THat I may not be injurious to what I have already writ in my two former Books, entituled Hydrologia Chymica and Hydro­logical Essays, concerning the Sulphur-Well at Knarsbrough, as a mineral wa­ter of great use in its virtues inwardly taken. But now designing an account thereof, as a Bath for outward use, shall therefore, in or­der to the better understanding of what I aim at, here resume so much of my former dis­course, concerning the Essential ingredients, and necessary principles of that Water; toge­ther with an addition of some more recent observations, as may serve to illustrate what I now intend to be my present task: Our method will be as followeth.

• 1. To lay down the constitutive ingredients or mineral principles of that Water.
• 2. To shew the process (as near as we can apprehend) Nature useth in the preparing this excellent water.
• 3. To shew the difference betwixt this and other natural Hot-Baths, as in their original and inbred principles; so also in some sort as to their virtues.
• 4. To shew how, and by what means, the Sulphur (as the chief mineral ingredient in this water) is so opened, as to become, not only so subtile, as thence to be solvable odore tenus therein; but also so volatile, as to pass off in a continual steame, and insensible effluvium.
• 5. How this Sulphur-water comes not much short, as to its original principles, nor is much (if at all) inferiour in its efficacy, to some other Sulphur-waters, which are Hot-Baths; inas­much as this is lately found to be successful for outward applications, as well as those by late observation are remark'd for inward use.
• 6. To shew, that the artificial heating of the Sulphur-water, bears some analogy to the inbred heat of other Baths, as they come hot out of the Earth.
• 7. To shew, how Art may imitate Nature, (but yet from the same principles) in the re­semblance of most Baths, viz. how to pre­pare such Baths artificially, as are natural.
• [Page 3]Lastly, To inquire how and after what manner this Sulphur-water performs those ex­pected helps, as a Bath: where, in short, will be illustrated its various virtues in order to the help of several Maladies.

First, As to the constituent ingredients or mineral principles of this water: We say they are compriz'd in these three, viz. 1. A marine or fossil Salt. 2. A Sulphurous Apporrhea or steam of Sulphur. Lastly, A little aluminous acidity. As to the first, viz. Salt, is apparent both from its brackish taste, as also from what remains upon its distillation or evaporation; of which we find betwixt one and two drams in a quart thereof: as we further shew in our Hydrologia Chymica, &c.

2. As to the Sulphrous principle, thats ma­nifest, 1. From its Taste and Smell; as also from its hogo upon the riflings and regurgitations of the Stomack, after taking thereof. 2. From its colouring of Silver dipt therein; which it doth as readily as the solution or washings of crocus metallorum from the Sulphur of the An­timony; or as the solution of common Brim­stone in the preparing Lac Sulphuris, both be­ing made from the Acids of alcalizate Salts, as will appear (although a paradox) more clearly anon.

And lastly, from its colouring of Silver by its very Steams, as we shall shew more after­wards.

Now the question may be ask'd, whence this mineral water has its Sulphur? I answer, that there are plenty of vitriolin Marcasites well saturate with Sulphur, out of which I have, by an artifice (taught in my Hydrologi­cal Essays) separated perfect Brimstone, which melted into magdalions or rolls, are not distin­guishable any manner of way from the com­mon: besides which Marcasites (found not far off this Spring) the very adjacent Earth is full of Brimstone.

Lastly, As to the ingredient of Alom, its discoverable these ways following, first from the Alom-Bed through which this water at last passeth, or at least toucheth upon, as is obvi­ous to any eye that will look at it, being close adjoyning to the exit of the water.

2. By its acidity in the water, as is evident from its curdling of Milk: for the Salt separa­ted from the Sulphur-water, being put into boyling Milk, will make it shil into Curds and Whey, as if some acidum was poured thereto, which common Salt will not do; for we try'd both, and that in the same proportion, and found the Sulphur Salt to cause a speedy sepa­ration, and that in great quantity; and the common Salt made a little separation, of a lighter coagulum, but did not make it shil, or alter the seeming colour or consistence of the Milk: And lastly, if the powder of Coral or [Page 5] Crabs-Eyes be put thereto, they imbibe or mor­tifie the acidity of the Alom, and cause a Mil­kieness from the volatile Sulphur.

