CHAP. I.

THE first thing I shall be­gin with, is the disuse of Alkalies in the Small-Pox, that fatal Distemper to three King­doms, and even all Europe: In that, by the means of it, God was pleased to deprive [...] of a Prin­cess, whose worth was such, that a value sufficient can never be set upon it, and whose loss suf­ficiently be lamented.

It is a common pract [...]ce, both [Page 2] of Nurses and the generality of Practitioners, as soon as they perceive the least Symptoms of this Distemper, to give either Gascons, Countess of Kents, Lapis de Goa, or some other Testaceous Powder, which are known Al­kalies. The one Party as they pretend to drive the Malignity from the Heart; the other to cor­rect the Acidity which they con­jecture (for beyond conjecture they can't go) to be in the blood.

In the subsequent Discourse, I shall endeavour to shew, upon what false suppositions both Parties go.

For the first sort, it will not be worth while to spend much time about them, by reason e­very one will readily grant, [Page 3] that they generally act upon wrong and mistaken Notions. For, for any Malignity to be lodged in the Heart, more than any other part, is altogether im­possible, by reason that the Blood moves ten times at least faster through the Heart than any other part, the Lungs ex­cepted: For the Cavities being large, no Stagnation is to be feared, and so by consequence no danger. If there be any danger of the Malignities setling any where, it must be in those parts where the Vessels are very small, and the Blood moves but slowly, which must be near the extream Parts.

For the second sort, who give [Page 4] the same Medicines, but with quite different Intentions; I shall endeavour to prove, that their suppositions are altogether as false and groundless as the sor­mer. They give their Alkalious Medicines, to correct the Aci­dity they suppose to be in the Blood, and which is, as they pretend, the occasion of all the ill Symptoms that attend People in the Small-Pox: Now I could never hear of any one, that by Analyzing the Blood of Persons in the Small-Pox, that could e­ver find the least footsteps of Acidity in it; though on the contrary it doth appear, after many trials, that the Blood of such Persons, doth more abound [Page 5] with Alkalious Particles, then that of sound People: So by consequence, the giving of Al­kalies in this case must be at least superfluous, if not highly per­nicious, and as I have frequently observed, and shall instance in some particulars.

The cause of the Small-Pox, common with most other Fe­vors and acute Distempers, I suppose to be, from a quantity of such Particles, being some way or other admitted into the Blood, which being of a quite different Texture from that of the Blood, and so not capable of being mixt with it, causes a hurry and disor­der there, which is what I [Page 6] Nov. Lum. Chyr. elsewhere observe, to be the occasion of both continued and Sympto­matick Fevers. Now it is well known, that a Fever always precedes the Eruption of the Pustles in the Small-Pox: And when the Pustles are well come out, that is, when the He­terogeneous or Particles of a different Texture from those of the Blood, are thrown out to the Surface of the Body, then the Fever ceases.

Now to assist Nature in throwing those Heterogeneous Particles out of the Blood, to the extream Parts, which they pre­tend to be mightily hindred, by a great quantity of Acids in the [Page 7] Blood, they give repeated, and large quanties of Testatious, Alkalious Powders, and other Diaphoreticks: Which indeed seldom fail of answering their Intentions, in throwing out large quantities of Pustles, even more than Nature is able to supply or bring to maturity; and if she doth chance to cope with them, is the only occasion of spoyling so many angelick Faces, as we every day observe. But the spoyling of Faces is not all, for besides the throwing out of so great a quantity of Pustles, by breaking off the Globules of the Blood, when it is brought to the Cataneous Glands, instead of those Glands separating the Ex­crementitious [Page 8] Serum, which in a State of Health, is all or most part of it, to be carried off by sweat or insensible transpiration, but at this time to supply the Pustles till they are brought to maturity. I say by breaking off the Globules of the Blood, when it is in its confused State, Serum and all together; the Ex­crementitious Serum only, ac­cording to the Rules of Nature, ought to be separated, those Glands being so many strainers, adapted to receive into them the Serum only, and not the least drop of Blood, when it is in its natural State, and its Globules un­broken. I can liken the separation of the Serum from the Blood, by [Page 9] the mediation of the cutaneous Glands, to nothing better, then to a mixture of oyl and water, made by continued agitation, when that compound mixture seems to be one intire white liquor, tho' with good eyes or a good glass, the oyl may be seen floating in the Water in small Globules, as the Blood doth in the Serum, as I elsewhere Nov. Lum. Chyr. observe: Yet this mixture of Oyl and Water, let it be done never so exactly, if it be poured into a funnil, lined with brown Paper, wet before hand, the Pores will be so disposed, as to let all the Water run through, though not the least Particle of the Oyl; yet if there be some [Page 10] Alkalious Salts, boyled with this mixture of Oyl and Wa­ter, the Globules of the Oyl will be so broken, as to pass readily with the Water, through the forementioned brown Pa­per, which before it would not in the least do. In like man­ner the Globules of the Blood being broken, by the means of Alkalious Medicines, toge­ther with too great a quantity of Alkalious Particles, being be­fore admitted into it, is by that means made capable of being received into the Cutaneous Glands, which is the only oc­casion of those purple spots upon the surface of the skin, not only in the Small-Pox, but [Page 11] other Fevers, which spots sel­dom or never fail of being the certain Prognosticators of future Death.

But this is not all, for by the foresaid breaking of the Globules of the Blood, by Al­kalious Medicines, these small broken Globules, getting into the small Meanders of the Brain, hinder the Motion of the Animal Spirits, through the Nerves, and so cause Deli­riums, and all those fatal dis­orders of the Brain, that are but too frequently seen.

