A letter concerning some observations lately made at Bathe written to his much honoured friend Sir E.G., Knight and Baronet, M.D. in London / by Thomas Guidott ... Guidott, Thomas, fl. 1698. 1674 Approx. 24 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 8 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A42303 Wing G2195 ESTC R9425 12253413 ocm 12253413 57205 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. A42303) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 57205) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 146:9) A letter concerning some observations lately made at Bathe written to his much honoured friend Sir E.G., Knight and Baronet, M.D. in London / by Thomas Guidott ... Guidott, Thomas, fl. 1698. Greaves, Edward, Sir, 1608-1680. [2], 12 p. Printed by A.C. for Henry Brome ..., London : 1674. Reproduction of original in 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 Mineral waters -- England -- Bath. Bath (England) 2007-10 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-10 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-12 David Karczynski Sampled and proofread 2007-12 David Karczynski Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A LETTER Concerning some OBSERVATIONS Lately made at BATHE . Written to his much honoured Friend Sir E. G. Knight and Baronet , M. D. in London . By THOMAS GUIDOTT , M. B. Facilius ducimur , quàm trahimur . Senec. LONDON , Printed by A. C. for Henry . Brome at the Sign of the Gun at the West end of Saint Pauls . 1674. A LETTER Concerning some OBSERVATIONS Lately made at BATHE . Honoured Sir , I Know you ( as well as other Ingenious and Inquisitive Persons ) are somewhat concern'd , and desirous to understand what Success my late Enquiries have had into one of the Grand Mysteries of Nature , I mean the BATHES of this City : considering especially that You were pleased the last Summer to afford me the Honour of your Company and particular Acquaintance , and to express a more than ordinary desire of my proceeding in this Thing . Concerning which I must tell you , that as I have not been wanting , either to Pains or Pay , in my Proceedings hitherto ; so I have had the good Hap ( which hath been my Encouragement ) to meet with many considerable Discoveries . And though the main Body of the Matter , collected touching this Affair , be not yet ripe for the Launcet , but will require a longer time to digest ; yet some Observations I shall now communicate which will give a little satisfaction to an earnest desire , and make , in some measure , appear that we have been lame and defective hitherto in a rational Account and true Understanding of the Nature of these Waters . It hath been indeed the ill fortune of these Bathes ( which I may truly say are as good if not better than any Bathes in the world ) to lie a long time in obscurity , and not so much as to be mentioned among the Bathes of Europe by any forreign Writer , till about the year 1570. when that Excellent Person Sir Edward Carne , sent Ambassadour by Queen Elizabeth to Pope Julius the Third , and Paul the Fourth , made some Relation of them to that famous Writer Andreas Baccius , then at Rome ; and writing his elaborate Book de Thermis , into which he hath inserted them , upon his Relation , Lib. 4. Cap. 13. though somewhat improperly ; among Sulphurous Bathes . About the same time also one John Jones , an honest Cambro-Britain , frequenting the Bathes for Practise , composed a little Treatise of them , which he calls Bathes Aid , in which are some things not contemptible , though in a plain Countrey dress , and which might satisfie and gratifie the Appetite of those times , which fed more heartily and healthily too then , upon Parsons Fare , good Beef and Bag-Pudding , than we do now upon Kickshaws and Haut-gusts ; yet nothing of the true Nature is there discovered , only , as almost in all former Writers of Bathes , chiefly Catholick , a strong Stanch of Sulphur , and a great ado about a Subterranean Fire , a fit resemblance of Hell , at least of Purgatory . Our Countrey-man Doctor William Turner I confess was more particularly concern'd to give a better account , then I find is done in his Discourse of English , German , and Italian Bathes . But whether want of opportunity , or any other impediment was in cause , I know not ; But I find that at this stay they stood till the Famous Doctor Jorden took Pen in Hand , about the Year 1630. To whom I thought fit to make some Additions , at my first entrance on this Place , some five Years since , and although that Learned and Candid Physitian had chiefly and more especially an intent to enlarge the Knowledge of our Bathes in Somerset-shire , as he declares to my Lord Cottington , in