And as the three aforesaid ingredients are found to be the constitutive principles of this water, so that neither vitriol nor nitre (how­ever some imagine the contrary) are con­tain'd therein, is evident, first as to vitriol (which gives the most suspition from the plen­ty of its Marcasites, found not far from the Well) because it will strike no tincture with Galls, as we shall shortly further evince: And as to Nitre, there is not the least suspition, ei­ther from what is separable from the water, nor from any mineral glebe adjacent thereto, that we have yet discovered.

Secondly, As to the process Nature useth in the preparing this excellent mineral water, or the manner of her mixing the foresaid ingre­dients, by her Chymistry in the bowels of the Earth, in order to the making up the fore­named Sulphur-Bath: In short has, a water Spring, suppose, passing through or by a mi­nera of fossil Salt, part of which it dissolves, and afterwards in its current either meeting with some acid juice, whether of vitriol or of other mineral glebes, becomes impregnate therewith, and obviating, or rather superve­ning a Sulphurous Mineral, from the concourse of which two, happens a Fermentation: or [Page 6]else, this Saline Solution comes upon a minera, whether that of vitriol, or what other soever it be, in the meanders of the Earth, whose principles are yet crude, and onely embriona­tivs; whereupon it sets those native and con­genit principles awork, into a Fermentation, either way, I say, it becomes capable of rai­sing that intestine motion, we call Fermenta­tion, and thence of so subtilizing and volati­zing the Sulphur, as to make it solvable in wa­ter, (as we have illustrated more demonstra­bly above in our Doctrine of Hot-Baths.) But not staying here, because of the continual afflux and pressure of water, at length it pass­eth through an Alom-bed, whose acidity pre­cipitates in great part the body of the dissolv'd Sulphur; in which very precipitation happens its fatid smell, and Sulphurous hogo, which onely passing through a slender Colander of Sand, retains its lately contracted odour; where it filters off from the more gross preci­pitated body, and so makes its exit.

Which gives great probability of heat in the source of its original mixture, and that if the Spring did immediately after that Solution and Fermentation break forth, it would be hot, at least warm, after the manner of other Hot-Baths; but being carryed on in a longer line, in its subterraneal current, before it breaks forth, looseth that heat contiacted upon the [Page 7] Fermentation of the aforesaid mineral juices.

And this is likewise remarkable concerning Alom interested in the fabrick of this water, viz. that I have (as often as I pleas'd to make the experiment) taken some of the succulent Alom slate or stone (found close by the Well) which has had the Salt discernably extraver­ted, which when I scrap'd into simple water, would with Galls forthwith strike a deep Pur­ple: after the manner which the succulent Alom-stone doth, which is got upon the Scar­brough Bank, near that Spaw [about which our great controversie, concerning that wa­ters being aluminous, and not vitriolin, did chiefly depend] which experiment I have se­veral times shewed to persons no less ingenious then inquisitive.

I also order'd an infusion to be made of some of the same Alom-stones in above a Gallon of fresh water, then to be evaporated to about half a Pint, which filtred, I evaporated fur­ther in Balneo M. to try if it would shoot per se, but it would not, onely came to a soft sort of matter or mellago.

3. As to the third thing propounded, viz. the difference betwixt this and other natural Hot-Baths in their original principles, and pri­mary causes: We think that from what has already been said, and especially what yet re­mains to be discours'd of, in the next, and [Page 8]other succeeding proposals, that the difference of these from other Sulphurous waters, both as to their origin and virtues, will sufficiently be declared: And that Sulphur (of one sort or other) is chiefly concern'd in the fabrick of all Hot-Baths, and other Sulphurous waters, com­pleating with other concurring juices, the es­sence of them both.

