OF THE Reconcileableness OF SPECIFIC MEDICINES TO THE Corpuscular Philosophy.  
To which is Annexed A Discourse about the Advantages Of the Use of SIMPLE MEDICINES.  
By the Honourable ROBERT boil Fellow of the Royal Society.  
LONDON, Printed for Sam. Smith at the Prince's Arms in St. Paul's Churchyard. 1685.   

August 24.  
Imprimatur  
Hen. Maurice, Rmo. D ●o. W. Cant. Arch po. a sacris.   

THE PREFACE.  
THE rise of the following Tract, intimated near the beginning of it, was not such a fictitious thing as the Reader may imagine. But tho' I really received a Visit from a Physician, known to me, but by his Reputation purposely to propose to me his Objections against the Corpuscular Philosophy, and he had a long conference with me about them; yet, because the Historical passages of that interview, cannot be circumstantially related in few words, I suppose the Reader will willingly allow me, to employ this Preface in giving him Advertisements about the scope and design of the Treatise it ushers in.  
I shall therefore advertise him, that he will be much mistaken, if he shall expect, as I perceive several have done already, to find in this Book a Collection of Receipts of Specific Remedies. For a moderate attention to the Title Page will enable him manifestly to discern, that the following Paper in its own nature, and in the direct and immediate design of it, is a Speculative discourse; since it tends but to show, that, in case there be Specific Medicines (as 'tis probable there are some) their experienced virtues are reconcilcable to the principles of the Corpuscular, or (as many call it) the new Philosophy; and at least do not subvert them; if these Effects and Operations be not clearly explicable by them. And as this is the, avowed scope of the following Essay, so I chose to treat of it less like a Physician than a Naturalist. For Physics being a Science, whose large extent invites and warrants its Cultivaters, to search into the nature and Phaenomina of things corporeal indefinitely; it must often happen, that the Medicinal Art and this Science will be conversant about the same subject, tho' in differing ways, and with differing scopes. For there are divers hurtful or advantageous accidents and changes of the humane Body, whereof the Naturalist takes notice, but as they are Phaenomina or changes produced by Natural causes in the Body of an Animal, whilst the Physician considers them as Symptoms of Diseases, or Effects of Medicines, the former directing his Speculations to the discovery of truth, and the other his Theory to the recovery of health. But because I else where particularly consider the Cognation and distinction, between the Discipline that the Naturalist, and that which the Physician cultivates, I shall for bear to mention them in this place; but rather acknowledge, that I scarce doubt but that I might have enriched the following discourse with some choice particulars, if I would have perused and borrowed from the learned writings of the famous Dr. Willis: But besides that I had not his Books at hand, I was unwilling to be prepossessed or biased by his notions, and I presumed the Person I wrote to would not be unwilling to see, what, without their help, the consideration of the thing I treated of suggested to me. About this I shall now proceed to observe, that tho' the direct scope of the following discourse, being to explicate the Phaenomena of some bodies, which from their use, are called Medicinal, and declare how possibly they may produce the Effects ascribed to them, the ensuing discourse is for the main of a Speculative nature; yet the consequences that may be drawn from it, and the applications that in this industrious Age are like to be made of some things that it contains, may probably render it practical. For I have more than once observed, that divers considerable Remedies, and some not unpromising methods too, have either remained unthought of, both by many Galenical Physicians, and divers of their modern Antagonists too, or if proposed by others, have been rejected or slighted, barely upon this supposition, that no rational account can be given of their way of working, or how they should do good, and 'tis said to be unworthy of a rational Physician; to make use of a Remedy, of whose manner of operating he cannot give a reason. How prejudicial it may be to many Patients, that Physicians be prepossessed with a bad opinion of an useful Remedy, may be guessed by him that shall consider, what multitudes of Teeming Women, that probably might have been saved by the skilful use of Phlebotomy, have been suffered to die for want of it, upon a dislike of that Remedy that Physicians for many Ages thought to be grounded upon no less authority than a positive Aphorism of Hypocrates. And therefore if, to remove the specious objection newly mentioned against that whole kind of Remedies called Specificks, the following Tract has been so happy as to show, that 'tis at lest possible, that Medicines said to be Specific, may perform their operations by ways, which tho' not explicable by the vulgar Doctrine of the Schools, are intelligible, and reconcileable, to the clear Principles of the Mechanical Philosophy: If, I say, this have been done by the Theory proposed in this Treatise, it may conduce somewhat to enlarge the minds of many Physicians, and invite them to make use of several Remedies, of which they did not think, or against which they were prejudiced. And since Specificks, where they can be had, are wont to be free from any immoderate manifest quality, and for the most part to work more benignly, as well as more effectually, caeteris paribus, than other Medicines; I think that to bring them into due request, and invite Physicians to search for new ones, as well as employ those already known, may tend much to shorten many Cures, and make them more easy and more safe.  Est aliquid prodire tenus si non datur Vltra.  