his Dedicatory Epistle ; and hath performed more then any Man before him ; yet what was first in Intention , was last in Execution , and how small a part of that Treatise is spent upon this Subject , how short he is in some Material Points , and what Objections may be framed against his Opinion , I may sometime or other , with due Respect , more largely treat off , and for the present shall here , with good Sem and Japhet cast a Garment over the Nakedness of this my Father . What hath been done since ( except in some particular pieces of other Tracts , to the Authors of which the Bathes are also indebted for their kindness and good will ) is not worth the mentioning . The old saying's true , little Dogs must piss , and what is writ upon an Ale-bench claims the greater affinity to the Pipe and the Candle ; especially if the best Wine at the Feast ( which is usually kept till last ) be but a silly story of Tom Coriat , and an old Taunton Ballad new vampt ( The Creatur's parts lying that way ) abusing the dead Ghosts of Ludhudibras and Bladud , with a Nonsensico-Pragmatical , Anticruzado-Orientado-Rhodomontado . Untruth-Le Grand , which we Westerly Moderns , call a grote Lye , in to the Bargain . A pretty Artifice in Rhetorick , to cry a thing up , and besmere , and shed plentifully on the Founder Ordure , both Humane and Belluine . Rode Caper , vitem , tamen hic cúm stabis ad aras In tua quod fundi cornua possit , erit . Goat , Barke the Vine ; yet juice enough will rise To dreanch thy Head , when made a Sacrifice . I have Industriously omitted Doctor Johnson , Doctor Venner and some others , in regard it would be improper here to Write more Historically which I resolve to do if my leisure permit , on another occasion . I shall therefore now let you know not so much what hath been done by others , as what further discoveries have been made by my endeavours , assisted by the careful Pains of Mr. Henry Moor an expert Apothecary and Chymist of this City . And here at first I cannot but take notice how that opinion hath so much prevailed as to be accounted Orthodox , and not only received by Tradition as certain but Printed as such , that the Body of the Waters is so Jejune and empty , as to afford little or nothing at all whereby to make a discovery of its Nature , and that what impregnates the Bathes is not Substantially , Materially or Corporally there , but potentially , virtually and formally , or to use the Authors own words , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with much more canting after this manner in a small discourse in Latin written by an Itinerant Exotick ; when as a slight operation will soon evince it , though white and transparent of it self , being taken immediately from the Pump , to contain a considerable quantity of a Dusky , Gritty , and Saline Matter , with many transparent Particles intermixed with it , to the proportion , ( as near as I can calculate , sometimes more and sometimes less ) of two drams to a gallon of the Water . And this I can ascertain , having had several ounces of it done in Earth , Iron , Bell-mettle , and Glass , and have at this time three or four ounces by me , untoucht , beside what I have made use of in other experiments . But the thing I shall more Peculiarly insist on , at this present , is , That by Gods blessing , on my Industrious Search , I suppose I have lighted on the main Constituent , of the Vertues of the Bath , in which alone resides what benefit can be expected from the use of these Waters , and lodgeth in a Saline substance , in a very small proportion to the Body of the Waters , so that as they are now , not much more then fourty grains is contained in a Gallon , in so much that this little Soul , as I may so term it , is almost lost in so Gigantick a Body , and cannot animate it with that vigour , and activity as may be rationally expected , were a greater quantity of the Salt contained in a less proportion of the Water . The Remainder , which is not Saline , being as I judg , two Parts of Three of the Bulk of the contents , is partly Whitish , Gritty , and of a Lapideous Nature , concreting of it self , into a stony consistence not easily dissolvable ; partly more Light , and Dirty , resembling Clay , or Marle , and discovers it self by an apparent separation from the Saline and Gritty part mentioned before . Now the chief Vertue of the Bath as I conceive consisting in the Salts , which appear by undeniable Experiments , to be Nitrous , and I believe Vitrioline ( Bitumen and Sulphur being not Primarily , as these Salts , but Secondarily concern'd , which consisting of Unctuous Particles , cannot be supposed capable of mixing with the Body of the Waters , and therefore no way observable in the