Likewise the Blood not be­ing capable of being contained in its proper Channels, is the occasion of violent Bleeding at [Page 12] the Nose, bloody Urine, &c. which are none of the best Symptoms, but what too fre­quently happen by the afore­said means.

Besides breaking of the Glo­bules of the Blood, and causing the ill Symptoms before-menti­oned, with many others, I don't think fit here to enumerate: By their Diaphoretick quality, there is so vast a waste made of the Serum of the blood, that there is not a sufficient quantity left, to supply and bring to maturi­ty, those many Pustles, (even more than Nature designed) that those Medicines alone had thrown out: So that about the ninth, eleventh, or thirteenth [Page 13] day, for want of a sufficient quantity of Serum to supply them, the Pustles fall, and the Acrid corrosive matter, being absorbed into the Blood, causes secondary Fevers, which often­times prove of very dangerous consequence. I might expati­ate a great deal more, but I design brevity.

It may be said, you have gone far enough in condemning the ordinary Practice, as to the use of Alkalies and Diaphoreticks, not having substituted a better and safer Method and Medicines in their room: but not too fast, that follows in its proper place.

The Small-Pox, is a Distem­per, that requires the giving of [Page 14] as few Medicines, as in any Distemper whatsoever, unless in some extraordinary cases: But yet I think it the most unreasonable thing in the World, that People (as is the common practice in this case) should be left to the sole ma­nagement of old Women and Nurses; which thing alone, I verily believe, has been the destruction of more people, than the Sword it self. And although but very few Medi­cines, as I said before, are ge­nerally necessary, yet the eye of a careful, skilful Physitian, and that from the beginning, is as convenient as in any Di­stemper whatsoever, that he [Page 15] seeing Natures operations, may also see the fit time, when to give the Medicines requi­site. I confess I have heard some people complain, that such a Physitian has had so many Fees, and never wrote one Bill for them; for such people, let me tell them, that they complain without cause, for in many cases, especially in this, the Physitian deserves his Fees better for not writing at all, then for so doing.

I own my self to be a pro­fest Chymist, and in many things, though not all, a Dis­ciple of Helmont, and know nothing in this World, so de­lightful to me, as Chymical [Page 16] Operations: Yet in this case, nor indeed in scarce any acute Distemper, do I judge Chy­mical Medicines to be abso­lutely necessary, though many of them may do well, and are sometimes to be used: But I don't know any reason we have to flye to elaborate Preparations, when Nature has provided Medicines ready to our hands. Acids are the things skilfully and timely gi­ven, which I have seen, not only by my own, but by o­ther Great mens Practice, to be the only safe, effectual, and seldom or never erring Medicines in this Distemper, so that they are rightly timed, [Page 17] and given with discretion; and why should we flye to Acids Chymically prepared, when as I said before, Nature has provided to our hands, Oranges, Lemmons, Cittrons, Limes, and a great many more, not necessary here to mention, which for the most part answer our Intentions, so that they are skilfully gi­ven, by an experienced hand. And as, I hope, I have given sufficient reasons to disswade the use of Alkalies and Dia­phoreticks, from the many direful effects that daily at­tend their use, so I hope to give as cogent ones to en­force the use of Acids, from [Page 18] the laudable, good effects, I have seen from them; for in five hundred (at least) Pati­ents, that I have had of all Qualities to do with, in this Distemper, in Worcester and London, where I have been called in at the beginning of the Distemper, I do not know that I have had one that has died or been disfigured; nay, some that have been brought into very ill circumstances, by the precedent use of Testaci­ous, Alkalious Powders and Diaphoreticks, I have retriev­ed from the jaws of impen­ding death, by the use of fit and proper Acids.

It may be wondred at by some, that I make a difference between Testacious Powders and Diaphoreticks, when the Testatious Powders, especially the compound ones, as Gas­cons Powder, Countess of Kents, Lapis de Goa, &c. are accoun­ted Diaphoreticks, and indeed are so: But the reason why I do it, is, because for the most part besides the said Al­kalious Powders, other more forcible Diaphoreticks are also given.

I having in short given some hints concerning the cause of the Small-Pox, I need not again repeat them, so I shall immediately proceed to [Page 20] the method I take in the cure of it, which being according to Natures dictates, is short and easie: For Nature in per­forming her Operations, makes short and easie cuts, it being in the cure of Diseases, as in finding out and giving an ac­count of the Phaenomena of Nature by Phylosophical Dis­quisitions; they that go upon the fewest Principles, general­ly discover most of her se­crets, and are capable of gi­ving the best and most rati­onal account of them: Where­as they that are clogged with multiplicity of Principles, and wandring in tedious, long, and uncouth Paths, thinking there­by [Page 21] to get admission into Na­tures Cabinet, after they have spent much time, and taken a great deal of pains, at last fit down as wise as when they began, and not one jot the wiser.

First of all, when I come to a Patient who has the Symp­toms of the Small-Pox upon them, which are so well known, even to Nurses, that I need not spend any time a­bout them. In the first place, if there be any manifest signs of the Stomachs being op­pressed and clogged with vis­cous Matter, as generally it is, I first of all give a gentle, easie vomit, suitable to the [Page 22] age and constitution of the Patients, and after that hath done operating some Syrupus E Meconio, or any other pro-Opiat in due proportion. Af­terwards, to allay the hurry and disorder in the Blood, oc­casioned by the intromission of Hetrogeneous Particles, which Nature is endeavouring to throw out: And to confirm the Texture of the Blood, so as to enable it to rid it self of its enemy, I give large quan­tities of any of the following Julips.

Take of fresh juice of civil Oranges six Ounces, Barly Water one quart, double refined Sugar [Page 23] as much as is sufficient to make it grateful, or to those Palats or Stomachs (which are very few) to whom juice of Oran­ges is ungrateful.

