THE first appearance of Doctor Witty a­gainst me, ( pag. 1.) puts me in mind of a Souldier, that was justly bastinaded for his faults, and when his haltings discovered his maims and hurts among his Coun­try Neighbours, he thought it his best policy to halt down right, more than he needed, and then to boast, that these hurts, were the evidences of his Valour, the to­kens of his Prowess and Manhood. Thus comes the Doctor upon the [Page 2]Stage, limping and halting, com­plaining of his bad usage, but im­proving it as a badge of his Ho­nour and Vertue, in the rare disco­veries he hath made of Scarbrough Spaw; and this he sets off with the saying off Themistocles, That while he was young, he was wont to say, that he had not yet done any thing notable; forasmuch as he had not contracted envy, nor met with any opposition.

If a man may contract envy for having a lame Leg, or for want of one Eye, then may this saying be applicable to Doctor Witty: I have only put to my hands, to keep these out of harms way, whom he by his Writings, would seduce into it. What I have done therefore, is properly a seasonable opposition to his errors; and consequently here is no evidence of his notable vertue.

2. He next tells us ( p. 2.) how he had some thoughts of answering my Book, with à vidi & Risi, and makes as if it had deserved no far­ther Consideration; because weak in the Argument, and mean in the Design. This is a short and easie way of Answering, and such as I might bestow upon his Book in the words of C. Hoffmannus to Romulus.

Yet if he had contented himself herewith, as indeed, he saith, at the first he had thought to have done, then had he lost his jest of the Cuccow, and (what is as consider­able) an opportunity of telling the [Page 4]world the Pedigree of Galen; and how he has Crowned him King, and made Proclamation, that all pre­tenders to Physick, who will not subscribe to him the Oath of Alle­giance and Supremacy also, shall not be called Sons of Art, but Base­begoten, Quacks, Pseu, Dochymists, Mountebanks, &c. These two Thun­derclaps, begets all the Fright­ments I met with in his Book. As for his pickering here and there with false Reports, fallacious Ex­periments, and frothy Repartees; they are no more to be valued, than a flap with a Fox tail, which Witty-like, he hath laid upon my back, and Dr. Simpsons in his Epi­stle to the Reader.

3. The Dirt and Sand, which by Anatomizing the Water, I disco­vered to be in Scarbrough Spaw, Dr. Witty undertakes, that he will cleanse away, and says, though his [Page 5]work be like that of Hercules, when he purged the Augaean stable, yet his labour is nothing like his. In truth no, but like that of Sisiphus, in rowling the stone up Hill, which returned upon himself again.

Now he begins with his Dissect­ing work; Dr. Witty's Whittle, and Scanderbags Sword, are both of a Metal. Had the Doctor an arm like him, I should be in more dan­ger by this Dissection, than when I was cut for the Stone.

The first Pass he makes is, ( p. 3.) I have called him out to a publick Encounter, without any previous pro­vocation given on his side. It seems he may give stones instead of bread, yet must not be told on't. Is it not as free for me to declare mine Opinion, as for him to proclaim his. In writing of Scarbrough Spaw, I only medled with his Reasons, forbearing unhandsom expressions; [Page 6]yet had I been sharper towards him, I could have justified it from his Provocation; for I was deluded by his Hyperboles, and Male-descrip­tion of it, to drink of those Wa­ters, to the hazard of a return in­to my former Disease, the Stone, enough to ruine me and my Fa­mily. I suppose he did not there­by design my coming thither, yet the harm I received, by drinking of it, was, Finis operis ejus, though not operantis. He tells us, ( p. 4.)

4. He will in point of Friendship, mildly endeavour to clear up mine eye-sight. I thank him for his love, but shall intreat him to make use of his own Spectacles; I need them not; a proof whereof I have given in that, during three days time, by Anatomizing the Water. I have discovered stone filings in it, which he could not see, in all the Thirty years he has been looking at it.

He repeats what I said, in refe­rence to my self, of Hippocrates and Helmont. In reference to him, I say, they are too great lights for his weak Opticks; for in this case it is true, that minium sensibile destru­it sensum. See p. 34. of Dr. Witty's answer.

5. The Marginal note is, Galen is sleighted by me. I desire the Reader to observe how he seeks, occasions to pick a quarrel; unless he expects I should put off my Hat every time I name Galen, I know no reason for his saying so; my words are these. Galens method of Physick, may justly be named ratio­nal, so far as he writes after the old man, his Masters Copy; I dare not speak further for him. Where is Galen slighted by this? I give him the same commendation that Dr. Witty gives him, in his Dispute with Dr. S. all along he seems so to ap­propriate [Page 8]the word Rational to the Galenical method, as if Rational and Galenical, were Synonyma and convertibilia; 'tis true, he intends to exclude the Chymical method, as Empirical, which cannot be al­lowed him; for if those Diseases be cured by this method, which the Galenical method leaves as in­curable; certainly such Natural ef­fects must be produced by most rational mediums. But that Galen hath opposed Hippocrates, in a­scribing so much to the four first qualities, both as to the causes and method of curing Diseases, is so vulgarly known by his Book, De antiqua Medicina; that I need not mention it to the Learned; neither doth Doctor Witty's Encomium of Galen, ( p. 12. where he says, He was the prime star of the first mag­nitude in his Orb) any more than eclipse his Honour. 'Tis no less [Page 9]than treason in him, to speak so slightingly of Galen; for if but a Star, from what Sun hath he borrowed his Splendour? surely from one of my two great Lights. Thus good Wits jump; I shall not trouble the Reader to Comment upon this his Digression, to p. 14. All which is translated out of Lambesius; only let this vain brag be noted, p. 11. Galen has brought the Art of Physick to such a Perfection, as no Art in the world can pretend to. Mr. Stubbs is modest in his Writings, against the Royal Society, compared with this one position of the Dissector; which if true, proclaims all those of their Society, that are Physici­ans, Fools and Madmen. 'Twere happy for the City and Country of York, if Doctor Witty's practice could confirm their belief, of this perfection in his Art. If others can­not understand (Galen) well, as he [Page 10]says (I suppose) he means in the Greek Copy, to be sure he doth; but I desire to treat him as a Friend, and therefore do commend to his reading, Petrus Severinus Danus, his Idaea Medicina, and so set him right in his way to Perfection.

Doctor Witty, (p. 15.) Cavils at my expression of se defendendo, and thus he vents it; Really I wonder at this expression, whoever offended him that he should stand upon his defence, &c. May not the Reader see by this, how hardly he strains to get something to talk; I refer it to the construction of any man, if more could be intended by that innocent expression, than to signifie that I meddle not with his Books, fur­ther than was necessary to defend this one position, That the nature of Scarbrough Spaw is petrifying: In the same Page, he shews his dis­pleasure at this passage; Dr. Witty's [Page 11] failure was, that he left off where he should have begun. I persist in the same mind still, he should first have Anatomized the Water, that he might have viewed what was contained distinctly in its bowels; but this work he leaves to others. Doctor S. gives a reason for his so doing, ( pag. 145.) Not for want of Ignorance, saith he, in the Critical Analysis of the water.

But why should Dr. Witty be so angry for this charge truly laid against him? doth it not argue much ill Nature, and little Judgment, to reject necessary advice. But wherein am I to be blamed that gave it? except only that it came too late.

The next Marginal Note ( p. 16.) is, Dr. T. Disingenious towards the Author. I know who it was that laid on these black patches, intend­ing, thereby to beautifie the face of [Page 12]Dr. Witty's ill-favour'd discourse; 'tis an ugly Epithite, which I hate worse, than to be called a Phana­tick, I shall therefore clear my self of it. I said in my Preface, that Dr. Witty, after he had observed what was most conspicuous about the Spaw, and tryed that the Gall Tinctured the Water, contents himself with fair probabilities for asserting his Five Principles. I appeal to the Reader; if I have dealt disingeniously with him, in saying so, I have given the Title of fair probabilities to his proofs; but he is not pleased therewith, but will have them called Arguments of Demonstration. Though they were all proved to be Fallacies (as may be seen in my Book) touching Vi­triol and Iron, the Principles in difference betwixt us. As for Salt, another Principle of his, he saith, for it, ( p. 19.) The propinquity of the [Page 13]Sea gives ground to many wise men, to think it may have Salt, though he knows there are several fresh Springs about Scarbrough, which are as near the Sea, as the Spaw is. Besides, see Norwoods Relation to the Royal Society, (p. 565.) affirm­ing, that at Bermudas they dig Wells of fresh Water, sometimes within twenty yards of the Sea.

He concludes ( p. 20.) that I have dealt with him, as Hanun did with King David 's messenger, citing the place of Scripture, 2 Sam. 10.4. How can I help that? Truth is not asham­ed to appear naked in publick, though the Dissector be; 'tis true, he received an answer against Vi­triol and Iron, being in the Spaw, importing no less than the shaving of the half of his Beard, enough to render him ridiculous; and the laying open the stone filings by the Anatomy of the water, was like [Page 14]the cutting of his Garments in the middle, even to his buttocks. It seems, indeed, he was ashamed here­at, and therefore he writes a Letter to the Royal Society, presenting them with seven or eight Extracts and Spirits, which he took out of Scarbrough Spaw; yet hath the con­fidence to say, it was not Candidly done of me, to mention that of try­ing with Gall, and to leave out the rest of his Experiments (expressed in this Letter) for other, I know none. This letter was Printed four months after my Book come forth, yet he blames me for leaving it out; I beg his pardon, because I do not pretend to that infallible Prophe­tick Spirit, which Doctor Witty assumes to himself; so as to answer all that he shall hereafter write, be­fore I read what is written: But I owe him the kindness of a Friend, and therefore shall now take notice [Page 15]of it, N. L. First, he is not pleased with Dr. Foot, in mentioning his principles of Scarbrough, (Iron, Allom, Nitre) that he pretermitted Vitriol; yet he presumes it was not upon design; as if Water could per­take of Iron, and yet Vitriol be absent from it; 'tis a grand Solaecism in Chymistry. Secondly, As touch­ing Vitriol, he refers to his Book; yet (says he) it is most conspicuous at the Well. A loud untruth, for it is a Nitrous Salt only that is so; for all that sproots out of the Hill, shoots in Stirias, the sign which he himself gives for Nitre, there be­ing no difference betwixt that which he calls Vitriol, and that he calls Nitre, but Colour only. Now I demand, seeing his leasure did permit him to step to Scarbrough to renew his Experiments, there re­solving to be more Critical, why he omitted to present this he calls Vi­triol, [Page 16]so conspicuous to the Royal Society: doubtless his return with this, would have been more satis­factory to them, than the seven or eight sorts of Extracts, and Spirits, which now I come to examine. His first Extract. Exhale Scarbrough Water, till all the moisture be con­sumed, and there remains a Body of Minerals signed. A. See his Book ( p. 10.) and how he defends it in his answer, (p. 22.) to be an Extract. Will not the Apothecary Boys laugh at him for this? if when he prescribes to them Extract of Ru­dy, they should send Pillulae Co­chiae; the Patient will find a diffe­rence between them, though Dr. Witty makes none. His second Extract. Dissolve the first Extract in water, and filter it, there will remain a little Jusipid-earth. Pray why did he not sign at B. Oh the cunning of Dr. Witty, this is the [Page 17]very Critical Point, the foundation of all the dispute betwixt him and me; the main pillar on which I build all my discourse; an Extract which I made out of Scarbrough Spaw, not before so duly taken no­tice of; yet must it be hid from the eyes of the R. S. whose satis­faction he is ambitious to court, and only pass it over with this slight remembrance, but not pre­sent it to them; calling that a little Insipid earth, which is a great deal of Gretty stone powder. How justly may I retort his own words upon him? What makes all this double­dealing for advantage? He pro­ceeds, Evaporate that Water away, there is the Body B. this I judge to be for the greater part Nitre: dis­solve this Body in Water, and filter it, and there remains in the paper powder C. which seems to be the aluminous part. Why so? may not [Page 18]the Aluminous Salt in the Water, as easily pass through the Filter, as the Nitre; This is sometimes found to be like a Chrystalline Sand, C. C. Take heed of it, 'tis better expres­sed ( p. 64.) the grosser part of the Minerals or Metals which the fire fixes. Evaporate this Water, and there is a Salt Dor, that D. D. the difference betwixt them, is in the degrees of Heat; this dissolved again, and evaporated, there is a Salt D. D. D. When the Spaw Water is first set on the fire, there falls to the bot­tom a Yellowish Powder E. He can­not say what it is I told him ( p. 56.) of my Book, that it was the Glebe of Allom, which appears in a Black Powder, if the Water be set by cold, after two or three days, N. L. Dr. Witty being reproved for as­serting his Five Principles, before he had Anatomized the Water; he now (to make amends) will dissect [Page 19]it into more parts, than makes up the whole eight Extracts signed, A. B. C. C. D D. D. E. he should have proceeded in the Alphabet to Witty, that the R. S. might see he had not his name for naught. Now I appeal to the Reader, what more he hath made to appear, by all these, then a Nitro Aluminous Salt (which is impossible, by Art, to se­parate asunder) except Sand and Clay, which Doctor Witty will not have spoken on. He calcin'd also the Body of Minerals signed F. I demand if there were any Flakes of Iron intersperced amongst it, as he told us there were, in his An­swer to Hydr. Chym. p. 67. He af­firms in the place fore-cited, that they do Calcine whitish; now says he, you may see they have a ma­nifest appearance of a Red Colour, qui color albus erat nunc est, &c. This Redish Colour he judges to come [Page 20]from Iron, and for that purpose he presented it; whereas it is a better Argument, that the Redness comes from the Sand and Clay that is in it, which by stress of fire, turns to be of that Colour, as is observed in the Potters furnace, and Brick­kilns he presented; also half an Ounce of the Spirit, besides an Ounce of Phlegm which he distil­led out of six Ounces of the body of Minerals, signed by G. H. Alas, that a man should be at all this pains and charge, only to confute himself, and that before the Royal Society, to whom he makes this offering, and of whom he boasts, these noble Worthies were pleased to receive with some satisfaction. I desire no better Judges, and there­fore appeal to them, if it be not impossible to distil a Spirit of half an Ounce, out of six Ounces of this Body of Minerals, unless it be [Page 21]granted that there is a large pro­portion of Sand and Clay in it, as I have affirmed.

For what else could hinder the Salts from fluxing in the Retort, and if they did flux, how could the Spirit arise in the Receiver?

