Of the reconcileableness of specifick medicines to the corpuscular philosophy to which is annexed a discourse about the advantages of the use of simple medicines / by Robert Boyle ...

Of the reconcileableness of specifick medicines to the corpuscular philosophy to which is annexed a discourse about the advantages of the use of simple medicines / by Robert Boyle ...

Table of contents

Title page

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THE PREFACE.

THE Advertisement OF THE PUBLISHER.

The Publisher thought fit to translate for the benefit of every common Reader, some Latine passages contained in the foregoing Treatises.

OF THE Reconcileableness of Specifick Medicines, TO THE Corpuscular Philosophy.

The Introduction, To my Learned Friend, Dr. F.

A Paper belonging to the writings about the Mechanical Origine of Qualities.

PROPOSITION. I.

PROPOSITION. II.

PROPOSITION III.

PROPOSITION IV.

PROPOSITION V.

EXPERIMENT VI.

The Conclusion.

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AN INVITATION To the Use of Simple Medicines. To the very Learned Dr. F.

§I.

§ II.

§ III

§ IV.

§. V.

§. VI.

§. VII.

§. VIII.

A Catalogue of late Physick Books sold by Samuel Smith, at the Prince's Arms, in St. Pauls Churchyard.

Advertisement.

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OF THE Reconcileableness OF SPECIFICK MEDICINES TO THE Corpuscular Philosophy.

To which is Annexed A Discourse about the Advantages Of the Use of SIMPLE MEDICINES.

By the Honourable ROBERT BOYLE Fellow of the Royal Society.

LONDON, Printed for Sam. Smith at the' Princes Arms in St. Paul's Church-Yard. 1685.

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August 24.

Imprimatur

Hen. Maurice, Rmo. D•o. W. Cant. Archpo. a sacris.

THE PREFACE.

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THE rise of the following Tract, intimated near the beginning of it, was not such a fictitious thing as the Reader may imagine. But tho' I really receiv'd a Visit from a Physician, known to me, but by his Reputation purposely to propose to me his Objections against the Corpuscular Phylosophy, and he had a long conference with me about them; yet, because the Historical passages of that interview, cannot be circumstantially related in few words, I suppose the Reader will willingly allow me, to imploy this Preface in giving him Advertisements about the scope and design of the Treatise it ushers in.

I shall therefore advertise him, that he will be much mistaken, if he shall expect, as I perceive several have done already, to find in this Book a Collection of Receits of Specifick [Page] Remedies. For a moderate attention to the Title Page will enable him manifestly to discern, that the following Paper in its own nature, and in the direct and immediate design of it, is a Speculative discourse; since it tends but to show, that, in case there be Specifick Medicines (as 'tis probable there are some) their experienced vertues are reconcilcable to the principles of the Corpuscular, or (as many call it) the new Philosophy; and at least do not subvert them; if these Effects and Operations be not clearly explicable by them. And as this is the, avowed scope of the following Essay, so I chose to treat of it less like a Physician than a Naturalist. For Physicks being a Science, whose large extent invites and warrants its Cultivaters, to search into the nature and Phaenomina of things corporeal indefinitely; it must often happen, that the Medicinal Art and this Science will be conversant about the same subject, tho' in differing ways, and with differing scopes. [Page] For there are divers hurtful or advantageous accidents and changes of the humane Body, whereof the Naturalist takes notice, but as they are Phaenomina or changes produc'd by Natural causes in the Body of an Animal, whilst the Physician considers them as Symptoms of Diseases, or Effects of Medicines, the former directing his Speculations to the discovery of truth, and the other his Theory to the recovery of health. But because I else where particularly consider the Cognation and distinction, between the Discipline that the Naturalist, and that which the Physician cultivates, I shall for bear to mention them in this place; but rather acknowledge, that I scarce doubt but that I might have inrich'd the following discourse with some choice particulars, if I would have perus'd and borrow'd from the learned writings of the famous Dr. Willis: But besides that I had not his Books at hand, I was unwilling to be prepossess'd or byass'd by his notions, and I presum'd [Page] the Person I wrote to would not be unwilling to see, what, without their help, the consideration of the thing I treated of suggested to me. About this I shall now proceed to observe, that tho' the direct scope of the following discourse, being to explicate the Phaenomena of some bodies, which from their use, are call'd Medicinal, and declare how possibly they may produce the Effects ascrib'd to them, the ensuing discourse is for the main of a Speculative nature; yet the consequences that may be drawn from it, and the applications that in this industrious Age are like to be made of some things that it contains, may probably render it practical. For I have more than once observ'd, that divers considerable Remedies, and some not unpromising methods too, have either remain'd unthought of, both by many Galenical Physicians, and divers of their modern Antagonists too, or if propos'd by others, have been rejected or slighted, barely upon this supposition, [Page] that no rational account can be given of their way of working, or how they should do good, and 'tis said to be unworthy of a rational Physician; to make use of a Remedy, of whose manner of operating he cannot give a reason. How prejudicial it may be to many Patients, that Physicians be prepossess'd with a bad opinion of an useful Remedy, may be guess'd by him that shall consider, what multitudes of Teeming Women, that probably might have been sav'd by the skilful use of Phlebotomy, have been suffer'd to dye for want of it, upon a dislike of that Remedy that Physicians for many Ages thought to be grounded upon no less authority than a positive Aphorism of Hippocrates. And therefore if, to remove the specious objection newly mention'd against that whole kind of Remedies call'd Specificks, the following Tract has been so happy as to show, that 'tis at least possible, that Medicines said to be Specifick, may perform their operations by ways, which tho' [Page] not explicable by the vulgar Doctrine of the Schools, are intelligible, and reconcileable, to the clear Principles of the Mechanical Phylosophy: If, I say, this have been done by the Theory propos'd in this Treatise, it may conduce somewhat to inlarge the minds of many Physicians, and invite them to make use of several Remedies, of which they did not think, or against which they were prejudic'd. And since Specificks, where they can be had, are wont to be free from any immoderate manifest quality, and for the most part to work more benignly, as well as more effectually, caeteris paribus, than other Medicines; I think that to bring them into due request, and invite Physicians to search for new ones, as well as imploy those already known, may tend much to shorten many Cures, and make them more easy and more safe.

‘Est aliquid prodire tenus si non datur Ʋltra.’

THE Advertisement OF THE PUBLISHER.

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THE Author had occasion to touch upon some of the same Subjects that he here treats of, in a Book, The Usefulness of Experimental Philosophy, long since publisht; but he had the misfortune to be reduc'd to write the following Discourse about Specifick Medicines, and the Utility of Simple Remedies, in a Village where he had not that Book at hand, and could not call to mind all that he had therein published seventeen or eighteen [Page] years before: On which account, though he studiously forbore to repeat the particulars that he remembred to have set down in that Treatise, how opposite soever they would have been to his present purpose, yet having since the following Discourse was sent to the Press, got a sight of that other (which he had not read in many years) he finds upon a transient View that some of the same things are mentioned in both Books: at which discovery, though he be somewhat troubled, yet he is the less so, because they are but few, in comparison of the new ones, and set down on such occasions, or with such other circumstances, that may make a favourable Reader look on them, as not bare repetitions. And tho' in the forecited Treatise, some of the motives to make use of simple Medicines, be lightly touch'd, yet besides, that they are not all that are mention'd in the following invitation, those arguments that are there but pointed at, are here treated of, and both confirm'd, and explain'd by other Observations, and Receits. And since the Printed Book above mention'd has been [Page] for divers years very scarce, 'tis presum'd that those many Readers that have it not, will not be displeas'd to find here some few things for which they cannot resort thither: And as the Author foresaw he might be oblig'd to consent to the translation of the following papers into the Roman Tongue, so he thought his Latine Readers would not repine, tho' a great number of particulars had been borrow'd of a Book that is not yet extant in their Language.

I shall give you no farther account of the particulars contain'd in the two ensuing Treatises, since the title pages give a sufficient hint of the Noble Authors main scope, and chief design, I shall only say, that the first Treatise effectually performs what has not been as yet attempted by answering a very considerable objection against the Doctrine of the Corpuscularian Philosophers, namely, that which is taken from what we call Specifick Medicines, their vertues, and operations being hitherto judg'd by several of the learnedest sort wholly irreconcileable to the principles of the new Philosophy;[Page]whereby he gratifieth not only the curiosity of Speculative Philosophers, but does likewise a notable piece of Service to all Physicians, ushering in here and there such notions as may be the Principles of a sure, and easie Practice, yea and enable them too, to give a good account of their own Receits; I mean of those that contain Specifick Medicines, whose vertues hitherto we could not describe to our Patients, but by saying they did work we knew not how, or by some Specifick, that is by some occult or hidden quality. The second Treatise, which is an Invitation to the use of simple Medicines, is of such a general use, that Mankind is much indebted to this Noble Author for it, 'tis so well grounded both upon Reason, and Experience, that this as well as the foremention'd discourse, does fully answer the great repute of the Author both at home, and abroad, where he is commonly stil'd the English Phylosopher.

The Publisher thought fit to translate for the benefit of every common Reader, some Latine passages contained in the foregoing Treatises.

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P. 70. From the year of our Lord 1645. in the space of fourteen years I cur'd above a thousand Frebricitants without Bleeding, Purging, or Sweating, by the help of a single precipitating Remedy, without any regard to the nature of the Feaver, whether it were intermittent, or continued, whether it were a Tertian, or a Quartan, which is harder to cure than any other, yea without considering any other circumstance either of Time, Place, Sex, or Age, and that in a very short time, without any danger of Relapse, and without any considerable trouble of the Patient, if through his own. Intemperance, he fell not into new Fits again.

Kergerus de fermentati Sect. 3. cap. 3. p. mihi 250.

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P. 130. I have made my self a frequent trial of this Stone, having carried several of those little Stones tyed together about my Neck in such a manner, that the Stones did touch the Mouth of my Stomach, yet they were beneficial, tho they had nothing graven upon 'em, &c.

Galen. de simpl. med. facul. 1. 9. tit. de lap.

P. 131. We have seen sometimes the Hemerods cured, as likewise the copious monthly issues by wearing Rings made of this Stone.

Nic. Monard. simpl. med. histo. c. 36 P. 329.

OF THE Reconcileableness of Specifick Medicines, TO THE Corpuscular Philosophy.

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The Introduction, To my Learned Friend, Dr. F.

SIR,

PErceiving, by our late Conference, that the thing which most alienates you, from the Corpuscular Philosophy, is an Objection drawn from your own Profession and Experience, namely, that the Specifick Vertues of Medicines [Page] are not reconcileable to it; my unwillingness that an Hypothesis, I am so kind to as I am to the Mechanical, should continue under the disfavour of a Person I so much esteem, as I do Dr. F. makes me venture to offer you the annexed Paper, thô it be but an Inlargement of a dismembred part of what I long since, to gratify a Friend, noted about the Origine or Production of Occult Qualities. For thô I pretend not, that this Trifle should satisfy a man of your Judgment and Learning, yet it may perhaps serve to keep you from thinking it impossible, that a skilful Pen may be able quite to surmount those Difficulties, that so bad a Pen as mine is capable of lessening.

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A Paper belonging to the writings about the Mechanical Origine of Qualities.

AMong the several kinds of occult qualities that, which is afforded by Specifick Vertues of Medicines, is not here to be pretermitted. For these Qualities do not only, like other hidden ones, invite, our curiosity, but concern our health and may hereafter (if I mistake not) appear to be of much greater importance, than as yet they are commonly thought. However it may be worth while to take some notice of them in this place, if it were but because divers Learned Physicians do, as some of themselves owned to me, reject or disfavour the Corpuscular Philosophy upon this account, That they think it cannot be reconcil'd to the vertues of Specifick Remedies, or at least cannot, either in a particular or in a general way, give any tolerable account of them.

[Page] I find three sorts of Qualities mention'd in the Books of physicians, under the notion of Specifick Vertues. For by some a Medicine is said to have a Specifick Faculty, because it is eminently and peculiarly friendly to this or that particular Part of the Body, as the Heart, the Brain, the Eye, &c. By others it is said, by a Specifick Power, to attract and evacuate some determinate Humour, as Choler, Phlegm, &c But the most usual account, upon which a Medicine is said to be Specifick, is that it has the vertue to cure, by some hidden property, this or that particular disease, as a Pleurisy, an Asthma, the colick, the Dropsy, &c. And this being the principal and most common sense, in which the word Specifick is employ'd by Physicians, I shall ordinarily make use of it, in that sense, in the following discourse, but yet without so confining my self to it, as not to consider it in the two other senses, when occasion shall require.

But before I descend to particular [Page] considertions 'twill not be amiss to obviate mistakes by declaring, in what sense in this Paper, I shall employ the Term Specifick Medicine, especially in the last of the three foremention'd Acceptions.

I do not then by a Specifick understand a Medicine, that will cure the disease it is good for Infallibly, and in all Persons that take it, for I confess I never yet met with any such remedy. Nor do I by Specifick understand a Medicine that, almost like a Charm, works only by some latent and unaccountable Property, without the assistance of any known Quality, as Purgative, Diuretick, Sudorific, &c. to be found in other Medicines: But by Specifick I mean, in this discourse, such a medicine as very often, if not most commonly, does very considerably, and better than ordinary Medicines, relieve the Patient, whether by quite curing, or much lessening, his disease, and which acts principally upon the account of some Property or peculiar vertue; so that [Page] if it have any manifest Quality that is friendly, yet the good it does is greater, than can reasonably be ascribed to the degree it has of that manifest Quality, as hot, cold, bitter, sudorifick, &c.

There are two grand Questions, that may be propos'd about the Specifick vertues ascrib'd to Medicines, The first is, whether there be really any such, and the second whether, if there be, the Mechanical Hypothesis can be accommodated to them.

The former of these Questions may admit of a double sense, for it may be propos'd with respect, either to the present measure of our knowledge, or to those further attainments that, in future times, men may arrive at.

In the latter of these senses, (to dispatch first the consideration of that) I shall not presume to maintain, without restriction, either part of the Question. For I do not only hope, but am apt to think, that in time [Page] the Industry and Sagacity of men will be able to discover Intelligible causes of most of those Qualities, that now pass for Occult, and among them of many of the Specifick vertues ascrib'd to Medicines. And yet, on the other side, I much fear that men will not be successful, in tracing out the true and immediate causes of those good effects of some remedies, that depend upon such fine and uncommon Textures, and such latent and odly guided Motions, as fall not under our Senses, thô perhaps assisted by Instruments. Which conjecture will appear the less improbable, if we consider those admirable Idiosyncrasiae, or Peculiarities of Disposition, whereof the Books of eminent Writers afford us many instances, to whose number I could, upon my own Observation, add several, if I thought it needful. And, thô I am not ignorant that some of these may be plausibly accounted for, as that of some mens aversion to cheese, or to cats; yet I do not think that the like explications [Page] can be extended to some others, that might be nam'd, if it were here pertinent to discuss that throughly.

As to the former sense, of the Question lately propounded, I confess my self very amiable to the Affirmative, as far as I can judge by those writings of Physicians I have had occasion to peruse. Which limitation I add, because I would not derogate from the knowledge of particular persons, who in so learned and inquisitive an Age, may be arriv'd at far greater attainments than those Physicians have done, that have entertain'd the Publick about the Occult and Specifick Qualities of Medicines.

I know there have been, and still are, Dogmatical Physitians, that upon the Principles, as they pretend, of the School-Philosophy, reject all Medicinal vertues that they think not reducible to manifest Qualities. But of such Galen somewhere justly complains, that they either deny matters [Page] of fact, or assign very incompetent causes o the effects they pretend to explain. And, for my part, I am so far from believing these men capable of giving sufficient reasons of the more hidden Properties of Medicins, that I am not apt to think them able, by their Principles, to give clear and particular explications, even of the more easy and familiar vertues of simples.

I am therefore dispos'd to think that, in the sense formerly deliver'd of the Term Specifick Medicines, there are some Remedies that deserve that name.

To this opinion I have been led by several Reasons▪ And first (to begin with the least weighty) it has the suffrage of many learned Physicians, both Ancient and Modern, and particularly that of Galen himself in several places of his Works. And I remember that, treating of a Specifick Remedy against the biting of a mad Dog, which vertue he ascribes to an occult Quality, or, as he speaks, to [Page] the Propriety of the whole Substance;Galen. de Simpl. Medicam. Fac. Lib. 11. he takes occasion to promise, that he would write a Book of things that operate upon that account. Which Book, if it had scap'd with his other Works (for he elsewhere cites it as having written it) would probably have furnish'd us with several things to strengthen our opinion. And thô in Matters Philosophical I am little sway'd by mere Authority, yet the concurrent suffrage, of many eminent Physicians, may in this controversy be the more considerable, because most of them, being noted Practitioners, had opportunity to observe whether or no any Remedies deserv'd the name of Specificks: And their Testimony is, in our case, the more to be regarded, because Physicians, especially famous ones, are not wont to be willing to acknowledge, that there are Effects, which fall under the Cognisance of their art, whereof they cannot give the causes.

My next Inducement, to admit [Page] Specificks, is founded upon Parity of Reason: For 'tis manifest, that there are divere formidable Maladies, that are produc'd by inconsiderable quantities of Poysons, that have not been discover'd to produce such great and dismal Effects by any Manifest Quality, whether first, second, or third, as Medical Authors (I doubt not over accurately) distinguish them.

On this occasion I shall add a very odd Accident, about which I was advis'd with by an expert oculist, very soon after it happen'd: The Case was this. A man lying somewhat long in Bed in the morning, and chancing, as he lay upon his Back, to cast up his Eyes to the Tester, saw a great Spider, that stood still just over his Face: Wherefore having reproach'd his Wife, who happen'd to be in the Room, with gross negligence, she took a Broom, and struck it upon the upper part of the Tester, to beat down the Spider; but the Animal held so fast with his Feet that she miss'd her aim, and he, whether frighted [Page] or irritated by this rude shake, let fall upon the Man, that was staring at it to see what would happen, a drop of Liquor that lighted directly upon one of his open Eyes. But finding no heat nor sharpness insue, but rather a very sensible coldness, he made nothing of it, but rose and put on his cloth's. But presently after, happening to rub with his finger the other Eye, he was sadly surpriz'd to find himself suddenly benighted, and calling for assistance, he found that the Eye, which the Spider had let fall something on, thô no change were noted in it by the bystanders, was totally depriv'd of sight. Upon which score he repair'd to the above mention'd Oculists: But whether he afterwards recover'd his sight or no, I cannot tell; all the endeavours the Oculist arid I imploy'd to find out his Lodging (to which it seems he had left a wrong direction) having been Fruitless. This brought into my mind, that I had sometimes wonder'd to see how much more quickly Spiders [Page] will kill Flyes, than the cutting off their Heads, or running them quite through with Pins or Needles will do.

But to return to what I was saying, of the great Mischief done to Humane Bodies, by very small quantities of Poyson; methinks one may thence argue that it seems not improbable that Appropriated Medicines, especially when administred in greater quantity, may produce very notable changes in the Humane Body to the advantage of it. But on this occasion I expect to be told, that 'tis much more easy to do harm, than good, and I confess 'tis so in the general, but yet, in the particular case before us, I consider that some Poysons, that produce such dreadful Symptoms in the Body, are frequently cur'd by their appropriated Antidotes, which therefore must have a Sanative Power great enough, with the help but of the ordinary Concourse of Nature, to surmount the efficacy of the venemous Matter. To which I shall add this more familiar instance [Page] that as Perfumes do often enough produce various, and sometimes frightful, Symptoms in many Histerical Women; so the fumes of the burnt Feathers of Patridges, Woodcocks, &c. do frequently cure the Fit in as little time as the sweet smell procur'd it. And I have often found the smell of strong Spirit of Harts-horn, or Sal-Armoniac, recover such Women in far less time, than the fragrant odours imploy'd to make them si [...].

The Third and Principal Inducement I had, to think there are Specifick Remedies, is from Experience. I might urge, on this occasion, the Testimony of Galen, who tells us more than once, that he himself therefore confided, in the Ashes of burnt Craw-Fishes, for the cure of the biting of a Mad Dog, because never any of those that took it dy'd. And to annex that upon the by, for the usefulness of it, he adds, that thô the effect of these ashes be admirable,Galen. de simpl. Med. Fac. lib. 11. even when [Page] given alone, yet their vertue may be increased, by adding to ten parts of burnt Craw Fishes five of Gentian and one of Frank-incense. And the great vertue of these burnt Shell-fishes I find to have been taken notice of some ages before Galen; Dioscorides much commending them against the same Disease that the Pergamenian does.

I shall in this place purposely forbear to mention such Medicines, as, thô by divers learned Physicians commended as Specificks, are yet by others much question'd, if not flatly deny'd to be so. Since it may be more proper, and may perhaps suffice, to mention two or three, whose efficacy is more notorious.

'Tis known, by almost daily experience, in Italy and divers other hot Countreys, that thô the stings of Scorpions oftentimes produce very acute Pains, and formidable Symptoms, yet the Mischief is easily remedy'd, either by presently crushing the Body of the Scorpion upon the [Page] Hurt, or by anointing the part affected with Oyl of Scorpions, (for that reason to be almost every where found,) which being made by suffocating those Insects in common Oyl, and keeping it long in the Sun, the Liquor does not at all appear to have any manifest Quality, to which its sanative Efficacy may be ascribed.

The Bitings of those Serpents, which for the noise they are wont to make, with a kind of empty Bladders in their Tails, the English call Rattlesnakes, are counted much more poysonous and dangerous than the stings of Scorpions. Of which I remember a learned Eye witness, that liv'd divers years in Virginia, where they much abound, related to me a very strange Instance, which I cannot now stay to set down. And yet the English Planters, when they have the misfortune to be bitten by these Serpents, are wont to cure themselves very happily by the use of that plant, which from its effects, and the place it grows [Page] in, is well known by the name of Virginian Snakeweed, [or Serpentaria Virginiana.

That the Peruvian Bark, commonly call'd here in England the Jesuits Powder, is a Specifick against Agues, particularly Quartans, divers learned Physicians not only grant but assert. And I remember the justly famous Dt. Willis gave me this Character of it in private discourse, (not without taking notice that some decry'd it,) 'Tis the noblest Medicine we (meaning the Physicians) know. But thô I will not dispute, whether it be so certain and safe a Specifick for Agues, as 'tis believ'd by, divers eminent Doctors, yet I think it can scarce be deny'd, to be a Specifick Medicine to stop the fits of Agues, (in the notion of Specifick Remedies formerly deliver'd) since it does that far more effectually, than the generality of Physicians, for many ages, were wont to do, with their other Antifebrile Medicines.

I might here tell you, that I have [Page] my self seen a stone, whose efficacy in stopping Hemorrhagies invited my Wonder; and another, which perform'd extraordinary things in more than one Distemper thô I could not perceive that either of them did these things by any manifest Quality. And I might here add some other particulars, that may be borrow'd from Experience, in favour of our opinion, but that 'tis like they will be more properly alledg'd hereafter in some places of the remaining Part of our Discourse.

I know those, that have rejected Specifick Medicines, have confidently urg'd three plausible Arguments against them. For some Physicians deny there are any Effects of Medicines so considerable, as to make them deserve the name of Specifick. Others would probably allow that Experience favours our opinion, if they did not think the way of a Specifick Medicines operating must be inexplicable, and consequently ought not be admitted by Physicians. And others [Page] again (being of Sentiments very differing from these) will allow them to be very efficacious, but endeavour to derive their whole Efficacy from Manifest Qualities, as heat, cold, tenuity of Parts, faculty of making large Evacuations by Vomit, Siege, &c.

But these objections will be more opportunely consider'd in due places, Only there is one Argument, that may be objected by the deniers of Specifick remedies, which I confess is so specious, as to deserve to be particularly examin'd in this place, lest it should, if unremov'd, beget too strong a prejudice against a great part of the ensuing Discourse. For it may be said, that a Medicine taken in at the Mouth must, in the Stomach and Guts, be at lest very much chang'd by Digestion, and the Aliments it meets with there, and a good Part of it will be proscrib'd among excrements. That alter it has pass'd out of the Stomach, it must meet with divers strainers of differing Textures, which will probably stop all or most of the [Page] Medicinal Corpuscles that would pervade them. And that if any shal be so lucky, or so penetrating, as to surmount all these obstacles, they will probably either be assimilated unto the Substance of the Body, or quite chang'd by the parts they will be fain to combine with there. Or, if yet any should be able so obstinately to retain their pristine Nature, they will in all likely hood be too few to have any considerable operation upon the Body. But to this plausible objection I have several things to oppose by way of Answer.

1. And first I may represent, that divers Specifick Medicines, as some some Oyntments, Plaisters, Poultis's Amulets, Pericarpia, &c. Being outwardly apply'd, their Corpuscles can get into the Mass of Blood without passing through the Stomach, and consequently are not concern'd in the propos'd objection.

2. Against most of the Galenical Physicians, that are wont to urge [Page] the formerly propos'd objection, I see not why one may not argue ad hominem by putting them in mind, that the same Difficulties for the main, or others not inferior, may be alledged against a common opinion of their own. For since they believe that Purgatives, Cordials, Diaphoreticks, besides Cephalicks, Hepaticks, and some other sorts of Medicines, do contemperate, and sweeten the Blood, and usefully affect the newly mentioned stable Parts; and since these Medicines act not by naked Qualities but by small Particles, of their own substance, if they can give us an intelligible account of the ingress of these Particles in considerable numbers, into the Recesses of the Body, without being, dispoyl'd of their particular virtues, they will at the same time instruct us, how to answer the objection they urge against us.