THE Advertisement OF THE PUBLISHER.  
THE Author had occasion to touch upon some of the same Subjects that he here treats of, in a Book, The Usefulness of Experimental Philosophy, long since published; but he had the misfortune to be reduced to write the following Discourse about Specific Medicines, and the Utility of Simple Remedies, in a Village where he had not that Book at hand, and could not call to mind all that he had therein published seventeen or eighteen years before: On which account, though he studiously forbore to repeat the particulars that he remembered to have set down in that Treatise, how opposite soever they would have been to his present purpose, yet having since the following Discourse was sent to the Press, got a sight of that other (which he had not read in many years) he finds upon a transient View that some of the same things are mentioned in both Books: at which discovery, though he be somewhat troubled, yet he is the less so, because they are but few, in comparison of the new ones, and set down on such occasions, or with such other circumstances, that may make a favourable Reader look on them, as not bare repetitions. And tho' in the forecited Treatise, some of the motives to make use of simple Medicines, be lightly touched, yet besides, that they are not all that are mentioned in the following invitation, those arguments that are there but pointed at, are here treated of, and both confirmed, and explained by other Observations, and Receipts. And since the Printed Book above mentioned has been for divers years very scarce, 'tis presumed that those many Readers that have it not, will not be displeased to find here some few things for which they cannot resort thither: And as the Author foresaw he might be obliged to consent to the translation of the following papers into the Roman Tongue, so he thought his Latin Readers would not repine, tho' a great number of particulars had been borrowed of a Book that is not yet extant in their Language.  
I shall give you no farther account of the particulars contained in the two ensuing Treatises, since the title pages give a sufficient hint of the Noble Authors main scope, and chief design, I shall only say, that the first Treatise effectually performs what has not been as yet attempted by answering a very considerable objection against the Doctrine of the Corpuscularian Philosophers, namely, that which is taken from what we call Specific Medicines, their virtues, and operations being hitherto judged by several of the learnedest sort wholly irreconcilable to the principles of the new Philosophy; whereby he gratifieth not only the curiosity of Speculative Philosophers, but does likewise a notable piece of Service to all Physicians, ushering in here and there such notions as may be the Principles of a sure, and easy Practice, yea and enable them too, to give a good account of their own Receipts; I mean of those that contain Specific Medicines, whose virtues hitherto we could not describe to our Patients, but by saying they did work we knew not how, or by some Specific, that is by some occult or hidden quality. The second Treatise, which is an Invitation to the use of simple Medicines, is of such a general use, that Mankind is much indebted to this Noble Author for it, 'tis so well grounded both upon Reason, and Experience, that this as well as the forementioned discourse, does fully answer the great repute of the Author both at home, and abroad, where he is commonly styled the English Philosopher.   

The Publisher thought fit to translate for the benefit of every common Reader, some Latin passages contained in the foregoing Treatises.  