4. As to the fourth proposal, viz. how, and by what means, the Sulphur (as the chief mi­neral ingredient in this water) is so opened, as to become, not onely so subtile, as thence to be solvable odore tenus, but also so volatile, as to pass off in a continual steam, and insensible effluvium; For the great query is, how Sul­phur may be so opened, as to make the Sulphur­well, and other Sulphurous waters of the like nature.

While I was therefore seriously ruminating upon this matter, viz. what it was that might truly be said to open the body of crude Sulphur, whether it was an Acid or an Alcali, I began to consider how many ways, and by what means, it was usually so opened, as to make a solution in any Liquor: First I considered it was solvable for the most part in all Oyles, by the help of Fire: and that I imagin'd happen­ed from the analogy of parts, betwixt Oyles and Sulphurs; both of them being chiefly Sulphurs under a disguise, the one in a concrete, [Page 9]the other in a liquid form; both of them also in their bellies hiding their intrinsick Acids, the Oylie or Sulphurous parts of both by Fire melting together, in the fluid form of a Bal­some, while the acidum, chiefly of the Sul­phur, being thereby in part separated, doth concrescere into a saline form, under the ap­pearance of crystals, as is obvious in the pre­paring the Balsome of mineral Sulphur or Brimstone.

And as vinous Spirits are vegetable Sulphurs, comminuted and subtiliz'd by Fermentation; so these are also succedaneous to Oyles, in the solutions of Brimstone, yet need previous pre­parations by fixt Alcalies, (as they are called) for being so spiritualiz'd, are not such apt menstrua for solutions of crude Minerals, as Oyles are, although either of them are power­ful enough for making very strong and furious Fermentations with the aforesaid mineral Sul­phurs, once by their congenial Acids, brought, by help of Fire, into a fluor, in the form of corrosive menstrua: witness the high ebulliti­ons betwixt vinous Spirits or Oyles, and Spirit of Nitre, Aqua-fortis, Oyle of Vitriol, &c. some of them so very furious in their Fermentation, as to arise to an actual flagration (as we else­where demonstrate.)

So that crude Sulphurs, unopened by the acuations of the acidum of Fire, (which also [Page 10]sharpen the implanted Acids of such Mine­rals) do dissolve quietly without any tumult, (if done leasurely) and melt together into one Balsamick Liquor, (though if hastily done with a pretty smart Fire, they make a crack­ling noise) whereas the foresaid mineral Sul­phurs being subtiliz'd by their own Acids, fortified by the acidum of Fire, in their di­stillation, are brought thereby into a fluor of both principles, and if then mixed with the foresaid vegetable Sulphurs, contract a furious Fermentation, from the fresh collisions, betwixt Acids and Sulphurs, and if close shut up, would break in pieces the strongest Vessels art could contrive.

And as the foresaid solutions of mineral Sul­phurs, are perform'd by Oyles and vinous Spirits, from analogy of parts; I considered whether other sorts of solutions of crude Brimstone, or the like Sulphurous Minerals, might not also be done, by the like analogy, and then I pon­dered upon the alterations made upon Brim­stone, &c. by fixt alcalies (which how pro­perly call'd, we shew in our Halologia) and quick-lime, and by well weighing the matter, found, that as Brimstone was dissolvable in Oyle and Spirit of Wine, as aforesaid, so fixt alca­lies work upon Sulphurs, no otherwise then as they are acido-sulphurous Salts.

For I considered that volatile Alcalies, such as are all urinous Spirits, work not at all upon, nor cause any alteration in Sulphurs: there­fore it must needs follow, that wherein fixt and volatile alcalies do agree, or in that pro­perty, which is common to them both, I mean, their precipitating faculty, neither of them is concern'd in the solutions of Brimstone, and that is common, both to fixt and volatile Alcalies, to precipitate, what Acids have dis­solv'd. Now the reason why urinous Spirits, I mean volatile Alcalies (as they are call'd) do not at all work upon Brimstone, is, because they contain so very slender a texture of Acids, and no Sulphurs (if highly rectified) and therefore are incapable by analogy of work­ing upon the aforesaid bodies: how fixt Alca­lies are a new compage of their own native Acids and Sulphurs, together with the inter­texture of urinous Spirits, (from whence pro­ceeds its precipitating faculty) all bound up by the acidum of the Fire, (which is their vinculum) and not a simple Salt, we elsewhere in our History of Tartar, declare more at large.