3. And in regard the generality of Physicians hold, that Milk, and Urine, were materially in the Mass [Page] of Blood, and are separated from it by the Breasts, and Kidneys; I think one may by experience shew she invalidity of their ratiocination against Specificks. For 'tis obvious to observe, and I have several times done it my self, that Rubarb will (perhaps for many hours) tinge the Urine of those that take any considerable dose of it And in some of our English American Colonies, there grows a fruit, which the planters call the Prickled Pear, whose inward Substance is exceeding red, and whose being pleasant in tast, as well as colour, frequently invites eaters; but its Juice is of so penetrating a nature, that it passes from the stomach into the Bladder, and then into the chamberpot, with so little loss of its redness, that strangers are wont to be surpris'd and frighted at it, as thinking this unknown fruit had made them void bloody Urine, if not blood rather than Urine. This is a known thing among those, that have dwelt in our Southern Plantations, and has [Page] been affirm'd to me by unsuspected Eye-witnesses, and among them by a famous Physician. As for Milk, the great Hippocrates himself informs us, that if a Woman, or a she-goat take Elaterium, the Cathartick vertue passes into the Milk, and will purge the Child that drinks it. And I remember that haying occasion to make some stay, in the Spring or beginning of Summer, in the confines of Switzerland and Savoy, I had the opportunity to observe this odd Phaenomenon, That when the Cows, in that District, fed, as they would in that season plentifully do, upon a certain weed, said to be a kind of Wild-Garlick, that grew copiously in the Pastures, the very Butter made of their Milk had so rank a tast of the Herb, that though I was not, yet divers other strangers were, thereby diverted from eating of it, though otherwise fresh and good. And I remember too, that having pass'd a Winter on the Seacoast of the County of Cork in Ireland, I found it a known observation, [Page] that a sort of greedy Sea-fowl, whose name comes not now into my mind, living almost wholly upon Fish, (upon whose scholes I have sometimes wondered to see such a multitude of ravenous Fowls attending) they acquire a Tast that makes some pleasantly Question, whether the food they afford be to be reputed flesh or fish. But how constantly the Particles of divers Bodies may retain their nature in all the digestion, and strainers they pass through, I have more amply discours'd in another Tract, About the concealments and disguises of seminal Principles. And I presume I have here said enough, to allow me to proceed to the fourth part of my answer.

4. I consider then, in the last place, that whereas 'tis objected, that so small a quantity of the matter of a Specifick, as is able to retain its nature when it arrives at the part it should work on, must have little or no power left to relieve it. This difficulty will not much stagger those [Page] that know, how unsafe it is to measure the power that natural Agents may have, to work upon such an engine as the Humane Body, by their bulk rather than by their subtilty and and activity A sober Gentleman, that was Governour of a Colony in the Torrid one, and commanded a Warlike English Vessel, that sail'd up very far in the great River of Gambia or Gambra in Africk, and staid there some time to trade with the Negro's of the Inland Countrey, being inquired of by me, among other things, about the Poysons that are said to be extraordinarily powerful in the Parts he came from; he answered me, that the Blacks had a Poyson, that was, though somewhat slow, yet very mortal; in so small a dose, that it was usual for them to hide enough of it to kill a man, under one of their Nails, which they wear somewhat long: Whence they would drop it so dextrously into the Drink, or Milk, or Broth or other Liquid Aliment of those they ow a spite to, that 'tis scarce [Page] possible for a stranger to be watchful enough to prevent it. For which reason, as he told me, though he sometimes eat with their petty Princes, or Governours, at the same table, yet he would never eat out of the same dish, nor drink out of the same Cups with any of them. He added that, in another part of Africa, a famous Knight, who commanded the English there, and lately died a ship-board in his way home, was so poysoned at a parting Treat, by a young Negro Woman of Quality, whom he had enjoy'd and declin'd to take with him, according to his promise, into Europe. And though my Relator early gave him notice of what he suspected to be the cause of this Indisposition, and engag'd him thereupon to take Antidotes, and Cordials, as Treacle, &c. yet his languishing distemper still increased, till it kill'd him.

I could name a Vegetable Substance, growing in Europe, and perhaps not far from hence, which though some Empiricks employ as a Medicine, is [Page] so violently, operative, that a Learned and famous Modern Physitian relates, that no more than half a grain would work so violently, as to cause very dangerous Hypercatharses, of which though he remedy'd some, yet he was not able to keep all from being Mortal. And because many ingenious men deny that out English Vipers are poysonous, I shall add in favour of the Argument that I have been enforcing that I know a Young man, who having been bitten by an English Viper, which he too rashly laid hold on, though the tooth pricked but his hand, yet the venom, convey'd by so small a hurt which perhaps equal'd not in quantity the hundredth part of Pins head, quickly produc'd in him the bad Symptoms that usually follow the Biteing of that Serpent,; And among others (for I particularly ask'd him about that) a violent vomiting of ill condition'd stuff. I know also a person, that practis'd Physick in the Isle of Iava, where Scorpions are held to be more [Page] venemous than in Italy who having, after he had drank some what freely, provok'd, and bin stung by, a Scorpion, thô the Hurt was but in his Thumb, and was so small that I could not perceive the least scar it had left, that it put him presently to such violent tortures, for some hours, till he had procur'd Specifick remedies, that he look'd upon himself a dead man; and felt so raging a heat within that he thought (to use his own Expression) that hellfire was got into his Body. Nor is it only by mere poysons, that a Humane Body may be greatly affected, thô the agent be but very inconsiderable for bulk and weight, for we see, that divers Women, otherwise strong and healthy, will be cast into sounding fits, and perhaps will complain of suffocation, and be put into convulsive Motions, by the fragrant Odours of Musk, or Civet; though if all the Effluvia, that cause these Symptomes, were reduc'd into one aggregate, this would not probably amount to a hundredth, nor perhaps to a thousandth, [Page] part of a grain. And I have oftentimes speedily suppress'd such fits, by the odour of the volatile Salts Harts-horn, Sal Armoniac, or the like, or of destill'd Spirits abounding with such Salts; though perhaps all the Particles, that actually relieved the patient, and calm'd these frightful Symptoms, if pack'd together, would not have equal'd, either in bigness or in weight, the tenth, not to say the fifteenth, or the hundredth, part of a grain of mustard-seed. And as for inward remedies, 'tis vulgarly known, that in the infusion of Crocus Metallorum, Corpuscles that render the Liquor vehemently vomitive and Purgative, are so very minute, that great proportions of Wine, or other Vehicles may▪ be strongly impregnated with them without any sensible diminution of the Body that parts with them. And of this we have a not less, if not more, considerable instance, when Quick-Silver is decocted or long infus'd in common Water. For Helmont observes that, [Page] though the Liquor be not altered in Colour, or Tast, nor the Quick-silver at all sensibly chang'd, nay nor grown any thing lighter in a ballance, yet the Liquor does, by means of these insensible and unponderable Effluxes of the Quicksilver, acquire a notable virtue against worms; for which purpose not only Helmont, but before him that experienc'd Chymist Hartman, and another eminent Writer, extoll this Medicine. And on this occasion I remember that a fine Boy, born to be heir to a very illustrious family, falling into a dangerous Feaver, which was judg'd to proceed from worms or verminous matter; a famous and Experienc'd Physitian, that treated him, confess'd to me, that he was out of hopes of him; Because the Child, having been bred to have his will, and tir'd with unsuccessful Remedies, was so obstinate and carefull in refusing to take any thing, that smeld or relish'd of a Medicine, that he forbore, in spite of all the art us'd to deceive him, even to drink [Page] any thing but small Beer Whereupon I perswaded both the Doctor, and the Lord, whose son the child was, to impregnate his small beer with Mercurial particles, by frequently shaking it with good Quick-silver in it. By which means the patient, perceiving no change of Colour or Tast in the Drink, swallow'd it greedily, and through the blessing of God was soon after restor'd to a Health, which the Parties concern'd ascrib'd to the Mercurial remedy.

I should condemn my self, for having bestowed so many words upon one objection, but that I hope the Answer, given to it in this place, will facilitate and shortens several things relating to my present Subject Specifick Medicines. About which I shall now proceed to offer my thougths in some Propositions, and short discourses upon them.

Having now dispatch'd the first of the two formerly propos'd Inquiries, I proceed to the second, namely, whether the Mechanical Hypothesis [Page] can be accommodated to Specifick Medicines, so as that they may be either intelligibly explicated by a, or at least shown to be reconcilable to it. I presume you will easily believe, that there are few writers more inclinable, than I'am, to confess the dimness of our knowledge, and the obscurity of many things in nature; or that are more forward than I to grant, that many of the operations, of Specifick Medicines, are to be reckoned among those abstruse things, whereof nature seems to affect the concealment. But notwithstanding this, when I consider how comprehensive and fertile the principles of the Corpuscular Philosophy are, I cannot despair bur that it will be found, that divers of the effects of these Medicines may be, in a general way explicated by them, and not any will appear inconsistent with them. This I desire may be here taken notice of once for all that, retaining the Scope of the following discourse still in your memory, you may not think [Page] it strange, that I content my self, on most occasions, to give in general possible explications, and to shew that Specifick Medicines may operate on some such account as I propose, without affirming that they certainly do so I observ'd soon after the beginning of this Paper that there were three sorts of virtues to which Physicians (thô not unanimously) have given this Title of Specifick; namely such as evacuate some particular humour, such as are peculiarly friendly to this or that part of the Humane Body, and such as in an unknown way cure or much lessen this or that determinate Disease. But yet I shall now apply my discourse peculiarly to the last sort of these Medicines, as being both more considerable in it self and the chief subject intended in present Discourse, giving nevertheless, as occasion serves, such additional Hints and observations, as may make the Reflections, belonging to this Third sort of Specificks, easily applicable Mutatis Mutandis to the other two.

[Page] And I shall begin with laying here for a foundation what I have in another Treatise had occasion to deliver and make out, namely, That a living Humane Body is not to be look'd upon as a mere statue, or a mere Congeries of the Materials 'tis compos'd of, Flesh, Blood, Bones, Fat, Nerves, Veins, Arteries, &c. But an admirably fram'd Engine, consisting of Stable, Liquid, and Pneumatick Substances, so exquisitely adapted to their respective functions and Uses, that oftentimes the effects of an agent upon it are not to be measured so much by the power of that agent considered in it self, as by the effects that are consequently produc'd by the action of the parts of the Living Engine it self upon one another.

This premis'd, I consider▪ that there is no need to grant that the operations of all Specificks, or of the same in differing Diseases, must be of one kind; but that differing Specificks may operate in several manners, and some by one of these ways may oppugn [Page] such a disease, and others may do good against such another. And of these general ways I shall briefly propose six or seven that now occur to my thoughts. For having first given you this important caution, that the Specifick Remedy do's not commonly (though sometimes it may) relieve the patient by this or that single way of operating, but by a concurrence of two or more, that as it were joyn their forces to produce the desired effect.

PROPOSITION. I.

And first, sometimes the Specifick Medicine may cure by discussing, or resolving the morbifick matter, and thereby making it fit for expulsion by the greater common shores of the Body, and the Pores of the skin.

'Tis known that many Diseases, and those oftentimes stubborn and Chronical, proceed from certain tough or viscous Humours, that obstruct the passages wereby the blood should [Page] circulate, or other usefull Liquors be transmitted. And these peccant Humours are oftentimes so viscid and obstinate, that ordinary Remedies will do little or no good upon them. And yet a Specifick may, by the smalness, and congruous Figure of some of its Corpuscles, get through the Pores into the Recesses of this stubborn matter; and by their solidity, Figure, and Agitation, promoted by the heat of the patients Body, may dissolve and ruine the texture of the Morbifick matter, and render it capable of being proscribed by nature, by Urine, Sweat, or some other commodious and innocent Evacuation. Thus the blood, or some other Liquor of the Body, being (to use the Chymists Phrase) impregnated with the friendly and operative Particles of the Remedy, becomes an appropriated Menstruum in referrence to the Pecant matter: impregnated with Sal Armoniack becomes a Menstruum, that by degrees will dissolve both Copper and Iron, as compact bodies as they are. I said appropriated Menstruum, because [Page] there is no sufficient reason to suppose, that the Menstruum works by any manifest quality, as Heat Moisture, &c. or even by Acidity it self: But rather by virtue of the fitness, which the shape, bulk, solidilty, and other Mechanical affections of its particles, concur to give it, to disjoyn the parts of a body of such a determinate Texture. For as I have in another Paper amply shewn, there are far more Menstruums of distinct sorts than are commonly taken notice of, and the operations of these cannot safely be measured by the strength of their manifest qualities, since it may several times happen, that a Menstruum, less acid or less strongly tasted, may dissolve this or that body, which another Menstruum, that seems far stronger, will not work on. Thus cold water will dissolve the white of an Egg, which pure spirit of wine will be so far from dissolving, that it will coagulate it; [and so will spirit of Salt and Oyl of Vitriol it self.] Thus dephlegm'd spirit of Urine [Page] will readily dissolve minute filings of Copper, which spirit of Vinegar will but slowly work upon; and yet this Liquor will speedily dissolve Crabs Eyes, which spirit of Urine will leave entire. Thus Quicksilver, that is insipid, will in the cold dissolve Gold, which Aqua Fortis it self, though assisted by exeternal heat will not work upon; and yet Aqua Fortis will furiously bear asunder the parts of Iron, though Quicksilver will not so much as adhere to its surface. And thus in fine (not to accumulate instances) common Oyl, that is so smooth upon the Tongue, and will not dissolve so much as an Egg-shell, will dissolve Brimstone, which yet will resist Aqua Fortis it self, that will dissolve almost all Metals, beside many hard Stones and Minerals. And I know a liquor, having more than once prepar'd it, which, though so weak that one may drink a Wine Glass full of it pure without danger, will yet work on some very hard bodies, both Stones & [Page] Metals, in a way that is not to be matched, among the highly corrosive Menstruums in use among Chymists.

And now, supposing that the active Corpuscles, of a specifick Medicineassociated with the blood, or other Vehicle they impregnate, may act upon the morbifick matters they meet with in the body, after the manner of Menstruum; supposing this I say, we may hence illustrate several things that have reference to the operation of specifick Medicines.

1. And we may hence derive a Guess, why an appropriated Medicine will perform things, which will not be done by another, whose manifest qualities seem to be the same for kind, and much stronger in degree. For Menstruums do not always act according to the degree of their Acidity, or the like sensible quality, but according to the congruity of their Corpuscles to the pores of the body they are to dissolve; and also oftentimes according to a fitness that depends upon other Mechanical Affections [Page] of the acting Liquor. And therefore Physicians, as well as others, may easily mistake in their Argumentations à majori ad minus, & à minori ad majus. For the consequence is not good to argue either thus, Water, which is so strengthless Liquor, will dissolve Gum Arabic, therefore highly rectified spirit of Wine, which is a much more subtil and penetrateing Liquor, will doe the same thing more powerfully; for Experience shews, it will not dissolve it at all: or thus, strong Oyl of Vitriol is more corrosive in taste, and will dissolve many bodies that Aqua Fortis will not, therefore it will also dissolve Silver as well as Aqua Fortis, the contrary of which is true. Nay 'tis not a good inference to argue thus, Aqua Fortis is dissolves Silver by virtue of its acid Spirits, therefore the more it abounds with these, the more potently it will dissolve that Metal, whereas I have elsewhere prov'd by Experience, that if Aqua Fortis be made exceeding strong, it will not [Page] work upon Silver, but it will readily do it if it be weakned by the addition of a fit quantity of Common Water.

To this I shall add, that the dissolution of a Body may depend, as well upon the peculiar texture of the body it self, as the manifest strength of the Menstruum.

2ly. The foregoing Doctrine may suggest a Reason, why a Medicine that does wonders in one disease, may do little or nothing in another, that some may think to be a kin to it, and perhaps too, more easily superable by it. For the presum'd cognation may not be so great, but that some dissimilitude of texture in the morbifick matters, may make one of them unfit to be wrought upon by the same Menstruum that dissoloves the other. And though pure Spirit of Wine will easily enough dissolve Gummi Guajacum, and also the little portion of resinous matter that are harbour'd in the Pores and small cavities of the Wood; yet the same Menstruum will [Page] not work upon the Wood it self of the Tree that affords those soluble Substances.

3. This may keep it from being thought strange, that Specifick Medicines should sometimes fail of their usual Effects. For, as the Bodies of individual Patients, may differ very much, either according to their natural Constitution, or to that which they acquire by the disease that distempers them, or on both those accounts; So it ought not to seem strange, that in some sick Persons among many, the congruity between the agent ct patient should be alter'd, either by some considerable change in the Texture of the Morbifick matter, or by some notable alteration that the Corpuscles of the Medicine receive in their passage through the Vessels, by the admixture of some incongruous Particles of the Blood or other Vehicle. Thus Spirit of Salt will, as I have try'd, dissolve Copper, as Spirit of Niter does: which notwithstanding, thô this last nam'd Liquor will dissolve Silver, [Page] yet if you mix with it Spirit of Salt, which by the like operation of both upon Copper, seems to be amicable to it, the Spirit of Niter will no more be able to dissolve Silver, as it could before.

4thly. Our Hypothesis may also hint to us an answer to one of the main and most plausible objections of the deniers of Specifick Medicines. For some of them ask in a Scornful way, how 'tis possible that a Medicine should rove up and down in the Mass of Blood, and neglecting all other things, should single out, and fasten upon the Morbifick matter men wish it should proscribe. For if the Medicine acts by impregnating the Blood, or some other Liquor of the Body, and turning it into a kind of Menstruum, 'tis very possible, both that the strainers through which the Corpuscles must pass, may keep back the inconvenient parts of the vehicle, and (which is in our case more considerable) the Menstruum may be either appropriated to the peccant Humour, [Page] as has been formerly declar'd, or else may at least be qualify'd, to resolve that more easily than any other Substance it meets with in the Body. As if you take some Bone-ashes, and Crocus Martis, and Saw-dust, and powdered Sea-Salt, and Filings of Gold, and blend all these together, if upon one half of this mixture you pour common Water, it will not meddle with any other of the Ingredients except the Sea-Salt, which it will readily dissolve: & if upon the other half of the same mixture, you put a sufficient quantity of Quick-silver, and rub them together, this Metalline Liquor will neglect all the rest of the Ingredients, and the Sea Salt it self, and fasten upon the Gold. And those that work in the Spanish Gold mines inform us, that when they have well ground some Ore, that contains Gold and Copper, besides Heterogeneous Minerals, well heated Quick-silver will take up the Gold much sooner and better than it will the Copper, scarce meddling with the latter, as long [Page] as there remains any not despicable quantity of the former, to be wrought upon by it. And as for the supposed difficulty, that the Medicine should Ferret out, if I may so speak, the morbifick matter, in what vessel soever of the Body it lies, this objection might have been considerable, before the discovery of the Bloods circulation: But 'tis not so now that we know, that things that once get into the Mass of Blood, are presently whirl'd about with it, and may be convey'd by it even to small vessels lying in the remotest Parts of the Body.

5thly. And this prompts me to take notice, that our Hypothesis may help us to answer those many learned Physicians, that either reject, or at least despise, most External remedies, especially Pericarpia, Amulets, and Appensa, upon a supposition, both that they neither can furnish the Body they do but externally touch, with any store of Medicinal Particles; and which is chiefly in this place to be [Page] consider'd, that being but external remedies, they must be very unable to do good in Internal diseases, especially such as are seated in Parts, remote from those which the Medicine is apply'd to. But as to the former part of the objection, 'twill not be difficult to answer it to him that has read what I have elsewhere written of the subtility, numerousness and efficacy of Effluviums. And we need but consider, what plenty of Particles sensible to the nostrils, are for a long time emitted by a small quantity of Amber-greece, or even of Camphire (which is often externally us'd) and the multitude of Magnetical Corpuscles, that for many years constantly effluviate from a small vigorous Load-stone, to think it possible that even dry and stable Bodies may afford sufficient store of effluvia, to perform considerable things in so curiously fram'd an Engine, as the Humane Body is; where we see that the odour of Musk, or Civet, for instance, may speedily cast divers Persons into Fits, and the smell [Page] of Castor or Assa faetida, and much more that of Salt of Harts-horn or of Sal Armoniack, quickly relieve them. And as to the Second Part of the objection, what I have elsewhere made out, and the best Modern Physicians grant,The Essay of the Porosity of Animal Bodies. of the Porosity of the Skin, shows, that 'tis very possible for the subtil Effluvia of several Bodies, to get through the Pores of the Skin; and when they have once got admittance, so much as into the smaller Vessels, 'tis easie to conceive how these may carry them into the greater, and consequently into the Mass of Blood, by whose Circulation they may be readily conveyed to all the Parts of the Body, and among them to the seat of the disease: & perhaps, (to add that upon the by,) the efficacy of these Corpuscles, that, if I may so speak, get in at the Key-hole, not at the Door, may be the more considerable, because they get presently into the Mass of Blood, without passing thrô those [Page] Digestions in the stomach and other Parts, which oftentimes much weaken the vertue of Medicines taken in at the Mouth, before they arrive at the Blood.

PROPOSITION. II.

Sometimes a Specifick Medicine may mortify the over Acid, or other immoderate Particles that infest the Mass of Blood, and destroy their coagulatory or other effects.

Thô I am not of their opinion, who of late are wont to impute almost all Diseases to acidity, abounding in the Blood and other Liquors of the Body, by whose intervention the stable parts also are offended; yet I readily grant that a considerable number of Distempers are, at least in great part, produc'd either by Acids themselves, or by their bad effects or Productions. Agreeably to which Doctrine we may very probably conceive, that several Maladies may be either quite [Page] cur'd, or much lessen'd, by a Specifick Remedy that abounds in Corpuscles fitted to mortify Acids. This mortification may be effected by more than one way, and of these wayes the chief that now occur to my thoughts, are two.

For there are some Bodies, that mortify or disable Acids by a positive Hostility, if I may so term it; that is, by such a contrariety as is discernable by the Tast, and more by the visible conflict, and manifest Tumult, that is produc'd, when they come to invade an Acid. Of this sort of mortifiers of Acids, are the most part of those that are call'd Alcalisate Salts. Whether fixt, as the Lixivial Salts of Plants, or volatile, as the Spirits and ascending Salts of Urine, Blood, Harts-horn, Soot, &c. As may be exemplify'd, when any of these comes to be mingled with Aqua fortis, Spirit of Salt, Oyl of Vitriol, or the like Acid Liquors, by which by the way we may see, that those Galenists mistake, who ascribe the vertues of Spirit of Harts-horn, [Page] and of Urine, only to their tenuity of Parts, Briskness of Motion, and the like affections, that they might not seem beholding to the Chymists for so useful a notion, as that of the contrariety of Acids and Alcalies.

The other principal way, by which Acids may be mortifi'd, or disabled to bite, is by Sheathing them, if I may so express it. For as a knife may be disabled to cut, either by filing off or otherwise blunting its Edge, or else by covering the Blade with a sheath fit for it, or by sticking it into a Loaf of Bread, or the like Body fit to receive and detain the whole Blade; so an Acid Corpuscle may lose its power of cutting or pricking, either by having its Figure spoil'd by the action of a strong and manifest Alcaly, or else by being as it were sheath'd in a Porous Body, thô perhaps endow'd with no Tast, or any other manifest Quality, by which one would think it contrary to the Acid it disables, as a file is to the edge of a knife. [Page] Of this way of mortifying Acids, Chymical operations afford us many instances, as when Menium destroyes the Acidity of Spirit of Vinegar, as I have found Chalk will do that of Aqua Fortis it self; and Lapis Calaminaris very much lessens, as well as alters, the Acidity of Spirit of Salt, and even of Spirit of Niter. And I the rather mention this Mineral, both because its Qualities are less known to Physicians, and the generality of Chymists, and because it supplies me with an Argument to prove that Acids may be, thô I do not think they alwayes are, rather sheath'd in, than destroy'd by the Bodies that silently mortify them. For, as Glauber has truly enough observed, Acid Spirits (as I have try'd in some) may by force of fire be driven in Distillation out of the Lapis Calaminaris, very much dephlegm'd, and stronger than before.

I know it may be here objected, that the Mortification of Acids is perform'd [Page] by a manifest Quality, and therefore makes nothing for the feavourers of Specifick Medicines. But to this I answer.

1. That the power of mortifying Acids, especially by sheathing them, or if you please, by Absorption of them, is none of those Qualities, whether First, Second or Third, that the former Physicians took notice of in Medicines; thô the sufficiency of these Qualities to cure diseases, has been, and still is, us'd by many as a ground of denying the Specifick vertues of remedies.