Contents ) and no small proportion of other things blended with it , the best way to make it most serviceable I conceived to be ; to free it from those incumbrances and allays it hath from the other Ingredients , and prepare it as exactly as may be performed by Art , for the benefit of those especially who are willing to Drink the Waters with greater success in a lesser quantity ; which they may now do , and have more of the vertue of the Waters , in a quart , three pints , or a pottle , then they formerly had in two or three Gallons , did they drink as much ; which will be besides other Conveniencies , a great relief to the Stomach , which certainly must be relaxed , and the Tone of it injured by that vast quantity of Water which is usually taken diluting its ferment overmuch , and distending its Membranes beyond all the bounds of a reasonable Capacity . Besides , what is separated only by an artificial Extraction will better unite again , and mix with the Waters , as much more familiar , than the extraneous Salts of Sal Prunella , Cream of Tartar , &c. which are usually dissolved and drunk with the Waters ; so that a great part of the Operation may be ascribed to that ; and the Waters being , as we say , between two Stools , that of it self , and the dissolvent in it , hath not attained to that degree of Reputation as they have deserved , and may be procured with much more advantage , if nothing but the same be spent upon the same , a way of Improvement altogether equally beneficial to Fluids and Solids , to the wet as to the dry . Again , whereas it is a custom here as in all other places of the like Nature , when Persons are not willing , or have not conveniences to come to the Fountain Head , to send for the Waters to the places of their Residence , not thinking much material whether Mahomet go to the Mountain , or the Mountain come to him , whereby the Virtue of the Waters is much impaired , though stopped and sealed up with never so much care ; this defect may be supplyed by the addition of a Quantity of the same Ingredients , which may repair the loss that hath been sustained by Evaporation in the Carriage , or other way of dammage , and restore it again , as near as may be , to its pristine Virtue , and genuine advantage . Not to mention that if need require , and the poorer sort cannot procure or pay the Fraight for the Waters , they may take a shorter course , by mixing the Salt , which they may have at reasonable Rates , with Spring Water , brought to a proportionable degree of heat at home , and expect more advantage , for ought I know , than those that drink the Waters themselves at so great a distance ; I have therefore ordered convenient Doses of the Salt to be prepared and kept , by Mr. William Child Alderman , and Mr. Henry Moore , two Apothecaries in Bathe , to whom any one may resort that shall have occasion . And because I am now fallen on this Subject I shall crave leave to remind you of what you well enough understand already , that not only Dulcius but Vtilius ex ipso Fonte , &c. and Waters especially impregnated with volatile Spirits , such as most acid are , and peculiarly Vitrioline , to avoid the inconvenience and expence , not so much of Money as Virtue , in the Carriage , must be drunk on the place where they are , which in some kind resembling Children , that must live by sucking , if once removed from their Mother , or Nurse , by degrees dwindle away , and at last die . It is observable in these VVaters , that with four Grains of Galls injected into a Pint Glass of VVater , or the VVater poured on it , immediately turns of a purple Colour , which in short time after , as the VVater cools , abates much of its vividity , and becomes more faint : if the VVaters be suffered to cool , and be quite cold before the Galls are injected , no alteration happens upon a much greater proportion of Galls superadded , and what is more remarkable : if the VVater , which is permitted to cool , be recruited by the Fire , and the same Tryal reiterated , it offers no greater satisfaction in change of Colour , than the second Experiment . Consonant to what Andreas Baccius , a Veterane and experienced Souldier in this Militia , hath formerly observ'd , who in his second Book de Thermis , Cap. 10. Pag. 69 , hath these words , Nulla Balnei Aqua , eodem cum successu , ac laude bibitur , longe exportata , quod ad fontem proprium maxima enim pars ex ipso fonte haustae ac delatae , amittunt omnem virtutem , multae non servantur per hyemem : dilutae pluviis , & quae utcunque servantur delatae a propriis fonticulis , fieri non potest , quin amittunt , cum calore suo Minerali , vivificos illos Spiritus , in quibus omnis Juramenti vis consistit , quae semel amissa , nullo