Take of juice of Lemmons, or Lime juice that is not musty, four Ounces, Barly Water one quart, Cinnamon Water half an Ounce, Syrup of Rasberries as much as is sufficient to make it grateful: Or,

Take of Barly, Cinnamon Wa­ter one quart, juice of Lem­mons four Ounces, Syrup of Wood-Sorrel three Ounces, mix and make a Julip.

O any of these Julips, I give my Patients to drink [Page 24] as oft and as freely as they please: Drinking likewise small Beer with juice of Oranges in it, in as large quantities as they please. But during the whole course of the Distemper, all sorts of flesh ought to be avoi­ded.

To poor people, instead of the aforesaid Julips, and to save charges, I order them large quantities of small Beer, acidulated with Oyl of Vitriol, or instead of that Vinegar or Verjuice Posset drink, to be drank frequently, and in large quantities.

But if in the beginning [Page 25] or at any other time, I find the Brain very much di­sturbed, and the Patient de­lirious, I for the most part find it absolutely necessary to let Blood, and that in a good quantity; and then to flye to the use of more powerful Acids, giving the following Julips in large quantities, which presently calms the violent Motion [...]nd Agitation of the Blood [...]nd Spirit, and sets [...]ll to rights in a small [...]ime.

Take of Barly, Cinamon-wa­ [...]r one quart, Syrup of Ras­ [...]erries three Ounces, Volatile [Page 26] Spirit of Vitriol one Dram and half, or mix and make a Julip.

Take of Barly, Cinnamon­water one quart, Syrup of Ras­berries three Ounces, Gas Sul­phuris as much as is sufficient to make it sharp: Or,

Take of Barly Water one quart, Epidemick Water two Ounces, Syrup of Wood Sorrel three Ounces, sweet Spirit of Niter or Vitriol two Scruples: Or,

Take of red Rose Leaves six Drams, put them into an earthen or glass Vessel, pour upon them one quart of boy­ling Water, let them stand co­vered for some time, then pour on them two Scruples of Oyl of Vitriol, or Oyl of Sulphur pe [...] [Page 27] Campanam, when cold, strain out, and add as much double refined Sugar as is sufficient to make it grateful.

If at any time, I find my Patients Spirits languid and low, I then give three or four spoonfuls of the fol­lowing Cordial at due in­tervals.

Take of Aqua Mirabilis, Epi­demick Water, of each three Ounces, Spirit of Citrons half an Ounce, Balm Water eight Ounces, Syrup of Gilliflowers one Ounce and half, mix and make a Julip.

By this method, I have brought my Patients through the Distemper, without so much (almost) as the least uneasiness, or even confining themselves to their Beds, and without the least fear of a secondary Fever, which is that, which frequently proves of most fatal conse­quence.

After the Pustles are quite gone, I then take care to purge them well for five or six times, with gentle and easie Purges, after each Purge, giving an Hypnot­tick: After that I have done Purging, for some time I give corroborating, [Page 29] strengthning Medicines, to confirm the Texture of the blood and Juices, and bring them to their natural State, by which means I prevent ill accidents, that sometimes succeed the Small-Pox.

I have not given a full History of this Distemper, that being contrary to my design, but endeavoured to deter people from the use of those Methods and Medi­cines that have proved fa­tal to so many, and to ad­vance a better and safer Me­thod and Medicines in their room: Yet I would not have people, wholly to rely upon the Method I have here [Page 30] set down, but always have a Physitian by, to obviate any unusual Symptoms, that may chance to appear contrary to what general­ly do, and where life lies at stake, people can't be too cautious. But if the good old Woman and Nurses, in spight of all that can be said, will be still tampering, I must needs say this, that if my Method were exactly followed by every body from the beginning, with­out any variation, I verily believe that there would not one in ten die, that have formerly done by the use of Alkalies and Diapho­reticks.

As I have before en­deavoured to explode the use of Alkalies, and to give my reasons for so doing, so I shall now endeavour to give some reasons for the Method I take, with the great use of Acids in this case.

As I have before observed, I judge the cause of the Small Pox, to be from an intromission of Heteroge­neous, or Particles of a dif­ferent Nature and Texture from the blood into it; by the means of which Parti­cles, the blood is put into a very great hurry and disorder, in order to throw off its [Page 32] enemy, and that the place that Nature designs the discharge of these Particles by, to be the cutaneous Glands. Now the incon­veniencies, that I observed to attend the use of Alka­lies, were the throwing out of more Pustles than Na­ture designed, the destroy­ing of the Globules of the blood, and a waste of too great a quantity of Serum. I had before forgotten to mention one dismal effect of Alkalies and Diaphore­ticks, and that is by de­stroying or breaking the Globules of the Blood, in­stead of regular Pustles be­ing [Page 33] thrown out to the Sur­face of the Skin, the divided broken Globules are to­gether with the morbifick matter thrown out, as in the case of—and so causes an Erispelas or St. An­thonies Fire, which seldom or never fails of proving fatal.

