§I.

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 138] 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 139] 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 140] 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 141] 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 142] 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 143] 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.

§ 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 145] 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 146] 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 147] 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 148] 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 149] 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 150] 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 151] 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 152] 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 153] 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 154] 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 155] 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 156] 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 157] 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 158] 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 159] 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 160] 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 161] 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 162] 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 163] 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 164] 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 165] 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 166] 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 167] 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 168] 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 169] 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 170] 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 171] 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 172] 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 173] 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 174] 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 175] 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 176] 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.

§. 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 178] 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 179] 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 180] 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 181] 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 182] 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 183] 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 184] 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 185] 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 186] 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 187] 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 188] 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 189] 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 190] 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 191] 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 192] 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 193] 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 194] 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 195] 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 196] 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 197] 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 198] 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 199] 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 200] 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 201] 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 202] 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 203] 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 104] 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 205] 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 206] 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.

§. 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 208] 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 209] 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 210] 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 211] 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 212] 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 213] 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 214] 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 275] 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 216] 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 217] 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 218] 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 219] 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 220] 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 221] 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 222] 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 223] 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 224] 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 peruse See 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 225] 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.