2. That I have often look'd upon it as an happy mistake, and of ill consequence, that so many learned modern Physicians take it for granted, that if a Medicine be endow'd with a manifest Quality, as Acid or Alcalisate, the good it does, (and the like for the most part may be said of the Harm) may safely be abscrib'd to that Quality, that is to its being of an Acid, or else of an Alcalisate nature; whereas in my poor Judgment, there [Page] being a considerable disparity, as various Tryals have assur'd me, between Acid and Acid, as likewise between Alcaly aud Alcaly, 'tis fit to distinguish betwixt an Acid for instance, as meerly such, and the peculiar modification that may belong to that Acid. Thus, thô all Acid Menstruums that I know of, if they be well dephlegm'd, will dissolve Copper, yet Aqua Regis that will dissolve not only that Metal, but the much more closely compacted body of Gold, will not at all dissolve Silver; as on the other side Aqua Fortis, as corrosive a Menstruum as it is, will not of it self dissolve Gold, but if you give it a new Modification, by adding to it common Spirit of Salt, which it self I have often found (whatever Chymists think or have written to the contrary) will leave it entire, the Aqua Fortis will easily dissolve that Metal. Nay a different Modification may not only make a Disparity between Acid, but that which according to the receiv'd way of Judging, ought to be call'd a contrariety: [Page] for Spirit of Salt will precipitate Silver, which Aqua Fortis has dissolv'd, and Spirit of Niter, thô one of the Acidest Menstruums we have, will not only precipitate an Antimonical powder out of that odd substance, that Chymists call Butter of Antimony, but will do it with a wonderful conflict, tumult, and effervesence; and yet this Butter of Antimony is so highly Acid, that a little quantity of it, put into a considerable one of Water, makes it so sour, that many Chymists call it Acetum Philosophorum. And now to apply these things to the lately propos'd objection, I desire it may be remembred, that near the beginning of this Letter I plainly intimated to you, that I did not deny, but that a Specifick Medicine may sometimes be accompany'd with, or even in part operate by a manifest quality, but that yet I thought the good effect was not due, barely to the kind or degree of the manifest Quality, but to somewhat superadded which gave it a Specifick vertue, [Page] against this or that particular Disease. And suitably to this it may be said, that, as there are several kinds of Acids, and of Alcalies too, 'tis not every Acid that will be mortifi'd by every Alcaly; and have its Effects destroy'd by it, which may be illustrated by this, that, thô when Copper is dissolved in Aqua Fortis 'tis possible, by the help of meer Chalk skilfully apply'd to make the Menstruum let go the Corpuscles of the Metal, yet if upon such a high colour'd solution of Copper, you shall pour (as to convince some ingenious men, I have purposely done a due quantity of Spirit of Urine, or the like volatile Alcaly, thô there will presently ensue a great conflict and manifest ebullition, with noise and store of Bubbles, yet between these Hostile Salts, a multitude of the Acid Corpuscles of the Aqua Fortis will not be so mortified, as to let go the Metal, but the solution varying its colour, will have and keep a deeper one than before.

And when I consider the differences [Page] that a Skilful Observer may find, between Vinegar, Alum, Crystals of Tartar, Juice of Lemmons, Juice of Barbaries, the essential Salts (as Chymists call them) of those Plants that are sour in Tast, to omit divers other Acids, I am apt to think, that disorder'd nature may have, in a diseased Body, produc'd Acids of several sorts which are not particularly known to us, and that some of these may be of such a nature, that none of our common Alcalies, as such, is able to mortify them, and which yet may be mortify'd, at least by the way of Sheathing, by some appropriated or peculiarly modify'd Corpuscles of a Specifick Remedy which may be illustrated by what is elsewhere observ'd, that, thô neither Spirit of Vinegar, nor Spirit of Salt, nor Oyl of Vitriol it self, would, as far as I have try'd, dissolve a stone taken out of a mans Body, yet Spirit of Niter, (which does not dissolve several Podies, that I have found dissoluble in Oyl of Vitriol) [Page] will readily work upon it, and thereby lose, its Corrosiveness.

Before I leave this Subject, 'twill not be amiss to intimare a couple of things, that perhaps you will not think impertinent to it.

One of these is, that, whereas I not long ago distinctly nam'd Acids themselves and their Productions, I did it (not out of Inadvertence, but) because I think Preternatural Acids do not only disaffect the Body whilest they continue sensibly Acid, but may in divers cases be the causes of some Distempers, whereof most men would think them more likely to be the remedies. For, thô Acids be reputed to have an Incisive and Resolutive vertue, and therefore Oxymel and some other Acetous Medicines are commended to cut tough Phlegm, and Spirit of Vitriol is us'd for the same purpose, and to dissolve coagulated Blood; Yet, as I am willing to grant this vertue unto Acids in some cases, so there are others wherein I much [Page] suspect, that obstructions, and consequently the diseases that usually attend obstinate ones, may be occasion'd by Acids, as they coagulate some Fluids in the Mass of Blood, that are dispos'd to be thicken'd by them, and by that consistence made unfit to pass with the rest of the circulating Blood, through the smaller Vessels and strainers of the Body, where upon that account they make obstructions. This I shall exemplify by the coagulation that I have made by some Acid Salts, as Spirit of Salt, of the White of an Egg, especially if by beating reduc'd to an Aqueous Consistence. And the like coagulation may easily be effected in Milk, which may not only be speedily curdl'd with Spirit of Salt, but, as is known by Bodies not Chymically prepar'd, as Rennet and Juice of Lemons. And Experiments purposely made have shown, that, if some Acids be convey'd immediately into the Mass of Blood, they will coagulate even that Liquor, whilst it continues [Page] in the Vessels of the yet living Animals.

The other thing I lately told you, I was to observe, is, that, thô Acid Corpuscles are those, that modern Physicians and Chymists are wont to take notice of as hurtful, both in the Blood and stable Parts of the Body, except the Stomach, and perhaps some few neighbouring Parts, as the Spleen and Pancres. And, thô some ingenious men proceed so far, as to impute almost all Diseases to the bad Effects of Acids, yet I am very inclinable to think, that divers maladies and ttoublesom Symptoms proceed from Corpuscles, that, whether they be of a Saline nature or not, are different from Acids properly so call'd. For I consider, that there may be many Bodie, which may as 'twere result from the combination of Acids with other Saline Particles, that much alter their nature, as I have elsewhere noted, that Spirit of Salt will, with Spirit of Urine, compose a kind of Sal-Armoniac; and Spirit of Niter with Salt of [Page] Tartar dissolv'd in common Water, will concoagulate with it into Salt Petre (or a Body exceeding like it,) and the same Spirit of Niter or Aqua Fortis with Spirit of Urine, or of Blood, or the like, will afford a very fusible Salt, differing enough from what either of the Ingredients was before their conjunction. And 'tis vulgarly known, that Oyl of Vitriol, and Oyl of Tartar per deliquium, do by their coalition produce Tartarum Vitriolatum, in which the Acidity of the former, and the Alcalisateness of the latter, are very much infring'd, a third Body being by resultancy produc'd, that differs much both from the former and the latter Oyl, or rather Saline Liquor. And when, besides Instances of this nature, I consider how many differing sorts of Corpuscles so fruitful a Principle as nature may have form'd, that, without being Acid, may yet have notable and hurtful Effects upon the Blood, or some particular solid part of the Body. It seems probable to me, that there [Page] may be other Qualities requir'd, to mortify or disable these Morbifick Corpuscles, than a contrariety to Acid Salts, and consequently, that a Medicine that affords Corpuscles peculiarly fitted to correct or enervate this particular sort of hurtful ones, may deserve the name of a Specifick.

And here I further consider, that, as in the Body there may be divers coagulations made by Saline Corpuscles manifestly Acid; so there may be others produc'd by Corpuscles, Whether Saline in tast or no, that are not manifestly Acid, but perhaps rather of a contrary nature, which observation, being wont to be overlook'd by Physicians, and yet in my opinion of no small importance, may deserve to be a little the more carefully made out. I have sometimes for curiosity made a Liquor, that was not in Tast either Acid or Urinous; to which having put a moderate proportion of a distill'd Liquor, which it self was not in tast either [Page] Acid, or Urinous, or lixiviate, it would in a very short time, perhaps in not many minutes, be coagulated into so consistent a Body, that, thô the wide mouth'd Vessel were held with the Orifice downwards, nothing would fall out of it.

I have taught in another (unpublish'd Paper, that if upon a certain solution (which I there show how to make) one drop some Spirit of Urine, or anorhet Volatile Alcaly, there will presently be produc'd a Gelly, whose consistence and colour may make it easily be taken for common Starch, ready to be imploy'd to stiffen Linnen.

The like Gelly, but more transparent, I have more than once made, without the help of any thing, that is sensibly Acid or Urinous.

I have also, to convince some virtuosi, showed them somewhat to their surprise, a substance I had prepar'd without the help of Urine, or any volatile Alcaly, (and sometimes [Page] almost in a trice) that would in very few minutes coagulate above twice, if not thrice its weight of highly rectify'd and inflamable vinous Spirit into a stable Mass.

And to shew you, that 'tis not requisite that a Liquor be strongly, or so much as sensibly Acid, to coagulate an Animal Substance, as I lately noted, that the Spirit of Salt did the White of an egg, I shall add, that well dephlegm'd Spirit of Wine will do the same thing as well, if not better.

PROPOSITION III.

Sometimes the Specifick Medicine may help the Patient, by precipitating the Peccant matter out of the Blood, or other Liquor (of the Body) that harbours it.

Thô Precipitation be oftentimes a consequent of the Mortification of Acids, or of Alcalies, by Corpuscles [Page] of a contrary Quality, yet I thought fit to say something of it apart: Because I have observed that some Acids and Alcalies may be put together without causing Precipitation by their contrariety; and on the other side, that divers Precipitations may be produc'd where there do's not appear any Hostility, though I know divers ingenious men, who think this Effect it self a sufficient Argument, that the hostility of Acids and Alcalies must be the cause of it. But that should not be taken for granted, but prov'd by collateral Experiments, that do not suppose the Truth of the Hypothesis it self. But to proceed to our Exampls, I know (and elsewhere mention) several Urinous Spirits, that I could mix with Acid Menstruum without making any manifest Conflict, or Precipitation; And on the otherside, Acids and Alcalies, that will make a manifest Conflict by their mutual creation, and yet if they be mingled in a just proportion, will have for the consequent of their [Page] Mixture, Coalition instead of Precipitation; as may be exemplified in certain Mixtures of Spirit of Sal-Armoniac (made with Salt of Tartar, or Pot-Ashes) and Spirit of Nitre or Aqua Fortis; and also when Spirit of Urine and Spirit of Salt, being mingled in a certain proportion, convene into Corpuscles for the making of Sal-Armoniac, which the Phlegm of those Liquors will keep swimming. But that which makes most for my present purpose, is, that there may be Precipitations, where, whatever may be suppos'd, it does not appear that there is any Tumult or Contrariety, as when Silver being dissolved in Aqua Fortis, and the Menstruum diluted with 30 or 40 parts of distill'd Water, or of Rain Water, if clean Plates of Copper be immers'd in the Solution, the Metal will be very slowly Precipitated out of it, in the form not of a Calx, consisting of Metalline, and Saline Parts incorporated together, but, at least at the beginning in the form of pure shineing [Page] Scales of Silver, almost like the white and glittering Scales of some smal Fishes. There is also a way, by which I have brought dissolv'd Gold to settle about a Body, suspended in the Solution, in the form of a fine and high-colour'd Calx of pure Gold. But you may easily see an Instance of silent Precipitation, if you do but rub a little either Roman or Dantzick Vitriol, upon the well whetted blade of a knife wetted with Water or Spittle, for you will have the Steel, almost in a trice, overlaid with a reddish substance, which by its colour and other signs appears manifestly to be Cupreous. And here I shall advertise you, that 'tis not only, as is wont to be suppos'd, out of Solutions made with Acids, that bodies may be thus Precipitated, for upon search I have found that there are in nature Precipitants, that are capable of silently Precipitating some Bodies dissolv'd in Urinous Menstruums, or others not Acid. I know it may be suspected, and that not without colour of Reason, [Page] that such Precipitations may be dangerous, by producing Heterogeneous Corpuscles in the Blood, that may be too-heavy or gross to be evacuated. And I look upon this as a suspicion, for whose Resolution 'twere fit to consult Experience. But in the mean time one may represent.

1. That, thô some Inconvenience may happen from the Bulk of the precipitated Corpuscles, yet that may be much inferiour to the danger threatned by the over-active & hostile Particles, that produc'd or fomented the disease.

2. That, 'tis not necessary that all concretions should consist of Corpuscles so bulky, as to be too big to be thrown out of the Mass of Blood, for we see that stony matter, which, as the Chymical Analysis of it shews, is of a very compounded nature, may be carryed to all Parts of the Body. And I remember I knew a Lady, who a while before she told me the Story, had a stone taken out of the lower [Page] part of her Tongue. And Physicians, that prescribe great quantities of Mineral Waters impregnated with Iron, such as I found those of Tunbridge to be, and with Sulphur, such as some of the Bath Waters are, are wont to build their expectations of Curing with them, upon a supposition, that they are carryed into the Mass of Blood, and consequently to the innermost parts of the Body.

3. That yet 'tis possible, Precipitations may be made of matters contain'd in the Blood, by Medicines that do not get into the Mass of it. As Physicians give Steel in Substance sometimes crude, as well as oftentimes prepar'd, to mortify the Acidities of the Blood, though the Metalline Corpuscles do not, for ought we know, pass into the Mass of it, but are wrought upon by the matter, that in its circulation is thrown out of it into the Stomach & Guts, where their operation on it is probably inferr'd from the blackness, that Chalybeates are wont give the excrements [Page] of the lower Belly; and if they will have it, that prepar'd Steel, for instance, calcin'd with Sulphur, gets through the Pores of the Bowels, or the extremities of the capillary Vessels, into the Mass of Blood it self, 'twill be obvious to demand, why nature should not be able to expel Precipitate Corpuscles at the same passages, at which such compounded Concretions, as those of Sulphur and Metal, can get in.

4. That some may very speciously pretend; that Experience has been already consulted about the expediency of imploying Precipitating Medicines. For not to urge, that the learned and judicious Sennertus seems to intimate, that in some cases the Fibrile Matter may be surmounted by being Precipitated out of the Blood; there is a Professor of Physick, who, thô I cannot assent to some of his Principles & Doctrines, has deliver'd several considerable things about Fermentation and Feavers: & this Professor, by name Kergerus, very solemnly [Page] declaresEgo ab anno 1649. in hunc diem per integros 14 annos ultra mille Febricitantes sine Ven., sectione, sine Purgatione, sine Sudoriseris, sine Diureticis, sine Alterantibus, sine Corrobarantibus, sine Topicis, & siquid praeterea unico fere Medicamento Praecipitante, Deo inprimis benedicente, curavi: non considerando, an Febris sit Intermittens, an Continua, an Tertiana vel Quartana (quae tamen difficilius curatur quàm aliae) nec expectatà Coctione, nec habito respectu sexûs, (ne p [...]erperis quidem exceptis) aetatis, anni, temporis, vel aliarum Circumstantiarum: & quidem paucorum dierum spatio sine Recidiva vel aliquo notabili incommodo, nisi ubi aeger ipse per Incontinentiam de novo Paroxysmos provocarit. Kergerus de Fermentatione, sect. 3. cap. 3. Pag. mihi 250., that for fourteen years he cur'd above a thousand Febricitants without bleeding, purging, or sweating Medicines, (to which he adds some others sorts) by a single precipitating Remedy. I endeavour'd to obtain from Germany an account of the truth of the matter of fact, but did not receive it; only I found that a Physician of this Emperours, does, in a lately publish'd Book, declare himself inclin'd to believe it to be true.

I shall much the more easily be induc'd to think, that great and desireable changes may be wrought [Page] in the fluid Parts of the Body by appropriated Precipitants, if that be true which is unanimously taught by a multitude of Physicians, who impute many Diseases to the Putrefaction of the Blood and other Liquors of the Body. For, tho certain Reasons oblige me to desire you, not to ask me any Questions about the Remedy I am going to speak of, because I must not yet Answer them; yet I am willing you should on this occasion know Historically, (what probably you will think strange) that there is in rerum natura, a certain Substance, which is so powerful an Enemy to Putrefaction, that, when a few grains or drops of it were put into a considerable quantity of Water, that had been kept till it stunk so strongly and offensively, that, if I had not known what it was, I should have judg'd the smell to have proceeded from Carrion. This Medicinal Liquor, I say, (for so I may call it,) being diffus'd by agitation through this abominably stinking Water, (which did not [Page] appear turbid to the Eye) in so very small a proportion, Precipitated out of it a very little and light Feculency, which being separated, the rest of the Liquor was quite freed from all stink; nor did I observe that the Feculency it self had any. And, which is very notable, all this was done in a very few minutes, by a Precipitant, whose Tast was not at all either Bitter, or Acid, or Urinous, or Lixivial. All which are Circumstances, that may afford good Hints to speculative and sagacious Inquirers.

PROPOSITION IV.

Sometimes the Specifick Remedy may work, by peculiarly strenthening, and cherishing the Heart, and by that means, or without it, the Part affected.

This Observation can scarce be made good, without entring into the Controversy, which for its difficulty and importance, has perplex'd divers Modern Physicians; whether there [Page] be any Medicines, that have a Sympathy with the Head, Heart, Liver &c and thereby deserve the name of Cephalic, Cordial, or Hepatic &c. Or, to speak somewhat more clearly, whether there be any Medicines, that in a peculiar manner do good to this or that particular internal part of the Body. In this dispute the Affirmative part has been held, but I doubt upon slender grounds of reason, in most of the Physick Schools for several Ages. But in our times, many do not only maintain the Negative, but deride the Opinion they have forsaken. For some of them object in a Triumphant Style, that tis ridiculous to fancy such a Sympathy, betwixt a dead Medicine, and the Parts of a living body. As that the Physician may send the Drug, as 'twere of an Errand, to find out one in the dark, among a multitude of others, and do it good offices.

But notwithstanding this, I think it very possible, that a Medicine may so far respect a particular Part, as, though not to be beneficial to that [Page] only, yet to be friendly to that, in a peculiar manner or degree. And this I conceive it may be, upon one or more of the Accounts, that I shall briefly mention.

And First, when I consider that the stable Parts of the Body, as the Heart, Brain, Liver, Kidneys &c. have each its particular structure, wherein it differs from others, and probably the fluid Parts also, as Blood, Gall, Lympha &c. have their distinct Textures, it seems not improbable to me, that the Corpuscles of a Medicine dissolv'd in the Stomach, and carryed too and fro by the Liquors of the Body, may according to the determinate shape, size, stiffness or flexility, motion, &c. be much more fit to be detain'd by one part of the Body, as the Brain, the Heart &c. than by the rest; and so, by lodging it self in its Pores, or associating with its Fibres, may supply it with such congruous Particle, as it either does want, or in case it do not, may by their congruity be of advantage to [Page] it, by re-establishing or strengthening the Tone of it. And by this Corroboration, the Part may be made able to resist the Hostilities of Morbifick Matters, which Physicians usually observe to be wont, by the more Vigorous Parts, to be thrown upon the Weakned or Distemper'd ones; as is manifest in persons that are much subject to the Gout, in whom oftentimes peccant humors are very apt, upon several occasions, to be thrown off by the nobler Parts, if they be robust, upon the frequently debilitated Joints; on which score the Gout, if it be well managed, is, not irrationally, wont to be thought conducive to long life. And on this occasion I remember, that I formerly knew a Learned Physician, who, though a great Traveller, and, as such, accustom'd to great varieties in point of Diet, had such a peculiar indisposition in his Jaw, that though he could moderately drink Wines of several sorts without inconvenience, yet the drinking even of a very little Brandy, would [Page] soon after give him the Tooth Ach, of which odd distemper he has sometimes complain'd to me. But this upon the by: For I must now proceed to illustrate and make probable, what I was saying of the possible fitness of some Medicinal Corpuscles, to associate themselves with those of the Part they are to befriend, by observing what happens in Nutrition, especially in that of sucking-children. For in these, one single Aliment, namely Milk, does afford, besides various excrements, such as the grosser faeces of the Guts, and the more fluid ones of the Bladder, the Mouth, the Nose, the pores of the Skin &c. a great number of Corpuscles, that are not only detain'd, but assimilated by Parts of differing Structures, as the Brain, the Heart, the Bones &c. since otherwise these parts could never be so plentifully nourished by them, as dayly to increase in all their Dimensions. And tis considerable, that some Parts, which in Babes are Cartilaginous, do in process of time become Boney, [Page] which change seems not probably referable to the bare exsiccation, produc'd by Native heat, increasing with the Persons Age.

Secondly, the friendly Corpuscles of a Specifick Medicine, may not only confirm the good estate of a determinate Part, but, which makes most for our present purpose, they may very much conduce to restore it to a sound condition, when it is distempered, and this they may do upon two or three Accounts.

For in the first place, those friendly Particles may dispose the Obstructing or other Morbifick matter, to be more easily and safely expell'd. And this they may do, not barely as they impregnate the whole Mass of Blood, and so may be carried by it, as well to many other Parts, as to that we now consider; but as by their particular Texture, Motion &c. they may in a peculiar manner respect that peculiar Modification, which the Peccant matter may have acquir'd by being produc'd or harbour'd in that [Page] determinate part: And that the distinct Structure of an affected Part may much diversifie the condition of a Morbifick matter, I argue from this, among other things, that Physicians are wont to teach (though I have found the Observation rather to hold commonly than unreservedly) that in those that are subject to this Stone, the Petrescent matter, when it is bred in the Kidneys is reddish or yellowish, but when in the Bladder, white, or of a light gray; and that the Stones that are generated in the first nam'd Parts, are more friable, or at least of a slighter Texture, than those that have their Original in the Bladder, some of which are exceeding hard, especially in comparison of large ones, that I have had out of the Bladder or Gall of lusty Animals. The aptness then that the Corpuscles of the Specifick may give the Blood, or other Liquor that conveys them, to act as an appropriated Menstruum, upon the peculiarly modified Matter that obstructs, or otherwise disaffects, [Page] the Liver, for Instance, may enable the Remedy, to be very helpful to that Part, by preparing the molesting Matter for expulsion. But it may also succour the same Part in another way.

For in the second place, it may so work upon the Fibres, and stable portion of the Part affected, as both to enable it, and excite it to free its self from its Enemy. For it may give firmness and strength to the Fibres of the part; it may also contemperate, or correct the immoderate heat, coldness &c. of it: It may mortify the Acid, or other incongruous Particles, that are lodg'd in the minute Intervals of the stable Parts, end perhaps, even in the Pores of the Fibres: It may appease its Convulsions, Cramps, or other inordinate motions, that hinder it from daily executing its proper Functions; it may relax or widen the Pores, according to the exigency of the work to be perform'd. And having thus, by means of its friendly Corpuscles, prepar'd the [Page] matter to be expell'd, and disposed the part to expell it, it may then also excite the Part to do its office, by irritating the Fibres, or motive Organs, or stimulating them to disburthen the Part of the Matter that offends it, as a very small Dose of Cantharides is known by this way of irritation, to be capable of making the Bladder forcibly, though not safely, discharge it self of Urine, and with that oftentimes expel the Sand and Gravel, or lesser Stones, and the Excrementitious Slime that molested it before.

And this Instance may be of use to us, in answering that which we formerly noted to be so confidently urged by the Rejecters of Specifick Medicines. For here we have a Medicine, though a dangerous one, whose Corpuscles have such a peculiar reference to the Bladder, and Urinary Organs, that though being gotten into the Mass of Blood, they are carried by it indiscriminately to other parts of the Body, as well as to these; yet [Page] oftentimes, without manifestly disaffecting the rest, they exceedingly irritate the Bladder, and determine it to the excretion of what it contains. And whereas it may be objected, that the first of the three ways, by which we noted, that a particular Part may be succour'd by a Specifick, seems contrary to the second; the former tending to corroborate the Part, and the later to relax and irritate it: I answer two things, one, that since the Part may be sometimes in a Natural, and sometimes in a Preternatural state, in the former, a Medicine may deserve the name of Friendly or Appropriated, because it keeps it sound, which is most properly done by strengthening it; and in the later it may merit the Title of a Specifick, because it helps to restore it to a state of soundness: And the other, that though to effect this Recovery, 'tis often very expedient, if not necessary, that the Medicine procure an Evacuation of some matter that offends it; yet that Evacuation [Page] itself is often much promoted and facilitated, by stengthening the Part so, as to enable it to disburthen it self. And the same Medicine may contain, and communicate to the Blood, Corpuscles of such differing shapes, sizes, motions &c. as may at least successively relieve the Part by both these ways; as Physicians observe that Rhubarb does, not only by its finer and Laxative Parts, purge the Liver of Choler, but by its more earthy Astringent Corpuscles strengthen the Tone of that Part: [What farther belongs to the Illustration of this matter will be met with in due place.] On this occasion, 'twill not be impertinent to add, that in some cases, this very Corroboration of a Distempered Part, may restore it to soundness; there being some Diseases of such a nature, that they are, if I may so speak, almost always in Fieri, that is, they could not continue to subsist in the affected Part, unless through its debility, and the consequences of it, it were subject to admit from [Page] time to time fresh recruits of peccant matter, to foment the Malady: And in such Distempers, if the Structure and Tone of the Part be re-established by the operation of the Specifick Medicine, its acquir'd vigour will enable it to resist the Ingress of new supplies of peccant Matter, and to turn them off into the Mass of Blood, to be thence discharg'd by the Common Shores of the Body; whilst in the mean time Nature will be able by degrees to subdue, dissipate, or otherwise dispose of, that comparatively little Portion of peccant Matter, that was lodg'd in the Diseas'd Part.