Now let others judge (to use his own words) with a little alterati­on, if these few Notes may not serve for Academical Demonstrati­ons of Doctor Witty 's Mechanical Fooleries.

The Marginal Note ( p. 23.) is, he confesses his Levity. I confessed my credulity, that I durst drink the Waters, and commend them to others, upon the credit of Doctor Witty's Book. Forgive me but this once; when after search I found Stone-powder in it, I then ratio­nally desisted, and disswaded o­thers, enclined either to Stone, Gout, or Jaundice, from further [Page 22]medling with those Waters. He says, I brought my Wife thither, what then? it was not for Cure of any of these three Diseases mentioned; ergo, his talk is, nihil ad rombum; but of this more anon.

But that this charge of Levity might the better take place in the minds of men, he strengthens it with another, plainly insinuating, p. 24. that the change of my opinion was but for a base design, of inte­rest and advantage; and thus he doth above nine times (if I mis­reckon not) in his Book. What shall I answer to this? will Doctor Witty arrogate to himself the know­ledge of my Heart and Principles? he knows whose sole prerogative it is to be [...], may not I with equal probability affirm, that 'tis a base design of gain in him, to plead for Scarbrough, against the evidences produced of its danger, [Page 23]to such as drink it. But I would have him know (if he hath the Ingenuity of believing a serious Profession) that the Conviction I have of the hazard, that attends the drinking those Waters, was the true cause that moved me to a publick disco­very of it; if these Accusations be friendly or manly (they are his own words) I know not what is friendly or humane.

What he further urgeth ( pag. 26. 27.) that Scarbrough Spaw cannot have a petrifying property from Nitre, is so altogether nothing a­gainst me, that one would think he had not read my Book, which he pretends to answer; neither is his catch about a Nitrous stone, (p. 28.) worthy of any considera­tion; Saxum Nitrosum, is Kirchers expression, and Salt-peter, is in La­tine called Sal-petrae.

But now he falls on at last a­gainst my first Argument (to prove the petrifying property of Scar­brough) drawn from the Authority of Kircher, which he thus answers, Kircher is such an uncertain, and wavering Writer, that my Argument, from his Authority, is of no validity at all. This is a great unthank­fulness in Dr. Witty, thus to abuse this Learned Author, that stood him in so much stead before; so long as Kircher seemed to be on his side, against Dr. S. then who but Kircher, Paracelsus was not worthy to carry his Books, who was certainly a hundred times more profoundly Learned than he. An­swer to Hydr. chym p. 228. Now that he is turned to be on my side a­gainst Dr. Witty, he is a wavering and uncertain Author; well, what then? is his Authority, therefore, of no validity at all? If Dr. Witty [Page 25]could produce the Authority of Galen against me, I would an­swer, Valeat quantum valere po­test. The Authority of this Learn­ed man is of some weight, until he bring as great a Scholar to put in the other Scale to ballance it; let it be observed, that authority of Authors, is the best weapon Dr. Witty has to contend with; and if any dare encounter the Doctor, none doth more industriously han­dle this weapon than he. But I shall further concern my self to vindicate Kircher, from another charge of Dr. Witty: Kircher is extremely roving and unresolved, wherein this petrifying property shall reside, says he, ( p. 28.) Oh strange! Self-interest is of such a smoaky nature and force, that it puts out his Eyes; and therefore he cannot see, how in the very same Book and Chapter quoted by him, he [Page 26]placeth the petrifying property of waters in their dissolving of Stone; and that to effect this Dissolution, 'tis necessary some Salt (of what sort soever) be joyned to the wa­ter, lib. 8. p. 46. there are these words, Succus Lapidificus est saxum nitrosum, aqua eliquatum, quod ex­perientia docet, si enim aqua nitro vel tartaro miscetur & polliui saxi per filtrum colaveris illa frondes si­milia (que) nitida, cortice saxeo vesti­et, quod sine sale non eveniet, unde patet, vel salis nitri, vel aluminis copiam jungi debere aquis rupes per currentibus, ad petrificationem. He speaks so plain, that he that runs may read, that any Salt in water will serve to dissolve Stone, and thereby make the water to petrifie; and that no Salt of what sort soever, that is in water, and has not dissolved Stone, is petrifying. Reader, you see how disingeniously Dr. Witty [Page 27]hath dealt with Kircher, and that he is so far from weakning his Au­thority, that he discovers only, that either he would not, or did not understand him.

My second Argument is, Expe­riment, whereby I prove that Scar­brough is parallel to all petrifying waters, in that property which is essential to them; namely, in that they have dissolved Stone, which is common to no other water, which is not petrifying. I instance in Knaisbroughs Dropping Well; what says Dr. Witty to this? To both these Arguments (of Authority, and of Experiment) I'le answer, saith he, in one word, why in one word? I shall dare him, or any man else, to confute me, as the Scholar confuted Bellarmine, with saying, Bellarmine thou lyest. Upon this Point, I'le venture as high as Dr. Witty has done, to give up the cause. If I be [Page 28]false in either of my Experiments, which I have made of Scarbrough, and of this Dropping Well; but let him speak out, Knaisbrough will cover with a stony Crust, Moss put into it; and let any man shew me that Scarbrough will do so, and I'le give up the Cause. What a sorry un­Scholar-like vaunt is this, when I told him before, that Scarbrough was not accused by me, for doing so, if they agreed in this Point; how could he and I dispute such a matter, which any two Girls that come to the Waters, may decide with their eyes? It could not then be a fit subject for Disputation; but though it petrifies not a stick put in it, what if it petrifies when put in our Bodies, and leaves a crust of Stone, when 'tis passing through, in our Vital Bowels? It will not follow, that because it doth not the one, therefore it cannot do the [Page 29]other; there is a difference in the subjects, Sticks and Living flesh are not one; there is a difference in the object, the water in the Foun­tain is Homogenical; every drop of that water, is water, and will so pass through the filter, but after it is received into our Bodies, the Ferments of Concoction makes a separation of the Principles, and what was before Water, is now in part, Sand and Clay. But this is all nothing in Dr. Witty's account; I hope the Learned will judge o­therwise of it; with this empty brag, he would pass on to my Third Ar­gument: I shall not part with him so, but shall fetch him hither, from p. 57. (Dr. Witty has dissected me after such a Butcherly manner, that I am forced to make Head and Pluck go together.)

There he concludes thus, The parallel betwixt Dropping Well and [Page 30]Scarbrough, is naught and frivo­lous. You would think a strong Team of Arguments went before, that made this conclusion follow; 'tis this, The salt of Dropping Well is not Nitre, for it does not shoot in­to Stirias: suppose it were so, that the Water of Scarbrough, and Dropping Well have different Salts, what is this to the purpose, so long as they agree in this, that they both have dissolved Stone? 'Tis proved already, let the Salt be what it will, whereby the water has power to dissolve stone, that water is petri­fying. Seeing in this therefore, they do agree, wherein the petri­fying property of all Waters doth recide; I have all granted to me I dispute for, but I declare and vow, per fidem meam datam uni­versitati Oxon, that the Salt of Drop­ing Well is Nitrous, and shoots into Stirias, having it to shew to any [Page 31]that questions this my solemn pro­testation, enough, I hope, to satis­fie any Brother of the Profession, but the Dissector. He proceeds, (because I declare there is Nitre in Scarbrough) I have proved it al­ready, to be inconsistent with the na­ture and property of Nitre to make a stone; who goes about to disprove him in this? he is beating the Air again.

Reader, then see that Scarbrough and Dropping Well are parallel; for any thing the Dissector has to ob­ject against it, hear him now con­fess it; says he, ( pag. 56.) of the Dropping Well, if it be evapourated away, it leaves in the bottom of the vessel a gretty stone powder; so doth Scarbrough (confessed of all hands that have tryed it) ergo, they are parallel. Dr. Witties Friend con­fessed to me, he boiled Scarbrough Water this year, and found it did [Page 32]so. But this is not all, as he has confessed that Scarbrough and Drop­ing Well are parallel, here now he gives up the whole Cause; his next words are, For the fire fixes the Lapidescent juice; hence this Syllo­gism doth naturally result.

The Water, that after evaporation leaves a gretty stone powder at the bottom of the Vessel, has in it a Lapi­descent juice.

But Scarbrough Spaw, after eva­poration, leaves a gretty stone powder at the bottom of the Vessel; ergo,

Scarbrough Spaw has in it a Lapi­descent juice.

The Major is his own confession in the place force-cited, ( p. 56.) The minor is proved by the Expe­riment mentioned, and confessed by all Experimentators of Scarbrough Spaw; nemine contradicente. It is superfluous to say more, yet for satisfaction of the vulgar, I shall say again,

The Spaw that has in it a Lapi­descent juice, is a petrifying water.

But Scarbrough Spaw has in it a Lapidescent juice; ergo,

Scarbrough Spaw is a petrifying Water.

Reader, now that mine Adver­sary, the Dissector, is under my Feet, as I am a Gentleman, I scorn to trample upon him, and there­fore shall with all submission, pati­ently give him leave to pull the hood over mine Ears, in the most disgraceful manner to degrade me, if the minor Proposition of the first Syllogism prove not true upon his own tryal and experiment.

My third Argument, à priori, ( p. 30.) from the apporhoea spiritus Lapidifici, is now, ex supra abun­danti; so that if there were no effects of this to be seen on the Cliff, Dr. Witty's boasting is vain, though he be got up as high as [Page 34] Tenderdens Steeple. I advise him to make use of the Bell-rope, and the Muscle shells we find petrified on the bank, he says, was cast up by the Sea. So may be, was the three Cart load of Earth, that lies petrified, at the bottom of the Hill; but hear his proof, Assuredly the Sea doth petrifie any thing that has in it a Lapidescent juice, ( p. 31.) This is a Golden Aphorism, so doth all the four Elements, Fire, Air, Earth, and Water, without Salt; for Fire, that is his own saying, ( p. 56.) the words that cost him so dear before cited. For Air, see Tachen. p. 15. where he says, that 'tis observed, that a Flint stone, laid on the ground, of a hundred pound weight, will receive from the Am­bient Air such nourishment, that yearly, it will acquire about ten pound more weight; for Water look into fresh rivers, how full they [Page 35]are of pebble stones at the bottom; for Earth dig any where among the Quarries. Is not this then spok­en like a Philosopher think you? hear him now, how like a Physi­tian he utters his mind; Hence it comes to pass, that he that has any La­pidescent juice, which we call a Tar­tarous humour, shall sooner contract the stone, if he eat much salt with his meat. This is point blank a­gainst the unquestionable reasons, and experience of Helmont, cap. de Lithiasi, 3. parog. 30. Sexagenarium immunem arenum calculo servavi annos sedecim (cui alioqui obnoxius erat) largo salis marim usu, quod deinceps in multis confirmavi. But Dr. Witty matters not what Hel­mont say; for he told me (I hope, not for a secret) when I was at Scarbrough, and he newly come from Cambridge in Triumph, for his victory over Dr. S. That Helmont [Page 36]was a Quack, and if he could have met with the man, that Married his Daughter, whom he sought af­ter in London, he assured me, That Son-in-Law of his, would say no less of him. I shall therefore tell him the practice of another Learn­ed Physician and Chymist, famous for his Cures done in the North, Doctor Webb: he for preventing of Tartarous humours, coagulating in the Body, did use himself, and advised all his Friends to break-fast every morning, with Bread and Salt; which was observed in his time, by most Gentlemen of his acquaintance: I dare be positive, that this breakfast, is a better re­ceipt for the Stone, than the eat­ing of Radish Roots with Meat, which Dr. Witty magnifies for a secret, ( p. 61.)

But if any object, that Salt meats are found to be ill for the Stone, [Page 37]I'll grant it; yet doth it not there­fore follow, that to eat much Sea-Salt, with fresh meat, is so, as Dr. Witty saith, for this reason. If meat be laid in Salt, before it be eaten, the longer it lies, the more of the fleshes Alkali is melted into the Salt, (which we find again by di­stilling of the pickle) The flesh being so much deprived of this, must therefore be bad for the Stone, in as much as Acidity in all Concoctions, but the first is the principle of Coagulation, and Alkali is the sole sweetner of it: If this be not a Note above Ela in Doctor Witty's Gamut, I would have him to dance, after this my pipe, for the future.

That this Dissector is a perfect Trifler, we have a proof of it, as all along; so here, because I did but allude to Lot's Wife, what a bussle he makes about her, writing [Page 38]in Folio to Doctor Bazere for infor­mation, whether it was Sea-salt, or other Mineral that she was turn­ed into; yea, so Fool-hardy is Doctor Witty, that he will prescribe to the Almighty a reason of his miraculous doings. Says he, She was not turned into Marine Salt, for then she would have melted away with every shower, and so it could not have suted with the design of God. Vain man, the same Omnipotent hand, that with-held the Bush that burned with fire, that it was not consumed, would have kept the Salt from melting with rain, and made it sute his design, as long as he pleased. But to go on, Doctor Bazere sends this Letter of Doctor Witty's to the Bishops Chaplain; He told me that a Traveller, lately shewed him a white lump of stone, like Alabaster, bidding him to taste it; he did so; says the Tra­veller [Page 39]to him, that is a piece of Lot's Wife; upon this report, the Chaplain fell a spitting and a spawl­ing, seeming to be angry, that he was not told so before he put his tongue to it; for says he, for ought you know, it was taken out of her Buttock. Had this Traveller gone to Doctor Witty with it, he would (to give the world satisfaction) have lick't his lips at it, notwith­standing it had been so.

To let this Woman alone, I say, old Parr, who lived an hundred and forty years, and eat Sea-salt with his meat daily, when he could get it, if Doctor Witty speak truth, that this Salt is petrifying, then 'twas a miracle, like that of Lots Wife, that he was not turned into a petrifying Pillar of Salt before he dyed.

Whilst Doctor Witty is of this opinion, it were advice, secundùm [Page 40]artem, for him to perswade people to eat their meat without Salt.

