salt water will be strained into the Receiver underneath it What is filtrated must be evaporated at an easie fire in a Glass Vessell and the salt will remain at the bottom clear and pure The third way is the most exact Gather the Herb green and bruise it distill the water of it by a Limbeck calcine the faeces at a moderate fire the Vessell being stopt untill they come to ashes Let the fire be gentle that it may not consume the proper and radical moisture of the Plant for that will make it run to glass pour the water upon the earth of it and it will thirstily devoure it Digest it in Horse dung or in a Bath some daies Pour it out