Now I almost defie any one to say that he ever observed such Symptoms as these, if Acids were from the beginning used. For Acids are of that Nature, that they confirm the Tex­ture of the Blood, which is that red substance, wherein is contained the [Page 34] Byolyenium Nov. Lum. Chyr. or Lamp of Life; by so doing, Nature is ca­pable of throwing out the extraneous Particles, in a way suitable to it, and without the inconve­niencies that attend the o­ther method: For the Texture of the Blood be­ing confirmed, and mov­ing regularly and Natu­rally in its proper Channels, the morbifick Particles are only thrown out, and such a quantity of Serum left, as is sufficient to supply the Pustles and bring them to maturity without any danger of their flatuing, and the acrid [Page 35] Matter; being again ab­sorbed into the Blood, and causing secondary Fevers: Besides the Globules of the Blood being kept toge­ther unbroken, there is not any danger of their being extravasated, and causing those fatal purple Spots. Nor of being thrown out together with morbifick Matter, and so causing an Erisipelas or St. Anthonies Fire; neither are Hemoragies at the the Nose, bloody Wa­ter, &c. in the least to be feared, nor by being admitted into the small Meanders of the Brain to [Page 36] cause Deliriums, and those o­ther Symptoms that attend it.

I might expatiate up­on continued Fevers and some other acute Distem­pers: But that would be to be guilty of Tau­tology: For I assign but one general cause of them, though I own that the ex­traneous Particles, causing them, may be somewhat different, and according to the different size of the extra­neous Particles, the parts affected may be different; as in the Small-Pox, the size of the Particles are such, as to fit them to be thrown out by the cu­taneous [Page 37] Glands to the sur­face of the Skin; in other Fevers they are thrown out, sometimes one way, sometimes another, ac­cording to their size. For instance, sometimes they are thrown out by critical sweating, sometimes by Urine, sometimes by the Glands of the Mouth in spitting, and so on, ac­cording to the different dis­position of the Particles causing the Distemper, be­ing fitted to be discharged through the Pores of dif­ferent Parts: And which ever way we find Nature enclined to do her work, [Page 38] we must assist her in it, but not spur her on unless she be too sluggish, but must not, upon any account whatso­ever, hinder or thwart her in her Operations.

In most continued Fevers, I have found Alkalies equally pernicious, as in the Small-Pox; and Acids equally ad­vantagious, the which I shall instance in one or two par­ticulars.

After I came out of Flan­ders last year, being ninety four, having discoursed with a certain Physitian about a Fever that had that Summer raged in London, and of which many died; he told me, that [Page 39] when he found his Patients un­der such and such circumstances, that he as much gave them up for dead, as if a Dagger were run through their Hearts. I asked him what those Symp­toms were, that rendred his Patients circumstances to be so very dangerous? He replied, That when he found them de­lirious, and had Spasmes and Convulsions of the Nerves. I enquired of him, what Medi­cines he gave? He told me, a Composition of Gascons Powder, Virginian Snake Root, &c. which was what he solely relied on, and which is the same or of the same Nature, with what is generally given in those cases. [Page 40] I asked him whether he had ne­ver found his Medicine service­able to him? He ingeniously confessed, that when his Pati­ents were under the aforesaid circumstances, it never did him any service at all. I again asked him why he did not vary his Method? His reply was, It was a most noble Alkaly and Alexipharmick, and what was generally used, and there­fore he did not think fit to vary from an Established Method.

A few days after, I was cal­led into a Gentlewoman, exactly under the same Circumstances before related, she being deliri­ous to the highest degree, had violent Spasmes and Convulsions [Page 41] of the Nerves, and all other Symptoms of a Malignant Fe­ver. Of her Life I did not de­spair, and by the plentiful use of proper Acids, all Symptoms soon vanished, and in a weeks time, she was fit to go abroad.

Besides this, I could instance a hundred cases of the same na­ture, but I design brevity.

I must own, that other Di­stempers may be complicated with the Small-Pox, and other continued Fevers and acute Di­stempers, or from a different con­stitution of the Air, &c. unusual Symptoms may appear, in which cases a general method must not be relied on, but recourse must be also had to proper Specificks.

CHAP. II.

I Am now come to treat up­on the disuse of Alkalies in the Scurvy, that reigning Di­stemper, which few people are altogether free from, and is by most men accounted incurable, or at least, it for the most part proves so.

But here I expect the cry of all Mankind against me; What! say there is no Acidity in the Blood in the Scurvy? What! is it but an Acidity in the Blood that is the occasion of the break­ing [Page 43] out of Scabs, Pimples, Blotches, &c. upon the Skin? What! but a sharpness and Acidi­ty in the Blood, occasions those wandring Pains, and a thousand other Symptoms, that people labouring under that Distemper complain of?

My Friends, have a little pa­tience, and I will presently make it appear to you, that those Symptoms are not occasioned by Acids, but from Acrid, Lixi­vious, Alkalious Particles, which I doubt not to evince by plain matter of fact.

First of all, by a Chymical Analysis, it doth appear, that the Blood of Scorbutick Persons, hath by much a greater quanti­ty [Page 44] of Volatile, Alkalious Par­ticles, then that of sound Per­sons, besides which some quan­tity, more or less, of a Lixivious fixt Alkaly, which, for as much as ever I could find, the Blood of sound Persons is altogether destitute of.

And by the way give me leave to add this. It is my opinion, that if Physitians would give themselves the trouble of Chymically Analyzing the Blood of Persons in all Distem­pers, and making nice Obser­vations of the different substan­ces to be obtained from it: By that means the cause of Distem­pers would be certainly known, and by consequence the cure of [Page 45] them much more certain, then now it is. But that I may return to my business.

Another considerable Argu­ment, besides that beforemen­tioned, to prove that the Scurvy hath its rise from Alkalious sub­stances in the blood, and not from Acids, is this which fol­lows.

I have been frequently told, by some Seamen and Surgeons, that have been long Voyages at Sea, especially towards China and the Indies, that of a hundred Men that have been in a Ship, not two of them but have been almost eaten up with the Scur­vy, their Skin squallid and full of blotches, their Gums eaten [Page 46] away, and their Teeth ready to drop out, Pains and Aches all over their bodies, &c. and yet upon their landing at Cadiz or thereabouts, where are plenty of Oranges and Lemmons, upon eating large quantities of them, in one Fortnights time, at far­thest, scarce one hath failed of being perfectly cured. This is not a bare relation of one or two Persons only, but what is generally agreed-upon and al­lowed by all people.