He comes next to my fourth Ar­gument, from the effects of Scar­brough Spaw, instancing first in my self, how hurtful these Waters were to me; he brings in with it, what I said of Knaisbrough before, how it brought mucous matter out of my Bladder, which I illustrated with a saying of Helmont in his Custos errans, (p. 212.) Ʋbi custo­des malè se habent continuo plorant partem proprii alimenti, quod sibi assimilare debebant: The Marginal note is, Dr. T. Cites Helmont im­pertinently, (p. 34.) yea, saith he, The matter for which I cite him, and the words, agree like a Harp and an Harrow. Now, if I produce a another place in Helmont, where the words, and the matter, are both expresly together, Doctor Witty had better said nothing. See Delithiasi, [Page 41](p. 664.) Oblaeditur nempe vesica in sua digestione acrudeli & molesto hospite calculo, qua-propter impati­ens, partem sui alimenti indigestam, continuo plorat, quia preficere, atque promovere eam nequit novam (que) ideo accersit successive. It appears then, that though in the judgment of Dr. Witty, Helmont is impertinent to write thus, yet have not I cited him impertinently; Nor doth it ap­pear, says he, that I understand Helmonts meaning. I deserve a Fools Coat, if I do not; To say no more (says he) than what appears true to Learned men, this is one of those sentences, wherein Helmont affects obscurity, and is scarce intel­ligible. Thus Dr. Witty would put the Fools Cap upon the Head of all Learned men, measuring their knowledge by his own: Custodes is the one hard word that is in the sentence; he knew the whole body [Page 42]is distinguished into three, Conti­nentia, Contenta, & impetum fati­entia; what ailed him, that he could not appropriate the word Custodes, to the last of these? doth not the Spirits Animal, Vital, and Natural (as they say) deserve to be called Custodes, seeing they are the Fountain of all the Functions, which every part of the body doth perform. Dr. Witty, in that he can smell Vitriol in an Allom Water distinctly, hath approved himself to be Homo Emuniti naris; yet sup­pose he catch a cold in his head this Winter, and thereupon water distils out of his Alimbick, and wets his Handkerchief daily; if this experience doth not teach him to understand Helmonts words I cited, then for certain there is something else (his brains) has dropt out of his Nose. What weeds Doctor Witty can gather out of Helmont, I know [Page 43]not; sure I am, this sentence of his is a Flower, that is fragrant in the Nostrils of all Artists, whilst they have to do with most Diseases, par­ticularly the Diabetes, Stone in the Bladder, all Ulcers, inward and outward.

He says, I had the same reason to charge Knaisbrough Water for breed­ing the mucous matter that it brought away, as to charge Scarbrough for breeding the Stone. Let Dr. Witty give me as good a reason for the former, how is it possible that a Vi­trioline water should breed Mu­cous water in the Bladder, as I have done in the latter, how Scarbrough water is apt to breed the Stone, and then I'le believe he writes sense.

I said before, that Nitre in Scar­brough, is as the Rose; stone filings are the prickles that grow with it. This is good, the other is bad, yea, [Page 44]the worst thing in the world for the Stone.

He tells me, ( p. 37.) out of Kir­cher, that I had reason to look for fits of Stone, after cutting. 'Tis granted, and therefore I came to Scarbrough to prevent them, where I met with those fits, and upon ex­amination of the Water, I found just cause to say it bred them. Mine experience confirms what I said; for since I was cut for the Stone, I never, to this day, felt the least symptom of Gravel, save only, when I drunk of Scarbrough Water, and immediately after the drink­ing of it.

But says he, Scarbrough by reason of the Nitre in it, makes a plentiful Current run through the passages of Ʋrine, and therefore cannot breed the stone. At first it doth so, till it take a Jadish Fit, sooner or la­ter, it will neither go backward by [Page 45]Stool, nor forward by Urine. But again, the more currently a petri­fying Water is supposed to pass through the Urinal passages, the more danger there is of breeding the Stone. I have bound him with his own chain, to this conclusion, that Scarbrough has in it a Lapides­cent juice. They are fetters of brass, he can never break them asunder.

He added (pag. 38.) a particular mans experience of such an one, spe­cially as my self may be Fallacious. He mistakes, the Experiment I made of the Water, was the foundation­stone of my Position, my particu­lar experience did but confirm it; therefore, I say, an Experiment agreeing with the Experience, not of one, but of many, cannot be Fallacious: he heard me ( p. 35.) protesting to the world, both as to my self, Patients, and Relations it was so.

I shall now be more particular to convince him and others, that it was not my experience only, that Scarbrough Spaw is bad for the Stone.

Mr. William Beckwith never had any symptom of Gravel, until he used Scarbrough Water, which he observed, did give him Fits of Stone, and therefore he gave it over, and since betook himself for Knaisbrough. Mr. John Aton came to Scarbrough by mine advice, he did commend the Water for its purging property, but it gave him a touch of his old distemper the Stone, of which he was cured per­fectly at London fifteen years be­fore; and never from that time, till he drunk Scarbrough, had he the least remembrance of it; this did so affright him, that he durst not drink any more of these Wa­ters.

Mrs. Johnson of Kiblesworth, came to Scarbrough, by mine advice, for prevention of the Fits of Gravel, she used sometime to be afflicted with; after her return from thence, she had her Fits more frequently, and more violently; besides, as the Water dealt with me, so did it with this Gentlewoman. No sooner did the Stone pass out of one Kid­ney into the Bladder, but imme­diately she felt from the other Kid­ney, a darting pain strike into her great Toe, which made her halt for a fortnight after. She never in all her life time, had any fit of the Gout before, or since she left off drinking of Scarbrough.

I shall but add one other instance expressed in a Letter to me, which I judge is as a remarkable one against Scarbrough Spaw, as that of Mr. Waugh, to Dr. Witty, cited, ( p. 60.) is for it.

Mr. Wilmer of Bow, near Lon­don, being afflicted with the Stone, comes to Scarbrough in (70.) to drink the Water; his Wife (being with him) was pleased to drink of it also for company, though she was never subject to the Disease in the least; after she had drunk it two or three weeks, they both return to York, and within two days, she fell into such a violent fit of the Colick and Stone (with almost a total suppression of Urine) that ma­ny hours she almost dispaired of life; but by the use of good reme­dies, she voided a good quantity of Sand of Gravel; some bits as big as great pins heads, and wondred at such a surprisal; for she said, she never had a fit of Stone before, in all her life, and thought the Spaw wa­ter had bred it; well, after some weeks recovery, she went up to London, and then she had another [Page 49]dangerous fit of the Stone again, which had like to have cost her life, but by the help of two Phy­sicians there, she got quit of two or three Stones; one of which was as big as an ordinary Almond, which still confirmed her belief, that the Spaw had made them; well, the next year (71.) she came again with her Husband to Scarbrough, and brought those stones to shew Doctor Witty, resolving not to drink any more, unless the Doctor gave assurance the Spaw had not occa­sioned them. Being over-per­swaded by the Doctor to drink a­gain, in a few days tryal, she fell the third time into such a desperate fit of it, for several days, that her Husband and Children, bemoaning her, thought verily she would have ended her days there; this I was an eye-witness of, as to the first part; the rest was a relation to [Page 50]me from her own Mouth this last Summer. Henry Wilkinson.

He is proving ( pag. 39.) that Scarbrough, cannot breed the stone, because it expells them. That it expells them, it was confessed, but the inference denied in the place before cited.

He argues, Scarbrough cannot be either the material, or efficient cause of breeding stone; not the material cause of stone, because that must be Crass matter, but the Spaw is a pure water; ergo.

As pure as it looks, if all the Sand and Clay in it, were put in his eyes, he would then see 'tis otherwise.

But for him to affirm that Crass matter, is the material cause of stone, is no less than a gross mistake. Spirit of Urine, mixt with pure Spirit of Wine, they both do coa­gulate together into a firm Salt: Fermented Urine distilled, before [Page 51]half be cummed over, there is found all about the sides of the receiver, a Sabulous matter: Sat namque constat, says Helmont, delithiasi, (p. 683.) quod in lotio humano (eti­am sanorum) semper sit proxima materia invisibilis, & semen ad duelech. But if Doctor Witty be willing to learn, and can understand Helmont well, he may be informed by that Author, how stones are bred in our Bodies.

Ʋbi Spiritus Ʋrinae invenit vola­tile non coagulatum coagulabile ta­men (quia terreae indolis) suum ex­serens coagulum, constringit ean­dem aporrhaeam in terram; conser­cis (que) viribus utrimque, fit nova cre­atura, quae est nativitas duelech, Helmont. (p. 687.)

The efficient cause of stone it can­not be, because it is cooling, for says he, Thus the stones are bred, the fiery heat of the Reins, and circumjacent [Page 52]parts, condueeth some Crass matter into Gravel and Stone; even as Potters Clay is by heat, hardned into a stone. Who will blot Paper to tell him how Helmont has confuted this irrational opinion, which is contrary to the judgment of Hip­pocrates, Sennertus, and with him all Modern Authors, that has not put their Thumbs under Galens Girdle; yea, contrary to the ex­perience of all afflicted with that distemper; who can feel that Stone and Gravel causeth the heat in the Reins, and circumjacent parts, and not the heat of them causeth the Stone; in as much as they find, if ever the petrifying Spirit be extinct and gone, they are never more trou­bled with any preternatural heat in those parts, than others that know not what fits of Stone meant.

If heat were the cause, sine quâ non, of Gravel and Stone in the [Page 53]Kidneys; how easily were it, by the Galenical method, to prevent it for ever; a little Ʋng. Populeon, or refrigerous Galeni, would do the feat. I would know of him, how it comes to pass, that there are great stones bred in the Bladder so fre­quently; suppose heat were there, as much as in a Potters Furnace, it could not harden Crass matter in­to stone there; because the water continually coming thither, would keep it moist. Again, how could stones be bred by heat in the hol­low of the Lungs, as in Mr. Procters case, which continually sucks in cooling Air. How comes it to pass that old men, quatenus, such are more subject to stone, than others of middle age. Thou seest that Dr. W. in his description of the stone, is of the question both as to matter and form.

But says he, Our Author accuseth it as a material cause. I accuse Scar­brough [Page 54]to breed the stone, both as a material and efficient cause.

He goes on, perhaps, I might be beguiled in taking up Sand with the Water, which made me look upon it as an inseparable adjunct of the Wa­ter. What a wearisomness is it, to answer such trifling words? why did did not the Dissector, before he fell on his work, try the water by boyling it? and then if he did not find a great deal of gretty stone powder at the bottom of the Vessel, he might have put his Whittle to my throat, and said to me, Tonstall thou lyest; perhaps, indeed, he did try it, but we hear not a word of that.

But he further urgeth, (p. 42.) All Mineral Waters will let fall some­thing to the bottom, called Ochre; yet Learned Writers, on the subject, never thought the worse of them. I know Allom waters will let fall its [Page 55]Glebe, as Vitrioline do their Col­cothar, neither do I think the worse of them for it. The Spaw at Mal­ton does so, which is an Allom wa­ter. If Scarbrough were as inno­cent as this, Doctor Witty, and I, should soon agree together. I de­clare and publish, that I have Ex­perimented this Water, as I did that at Scarbrough; and it lets fall no gretty stone powder to the bot­tom: Hereby Doctor Witty is plain­ly confuted in two things.

First, That I picked a quarrel with Scarbrough, only for by-ends, and out of a mean design, to draw Patients from thence to Knais­brough. If I had been so basely Spi­rited, I would not have told him thus much of Malton, which he confesses ( p. 201. first Edition) To be of like vertue, and in operation, as quick and strong, as that at Scar­brough. Here let him set up, and [Page 56]if he can bring the Patients from Knaisbrough, to him thither, I shall not complain.

Secondly, He is confuted by this also, that it is a peculiar fault in Scarbrough, as it is a petrifying wa­ter, not as an Allom water, that it casts a gretty stone powder to the bottom in the boyling.

Yet another evasion. Doctor Witty relates, a notable Experiment shown before several persons of qua­lity, I wonder, I met not with it in his Letter at large to the R. S. Two quarts of Spaw water, passeth through the filter, whilst it is cold, cleaverly, leaving not a grain of Sand behind; and thence he infers, that if they drink the water unwarm'd, it will, he doubts not, pass through the Body as easily, leaving no dregs behind, as it did in the filter. I'le set ano­ther Experiment against this, dis­solve Pearl (prepared with Sp. of [Page 57] Venus) in springing water, filter it, and it shall go all through, not leaving a grain behind. Were it true, therefore, that this Pearl-wa­ter, would so pass through the Bo­dy, as it did the filter, then save but the Ladies water that drank it, and we may find the Pearl again, and that an hundred times over. If Swelfer were alive, he should thank Doctor Witty, who by this Experiment would prove, that his Spir. veneris, is tantum non, the li­quor Alkahest.

He endeavours, again, to put by the force of this Argument, by af­firming, ( pag. 43.) Though the fire make a separation of the gross parts of the water, from the pure, yet the natural heat in the Bowels doth not so when we drink it; but the water passeth through the body, as pure as we put it into our mouths: His first proof is, a most impertinent [Page 58]instance, of the blood which is flued in our veins, yet exhaled on the fire, it will be thick like Starch.

Let Doctor Witty, who is a Master of Secrets (yet will tell me none) take the liquor Alkahest, and first digest the blood with it, then set it on the fire, and he will see that all the blood will be exhaled, and no thick matter left behind.

He considers not, that the dif­ferent parts of our body, are in­dued with divers Functions; 'tis the faculty of the veins and arteries (quam diu custodes bene se habent) to circulate the blood, which also evaporates through the pores, with­out separation of any Sediment, or caput mortuum, because of the na­tural Alkahest that recides there; 'tis the faculty of the bowels, by the Ferments there, to make sepa­ration betwixt pure and impure, and to leave a Sediment, and Na­tures [Page 59] caput mortuum, to be cast forth as an Excrement.

His second instance, like the former is, That Sack put on a hot fire-shovel, will leave a white Sedi­ment, but passes well through our bo­dies. In Sack there is a Volatile Sulphur and Salt, duly contempe­rated, which makes it so great a Cordial: Being cast on the Fire, these two Principles suddenly ap­prehends each other, and unites in, aliquid tertium, like Starch. Yet let him take the Tartar of Wine, which is the grossest part of it, and Volatilize it, as he is told in Quar­cetan de medecin. prisc. Philos. cap. 6. And then put it upon a hot fire­shovel, and it shall all evaporate in­to smoke, and leave nothing be­hind; so that his two instances serve nothing to his purpose, to shew the different effects betwixt the heat of the Fire, and of our Bo­dies; [Page 60]but rather the difference of Functions, betwixt that in the Veins, and that in the Bowels; and the difference of Concretes, how some are volatile, and some are not. But if Doctor Witty would make Scarbrough Spaw as parallel to Sack, as I have made it to the Dropping Well at Knaisbrough, we will all come and drink with him.