P. 70. From the year of our Lord 1645. in the space of fourteen years I cured above a thousand Frebricitants without Bleeding, Purging, or Sweeting, by the help of a single precipitating Remedy, without any regard to the nature of the Fever, whether it were intermittent, or continued, whether it were a Tertian, or a Quartan, which is harder to cure than any other, yea without considering any other circumstance either of Time, Place, Sex, or Age, and that in a very short time, without any danger of Relapse, and without any considerable trouble of the Patient, if through his own. Intemperance, he fell not into new Fits again.  
Kergerus de fermentati Sect. 3. cap. 3. p. mihi 250.  
P. 130. I have made myself a frequent trial of this Stone, having carried several of those little Stones tied together about my Neck in such a manner, that the Stones did touch the Mouth of my Stomach, yet they were beneficial, though they had nothing graven upon 'em, etc.  
Galen. de simple. med. facul. 1. 9 tit. de lap.  
P. 131. We have seen sometimes the Hemerods cured, as likewise the copious monthly issues by wearing Rings made of this Stone.  
Nic. Monard. simple. med. histo. c. 36 P. 329.   

OF THE Reconcileableness of Specific Medicines, TO THE Corpuscular Philosophy.  

The Introduction, To my Learned Friend, Dr. F.  
SIR,  
PErceiving, by our late Conference, that the thing which most alienates you, from the Corpuscular Philosophy, is an Objection drawn from your own Profession and Experience, namely, that the Specific Virtues of Medicines are not reconcileable to it; my unwillingness that an Hypothesis, I am so kind to as I am to the Mechanical, should continue under the disfavour of a Person I so much esteem, as I do Dr. F. makes me venture to offer you the annexed Paper, though it be but an Enlargement of a dismembered part of what I long since, to gratify a Friend, noted about the Origine or Production of Occult Qualities. For though I pretend not, that this Trifle should satisfy a man of your Judgement and Learning, yet it may perhaps serve to keep you from thinking it impossible, that a skilful Pen may be able quite to surmount those Difficulties, that so bad a Pen as mine is capable of lessening.   

A Paper belonging to the writings about the Mechanical Origine of Qualities.  
AMong the several kinds of occult qualities that, which is afforded by Specific Virtues of Medicines, is not here to be pretermitted. For these Qualities do not only, like other hidden ones, invite, our curiosity, but concern our health and may hereafter (if I mistake not) appear to be of much greater importance, than as yet they are commonly thought. However it may be worth while to take some notice of them in this place, if it were but because divers Learned Physicians do, as some of themselves owned to me, reject or disfavour the Corpuscular Philosophy upon this account, That they think it cannot be reconciled to the virtues of Specific Remedies, or at least cannot, either in a particular or in a general way, give any tolerable account of them.  
I find three sorts of Qualities mentioned in the Books of physicians, under the notion of Specific Virtues. For by some a Medicine is said to have a Specific Faculty, because it is eminently and peculiarly friendly to this or that particular Part of the Body, as the Heart, the Brain, the Eye, etc. By others it is said, by a Specific Power, to attract and evacuate some determinate Humour, as Choler, Phlegm, &c But the most usual account, upon which a Medicine is said to be Specific, is that it has the virtue to cure, by some hidden property, this or that particular disease, as a Pleurisy, an Asthma, the colic, the Dropsy, etc. And this being the principal and most common sense, in which the word Specific is employed by Physicians, I shall ordinarily make use of it, in that sense, in the following discourse, but yet without so confining myself to it, as not to consider it in the two other senses, when occasion shall require.  
But before I descend to particular considertions 'twill not be amiss to obviate mistakes by declaring, in what sense in this Paper, I shall employ the Term Specific Medicine, especially in the last of the three forementioned Acceptions.  