Although these moderate Acids plentifully used, may have such effects in that hot Country, yet I have not observed that in our cold Climate, they have al­ways, always I say, the same effect, [Page 47] because in slight cases, they ge­nerally do very well; yet in more stubborn ones we are forced to have recourse to more powerful penetrating ones.

As for Alkalies, I don't be­lieve that ever any one was cured by them of this Distemper, al­though I have known some Peo­ple that have taken a vast farrago of Testacious Powders, &c. without any good effect at all, which afterwards has been done in a small time, with a small quantity of proper Acids.

Before I conclud, I shall insert a Preparation of Antimony, the which I have found of extraor­dinary use, in the most inveterate Scurvies.

Take of white Flowers of Anti­mony eight ounces, Volatile Spirit of Tartar two pound, put them into a large Bolt-head, and digest in a gentle heat in Balneo, for fourteen days, then take out the Bolt-head and let it cool by degres, when cold, decant the clear Tincture from the Feces: Then put the decanted Liquor or Tincture into a long Cucurbite, fit a head to it exactly, and with a gentle fire, destill off the one half, the remaining part keep for use, in a Bottle well stopped with a glass stopper. That which comes over by Distillation, may be kept for the same use.

To make the Volatile Spirit of Tartar.

Take of very fine and clean Rhenish Wine, Tartar twenty pound, put it into an Iron-pot, fit to the said Pot, a Moors-head made either of Iron or Copper, the which fix to a large Worm fixed in a Tub of Water; fit a very large Recipient to the end of the Worm. Lute all the joynts except that of the Receiver, with very good Lute, and when the Lute is very well dried, make a very gentle fire under your Pot at first, which in­crease by degrees, and continue as long as any thing will come over; then let the fire go out, undo your joynts and take out the Caput Mor­tuum; which Calcine to Greyness, in a large Crucible; then put three pound of the calcined Caput Mor­tuum into a long Cucurbite, then [Page 50] pour upon it, all the Spirit that came over, being before hand freed from the fetid Oyl that came over with it, by running through a Funnel, lined either with wet brown Paper, or Cot­ton: Put on your Head, which lute very well with a wet Bladder, then put to a Receiver, which lute also very well, and with a moderate fire, draw off one half of the Spirit. Pour out that which remains in the Cucur­bite as useless, and put in two pound more of the Calcined Caput Mor­tuum, upon which pour the Spirit before drawn off, and with a gentle fire draw off one half, whick keep for the aforesaid use. It being a noble, volatile Spirit of Tartar, and is as noble a Menstruum as most I have met with, not only for this use, but several others.

Of the aforesaid Tincture, I use to give about four, six, eight or ten drops, according to the age and strength of my Patients, Morning and Evening, in about half a pint of strong Infusion or Decoction of Juniper Berries, without any precedent Purgati­on; this Medicine performing that office, where there is occa­sion; it answering every thing that is generally said of a true Panacca; sometimes working by Vomit, sometimes by Stool, and sometimes by Urine, but mostly by a gentle Diaphoresis or Sweating: And I have once known it to cause a Salivation, without any of the ill Symptoms that usually attend it, when [Page 52] raised by Mercurial Medicines. Whoever hath a mind to see more of this Tincture, may read Glauber Op. Mineral. Par. Prim. from whom I had it, though I have something varied from him. I have found it of great use, not only in the Scurvy, but many other Chro­nical Distempers, as Rheuma­tisms, Sciaticas, Dropsies, &c. and by some few Observations that I have made, I believe it may do great things even in the Gout it self.

Before I conclude, I shall mention one Objection more against my opinion, made to me by several, and that is, that a more than ordinary saltness, [Page 53] is to be perceived in the Blood of Scorbutick Persons, and this saltness they take to be an Acidity: But if they would but enquire a little narrowly into the matter, in­stead of finding it to be an Acid saltness, on the con­trary they will find it to be, a Lixivious, Alkalious one.

CHAP. III.

I Shall here make only some few Observations concern­ing the Gout, it being cousin German, to that of the Scurvy. Though I must confess the Gout to be a Distemper I have not had much to do with, but by that little I have seen of it, I am fully convinced, that it is not from Acids, as is general­ly said, that, that troublesome Distemper is occasioned.

I have observed considerable large Nodes, in which are some­times [Page 51] contained a hard chalky substance, and of which I have seen large quantities extracted, which by many experiments I have found to be as much an Alkaly, as either Crabs Eyes, Corral, Pearls, &c. the which I suppose no man will deny.

Now it being granted, that the matter contained in the aforesaid Nodes, to be an Al­kaly, how is it possible for this Distemper, to proceed from Acids, when in those very parts where the Distemper most violently rages, there should be produced such large quantities of an Alkalious sub­stance. For if the Distemper pro­ceeds from Acids, as 'tis generally [Page 56] agreed upon, the Patient need not clog his Stomach with Alkalies as is generally pra­ctised, there being a Remedy already placed in the part af­fected: And I verily believe, that the only reason why this Distemper has been accounted amongst the Opprobria Medicorum, has been from the mistaken Noti­ons, they have had concerning it.

But if men will still persist to assert, that this Distemper pro­ceeds from Acids, and at the same time own the chalky sub­stance before-mentioned, which is only the Morbifick Matter indurated, to be an Alkaly, they must tacitely believe the Doctrine of Transmutation, [Page 57] though openly they are ashamed to own it, and will laugh at, and ridicule those that do.