But what needs all this trouble of Experiments? Doctor Witty hits the nail on the head, and drives it home at one blow; says he ( p. 44.) A petrifying water is an excellent re­medy against the Stone. Alas, poor Galen, Doctor Witty, has broken thine head at this one stroke; a word and a blow with him, will confute us both: remember what he said before of Galen; and is not this in him, crimen laesae majestis?

Contraria Contrariis curantur,

Says rational Galen.

Similia Similibus curantur,

Says Doctor Witty.

Welcom good Sir, I am glad to see you shake hands with Para­celsus.

But he has Doctor Fuller, an Hi­storians word for it, that a spring at Newenham Regis, a petrifying wa­ter, is sound to be very soverain a­gainst the Stone; If so, then 'tis the best expedient in the world, to re­cover the credit of Scarbrough, for him to go thither this Summer, and when he has performed his Cures there, then to bring his ob­servations under the hands of his Right Honourable, Right Worshipful, Reverend, and Well-beloveds. If he will not follow mine advice, I shall [Page 62]be on Galens side, against Doctor Witty, for all that Fuller reports of Newenham Spring, because I descry Scarbrough Spaw, by reason of the stone powder in it; therefore he infers, I may as well cry down Pearl, Coral, Crab-eyes, Gasc-powder, all sorts of Precious Stones, as dangerous against the Stone; and we should use nothing, but the fiery hot Spirits of the Pseudo-Chymists, if Wise men, and Great Ladies would believe this doctrine. N. L. doubtless the Dis­sector has drunk too much of the hot, fiery Spirits of the Pseudo-Chymists, which has inflamed his brain, and made him rove at this rate. What says Wise Men, and great Ladies, to this Doctrine of his? seeing they take Pearl and Precious Stone-powder, they may as well take the Powder scraped off their stone-walls; as if there were no difference betwixt stones [Page 63]in the street, and Rubies; whereas they differ, toto coelo, as we say, di­stant in vertue from each other, as far as Heaven is from Earth. Hear that incomparable Philosopher, describing these Precious stones, and the common ones, Canon 172. Saxa verò & lapides, quia non tam ex verâ elementorum mixtione generan­tur, quàm ex Terra & Aquae con­cursu per exteriorem caloris & fri­goris vim, quasi opus terreum & fictile, decoquuntur; propterea om­nino stupescunt, à tenebrosâ frigenti­que terrae & aquae natura formam invalidam mutuati; de pretiosis la­pillis & gemmis aliter sentiendum est, formas enim suas, à limpidissimus Coeli & solis fontibus hauriunt, ip­sorumque corpora sunt purissime roris exuberati guttulae, coelestibus influen­tiis impregnatae ac veluti concrete Coeli lacrymae, unde plurimas subli­mes (que) in se virtutes possident.

As for Crab eyes and Claws, which are the Basis of Gascin powder, they are noble Alkalis, sweeting all Acidities, and therefore good for the Stone, as I said before. As for Spar, it is a mark hasite of Lead, abounding with Volatile Sulphur and Salt, whereby it is very Diu­retical, and therefore not only good for the Stone, as he menti­ons, but for the Dropsie also, which he might have found in Kirkerus, if he had read him for any other end, than to serve his turn in dis­putations. If Scarbrough Water has dissolved any one of these he mentions, I had been as just to commend it, as now in honesty, I dispraise it for the Stone.

Once again he assaults the Bat­tery, ( p. 47.)

'Tis impossible (says he) for such a gross substance as Sand (which suppose we grant to be in the Water) to [Page 65]pass through the capillar veins of the Mesentery & Emulgents, which it must do, before it come into the Kidneys to breed the Stone.

He must needs be quarrelsom with others, who cannot be recon­ciled to himself; he said before, ( p. 43.) He did not doubt but the water, nothwithstandiug the gross Sediment, which the fire, as a pro­per instrument, has discovered to be in it, would pass through, and penetrate our Bodies, and leave no dregs behind; now 'tis impossible it should be so.

Again, observe what he said last, Mineral and Precious Stones, are good to expel Gravel and Stone out of the Kidneys: now he says, it is impossible they should get thi­ther, through the Capillar Veins of the Mesentery; will he also be against Aristotle, and deny, that omnis actio est per contactum, or [Page 66]will his Medicines kill Diseases in the same manner (as the Gentleman told him, bragging how he had mall'd me) he had kill'd his Ad­versary, namely, before he came at him.

A factum esse ad posse valet argu­mentum affirmativè; he might have read in Sennertus, that powder of Anniseed given to a Child, for wind of the Stomach, was found in the Childs Urine next day after. I shall tell him of baggs of water, the skins whereof were as thick as the brim of an Hat, and before the water was drawn out of them, as big as his Head; these hanging upon the outward coat of the Bowels, came through into them, and was voided by siege. To give a reason how this could be (that it was so, I shall manifest in mine ob­servations) take the Answer of Severine, in another case, Quod [Page 67]manifestas vias corporum in his & similibus Atomistis demonstare non possumus, excusamur Hippocratis authoritate. Qui consensum & con­spirationem naturae ubique celebrat, affirmans nullam viam naturae dif­ficilem, omnia patere etiam per ossa abscessus fieri. To confirm what Hippocrates says, I shall mention, how another vomited up, every morning, gross purulent matter, and sowas cleared of an Empyema, that lay above the Diaphragm, in the hollow of the Chest; whether by the translation of the matter in­to the Veins and Arteries, and so bringing it to the Stomach, or by what other secret ways, Nature did perform this, let the Learned discuses; but that it was so, I shall evidence hereafter.

A Servant of the Lord Sinklers in Scotland, tormented with a Stone in his Kidneys, after he had [Page 68]lain about half a year, the Stone came through his Back, into the bed, leaving no wound by its pas­sage, the man recovered.

He proceeds, Nor ever was any such thing (as Sand and Clay) found or suspected to be in the Spaw, till this, our Author, fancied it.

More shame for the Dissector to boast of his practice at Scarbrough, near thirty years, and all the while not to learn the skill, to separate the Sand and Clay from the Salts in the Water. And is it not a prety fancy of him, to say of that which my hands have handled, mine eyes have seen, I fancyed it.

Another evasion follows, But (the Sand and Clay, must of necessity be thrown by the purging property of the water into the Bowels, where no harm, nor manner of detriment can ensue, and so go out by siege.

If the Water be drunk, it must of necessity be thrown into the Bowels, whether the Water purge, or not purge; and being there ob­struct by the Sand and Clay in it, both the Ductus Pancreaticus, and Cholidochus, if not, petrifie their juices; for the Faeces of the water going out by siege, it is but his fancy in this place; for hereafter he declares they stay behind, not­withstanding that the water purgeth well all the while.

Yet again, Nor did ever any thing happen upon the drinking of these waters, that could afford any the least ground of jealousie, that there was any such cause, notwithstanding his pretences.

This is a loud untruth (with this aggravation upon it) contrary to his own knowledge, as will be made appear, in ( p. 96.)

The Dissector tired a little with his work, to divert himself, and the Reader, makes a Digression, ( p. 48.) To tell first of the Nature of Stone, and then of the Generation of Stones, says he, It is a point of no small difficulty, that I am now faln upon; Fallopius his definition, he likes not, but leaves it to others to give better. But this is observ­able, that the more pure and fine, the matter of any stone is, the harder it is; by this rule, flint is of purer matter than Pearl. So much for that Point.

But the Generation of Stone is still more difficult, they are not all Origi­nally water, because they are not all pellucid, nor all of earth, for then none should be pellucid; besides, they are heavier than Earth, and yet dryer, which may not be granted. The best account we can give is, that every sort of stone has its stony juice, be­fore [Page 71]it be Concrete, and that Concre­tion is furthered sometimes by cold, and sometimes by heat. This is the sum of his Digression. I shall say nothing to him, only a word to the Learned, and Industrious Natu­ralist.

There are also stones generated in mens Bodies, by the immoderate heat of the parts condensing Crass matter, (even as Clay is hardned to a stone, in the Potters Furnace, so he said before, p. 41.) For instance, he tells of a Stone, as hard as a Flint, which would strike fire on a steel, [Page 72]cut out of a mans Buttock, at Don­caster; you will say, how came the immoderate heat so to that part, as to condense Crass matter to that extreme hardness? I'le tell you, ei­ther he was one of the Dissectors ill Boys, when he taught School at Hull, and therefore got his Breech over-heated, when he was young; or else the man being too much delighted with pastime, did play too long in the Winter nights, at the sport we call hot-hand.

He proceeds to a rare Spring in France, that in 24 hours time, by placing Timber, and then pumping water upon it, they may have a com­pleat Stone-bridge, made by petri­faction. Faber endeavouring to give a reason for it, he tells him, he had as good have said nothing. Now hear something to the pur­pose, 'tis thus, The true cause, says he, must be this, that this whole Mat­ter [Page 73]that runs out of the Spring, is a Lapidescent juice, and not water. Thus he contradicts the definition, which Kircher gives of Succus La­pidificus. I demand therefore what he means by it, if it be not Saxum nitrosum aqua eliquatum; I do sup­pose, like as he learnt from the Potter, how stones are bred in our bodies, so here he is taught by the Grape-gatherers, how these stone­bridges come to pass, viz. as the juice of Grapes runs out of the Wine-presses in France, so here the juice of Stones runs out of the Spring, which as soon as it ceases to move, immediately it hardens.

Thus also the Dissector has turned the Royal Society topsie turvy; their Art is to imitate Na­ture; he will have Nature to imi­tate Art, both in the Potters Fur­nace, and the Wine Press.

Page 54.55.56. He is describing Knaisbroughs Dropping Well, for which he received satisfaction be­fore.

The Marginal Note, ( pag. 57.) A rare case of help in the Stone. He mentions me, that was helped into a Fit of the Stone by drinking of it; and he is so fond of his Brat, a prety similitude (to which I gave answer, ( p. 34. of my Book) that he repeats it here again. The di­spute was, where the Thief lurked; I said in Scarbrough Spaw. The stone-filings I discovered, and by Anatomy ferreted him out. Doctor Witty was studying above twelve months, how to requite me for so doing; his answer came out at last, the design whereof is to hide this Thief, if it were possible, from the eyes of others. A Receiver, we say, is worse than a Thief; justly therefore was he set in the Pinfold; [Page 75]but seeing he threatens either to creep through, or over-top it, I have now bound him in a Chain, and clapt him up in close Prison. As for the Thief it self, I have de­livered it to the Judges (the Royal Society) if they will not condemn it, yet I have discharged the part of an honest man.

In case Doctor Witty be troubled, with the over-flowing of his Gall at this, let me disswade him from drinking any more Scarbrough wa­ter, for it is very bad for the Jaun­dice.

He proceeds ( p. 59.) against my fourth Argument, endeavouring to overthrow it by contrary instances; he produceth one I know not, the other I do, Mr. George Waugh, who continues still with bad Fits of the Stone; but we have not a word of this.

He thinks fit, (p. 61.) to insert a story, as old as Pauls, however I thank him for his good will; sorry he is, that I should come under the knife again, and be cut for the Stone; therefore he will teach me a cure from the casualty of the knife halft, lying upon the Radish root, which being made of a Stone taken out of the Bladder, melted away considerably. His inference upon this that hap­ned by the Radish, Helmont has pull'd up by the roots, shewing how the power of such vegetable dissolvents is enervated, before they come where the Stone is, by the ferments of concoction.

( Pag. 63.64.) He mentions Mr. Proctors case I spoke of, and Cate­chiseth Doctor Neale, that did ad­vise him to Knaisbrough, to whom I refer the Dissector.

He gave out before, that I placed the petrifying property of Scar­brough, [Page 77]in Nitre, and manfully beat the Air about it; now he under­stands me better, 'tis in the stone perticles, saith he ( p. 64.) But how come these to be found in Scar­brough? Thus, the fire in the boyling of the water, does condense some fixed parts of the Minerals, and Metalline substances (even so said the Parson, that Tenderden Steeple was the cause of Goodwin Sands) however, yet exceeding short of that proportion that he mentions. I wonder he should say so, what need of extenu­ating the matter thus? if it be not plain Sand, but only the Mineral and Metalline Substances, what worse is Scarbrough's water for them? though they were exceeding above the proportion, that I men­tioned; nor indeed, is it worth the enquiring; what is his Book worth then, which he entitles an Answer? Surely not the Reading. For if he [Page 78]have not enquired into mine Expe­riment, of Scarbrough Spaw, and upon tryal found, that 'tis false, ei­ther as to the thing, or to the pro­portion of it, his whole discourse is impertinent, as indeed it is, save only, that it serves to illustrate what I have said of Scarbrough.

Observe now his pitiful shufflings, to make the Sand, found in Scar­brough, an innocent thing, and but that which is common to all wa­ters.

His first Argument.

Mr. Boyle, in his Ninth Experi­ment ( p. 390.) says, that distilled Rain-water, left at the bottom a fine white Earth; the Dissector, ac­cording to his wonted manner of dealing, with all Chymical Authors, abuses this noble person, reporting of him, That he sound there a quan­tity of Sand, as a bottom Sediment. His second Argument, would throw [Page 79]Sand and Clay that is in Scarbrough, into all the Spaws in Europe; such, says he, there is in Burbon Spaw; his proof for it is, the Lord Faulcon­bridge shewed him the Minerals of it; his Lordship told me, they were pure Mineral Salts, extracted out of the Spaw; he goes on, Epsam, Tanbridge, Barnett, has the like Sandy Sediment. If this charge of his be not true, then let the Phy­sitians, who attend at those Waters, return the Dissector the thanks he deserves for reproaching them. If it be true, let them give me better reasons than he has done, why they are not petrifying, notwith­standing they have dissolved stones. Knaisbrough water, upon my own knowledge, says he, after evaporation, yields a great proportion of Sand and Clay. I distilled a quart of it last year, and there was not one grain of Sand at the bottom, only ten [Page 80]grains of a Colcothar, which I have to shew; yea, Doctor French, saith he, ( p. 66.) in his Book of Knais­brough, confesseth it; his words are these, The water being evaporated, leaves behind it an insipid powder, of a darkish colour, like unto which powder, will that blewish cream, or skin, which swims upon the said water after long standing be, when it is dryed French, p. 69. what prety Hocus Pocus tricks are here? every Spaw after evapo­ration, has its proper Sediment, suitable to the Minerals it has dis­solved. Scarbrough Sediment is Sandy, because it has dissolved Stone: The Dissector by the Art of Legerdimain, would make all the Sediments of Spaws, whatsoever, to appear the very same with Scar­brough, when no waters in the world has the like, except those on­ly that are petrifying.