We have not in this Paper given any Example of the peculiar respect of a Specifick Medicine to a determinate disaffected Part, that one would think so incredible, as that a heavy stony substance, being in no great quantity taken in at die Mouth, should manifestly contribute to the Cure of a broken Bone in one of the Limbs, as the Leg or the Hands. And yet, not to urge the Testimony of [Page] Chymical Writers, I remember a German Physician, that was Famous for notable Cures, related Wonders to me of the efficacy of that Stone growing in his Country, which from its effect they call Osteocolla, especially if it be improv'd by a Skilful Preparation, which he communicated to me, but I had not opportunity to make Tryal of it. But without Preparation, the judicious and long experienc'd Chirurgeon Fabricius Hildanus much commends upon his own Observation a single Dram of it finely Powder'd, for the breeding of a Callus to soder together the Parts of a broken Bone: Insomuch that he gives a caution to use it but sparingly in young and vigorous Patients, lest it breed too great a Callus, of which he gives a notable Instance. And the like caution was inculcated to me from Experience, by the lately mention'd German Doctor, because otherwise (he said) his Preparation would in such Persons make the Medicine generate a Callus too soon and too great.

[Page]

PROPOSITION V.

Sometimes a Specifick Medicine may do its work, by producing in the Mass of Blood, such a disposition, as may enable Nature, by correcting, expelling or other fit waies, to surmount the morbifick Matter, or other Cause of the Disease.

He that shall heedfully observe the practise of divers Learned and succesful modern Physitians, may discern that many, if not most, of their Prescriptions are founded upon a supposition, that a great Part of the Diseases incident to Mans Body, and the recovery from them, depends mainly upon the vitiated Constitution of the Blood, and the restoring it to a sound Condition.

This advantageous change of the Blood may be effected by a Specifick, several waies, (sometimes separately, and sometimes jointly,) and particularly by those that follow.

[Page] 1. That which I shall first name, is, by furnishing the Blood with some sort of active Corpuscles, that it needs to ferment it, or excite an useful Commotion or Agitation in it.

I will not here examine, whether the Mass of Blood, contain'd within the Vessels of a living man, is capable of a Fermentation properly and strictly so call'd; and therefore I employ'd also the word Commotion, which will be easily admitted, if the other be disliked. But in regard Fermentation is a Term that hath generally obtain'd, I shall not scruple to make use of it, after what I have intimated about it.

But because many modern Physitians, especially since the Learned Dr. Willis's Notions came to be in request, have looked upon Feavers and Agues to consist in, or be produc'd by vitious Fermentations of the Blood; I thought fit to add to the Fermentation I am about to speak of, the distinguishing Epithets of useful.

[Page] This premis'd, it seems not improbable to me, that, as there is oftentimes a vitious Fermentation of the Blood, so there may be sometimes a want of Fermentation, or a certain Sluggishness, upon whose account, either the brisk intestine Agitation, that it ought to have as a warm Fluid of such a Nature as 'tis wont to be in sound Persons, or a due quickness of Circulation through the Heart is wanting: To which Sluggish State of the Blood, if it be obstinate and lasting▪ several Distempers are wont to be consequent. Now, although there be divers Medicines, such as Spices, Brandy, and other Spirituous Liquors distill'd from fermented vegetables, that are usually, and oftentimes succesfully enough, employ'd to correct this dull Indisposition of the Blood; Yet in regard they are wont to be very hot, being usually pitch'd upon by those that prescribe them because they are so; there are several constitutions of [Page] Patients, and divers other Circumstances, wherein they are not safe, but may do more harm by their immoderate Heat, than good by their Spirituosity, Besides, that the Sluggishness of the Blood may sometimes proceed from Causes, that this sort of hot Medicines will not correct. I remember, that having for Tryals sake moderately dry'd a parcel of Human Blood, a Vinous Spirit Total inflammable would not, at least in many hours that my Experiment lasted, make a Solution of it, or draw a red Tincture from it, though it were well pulveris'd: Whereas a well rectified Ʋrinous Spirit grew red upon it in less than the tenth, or perhaps the twentieth, part of that Time.

Now a Specifick Medicine may abound in Corpuscles of such a Nature, that without dangerously, or incommodiously heating the Blood, they may disable those Corpuscles, they meet with in the Blood, that make that Liquor viscous, or roapy, or dispirited; [Page] and also by enlivening the Mass of Blood, if I may so speak, or puting it into a more brisk and kindly Agitation, may make it fit to throw off those Heterogeneous Parts, or recrements, that were blended with it before, and to permeate, as freely as it ought, the Viscera, whose Capillary Vessels and Pores would formerly scarce, and but very sparingingly, admit it.

That a Specifick may perform this, you will perhaps the more easily allow, if you consider, that the generality of Physitians teach, that there are several Cordials, which they style some of them Temperate, and divers of them Cold, (as in effect 'tis not usually observ'd, that they considerably, if at all sensibly, heat the Body;) as Pearls, and some of them, being gratefully Acid, should rather cool it, as Wood-sorrel (Alleluja) and Goats-Rue (Galega.) And 'tis very possible, that the Corpuscles, that make the Blood thick, and Sluggish, may not be of a Cold Nature, but of [Page] a Hot, and therefore may have their Effects rather befriended than destroy'd by divers Hot Remedies: As, if the white of an Egg be by beating reduc'd to Water, (which is not necessary to the Experiment, but shews it better) if you put to it a certain Proportion of well dephlegm'd Spirit of Wine, instead of destroying the viscosity of the Liquor, it will curdle a good part of it, and thereby produce a Body far more remote from Thinness and Fluidity.

And I remember, I once for Tryal sake made a vegetable Liquor, which, from somewhat Sluggish that it was before, did presently by the Addition of a little Spirit of Wine, grow surprisingly viscous, and roapy.

2. Another way, by which a Specifick may befriend the Mass of Blood, is, by imparting to it a dilatation or tenuity that it wants. This Second way is of much affinity to the First, but yet is not the same: Because in that, the thing mainly considered was, the Fermentation or Agitation [Page] of the Blood; Whereas this mainly respects the Consistence of it, which is a thing of no mean importance to health. For if the Blood be too thick, as oftentimes it is, it cannot pass so freely and readily, as it ought, through the Capillary Vessels, which thereby come to be by little and little obstructed, and the Circulation inconveniently retarded; Whence 'tis easy to foresee, that divers mischiefs must in time arise. And on the other side, if the Blood be too thin, especially if it be over much agitated too, tis apt to make its way out of the Vessels, and produce Hemorrhagies, in case it flow out of the Body, or other bad Effects that usually attend the Extravasation of the Blood. Which Liquor, when it is out of its proper Vessels, in so warm a place as a Living Human Body, is very Subject to Putrefaction, and thereby apt to produce Imposthumes and several mischievous Symptoms.

Now a Specifick Medicine may remedy this faulty Consistence of the [Page] Blood, by furnishing it with Corpuscles, fitted by their figure, bulk, motion, &c. to disable those peccant ones that make the Blood gross, or else to cut, or divide the Parts of the Blood it self, and so dispose them to be more fluid: Or else they may produce in it such Pores, as may, as it were invite the subtil Aetherial matter, that abounds in the Atmosphaere, to insinuate it self into the Mass of Blood, and rarifie it. And on the other side, when the Blood is too thin, as not only some Diseases, but some Medicines, especially Aloes, are wont to make it; A Specifick Remedy may reduce it to a good Consistence, either, by furnishing it with Corpuscles, apt to Combine themselves with the active ones, that did too much Attenuate the Blood; Or, by helping Nature to expel those over-busy Particles, by insensible Transpiration, or some other undisturbing way.

3: There is yet another way, by which a Specifick Remedy may conduce [Page] to rectifie the State of the Blood And that is, by so working on the Heart, as to make it advantageously regulate the Transmission of that Liquor through it.

That a Specifick Medicine may peculiarly befriend this or that particular Part, and consequently the Heart, is granted by the Generality of Physitians, who are wont to reckon up many Cordials, (of which yet I fear, but few deserve that name.) But, since 'tis elsewhere in this Paper shewn, that some Medicines may particularly respect a determinate Part of the Body, and consequently the Heart; One may be allowed to suppose, that the Corpuscles of a Specifick may either dissolve some Particles they meet with in the Heart, by which that Noble Viscus is by Irritation, or otherwise disturb'd in the Regularity of its Dilatations, and Contractions; Or, so Corroborate the Fibres, or Motive Organs of it, as to dispose it to moderate the Circulation of the Blood that passes [Page] through it, in the most advantageous way. And that the Disposition of the Heart, even when men have no sense of it in the Part it self, may be of moment as to health and sickness, will appear credible, if we reflect on two thing. One, that a living Human Body is not a meer Aggregate of Flesh, Bones, &c. But an exquisitely contriv'd, and very sensible Engine; Whose Parts are easily set a work by proper, though very Minute, Agents; And may, by their Action upon one another, perform far greater things, than could be expected from the bare Energy of the Agents, that first put them into Motion. The Second, (which supposes the first,) that the Disposition of the Heart, being, though perhaps insensibly, chang'd, it may produce a notable Alteration in the Motions of the Blood, and its passage through the Heart, in point of quantity, celerity, or both.

How much this change in the Circulation may in many Cases conduce [Page] to sickness or recovery may partly appear by the Effects of vehement or durable passions of the mind. As 'tis observ'd, that in a deep sorrow, which does in a manner straiten the Passages of the Heart, the Blood being too sparingly dispens'd, the enlivening Spirits are not generated plentifully enough; And (besides other bad Effects of this State of the Heart) the Blood is so dispirited, as (in these Parts of Europe) to dispose the Body to the Scurvy, which does either produce or irritate divers other Maladies. We see also, that the Passion of shame does oftentimes suddenly alter the Motion of the Blood, and make it swell the little Vessels that lye under the Cuticula of the Face, and sometimes other Parts; as is very manifest in young Maids, and other Persons of a Delicate Complexion, the white Part of whose Faces in blushing turns Red. The like Effect I have seen produc'd by a great and sudden Joy. And though Grief, which is the opposite Passion [Page] to it, has been usually taken notice of, as a thing that deads the Appetite to meat; Yet so much does depend upon a well moderated Transmission of the Blood, that it has been observ'd in divers Persons, and I have known an eminent Instance of it, that great Joy has very much lessen'd Hunger: Of which Effect Mr. Des Cartes ingeniously attempts to derive the cause, from the vary'd Dilatation and Motions of the Heart. And it seems not absur'd to conceive, that such like Motions may be caus'd by the Corpuscles of a Specifick Medicine; Which by affecting the Fibres of the Heart, after the like manner that Joy is wont to do, may produce in it such friendly Dilatations and Contractions, as are wont to flow from the agreeable Passions. In favour of which conjecture, I shall take notice that a Lady of my acquaintance has complain'd to me, that the smell of perfum'd Gloves is wont to make the Blood fly to her Face, and continue there for a great [Page] while, giving it such a colour as if shame, or joy had cover'd it with blushes. And the like she says she has observ'd in others of her Sex. But having in another Tract spoken of the power of the Passions of the mind, to alter the state of the Body, by producing changes in the Blood, that is transmitted through the Heart; what has been said may now suffice to make it credible, that a Specifick Remedy, by peculiarly befriending the Heart, may contribute much to introduce, or re-establish a healthy Crasis in the Blood. And this being thus rectified, and invigorated it self, may both befriend the Body in general, and conduce to the removal of some particular Diseases, by strengthening, and perhaps too exciting, the particular part, in which the peccant matter resides, to subdue or expel that which it already harbours, and resist any accession of more. And the Blood, being it self well constituted, as well as the stable Parts corroborated, the [Page] Specifick Medicine that produces these good effects, may be said to cure, tho' perhaps but slowly, divers particular Diseases; such as those elsewhere mention'd in this Paper, which to continue, must be frequently supplyed with vitious matter by the Circulating Blood.

EXPERIMENT VI.

Sometimes a Specifick Remedy may unite its Particles with those of the Peccant matter, and with them constitute a Neutrum quid, that may be easily proscrib'd, or not necessary to be expell'd.

This I take to be one of the most proper and genuine ways of doing good, that belongs to a Specifick Medicine, as such, because in this operation an effect is produc'd, either without the assistance, or beyond the meer power, of the manifest qualities (as Physicians call them) of the remedy; [Page] and the cure or relief the Patient finds, is usually attain'd without violence, and without tormenting or much disordering him.

This way of working of a Specifick Medicine is of near affinity with one or two of those formerly discours'd of; but yet these ways differ in some things, as may be gather'd by the sequel of § this discourse § sometimes when a certain kind of Acid has impregnated the Blood, or lodg'd it self in some stable part, as the Liver, Spleen, Kidneys, &c. The Corpuscles of a Specifick may, without any sensible luctation or conflict, which usually happens when Acids are mortify'd by Sapid Alkalies, be so qualifi'd, as both to make Coalitions with the small Parts of the Peccant Acid, and with them to constitute little Concretions, which differing from the minute Parts of the Acid, either in Bulk, Figure, Solidity, Stifness, Motion, or in two or more of these; may be quite of another nature, and of a much innocenter, [Page] than the Acid was before 'twas so corrected. Of this we may be furnished with a notable Illustration, by what I have elsewhere taken notice of about Aqua Fortis it self; for as corrosive a Menstruum as that is, yet by digesting it, and perhaps, distilling it too, with an equal, or rather double weight of Ardent Spirit, I found the highly Acid Liquor would be so chang'd, as not to retain any sensible corrosiveness; and exchange its piercing Stink and great Acidity, for a not only inoffensive, but pleasant Scent, and a grateful and possitively sweetish Tast. Which brings into my mind the practice of a President of the Famous London Colledge, who (as himself told me) was wont to relieve a Patient of very great Quality in Nephritick Torments, by giving her a good Dose of an inflammable Spirit. (But this upon the by.) I have elsewhere given an account of the effects of Spirit of Wine, upon several other Acid Menstruums, wherewith I mingl'd and digested it; by [Page] which it may appear, that it does not work upon them uniformly, as they are all of them Acids; but differingly enough, according to the Nature and Proportion of the Acid Corpuscles, with which the vinous Spirits are brought to be associated.

And, to shew that this change and contemperation of the Menstruum by the Spirit of Wine, is produc'd rather by a peculiar fitness of the convening Corpuscles of both, than by the contrariety or hostility, that the vinous Spirit, which some Moderns will have to be an Alcaly, has to the Aqua Fortis as an Acid; I shall add, that pure Spirit of Wine being mixt in a due proportion with Highly rectifi'd Spirit of Urine; which is reckon'd by Chymists among volatile Alcalies, and of which a drop or two is so fiery upon the tongue; as to be ready to burn it, or to blister it; this Vinous Spirit I say, will very much take off the caustick penetrancy of the urinous one, and compose with it a Salt much [Page] more moderate than the Spirit was, and which being sublim'd, or (which is better but harder to be done,N. B.) reduc'd into a Liquor, affords a mixture of no little use in fome Fevers and other Diseases as a Medicine; and with a small, if skilful alteration, is of great use in divers Chymical Experiments as a Menstruum.

A few grains of Glass of Antimony made without addition, being taken inwardly, will vehemently both vomit and purge. But tho' Wine, notwithstanding its copious Spirits, will, if it be well impregnated with the Corpuscles of this Glass, work upwards and downwards violently enough; yet of Spirit of Vinegar, that is, of degenerated Wine, be for a competent time digested upon this Glass finely powder'd, and, when the Liquor is sufficiently impregnated with the Particles of the Glass, be abstracted from it, there will emerge from the Antimonial and Acetous Corpuscles, a multitude of minute Concretions, of which many grains may [Page] be given without ordinarily provoking either Vomits or Stools: Which correction may hint, that 'tis not necessary that all Mortifications usefully made by Medicines, should be of Acids, since here we see, that Acids themselves prove Correctors. And perhaps it may be by some such kind of Combinations, that some Poisons (for I do not think they all work one way, or peculiarly assault the heart) may be subdued. And I have sometimes suspected, that it may as probably be upon this account, as upon any that has been offer'd, that a man stung with a Scorpion may be cur'd, by crushing the Animal that stung him upon the hurt, as is prescrib'd by many Physicians, and as an acquaintance of mine told me, he try'd upon himself (as another Virtuoso did on a Souldier) with good success: And when I consider what a multitude and variety of figures may fit the Corpuscles that are endowed with them, to make Coalitions very different from both [Page] the component parts; I can scarce think it very improbable, that in a Patients Body there may be made, between the Corpuscles of the Peccant matter, and those of a Medicine, such useful combinations as may produce resulting Concretions, innocent, if not also beneficial.

If I had leizure, and thought it fit, I could easily add a great number of instances, about such changes of Colours, Odours, Tasts, and other qualities, as are produc'd by the coallescence of the small parts of differing Bodies, and discourse of the natural consequent of such Coalitions: but having done that sufficiently in other Papers, it will be here more proper to intimate to you, that when a particle of peccant matter comes to be associated with one of a Specifick Medicine, that combination may alter it for the better, not only by changing its bigness and figure, but also by encreasing, or lessening its stifness, and its solidity, and giving a new modification to its motion; as [Page] a little attention to the natural consequences of the Coalitions of Bodies, may easily induce you to grant.

And I shall add (as it were ex abundanti) that the small Concretions, made by the union of some Morbifick with some Medicinal Corpuscles, may not only become innocent, but sometimes also beneficial, which may be illustrated by what happens by a further preparation, to common sublimate; for though this be a substance so highly corrosive and mischievous, that a few grains of it may suffice to kill a man; yet by making a Coalescence of it with less than its weight of Quicksilver, which is a Body insipid as well as modorous, the Corrosive sublimate will be so alter'd and tam'd, as to be turn'd into what Chymists call, because 'tis freed from sharpness, Mercurius Dulcis; which if it be skilfully prepar'd and given, though in the quantity of many grains, is not only for the most part an innocent thing, but a very good Medicine, and that perhaps in more [Page] cases than Physicians generally know it to be good in.

The newly mention'd account may hint to us a probable Argument, to show, that, notwithstanding all the digestions and changes that a Specifick Medicine may receive in its way, it may prove a salutary one, when it arrives at the Part it should relieve. For, tho' the Corpuscles of the Medicine should in their way to the Part affected be considerably chang'd, yet 'tis possible that these alter'd Corpuscles may, by that very alteration, be made Medicinal; since they may be qualifi'd, (even by those changes) when they arrive at the Part affected, to combine themselves strictly with some Corpuscles, whether Morbifick or others, that they find already there; and may with them compose new Concretions that may acquire a new Nature very friendly to the Patient. Something Analogical to this we may observe in Asparagus, which being eaten, afford store of Particles, that mixing with [Page] those they meet with in the Kidneys or the Bladder, produce a new Odour, very differing, both from that of meer Urine, and from that of the Plant it self. And so if good Turpentine be taken at the Mouth, 'tis known that arriving at the Kidneys and Bladder, it will mingle its minute Parts with those it meets with there; whence will emerge Corpuscles, that will impregnate the Urine with a very differing Odour, from that which belongs to either of the Liquors, since it oftentimes has a fragrancy somewhat like the smell of Violets.

Before I conclude this Paper, 'tis like it will be thought fit that I should take notice of a difficulty, that I know maybe objected, if not against the past discourse, yet against the sufficiency of it to answer the design I propose to my self in writing it. For it may be said, that, whereas my Arguments and Explications suppose all along, that the Specifick Remedies are taken in at the Mouth; 'tis known [Page] that divers of the Asserters of Specificks reckon among them, some that are not by swallowing taken into the Body, but only outwardly apply'd, or perhaps do but barely touch it; as may be observ'd in Amulets, Rings, &c. On occasion of this considerable difficulty, I have, if I misremember not, represented divers things in another Tract. But however it may be fit in this place, briefly to say somewhat, by way of Answerto it. We may then take notice, that the confidence with which many Physicians reject, and some of them deride, External Specificks, if I may so call them, seems to be built upon these two things: The One, that the Medicine cannot in part, as 'tis certain it do's not in the Mass, get into the Body; and the other, that, in case a Specifick should have some part of it subtil enough to gain admittance, that Part must be too small and inconsiderable, to be able to produce in the Body any such notable change, as is necessary to the expulsion of Peccant Humours, [Page] and the conquering of a Disease.

As to the former of these Grounds, I largely enough show in another Paper,The Paper here mean't is the Essay of the Porosity of bodys. that a Mans Skin, tho' it seems an entire continued Body, is really perforated with a great multitude, and perhaps a not inconsiderable variety, of little Cutlets and Inlets, which we call Pores; many of which are visible, even in the Skins of dead Animals, by good Microscopes; and others are manifestly inferr'd, from the numerous little drops that cover all the Skin, at the first Eruption of Sweat. And that these little Perforations may be Inlets to the finer Particles of Externally apply'd Medicines, may appear probable by several Phaenomena, such as these. That Water will soak through the Pores of a fine Bladder, and dissolve Salt of Tartar, or even white Sugar, contain'd in it: That I have prepar'd a certain Liquor, whose Fumes, tho' not agitated by Heat, would quickly penetrate [Page] divers Membrans of dead Animals, and manifestly work on Metalline Bodies wrapt up in them: That 'tis a known thing, that Quicksilver outwardly apply'd in Ointments, Girdles, &c. will get in at the Pores of the Skin, and invade the Internal Parts of the Body, and stay there longer, and perhaps too operate more, than the Physician desired. And when once the Effluvia of these Externally apply'd Remedies have gain'd admittance at the Pores of the Skin, 'tis not very difficult to conceive, how they may proceed further. For underneath the Cuticula or Scarf Skin, and close to it, there are so great a multitude of Capillary Vessels, that you can scarce thrust a small Pin into any Part, but that the point of it will meet and tear some of these little Vessels; as will appear by a small drop of Blood, that will be made to issue out at the new made hole, as small as it is. To which instance, if it were necessary, I could add divers others of the multitude and [Page] spreading of the Capillary Vessels, that lie close beneath the Skin, and for the most part carry Blood, tho' some of them may contain other Juices, and discharge their recrements by Sweat, or insensible Transpiration, at the Cutaneous Outlets. Now these Capillary Vessels, as small as they are, having their Cavities immediately continu'd with those of less slender ones, and by their intervention with those of the greater, which are branches of the greatest of all; the Corpuscles of the Medicine, once got into the Capillary Vessels, may have an easy passage, by means of the Liquors they contain, into these greater branches of the principal Veins, and so, by vertue of the Circulation, come to be quickly mingled with the Mass of Blood, and by it may be easily convey'd to all the Parts of the Body: As it has been divers times observ'd, See this at large proved by the Learned Diemerbro [...]k de Peste, lib. 2. cap. 11. in Annotat.that Arsenical Amulets worn upon the Breast, did, [Page] tho' they scarce touch'd the Skin, produce threatning Distempers in the Heart, and several mischievous Symptoms in other Parts of the Body. And I find it recorded in good Authors, that Cantharides, even when but held in the Hand, nay sometimes, tho' but carried in ones Pocket, transmitted their hurtful Effluvia as far as the Bladder, and excited great Pain and other bad Symptoms there.

As for the second Ground on which Specifick Remedies are rejected, that, tho' they could get entrance into the Body, yet it would be but by their Effluvia; and these are no way likely to prove efficacious enough, to have any considerable effect upon an Internal Disease: To remove this difficulty, I shall briefly observe;

1. That the number of the Corpuscles, that may pass from the outward Medicine into the Body, may be far greater, and therefore make them more considerable, than most men are apt to think. This may be [Page] rendred probable, by the great multitudes of Odorous, and consequently Sensible, Expirations, that are continually emitted for a very long time together, by Ambergreece, Musk, Civet, and much more by skilfully made Compositions of them. And that also subtil Effluvia, even without the assistance of Heat, may quickly penetrate Membrans so plentifully, as to act on stable Bodies contain'd in them, I have intimated a little above, and have experimentally made appear to divers curious men.

2. That the Corpuscles of a Medicine may retain their Nature, and not loose their power of operating, notwithstanding their being, as it were, strain'd through the Skin; as may be argued from the Mercury, that we not long since mention'd to have been found in the form of Quick-silver, in the Bodies of some men, that had been too frequently anonited with Mercury, mix'd up with unctuous things into an Ointment: By which [Page] the Patient may be as long and violently Salivated, as if he had swallow'd a Bolus or Pills with Mercury.

And so I have divers times observ'd, as I doubt not but others have oftner done, that a little Opium, mix'd up with other Ingredients for Plaisters, did by outward application take off the Acute Pains of inward Parts, tho' moderately remote from the Plaister.

3. And that the Corpuscles of a Specifick may on divers occasions act more powerfully, by getting in at the Pores of the Skin, than if the Remedy that afforded them had been taken in at the Mouth: Because if it had, the Particles might be divided, or perhaps on other accounts, (as by dilution, composition with those of the Chyle, &c.) much alter'd, by the Ferment or the Menstruum of the Stomach, by their Filtration through the Guts, and their long and winding passage through them and the Lymphiducts, before they arrive at the Heart, to be mingled with the Blood; [Page] whereas the Corpuscles of the External Specifick, presently after they are past the Skin, get into the Capillary Vessels of the Blood that lie under it, and by their means are speedily mix'd with the Circulating Mass of that Liquor, and so escape the formerly mention'd alterations, that other Medicines are subject to before they are admitted into the Mass of Blood. By which it may appear, that those Physicians are much mistaken, that think a Topical Medicine can at best relieve but the Part 'tis apply'd to, because its Corpuscles cannot be suppos'd to reach beyond that Part of the Body, that lies very near the Medicine they issue from. But, tho' this reasoning might be excusable enough, if not allowable, before the Circulation of the Blood was discover'd, yet, now 'tis known how great an intercourse that Liquor maintains between distant Parts of the Body, the Argument is not seasonable.