But this is not all, for suppose the Acid Matter causing this Distemper to be transmuted into a chalky, alkalious sub­stance, the Distemper must ne­ver more pretend to come in or near the part, where this substance is lodged, it being placed as a Centry to guard it off: Nay, the Blood at times, must all, or at least, great part of it, pass through the Part or Parts, where this chalky sub­stance is lodged, by which means a man would think, it should be sufficiently guarded from any more growing Acid; [Page 54] and so by consequence, when the chalky Nodes are once set­led, people have not the least reason for the future, to be in fear of the return of their Di­stemper: The contrary of which a great many honest Gentle­men to their sorrows experi­ence. So that a man would think, that these very Nodes alone, were sufficient, if there were no other reasons to be given for it, to satisfie any man, who is master of his reason, that Acids are not, and that Alkalies are, the cause of this Distemper. And if the Blood abound with too great a quantity of Alkalious Particles, the giving of Alkalies must be preposterous, is being to [Page 55] add Fuel to the Flame, which instead of quenching or extinguishing, makes it so much the greater.

It may not be amiss to take notice, that few peo­ple are troubled with the Gout, but those who drink large quantities of Wine or some other generous Liquors, abounding with vinous Spirits; so that the Blood and other Juices, being impregnated with the said vinous Spirits, these Spirits meeting with the volatile, alkalious Salt, of which, even the Blood of sound Peo­ple, is never destitute: By the means of which Salt, the vinous Spirit is coagulated, [Page 60] and turned into that sub­stance (or somewhat like it) which Helmont calls his Offa Alba, which coagulated substance, not being capa­ble of moving with the Blood and Juices through the small Vessels, causes ob­structions and violent pains, and in time, by the additi­on of other gross, terre­strious Particles, into the beforementioned chalky sub­stance.

By the foresaid coagulati­on of vinous Spirits with the volatile Alkaly of the Blood, may a very good reason be given, for the Generation of the Stone in the [Page 61] Bladder and Kidneys: And Mr. Boyle tells us (being what Helmont had before done) that having ob­tained some Stones of a certain Lythotomist, he put them into a Retort, and exposed them to a strong fire, and found that the better half consisted of vo­latile, alkalious Salt, like unto that obtainable from Hu­mane Blood, and a con­siderable quantity of hea­vy Oyl, so that it is plain, that the Generation of the Stone, is not from Acids, but Alkalies.

From which may be in­ferred, that it is not, from [Page 58] the Acidity of Rhenish Wine, that makes the drinking of it pernicious to Gouty People, but from its abounding with spiri­tuous Particles, more than most other Wines.

CHAP. IV.

THIS is another of the Distempers generally said to proceed from Acids in the Blood; but very falsly, as I hope fully to make appear; I having had to do with multi­tudes under this Distemper, and that (thanks to God) with very good success.

I. shall not trouble my self to investigate the original cau­ses of this Distemper, which are various, that being foreign to my design; but shall imme­diately [Page 74] proceed to the business I have undertaken.

First of all; Having by the fire analyzed the Blood of Rheumatick Persons, I have found it to abound more with Alkanious Particles, than that of sound Persons; but not the least grain of any Acid sub­stance in it; from which alone it may readily enough be in­ferred, That it proceeds not from Acids, but, on the con­trary, from Alkalies.

But it may be Objected, From whence proceeds that syziness and viscosity of the Serum, which is generally ob­served in the Blood of Rheu­matick [Page 75] Persons, if not from Acids? For we know that Milk, which is a sort of Serum of the Blood, let it be in never so fluid a state, by the addition of any Acid, though never so gentle, a great part of it will be immediately congulated and turned into Curds.

To which I Answer, That the foresaid Objection is alto­gether invalid; the viscousness that is observed in the Serum of the Blood, being quite diffe­rent from that of the Curds in Milk: Though there are those substances contained in Milk, that are fit to make both Blood and Serum; but Milk is a much more compound liquor than [Page 76] the Serum of the Blood; so the comparison being made be­tween subjects so vastly diffe­rent, it is of no validity at all.

But suppose the comparison between the two Liquors good; What agreement is there be­tween Curds, and a substance like unto Gelly? None at all that I know of:

But if instead of curdled Milk, they had made the com­parison between the inviscated Serum and Hartshorn Gelly, they had been in the right on't; for indeed I know not any two subjects more fit to be compa­red together. But then this comparison will not in the least prove the inviscation of the [Page 77] Serum to proceed from Acids, but on the contrary from Al­kalious Particles; for every body that knows what Harts-horn is, know that the reason of its ma­king a Gelly, is from its abound­ing with volatile alkalious Salts. And for the same reason it is, that Calves Feet, Izing-glass, Ivory, &c. make Gellies.

By what I have said, I hope, I have freed Acids from occa­sioning the viscousness of the Serum of the Blood in Rheu­matisms; which viscosity if it can be once taken off, every one knows that the Distemper immediately vanishes. But this is not to be done by Alkalies, that ever I could see, although [Page 78] I have given them in large quantities. But it is expedi­tiously to be done by proper Acids, such as the before-men­tioned Tincture of Antimo­ny, &c. and Calibiats.

But here I expect that Peo­ple will think that I have caught my self in a trap, when I bring in Calibiats amongst the num­ber of Acids, when they are generally owned by all Man­kind to be Alkalies; to confirm the truth of which, they tell you it is plainly manifest, that filings of Iron will make as great an Effervescency with all sorts of Acids, as any of the Alkalies I have mentioned; therefore it is plain I must be [Page 79] much in the wrong, in reckon­ing Calibiats amongst the num­ber of Acids.