He cites Faber, who speaks in words to the same purpose, as Dr. French said before, which is true of all Vitrioline waters; but it seems any inspid Earth or Ochre, is Sand with Doctor Witty, he makes no difference.

I found by Experiment, that Scarbrough has a Sandy Sediment, and therefore to return upon the Dissector his own words, ( p. 67.) Either he did not know this, when he writ his Book of Scarbrough, or he did; If he had not known it, then it betokens ignorance in that part of Philosophy, wherein he ought, especi­ally, to have been better instructed; if he did know it, and yet goes about to buzze it into the heads of the vulgar, That Scarbrough water has no other Faeces, than insipid Earth, common to all waters, it savours still worse, as coming from the Crackfart of Scarbrough Spaw.

Page 68. to 72. He frisks it a­way, as if he were making a third Edition of Scarbrough, declaring, that it sharpens the Apetite, making them eat like Farmers; it has been better exprest, like Seamen, for doubtless, the Sea air is a good whetstone to it, as any that walks near it on the Sands, will find, though they drink no Water; but why doth he apply this as an an­swer to me? show where I quarrel with Scarbrough upon this account. To what I said, ( pag. 27.) of the Sand and Clay in Scarbrough, cleaving to the Bowels, Dr. Simpson is put upon these remedies and cautions, to prevent the mischief thereof. First, He prescribes a Vi­trioline Vomit, which doth strength­en the stone of the Bowels; the Relaxation whereof renders them susceptible of a stony Incrustation, from the Sabulum of the water, [Page 83]whereby they become the cause of all those Diseases that happen by drinking the Water.

Secondly, He prohibits immo­derate exercise, and too soon eat­ing after the Water, lest the lat­tex, wherein the Sabulous matter is dissolved, be thereby in danger to be carried by the Thoracical Vessels, into the fourth digestion of the Heart, and thence into the habit of the body, whereby it may lay a foundation for the Gout, Stone, Scurvy, Feaver, &c.

Thirdly, After the two or three days drinking Water, he adviseth Purging Pills, and to rest a day or two after, from taking the Spaw Water; and that to prevent a sud­den precipitation of the strong matter, upon the Panicles of the Intestines, after their abstertion or cleansing by the former Solutine. When all this is said and done, he is [Page 84]is said and done, he is not peremp­tory in his dictates, but concludes, if any, who are inclined to the Stone and Gout, be jealous of drinking the Water, in case his pre­scribed method do not satisfie, then he commends the Essence of Scarbrough Spaw, which is a Salt depurated from all the Stony Con­cretions that are in the water. These he supposeth will become powerful against all those Diseases, whose Seminaries consist in a Sabu­lous petrifying property, as the Stone, Gout, Jaundice, &c. The Dissector likes not such plain and honest dealing, and therefore, he says, Dr. Simpsons Answer, in the Judgment of Learned men (such as himself) deserves nothing, but to be imployed in the most homely uses. You may gather what he means by it, saving your presence; well, If any answer be but like that, I have [Page 85]lost my labour; Parturiunt montes, I shall bring forth his reply, 'tis this (p. 73.) Hard words indeed, enough to fright Children; but they that are wise, will not be startled with Bug­bears; the cause, and the effect, are much alike; the truth is, 'tis n othing more than a frivolous conceit, and not worthy to be replyed to. To be homely with him, I judge an Oy­ster woman at Billingsgate, will give as satisfactory an answer as this.

The Resty Jadish Fit that Scar­brough Spaw takes after sometimes drinking, I demanded, ( p. 25.) If it were the manner of other waters to do so? he Answers, Yes, I can tell him, that Knaisbrough water, will not go through, at any time, in ordinary bodies, unless it be drawn, or driven.

Suppose this calumny were true, what is it to the purpose? Knais­brough [Page 86]purgeth by Urine, as all Vitrioline Waters do; and this it doth effect so long, as any please to drink on't. How can the Dissector then charge it, with a Resty Ja­dish Fit? when was it observed, that after it had wrought well this way with any, it afterwards stop'd, and would not pass by Urine, but swell the Belly, and bring upon the Patient such Evils, which the Dissector himself acknowledgeth Scarbrough will do. See then this impertinent Tattle, yet thus he boasteth, I am certain no water in the world, that I read of, is less guilty of this Resty Fit, than Scarbrough; for proof he cites Dr. Heer, of the Germane Spaw, confessing that those that drink it, have scarce one stool in six days, even such as were wont to retriograde once every day at home. Doth not these words, and the mat­ter for which he cites them, agree as [Page 87]an Harp, and an Harrow? Heer gives the reason whereof, Humoribus aquarum vi ad renes & vesicam de­latis sicci ora fieri intestina, atque alvum inde pigrescere necessarium est, ( p. 138.) This is the Dissectors reasoning Knaisbrough, and the German Spaw purgeth by Urine, and not by stool; therefore they are more to be blamed, for taking a Resty Jadish Fit, than Scarbrough is. The account why Scarbrough alone is guilty of this, amongst all the Spaws in the world in use, (that I read of) is, 'tis both a purg­ing and a petrifying Water; the purging property, takes effect pre­sently, and proceeds on regularly, until the petrifying property pre­vail, and then all the water stops, which of necessity it must do, be­ing dam'd up with Sand and Clay; which the water left behind in the Bowels, after so long a time drink­ing. [Page 88]Of like insignificancy is his parallel of Diet-drinks, which as soon as they have purged away that, for which they were given, are of no further use. The instance I gave for this Resty Jadish Fit of Scarbrough, the Dissector gives this Answer ( p. 750.) As for the Lord he mentions, I know whom he means, that Lord told me, he could never get quit of him, till at length he yielded to take something of him. That the Reader may be assured once for all, that the Dissectors whole dis­course is fraught, as full of untruths, as 'tis of impertinencies, and wit­less stories; let this instance bear witness, the Lord Pawlet, Brother to the Marquess of Winchester, made his complaint to me, as I mention­ed, ( p. 25. of my Book) I knew the cause was from the dirty Faeces of the Spaw that laid in his Bowels, and therefore the Essence I judged [Page 89]most proper for him, because it is a Salt that was separated from the Sand and Clay, and would up­on that account, easily joyn with those in his Bowels, to cleanse them off, with which they were once united in the water. The ground of this apprehension is both agree­able to Atomical Philosophy, in respect of the sutableness of their Textures, and to all Experiments of Chymistry.

His Lordship being satisfied with the reason I gave, desired to take it, and therefore I went with him under the Penthouse, and in the presence of the Dissector, put it to his Spaw-water, which made the Dissector to grumble, saying, There was nothing in that essence, but Allom and Nitre. I smill'd to hear him commend it in those words, which he uttered, to make his Lordship undervalue it. There is nothing [Page 90]more in the Spaw, but Allom and Nitre, except Sand and Clay, and that is the excellency of the essence that 'tis well quit of them.

That afternoon his Lordship sent his Servant to desire my company, when I came, he gave me thanks, and told me, he believed, he had purged that day, all the water he had drunk in three or four days before; which lay so heavy upon him, that he was sick, and ill at ease with it. I neither asked, nor re­ceived a Farthing of his Lordship; I have therefore mentioned his name, that if he be alive, he may do me right; his Honour is con­cerned to acquit me of the Disse­ctors opprobrious aspersion; I hate to be an Interloper. Such is the manner of some Physitians, that one cannot come near them, but they will cleave like a Bur, which you cannot get quite off, without [Page 91]pulling some wool off the back; such are Mendicants, more than Mendicants, they'l Lackquay it up and down, proffering their service, where 'tis neither needed nor de­sired.

Such low designs I leave to the Dissector, whom I observed to be too nimble for the Drummer of Scarbrough; though he, poor man, made all the haste he could, to bid their Worships welcom to the Spaw.

He complains (p. 76.) That of all the Authors, who have given rules for drinking Spaw-waters, none ever met with such contradiction, and wresting of their sense, as he has from me; this reason, for his severe charge is; I make another use of his rule, [Page 92]than he intended it; for 'tis granted, he shewed more honesty then wit, therefore, to mention it; his rule is, ( p. 211. second Edition) When such, and such Evils come upon the Drink­ers of the Water, then it is high time wholly for them to desist. I enquired into the ground of this rule, and it could be no other, than his own observation. Experience had taught him, that though for some time, his Patients found benefit by the Waters, yet by longer continuance of drinking, they found such harms, which put him upon giving his Rule: This evil (it may be sup­posed) he did not so much as sus­pect to be in the Water; I told him it was, and that from the Stone and Clay Faeces that was in it; where­in now, am I blame worthy for this? nay, I'le say more, he mentions Dr. Heer, Dr. Dean, Dr. French, Dr. Roosly, giving their Rules for [Page 93]drinking water; let him shew me, amongst these Authors, any such Rule, as this of his, which I have taken notice of, and I will cry pec­cavi.

He wonders (p. 77.) that I should call the Salts, extracted out of the Spaw, an offence, thereby excluding the grosser parts (Sand and Clay) which are in the Water from being Essential to it, any more than the bo­dy, which is of a grosser substance than the Soul, should be excluded from being the essential part of man. I wonder, also, why the Dissector should thus plead, to have these dirty Faeces essential to the Spaw; but I'le remove this Mountain, that he may no longer marvel at it. Impurities of any mixt body, are not essential to it; they supervened upon the earth, when it was cursed for sin, and are by Art, as a natural effect, in some good measure sepa­rable [Page 94]from it; therefore we call that the Essence of a thing, which contains the whole Crasis of the subject matter, nothing wanting there from, but its impurities, pro­perly termed a caput mortuum. If the body be nothing else, but a caput mortuum, to a man, it might then be accounted no essential part of him, most likely the Dissectors up­per parts, give only a—

He argues again, If the Salt be the only Essence, then it will follow, that Knaisbrough water has little or no Essence, because it has little or no Salt in it.

Even so do blind men judge of Colours, as if what is the Essence of the one Spaw, suppose Scar­brough, must be the Essence of the other at Knaisbrough, or else it has none. Salts extracted, are the Es­sence only of Saline Waters; such are Scarbrough, Sulph. well, and [Page 95] Burbon, the Essence whereof, the Lord Faulconbridge show'd to the Dissector.

But says he ( p. 78.) The Volatile Spirits are Essential to all sorts of Spaw-waters, and if it were not for these, Knaisbrough Spaw were not worth a rush. He has more confi­dence, than skill of Spaw-waters, to say so: He confesseth in his Let­ter to Doctor Foot, Printed in the Translations of the Royal Society, that he could not meet with Ta­chenius; it seems he is at the same loss still, which makes him so pe­remptory. The Generality of Spaws are Acid Waters. Acid Spirits, we know by experience, are not so Volatile, as to lose the least of their vertues, by standing open in the Air, though for a long time; but the Spaws, that are Acid Waters, do lose their vertue, in a few days, out of the Fountain, though never [Page 96]so close stopped up in Bottles; we may therefore necessarily infer from hence, that it is not from the Vola­tility of their Spirits, that their vertue is so soon vanished and gone, but from another most rational ac­compt; for which I refer him to the Author he has not seen. The worth and excellency of Scarbrough Spaw is, that an Embrionate Sul­phur, has corroded Iron in it, which makes it Stomachical, Deopilative, Diuretical, and strengthning all the noble parts. A fig for the Disse­ctors Volatile Spirits here, they are not worth a rush.

He doth still persist ( p. 79.) in perswading us to put forth our eyes, and blindly to believe him, that the Sediment which we see to be Sand and Clay, is nothing else than the fixed parts of Minerals or Metals, which the fire condenceth, and that these are of a singular use [Page 97]to the fortifying of the Natural parts.

The fire condenceth the Mine­rals, by exhaling the water, so far from them, that they settle into Chrystals, which, nevertheless, will dissolve again in Water, and pass all through the filter, not leaving the least atom behind; if these Fae­ces then be, what he says they are, why will not they pass the filter? which he confesses will not. Mine­rals then they are not; for Metals, he tells us of none in Scarbrough, but Iron. If that were it, why did he not, when he presented his seven or eight Extracts to the R. S. tell them this is Iron, and if they ap­prov'd on't, I should have yielded to him, that there is Vitriol in Scar­brough Spaw; however, whatso­ever they be, he says of them, that they fortifie the Natural parts. I gather from hence, that the Disse­ctor is of the Cartesian Sect, taking [Page 98]the body of man for a fine En­gine, and therefore he, as a cunning Engineer, will fortifie the parts with Sand and Clay, by the help of the Potters Furnace, making a Bull­work about them, impregnable a­gainst all the storms and batteries of preternatural Diseases. The Lord Er. case which I mention, ( p. 57.) He confesses (p. 80.) frets him more, than all my Book beside. I wish him more patience for the fu­ture; He refers to ( p. 149. Edit. 2.) here he is mounted into Helmonts Aenigmatical Chariot, glances, dark language, being of the same mind with him, not to have his meaning publickly known. I protest, in verbo Medici, 'tis an untruth, like the rest of his stories, to say, that I asked him again, and again, with very much importunity, whose case it was. My light burns dim; oh for a pair of Galenical Snuffers! the old [Page 99]man Hippocrates, his Spectacles, cannot help me to read; [...], &c. What? pump me, and then tell abroad my Secret? I declare, he does me wrong, for I was never guilty of so much folly yet, as to pump for Wine out of a dry Hoggshead. But that I may give the Reader satisfaction, I shall give a true account of this matter. Whilst I was at Knaisbrough, the report came, that the Lord Er. went to Scarbrough to drink the Waters, and came home in the Jaundice, of which he shortly dyed. I said then to Dr. Neale (who was with me when this news was told) that cer­tainly, Scarbrough water had some mischievous thing in it, for it was never heard of before, that any should take the Jaundice, which is founded on Obstructions, by drinking Spaw-waters that are de­obstructive. This scruple against [Page 100] Scarbrough, I carried with me thi­ther, and therefore the first time of my coming, I asked the Dissector how it came to pass, that the Lord Er. got the Jaundice, by drinking of the Water? he gave me the an­swer I mentioned in my Book. This is the truth, and the whole truth; I appeal then to the Reader, how I have deserved such language from him, as I did unworthily, the very School-boys will blame me for this. This is not done like a Physi­tian, but you may understand like Knave and Rascal, by that long scratch.

It seems, Secundae cogitationes sunt meliores, he is now provided of a better answer, than he gave me at the first; Nor had the Lord Er. any Jaundice, but a Cachexy which he brought with him.

