Some kindling sparks in matters of physick to satisfie some physicians who are of opinion that spirits (which they call hot things) do burn and inflame the body / written formerly to a friend by Albertus Otto Faber. Faber, Albert Otto, 1612-1684. 1668 Approx. 18 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2007-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A41127 Wing F70 ESTC R37760 17012978 ocm 17012978 105777 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A41127) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 105777) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1615:4) Some kindling sparks in matters of physick to satisfie some physicians who are of opinion that spirits (which they call hot things) do burn and inflame the body / written formerly to a friend by Albertus Otto Faber. Faber, Albert Otto, 1612-1684. 8 p. [s.n.], London printed : 1668. Imperfect: stained, with slight loss of print. Reproduction of original in the British Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Medicine -- Early works to 1800. 2006-11 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2006-11 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-01 Celeste Ng Sampled and proofread 2007-01 Celeste Ng Text and markup reviewed and edited 2007-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion SOME Kindling Sparks In Matters of PHYSICK , TO Satisfie some Physicians , who are of opinion , That Spirits ( which they call hot things ) do burn and inflame the Body . Written formerly to a Friend , BY Albertus Otto Faber . London , Printed in the Year , 1668. To the Reader . THou shalt not read here any great matter , for there are but toucht two or three strings of a well tuned Instrument , that gives more Sound then Harmony , yet enough , to judge , whether the sound be good . We expect a fundamental reformation in this matter , as well as in other things : For when the season is at its birth , it will come , notwithstanding the weak contrivances and oppositions of men . Nature her self is weary with furnishing her matter to such as are ignorant of its use , according to her intentions : For though she cries , Trace me , trace me , yet men are deaf ( and self-endedness cannot see the Sun it self ) although she gives here and there light evident enough . Therefore at last she will arise and dash gainsaiers to confusion . Some kindling Sparks in matters of PHYSICK . A Physitian is to be considered in his place , as a Minister to the life of Man , as to the health of his Body . There are therefore four things to be observed here , 1. Life , 2. Health , 3. Body , 4. Man. 1. What Life is . Note , that a Body without Life is cold , hard and stiff , that is , dead : but when it is alive , it is warm , soft and nimble . As for instance , The Earth , which is the great World , in Winter is cold , hard and frozen , that is , dead : But when , in the Spring , the Sun enlivens it , then it revives , becoming warm , and yeelding a living motion of vegitation . So also Man , who is accounted the little World , or Microcosm , when dead , his Corps is cold , hard and stiff , because it is deprived of life : But when Life springs up therein , then he quickens and grows warm , giving in all actions and doings evidence of life . Therefore , like as the Sun that revives the Macracosm ( or the Earth ) and warms it , is a heavenly Fire , known by his effects : So the life of Man is a Microcosmical Sun , viz. a Subcoelestial Fire , reviving , warming and moving his body , to the end he may be enlightned . 2. Health , is a cumulative influence of well-being , proceeding from life , throughout the Body . By the word Cumulative is to be understood a mutual concurrence of life and health in part of the Body , in so much that life and health can never subsist separately , no more than the Sun-shine can subsist without the Sun it self ; and the Sun cannot be without his shining or light : As for Example , When a Man is wounded in his foot , then health being disordered , life is also weakned . 3. The Body is the vessel of life and health , so exactly fitted and proportioned ( as a Watch ) that the least Atome crossing its Structure , is able to bring both life and health into a confusion , yea to total ruine . 4. Man is ( as to his material form ) a compound of life and body , which being well or ill influenced , is healthful or sickly . So having declared , that a Physician is a Minister to the Life of Man ( as to the health of his body ) it appears plainly , whether unto the Life , Health or Body , he ought to make his applications , when Man is at a loss . As to the Body ; If we consider it either as it was in the beginning , before it received life by divine inspiration , or as it is after the life has left it : and the applications of a Physician thereon were attempted , they would be as ridiculous as fruitless ; no less than if they were applyed to an Image of Wood , Brass or Iron . As to the Health ( the thing in question ) which is lost and absent , there can be made no application ; As for instance , When a Husbandman has intrusted a Shepherd with a flock of Sheep , and one of them is gone astray , He for the recovering the lost Sheep doth not apply himself to the Sheep lost and absent , which to the flock is as in a state of privation , but to the Shepherd , to demand it at his hands . To the Life therefore , as to the Shepherd of health , a true Physitian , makes his applications for its recovery , which is in statu privationis . Now the Life being a fiery principle of Man ( as before is demonstrated ) which enlighteneth the Body , and makes it active , we must know , when such a principle becomes defective , weak and helpless , with what kind of things to supply the same , which supplies are called Medicines , wherein lies the skill of a