And on this occasion, I shall add an advertisement, that I remember [Page] not I have met with in Authors; which is, that Body's outwardly apply'd may prove Specificks for some Diseases or Distempers, that one would not think them very good for, by the bare knowledge of their effects when taken in at the mouth. Thus Camphire swallow'd, is, in the dose of a very few grains, a great heater of the Blood, and is in some Country's, perhaps not altogether without reason, extoll'd by Physicians in some kinds of ill condition'd Fevers: but outwardly it is apply'd to take off those Rednesses of the Face, that are thought to proceed from Heat of Blood; and 'tis us'd in Ointments against Burns. So Spirit of Wine, that is so hot when drunk, is a very good remedy to take out the fire, as they speak, in Burns, especially if the Part be early moistend with it. Bread, that is counted so moderate and well temper'd and Aliment, when eaten, if it be chew'd and outwardly apply'd, hath considerable vertues in several external affections. And I know an [Page] ancient and experienc'd Physician, that uses to purge. Children, that will not easily be brought to swallow Medicines, by applying something to their Navels, that do's not offend them by Colour, Smell, or Griping: And this himself more than once confess'd to me, is but an ordinary Aliment, that most men, and I among others, have frequently taken unprepar'd, which he freely nam'd to me, but which I have not yet had opportunity to make Tryal of.

That what we have been saying about the possible efficacy of external Specificks, may appear the less improbable, 'twill be fit to take notice of soms observations, that comport very well with our Doctrine. And though the Instances to be brought will not be all of them of remedies that deserve the name of Specificks; yet, besides that some of them may perhaps have a Title to it, they will all conduce to show, that Simples or Druggs externally apply'd, may have considerable operations against Internal Distempers of the Body.

[Page] 'Twere easy for me to mention a great many external Specificks out of Physicians Books. But I purposely forbear it, because to speak freely, I suspect that most of those Remedies, though greatly extoll'd, have been but little examin'd, by the deliverers of them. And it may suffice for my present purpose to alledge a few Instances that have been recommended to me, either by my own experience, or that of some Friends. Only there is one observation that is so solemnly and expresly deliver'd by Galen, upon his own knowledge, & so well back'd, by other eminent Physicians, that I shall let it lead the way. This memorable story, that is related by Galen, is of a Piony Root, which having been worn as ah Apensum about a Boy, that had been Epileptick for divers months, kept him from his Disease as long as he wore it about him; but when by an accident he ceas'd to do so, the Disease invaded him again, and yet by applying the Remedy again, he was the second [Page] time freed from it, which Galen observing, did for curiosity make the Root be laid aside, but finding the Fits to return, he imploy'd it again with the former success.

I liv'd in the same house with a learned and Judicious Person, that was subject to be Paralytick, who being frequently tortur'd by violent Cramps, was ordinarily and speedily reliev'd by wearing or handling the Tooth of a true Hippopotamus or River-Horse. And he affirm'd to me, that upon leaving off, the use of it, for any considerable time, either out of curiosity, or to accommodate some Friend, the Fits would return with violence upon him. I remember also, that having my self been for some years frequently subject to Cramps, and complaining of it to a Physician that had been a Traveller into cold Country's, he told me, that he had brought home with him some Rings made of the true Elks hoof, from a place where these Animals are usually imploy'd, and that with these he had [Page] cur'd many of the Cramp, and therewithal presented me one to make tryal of, which I the more willingly accepted, because he confess'd to me, that divers Rings that were sold for such as his, and look'd like them, were either counterfeit or of no efficacy. And tho' I did not find that if the Cramp seiz'd me in the calf of the Leg, the Ring would much relieve me, yet when the Fits were but moderate, and in other Parts, especially the hands, I found my self eas'd, so often, and so soon, that I was at first surpriz'd at it, and us'd to have the remedy laid every night by my Bed-side, to have it ready when occasion should require. And that which I thought some what strange, was, that several times, when the Cramp seiz'd my Foot or my Toes, the Pain was quickly remov'd, tho' I apply'd the Ring but to my Finger: which made me much regret the loss of it.

An eminent Physician speaking to me one day of a Patient of his, that was subject to a nocturnal Incontinentia[Page]Urinae, that was very inconvenient as well as shameful; I told him of an Empyrical Remedy, which is mention'd in another Paper, whose success I neither would warrant, nor did altogether dispair of, and which at least seem'd safe, tho' it should not prove effectual. This was only a simple substance, (belonging to the Animal Kingdom) that was to be worn in a sine Sarsanet Bag between the Shift and the Skin, for which a good while after the Physician gave me great thanks, telling me, that he was surpriz'd at the effect of it, and that he observ'd that when the Patient had worn it so long, that probably the vertue began to decay, that is in my sense, that the Effluvia were almost spent, the Patient found need to take a fresh Remedy, to continue the benefit she had found by the former.

I do not affirm or expect, that the three fornam'd Appensa, nor the other Remedy's I am about to mention, will always succeed. And I [Page] think, one may assign some not improbable reasons of the want of uniformity in their effects. But for my present argument, it suffices that they do sometimes succeed, since that is enough to show it possible, that outward Medicines may operate upon inward Distempers.

Having one day given a visit to one of the skilfullest and candidest Physicians of the Famous Colledge of London, I observ'd in his Chamber, a fine new fashion'd Clock; and having taken notice of it to him, as a thing I had not seen there before; he desir'd me not to think, he was rich and vain enough to purchase, so dear a rarity; but that it belong'd to a Courtier whom he nam'd to me, of whose Daughter he told me this story. This young Lady had a great Tumor in her Neck or Throat, which being apprehended to be of a Scrophulous Nature, made her Father fear it would oblige him to increase her Portion more than his Estate could conveniently bear. Wherefore at length [Page] he address'd himself to my Relator, who judging the case to be difficult, and being unwilling to torment the Lady with a long course of Physick, told the Courteour, that if he could animate her to suffer a Remedy he would propose, and would assist him to procure it, he hop'd to remove this Tumour without weakning her, or putting her to pain. Soon after, all Parties being agreed, and the desired conveniency procur'd, the Patient was brought into a Room, where there was yet in Bed the Body of a man that had dy'd of a lingring Disease. This mans Hand the Doctor took, and laid it upon his Patients Tumour, keeping it there till she either complain'd or confess'd that she felt the coldness of it penetrate to the innermost Parts of her Tumour. This application was afterwards repeated more than once, whilst the Body continued without smelling: And by this course the Tumour was dispell'd, and the Patient so reliev'd, that her Father, by way of gratitude, [Page] knowing how much the Physician was a lover of curiosities, made him a present of that Clock.

The Learned Doctor ascrib'd this odd Remedy to Helmont, who is indeed to be thank'd for having mention'd and recommended a Medicine, that was unlikely to be good, besides that it was not in use. But the knowledge of it seems to me to have been for the main very much ancienter than our Age: since there is mention made of one very like it by so Ancient an Author as Pliny; tho' since his time till Helmonts it hath been generally forgotten or disbeliev'd, save that one Physician (Franciscus Ulmus) who, tho' no ill Observer, has not had the Fortune to be Famous, takes notice of a case very like that of our Courtiers Daughter, affirming, that by that one Remedy, after others had been fruitlesly imploy'd, he knew a Noble Virgin to have been perfectly cur'd.

I was one Summer, to my great surprize obnoxious to frequent Bleedings [Page] at the Nose; for which I sometimes us'd one Remedy, and sometimes another, for the most part with good, but not still with quick success. But falling once unexpectedly into a Fit, whose violence somewhat alarm'd me, I resolv'd to try an unusual Remedy: And having easily obtain'd of my Sister, in whose house this Accident happen'd, some true Moss of a dead Mans Scull, which had been sent her, by a great Person, for a present out of Ireland, in which Country, I found it less rare and more esteem'd than elsewhere: I was going to imploy it after the usual manner, which is to put it up into the Patients Nostrils, but before I did it, I had the curiosity to try, notwithstanding the briskness of my Haemorrhagy, whether the Medicine would produce its effect by being only held in my Hand, and therefore covering a piece of the Moss with my Fist, that the warmth might a little actuate the Medicine, I found, to the wonder of the by-standers, [Page] that the Blood speedily stopp'd, nor thanks be to God have I been troubled with a Haemorrhagy for some years from that very time. But this is far less strange than what was affirm'd to have happen'd to one of the Eminentest Members of the Royal Society. This Learned Gentleman, who was of a very Sanguine Complexion, found himself much affected by the use of the Moss of a human Scull, [pieces of which I have seen sticking to the Roots of the Vegetable, when it was genuine] which had so strange an operation upon him, that sometimes when he was let Blood, if for curiosities sake he held a quantity of this Moss in his Hand, the Efflux of the Blood would cease, till he laid it by again; which was not only solemnly averr'd to me by himself, but confirm'd to me by his Ingenious Physician, with both whom I had a particular Acquaintance; which otherwise I should have thought scarce credible, unless imagination, a faculty very strong in that Gentleman, [Page] contributed to the strange effect of the Remedy.

The hitherto mention'd External Specificks are afforded by Vegetables and Animals, which being Bodies of a slighter Texture, may be suppos'd to have their Parts more Effluviable: And therefore I shall now add two or three examples afforded by the Mineral Kingdom, which consisting of Bodies that never were living, and which are for the most part very close and compact, are generally thought to have their Parts indispos'd to emit Effluvia.

I knew a Person of great Learning, and by Profession a Physician, who enjoy'd a Health good enough, save that usually after a few hours sleep, he wak'd in the Night with great Terrors, follow'd for a long time with such violent Palpitations of the Heart, as were very troublesom, and sometimes frightful to him. To remove this Distemper, he try'd all that his Art suggested to him, but without success, Whereupon he complain'd [Page] of it to several of his Acquaintance; and mentioning it one day among a Company of Merchants, whereof some frequented very remote Country's; one of them told him, he would easily relieve him, by a Remedy that had been found efficacious both upon himself and others. This he told him was, to take divers flat and smooth Cornelian Stones, such as they bring from the East-Indies, to cut Rings out of, and to sow eight or ten of them to a piece of Scarlet or Flannel, to be hung about his Neck, so as that the Stones may immediately touch the Skin over against the Heart, and the Mouth of the Stomach. This Remedy the Physician procur'd, and in no long time, found the great benefit of it, insomuch that he thought he might now securely leave off the use of these Stones, which he did once or twice out of curiosity, as well as for his ease, but finding the Distemper to return each time, within very few Weeks after he had laid aside his Remedy, he resolv'd [Page] to keep it always on, as he had long successfully done, when he told me the story. And to convince me, presented me with some of the Cornelians, that he had, for fear of wanting them, procur'd in greater number than he needed at once. But since I have not yet had occasion to make tryal of them, I shall not conclude that the Remedy will always succeed, but only (which is enough for my present purpose) that 'tis at least possible that such an External Remedy may be very effectual.

I afterwards thought (which I here note, to add to the probability of what I have been relating) that pos;sibly those that first made use of the foremention'd Remedy, may have had a hint from what Galen saith of the Jasper: Which Stone we observe to be various in point of Colour, and I have seen in the green mixtures of Red almost as deep as that of Cornelians. Of this Stone Galen relates that some made Rings, in which were graven a Dragon having Beams [Page] issuing from him, and commended it as very friendly to the Stomach, being apply'd to the Mouth of it. And tho' he omitted (and found he safely might do it) the Sculpture, he yet approves the Stones upon his own frequent experience, applying them almost as our Merchant did;Galen de Simp. Med. facultatib. Lib. [...]ono. Tit. de Lapid. Sane hujus (says he) ego quo lapidis abunde feci periculum Torquem enim ex hujusmodi lapillis confectum collo suspendi ita ut lapides os ventriculi contingerent apparebant, autem nihilominus prodesse etiamsi sculpturam non haberent, &c.

I have lately mention'd the efficacy of a Cramp Ring upon some Parts of the Genus Nervosum. But some will perhaps think it more considerable, if a Stone Ring worn on the Finger shall be able to work upon the Mass of Blood, and particularly that deprav'd Portion of it, that Nature relegates to such distant Parts as the Hemorrhoidal Veins. And yet the experienc'd Monardes, having desrib'd [Page] the Blood-Stone that is brought from New-Spain, and represented it as a Jasper, not only commends it against Hemorrhages, being applyed to the Bleeding Part,Nic. Monard Simpl. Med. Hist. cap. 36. p. 329. but adds the following words, which declare that he speaks upon experience, Vidimus nonnullos Haemorrhoidum Fluxu afflictos Remedium sensisse, Annulos ex hoc Lapide confectos in Digito continue gestando: nec non & Menstruum Fluxum sisti.

I know you will expect here, that I should not on this occasion pretermit the Lapis Nephriticus; of which sort of Stones, tho' many have been found ineffectual against the Disease that gives them their name, and tho' it be scarce possible to choose those few that are good, without having particularly and actually try'd them; yet that some of them are of great virtue, we have the Testimony of the inquisitive and judicious Boetius, and that other Learned Writer about Gems Johannes de Laet, whose Praises [Page] are confirm'd by the Historical Testimonies of Monardes and others. But none that I have met speaks more home to our purpose than a considerable Merchant of Leipsick, whose rare Observations are recorded by a man of very great reading the Learned Untzer. de Nephrit. Lib. 1. cap. 24. Untzerus, to whom I refer you, contenting my self to mention in this place two of the ten Remarks he sets down, the first, that the Merchant affirm'd to our Author, that by wearing this Stone for some days, the calculous matter was so powerfully proscrib'd, that a multitude of small grains of Sand were expell'd, even at the corners of his Eyes. The like effect, to which he often observ'd of that Remedy in divers other Persons. The second, that by wearing the same Stone, his Wife who was troubled with a great Catarrh found it considerably Cathartick, insomuch that the first day she was thereby purg'd fourteen or fifteen times, the next nine or ten times, and afterwards [Page] had her Body kept very open. And he adds, that he found also this Stone to operate like a Purge, tho' not so strongly upon himself.

But enough, if not more than enough, of the vertues of Periapta and Appensa especially, since more instances of them may be met with in some other Papers: And even without them, or at least with them, those particulars I come from mentioning, may furnish a sufficient Answer to the Objection that has occasion'd them.

The Conclusion.

And now, Sir, you have what the consideration of the Nature of the things I treat of suggested to me, about the Principal ways, by which I conceive Specifick Medicines may cure Diseases, or at least much lessen them. I said the Principal ways, because I am far from denying, that there may be many others, that must [Page] not here be mention'd, lest I should too much transgress the limits that become an Epistle; especially, this being already far more prolix than I at first intended; though I purposely omitted the Authorities and Arguments of divers Physicians and Chymists, that maintain that there are Specifick Medicines, bccause they proceed upon Principles, (such as substantial Forms, real Qualities, Ideas, or Chaoses and the like,) which I could not fairly employ, because I do not admit them. But though I forbore to lengthen my discourse, by improper, and I hope needless Transcriptions out of others; yet 'tis long enough to prompt me, now at the close of it to remind you of two or three things that I declar'd at the beginning.

As First, that I did not pretend that a Specifick Medicine, or Nature by a Specifick, does commonly effect the cure by one of the particular ways that I propos'd, exclusively to the rest; since I rather think that oftentimes [Page] two, and sometimes more, concur to the effect. Secondly, that I propos'd to my self, to explicate the ways of working of Specifick Remedies, only in general. And Thirdly, that I did not assert, that the ways I pitch'd upon were the true and genuine ones, by which the Medicine does act, but only propounded them, as ways by which it may act: So that without being Dogmatical, I offer you my Explications, but as possible, and perhaps not improbable; and that may suffice for the occasion and scope of this Letter; in which I presume, you remember I aim'd but at shewing you, that the operations of Specifick Medicines are not irreconcileable to the Principles of the Corpuscular Philosophy: Which I hope you will without reluctancy grant, if, by my good Fortune, the difficulties that made you hesitate, seem to you to be lessen'd by so barren an intellect as mine, discoursing of an abftruce subject, which belongs to a prosession that I am not of. Upon which account [Page] it may be justly presum'd, that you, who have so much more sagacity, and are so much more concern'd than I in the subject I have been treating of; and who being a profess'd Physician, have much more opportunity to discover the various courses that Nature does or may take in curing Diseases; will be able to give your self far more satisfaction, than you could hope to receive from me, who have therefore propos'd to you my conjectures very diffidently, tho' I am very poisitive in asserting my self to be

SIR,

Your most, &c. ROBERT BOYLE.

§

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THE ADVANTAGES Of the Use of SIMPLE MEDICINES.

Propos'd by way of INVITATION To it.

By the Honourable ROBERT BOLE Fellow of the Royal Society.

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AN INVITATION To the Use of Simple Medicines.
To the very Learned Dr. F.

§I.

SIR,

Since SPECIFICK MEDICINES, to deserve that name, must be very Efficacious; and yet are for the most part either simple or very little compounded, what has been said about them in the foregoing Tract concerning Specificks may afford me a not improper rise to invite you, and thereby others of your Profession, on [Page] whom your Authority and Example may justly have much influence, to seek after and Imploy, more than they are wont to do, such Remedies as are either simple, or, when there happens a necessity to compound, are made up of no more Ingredients than are absolutely requisite to answer the Indications, and the Physicians Scope.

This sort of simple, or but lightly Compounded, Remedies, I am induc'd to prefer before those pompous compositions, wherein men seem to have hop'd to surmount diseases by the multitude of the Ingredients, upon the following Reasons. In all which I desire the advantages ascrib'd to simple Medicines, above others may be understood, not in an absolute and indefinite sense, but, as they speak caeteris paribus, which I here give you notice of once for all

And the first advantage that I shall mention, is, That it is much less difficult, to foresee the operation of a [Page] simple, than of a very compounded Medicine. So that Physicians may proceed more securely, in imploying the former than the latter sort of Remedies. And indeed, if I do not greatly mistake, we often presume too much of our own Abilities when we believe that we know before hand, what the Qualities and Effects of a Mixture of many Ingredients of differing Natures, will be: Since many Bodies, by Composition, and the change of Texture consequent thereupon, do receive great and unexpected Alterations in their Qualities. Several manifest Instances of this Truth may be met with in our History of Colours; In divers of whose Experiments, the Colour produc'd upon the Mixture of Bodies, is quite different from that of any of the Ingredients. As, when a blew Solution of Copper made in Spirit of Urine, does with Syrup of Violets, which is also blew, produce a fair Green. And even since I began to write this Section, a Tryal purposely [Page] made has afforded me a new Instance of the same import.

For having put together some Tincture of Iron, made with good Spirit of Vinegar, and a Volatile Tincture of Sulphur, (which I elsewhere show how to make) from a Confusion of these two very red Liquors, there emerg'd in a trice, a very dark and almost Inky Mixture, that retain'd nothing at all of Redness.

The like notable changes I have several times produc'd by Mixtures, in divers other Qualities of Bodies than their Colours, as in their Odours, Tasts, &c. And why such Alterations may not be also effected by Composition, in some of the Medicinal Qualities of Bodies, I do not yet see. Quick-silver it self inwardly taken, does usually cause, either no manifest evacuation, or one that is made at the mouth: But if it be dissolv'd in Spirit of Niter, and Precipitated with Sea-Salt, this white Precipitate being edulcorated, if it [Page] be warily given in a just Dose, doth (as far as I can yet learn) seldom fail of working, and yet seldomer work by Salivation, but by Siege. On the other side Glass of Antimony (made per se) whereof a very few Grains given in substance, are wont to work violently upwards and downwards, being dissolved in Spirit of Vinegar, (which is not easily and quickly done) will not usually either Vomit or Purge, tho the Menstruum be drawn from it, and tho it be given in a larger Dose, than that of the uncompounded Glass.

And tho if Crude Antimony be flux'd with Niter and Tartar, as in the ordinary way of making Crocus Metallorum, there is produc'd, as is vulgarly known, a Medicine so Emetick and Cathartick, that an Ounce or less of the Wine wherein it has been infus'd, without sensibly loosing its weight, is wont to work strongly enough both upwards and downwards: Yet I have known some that would without scruple, take [Page] several Grains of Crude Antimony in substance, and one particularly that continued the use of it long, without being vomited or purg'd by it. And Tryals purposely made have inform'd me, that if, instead of Salt-Peter and Tartar, Antimony be prepar'd with well dry'd Sea-Salt, and a little Salt of Tartar, tho both, these amount not to above half the weight of the Niter and Tartar vulgarly us'd, yet the Antimony well flux'd with these (for about an hour) is thereby so alter'd and corrected, that it affords an useful Medicine, of which one may give from 12 or 15 Grains to half a Dram, or more in substance, without ordinarily working, either by Vomit or Siege, but usually by Sweat, and sometimes by Urine. Whence we may gather, that Antimony may be either made a more dangerous, or a more friendly Medicine, than of it self it is, according to the Ingredients 'tis associated with, tho these be in themselves Innocent, and perhaps of kin to one [Page] another. And even Chymists, as well as other prescribers of Remedies, may be found, tho less frequently, to add to a Simple, such things as rather deprave, than improve it. As one of their great Patrons (a happy Practitioner) complains, that Flower of Sulphur, by being sublim'd, (as by many it is) from Calcin'd Vitriol, and one or two other things, under pretence of purifying and subtillizing it, does really acquire a hurtful Corrosiveness. And if I had here the Leizure, Instances enough might be brought to show, that Chymists sometimes mistakingly produce by their additions to a Medicine, other Qualities, if not also worse, than they design'd or expected.

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§ II.

ANother Advantage of Simpler Medicines, is, that caeteris paribus, they are more safe than compounded ones, especially if the Patients be valetudinary persons. 'Tis too much the custom, both of many Herbarists, and several other Writers on the Materia Medica, to give us rather Encomiums than impartial Accounts of the Simples they treat of; enumerating and magnifying all the vertues they have, and sometimes more than they have, without taking notice of their ill Qualities, upon whose account nevertheless they may be inconvenient, if not hurtful and dangerous, to some Constitutions, and in divers Cases. We know that divers Perfumes, as Musk and Amber, tho very grateful and refreshing to most Mens Spirits, are yet very hurtful to many Women, and especially to those that [Page] are Hysterical. And I have known the smell of Musk very much disaffect an eminent Person, though otherwise of a robust Constitution. I have also known several Persons, not all of them of the same Sex, very much offended by the smell of Roses, which yet is very moderate, as well as to most Persons, whether Men or Women, very grateful. I know a very great Person to whom Honey, whether inwardly taken, or outwardly apply'd, is almost as hurtful as Poyson, having several times produc'd strange and frightful Symptoms, even when the Patient knew not that any Honey had been imploy'd, and consequently could not be thus oddly distemper'd by the force of Imagination. I think I have elsewhere taken notice of the harm, that both I and others, subject to Diseases of the Eyes, have receiv'd, even by the moderate use of Parsley.

On this occasion I shall add what occurr'd to me long after I had dictated what I said of Parsley, that [Page] Worm-wood, tho for many uses, an excellent Plant, has been found by many so apt to disaffect the head, and so unfriendly to the Eyes, that I have for some years forborn it my self for fear of the head-ach, and forewarn'd others of it that are subject to weak Eyes. But I know a very Learned Man, whose Elegant Pen has made him deservedly be taken notice of by many, who, tho he have naturally very good Eyes, found upon an Obstinate Tryal, that his Curiosity seduced him to make of the plentiful use of Worm-wood-Wine and Beer, that within less than three Weeks, his sight was by degrees brought to be so weak, that he could not read a Gazet without Spectacles; but by totally leaving off Worm-wood, he quickly recover'd the vigour of his sight, without the use of any of the helps that his profession, which is Physick, would have plentifully suggested to him. this Relation I had from himself soon after the thing happen'd, on [Page] occasion of what I told him about Parsley, &c.

And to speak more generally, I doubt not, but if Men were not so prepossess'd with the Praises that Authors give to Simples, that they overlook the Inconveniencies they may on divers occasions produce, we should find in many Medicines bad Qualities, that are not yet taken notice of. And I have more than once hit, but too well, in the Prognosticks I made of the Hurt, some Patients would receive by the use of applauded Medicines, prescribe them, even by considerable and Learn'd Men, when upon their Authority my warnings were neglected, and the use of the Medicines unhappily persisted in. I remember I once saw in the hands of a learned and curious Traveller into the Eastern Parts of the World, an Arabick Manuscript about the Materia Mèdica, which made me regret the loss of the most part of the little skill I once had in [Page] that Language. For besides that it was written in a delicate hand, and the Letters in fit Places, curiously adorn'd with Gold and Azure, the Method seem'd to be more accurate than any thing I had seen on that Subject. And that which pleas'd me not a little, was, that the Author had been so wary, that after the columns wherein he taught, besides many other things, the Vertues, Doses, &c. of every Drug he treated of, he had a distinct column for the bad Qualities of it, and the constitutions and Diseases wherein the use of it may be dangerous or inconvenient. I think it therefore not unreasonable to suspect, that, where a great many Ingredients are blended into one Medicine, one or other of them may have other operations, besides that design'd by the Physician; it may awaken some sleeping Ferment, and, if not produce a new Distemper, may excite and actuate some other hostile matter, that lay quiet in the Body before, [Page] and perhaps would have been little by little subdu'd by nature, if it had not been unseasonably rous'd and assisted by some Ingredient, that perhaps was needlesly put into the Medicine. I have had so many unwelcome Proofs of this in my self, that it engages me to be the more careful to caution others against the like Inconvenience.