He comes now ( p. 83.) to the Aldermans case I mentioned, ( p. 40.) [Page 101]His position is, That no man can call a Disease the Jaundice, if it ap­pear not in the skin. This he would prove from the definition Galen makes of the Jaundice, to whom, he says, agrees all the Princes of Phy­sick; yea, that Hippocrates and Hel­mont, they will let me see, the Jaun­dice is not to be judged, without it do appear in the skin. I said in the entrance of this Book, that the Dissector wanted one eye; by rea­son of the thick darkness that is continually in his Library (if he have any) he could not see the light of Chymistry, how Tran­splendently it doth brighten the Art of Physick; he now gives evi­dence against himself, that he is a Monoculous upon a worse account; he wants the eye of reason, and will therefore judge diseases only by the eye of sence. And because he reigned a Monarch, at Scar­brough, [Page 102]thirty years, perswades him­self, Regali more, that all other Phy­sitians will wink of one eye at him, for fashion sake. If this that he hath said of the Jaundice, be grant­ed, thence it will follow, that the Small Pox, which is a Disease that diffuseth through the whole body, into the skin, cannot be called, or judged to be what it is, till it make its appearance to the view of all the beholders. In this case, good Ladies, you must not send for the Dissector, when your Children are very sick, to ask him what they ail. Now, because he will not allow me to say I suspected, but brands it with a new way of disco­very, and will make it alone, as if I had said, I sancied it. I shall here relate a sad story, how Eminent Physitians miscarried only, because they did not suspect My much Ho­noured Friend, a Baronet in York­shire, [Page 103]sent his Eldest Son to the Inns of Court; being there, he falls sick, the Learned Doctors treated him as in a Fever, with cooling Juleps, Glisters, and letting blood, which was no sooner done, but that appeared, which they did not sus­pect, and the Patient shortly dyed. Several years after, the said Knight sent up his next Son, who was now his Eldest; he also fell sick there, and the Doctors treated him also in like manner; and immediately there was the same appearance of Pox, as in the former, which they also did not suspect, and he also shortly dyed.

As to the Jaundice, by this posi­tion of his, grounded upon Galens definition, Icterus est effusio bilis in Cutem; he has confuted himself, for he affirms, that the Lord Er. had not the Jaundice, nor the Merchants Wife (whose case next followeth) [Page 104]notwithstanding the cholor did dif­fuse into the skin abundantly, where it did appear, witness to all that see them; this is not the first time that the Dissector has contradicted Ga­len and himself both; but to re­turn to the Alderman, faintness at Stomach, Lassitude over the whole body and stools (in those that use not a Milk-diet) white, not tin­ctured with Gall, are symptoms, sufficiently warranting us to suspect a Jaundice, though it did not appear in the skin; yea, the danger and greatest pain and torment in this disease, befals the Patient general­ly, before the effusion of choler into the skin. Mrs. R. of Newcastle, (whom I mention in my observati­ons) was rackt and torn, nigh to death, for many days, whilst there was no appearance, either in the Urine or Skin; in the same manner was the Merchants Wife handled, [Page 105]but as soon as the Choler got liber­ty to expiate into the habit of the body, both of them had ease. Mi­serable Comforters are all Physiti­ans therefore, that cannot judge of this disease, before it appear in the skin; as to the Alderman, those three Symptoms, Faintness at sto­mach, Lassitude white stools ap­peared in him. Now hear his own words to Doctor Witty, the Copy of which Letter, I have by me; I consulted Doctor Tonstal, and ano­ther Physitian, as formerly, and they agreed it was the Symptom of the Jaundice; thereupon I took a Jaun­dice drink, by the direction of ano­ther person, and the Essence of steel by order of Doctor Tonstal, which I suppose is his Chalybeate, and Icte­rical drinks he mentions, which by Gods Blessing, brought me to my for­mer health and condition.

What can be said more to satis­fie any, but the Dissector, that I was not mistaken, in calling his di­sease a Jaundice, when besides the concurrent judgment of another Physitian, that it was so,

He was cured of it by a Jaun­dice drink, 'tis a Maxim that the best indication, both as to the Diag­nosticks, and Therapeuticks, is taken from what doth good or harm. A juvantibus & nocentibus optimam sumi indicationem, says Heer de Spavans, (p. 115.) Let it be ob­served, that the Dissector, in Print­ing the Answer the Alderman sent him, he has not only clipt, but counterfeited his Coin. I appeal to the Learned, in the Law of Dis­putations, what he deserves for so doing; now take notice, what Spi­rit the Dissector is of, by these words, I wonder our Author did not consult better for his own reputation, [Page 107]in describing this Disease, like an Ar­tist, especially in engaging in such a design as this, wherein he could not think to escape so unsifted, either by my self, or some other, (p. 84.) A­gain, the Jaundice he fancied, and that is all the sign we have of it; but since it appeared not, it gave him a ground of suspicion: I will leave it to any man of reason to judge, and especially to those of our faculty, (p. 85.) Again, 'tis well he cured, though he did not know what (p. 87.) In the case of the Merchants Wife, he promiseth to evince, that I la­boured under a grievous mistake, in reference both to my Diagnosticks, about the Disease, and also the Cure.

To answer this unparallel'd boast, first, I must seriously acknowledge the eminent hand of God, going along with me in this undertaking, when both the Mother, and Infant in her womb, were delivered from [Page 108]the stroke of death, ready to fall upon them several times; and let the Christian Reader consider, if the Dissector has done like a Bro­ther of the Profession, or rather like a scoffing Ishmaelite, to sit in his Chair at York, and blaspheme this mercy, laughing at my Medi­cines he understands not, vilifying the success of them, he believes not, describing the disease he saw not, and Nick-naming me a Mounte­banck (but for that) I care not. I shall here present a Testimonial, signed with the hands of Husband and wife, and another Physitian, who was also concerned in her.

The Mountebanks Medicine (as the Dissector is pleased to call it) that did the Feat is thus: R. Spirit of Nitre dulcifi'd, with Spirit of Wine, Mercury calcin'd without a [Page 112]Corrosive, dissolved in Spirit of Ve­nus, with these, after several Coho­bations, make a Menstruum.

With this Menstruum, make an Elixir Proprietatis; now let the Learned judge, if the Dissector de­serve any other name, then that which he has put upon this Medi­cine. I know all he understands of it, is, that there is Spirit of Wine in it, and this (says he) is exceed­ing hot; now I dare tell him, that here the Spirit of Wine is mixed only, and on purpose to refrigerate; which office of cooling it doth per­form, by sweetning the fiery Acid Spirit of Nitre, which is hereby meekned, the Acute edge dinted, and reduced to such a Texture of parts, as is agreeable to our consti­tution; insomuch, that of this dul­cifi'd Spirit, one may take a spoon­ful, in a convenient Vehicle, at once; which who shall attempt to do with [Page 113]Spirit of well rectifyed Nitre un­dulcify'd, shall find the Archeus in­censed, a burning and corrosion in his Stomach and Bowels.

I hope this much will suffice to satisfie the Reader, that the Disse­ctor is not a competent judge of my Medicines; but that I may for ever throw this opprobrious term upon his face.

I shall take leave to digress, there­by to show how another Mounte­bank Medicine did the Feat (taken in a glass of Sack twice a day) when neither he, nor others more Learned than himself, could do any thing towards the recovery of their Patient, though all of them proceeded with her, Secundùm Artem, as they please to speak, even till they were so weary, that they gave her over for one past help; this was the case of Madam Arding­ton, of Ardington. I shall tell him [Page 114]again of a third Mountebank Me­dicine, taken also in a glass of Sack every morning, did cure an Empy­em, causing the Child to vomit it up, every time she took the Me­dicine (though it was only cordial and strengthning the Archeus) till all the purulent corrupt matter, that laid in her Chest, above the Diaphragm, was clear gone, and she perfectly well; it was the case of [...] Winchip of Chester.

If the Dissector have such Moun­tebanks Medicines, he may do well to publish them.

Let it be here noted, that there are many Diseases, called incurable, not because they are so, Ex natura rei, but that we Physitians are ig­norant of Medicines, proportionable to them; and that if nature have meet assistance, it will act wonder­fully, beyond our hopes and ex­pectations.

The Parent of this Child, would not consent to have the Intercostal Muscles pierced, thereby to let forth the purulent matter that lay in the Chest, which had distended the ribs, on that side, to a great height; though I told him, it was the only way in practice to cure it; yet he desired me to try what in­ward Medicines would do, and the Lord made them successful.

I shall mention another instance for proof hereof. A Gentlewoman had a Tumor under the Muscles of the Abdomen, the rise of it, sup­posed to be from hard labour in Child-bearing; it encreased in big­ness yearly, that at last she had no rest from pain of it; she then made a long journey to London, where she consulted two Learned Doctors, famous to the world for their Books in Print. After fourteen days pro­ceeding in their rational method [Page 116]with her; finding no effect, they dismissed her, she making ready to return home, as she came, was by one, advised to consult an Ingeni­ous Chymist, Doctor Poleman, who by his Mountebank Medicines (for so the Dissector will have called, all the Medicines that are not found in Londons Dispensatory) caused the humour that swell'd to a lump, to pass by Urine; She observing his directions, was reduced to good health, and continues well; the Tumor is decreased, so that she has not trouble by it. This I mention as for the honour of that worthy person Dr. Poleman, so to let the Learned consider, that rational me­thods, and Chymical Medicines, do well together, and that the Dis­sector is like a Dog in the Manger.

But to return to the Merchants Wife, p. 89. He wonders how I could make the return of her pain, in the right [Page 117]side, three or four times over, a sign of the Jaundice. I answer, just as Dr. Preston told King James, the Hound makes a Syllogism, follow­ing the Hair to a place, where three ways met, the Dog smells, she is not this way, nor is she that way, therefore he casts up his nose, and concludes from the two Premises, that she is gone the third way with­out dispute, and there he finds her sitting. So in this case, there is a pain in the right side, that blooding removes for a time, but it returns still again. Where shall I find the Hair sitting, that has made so many doubles (as the Hunters speak) going forward and backward a­gain? there are but three ways for it; the first a Plencise, I beat the Bush there, I found her not, for the Woman had no Cough. The second, An inflamation of the Liver, not there neither, for she had not [Page 118]a Fever, nor Singultus. Therefore the third way I took, and found her sitting in Vesica Bilaria, the Gall being there pent up by Obstruction, a Nitro Sulphurious humour; it acted like Gunpowder fired in a Squib, or Cracker, flying upward; a terrible do it makes, till it gets liberty to vent it self into the habit of the Body, as the Squib doth in the open Air, and then is quiet. Thus willing am I, to teach the Dissector, how to hunt out Diseases; but what do I say? all the Hounds in Hide-Park, has not the faculty of that sense, so quick as he, for he can smell, not only Vitriol in Scar­brough Spaw, where no body else can find it, but as if his Nose were as long as his Ears, he can smell Diseases from Newcastle to York, and judge of them there, better than I can do here, that am daily conversant about them. For proof [Page 119]hereof, see how Magisterially he sits on the Seat of the Scornful; What have we to prove the Jaundice, why, nothing but his suspicion and jealousie, which I wonder he would offer now the second time to publick view, (p. 60.) But I must confess, I cannot but laugh at his Medicine; the Disease was a violent Fever, with an acute pain in a part; and here is a violent Medicine, which must needs inflame the part more, and increase both the Fever and the Symptoms. And as if I had laid the petrifying property of Scar­brough water upon Nitre, which is non-sence to say, he proceeds, Be­sides, that Nitre in the Spaw is sus­pected to have petrifyed the Gall, and congealed the Choler; and here Nitre is fancyed to be the dissolvent. I am sorry, I am forced to point to these things, but I cannot avoid it, since they lye in my way; but really, it is [Page 120]such an Hodg-potch of Art, as I ne­ver met with before. I am afraid, my Friend will suffer more from his Brethren, in the faculty, about this Disease, and its Sign, Symptoms, and Cure expressed, than he did by the Woman, about so often bleeding, and vomiting this Gentlewoman.

( Pag. 90.) Now he will have it an inflamation, and therefore, I should have consulted Hippocrates, for cooling, and opening Medicines; but it may be he will say, he does not approve of the old method that uses hot things in Fevers; it appears so indeed, in the mean time, that Patient is to be pityed, that must be so treated. I have had occasion to speak to this Point, in my answer to Dr. Simpson, and therefore I'le say no more now, since there is little danger of any young Students to be­come Proselytes to the Author that shall observe, either his description [Page 121]of Diseases, or the success of his Me­dicines. But as if he would re­cant his last Clause. (the success of my Medicines) Dr. Tonstall is to blame, for chalenging to himself the Honour of this Cure, which was due to God alone; who beyond all hopes in defect of due means, does often­times grant a signal recovery, (p. 92.) It seems when the Dissector ap­plies due means for cure, and the party recovers, the Honour is not then due to God alone, but he must go half with him in it; as for me, I disclaim all right and title there, and gives it to him, that works in us, both to will and to do of his own good pleasure. But yet, as if the Gentlewoman or the Child was dead, supposing I mistake the Disease, he is positive in this; If the Physitian mistake the Disease, he must undoubtedly fail of the Cure: Though I grant this to be true, he [Page 122]contradicts himself, for in the Al­dermans case, before he declares, I cured, though I did not know what. Again, (p. 95.) As he mistook in his Diagnosticks, or judging of the Di­sease, so I must in kindness to him, and his business for the future (if he will not accept it so) let him know that he was out of his Theraputicks, that Ternary Spirit of Wine, Nitre, &c. being as improper, as any thing he could have pitcht upon. Thus, says he, I have sifted these three cases of the Jaundice, that is, by Lies and Tales, he has shifted them off as well as he could. But where will the Dissector find refuge, to excuse all this mallepert bitterness vented against me, only for doing my du­ty so well to this Gentlewoman, that she, and all her Relations, blesses God that did direct me in the performance of it; why, 'tis here I was told so, the very same [Page 123]answer, which in my hearing he gave to the Apothecary of York, charging him that he had Printed a Lye, to the reproach of Doctor Simpson in his practice; and that the Widow, whose Husband dyed, would take her Oath before any Magistrate, to witness as much.