I do not then by a Specific understand a Medicine, that will cure the disease it is good for Infallibly, and in all Persons that take it, for I confess I never yet met with any such remedy. Nor do I by Specific understand a Medicine that, almost like a Charm, works only by some latent and unaccountable Property, without the assistance of any known Quality, as Purgative, Diuretic, Sudorific, etc. to be found in other Medicines: But by Specific I mean, in this discourse, such a medicine as very often, if not most commonly, does very considerably, and better than ordinary Medicines, relieve the Patient, whether by quite curing, or much lessening, his disease, and which acts principally upon the account of some Property or peculiar virtue; so that if it have any manifest Quality that is friendly, yet the good it does is greater, than can reasonably be ascribed to the degree it has of that manifest Quality, as hot, cold, bitter, sudorific, etc.  
There are two grand Questions, that may be proposed about the Specific virtues ascribed to Medicines, The first is, whether there be really any such, and the second whether, if there be, the Mechanical Hypothesis can be accommodated to them.  
The former of these Questions may admit of a double sense, for it may be proposed with respect, either to the present measure of our knowledge, or to those further attainments that, in future times, men may arrive at.  
In the latter of these senses, (to dispatch first the consideration of that) I shall not presume to maintain, without restriction, either part of the Question. For I do not only hope, but am apt to think, that in time the Industry and Sagacity of men will be able to discover Intelligible causes of most of those Qualities, that now pass for Occult, and among them of many of the Specific virtues ascribed to Medicines. And yet, on the other side, I much fear that men will not be successful, in tracing out the true and immediate causes of those good effects of some remedies, that depend upon such fine and uncommon Textures, and such latent and oddly guided Motions, as fall not under our Senses, though perhaps assisted by Instruments. Which conjecture will appear the less improbable, if we consider those admirable Idiosyncrasiae, or Peculiarities of Disposition, whereof the Books of eminent Writers afford us many instances, to whose number I could, upon my own Observation, add several, if I thought it needful. And, though I am not ignorant that some of these may be plausibly accounted for, as that of some men's aversion to cheese, or to cats; yet I do not think that the like explications can be extended to some others, that might be named, if it were here pertinent to discuss that throughly.  
As to the former sense, of the Question lately propounded, I confess myself very amiable to the Affirmative, as far as I can judge by those writings of Physicians I have had occasion to peruse. Which limitation I add, because I would not derogate from the knowledge of particular persons, who in so learned and inquisitive an Age, may be arrived at far greater attainments than those Physicians have done, that have entertained the Public about the Occult and Specific Qualities of Medicines.  
I know there have been, and still are, Dogmatical Physicians, that upon the Principles, as they pretend, of the School-Philosophy, reject all Medicinal virtues that they think not reducible to manifest Qualities. But of such Galen somewhere justly complains, that they either deny matters of fact, or assign very incompetent causes o the effects they pretend to explain. And, for my part, I am so far from believing these men capable of giving sufficient reasons of the more hidden Properties of Medicines, that I am not apt to think them able, by their Principles, to give clear and particular explications, even of the more easy and familiar virtues of simples.  
I am therefore disposed to think that, in the sense formerly delivered of the Term Specific Medicines, there are some Remedies that deserve that name.  
To this opinion I have been led by several Reasons▪ And first (to begin with the least weighty) it has the suffrage of many learned Physicians, both Ancient and Modern, and particularly that of Galen himself in several places of his Works. And I remember that, treating of a Specific Remedy against the biting of a mad Dog, which virtue he ascribes to an occult Quality, or, as he speaks, to the Propriety of the whole Substance; 
Galen. de Simpl. Medicam. Fac. Lib. 11.  he takes occasion to promise, that he would write a Book of things that operate upon that account. Which Book, if it had scaped with his other Works (for he elsewhere citys it as having written it) would probably have furnished us with several things to strengthen our opinion. And though in Matters Philosophical I am little swayed by mere Authority, yet the concurrent suffrage, of many eminent Physicians, may in this controversy be the more considerable, because most of them, being noted Practitioners, had opportunity to observe whether or no any Remedies deserved the name of Specificks: And their Testimony is, in our case, the more to be regarded, because Physicians, especially famous ones, are not wont to be willing to acknowledge, that there are Effects, which fall under the Cognisance of their art, whereof they cannot give the causes.  