§ III

ANother benefit accrewing from the use of Simpler Medecines, is, that thereby the Patient may, without burdening his Stomach, or nauseating the Remedy, take a larger Dose of the Medicine, or of that Ingredient of it wherein the vertue chiefly resides. For, whereas Physicians are oblig'd to stint themselves in the Dose of the Medicine, for fear of disgusting the Patient, or oppressing his Stomach; when there are many things heap'd together in a [Page] moderate Dose of one compounded Medicine, these Ingredients that are either superfluous, or at least are less efficacious, must necessarily take up a considerable part of that determinate Dose, and consequently leave much the less of the more appropriated or useful Ingredients.

To say, that all the Ingredients that are thrust into a great composition, are proper and conduce unto the same purpose, I doubt is not always true. And however is not a sufficient Answer, since it does not avoid the Inconvenience I have been objecting.

If a Baker, being to make the best Bread he can, especially for a Person of a weak Stomach, should to Wheaten Flower add the Meal of Rye, of Barley, and of Oats; tho' all these Ingredients be good and nourishing, and each of them is by many us'd to make Bread, yet none will take him for a skilful Baker, and few would prefer this compounded Bread, to that more simple one [Page] made of Wheat alone. And so to make good Gun-Powder a skilful man would not to Salt-Peter, Brimstone, and Charcole add Wax, Rosin, and Camphire, though these be very inflammable Substances as well as Sulphur. And thus if one would make an Aqua Vitae, whereof but one small cup were to be given for the quick recovery of fainting Persons, he would not with Spirit of Wine, or good Brandy, mix Mead or Cyder, and strong Bear or Ale, tho' each of these be it self a Spirituous Liquor.

Gum Arabick (whereof I prefer that which is transparent and colourless) is prescrib'd in several compositions, as a Drug proper to mitigate the sharpness of Urine. But by the quantity of the other Ingredients that 'tis mix'd and clog'd with, no more than a small proportion of it usually comes to be given in one Dose. But when I have had the Curiosity, leaving out all the other things, to give about a dram, or perhaps more [Page] of it at one time, reduc'd by long Pounding (for the best is very tough) to fine Powder, in a large draught of small Ale or Beer, or some other convenient Vehicle, I found very considerable Effects of it. And I remember that a Gentleman of great note, coming to bid me farewel, because of a long and troublesome Journey, he was taking to Mineral Waters, which he intended to drink for many weeks, to ease him of a very painful sharpness of Urine; I that knew it was not venereal nor from the Stone of the Bladder (for when those Causes of the Strangury, the Medicine is not near so powerful) I desir'd him, before he went to make use of this Powder, once, or (if there should be need) twice a day. Which when he had done, it so reliev'd, him that he thought himself quite cur'd, and forbore his intended Journey not only that Year, but the next. For the Chin-cough, as they call it in Children, whose odd Symptoms do usually fright the Parents and Attendants, [Page] and oftentimes frustrate the Endeavours of Physicians, skilful in curing other Coughs, I have not known any magisterial composition so effectual, as the simple Juice of Pulegium (by many call'd Pennyroyal) sweetn'd a little with SugarCandy, and given long enough from time to time, in the quantity of a Childs Spoonful. (This Plant may be also made to afford a Syrup, that will keep, and is useful in Coughs, but which I doubt, is not so efficacious as the Simple Juice.) There are many and obvious experiments of the great efficay of so simple a Remedy as Asses Milk; (which yet in some cases, I think inferiour to Goats Milk,) if it be given in a sufficient quantity, and for a competent time, there are also many Instances of dangerous and stubborn Diseases, that have been cur'd even by Common Cows Milk, when it has been very plentifully taken, and for a long continuance of time, and perhaps it is no less remarkable, that [Page] in a far less time now and then, not extending to very many daies, Fluxes, as Dyarrhaeas, and tho more seldom even Dysenterical ones, are happily and easily cur'd, as I have sometimes known by the bare use of so slight a Remedy as Milk, wherein, whilst it is gently boyling, an equal quantity of fair Water is little by little put, till at last there remains but as much Liquor as the Milk alone amounted to at first. This simple Alimentous Medicine being liberally taken (for it should be us'd instead of all other Drinks whilst the Disease continues) has been very frequently found to cure Fluxes, not all of one sort, in Ireland it self, where that kind of Disease is Endemical. And, tho I have formerly in another Paper recommended the use of Paronychia foliis rutaceis, against that sad and stubborn Disease the Kings-Evil, yet I presume you will allow me, by the mention of a Tryal that was since made with it, to give a notable Confirmation [Page] of the Utility of giving an Alterative Simple, if need require, in considerable quantity. A Physician that I knew, was sent for to a Scrophulous Patient, in whose Throat there was a Tumour, so big and so unluckily seated, that much compressing the Asophagus it rendr'd Deglutition exceeding difficult: So that being likewise so hard and stubborn, that tho the Physician was also a famous Chyrurgion, he could neither discuss it, or bring it to Suppuration; The Patient, tho rich, was in imminent danger of being starv'd. In this Strait the Physician remembring the Character I had given of Paronychia, or Whitlom Grass, sent about the Country to to get all that could be procur'd: And at first gave a little of it in form of Infusion, in such liquid Aliments as the Patient was able, with much ado, little by little to get down. And having by this means, after some time, made the Deglutition less difficult, he gave the Remedy [Page] more and more plentifully, to imbue the whole mass of Blood and Juices of the Body with the Vertue of the Herb, whereby the Tumour was at length resolv'd, and the Patient secur'd, so much to the Physicians Reputation as well as Profit, that, as he said, he thought Gratitude oblig'd him to give me a Circumstantial Account of his Success; as he very civilly did in a long Letter whereof I have given you the Substance.

And tho I might here entertain you with the Vertues of some other Simple Remedies, plentifully given, yet for brevity sake I shall rather observe in general, That I doubt not but several Simple Medicines (I speak of alterative not evacuating ones, would be found far more effectual than they are commonly thought, if they were given in a much larger Dose, and continued for a competent time. And probably so many Physicians (especially of the Old School,) would not be so [Page] forward to reject either Specifick or simple Remedies, as having found some of them not to answer Expectation; if they would allow them as fair a Tryal, as they give to their own Prescriptions, such as the Chalybeats of the Shops, the Spaw, or Tunbridge Waters, the Decoctions of Guajacum, &c. which they often give with divers intermediate helps for a Month or six Weeks, and sometimes for two Months together, without expecting that in a few weeks, much less in a very few days, they should perform the cure.

§ IV.

THE Fourth thing that may recommend the use of Simple Medicines, is, That caeteris paribus they are more easy to be procur'd then Compounded ones. This Assertion needs little proof. And where several Simples are requir'd, [Page] one or more of them may oftentimes be difficult to be got; and all of them will still be troublesome to be fetcht, and to be made up into a Composition. How useful the knowledge of Parable Remedys may be, I have indeavour'd to show in a distinct Paper; and therefore shall not discourse of it here, but only add this one Observation, that some Medicines are so parable, that without resorting for them to Apothecarys shops (which are not every where at hand, nor always furnished with them) we may find them in those of other Trades-men. Thus among Masons and Bricklayers we most commonly meet with Quicklime; whose bare Infusion in common Water [about a pound of the former, as 'tis more or less strong, to about three or four Quarts of the latter,] is of it self a good Medicine in divers Cases, and as Experience has perswaded me, may be made the Basis of several good Remedys, both Inward and Outward. Among the [Page] latter of which may be reckon'd an Oyntment, that I usually kept by me for Burns, and made only by beating up strong Lime-Water with as much good Lin-seed Oyl, as could be made throughly to incorporate with it into a very white Unguent.

And I shall add concerning Linseed Oyl, (since I have mention'd it) which is to be had in the shops of Varnishers and Painters; that of it self, being exhibited in a large Dose, as of several Ounces at a time, I have known it answer the Commendations given it by eminent Physicians, for breaking of Pleuritical Empyemas Simple Oyl of Turpentine also, that may be usually had in the shops of the same Trades-men, is in reality a noble Remedy in divers Affections, not only Inward, in which Chymists commend it, but Outward too. And I have had great thanks, both from Physicians and Chyrugeons, for recommending the use of it to them in Wounds, and particularly, where [Page] one would expect little from it in the stanching of Blood, if it be seasonably apply'd very hot to the wounded Parts, where it also much promotes a good Digestion. And I am confirm'd in the good Opinion I have long had of this Oyl, by the Information that's given me, That very experienced Chyrurgeon has lately been so charitable, as to publish a little Book, considerable for the useful Observations it contains, of notable Cures done by him in Chyrurgical Cases, chiefly with Oyl of Turpentine. And I shall add, that a Chyrurgeon to a great Monarch, and one of the skilfullest men I ever met with of his Profession, confess'd to me, that in an admir'd Cure that he had then lately done of a desperate Gangrene, in an eminent person, very aged and almost bed-rid, the Medicine he ascrib'd most to, was the Oyl we were speaking of. And, because both he and others make much and good use of Spirit of Wine in Gangrens, which yet is [Page] thought to be unmingleable with Oyl of Turpentine, because if it be shaken with it, it will quickly separate again from it; I thought it might do Practitioners some service, to make for them a Mixture of Oyl of Turpentine and Spirit of Wine, that might probably be more penetrant than the former, and less fugitive than the latter, which of it self does not stay long enough upon the Parts 'tis apply'd to. Which Mixture I easily made, by digesting for a while, and strongly shaking from time to time, about equal parts by guess of good Oyl of Turpentine and throughly dephlegm'd Spirit of Wine, till this Liquor, by imbibing or dissolving great store of the Oleaginous Parts, have attain'd a Yellow Colour, for which reason I call it the Tincture of Oyl of Turpentine.

And, since my subject has led me into the shops of Colour-sellers, I will before I leave them, take notice of one Simple that is wont to be found there, which if it were [Page] not very offensive to the Tast, and somewhat disagreeable to the stomach, would be perhaps preferable for its Antinephritick Vertue, to the most pompous Compositions of the shops, and some of the celebrated Arcana of the (vulgar) Chymists. I procur'd it, not without some difficulty, from a Spagyrist, very well vers'd in the School of Paracelsus and Helmont; who, tho a sparing Commender of Remedyes, extoll'd this as the best he had ever met with, to cure the Stone where it was not too big to pass, and to prevent the increase of it where it was. I have known it us'd in Clysters, with very good success in a Fit of that Disease. But Inwardly I had no occasion to try it but upon my self. And judging it innocent enough, (as indeed I found it rather Anodyne than Driving, I took it now and then, mix'd with Oyl of sweet Almonds chiefly to allay the Tast, for otherwise I had long found that alone, insufficient) as a Preservative from Grave. And, [Page] thanks be to God, I divers times thought it more manifestly effectual to that purpose, by lessening either the bulk of the Grains, or the quantity of the Sand, or both, than any of the Remedyes I had taken for prevention in several years before. And yet I scarce took a quarter of the Dose, prescrib'd by the Spagyrist that communicated the Medicine to me; which in short is (for I presume you would gladly know it) to take from time to time, by it self or in some convenient Vehicle two or three ounces of the express'd Oyl of Walnuts, which, if the great staleness of it he requires be necessary, (which I mean to examine by Tryals) is scarce to be had but at the shops of Artificers, because he would have it at least a year old, and judg'd it the elder the better.

Before I quite leave the Shops of Trades-Men, I shall take notice of one Medicine more, that seems to have been first lodg'd there, and from thence translated into the Shops of [Page] Apothecaries. The Medicine I mean is Castile or else Venetian Soap, (for either is often imploy'd in stead of the other) which being a Body abounding with Alcalisite Salts and Oleaginous Parts well combin'd, invited me to make some Experiments with it, as a Substance that may be applicable to good uses, not only Mechanical but Medical. Of some of tho former sort I elsewhere make mention. And as to its Medicinal vertues, I take notice in another Paper of its Efficacy against the Jaundise; for which I have since been inform'd, that, as nauseous a Medicine as it is, 'tis in great request among some Skilful Men in Holland. And some fresh, but not sufficient, experience has recommended it to me against the Stone. But that vertue of it which I as yet most prize it for, and now intend to communicate to you, you will best gather from the following Story. Having had some dealings with a considerable Merchant (of Cork, in Ireland) he sadly complain'd [Page] to me, that he was afflicted with a necessity of making Bloody Water to that degree, that he fear'd he must soon quit his Profession, being already unable to ride about his business, and scarce able to walk a foot the length of a Street, without stooping to make red Water. Hereupon I told him I had a Medicine, that, if he could digest the unpleasantness of it, would, I thought, by the blessing of God, do good even in his case. And it was only to scrape with a Knife as much Castile Soap into a Spoon, as it would conveniently hold without being press'd, i. e. neat a dram, and having fill'd the vacant part with small Ale, or some other, convenient Drink, to facilicate the swallowing so nauseous a Remedy, wash it down with a somewhat large Draught of the same Liquor, or other fit Vehicle, repeating the Dose twice or thrice a day, if need requir'd. The manifest relief he found by this seemingly despicable Medicine, within (if I misremember not) two or [Page] three days, invited him to continue the use of it a while longer, and afterwards to return me solemn thanks for it; declaring that now for four years together he had liv'd quite free from his Distemper, without scrupling to ride Journeys on Horse Back, as his occasions requir'd. To which he added, that in regard I had not confin'd him to secresy, he presum'd I intended the Medicine should do as much good as might be, and therefore scrupled not to give it to several others, who were likewise happily cur'd by the use of the same Remedy. Which Account was therefore the more welcom to me, because in the place were I liv'd, I had not opportunity to make further Tryals of its Efficacy. And on this occasion I shall beg leave to advertise you once for all, in reference to the Remedies deliver'd by me, either in this Paper or in my other Writings; That I am as sensible as another of the almost insuperable Difficulty, of making any certain [Page] Experiments in Physick; and that, having of a long time (for Reasons given in due place) studiously, tho not unreservedly, declin'd the Occasions of giving (and consequently of reiterating) Medicines: I justly desire that none of my Readers, and especially that Dr. F. would too much rely upon them, till they have been more competently try'd, than perhaps some of them, for want of opportunity, have been; and administred to Patients of differing Complexions, Ages, and other Circumstances.

You may find other Instances of the vertue of Parable, and some of them unpromising Medicines, in one of my Essay's Of the Usefulness of Experimental Philosophy; to which I the less scruple to refer you, because I do not remember what I have there written many years ago, so perfectly, as not to fear that I might by enlarging this Section, put you to the trouble of reading some things here that you have met with there already. [Page] And yet I am somewhat incouraged both to mention to you that Book, and to present you some other Receipts in this Paper; because it has pleas'd God so far to bless divers of the Medicines I have there recommended, or do there mention, that they have been prosperous to many Patients, and not altogether unuseful to some noted Physicians; and have procur'd me from both more thanks than I pretended to; besides inviting Encouragements to further Communications.

§. V.

THE last thing in order, but not in importance, that induces me to wish, that Physicians would imploy Simpler Medicines as much as conveniently may be, is, that 'tis one of the likeliest ways, (and perhaps little less than absolutely necessary) to promote the Practical [Page] knowledge of the Materia Medica. For, whilst in one Receipt▪ a multitude of Ingredients are mingl'd, if not confounded, 'tis almost impossible to know with any certainty, to which of the Simples the good or bad Effect of the Remedy is to be attributed, or whether it be not produc'd by a Power, resulting from the particular Quality's of all of them, united into one Temperament, and by its means acting conjointly, and, as the School men speak per modum unius. So that by this way of heaping up or blending Simples into one compounded Remedy, I see not how in many Ages Men will be able to discover the true qualities good and bad, of the particular Bodies, that are compris'd under the name of the Materia Medica; whereas, when a Physician often imploys a Simple, and observes the Effect of it, the relief or prejudice of the Patient, may very probably, if not with medical certainty, be ascrib'd to the good or bad Qualities of that particular Remedy.

[Page] And this difficulty of discerning, what Ingredient it is of a very compounded Medicine, that helps or hurts the Patient, is much increas'd to those that affect to write Bills, wherein something is prescrib'd, which tho, because it goes under one name, passes but for one Ingredient, is yet a very compounded Body; as is evident, in those many pompous Receipts wherein Treacle, (that alone consists of above sixty several Simples) Methridate, and divers other famous ancient compositions; that each of them consists of good store of Ingredients. I had once thoughts of drawing up a discourse of the Difficulties of the Medicinal Art; and had divers materials by me for such a work, which afterwards I laid aside, for fear it should be misimploy'd to the prejudice of worthy Physicians. But among the difficulties that occurr'd to me, I shall on this occasion mention one, which was; That 'tis a harder work than most men think, to discover [Page] fully the nature, or the good and bad quality's in reference to Physick, of this or that single Plant, or other Simple, that has a place in the Materia Medica. For besides the great difference that there may be in Plants of the same denomiation, according to the Climate, Soil, the goodness of the seeds that produce it, the culture, or the want of it, the time of the year, the seasonableness or intemperateness of the weather, the time and manner of gathering it, how it has been kept, the parts of it that are, and those that are not made use of, together with other circumstances too many to be here enumerated: besides all these, I say, the unheeded Textures of parts that are thought of an uniform nature, and the length of time during which they have been kept, without being suspected to be superannuated, and indeed without being so, may so much vary the nature of a Plant, that I have sometimes almost in a trice [Page] shewn the curious a notable disparity in the parts of the same fresh Leaf of a common Plant: And (NB.) I have found by Tryal purposely made, that some seeds of common use in Physick (and not putrefy'd) will, being distill'd at one time of the year, afford an Acid Spirit or Liquor; but at another time of the year, tho destill'd the same way without any addition, afford not an Acid, but a kind of urinous Spirit, that contains a volatile Salt, which in Smell, Tast, and divers Operations, I found to be of great affinity to the volatile Salt of Urine, or that of Hartshorn. And indeed so many things may be pertinently and usefully propos'd to be inquir'd into, about this or that particular Plant made use of by Physicians, that perhaps they would be less inclin'd to compound numbers of them in one Receipt, if they were aware how much useful employment the indagation of the Quality's of so much as a few single Plants would give [Page] them: and yet without the knowledg of the properties of the separated Ingredients, a Physician prescribes, it will be scarce possible for him to know, with sufficient certainty, how the compound made up of them, will be qualify'd and operate, which reflection, I the less scruple to propose, because I am conifirm'd in it by Galen himself,Galen. de Con. p. Sec. Gen. lib. 1. who very Book, where he largely treats De Medicamentorum Compositione, hath this Assertion; In universum, nemo probe uti possit medicamento composito, qui simplicium vires prius non accurate didicerit.

I presume you will easily allow, that much of what has been said in favour of those simple Medicines we owe to Natures (or rather to its Authors) Bounty, may be extended to many of the Remedy's that are afforded us by the Chymists Art. For without now entering into the Question, whether the Spirits, Oyls, and Salts, that are obtain'd by what Spagyrists call Analyses by the [Page]fire, are Principles in the strict sense of the word; it will scarce be doubted, but that the Spirit, or the Oyl, or the Salt of a mix'd Body chymically resolv'd, is so slightly or unequally compos'd, that the Ingredient whence it takes its name, is far more predominant, than it was when combin'd with others, in the entire or not yet Analys'd Concrete. And that such supposed Principles, OF Medicines of a simpler Order, may be very efficacious Remedys, may be justly argu'd from the great and beneficial effects of such as Oyl of Vitriol, Spirit of Urine (NB.) a Medicine of great use both Inward and Outward, Spirit of Hartshorn, Spirit of Niter, Spirit of Wine, and Oyl of Turpentine; of which last nam'd Liquor I shall add, that, besides the vertues already ascrib'd to it in this Paper, whilst it retains its simplicity, it may in many Cases be imploy'd as a Menstruum, and by being combin'd with an Ingredient or two, be made to afford divers [Page] Medicines, which tho but little compounded, are not of little vertue. For I have found it readily enough to dissolve Camphire, Mastick, and some other Gums, of which Balsoms may be made, and others may be obtain'd by the help of the same Liquor, even from divers Mineral and Metalline Bodies. I will not insist on so known a Medicine as the common Terebinthinate Balsom of Sulphur; tho this be a Remedy, with as much as 'tis peculiarly extoll'd for Diseases of the Lungs, (wherein yet its heat requires that it be very warily given to Patients of some complexions) has vertues that are not confin'd to the Distempers of those parts; since both I and some I commended it to, have found it very effectual (outwardly apply'd) in troublesome Haemorroidal Pains and Tumors: and (NB.) some experience inclines me to think its vertues may not be much greater in Pulmonick than in Paralytick Distempers: in which (last) it may be [Page] us'd, not only Outwardly, but chiefly Inwardly; and that in a pretty large Dose with a Cephalick, and, in some Cases, an Antiscorbutick Vehicle. But I shall rather take notice to you, that perhaps it will be found worth while to try, at least in external Affects, the use of divers Tinctures, and consequently Balsoms that may be obtaind by the help of Oyl of Turpentine from divers solid Mineral Body's, upon which I have found by tryal, that this Liquor may be ting'd (tho not of the same colour on all of them,) among which I shall name, besides Crude Zink, Crude Antimony, and even Crude Copper (in filings;) a noble Subject, Antimonial Cinnabar; from which, tho I found I could (but not hastily) draw a fine Tincture, I had not opportunity to make tryal of that promising Medicine.

[Page]

§. VI.

ANd as for those other Medicines, that are not made by bare Analysis, but by Synthesis or composition; tho I think an experienc'd Chymist may, in many cases, with less uncertainty than a Galenist (who employs Crude Ingredients of a more compounded nature) foresee what quality the produc'd mix'd Body may have: Yet I could wish, that even the Spagyrists themselves were more sparing, than many of them are, in the number of the Ingredients they imploy to compose one Medicine. For most of the Arguments, upon which I grounded my Invitation to the use of simple Remedies, are applicable to Chymical ones, as well as others: And on this occasion I shall represent two things.

First That in many cases, preparations skilfully diversify'd, may be usefully substituted to composition: [Page] Since one Body dexterously expos'd to differing Operations, may acquire as various, or as considerable, Qualities, as would accrew to it by the addition of such other Bodies, as an ordinary Chymist would in probability associate with it. Thus, not to mention Quick-silver, Antimony alone, whether prepar'd without addition, as when Flowers of several sorts are made of the more Volatile, and true Antimonial Glass of the more fixt part, or being associated but with one or two Ingredients, may afford a skilful Spagyrist, Medicines numerous and various enough, almost to furnish a Shop; or at least to answer the Physicians Scope, where he would imploy an Emetick, a Cathartick, a Diaphoretick, a Deobstruent, a Diuretick, a Bezoardick or cordial Medicine; to name now no other Qualities, that may be found in some Antimonial preparations, in a degree considerable enough to ennoble them. Which. Instances, and others of the like nature [Page] I presume you will allow me to make use of in this discourse, because, though I do commonly, yet I do not always, imploy the Term Simple Medicine or Remedy in the strict and absolute sense, but in a comparative one, that excludes compositions of more than two or three, or at the utmost a very few, Ingredients.

Secondly, Without bringing together a Chaos, or so much as a considerabe number, of Ingredients, one or two, or at most three auxilary ones, if judiciously chosen and skilfully manag'd, may oftentimes produce more efficacious Remedies, than the admirers of pompuous Processes would expect, or perhaps be able to make those Processes vye with. The violently Emetick and purgative vertue of Glass of Antimony made per se, may be, as I elsewhere show, more powerfully corrected by mere distill'd Vinegar, than by many famous Stomachick and Cordial Elixirs, and other Elaborate Preparations. And sometimes a seemingly [Page] improper addition may not only correct, but give new and unexpected vertues to a Drug. Thus, though Sublimatum corrosivum be a mercurial concrete, so fretting, that a very few Grains of it may be able to kill a man; yet by adding and carefully uniting to it about an equal weight of running Mercury, there is obtain'd, when they are well united by Sublimations, a Compound that is so free from being corrosive, that Chymists call it Mercurius dulcis, which though some unwary Practitioners, as well Galenists as Chymists, have too often by their misimployment of it, discredited, yet experience shows that in Skilful hands it may be usefully imployed, not only in some venereal affections, but in divers other Distempers. And I shall now add, that being carefully prepar'd, and well given, it may not only be freed from corrosiveness, but much allay the Sharpness both of some emptying Medicines, & of some peccant humors. To countenance [Page] the latter part of which observation, I shall acquaint you with one use of it, that perhaps you have not yet made. I remember, I had an opportunity to observe the Efficacy of Mercurius dulcis, in a stubborn disentery, that had baffled the Remedies of an eminent Physician. But though a reflection on the vertue, I knew this Medicine to have, of allaying Sharp humors, and resisting Putrefaction, may justly increase my favourable opinion of it; yet not thinking my Experience competent, I imparted it to an ancient and expert Chyrurgeon, that was the chief of those that belong'd to a famous and judicious General of an Army; who thereupon frankly confess'd to me, that this was his great Arcanum, wherewith he had cur'd many scores, or rather hundreds of Souldiers in this generals Army. Only, where as my way is to give from 8, or 10, to 12, or at most 15 Grains of Mercurius dulcis for a Dose, made up with some little Rhubarb, &c. Or other [Page] Ingredient that would make it work, once, twice, or thrice with another Patient, (for the disentery it self helps to carry off the Medicine) he, both to disguise it, and to make it more easily takeable, made it up with Sugar and Mucilage of Cum-dragon into Lozenges, whereof one might containfrom near a Scruple to half a dram of the Mercurius dulcis, of which he order'd the Souldiers to take one at a time, without hindering their March; only bidding them have a great care, that nothing should stick between their Teeth, or in their Throats.