He now ( p. 96.) to ballance his charge against Scarbrough, that it occasions the Jaundice, as I have instanced in these three cases; he tells of two, that the Water cured of the same Disease: I shall here record another instance to like pur­pose, and then it will appear, that there is two to one on my side a­gainst the Dissector. Sir Watkinson Paler, troubled with Hypochondiack wind, consulted Doctor Witty, who advised him to drink Scarbrough for his Cure; he observed all his directions, as to Preparatives, order of drinking and Physick; [Page 124]such as he pleased to prescribe; not­withstanding all his strict observ­ance of these rules, instead of a Cure by the Water, he contracted the Jaundice, and in such an height and manner, that it staid with him all the Winter following, though he used means, all he could pro­cure to resist it. Thus much I had from his own mouth, who came on purpose to Knaisbrough, to advise with me two years ago; ever since he makes use of the Sulpher Well there, to his advantage; and though the Dissector was so impudent, as to perswade him against his own experience, to return to Scarbrough last year, yet he is so wise, as to use it no longer, but continues in his resolution for Knaisbrough.

Now ( p. 97.) he takes in hand to Plow with my Heffer, telling a sto­ry of my Wife, wherein there is not one tittle of truth, more than [Page 125]that, she came to me at Scarbrough, as I had appointed her, before I came from Newcastle; and when she was come, one morning being on the Hill with the Ladies, I called her down, and when she came, I told the Dissector that she was my Wife, I bid her discourse with my Brother, so they walked together; to this day, I never asked her what he said or advised; having done it solely in point of Honour to him, as a piece of Civility, which one Brother owes to another, as to ac­quaint him with my Wife; She neither took Preparatives before, nor Physick with, nor after her Water, but staid above a week, and returned with her Father, who came there for the Gravel and Stone, but will do so no more. As to the Marginal Note, That he is unthankful. I declare the contrary, for I thank God, she got not the [Page 126]harm by Scarbrough, which I did, yet he hath the face to make the world believe, that I sent for her thither, on purpose to take his advice.

I grant what he says, ( pag. 98.) That it is common for Scarbrough, to take down those that are Corpulent, by reason of the sharpness of the Salts in it; it is either good for that, or for nothing; but I deny his Inference, which says, it could not possibly be done, if it were ob­structive; if it were only obstru­ctive, his Inference were good; but who says so, Scarbrough it is purging also.

He proceeds, ( p. 99.) Nor is there a better thing in Nature, for taking away the reliques of all inveterate Agues. How can I believe this brag, when Mr. Tailor of York, his own Apothecary, was ordered by the Dissector, after his Ague Fits had [Page 127]left him, to come to Scarbrough, and drink water, who did so, and after the first days drinking, instead of taking away the reliques of the Ague, it brought his Fits upon him again, and he was glad to return, whether more Wise man, he, or the Dissector that advised him thither, I leave the Reader to judge: This was told me, whilst I was at Scar­brough, by Mr. Taylor himself.

He goes on, ( p. 100.) But I may not pass it over, that our Author was censured, and fell under the obloquy of the Women, concerning the Mer­chants Wife; yet I thank him, he says, I do indeed, take him to be an honest Man, and faithful Physitian. It seems, if I had not been so then, I had escaped both his and their obloquy; yet what I said in my just defence, he says, It savours too much like that of a Pharisee. p. 102.

I shall here shew you the Disse­ctors [Page 128]fair out-side profession, that by the sequel it may appear, whe­ther he or I be more like an Hypo­crite, the true note of a Pharisee, says he, ( p. 125.) As I desire in all all things to be found faithful, as be­comes me, either as a Physitian or a Christian, so in this dispute, I aim not so much at Victory as Truth. Here then is truth unquestionable.

First Truth, Scarbrough Water has Stone-powder in it, leaving it in Sand at the bottom of the Vessel when 'tis boyled.

Second Truth, Scarbrough Spaw is parallel to the Dropping Well at Knaisbrough, which leaves also Sand, at the bottom of the Vessel in boyling.

Third, The Water that leaves Sand at the bottom of the Vessel, when boyled, has a Lapidescent juice, and is petrifying; 'tis his own saying.

Fourth, The Water that has a Lapidescent juice, and is petrify­ing, is bad for the Stone, Gout, and Jaundice, by natural consequence.

Fifth, 'Tis the peculiar Chara­cter of Scarbrough Spaw, whereby it is distinguished from all other Spaws that are in use, to take a Re­sty Jadish Fit sooner or later.

Sixth, Allom-stone dissolved in water, gives a Purple Tincture (with Gall) this Allom-stone, he confesseth, is in Scarbrough, and therefore the Tincture by Gall, is no Argument for Vitriol in Scar­brough Spaw.

Seventh, That all waters that have dissolved Iron, hath Vitriol also, as the product of that dissolution.

Eighth, All the Salts that sproots out of the Cliff, is Nitroaluminous, and not Vitriol.

Ninth, The three Carts load of Earth, fallen from the Cliff, is not [Page 130]Iron-stone, but Earth petrifyed, mixt with pebble stones.

Tenth, The precipitated powder found in the bottom of the Vessel, after Scarbrough Water has stood in it two or three days, is Glebe of Allom.

Eleventh, If Vitriol be joyned with Nitre in Scarbrough Water (as the Dissector will have it) he makes it a corrosive water, which is worse than all I have said against it.

Twelfth, The Dissector must yeild the Victory to the Anatomizer, for Truth sake, or else— in Print.

As to the Tenth Proposition (all the rest being proved already) if it be demanded how I can make it out, I answer first, to the [...], the Dissector in his Letter to R. S. says, that when the Spaw Water is first set on the fire, this Powder set­tles to the bottom; I grant it, but after the water by boyling, hath [Page 131]let fall the stone-power in it, then doth the Saline water resume this powder into its Pores, and after all the Salts are setled into Chrystals, you shall find it in the remaining water, and may see that it differs nothing from the Glebe of Allom, if one may trust his senses, as I have mentioned, which I have to show, as to the [...], take this account, The Nitrous water meeting with the Allom stone, corrodes and dis­solves it wholly. During this acti­on, the water appears clear, but as soon as the Intestine motion ceaseth, that the Nitre and Allom embrace mutually each other in quiet, then is the Glebe of Allom as an Hete­rogenious, Caput mortuum, cast forth of the embracements of these two Salts, and so settles to the bot­tom, which happens in two or three days time.

If it be demanded further, how it [Page 132]comes to pass, that the Glebe of Al­lom should settle to the bottom, and yet the stone-powder which is also in it, and a heavier body, doth not settle at all, whilst the water is kept in cold, from boiling on the fire. I answer, here is the difference betwixt petrifying wa­ters, and Mineral waters; these al­ways, sooner or later, do settle something to the bottom, the other do not, as is known by experi­ence; the reason of the difference may be gathered from that I said last; for the Stone, whilst the Sa­line water dissolves it, is meerly passive in that action of dissolution; and therefore the longer a Nitrous water has stone in its Bowels, the firmlier it holds it, there being nei­ther Sulphur, nor other Salt in it, to re-act upon the Nitre. It is not so when Metallick, or Mineral Stones are dissolved in water; there are [Page 133]then contrary principles at work; the strife being ended, they shew what Metal or Mineral those wa­ters come from by their settlements.

He now remembers what he had forgotten, ( p. 103.) But there is one thing I may not over-look; the stones, that were by Physick, brought out of the Gall, which the Profes­sor at London did shew us. He is afraid I was mistaken, ( p. 104.) So is the saying still of the things I see with mine eyes; but why? What passage is there from the Gall to the Guts to convey stones? the stones he shewed us, were larger in bredth, than Gray-Pease, being flatter, but about their bigness; if he denies these passable through the Ductus Bilarius, he has little or no experi­ence of the works of Nature, as I have instanced before, when 'tis assisted by Art; next he accuseth me for asserting upon the former [Page 134]Principles of the petrifying Nature of Scarbrough, that is ill for the Gout, which I experienced in my self, and he opposeth it only by his experience of himself, who has had some gentle Fits of it, and so leaves it, making himself both Plain­tiff and Witness, and Judge of this matter; but this is spoken to here­after.

Next he declares ( p. 105.) a­gainst me, for commending Scar­brough, that it is so quick in its purg­ing quality, that it needs no Prepa­rative, and rather than lose his ad­vantage of dosing out his Physick, he doth discommend the water, as much as I can think it deserves; 'tis an old saying, better may one steal a Goose, than another stick down a Feather; his words are these, The water is, (p. 106.) indeed nim­ble, and sometimes has wrought ten days together, while yet it has but [Page 135]made a furrow through the Guts, and has left all the Excrementicious hu­mours behind it, the party finding therein no benefit at all. 'Tis ho­nestly said of the Dissector, now this second time; I see truth will come out at last, Therefore he says, there is a necessity both to prepare by purging before, and also in the drink­ing of the Water; otherwise, notwith­standing the daily working of the water, they may return as they came; 'tis well, if it so fall out, that they return not worse. Having thus discommended the ineffectual pro­perty of the Waters purging, in that it makes but a furrow through the Bowels, and leaves all the Ex­crementicious humours behind, he faceth about ( p. 107.) and does commend it as singular incom­parison of other Spaw waters, that are not purging. First, in regard of the Stone, in this case waters that [Page 136]are only Diuretical, may cause an Ischuria, by carrying slimy humours into the smallar Vessels; 'Tis grant­ed, if no Physitians be there, that has so much wit, as to prevent this danger, by giving the Patient a Purge. Secondly, ( p. 108.) By the purging property of the Water, not only the gross Excrementicious hu­mours, but also the stone filings that are in the water, must be carried the broad way down the Bowels. Alas for him, surely, the man is unadvised, thus in one Page, to write pro and con; if the water purging ten days together, could not carry away the light Cherry-stones that were in the Bowels, as he instances, ( p. 106.) How can it be supposed, that it should Purge away the Stone-file­ings, which beside their gravity, has affixedness upon the inner coats of the Bowels? like as we see the Sand cleaving to the sides of the [Page 137]Chamber-pot, which will not be washed off with water, unless rub­ing be used. Thirdly, This purg­ing property of the water, does quite overthrow what before I said, assert­ing the waters obstructive property, for 'tis impossible that the same thing should be purgative, and also obstru­ctive. In this contest with Hydrol. Chym. he used the term Sir Simpson, as a reproach; for my part, I won­der how the Dissector got his Batchelor of Arts degree, if he dis­puted after this manner; had he said the water quatenus purging, could not be obstructive, it had been something; purging and bind­ing, are terms more opposite, than purging and obstructing; yet Rha­bard the same thing doth perform both, because of its different parts. Scarbrough purgeth, as it is enrich­ed with Allom and Nitre; it ob­structs also, by the plenty of Sand [Page 138]Sand and Clay that is in it; may not different things in the same wa­ter, have different effects? Fourth­ly, ( p. 109.) That property which I charge on it, as that it causeth the Gout, cannot possibly consist with the purging quality of the water, for purging is owned by all, and pre­scribed as a special remedy against the Gout, either to prevent or to cure it.

First, I said the rise of this Di­sease, was from a petrifying proper­ty of an Acid Spirit; I know none but the Dissector (who refers the cause of all things to the first qua­lities of heat and cold) that doth oppose me in this; the instance which Mr. Clarke, one of his Ma­jesties Justices for the Peace, in Northumberland, told me, which he see with his eyes, is famous to con­firm it; Mr. Potter, Steward to the Earl of Northumberland, extremely troubled with the Gout, had fre­quently, [Page 139]Sand and small Stones, that came forth through the Pores, and stood on all the joynts of his fingers on the out-side of the skin; this being so, Sylvins and with him, all experienced Authors, give as a Maxim, that Acidities are so far from being corrected, or re­moved by purging (with any Phy­sick that is vulgarly known) that it doth but exasperate them, and make them worse.

Yet I'le grant his Proposition; what will it avail? to bring it down particularly to the purging with Scarbrough in this Disease; nothing at all; for by his own confession, it makes but a furrow through the Bowels, and leaves all the Excre­menticious humours behind. But he will say, I'le mend that matter by giving other Physick, mean while, 'tis the purging with his Physick, and not the waters purging, that [Page 140]cures the Gout. But then I ask, will his purge mend the petrifying property that is in the water, and that Acidity, because of the Dul­phicate Salt in it, both which are Enemies to the Gout? I trow not; as Scarbrough therefore doth upon these two accounts, exalt and aug­ment the specifick cause of this Di­sease, as it cannot cure it, much less can it prevent it. John Lord Bel­lasses, complained this year, that by drinking Scarbrough but 3 or 4 days, it gave him a Fit of the Gout; if the Dissector will persist, that he can cure the Gout, and prevent it by purging, then, I suppose, he is master of Helmonts Arcanum coral­linum. I advise him to present it to the R. S. which may make amends for the last trouble he gave them; he concludes, And therefore seeing he had projected to fix so severe a charge upon the Spaw, I wonder he [Page 141]did not take care so to draw it up, as that one piece might not interfer with, and consute another.

I judge, that the Reader has more cause to wonder at him, why he should say so.

He now summons up all his forces together, and says, that Chymical Writers lead the Van; Acidity, Inky smell, and black Tincture from Gall, are certain and undeniable Ar­guments to prove Vitriol. Thus he builds Castles in the Air, I shall blow them all down with this one breath; where? not in Scarbrough, nor any other water that has Nitre and Allom; there these three Pro­perties prove nothing for Vitriol, for Nitre will give the Acidity, Allom the Tincture without it; as for the Inky smell, as he alone doth find it, I gave him an Experiment to make it more perceptable to the sense of smelling, from whence it [Page 142]proceeds, namely, Allom. The savour of any thing, is from the Sul­phurious parts, whilst they are freed from their Vincula Salina, and sends forth the Effluvium, which effects the Organ of smelling; thus Brim­stone, till the Body be opened, smells little or nothing, but dissolv­ed and precipitated, how strong is the sence of it? from the same ac­count, the Allom in the Spaw is not distinguishable by smell, but let all the Saline parts settle into Chrystals, after the stone-powder is separated, and take the Sulphu­rious part that remains, dry it, and dissolve it in hot water, as I said ( p. 59.) of my Book, and then you will find it gives the same smell that the Allom Pans at Whitby do, and stronger.

Thus you see his threefold Cord is easily broken at one snap; ob­serve now his Pedantick, and Un­scholar-like [Page 143]dealing with me: I wonder to find him so zealous in this Point, to fix a stincking smell upon that water, when there are so many thousands to confute him; though hence it may appear he has lost his smell, yet I should be sorry, that for so small a mistake, my Friend should forfeit his Nose.