postea extrinseco calore restituitur . Quod est valde notandum . I have been the more particular in this , in regard it is a very useful and practical Discovery , and may procure more real advantage to mankind , than the vain and unattainable attempts of the Philosophers Stone , making Glass malleable , and the Quadrature of a Circle . Some other Observations I shall also mention , of a less magnitude , and more contracted Circumference , as the dying of the Bath-guides Skins , the Bathers Linnen , and the Stones in the bottom of the Bath , of a yellow colour , and the eating out of the Iron Rings of the Bath , the Iron Bars of the Windows about the Bath , and any Iron infused in it ; in so much as I have now by me a Gad of Iron by accident taken up among the Stones of the Kings Bath , so much eaten out , and digested by the Ostrich Stomach of these Waters , that the sweetness extracted what remains resembles very much a Honey-Comb , a deep perforation in many places being attempted , and the whole Gad it self reduced to a thing very much like a Sponge . The first , viz. the Tincture I have discovered to arise from an Ochre , with which the Bath abounds , and hath aforded me a considerable quantity , so that now I have near a Pound by me , and with an infusion of that in warm water , tinge Stones as exactly of the Bathe colour , that they are not discernable one from another . It is further observable that the nearer the place of Ebullition , where the Springs arise , the deeper and finer is the Yellow colour , so that in some places , about the Cross in the Kings Bath , and at the Head of the great Spring , at the Southwest Corner thereof , it is almost made a natural Paint , being laboured together by the working of the Springs , and a continual succession of new Matter coming on , free from those impurities it contracts in other places , which makes it distinguishable into two or three sorts according to its mixture with , or freedom from , more adulterating Matter . The Clouts also and Woollen Rags , which the Guides use to stop the Gouts withal , besides the Walls , Slip-doors and Posts , when the Bath is kept in a considerable time , as in the Winter season it useth to be , are all very much tinged with this yellow substance , and if at any time they chance to lye unwash'd or not thrown away , they send out so ungrateful a sent , that a Man had rather smell to a Carnation , Rose , Violet , or a Pomander , then be within the wind of so unwelcome a smell , it being the greatest policy to get the Weather-gage in this encounter . The same thing I have experienced in Vessels at home , where after it had stood some time , in a common infusion of warm water , I have the same Reverence for that as Pictures , and do aver it to be true , E Longinquo reverentia major . One thing more is to be noted before I leave this particular , that although so much of this yellow Matter is continually bred , with which the Neighbouring Ground is sufficiently replenisht , as I have found by digging in some places not far distant , yet nothing of that colour is discovered in the Contents , a probable argument it either evaporates , to which I am more inclin'd , in regard I find it much more copious where the Steam of the Bath meets with any resistance , or else perhaps which is less probable , turns colour by the fire in evaporation that way ; less probable , I say , because for further satisfaction , I have decocted the Ochre more then once , and find that it rather gets then loses in its colour . The greenish colour ariseth from another cause . The eating out of the Iron I conceive must proceed from something Corrosive , and till any one can assure me t is something else , I shall judge it to be vitriol , and that it may appear not to be caused by the bare steam , as Rust is bred upon Pot-hooks and Cotterels ( as some imagine ) besides the difficulty to conceive how the steam should operate under Water , as in the Case of the Gad before mentioned , I made a Lixivium of the contents of the Water , and in it infused Iron , but a very small time , and found it do the same as in the Bath it self , considering the time of infusion ; and the very Knives , and Spatules , I put in to stir some Residence in the Bottom , were almost as soon as dry , crusted over and defended with a rusty coat . I have other Arguments I suppose will contribute something more to the confirmation of this opinion ; as that with the help of the Sand of the Bath with Water , and Galls , I make good writing Ink , which in a short time comes to be very legible ; but the infusion of the Contents in common water , or the Lexivium thereof ; with an addition of an inconsiderable proportion of the decoction of Galls makes