3. But the efficacy of this simple preparation of Mercury, is much inferiour to that more simple, although more tedious, preparation of Gold, which was made the same way in two differing Countries, by two dexterous Physicians, both of them of my acquaintance. For though I had long been prejudic'd (not without specious grounds) against pretended Aurum potabiles, and other [Page] boasted preparations of Gold; (for most of which I have still no overgreat esteem) yet, I saw such extraordinary and surprizing Effects of the Tincture of Gold I speak of, upon Persons of great note, that I was particularly acquainted with both before they fell desperately sick, and after their strange Recovery, that I could not but change my former opinion, or a very favourable one of some preparations of Gold; and I should have thought that this Medicine (as little compounded as it is,) could scarce he paid, by a great store of the Noble Metal that afforded it, if it could have been made in great quantity, or without a great deal of pains and time. I can speak thus circumstantially, because by the kindness of the Artists, and the pains I had spent in working on the same Subject they make their Menstruum of, I so far knew, and partly (by themselves invited) saw, the preparation of it, that to bring home what has been said, to the present occasion) I can tell [Page] you, that there is no Ingredient associated to the Gold, save one, that comes from above, and is reputed one of the simplest Bodys in nature, and of which one may take two or three Ounces altogether unprepar'd, without the least inconvenience. And yet the Dose of this almost insipid Medicine, that was given to an old Courtier, even in a violent Apoplexy, wherein other Remedies had by skil'ful men been us'd in vain, was but six or eight drops.

In another very ancient and corpulent person the Dose was greater, because the Tincture was more unripe and diluted; but the effect was as sudden, tho the Patient was not bled, and tho there was not in either of these two cases, any notably sensible, evacuation made. [Both these recover'd Persons are yet alive] the same Medicine a while after, saved the life of another Gentleman I know, who, having lain above two and twenty days sick of an ill conditioned Feaver, was condemn'd [Page] by three Physicians, whereof one told me with great grief, that he would not out-live the next morning; and yet upon the taking of a large Dose of this Tincture, he was presently reliev'd, and from that time found a sensible amendment towards a recovery, which he now injoys; tho he were then reputed to be about, if not above fourscore years old. Some other odd effects of this. Remedy I could tell you of: But it has already much swell'd this Section, and yet I thought it not amiss to relate these things to you, both, because they are very pertinent to the scope of it, and because you may be, as I long was, prejudic'd against Medicines made of so fix'd, and, as is suppos'd, un-alterable a Metal as Gold.

4. This is not the only Medicine made of that noble Body, of which I have known very notable effects. But, because they belong to another Paper, I shall not particularly mention them in this; but pass on to [Page] tell you,The Ʋsefulness of Exp. Philosophy. that the Preparation of Silver, that I have long since deliver'd in another Book, tho' it may seem but slight, has been found very effectual, and much us'd, by one of the eminentest Physicians of this nation, to whom I recommended it: and who acknowledg'd to me, that He gave it to Patients of very high Quality, tho' disguis'd, to avoid alarming those that are fearful of Chymical Medicines. And since that I gave it to a great Lady that was Hydropical, and judg'd to be dangerously ill, with notable success; and the Cure has already for some years held good. But I confess to you, that I look upon Copper, and its Magistery Blew Vitriol, as a much nobler Subject to make Remedy's of, than Silver, and perhaps than Gold it self. And if I were to make Physick my Profession, there is no Metal which I should so willingly bestow pains upon as Copper induc'd thereunto by the excellent and very extraordinary [Page] Effects, (not all of them to be mention'd in this Paper, that I have had opportunity to see, of some Remedies, which tho' I could never learn how to make, I knew were made of that Metal, or Vitriol abounding in it. [But first freed from all cruelticle violence.] And for appeasing of Pains, produc'd even by inveterate Maladies, the Laudanums) and other opiate Preparations, that are prescrib'd and prais'd in Physicians and Chymists Books, and much us'd (oftentimes with good success) in their practice, seem to me, bccause of the Stupor, and some other inconvenient Symptoms, they are wont more or less to be followed by, far inferiour to the Sulphureous Parts, as a Chymist would call them, of skillfully prepar'd Venus; these being much more harmlesly and friendly Anodynous. And I remember that an Empyrick, to whom, at his request, I taught a very uncertain way (for it rarely hits) of making a kind of Sulphur of Vitriol alone, in the form [Page] of a Brick colour'd Powder; came purposely to give me solemn Thanks for the Reputation he had gain'd by that Medicine, of which the first time he had the good luck to make it, he gave, as he was instructed, four or five grains of it, to a Woman that could not sleep, but had been for divers months raving mad, [Maniaca.] which single dose not only gave her a good Nights rest, but brought. her to talk sense when she wak'd in the Morning. I knew also a Chymist, that was much courted even by learned Doctors, for an internal Anodyne he us'd, and could sell at almost what rate he pleas'd, to take off inveterate Pains in the Heads and Shins of venereal Patients; and the same Person cur'd venereal Ulcers in a very short time, only by strowing on them an Indolent Powder. And tho he was so shy, that he would not let even the Physicians, I recommended to him, see his Medicine, yet having one day been told of a kindness I had done [Page] him, unknown to him; he took it so well, that he not only allow'd me to see and handle his Medicine, but when I guess'd by the ponderousness and effects; of it, that it was some. Preparation of Mercury fixt with Sulphur of Venus, he frankly acknowledg'd to me, that, tho it would indure not only Ignition, but a strong & lasting fire, that in the former part of my Conjecture (that the Body of it was Mercurial) I was in the right; and in the latter part I shot very near the Mark; but added, that that the true Sulphureous parts of Venus were in his way so difficult to be obtain'd, and requir'd so much time, that he could seldom prevail with himself, (who indeed was voluptuous enough) to go through so troublesome a work. And in effect I found, upon various Tryals, the constituent Parts of that Metal to be much more strictly united than the generality even of Chymists imagaine. For the extraordinary effects of this Medicine, I can refer you to [Page] the Testimony of very ingenious men of your own Profession, (and probably acquaintance too.) And since I know you study Helmont, I presume you will the more readily believe them, if I put you in mind of that notable Passage, where he says: Nihil, aeque victoriose in Humidum Radicale, agit atque primum ens cupri, vel ad vitam longam Sulphure vitrioli est benignius; ideoque Sulphur Philosophorum indigitat. But my intended Brevity forbids me to insist longer on this Metal, or to take notice of more than one other Metal. And because that of Steel, Physicians as well as Chymists make great variety of Remedies, some of which are produc'd by Preparations slight enough; And the like may be said of Mercury, witness the Remedy formerly commended against the Worms, made of nothing but crude Quick-Silver barely decocted in common water: For this reason, I say, I shall pitch upon Lead, whose calx dissolv'd in Spirit of Vinegar affords [Page] as you know, Saccharum Saturni, which tho so easy and simple a preparation, is a magistery that has more vertues than every Physican knows, or perhaps so much as suspects; especially in mortifying sharp humours in the Eyes, which I have known or made it do sometimes almost in a trice. [But I do not think it safe to make the Plantain or Rose-water 'tis to be dissolv'd in, considerably strong of it.] And for Burns, I have seldom seen any thing equal to it, and therefore have often us'd it upon my self (barely dissolv'd in Common, or else Plantain Water.) But I fear 'tis not so safe as effectual, in some inward Distempers of the Bowels, that are judg'd to be caus'd by Acid humours; unless it be very warily and skilfully given. [But as to its external use, I presume, I need not tell so skilful a Doctor as you (NB.) how great it is in healing, and in the mean time appeasing, the Pains of divers sorts of Ulcers. And therefore I shall mention but one [Page] Particular, which 'tis like you have not met with; namely, that I know a very Ancient and experienc'd Person, who, besides a vast practice otherwise, was Chyrurgeon to a great Hospital; who professing much kindness, and owning some obligation to me, confess'd to me, that amongst all the Medicines he has try'd to stop Bleeding, and prevent Accidents in Amputations, that which he oftenest us'd, and most rely'd on, is a solution of Saccharum Saturni in Plantain Water (or for a need in pure common Water:) for having dissolv'd ℥j. of the former in about a Pint or pound of the latter; as soon as ever the Limb or other part is taken off, he immediately apply's Stupes drench'd in this Liquor, as hot as the Patient can well endure; and having bound them carefully on, he makes, no hast to take them off, but allows the Medicine time enough to perform its operation: To countenance this I would tell you an odd experiment of mine, of the efficacy [Page] of a Saturnine Liquor to resist Putr faction, in the Bodys of Animals, but that the relation would take up too much time.]

5. Perhaps I need not tell you, that I could here mention divers other Experiments, as well upon Saturn, as the other Metals I have nam'd above; but that my Scope confines me to such Preparations, as wherein the Metaline Subject is compounded but with very few others; and also that of those that are more remote from simplicity, you may meet with several in some of my other Papers, which I am not in this to defraud.

What has been above noted about Metals, may be extended to Minerals: namely, that when there is need to compound them, it may of tentimes be sufficient to associate them with one or two, or at most a very few Auxiliary Ingredients, if I may so-call them; this is apparent in several useful Preparations of Antimony, that are vulgarly enough known. [Page] To which divers may be added that are made of common Sulphure, by slight additions. Of which sort, because I elsewhere deliver several, I shall now mention but one, which though I have many years ago describ'd in the History of colours, I shall not scruple to take notice of here, because I there consider not its Medicinal vertues, which yet are very great, especially in Asthmas and Coughs, in which I do not remember that I ever gave it without benefit to the Patient; nor was it less successful in the hands of Physicians, that were willing to try it for me, especially in those of a Person, who though well furnish'd with choice Remedies of his own, often came to me for a supply of this Spirituous and penetrating Tincture, with which he assur'd me he did notable things in Asthmatical cases; and particularly in one that was very obstinate, and had lasted many years. But not having had quite so many opportunities as I wished of giving it my self, I shall [Page] be glad, that further Tryal may be made of it by so skilful an Administrer as you. And therefore lest you should not have the Book lately refer'd to at hand, I shall here repeat, that our Medicine is made of Flowers of Sulphur, exactly mix't with an equal weight of finely powder'd SalArmoniac, and somewhat more than an equal weight of good Quick-lime, separately reduc'd to a Suttle Powder. For these three Ingredients being diligently and nimbly mix'd, and put into a Retort, to be plac'd in a sand Furnace, and fitted with a large receiver very well luted to it. This Mixture, I say, being duly distill'd in such vessels, will afford a Blood red and smoaking spirit, exceeding Sulphureous both in smell and oven Mechanical Operations. And in this Distillation the Sulphureous Parts sometimes came over accompany'd with such store of saline ones, that a good part of what past into the Receiver shot into the form of a Volatile Sulphureous Salt. And I [Page] remember that having for curiosity's sake added to the Fluid Tincture a due proportion of an Ardent Spirit (such as that of Wine) exactly dephlegm'd, I had a Mixture (whether in the form of a Coagulum or not) which afforded me some odd Phaenomena not here to be mention'd, and which we subled with a gentle fire to unite them into a composition that may for distinction sake be call'd Sa trium regnorum, because it contains Urinous Particles, Vinous ones, (and perhaps some of Soot) and Sulphureous ones: whereof the First belongs to the Animal, the Second to the Vegetable, and the last to the Mineral Kingdom, as Chymists are wont to speak. But what vertues this Salt (that would presently gild Silver,) and the Spirit that may be made to accompany it, may have in Physick, I had not occasion to try. But yet I have mention'd it upon the by, that you may make use of it, if you think it worth while to do so. To whch I shall here present you with no Inducements, [Page] since I perceive that the Particulars above mention'd about simple preparations of Gold and other Metals, have already made this Section enormously great. And yet I hope you will not be displeas'd at it; since to so sugacious a person as Dr. F. these passages may afford some not altogether useless hints: and at least 'tis an Encouragement to Industry, to know that the subjects a man works on are capable of affording Excellent things.

§. VII.

1. I Foresee it may be objected against the frequent use of simple Medicines, that oftentimes it happens that a Disease, or a morbisick Matter, is not the effect of a single Cause, but is produc'd by the concurrence of two, or perhaps more, Causes, which producing several symptoms, 'tis not probable that one Simple Drag will be able to answer those different Indications [Page] This Objection I confess is considerable, & there are cases wherein I acknowledg it to be so weighty as to invite & warrant a Physician, to imploy in them a Medicine consisting of more Ingredients than one or two; which I can admit without prejudice to any Design, since I formerly declar'd I did not intend to perswade you to consine your self to Simple Remedy's (so much as in the late sense above intimated of that Term) but only to imploy them where they may suffice; and where they cannot to make use of Medicines as little compounded as the case will permit,

2. But having premis'd this Advertisement, I presume I may offer you two or three considerations, that may lessen the force of the lately propos'd objection And first, tho I readily grant, that there are Diseases, whereof each may proceed from differring causes, and that a Remedy may be available against it, When 'tis produc'd by one of those [Page] causes, without being so when it flows from another; yet it may also easily happen, that in one case the Disease may be cur'd by one simple Medicine, and in another, by a Remedy not compounded. Nay, it may also happen, that the same simple may cure a Distemper, by which soever OF the two causes it is produe'd. This I have in another Paper endeavour'd to make out. And what we see of the Effects of the Jesuits Powder, as they call it in different kinds of Agues, as Tertians, Quartans, &c. and of pacating Medicines (most of which indeed owe their vertue to Opium, but some are Mineral, and have nothing of the Poppy in them) in appeasing Pains produc'd by Humours, and other causes very differing; may keep what has been said from appearing improbable, And, if I mistake not, it may divers times happen, that, whatever it were that at first produc'd a portion of Morbisick matter, that first produc'd matter, is the cause of the continuance of the Disease, [Page] by vertue of some peculiar Texture or Noxious Constitution, which if a generous Medicine can destroy, the Disease will, at least little by little, cease.

3. It not unfrequently happens, that several Symptoms that seem very differing, may so depend upon the primary or principal cause of the Disease, that if a Medicine, how simple soever, be capable to destroy that cause, all the various Symptoms will, by degrees at least, vanish of themselves: as we often see, that when Mercury, tho perhaps but crude, is skilfully apply'd, and raises a kindly salivation, a great variety of Inconveniencies that afflicted a Venereal Patient, and seem'd to require many differing and topical Applications, are remov'd by the same Remedy; insomuch that not only frightful Ulcers, but such Modes as one would think searce possible to be dissipated by the strongest Plaisters, are sometimes happily cur'd by well prepar'd Quicksilver, taken in at the mouth, [Page] as I have been assured by more than one eminent Physician upon his own Experience, And tho not unfrequently there be several, & sometimes very different Symptoms, that accompany that Disease of children that in England we call the Rickets; (and of which there dye several almost every week in London alone)▪ yet that Medicine which I have elsewhere describ'd under the name of Ens (primum) Veneris [made of strongly calcin'd and well dulcify'd Colcothar of Dantsick Vitriol, and elevated with Sal Armoniack into the form of a reddish sublimate] has prov'd, by Gods blessing on it, so successful, that partly by a Sister of mine, (to whom I communicated it) and partly by my self, and those I directed to take it, or to give it; I think I may safely say, that two or three hundred children have been cur'd by it, and that almost always without the help of any other inward Medicine, or using any Topical application at all.

[Page] 4. But the main thing that I intended, by way of answer to the foreseen Objection, was, that in a simple Medince nature her self does oftentimes so well play the Apothecary, as to render the compositions made in his shop unnecessary. For, tho we are wont to look upon this or that Plant or Mineral, as an entire and simple Body, yet we may much mistake, if we look upon it as a Homogeneous one. In several Plants that are organical Bodies, this Truth is manifest; as for instance, in Oranges the Succulent part is soure and cooling, but the Yellow Rind considerably bitter and hot: and so in Lemons the Pulp, the Yellow part of the Rind, and the seeds have their differing Qualities and Medicinal vertues. And even in such vegetable Substances as are Homogeneous as to sense, there may be Parts, whose operations may be not only differing, but contrary; as is manifest in the Root, we call Rhubarb, which affords as well notably Astringent, as Laxative and [Page] Purgative Parts. And so in Minerals themselves good and clean Lead-Oar, for instance, tho an uniform body as to sense, consists of very dissimilar Parts, and affords Sulphureous and perhaps other Recrements, besides Malleable Lead, which is it self a compounded Body. Thus also shining Marcasites, tho they appear Homogeneous, will by barely being expos'd for a competent time to the moist Air, afford an Efflorescence, that is perfectly vitriolate, and consequently contains an Acid Salt, two kinds of Sulphur, a Terrestrial Substance, and at least one Metal, (for oftentimes it holds both Copper and Iron, tho one predominate,) which last nam'd Substances themselves are neither of them simple Bodies.

5. And if we admit the Chymical Analysis of mixts to be genuine, we shall find that almost all those that belong to the Vegetable Kingdom, or to the Animal, and many that are refer'd to the Mineral Kingdom, how uniform soever they may appear to [Page] the Eye, do each of them contain several different, and sometimes hostile Substances. Thus Hartshorn, tho it appears a dry and Homogeneous Substance, will in distillation afford a volatile Salt, an urinous Spirit, a waterish Liquor, or Phlegm, a swiming Oyl and a sinking one, a white and porous Earth, or Terra damnata, and perhaps some, tho but very little, fixt Salt. Thus also in the Vegetable Kingdom, Tartar, for instance, may without addition be made to afford, as Experience hath assur'd me, a volatile Salt very like that of Urine, a Phlegme, an Acid Spirit, another Spirit too which I have elsewhere given the name of Adiaphorous, two faetid Oyls, whereof one will sink in Water, and the other swim on it, an Earth or Terra Damnata, and a fixt Lixivial Salt, upon which the newly mention'd Acid Spirit manifests such a hostility, that when they are put together, they tumultuate with noise and Bubbles, and [Page] in the Conflict mortify each other. And thus likewise in the Mineral Kingdom, not to repeat what I lately said of the compoundedness of Vitriol; Nor confidently to urge the Opinion of divers Eminent Physicians, that Mars (as they call Steel and Iron) affords parts whereof some are Astringent, and other Operative, because I am not yet sure these contrary qualitys, do not proceed from the differing degrees of Fire, and other Circumstances of the preparations of the Metal: We see that Native Cinnabar affords by Distillation, besides running Mercury, a dry substance, whence I have obtain'd a Sulphur that would presently gild Silver, and a Terrestrial substance, whose nature I had not occasion to examine. And I the rather take notice of these differing Parts in Native Cinnabar, because it is a Mineral that I much esteem; and tho here in England it is very rarely, or scarce at all imploy'd as an inward Medicine, yet I know some [Page] Forraign Physicians of several Nations, that look upon it, as one of their chief Arcanums, and both use it, and conceal it, accordingly. But I do not willingly imploy it, till it has been prepar'd, by grinding it exactly, upon a Porphire, or other fit Stone, as a Painter would do to make a Pigment of it, and by freeing it from certain Salts, that often undiscernedly adhere to it, and sometimes may be hurtful; which is done by First washing it very carefully with boyling Water, and then, after it has been throughly dry'd, by burning upon it several times, one after another, some Vinous Spirits perfectly dephlegm'd. [The Dose, if it be to be long continu'd, may be three, four or five grains: but when 'tis to be given but seldom, and for an urgent Case, it may be from six or seven, to ten or twelve grains.

[Page]

§. VIII.

1. WHat has been said in the foregoing discourse, to manifest, that a simple, whether Organical or not, may notwithstanding its intireness or its seeming Homogeneity, contain or afford very, dissimilar parts; may help us to conceive, that being really a compounded Body, it may afford Parts differing enough to answer differing Indications, or attain several Scopes, that are wont to be look'd on by Physiciaus as necessary, or at least very useful to the cure of this or that disease; as in many Diarrhaeas or Fluxes of the Belly, whereas, 'tis judg'd requisite first to evacuate the Peccant matter, and then to give Astringents, to hinder the immoderate evacuation wherein the disease is thought to consist; Rhubarb answers both those Indications, by its Purgative and its more terrestrial [Page] Parts, whereof the former dispatch their work first, which makes the Astringent operation of the latter seasonable and safe.

2. I have divers times observ'd, that so common and despicable a simple as Ground Ivy, has perform'd things whose variety seem'd to argue, that it contains Parts of very differing vertues (as of opening, contemperating, healing, &c.) and is thereby capable of answering differing intentions, especially in Distempers of the Lungs & Breast, & indeed partly by the Syrup of it, partly by the infusion of the Leaves, and partly by Medicines made of them in a consistent form; the happy Effects of this simple have procur'd me the thanks of divers considerable persons, some of which had before unsuccesfully us'd many Prescriptions of learned men. And I remember I knew an Ingenious Person, who being Master of a considerable manufacture, which was gainful to him, whilst his Servants continu'd tolerably [Page] well, was very much incommodated and perplex'd, to find them so obnoxious to violent Colicks, (which he imputed to the Copious Steams of the Vinegar his Art requir'd,) that he was forc'd almost weekly to allow them some days of cessation from working, to preserve or recover themselves. And I remember that from this Inconvenience, he was at length, as himself confess'd to me, in great part freed by making his workmen frequently use a strong Infusion or Tincture of the Leaves of our ground-Ivy made with (not pure or dephlegm'd Spirit of Wine, but) good unrectify'd Nants Brandy.

I could here add divers other uses, both Internal and External, of this seemingly despicable Plant, there being scarce any one English Herb known to me, of which, for its manifest vertues, the Experience of others and my own have given me a greater Esteem. And I am apt to think, that the Efficacy which this and some other Simples, that the [Page] fear of Prolixity makes me silently pass by, would be found both greater and more various than they are commonly thought, if Physicians in prescribing Medicines would more often either ordain Simple ones, or at least associate but very few together, and compensate the small number of Ingredients, by the greater quantity of those that are the most appropriated or operative, and by persisting in their use for a competent time.

Tho 'tis not every efficacious Simple, or but lightly compounded Remedy, that can fitly be imploy'd about the Proof of what I am now endeavouring to show, yet I shall subjoyn such Instances, as will, I hope, suffice for the present Occasion.

Mineral Waters, as well Acidubae, as the German Spaw, our Tunbridge, &c. as Thermae, such as those of Bath, &c, tho but Natural Medicines; and some of them but outwardly administred, are notoriously known in their native simplicity to be able [Page] one of them single, frequently to cure several Diseases, and consequently to take off a good number of differing Symptoms, that afford various Indications. It may help much to make it probable that the same Simple may comprise Qualities fit to answer differing Scopes, and thereby cure differing Symptoms, if it be consider'd, that there are several Poysons that do each of them produce Symptoms not only very frightful, but very various, and yet all these have been oftentimes conquer'd by a Specifick Antidote, that is perhaps but a simple Herb or other uncompounded Drug. I had once, (and but once) the opportunity of making a Tryal, whereof I shall now give you a brief Account, of the vertue of a stone taken out of the Head of an enormously great African Serpent; which stone was affirm'd to the Possessor of it, Governour of the famous English East India Company, to be highly available against the Bitings of all venemous Animals. [Page] The substance of the Experiment (to give it you in short) was this, I caus'd a young Cat to be bitten by a fierce and highly irritated Viper, which so inrag'd the Cat, that in revenge he endeavour'd to bite off her Head, which he took in his Mouth, and did not let go, till, as the Spectators concluded, she had bit him again, at, least by the tongue; soon after which venemous Hurt, the Cats Head swell'd very much, and tho he soon grew so weak, that he was not able to stand on his Legs, but lay along on the ground, yet he seem'd to be grown quite mad, for he foam'd at the Mouth, and snapt at the end of a Wand, or such like things, that were but held near him; and, which was more, in his rage bit one of his own Legs, that lay not far from his Mouth, much to the surprise of the Spectators. But, tho in this desperate condition it seem'd in vain to attempt any thing for his Rescue, because one could make him take nothing, and every one was affraid [Page] to come near him; yet having mix'd a little of the powder'd stone with some sponfuls of fair Water, it was by the help of the neck of a glass Retort, that we imploy'd in stead of a funnel, pour'd by degrees upon the Cats Mouth; which lying open, tho he endeavour'd to shake it off, yet some of it was concluded to have got in; and within one hour or two after, if not less, he did, to the no small wonder of the Bystanders, get upon his Legs again, and not only seem'd to have much of the Tumidness of his Head, but readily enough took the Medicine I caus'd to be given him; and would probably have scap'd very well, if, whilst I was at dinner with the Company, some unruly People had not hurt him more mortally than the Viper had done.