From this difficulty I shall endeavour to extricate my self, and likewise to prove, That Iron or Steel, until it be con­verted into a Vitriol (and every body will allow Vitriol to be an Acid) cannot act upon the Blood or Serum to cause any alteration in it, nor so much as any way enter into the Veins or Arteries.

It is the Custom of Skilful Practitioners, before they give Steel Medicines, to enquire of their Patients, Whether they are sensible of any Acidity in their Stomachs; in which part [Page 80] I do allow Acids oftentimes to abound, and that exorbitantly. If they are sensible of any Acidity there, it is then found necessary to give Iron or Steel, without any Preparation at all, by reason that by the means of the Acids in the Stomach, it is turned into a Vitriol, and so made capable of being carri'd into the Blood, whereas in such cases, if it hath been be­fore satiated by a precedent Pre­paration, it hath little or no effect at all. On the other hand, if there be no sensible Acidity in the Stomach, Iron or Steel being given Unprepa­red, are carri'd off by Stool, without the least alteration, or [Page 81] any part of it being admitted into the Blood.

All or most of the Prepara­tions of Steel that I know of, that are good for any thing, are performed by the means of Acids, which tend to the divi­ding of their parts, and turn­ing them into a Vitriol. Now according to the difference of the Acids used, the result is a different sort of Vitriol, which hath different operations: But on the contrary, Alkalies do so lock up the Body of Iron, as to make it unfit to be taken as Medicine, by reason of its ex­traordinary hardness and firm­ness of Texture.

The Preparations of Steel I generally use are, that which goes by the name of Dr. Wil­lis's Preparation of Steel, and is now almost every where to be had; which altho it be grown common, is, for all that, no despicable Medicine; and that which follows.

These two Preparations pro­perly given, and with conve­nient Vehicles, I have known [Page 84] of very great use in Rheuma­tisms. And the last, when all other Medicines have proved ineffectual, has never once fail­ed me in the most inveterate Obstructions of the Menses in Women.

Besides the forementioned Preparations of Steel, I have frequently found Cinnaber of Antimony, or even common Cinnaber, mixt with a due proportion of Gum Guaiaci, and given in large quantities, to be of great use, not only in con­firmed Rheumatisms, but even in Sciatica's of long standing, by the means of which alone I have known many cured.

I did formerly believe Cin­naber of Antimony, and com­mon Cinnaber to be Alkalies; but since I have more nicely inquired into it, I find that by a peculiar management, a large quantity of an acid sulphuri­ous Spirit may be obtained from it.

Before I conclude upon this Head, it will not, I suppose, be amiss, to observe one thing more about the Preparation of Steel before-mention'd, and that is, that whilst it is kept dry, and in a Powder, it is one of the greatest Deoppilatives or openers of Obstructions ima­ginable: But let it be put in­to a Cellar, and run per deli­quium, [Page 86] which it will do in a few days, fifty or sixty drops of the said Oil per deliquium, given twice a day in a strong De­coction of Oak Bark, I have of late found never to fail me in stopping a seminal Flux, which all People will allow has hi­therto been found as difficult a thing to do as any whatso­ever. Some People having told me, that they supposed the Stipticity to proceed from the Decoction of Oak Bark only, I have purposely tried it alone, and altho I own Oak Bark to be a Noble Stiptic, and to do Wonders, the Decoction being taken in at the mouth, and by way of Clyster, in common, [Page 87] simple Diarrhea's, and even sometimes in bloody Fluxes; yet in the case before-men­tioned it would do nothing at all; but adding some drops of the Oil of Mars to the De­coction, it had soon the desired effect.

CHAP. V.

I Have little to say upon this Subject, but that I have seen great numbers of People under this Circumstance, to whom have been given large quantities of Alkalies, and all sorts of Balsamics, and those things called Pectorals, with­out the least advantage in the world; tho I have seen others who have had the manifest signs of a confirmed Phtisis or Consumption, who by the plen­tiful use of proper Acids, have [Page 89] been reduced from a state of dying, to that of perfect health.

My Reasons in short, ac­cording to my best Observati­ons, for the use of Acids, and the disuse of Alkalies, are as follow.

The Globules of the Blood by reason of so great a quanti­ty of Acrid, Alkalious, Lixi­vious Particles, being mixed with it, being broken and con­fusedly mix'd with the Serum are, together with the Serum, admitted into the small Glan­dules of the Lungs, and not being capable of being dis­charg'd, cause Inflamations there, and by consequence Hectick Fevers, which always precede and accompany a [Page 90] Pthisis or Consumption. Now by the use of Alkalies and Bal­samicks, these extravasated Globules are so far from being thrown out, and the depraved state of the Blood from being altered, that instead of it, the state of the Blood is made much worse by Alkalies; and by Balsamicks the Pustles oc­casioned from the extravasated Globules being admitted into the small Glandules, are brought to Suppuration, the ne­cessary consequence of which is an Ulceration, and when so tender a part as the Lungs are, is once Ulcerated, he must shew himself an Artist indeed that can heal such Ulcers.

Now proper Acids being given in due time, confirm the Texture of the Blood, and reduce the Serum to a state of fluidity, by which means the Fever and Inflamation of the Lungs are taken off, and the extravasated Globules of Blood, by means of a thin Serum, as­sisted by its quick motion in that part, when in a fluid state, are by degrees carried off, and so the Pustles disappear.

But it may be Objected, How comes it to pass, that the broken Globules of Blood, you so often mention, come to be admitted along with the Serum into the Glands of several parts, and that they cannot by the [Page 92] same reason be carried off to the parts designed, along with the Serum or Lympha, as it is stiled, when it once comes into the Lymphatick Vessels?