Physician . But that being of a large consideration , for want of the Adeptive Science , which might shorten all those many particular preparations ; I shall at present speak only something in general . And first of all , to conform my expressions to the mean apprehensions of the unlearned , note this instance ; That when thou intendest to kindle a Fire , thou dost not pour Water upon it , but something of its nature , viz. some Sparks of its kind ; that is , Fire must be kindled with Fire , and not with Water . And likewise , if a Fire be kindled and grows weak , thou usest the same means to encrease it , as thou didst to kindle it , or something homogeneous to it , viz. by putting Fewel , as Wood , Coals , Oyl , &c. to it , to strengthen , feed , and relieve it : But if thou puts thereto Water , Stones and such like , thou wouldst sooner quench , then restore thy Fire . Hence the Maxime is to be understood : We are nourished with that , of which we are made . The Heaven , the World ( or Earth ) and Man correspond mutually together . The Sun ( taken as ) the life of the Heaven , shining into the Water , reflects its own Image , as in a Looking-glass , it doth the like on the Earth , which being not diaphanous , makes it not appear , as the Water doth . Yet the Earth , being the Mother of Corporification , the influences from above , keeps the said Image closer , and makes it substantial , appearing in a body , as being the earthly Sun , and it is called Gold. In like manner the Body of Man , being so far prepared in the womb , that it is capable of life , then by the all-overpowring Sun ( in a moment , as Brimstone or Spirit of Wine ) it conceives Fire , viz the Image of the said Sun , and makes it substantial to its nature , which then is called Life , he thus being Lampas vitae . Hence this Maxime , Sol & homo generent hominem . Thus even as the Heaven , the Earth and Man : So the Sun , Gold and Life are knit together by influence , which may be sensibly perceived , when there happens , either almost , or a total Eclipse of the Sun , and many find themselves breathless , through the obstruction of the Sun's influence . The Life of Man therefore being either weak or otherwise defective , its proper Remedy would be Gold , as to relieve Fire with Fire : But as is abovesaid , it cannot easily be dealt withall , and must be laid aside for the Adepti . So there remains nothing , but Wood , Coals , or the like combustible matter , which however they are in some measure homogeneal to Life , yet without a preparation , in the best manner , are hardly fit to kindle or nourish Life , in order to consume or expel diseases from the Body . But when they are duly prepared , their effects will be the better and more evident : As for instance ; When it happens that any body is taken with a sudden fright , his Life becomes weak , which may cause him to swoon away ; then if the Life be furnished with something of its nature , that is , with a fiery Medicine , well prepared ( as may be a good Aqua vitae , or the like ) he will recover instantly , and what quantity then he doth drink , it will not intoxicate him , but it repaireth presently into the chief residence of life , to assist and go along with it . The same may be seen in any man , tyred out , for when he drinks a good draught of Aqua vitae , he gathereth strength again presently ; and therefore it is ignorantly spoken , that it would burn a man , because Fire cannot burn Fire ; but Fire is refreshed by Fire , and they increase one another , rejoycing mutually , as being of one nature . But Water and cold things will quench it , because they have no unity with Fire , nay they are death to the Fire . Therefore the more any Medicine partakes of fiery qualities , the more it is of the nature of Life , and can strengthen it the better , to expel the Disease , and settle it again in its own seat . The Scripture saith , that the Life of the Body is in its Blood ; and whoever will try this , must anotomize it with Fire , which will manifest a most fiery Spirit , or volatile Salt. This Spirit doubtless is ( in the Blood ) the residence of the Life , or at least its food ; as Wood for Fire . Now observe , the better every norishment is prepared , the fitter it is for digestion ; as , raw flesh would not agree with the Stomack of a Man , but when it is rosted or boyled tender , it is of an easie digestion : So vulgar Medicines rawly and roughly wrought and compounded , would hardly be so acceptable or welcome , as when they are brought to a more spiritual substance , by the Spagirical Anotomy of the Fire , coming nearer to the nature of Life : For the panting Life ( in reference to its weakness ) greedily sucks such a Medicine , even as the Load-stone attracts Iron to its self : And being thereby relieved and refreshed , drives the Disease out of the Body , and repaireth to its place . And such a Medicine may justly be called a Cordial , as refreshing the Spirit of Life , which is no such Pottage , as being well sweetened with Sugar , is termed a Cordial , yet void of admittance into the society of Life , to corroborate the swouning Spirits , as being most commonly heterogeneal to them . What kind of Medicines then are the best next to that , that could be wished for out of Gold ? Note , that I have said , 1. That the Blood is the seat of Life . 2. That the application ought to be made to the Life . 