While I was pondering upon this matter, at length methought I espyed a great harmony in natures works; I saw that she perform'd the same solutions of mineral Sulphurs, in some parts of the bowels of the Earth, by her own men­strua [Page 12]of Acids, prepared by her dextrous Art of Chymistry (the very foundation and ex­emplar of all we call Artificial) as she did in other actions, reputed (amongst most Au­thors) Heteroclites; and was the same in the latter, as the former; and from hence I saw, that reputed causticks, I mean fixt lixivial Al­calies, were no other then Acids, viz. of the Fire, fixt upon bodies: so that I found nature symbolical in all her actions, and always conso­nant to her own principles.

And that I might improve this notion the bet­ter, (not taken notice of by any other Author I know) I began to make a strict scrutiny into the nature of fixt Alcalies; I considered, First, That the more Fire they endured, and the higher they were calcin'd, and the sooner us'd after calcination, the stronger and more fiery Causticks they were.

2. That they would never calcine to a strong Salt, unless perform'd in open Vessels or Cruci­bles, where the Fire might more immediately touch upon them, and concentre its own acidum.

3. That if after they were cold, and kept from the Air, and then Spirit of Wine or Water was put thereto, thence a heat was presently produc'd, which as I conceive, was from no other cause then this, viz. That either of those Liquors, sets the acidum, contracted from the Fire, and the Sulphur or volatile Alcaly [Page 13]in the Salt, into a sudden Fermentation, dis­solving, and so putting them into an intestine collision.

4. And fourthly I considered, That the longer these Salts were expos'd to the Air, even to a solution per deliquium, the more mild and soft in operation they become; loo­sing thereby gradually their Acids imbibed from the Fire; insomuch as by often solution per deliquium, the compage of that Salt, from the vinculum of the fiery Acid, is taken off, as that the whole may thence be reduc'd into an insipid Water and Earth (and no Arcauum neither.)

Lastly, That although these fixt lixivial Salts, do make strong Ebullitions with Acids put to them, yet that happens, either betwixt the additional acid, and the Sulphur in the Salt, or betwixt it, and the volatile alcaly, bound up in the artificial concretion: That there are Sulphurs in those Salts, or new textures of Plants, appears from their lixivial or saponary property: and that there are also volatile al­calies, is evident from their precipitating fa­culty, and from their intestine strugling with acids.

To which may be added this observation, that after fixt alcalies have lost the acidum con­tracted from Fire, (which they do by keep­ing, and sometimes exposing to the air, toge­ther [Page 14]with the addition of somewhat which dints the foresaid Acidum) may then by Art, be made to split into Oyle and urinous Spirit, or volatile Salt.

As to that great objection against the acidity of fixt lixivial Alcalies, viz. the precipitation of such solutions made with Alcalies by Acids, inasmuch as it is generally observ'd, that what solutions Alcalies make, are most promptly precipitated by Acids. I answer, First, That although what more simple, I mean, volatile Alcalies do dissolve, are precipitated very rea­dily by Acids, & vice versa, yet where Al­calies are more complicated, and interwoven with other essential parts, there the precipitation by Acids, of what those already have dissolv'd, are in no wise wholly ascribable to them as al­calies, but equally compitible to other parts in the concretion.

And in the next place I answer, that even some acids are capable of precipitating what others have dissolv'd; to prove and illustrate which, I try'd this following instance, viz. I took a clear solution of saccharum Saturni, which I had prepared with distilled Vinegar, which no man will deny to be an Acid; upon which I poured a pretty smart Spirit of Vitriol, whereupon it presently became Milkie, and caus'd a precipitation of a pure white calx of Saturn, which precipitation may also be done with Spirit of Salt.