To which I Answer, That when they are first admitted into the Glands, I mean the broken Globules, coming just out of the extremities of the Arteries, and being then very hot, the sides of them are lax, and so in some measure capable of being compressed or squeez'd together; but being once ad­mitted into the Glands, the motion of the Serum from them, through the Lymphatick Vessels, being very slow, they soon grow cool, and so more [Page 93] firm; and by reason of the different figure of these broken Globules from the Pores, by which the Serum is to pass from the Glands to the Lym­phatick Vessels, they are not suffered to pass through with the Serum, as in the foremen­tioned instance of the mixture of Oyl and Water, so that the Globules being extravasated and without motion, corrupt; from which corruption pro­ceeds all the ill symptons I have mentioned to accrue from the broken Globules of the Blood being admitted into the Glands.

But to return to the business of Acids; to confirm the truth [Page 94] of what I have said, besides my own Observations, I re­member Riverius, that famous Practitioner, somewhere says, That he hath several times cured a confirmed Pthisis or Consumption, by giving only of large quantities of Conserve of Red Roses, well Acidulated with Oil of Sulphur per Campa­nam.

And now I am speaking of Oil of Sulphur per Campanam, give me leave to add an ac­count that Helmont gives of it in his Arbor Vitae; which altho it hath not any immediate re­lation to the Point in hand, yet may be pertinent enough to shew the good effects of Acids, [Page 95] in keeping the Blood in a good Texture, and by that means prolonging Life, and preserv­ing us from Diseases. Moses, who perhaps understood the Mysteries of Nature as well as any man, and who was guided by an unerring, infallible Spi­rit, says, that in the Blood is contained the Life. Now the Texture of the Blood being confirmed, and its Globules whole, must go a great way towards the prolongation of Life: But on the contrary, the Texture of the Blood being spoiled, and its Globules bro­ken, (which they are by Al­kalies) must in great measure shorten Life, and occasion Dis­eases.

In the Year 1600. says Hel­mont, a certain Military Man, being burthen'd with a great number of small Children, made his Complaint to me that he was 58 years of age, and that if he should chance to die, his Children must go begging from door to door. He ask'd of me something, whereby his Life might be preserved. I being then a Young Man, and commiserating his Condition, I considered with my self, that a lighted Match of Brimstone would preserve Wine from Corruption; therefore I con­cluded with my self, that the Acid Oil of Sulphur did neces­sarily so contain this Flame of [Page 97] Sulphur, and all the Smell of it, that it self was nothing else, meaning the Acid Spirit or Oil, but the Fume of Sulphur it self, imbibed by its Mercu­rial Salt. Last of all, I was confirmed that the Blood was the Wine of our Lives, and that being preserved, if it did not occasion long Life, it would at least in some measure be prolonged, by our being guard­ed from Diseases, and free from Pains. Wherefore I gave him a Pot full of the Distilled Li­quor or Oil of Sulphur, and likewise taught him the man­ner of Distilling the said Oil from kindled Brimstone. I furthermore bid him, that eve­ry [Page 98] Meal, in the first draught of Beer he drank, that he should take two drops of the said Liquor, and by no means ex­ceed it; I being satisfied that two drops did contain a large quantity of the Fume of Sul­phur. The Man followed my advice, and at this time walks about the Streets of Bruxels, being Sixteen hundred forty one: And which is more than all, for the whole Forty years he never laboured under any Distemper, although once by a Fall upon the Ice, he broke his Leg near the Knee, yet all the time he was under Cure, he was free from a Fever. He con­tinued slender and lean, and [Page 99] although in want of all Neces­saries, lived to be thus Old. The Name of this Old Man is John Mass, who served in the Bed-Chamber of the Bishop of Ypre, when Count Egmont and Horne were beheaded, and was at that time Twenty five years of age.

The Truth of this Relation need not in the least be doubt­ed, the Man being alive and well when it was wrote. By which Instance it is plain, that Acids are not the Cause of Diseases, but Preservatives a­gainst them; and whatever is a Preservative from Distem­pers, by the same parity of rea­son must be of use to repel [Page 100] them, when we labour under them.

A signal Instance of which, I remember I have somewhere read of a Person who purpose­ly suffered himself to be bitten by a Viper, in order to try the good Effects of Monsieur Char­ras's Volatile Alkalious Salt of the same Animal, in preventing and taking off the Symptoms that attend the Biting of the said Creature. The Volatile Salt and other Antidotes were in large quantities given, but all in vain; for instead of allay­ing, the Symptoms so increa­sed, that nothing less was to be feared, than the loss of the poor Man's Life. To the best [Page 101] of my remembrance, nay, I think I may be positive, that it was in the Wrist where he was bitten; but for all the Vo­latile Salts, and other Antidotes, in a very little time his Arm was swelled so big, and so high, that Amputation could do him no service; nay, all the By­standers, which were many, gave him up for dead. At last a certain Person advised the giving of him large quantities of only so simple an Acid as Juice of Lem­mons; which immediately abated the Symptoms, and re­trieved him from all manner of Danger.

We live in an inquisitive Age, wherein People have more sense than to take things upon trust: The obtaining of the Blood, both of well and distemper'd Persons, is no dif­ficult matter; and I desire no greater justice to be done me, than that People would them­selves Experiment the truth of what I have said: And if after trial it be found that the Blood of persons in any of the before­mentioned cases, hath any thing of Acid in it, I will own my self in the wrong. But shall never take the least notice of such scurrilous Answers as I have been used to, nothing of that nature being in the least [Page 103] valid with me, that is not con­firmed by well-attested Expe­riments.