I have lost my understanding, if the Dissector forfeit my Crest and Coat of Arms, whilst he writes of Scarbrough Spaw against me.

He says ( p. 111.) the instance I gave of Hunwick Well, makes no­thing to my purpose; for this, I re­fer the Reader to my Book ( p. 53. and 54.) But why may not that water have the Vitriol of Iron in it; 'tis granted that it has, for how can it partake of Iron, and be without the Vitriol; and how can it give the Tincture by Gall, but from Iron. What then, is this his may-be to his [Page 144]purpose, that goes about to prove that the Tincture from Gall, is not from Iron, but from the Vitriol? to this I shall speak anon, all the matter the Dissector has to brag on against me, is occasioned by my civility to him, for this see ( p. 97.) Concerning my Wife; so here, because at my first coming, I gave him leave to say what he pleased, and did not contradict him in a word, therefore 'tis put in the Mar­gent, I have changed my mind. He is now for a work of Supereroga­tion ( p. 112.) Because I would do something more (which is as much as nothing at all) For this my friends Conviction, I shall ex abundanti, cast him in one Author more, and he is a Chymist too, Faber. Hidrell. Chym. ( pag. 38.) where treating of Springs that has imbibed Sulphur and Vitriol; the water, says he, of these Fountains, turn black with Gall, and [Page 145]that is as true and undoubted Testi­mony that there is Vitriol in it. The Dissector will still be dabling with Chymical Authors, and does but bemire himself with them; for in­stance, he cites Swelfer against Dr. S. that Vitriol of Iron will Calcine white in a Crusible, contra­ry to the knowledge of every Bar­ber Chyrurgion; he cited Faber be­fore ( p. 66.) directly against himself.

Now, ex abundanti, to signifie that he understands not the scope of their Writings, he cites him here again, whilst he is treating only of these Spaws, that has imbibed Sulphur and Vitriol; and will trans­fer his inference he makes of the Gall tincturing those waters, to be an Argument for Scarbrough, that has imbibed Allom. If Faber were alive, he would not bear this abuse of Dr. Witty, who would make him speak, that the Spaw that has Allom [Page 146]in it, if it tincture black by putting Gall to it, then 'tis an undoubted Argument that it has dissolved Vi­triol. Chymists, are more searching by their Experiments into the truth of things, then to give a general Proposition from what is true, but in some, not all waters.

He would fain know, p. 115. How it comes to pass that white Vitriol will make Ink? For satisfaction, I a­gain refer him to the Author he has not seen, Tachen. Hippoc. (p. 130.) Vitriolum album illud de Goslaria, & ut illud de Carinithia participant quidem de Marte, & venere, non tamen sunt divites acidi naturalis ob id admodum pigrè ingrescunt cum Gallis. Dr. W. accuseth Dr. S. in his Epistle to the Reader, That he fell among many ill Books, and read unwholsom Authors. If this had not been Dr. Witty's own Lott, he had not fallen into the Pinfold, nor [Page 147]rendred himself so trifling a writer of Mineral waters. Because I still persist to owe him the kindness of a Friend, that he may understand Vitriol the better, I commend to his reading Caneparius de Atramen­tis; Dr. W. thinks I am of his com­plexion, ready to quarrel with any one that differ in opinion from me; Will he fall out with the Author of Hydrel Chym. says he. I Answer no. Truly I leave that to the Dissector.

That which I saw with mine eyes, he is ever telling I may be mistaken in, says he, ( p. 115.) I am afraid the Apothecary was too nimble for the Doctor; It is true, he is too nimble in his discourse against Dr. Witty, He took the Stone out of the Vitrio­line bed, with which the water was tinctured by Gall. Dr. Witty did then approve of it to be an Allom­stone, and was confident it would not give Tincture by Gall, till he [Page 148]see the contrary, S. W. Davis, and his Brother being present. Now he has bethought himself of this eva­sion, 'twas taken out of the Vitriol Bed, ( p. 116.)

'Tis a shame that the Dissector should be suffered to shift off plain Truths, with false Surmises, giving the Reader to believe, that there is a Vitrioline Bed near the Water; if it were so, why did he not, first, extract the Vitriol, and have it to shew? 'tis easily done; by all the search we can make in all the Beds thereabouts, we Extract nothing but plain Allom.

He contents himself with proving Knaisbrough Spaw to be Vitrioline, by the Yellow colour it precipitates. I am proving no such matter, for I know that Cole-water, yea, a Spring that runs through the rotten roots of Trees, will do the like; 'tis true that, I say, Vitrioline water [Page 149]precipitates by Sanding, a Yellow colour; but it doth not therefore follow that the yellow precipitation is a proof for Vitriol, as he would have me to infer. Dr. S. also mi­stakes me, in what I mean by easily precipitating; I understand by it, in so short a time, as two or three days, I there say, ( p. 56. and 57.) that Scarbrough setling of it self in so short a time, a black Sediment cannot be Terra Vitrioli; first, be­cause I judge that it was never ob­served, that any Vitrioline water, did by standing, cast down its other so quickly.

Secondly, That this differs in colour from the other; whoever please to try it, shall see, that as soon as Scarbrough casts down this Sediment, 'tis black.

The Dissector has now got to the Pinfold, ( p. 117.) as his deserved Haven; 'tis his singular Art to be [Page 150]strict in tything Annis, Mint, and Cummin; but the great things, the pillars on which the dispute lies, he neglects, and lightly passeth them over with a, The truth is, 'tis nothing more than a frivolous conceit, and not worthy to be replyed to; So he speaks, ( p. 73.) He tells us, That the Pinder of Wakefield could not hold him, he was very well delivered with his bones whole. I have cause to say something, sure I am, the Air that got into his Peritonaeum, of the imaginary victory over Dr. S. hath made him swell with rage, con­tempt, and revenge against me. Let the Reader now view the Pin­fold.

Thus the Dissector argues, the Tincture by Gall is not from Allom, nor from Iron; Ergo, it is from Vi­triol.

I Reply, if not from Iron, then not from Vitriol; Ergo, It is from Allom.

If the Cuckow of York, be for ever able, in the judgment of all the Chymists in Europe, either to creep out, or over-top this Pinfold, I shall submit to be called the Pindar of Newcastle, whilst I live. As for Gotham Colledge, I did imagine 'twas only to be found in Eutopia; but now I do retract, taking it for granted, the Dissector has had his E­ducation there. Vitriol of what sort soever, is a Metal dissolved; this is an undoubted truth, made good by Experiment upon all Vitriols; both Natural, such as are got out of the Bowels of the Earth, and Artificial, such as are made by dissolving any Metals, and exhaling of the dis­solvents. Each one of these Vitri­ols will dissolve in water, and by an Alkali put to it, will precipitate the Body of the Metal contained in it. Let us now descend from this General Proposition, to the [Page 152]particular Vitriol of Iron, which the Dissector affirms is in Scarbrough water, and I will suppose it to be there; the question now is, what is it, that the Gall put into the wa­ter, doth precipitate? is it not the body of the Iron which was con­tained in it, according to the gene­ral rule of all Vitriols, which by precipitation is made to appear, and settles as an heavy Body to the bottom? Thus is the Tincture by Gall, from Iron, made plain and evi­dent; and therefore as he excludes Iron from giving Tincture by Gall in Scarbrough, he must exclude Vi­triol also; for this Vitriol is no­thing more, than Iron dissolved with Spirit of Sulphur; and so it follows, that it must be from Allom by his own confession. Thus has he brought himself into the Pin­fold, there let him be. But the Reader may ask how is it, that the [Page 153]Allom in the water, gives the Tin­cture by Gall? I answer, in a pa­rallel manner to Vitriol, as was said at first; as it is proved in Vitri­oline Waters, that it is from the body of the Metal, not from the Spirit, Sulphur, that dissolved it, that the Gall precipitates; so here 'tis not from the juice of the Allom, but from the body of the Glebe, a Terrestrial and Sulphurous matter, which gives the Tincture. I prove it by this Experiment, take the Allom water out of any Trough at Whithy, which is the infusion of Burnt Allom-stone, and put Gall to it, and it will Tincture; but take the very same water without the Addition of any thing, and Boil it until it cast to the bottom the Earthy Sulphurous parts, which the Workmen call Slam, and then that Water will not tinck with Gall.

He repeats ( p. 118.) what he said before, that the Earth falling from the Cliff, near the Spaw, is converted into Iron stone. I suppose, by this, he would have us to believe, Ovid Metamorphosis is no Poetical Ficti­on, but real Truth, that this Earth was converted into Iron stone, as Lot's Wife was into a Pillar of Salt, by a Miracle, on purpose, that the Spaw might be made to strengthen the Natural parts, by the property of Iron. The answer I gave to it, he can no more make sense of it, than of the plain position of Hel­mont, which I expounded to him, and shall do this, I said at first it did appear to me (now that I have tryed it) I affirm it to be nothing else, than what I said before, Earth (wherein are abundance of pebble stones of several sorts) impregnated with store of Nitro Aluminous Salt, as all the Cliff is, sliding [Page 155]down by some dash of rain upon the Sands; as soon as the superflu­ous moisture is exhaled from it by Sun and Air, it then Petrifies, and is as a Rock lying there. I declare there is as much Gold as Iron in it, I wonder he did not say so, for the same Argument which he useth for Iron, namely, that it fluxeth in the fire, would have served to make it Gold; this had been as good an Artifice for bringing Moulter to his Mill, as all the Hyperboles of Scar­brough water; his Patients then might satisfie both their thirst and hunger, Auri sacra fames.

I said that Allom stone dissolved in water, would Tincture with Gall; I mentioned Spirit of Nitre, mixed with Water, for a dissolvent, as freest from exception; he an­swers, Alas Dr. S. said so, nor does he weild the Club much better, or has any new guard, ( p. 119.)

The man is in a dream certainly, the Logomachia, betwixt him and Dr. S. was, indeed, playing with Foyls or Cudgels; what tells he me of a Club? his dissecting, and my Anatomizing is, fighting with sharps; is it so long since I met with him on the Hills (near Knais­brough Town) they are to him the Mountains of Gilboa, where he did manfully fall upon his own Sword point, ( p. 56.) Where was his New Guard then, not in his Breeches, for his Bum has been well paid, more than once or twice, ( p. 20.31.51.)

He cites my Argument, ( p. 120.) against Vitriol in Scarbrough, but says nothing to disprove it, only he calls it my Battering-kam, and leaves it to my Wife to confute; I am perswaded she is as able as the Dissector to do so. He compares me to Joab, he considers not, that [Page 157]the comparison lies fully upon him­self; for who so great a Friend to Scarbrough, as the Dissector? and he out of his simple Friendship to it, will plead to have Vitriol there, where also is Nitre; and in this he does not less against Scarbrough, than Joab did to Abner, in smiting him into the fifth rib, making the water thereby corrosive. I retort his own words, Is this a token of his Friendship, to make it poysonous? But says he ( p. 121.) What have we to do with the Spirits of Vitriol and Nitre? why? if their bodies be in the water, they cannot be without their Spirits. Such as the Spirits are, such are the Bodies from whence they are drawn; corrosive both, only the Bodies are not so active as the Spirits. But, saith he, Rye-bread distilled, will afford an extreme corrosive Spirit, that will dissolve Metal, if he will trust [Page 158]Mr. Boyle. This is the second time, he has abused this worthy Author, making him speak point blank con­trary to his very design, the second part of his Experiment Philos. p. 88. his words are these; Since I have observed it to be the main thing that keeps Judicious Men from seeking, or so much as hoping for Noble Dis­solvents, that they are scarce to be perswaded there can be considerably piercing Menstrums, that are not pro­portionably corrosive. I will here acquaint you with a Liquor, that may, I presume, assist you, to undeceive some of them. Thus you see the Author brings in this distilled wa­ter, of Rye-bread, as an Argument to perswade others, that there may be Liquors Dissolvent, which are not corrosive; the Dissector says this same is extremely corrosive, citing Mr. Boyle for it: Spirit of Volatile Salt of Tartar, is a great [Page 159]Dissolvent, it is not therefore cor­rosive; so much may be said of Cir­culatum minus & majus Paracelsi Ens veneris pole manui, which Hel­mont declares to be as sweet as Honey (to say nothing of the Li­quor Alkehest.) Sallet-Oyl will dissolve Brimstone (which Aqua­fortis cannot do) is it therefore cor­rosive? let it be noted also, that the Dissector says, we must believe Mr. Boyle, that the water of Rye bread distilled, will dissolve Me­tal; another untruth charged upon him, which is contrary to the com­mon Maxim of Chymistry, Similia similibus Dissolvuntur.

He goes to my last Charge, and says, ( p. 123.) I have often known Inveterated Dissenteries, and other Fluxes, cured by it; he has told the R. S. that Hecticks and Con­sumptions are cured by it; and now Dissenteries, when the Third Edi­tion [Page 160]comes forth, he will tell us of broken Bones, and Limbs out of joint, are cured by it; there's as much reason for this, as the other. A Merchant in this Town, was brought into a desperate Flux, and hardly scaped with life, by drinking of it but two or three days.

Another instance of one at Scar­brough, a lusty young man, Son to one of the Officers of the Custom, whilst I was there, by drinking but two or three days, had such a Flux, that he was pined near to a Consumption, before it could be remedied.

I urged the Dissector with his promise to Dr. S. that he would deal accordingly with me, in the last words of my Book; to which he gives this answer, ( p. 124.) But as for this Piece, I see not the least point of Art in it, from the beginning to the end; I refer it to the Learned [Page 161]and Impartial Reader, to judge be­twixt us; In this we are agreed.

Having done with the Dissector, I shall relate only the story of Co­lumbus. After he had first discovered the way to the Indies, taking the Spaniards along with him, he ex­pected performance of promise from them; they requited him with this Answer, 'Twas no Art at all to Sail thither; he then took up an Egg, and bid them make it stand upright upon the Table, they made an essay, but could not; he then did it before them. Here is no Art, 'tis true (said he) in making the Egg to stand upright, yet could not you do it, till I shewed you how.

Let Dr. Witty apply this story to himself, and what follows, ( p. 123.) I am of opinion, that an angry fit is very wholsome for some constitutions, though it may make a man uneasie [Page 162]in his company for the present, and those that are within his reach, yet when the Ebullition of Choler is over, it leaves a man in a far more sedate temper of mind, for a good while after, than before he was wont to be, and more Gay and Complacent in his humour to others: If my Friend having given his Spleen this vent, be the better for it in his Cranium, I should be very glad.