The same likewise will Spirit of Salt do, poured upon a solution of refin'd Silver, made in double its weight of Aqua fortis, in prepa­ring that admirable anomolous neutral concre­tion, call'd Luna Cornea, mentioned by the ho­norable Boyle in his origin of forms: and not onely Spirit of Salt but also Oyle of Vitriol will cause the like precipitation.

Whence its obvious to any eye, that what some Acids dissolve, others may precipitate from the congenealness of the solvend, to one solvend more then another: For both those wherein the solutions of the metals were made, viz. Spirit of Vinegar and Aqua-fortis, are as undoubtedly acids, as those which cause the precipitations, viz. Spirit of Vitriol, and Spirit of Salt.

So that the precipitation of bodies depend not upon acid or alcalizate Liquors, as such; but upon the consanguinity (if I may so say) of bodies or solvends, to liquors or solvents, viz. whilst an acid having dissolv'd one body, meeting with another akin thereto, lets the former fall, and from an abstruce affinity of parts, dissolves the latter.

From whence it need not seem heterodox, (although to the most it may, as yet, a para­dox) to say, that fixt Alcalies open the bo­dies of mineral Sulphurs, as they are acido-Sulphurous Salts; and that chiefly as they par­take [Page 16]of the acidum of Fire, assum'd by calci­nation: and that precipitations of the same solutions may be perform'd (and that too without the least absurdity in Philosophy) by other supervening Acids, as we have even now demonstrated.

As I observ'd all fixt Alcalies made out of Vegetables, to work upon Mineral Sulphurs, on the account of their being Acido-Sulphurous-Salts; so I could not otherwise (whilst I look'd upon the matter with a very intent eye) judge of calx vive; whose manner of ope­ration, in opening the bodies of Brimstone, and other Mineral Sulphurs, I could not charge to any other then its Acid, which it had con­tracted from the Fire, in the very calcination of that sort of Stone, call'd Lapis calcarius, (viz. Free-stone or Lime-stone) which that it chiefly partakes of the Acidum of Fire, and thereby performs not only that, but various other effects, we have already in short de­monstrated, and shall further in Lithologia Physica.

From the premisses it will easily appear, in confirmation of our former Doctrine, that all solutions of Mineral Sulphurs in the bowels of the Earth, are made by their peculiar Acids; and that other solutions made by Art, are but from the same principles under other disguises; Therefore that which opens the body of Sul­phur [Page 17]in these Mineral Marcasites, through which this water (we treat of) runs, must of necessity be an Acidum, which afterwards is precipitated by another Acid of the Alom-bed, through which at last it passeth.

As to that experiment we gave to illustrate the cause and manner of making that water, by opening those vitriolin Marcasites with quick­lime, in our Hydrological Essays, although we there imputed it to the alcali; yet now from second and more mature thoughts, grounded upon experiment, as aforesaid, find it other­wise; where we profess such an avowed pro­selyteship to truth (sufficiently amiable and worthy in it self) as upon nearer apprehensi­ons thereof, grounded upon better weighed principles, to decline what we have formerly at greater distance in any matter opiniated, and in this particular, have thence reason to wave the former, and to ascribe the solution of this great Phoenomenon to the latter, viz. to the Acid in calx vive, which, in some mea­sure, bears an analogy with that Acidum, na­ture useth by her own Chymistry, in the intrails of the Earth, for the solutions and extracti­ons of Sulphurs.

As to the 5th thing proposed to discourse of in this our method, viz. how this water comes not much short, as to its original principles, nor is much inferiour in its efficacy, to some [Page 18]other Sulphurcus waters, which are Hot-Baths, which is evident (besides what has already been said) by the sequel thereof, viz. because the manner of use of both, in respect of what they have been, are now reciprocal; those of Hot-Baths being formerly chiefly known for out­ward, and these for inward use. But now of late are found, the former in some cases to be successful for inward use; the latter by obser­vation, are now eminently remarkable for out­ward application: so that the manner of use of them per se considered, is inverted, and in a mutual respect, is reciprocal.