it tolerably legible , on the first commixture , only the first viz. that made with Sand , casting an eye of decayed red from a mixture of Ochre conteined in the same . Neither is it altogether to be slighted , that the Water it self hath been heretofore used by the best writing Masters for the making of Ink , who observing by their experience , that Ink made with Bath water , and the other usual Ingredients had a better Colour , and was more lasting then any other , preferred this water before any other for this use , as I have been informed by some credible persons . Also having not long since occasion to pour warm water on the Contents of the Bath , in order to the making a Lixivium , some of the water happened by an accident , to fall on a Bazil skin I sometimes use , and immediately turned the Red into Black more then the bredth of an ordinary hand , with as much facility as any Curriers Liquor , Allum I know will do the like , but I find no necessity to assert , that , which had it any thing to do here , must make the Water much rougher , whiter and sourer , then I find it to be . To which I may add that many judicious persons , my Patients , and some intelligent and eminent Physicians also have assured me that they have perfectly discerned by the Tast a mixture of Vitriol , and that I need not doubt , but that was one principal Ingredient . 'T is also not very inconsiderable , that the Bath water alone will coagulate Milk , though not after the usual way of making a Posset ; for after the Milk and Water are put together , it must boil pretty smartly , else the Curd will not rise . I may likewise subjoyn as a further probability , that on the relenting of the Salt extracted into an Oyl per deliquium , there is a very sharp Stiptick and Vitrioline tast perceived in the gross deliquium , as also in the cleer Oyl , and the Salt it self ; not to mention its shooting into glebes , of which I have some small assurances by some tryals I have made , not yet sufficiently satisfactory , and therefore I dismiss this part for the present , with the greatest probability , till a further inquiry shall make me positive . But as to Nitre , there can be no question made about that I suppose ; for besides the quick acrimonious cooling , and nauseous tast , most apparently discoverable both in the infused contents , the Salt and the Oil ( the latter of which , viz. the nauseous Tast , I take more particular notice of , in regard it is most predominant , and assigned by Fallopius to Nitre , and the Waters impregnated with it , which , he says , sometimes do subvertere stomachum , & facere nauseam , de Therm . Aq. & Met. cap. 9. besides , I say , these probable conjectures ) what will set it beyond all contradiction is that it hath the true Characteristick of Nitre , and shoots in Needles , as long and firm , to the quantity I have , as any I have seen in the Shops , of which I have now lately shot above twenty Stiriae , some near an inch in length , which I keep in a Glass ready by me to give any one satisfaction that desires to see it , besides what I have parted with to some friends abroad . I the rather mention this , in regard it hath been my good hap to bring this thing to perfection and autoptical Demonstration which hath been in vain attempted by some industrious persons ; not that I am , in the least , willing to arrogate to my self , or derogate from them , more than what is fitting , but to confirm this Truth , that there are some Mollia tempora fandi ; some opportunities , when Nature will give willing audience , without much ceremony or ado , confessing more by fair perswasions , than racks and torments , and greater importunity . And that we ought to be very cautious how we affirm a thing not to be upon the failure of a single or some repeated Experiments . In fine , lest I should too much exceed the bounds of a Letter , what concerns the cause of the Heat of the Waters , I say little of here , only tell you that when I shall come to discourse of that Subject , of which I intend , God willing , a large Disquisition in another Language , I believe I shall find my self obliged not so much to depend on a subterrean Fire , as to expect greater satisfaction from another Hypothesis . Many more Experiments I have made upon the Sand , Scum and Mud of the Bath , with some Observations drawn from the Natura Loci , or Ground hereabouts ; but , I fear , I have been too tedious already , and therefore , without further ceremony , shall release you out of this Purgatory , with the Subscription of , SIR , Your most Faithful and much Obliged Servant THO. GVIDOTT . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A42303-e190 N. B. Car. Claromont . de Aer . Aq : & Loc : T. A. pag. 32.