Physicians and others have observ'd in the Plague a great variety of Symptoms, among which there are divers, whereof each, if single would psas for a particular Disease. And this [Page] diversity of Symptoms may be not unfrequently observ'd, not only in Pestilences that happen at times, or in Countries distant from one another, but in the same Plague reigning in the same Place. And yet 'tis possible, that a simple Remedy may be available against this so multifarious or manifold (if I may so call it) and violent a Disease. Of Which Observation (to omit what might be alledg'd out of some other Authors) I shall give one instance out of Galen himself, who, treating at large of the Terra Samia, takes occasion 'to bring in the vertues of Bolarmony (Bolus Armena) which I should guess by his manner of mentioning it to have been little, if at all, known to Physicians till his Time. This Earth, that appears a Body so simple and uniform; He not only commends for sevearal Diseases, as spitting of Blood, Fluxes of the Belly, Dysenteries Catarrhs, Defluxions from the Head upon the Breast, Difficulty of Breathing thence insuing, [Page] and even Ulcers of the Lungs; but adds, what makes very much and directly for our purpose, in the following words. In magna hac Peste, Galen. de Simpl. Med. Facult. lib. ix. Tiul. de Terra Samia. (whereof he had spoken before) cujus eadem facies fuit atque ejus quae Thucidydis memoria grassabatur, quotquot hoc Medicamen bibere celeriter curati sunt. [The way of giving it (which I add by the by, because it may sometime or other be of use) was this, Bibitur, says He, ex vino albo consistentiâ tenui, modice diluto, si aut planè Febri careat, aut leviter eâ teneatur, sin gravius febriat, admodum aqueo.] And so excellent a Medicine did this simple one prove in that terrible Plague, that our Author sayes, Quibus non profuit omnes interiere; Scil. cum nec alio quovis Medicamine, juvarentur: unde colligiter, concludes He, quòd iis duntaxat non fuerit auxilio qui plane erant incurabiles.

3. There are few Diseases that put on so many forms, or are attended [Page] with greater variety of Symptoms, than that which Physicians call Affectio Hysterica, and whose Paroxysus or effects are vulgarly known in England by the name of Fits of the Mother. And yet we have often remov'd, and not seldom in a quarter of an hour or less, Hysterical Paroxysus and Symptoms, and sometimes such as made the Patient swoon or lye along as almost dead, by the bare Odour, of well rectify'd Spirt of Hartshorn, or the mere pungent and powerful smell of a Spirit of Sal Armoniack, which by a peculiar way I made very strong, purposely for external Uses. And if I had not out of the experienc'd Monardes, See Nicol. Monard Simpl. Med. Histor. Cap. 36. P. m. 329. Physician to the Viceroy of the Spanish Indies, already mention'd in another Treatise an Antiscorbutical Gem; I would here add another Remedy against the same Disease, more considerable to my present purpose, since 'tis only a simple Stone outwardly apply'd.

[Page] 4. But, because I think not fit in this place to insist on a Testimony already alledg'd, tho its Credibility, as well as that of the thing to be confirm'd by it, may be much favour'd by what has been related, concerning the Vertues of Stones outwardly apply'd, in the latter part of the Discourse about Specificks: For this Reason, I say, I shall add a couple of other remarkable Instances, of the Efficacy of even Dry and Solid Bodies, tho but externally apply'd in Diseases attended with several, and divers of them uncommon Symptoms, whereof, whatever many think of the harmlessness of our English Vipers, I have here known several Instances, in Men as well as Brutes. And yet in these dangerous Cases, many that come from East India extol the great Efficacy of some of those Stony Concretions, that are said to be found in the Heads of a certain kind of Serpents about Goa, and some other Eastern Countreys: for tho most Physicians reject or question the [Page] Power ascrib'd to these stones, for curing the Bitings of Vipers, and tho I do not wonder at their diffidence, because in effect many of the stones brought from India are but counterfeit; and of those that were really taken out of Serpents, several, for a Reason I must not stay to mention, are insignificant; (and such perhaps were those that the learned and curious Redy made his Tryals with) yet there are others, whose vertues are not well to be deny'd. For, not to build on vulgar Traditions, which are but too often deceitful, one of the eminentest Doctors of the London Colledge assur'd me, that he had, with one of these stones, done, tho contrary to his expectation; a notable Cure, which he related to me at large. And one of our chief English Chyrurgeons affirm'd to me, that he had done the like upon another person; both of these Cures being perform'd by the bare application of the Stone, to the Place bitten by the Viper or Adder. And a very [Page] intelligent person, who had the direction of a considerable Company of Traders in East India, where he long liv'd, assur'd me that he had with this Stone cur'd several persons of the Hurts of venemous Animals, But, this Testimony is much less considerable, as to the number of Cures, than that of a great Traveller into the Southern parts of the same India, who, tho he were bred by a famous Cartesian Philospher, and were forward enough to discredit vulgar Traditions about the Countreys he had long liv'd in; yet being for those Reasons ask'd by me, what I might safely believe of the Stones I speak of, seriously affirm'd to me, that he had cur'd above threescore persons of the Bitings or Stings of several sorts of poysonus Creatures; and that he perform most of those Cures, by the outward Application of one Stone; because, finding it excellent, He was invited to keep to it, especially in difficult. cases. And this same Experience of my own, made with a Genuine [Page] Stone of this kind, upon the Bodies of Brutes, much inclines me to give credit to. But, because this Stone is afforded by an Animal, I shall add the vertues of another, that properly belongs to the Mineral Kingdom; in a Disease, whose Symptoms, tho not so various, are sometimes dangerous, and too often mortal.

To shew you then, that in spite of great Closeness and Hardness, a simple Remedy outwardly apply'd, may be a very effectual one, I shall inform you, that tho the Solid I am speaking of past for a Bloodstone, yet by its colour and some other visible qualities, I should rather have taken it for an Agat. It was but about the bigness of a small Nutmeg, and had in it a Perforation, by which a stiring past through it, to fasten it to the Part affected. This Stone had been long kept in the Family that possess'd it, when I saw it, being for its rare vertues left by one to another. But, to omit the reports that [Page] went of it, the notable case, that makes it pertinent for me to mention it here, was this. An ingenious Gentleman, that was a man of Letters, and when I saw him, was in the Flower of his Age, and of a complexion so highly Sanguine, as is not usually to be met with, was from time to time subject to Hemorrhages at the Nose; so profuse and so difficult to be restrain'd, that his Physician, tho a Person famous and very well skill'd in his Art, told me he often fear'd he should loose his Patient, and that he would be carry'd away by this unbridled Distemper▪ But when good method and variety of Remedies had been try'd, without the desir'd success, this Stone was at length obtain'd from an ancient Kinswoman of the Gentlemans, to tye about his Neck, so as to touch his naked Skin. This when he did in the Fits, it would stop the Bleeding; and if he wore it for some considerable time together, he all that while continu'd well, as both his learned [Page] Physician and himself inform'd me. And, because I was apt to ascribe somewhat of this effect to imagination, on, the Patient told me, that a while before one of the chief Women in the City, (whom he nam'd to me) fell into so violent a Bleedings, that, tho' it brought her into a Swoon, yet that it self, which is somewhat strange, did not hinder her to Bleed on, till the Stone, having been ty'd about her Neck, made her cease to do so, tho' she knew nothing of its having been apply'd to her. And this it self is less strange than what the Gentleman affirm'd to me of the Power of this Gem, as it may deservedly be called. For his complexion inclining him, as was above intimaed, to breed great store of Blood, his Doctor thought fit to order him, for prevention, to breath a Vein, from time to time, which when he was about to do, he was obliged to lay aside the Stone for a while, because, whilst he kept it on, the Blood would not issue out, at least with the requisite Freedom.

[Page] But how far have I already past beyond the designed Limits of this little Tract! wherein I at first intended, but to lay before you the five chief advantages I had observ'd, mere simple Remedies to have of very compounded ones; and briefly to propose the main grounds, on which I ascrib'd those advantages to such Remedies. But tho' the better to keep this writing from being prolix, I design'd that it should consist chiefly of such particulars, as I could best spare from other Papers; And tho' for that reason I have purposely omitted many parable, and other but little Compounded or Elaborate Medicines: Yet I now perceive that, so many new particulars having offer'd themselves on several occasions, whilst I was writing, my Pen has slipt into the mention of many more Receipts, and Historical passages, than were at first intended. But believing the subject to be very useful, and not despairing but that the things deliver'd on it may not [Page] be altogether useless; I dare hope you will pardon such faults, as only my desire of making the Parts of this small writing, rather serviceable than Methodical or well proportion'd, drew me unawares into. But whatever were the cause of my Prolixity, the bulk which I see this Paper has already swell'd to, admonishes me, that I ought to put a speedy period to it, without spending time solicitously to declare in what sense I commend the Medicines deliver'd in this Invitation, For by recalling to mind, what I have formerly wrote (in a Treatise you have been pleas'd to peruseSee the Appendix to the I Section of the II Part of the usefulness of Exper. Philosophy. p. 389-390 And of the 2d. Edition.) about the Limitations, with which I would have the praises I give of Tome Remedys understood, and the cautions with which I would have them administred; you will easily be perswaded, that looking upon them but as fit Tools in a skilful Workmans Hands, I do not pretend that any of [Page] them should do the Offices both of Physick and Physician too: and that I propose not the Medicines mention'd in this short Paper, as sure Specificks, but as instances that there are Remedies, which notwithstanding their being but simple ones, may be very good ones.

I am Sir your most &c. R. B.

FINIS.

A Catalogue of late Physick Books sold by Samuel Smith, at the Prince's Arms, in St. Pauls Churchyard.

[Page]

[Page]

Fol.

BOneti Anatomia, 2. Vol. 1680.

—Mercurius, 1682.

—Medicina Septentrionalis, 1684.

Bidloo Anat. humani Corporis (105 fig. illnjirata) 1685.

Breinii Plantarum Exoticar. Cent, cum Figuris, 1680.

Bibliotheca Anatom. cum fig. 2 vol. 1685.

Fabriti Hildani opera cum Severino, 1682.

HippocratisOpera Foetii.

Hartmanni Opera omnia, 1684,

Horstii Opera Med.

Paracelsi Opera, 2 vol.

Dioscoridis Opera, G. Lat.

Saxoniae Opera Mid. 1680.

Piso Hist. natsiralis de rebus Indiae.

Schenkii Observat. Med.

Mentzelii Index Plant, cum Figuris, 1683.

Lepenii Bibliotheca Med. 1683.

Riverii Opera, 1679.

Zwelferi Pharmacopeia, 2 vol.

Pharmacop. Angust. Renovata, fine Notis, 1685.

Wedelii Tabulae.

Quartoes.

Alpinus Medicina AEgypt.

Borriehius de ortu & progressu Chimiae.

[Page] Borrichii Hermetis Aegyptiorum & Chym. Sapientia.

—De Somno & somniferis.

Baubini Pinax cum Prodromo.

Broeckbuysen Oeconomia Corporis Anim. 1683.

Blasii Anatomia, 1681.

Borellus de motu Animalium, 2 vol. 1685. price 12 s.

Bellinus At Urinis & Pulsibus. 1685.

Bohn Chymia, 1685.

Barbetti Opera omnia. 1685.

Blegny Zodiacus Galen. Med. Chymic. 1682

—Zodaius Gal. Med. An. 4 & 5. 1685.

Bartholini Acta Medica. 4 vol.

Castelli Lexicon Med. 1682. per Bruno,

Cardilucil Officina Sanitatis.

Clauderi Methodus Balsamandi.

—De' Tinctura universali.

Collectanea Chymica Leydensia, 1684.

Clauderi Inventum cinnabaricum, 1684.

Cleyer Specimina Medicinae Sinicae, 1682.

Coberi Observat. Med. 1684.

Charas Pharmacopeia Regia, 1683.

Charas Theriaca Andromachi, 1684.

—Opera Omnia, 1684.

Diemerbroeck Anatomia.

Davissoni Comment, in Medicinam Severini

Ettmulleri Opera Med, 1685.

—Medicus, 1685.

—Chimia.

Dolaei Encyclopedia Med. 1684.

Fernelii Opera, 1683.

[Page] Van Helmontii Opera, 1682.

Glisson de Naturae Substantia.

Hoffmanni Praxis Med. 1680.

Helwigii Observationes Med. 1680.

Hoffmannus in Schroderum.

Joel Opera medica.

Kyperi Anthropologia corporis humani.

Konig Regnuim Animale, 1682.

Kunckelii Ars Vitraria.

Kirekringii Specilegium Anatom.

Licetus de Monstris.

Micaelis de Apoplexia, 1685.

Morhoff de Scypho Vitreo.

Museum Hermetic.

Miscellanea Curiosa M. Physica, 7 vol. An. X

—Id. Decuria secunda Anni Primi, 1683.

—Dec. 2. An. 2.

—Dec. 2. An. tertius, 1685.

Margravi Materia Medica.

—Prodromes.

Pauli Quadripartitum Botanicum.

—De Febribus.

Plateri praxis.

Pecblinus de potu Theae, 1684.

Paulini Cynographia curiosa, 1685.

Peyeri Merycologia, 1685.

Regii Medicina.

Rolfinchius de purgantibus, 1683.

—Ordo & Methodus Med, Specialis

—Concilia Med.

—Chimia.

Sacra Eleusinia patefacta, 1684.

[Page] Schenckii Hist. de humor, totius corporis, 1684

Salamandrae Descriptio, 1683.

Sylvii Opera Med.

Schrokii Pharmacopeia, Augustana.

—Hist. Moschi.

Sturmii Collegium Curiosum, 2 vol. 1584.

Du Verney de auditu, in fig. 1685.

Ang. Salae Opera Med, 1682.

Swammerdam miraculum Naturae.

Vigerii Opera med,

Versaschae de Apoplexia.

Weltheri Sylva medica.

Welschii Decades X. med.

—Observat. & curat, med.

—Concilia, med.

Wedelii Opiologia.

—Physiologia Med.

—Pharmacia.

—de medicam. facultatibus.

—de medicam. compositione.

—Am aenitates Materiae Med. 1684.

—Disputationes variae, 2 vol.

Weidenfeld de usu Spir. Vini Lulliani, 1684

Wepferi cicutae Aquaticae.

Zwelferi Pharmacop.

Octavoes.

Bartholin de ductu Salivali; 1685.

Bruelis praxis Med.

Bontekoe de Febribus, 1683.

Tho. Bartholini Hist. Anatomica.

Becke de Procidentia Uteri, 1683.

Borelli Observat. Med.

[Page] Briggs Opthalmo Graphin.

—Nova Visionis Theoria,

Barthol. Anatomia.

Beck. Experimenta, 1684.

Beckeri Physica subterranea cum supplemento, 1681.

Brunneri Experimenta nova circa Pancreas, 1682.

Charleton de Causis Catumor, &c. 1685.

Ent contra Parisanum, de circ. Sang. 1685.

—Contra Thruston de Respiat. 1685.

Camerarii Sylloges memorabilium Me. 2 vol. 1683.

Deckeri Exercitationis Med pract.

Dodonaei Praxis Medica.

Franchimont Lithotomia Med. 1683.

Franciscus de Venae Sectione. 1685.

Felicis de Ovis cont. Malpighi, 1684.

Funerwalfi Anatomia.

Gockelii Concilia & observat. Med 1683.

De Graaf Opera.

Grulichius de Hydrope, 1681.

—De Bile, 1682.

Grimm Compend. Med. Chym. 1684.

Gieswin Hodegus, med.

Guiberti Opera Med.

Hartmanni Praxis Chymiatrica, 1682.

Heide Anatome mytuli & observat. Med. 1684.

Hippocratis Opera, 2 vol.

Juncken Chymia Experiment alis, 1681.

—Medicus praesenti Seculo Accom. 1682.

[Page] Inventa nova Antiqua Med. 1684.

Le Mort Pharmacia & Chimia, 1684.

Lossii Concil. Med. 1684.

Lister de Fontibus Med. Angliae.

—De Insectis, 1685.

—Appendix ad Hist. Animal. Angl. 1685.

Liseri Culter Anatomicus:

Maachetti Anatomi

Meekren Observat. Med. Chyrur. 1682:

Merett Pinax:

Oeconomia Animalis, 1685.

Plateri Observat. Med.

Peonis & Pythagor. Exercit. Anat. & Med. 1682:

Plot de Origine Fontium, 1685.

Rulandip de Phlebotomia.

Riverii Institutiones:

—Praxis, 2 vol.

—Observat.

Rulandi Curationes Empericae, 1680.

Sydenhami Opera Universa Londini, 1685.

Sraussii Isagoge Physica, 1684.

Schroderi Pharmacopeia:

Sacchius iris Febrilis, 1684.

—Methodus Curandi Febris, 1685.

Sculteti Chyrurgia cum Append.

Sthal Aetiologia Phys. Chym. 1683.

Tilingii Lilium Curiosum, 1683:

Prodromus, med.

—De Laudano opiato.

—De Febribus.

Theatrum Chymicum, 6 vol.

[Page] Tulpii observat. med. 1685.

Versaschae Observat. med.

Welsch rationale Vulnerum Lethalium, 1685.

Wepferi de Apoplexia:

Witten memoria medicor.

Weberi Anchora Saucitor.

Zypaei Fundamentu med. 1683:

Twelves.

Bayle Tract. de Apoplexia.

—Dissertationes Physicae.

—Dissertationes Medicae.

—Problemata Physica Med.

Blondel Thermarum Aquis granen. & porcet. descript. 1685.

Barbetti Chyrurgia:

—Praxis cum notis Deckerii:

Broen de Duplici Bile Veterum, 1685.

Barthol. De Ovariis:

—De Unicornu:

—De Pulmenum substantia:

Beughen Bibliographia Med. & Physica, 1682:

Beguini Tyrocinium Chymicum:

Comelini Catalogus Plantarum, 1682:

Closs. de Aquis min. & mixtionibus, 1685.

Drelincurt Praeludium Anat.

—Experimenta Anat. 1684.

—De Foeminarum Ovis.

—De Conceptione Advers. 1685.

—De Hum, foetus membranis. P 685.

Guiuri Arcanum Acidular. 1682.

Glissoni Opuscula, 3 vol.

[Page] Van Helmont. Fundamenta Med. 1681:

Hoffmanus de usu Lienis, &c. 1682:

Harvey de Gener. Animal.

—De motu cordis:

Hoffman de Cinnabari Antimonii, 1685.

Ab Heer Fons Spadanus & Observ. Med. 1685.

Kirchim de Peste, 1681.

Kirckring. in BasilValent. currum Triumph.

Kunckelii Observat. Chymiae, 1681:

Le Mort Compendium Chymicum, 1862.

Muralti Vade mecum Anat. 1682.

Mysteria Physico-Medica, 1681.

Maurocordatus de motu Pulmonum, 1682.

Macasii Promptuarium Materiae Med.

Matthaei Experimenta Chymica, 1683.

Muis Praxis Chyrurgica duabus partibus, 1684.

—Decus quinta, 1685.

Morelli Methodus perscribendi formulas. Remedior.

Primerose ars Pharmae.

Pecket Anatomia.

Redus de Insectis.

Reidlini Observ. med.

Rivinus de peste lipsiensi, 1680.

Riverii Arcana.

St. Romani Physica, 1684.

Recuell de Curiositez, en Medicine, 1685.

Smitzii Compend. med. 1682.

Stockhameri Micocosmographia.

Severi in Synopsis Chyrurgio.

[Page] Schraderi Observationes, med.

Schola Salernitana.

Sponii Aphorismi Hippoc. 1684.

Swalve Quaerelae Ventriculi.

—Alcali & Acidum.

Tilingius de Renum structura,

Verlae Anat. Oculi.

Vigani Medulla Chymiae.

Du Verney traite de L'organe de L'ouvie, 1683.

Tencke Instrumenta curat. morb, 1683.

Wedelii Theoremata Med.

—De Sale Volat. Plantarum.

Advertisement.

THat these afore mentioned Books in Physick and Chymistry, with many other Forreign Books, are sold by Samuel Smith, at the Prince's Arms in St. Pauls Church yard; and that he will furnish himself with much variety of new Books in that kind, from time to time, as they shall come from Franckfort Mart; and likewise he can procure such other Books for Gentlemen, which perhaps are not to be met with here, from his Correspondents, if to be had, beyond Sea.

[Page]

Books Printed for, and sold by Samuel Smith.

THe Philosophical Transactions published by the Royal Society Monthly, beginning January 1683:

Jo. Goedartius de Insectis in methodum redactus cum Notularum Additions Opera M. Lister, item Appendicis ad Hist. Animalium Angliae, cum 21 Figuris Aeneis illustrata, 1685.

Enquiry after Happiness by the Author of Practical Christianity, 1685.

The Duty of Servants, &c. by the same Author, 1685.

R. Boyl's Memoirs for the Nat. History of Human Blood, especially the Spirit of that Liquor, 1684. Price 2 s.

—Experiments and Considerations about the Porosity of Bodys, in two Essays, 1684, Price 1 s. 6 d.

History of Mineral Waters, 1685. Price 1 s.

—Of the Reconcileableness of Specifick Medicines to the Corpuscular Philosophy, with an Invitation to the use of Simple Medicines.

Tuta ac Efficax Luis Venerea, sepe absque mercurio ac semper abs (que) Salvatione mercuriali curandae Methodus Authore D.A.M.D. 1684.

[Page] De variatione, ac varietate pulsus observationes, accessit ejusdem Authors nova Medicinae tum Speculativae, tum practicae clavis. Sive Ars Explorandi medicas plantarum ac corporum quorumcumqne faultates ex Solo Sapore, 1685.

The whole Art of the Stage, &c. Translated out of French. In Quarto, 1684. Price 5 s.

A New History of Ethiopia, being a full and Accurate Description of the Kingdom of Abessinia, vulgarly, though erroneously, called the Empire of Prester John, in four Books (illustrated with many Copper Plates) and also a new and exact Map of the Countrey, and a Preface shewing the usefulness of this History, with the Life of Gregorius Abba, &c. By the Learned Job Ludolphus Counceller to his Imperial Majesty and the Dukes of Saxony, and Treasurer to His Highness, the Elector Palatine. In Fol. 1684 Price 12 s.

Guideon's Fleece, or a Vindication of the Colledge of Physicians, in answer to a Book intituled the Conclave of Physicians. By Dr. Harvey, in Quarto, 1684. Pr. 6. di

An Anatomical account of an Elephant which was lately Dissected in Dublin, June 17, in the year 1681. By A. M. Med. of Trinity Colledge near Dublin, illustrated with Cuts, in Quarto, 1682. Price 1. s. Swammerdami (Johan.) Amst, M. D. Miraculum Naturae. In Octavo.

[Page] A Philosophical Account of the hard Frost, with what Effects it may probably have upon Human Bodies, as to Health and Sickness, in Quarto. 2 d. Stitcht.

The true method of curing Consumptions. By S. H. Med. D. 1683. Price 1. s.

A Discourse about Bagnio's, and Mineral Baths, and of the drinking of Spaw Water, with an Account of the Medicinal Vertues of them, and also shewing the usefulness of Sweating, Rubbing, and Bathing, and the great benefit many here received from them in various Distempers. By S. H. Med. Doct. 1683.

Miracles, Works above and contrary to Naturer; or an Answer to a late Translation out of Spinosa's Tractatus Theologice-politicus, Mr. Hobs Leviathan, &c. in Quarto, 1683. Price 1. s.

A Treatise of Self Examination, in order to the worthy receiving the Holy Communion. By Monsieur John Claude Minister of the Reformed Church at Paris: Translated from the French Original, in Twelves, 1683.

Protestancy to be Embraced; or a new and infallible Method to reduce Romanists from Popery to Protestancy. 1683. pr. 1. s.

The Art of Divine Converse, being a New Years-Gift, directing how to walk with God all the year long, in Twelves, pr. 6, d.

The Councils of Wisdom, or the Maxims of Solomon, in Twelves, 1683. pr. 1. s.

[Page] The Ten Pleasures of Marriage. In Twelves.

The Dutch Rogue: or Gusman of Amsterdam, traced from the Cradle to the Gallows, 1683. In Twelves.

Dr. Thomas Smith's Sermon about frequent Communion, 1685.

Mr. Fish's Sermon on the 9th of May, 1684.

History of the Original and Progress of Ecclesiastical Revenues, by the Learned P. Simon, 1685.

Contra Hist. Aristeae de LXX Interpretibus dissertatio, five responsio ad D. Isaac Vosfium de Septuaginta, &c. per H. Hoday A. M. 1685.

Epigramatum delectus ex omnibus tum veteribus tum recentioribus Poetis s accurate decerptus, &c. cum dissertatione, de ver a pulchritudine & adumbrata, in qua ex certis principiis, rejectionis at Selectionis Epigramatum Causae reduntur. Adjectae sunt Elegantes Sententiae ex Antiquis Poetis parce, sed severiori judicio selectae. 1685.

A Discourse about Toleration, wherein the late Pleas for it made by the D. of B. and the nameless Author of the Considerations concerning Toleration are fully answered, and the Popular Arguments drawn from the Practices of the United Netherlands stated at large, and shown to be weak, fallacious and insufficient; in Quarto, Pr. 1 s. 1685.

FINIS.

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Information about this book

Title statement

Of the reconcileableness of specifick medicines to the corpuscular philosophy to which is annexed a discourse about the advantages of the use of simple medicines / by Robert Boyle ...

Boyle, Robert, 1627-1691.

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1685

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2007-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A29016

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Wing B4013

ID [STC]

ESTC R7218

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

11799471

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ocm 11799471

ID [VID]

49353

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Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 49353)

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— Of the reconcileableness of specifick medicines to the corpuscular philosophy to which is annexed a discourse about the advantages of the use of simple medicines / by Robert Boyle ..., Boyle, Robert, 1627-1691..

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[14], 136 p., [2], 137-225 p.

Printed for Sam. Smith,. London :: 1685.. (Reproduction of original in Bristol Public Library, Bristol, England.)

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Editorial practices

EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO.

EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org).

The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source.

Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data.

Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so.

Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor.

The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.

Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).

Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site.