As to the virtues of those Hot-Baths (which are lately found remarkable for inward as well as outward use) I mean especially those of our own Country, the Reader may consult Dr. Jor­den his discourse of Natural Baths, and of late the Physicians, who have and yet do attend those waters.

As to the virtues of this Sulphur-water (our present Theme) as to the use thereof as an inward Medicine, the Reader may consult Dr. French his Book, and the patient the Phy­sicians there. It remains now to speak of it in relation to outward use, as a Bath, and this leads me to the next considerable, viz.

6. That artificial heating of the water, bears some analogy to the inbred heat of those other Baths, as they come hot out of the Earth.

To the illustrating of which we are to con­sider Sulphur or Brimstone (according to out former Doctrine, that it may become solvable in water, is either to be comminuted and vo­latiz'd by the native or superinduc'd Acids, and that by a brisk Fermentation from the mu­tual collisions of the two principles, whence the heat of natural Baths, as aforesaid, or else the Sulphur, by sleighter touches, and slenderer vibrations from congenial Acids, becomes sol­vable in a preterlabent water, whose heat there­fore (if any) in the source of Fermentation, is but gentle: yet by that sleight solution of Sulphur, it becomes capable of precipitation by another Acid, (viz. of Alom) as happens in this water we treat of: That a body of Brimstone is precipitated is evident from Dr. Neals observation, concerning a crust of Brim­stone which he found under the Stones of the Old-Well at the removing them, through whose crevices the water sprang: and that the Aci­dity by which the precipitation is made, is from the Alom, doth as clearly appear from the Aluminous black Stones, found in the fur­ther digging for a better Spring. Now what remains in the water after the foresaid precipi­tation, is no other then the apporrhea, or sub­tile affluvium of Sulphur, which being disper­sed through the whole body of the water, is always upon the wing, flying off continually.

This effluvium of Sulphur complicated with Salt in the body of the water, although it be very volatile, (as I said) yet that it may the better permeate our bodies, in order to the performing those expected helps, its necessary (as to outward use) that the waters should be heated, by which the volatile parts are put in­to a more vigorous motion, and made capable of penetrating our juices the better: For al­though in frigido, the Sulphurous parts are by a volatility continually winding off, yet by heating, its put into a more lively action, and made more readily Fermentable with the hu­mours of our bodies.

Now that the Sulphur in this water consists of tenuous parts, and very volatile, is evident (be­sides what already has been said) by this fol­lowing observation, viz. that during the time I Bath'd therein, and afterwards went to Bed, having laid my Silver-studded Watch upon the Table, thereby to observe the time of Bathing and Sweating, I found the steam of the heated water had guilded it at such a distance; and is so conspicuous, as to change the colour, (as I have observ'd) of the Brass-Candlesticks which stood in the next room to the Bath. Yea, although this be very volatile, yet that it doth not sudd enly take wing, is hence evident, be­cause after three hours time, that the water had been heated, when I got up, I dipt a Six­pence [Page 21]therein, which it still guilded very readily.

7. As to the artificial resemblance of Sulphur Baths by imitation of Nature: First as to Hot-Baths, that indeed we fall short in, because its the work of Nature in the great Fermenta­tion of Mineral juices, in order to the produ­ction of Mineral concretes: And seeing Art doth of necessity always petere principia from Nature, and that those principles are seminal, therefore not to be imitated by Art; But in­asmuch as all Fermentation amongst Minerals, (as we have formerly shew'd) consists in the inward conflicts of Mineral Acids and Sulphurs, and that according to the different assaults of the said Acids, upon varieties of Sulphurs, de­pend the specification or formal difference of Mineral Waters; so in particular this Water being chiefly compos'd of a Sulphur, wrought upon by an Acid, and afterwards precipitated by another; the resemblance by Art must be from the same sort of principles, grounded upon the natural: Thus what an Acid, (na­tive or superinduc'd) performs upon Mineral Sulphur, in order to the making that Mineral Solution, required for the natural composure of this Water; The same will the Acidum of calx vive, or of fixt Alcalies do suo modo to Common Brimstone, or other Mineral Sulphu­rous Concretions, as aforesaid.