3. That the Blood contains a most fiery Spirit and a volatile Salt : and 4. That the food of Life is that most fiery Spirit and volatile Salt. According to these Principles , experience hath taught , that whatsoever has been done worthy of note , has been effected either by Fiery Spirits or Volatile Salts , as being ready to joyn presently with the food of Life , against the Distempers ; and to get Victory , if the Patient be not past cure . All created sublunary things , are divided into Animals , Vegetables and Minerals . And we find that the first yeelds a Fiery Spirit and Volatile . Salt , as well in the Urine , as in the Flesh and Blood , both of an excellent fiery quality and eminently medicinal . In the Vegetables we find nothing more effectual than their Spirits , as well their essential and volatile Salts ; And especially when their Alcaliis may be disclosed or extracted , and brought unto that prerogative of volatility . In the Minerals we find the Sulphurs of Minerals and Mettals , after they are separated ( by Fire ) from the crude malignant Mercuriality , who being then harmless , are called Tinctures . Now these sulphurous Tinctures , Spirits and Salts do all partake of the fiery quality , and are apt therefore to joyn with the Life , which is Fire , against the Distemper , and root it out of the Body . Therefore let no body henceforth be so ignorant as to say , that a Phisitian , making use of those excellent Medicines , doth burn the Patient : when in the mean time others go about , to feed the Fire of Life with Water , or rather to quench it totally . Object . But what shall we do , when a Patient lies in a great burning heat , shall we then put fire to fire ? Answ . This is indeed the only thing that has hitherto deceived many Physitians , to avoid hot things ( as they call them ) to be administred to such as lie in a hot burning fit . Therefore remember what I have said of the Life , as being Caelestial Fire and Light , most natural to the Body , without which the Body is cold , dark and dead . To this take notice of this instance , viz. That when Iron , or the like , is put into Aquafortis , though it feeleth coldish , yet presently it grows hot and boyls without Fire , in so much , that a man with his bare hand cannot hold the Vessel that contains it . This burning heat , seems unto Man to arise from the violent action of the Aquafortish Spirit upon the Iron , which the eye may easily disern . Suppose thou wouldst quench this hot burning Fire , by pouring much cold Water upon it , as a thing contrary to the Fire ; though that boyling may seem to cease , and be as it were quenched , yet in effect it will prove the same , because it will consume the Iron one way as well as the other way , however more slowly and insensibly , when Water is poured upon it . Therefore to put cold things to this fire , is not the way to quench it : But wilt thou do right , then give to the Spirit to eat or devour Salt ; thus he shall lose his strength , be broken and leave boyling with consuming . Here appears , that the Salt is not a cold thing , yet able , to make peace betwixt hot things , viz. the Aquafortis and the Iron . In like manner , when such a burning heat rises in a sick body , it rises from a parallel action betwixt two things , working upon one another . And therefore make thy applications not with cold things immediately to the hot burning , which is nothing material , but only an accidental quality or symptome flowing from the action of these two fighting things aforesaid upon the Body : But make thy applications to either of them two , and break its strength , then presently the heat will cease ; and this may be done with hot things ( so called ) as well as any other may think to do it with cold ones , which the Salia before declared of ( although being in their center a meer Fire ) will experience and make true , in so much , that by the application of them , the said burning will not only be quenched , but the Spirit of Life mightily strengthened also , and thereby enabled to overpower its enemies , who endeavour to quarter in its strong-hold . The Body of Man is filled every where with Volatile Salt , nay it is but little else than a Volatile Salt throughout , save the contents of the Stomach and its government , whose fermental moisture is acid , parallel to Vinegar , Spirit of Sulphur , or the like acid Liquors . But acid Liquors , and volatile Salts are enemies , fighting together , to over-power one another . Hence , when perhaps something acid falls beyond the said government of the Stomach , then presently rises a fight between the said acid and volatile Salt , in the region of the Blood , where the said acid is a stranger , falling as a Pirate into the Native Countrey of the volatile Salt , whose dominion is in the Blood : of which fight , flows ( as it were ) an hot invisible vapour ( like unto the radiant shining of the Sun ) throughout the Body , and makes the Physician believe that it is the Distemper it self , when in the mean while the very root of the Distemper is hidden from his eyes . Therefore he goes on to quench that burning heat with cold things ( so called ) by which only he weakeneth the natural Fire of Life , and for the expectation of having quenched the said burning heat , he has given to that strange Pirate a large compass to waste insensibly the Garrison of the Blood , viz. the volatile Salt in it ; and so being deceived himself , he deceiveth his Patient also , not of set-purpose , but being not perswaded otherwise , and therefore worthy of compassion . When one takes Cochinele ( which is like meerly coagulated Blood ) and dissolveth it in Water , then poureth Aquafortis thereupon , there will presently appear an action betwixt the said Cochinele and the Aquafortis : which may serve for an Instance , whereby the eye of man may discern , as it were demonstratively , what it effects when such an acid Guest draweth into the Blood. Thus I have somewhat answered to that vulgar Objection , which might have been move enlarged if my intention had been bent to that purpose ; yet it may suffice to such as can kindle a Fire , although having nothing else but this Tinder Spark . London the 9th of January , 1664 / 5. Alb. O. Faber .