And lastly, As to the virtues hereof: This Water being gradually heated (as is said) be­comes a Bath, whose Sulphur hereby first pene­trates the better into our Fermental juices, ex­citing them, if languid through Hydropick Acids, or spurious, through Scorbutick Acids, in the one by helping (with other concur­ring Medicaments) to remove obstructions from coagulated Acids; in the other, by pre­dipitating, altering and sweetening Scorbutick Acids, the cause of pains and particular tu­mours.

2. Hereby it the better reacheth to dint that Fermental Acor of the Gout, impress'd upon the Synovia of the Joints, so easily com­municable to the adjacent Nerves; hence is the reason why its found so effectual for the Scur­vey, Gout, &c. viz. because these forenamed Diseases are chiefly determined and specifica­ted by Acids, coagulated upon different hu­mours and parts: For its the Essential efficacy (if I may so say) of a subtiliz'd Sulphur to dint Acids, and thereby to resolve such as are coagulated; so that to me the discussion of all tumours, whether Scorbutick or others, de­pend upon the resolving those coagulated Acids, the intimate and real efficients thereof. No sooner doth a Spurious predominant Acid co­agulate any portion of the blood, or other juice in any part of the body, but presently [Page 23]an obstruction of those parts happen, more or less, according to the intense or remiss degree of the prevalent Acid, which as it falls out in Vessels or Bowels reputed more or less noble, viz. intensely or remissly concer­ned in the fabrick and circulation of vital juices, and animal Spirits, so it becomes the patron of different sorts of Diseases; some whereof easily bending to more facile methods of Cure; others more stubborn (of which are the last mentioned) not yielding but to more vola­tile, subtiliz'd, and penetrative Sulphurs, such as are in this and other Sulphurous Baths.

By which (I mean our Sulphur-Bath) Scor­butick and Podagrick Patients have received considerable relief: for which cause, many persons, finding thereby so much alleviation of the otherwise grievous Symptoms, and such a mittigation of the severity of future fits of the Gout, (I mean as to what they might have expected, without such a previous help) do voluntarily make their annual returns to the Bath: of which I could give several instances, but that it doth not suit my present design.

3. By the use of this Bath, the blood and humours are purified, whence it becomes pro­per for Blotches, Scabs, Itches, Elephantiasis. or Bastard Leprosie, and other Scorbutick impu­rities of the Blood; For it procures most ex­cellent Sweats, whereby the other impure [Page 24] Acids, (which are precipitated or cast off from the Blood in its circulation, and topically fixed upon this or the other external part) are loosened, dissolv'd, or mortifi'd; which deprav'd Acids lodge in the habit of the body, having their very Roots fixed in the ultimate digestion, vitiating the Blood and Latex, sent thither for the ordinary nutriment of the bo­dy, in the common circulation thereof; yea, they are sometimes so fixed upon their own Roots, as to transmute the otherwise alimen­tary juice, by their Ferments, into those exter­nal impurities: which they do as really as a Crab-tree-scions, or Bud, ingraffed into a good Apple-stock, doth (from its own seminal Fer­ment) turn the juice of the Stock, into the nature and property of a Crab: So that in such external vitiating of the humours, which are onely skin deep, the applications in order to Cure or Abstorsion, must be such as can morti­fie, dissolve, alter or correct the foresaid ex­ternally scituated Acids, which may be, and is, most aptly perform'd by this Sulphur-Bath.

So that in many the like cases, where those Acids are most pertinacious, and the Maladies thence have taken deepest root, viz. in the Ele­phantasis, Psora, Leprosie, &c. the most com­mon and usual Purges and Diaphoreticks, are altogether insignificant, because they reach not those deeply impress'd Acids, nor correct [Page 25]those spurious Ferments, seated, yea rooted in the habit of the body; which such subtiliz'd Sulphurs, as are in this Bath skilfully applyed (with other assisting Medicines) are apt chiefly to perform.

Amongst which external impurities, the Lues Venerea (being made by carnal con­tract) may not improperly be reckoned; which consists in a peculiar sort (in its kind) of a contagious Fermental Acid, thence com­municable to the juices of the body, especially where the contagious Ferment, by the first con­tract, entered; which by its corroding acor, as a caustick, fretting and inflaming those ten­der parts, or coagulating the juices of some par­ticular parts (brought thither by an afflux of humours) into venereal tumours, whose rest­less Ferments yet lodge in their Bellies, or in­wards, in both become the Authors of Noctu­nal pains, polutions, &c. to the dinting of which spurious Fermental acor, (the cause of the aforesaid dolours) the just mulct of that Sin must be chiefly aim'd at, in the curing thereof: which besides other Diaphoreticks, may very well be perform'd by the help of this Bath: And that too, because Sulphurs, (especially such as are prepared and volatiz'd by the admirable Chymistry of Nature in the body or bowels of the Earth) do sweeten and morti­fie all such sort of Acids: For which purpose, [Page 26]in order to the Cure thereof, not only Bathing, (and some other assisting Diaphoreticks) but also the drinking the same water is requisite.

4. By the use of this Bath, the nervous ma­ladies are also much helped, of which sort are Cramps, Convulsions, Palsies, Apoplexies, being caused from the various seisures upon these juices, also from the contorsions and disable­ments of the Vessels or Conduit-pipes, (the Nerves) those juices are circulated, or at least carryed in, being the Organs wherein the ani­mal Spirits move in order to sense, motion, and other vital sunctions, proper thereto, whose tone are altered, contorted, contracted, or relax'd by several sorts of supervening Acids, sent up in flatulent steams, resulting from some spurious subordinate Fermentation, whose Acids being strong, have prevail'd, and by a sort of sublimation are at length fixt upon those ani­mal Cords, causing obstructions, contractions, relaxations, &c. (according to the morbid Acids) the causes of Diseases relating to the genus nervosum.

Now as Acids are the cause why Nerves un­dergo those various alterations in their tone or texture, by contractions, relaxations, &c. and in their juices by coagulations, and thence obstructions, or other debilitudes, whereby the volatile nimble animal Spirits become in­terrupted in their motion, being block'd up by [Page 27]such sort of coagulations: so in order to the Cure of these Diseases, such Medicaments and Methods are to be inquired into, as may dint, alter, and dulcifie such kinds of Acids, and thence may loosen the contracted, smooth and make even the contorted, may strengthen the relaxed Cords, yea and may every way answer the indications of the deprav'd tones of those animal pendula's or vital strings, whereby the imprisoned Spirits, (the immediate product of vital Fermentation may again be set at liber­ty, and all the animal functions be restored to their pristine state: of which sort are our Sulphur-Bath, which by correcting the Acids, supple and soften the contracted, strengthen and bind up the weak, and very much repair, in the maine, the deprav'd tone of the genus Nervosum.

Lastly, By the use of this Bath, the con­traction of the tendons, and musculous parts, I mean stiffness of the Limbs, Joynts, &c. (where the contraction is not too fixed) are often remedied: For these outward maladies being caused through some rejected Acids, which wanting a due Fermentative motion to give them wing by perspiration, are co­agulated or hardened (partly by the assistance of the Air) in the external parts; but by the Sulphur in the Bath, the pores being open­ed, and they dissolv'd, and put into motion, [Page 28]are either sweetened or carryed off.

Also its proper for alleviating Aches, Old pains, Strains, Sciatica's, (which is a sort of Gout in those parts) Rheumatisms, and other griefs now too tedious to relate: concerning most of which we might have given som par­ticular instances, but that it doth not suit with our present design, undertaking chiefly a rational account of its causes, and in general of its virtues: As to the particular cases them­selves, which may confirm what we have al­ready deposited, as to the medicinal efficacy thereof, we shall refer to another oppor­tunity.