My next Inducement, to admit Specificks, is founded upon Parity of Reason: For 'tis manifest, that there are divere formidable Maladies, that are produced by inconsiderable quantities of Poisons, that have not been discovered to produce such great and dismal Effects by any Manifest Quality, whether first, second, or third, as Medical Authors (I doubt not over accurately) distinguish them.  
On this occasion I shall add a very odd Accident, about which I was advised with by an expert oculist, very soon after it happened: The Case was this. A man lying somewhat long in Bed in the morning, and chancing, as he lay upon his Back, to cast up his Eyes to the Tester, saw a great Spider, that stood still just over his Face: Wherefore having reproached his Wife, who happened to be in the Room, with gross negligence, she took a Broom, and struck it upon the upper part of the Tester, to beat down the Spider; but the Animal held so fast with his Feet that she missed her aim, and he, whether frighted or irritated by this rude shake, let fall upon the Man, that was staring at it to see what would happen, a drop of Liquor that lighted directly upon one of his open Eyes. But finding no heat nor sharpness ensue, but rather a very sensible coldness, he made nothing of it, but rose and put on his cloth's. But presently after, happening to rub with his finger the other Eye, he was sadly surprised to find himself suddenly benighted, and calling for assistance, he found that the Eye, which the Spider had let fall something on, though no change were noted in it by the bystanders, was totally deprived of sight. Upon which score he repaired to the above mentioned Oculists: But whether he afterwards recovered his sight or no, I cannot tell; all the endeavours the Oculist arid I employed to find out his Lodging (to which it seems he had left a wrong direction) having been Fruitless. This brought into my mind, that I had sometimes wondered to see how much more quickly Spiders will kill Flies, than the cutting off their Heads, or running them quite through with Pins or Needles will do.  
But to return to what I was saying, of the great Mischief done to Humane Bodies, by very small quantities of Poison; methinks one may thence argue that it seems not improbable that Appropriated Medicines, especially when administered in greater quantity, may produce very notable changes in the Humane Body to the advantage of it. But on this occasion I expect to be told, that 'tis much more easy to do harm, than good, and I confess 'tis so in the general, but yet, in the particular case before us, I consider that some Poisons, that produce such dreadful Symptoms in the Body, are frequently cured by their appropriated Antidotes, which therefore must have a Sanative Power great enough, with the help but of the ordinary Concourse of Nature, to surmount the efficacy of the venomous Matter. To which I shall add this more familiar instance that as Perfumes do often enough produce various, and sometimes frightful, Symptoms in many Histerical Women; so the fumes of the burnt Feathers of Patridges, Woodcocks, etc. do frequently cure the Fit in as little time as the sweet smell procured it. And I have often found the smell of strong Spirit of Hartshorn, or Sal-Armoniac, recover such Women in far less time, than the fragrant odours employed to make them si●●.  
The Third and Principal Inducement I had, to think there are Specific Remedies, is from Experience. I might urge, on this occasion, the Testimony of Galen, who tells us more than once, that he himself therefore confided, in the Ashes of burnt Craw-fish, for the cure of the biting of a Mad Dog, because never any of those that took it died. And to annex that upon the by, for the usefulness of it, he adds, that though the effect of these ashes be admirable, 
Galen. de simple. Med. Fac. lib. 11.  even when given alone, yet their virtue may be increased, by adding to ten parts of burnt Craw Fishes five of Gentian and one of Frank-incense. And the great virtue of these burnt Shell-fish I find to have been taken notice of some ages before Galen; Dioscorides much commending them against the same Disease that the Pergamenian does.  
I shall in this place purposely forbear to mention such Medicines, as, though by divers learned Physicians commended as Specificks, are yet by others much questioned, if not flatly denied to be so. Since it may be more proper, and may perhaps suffice, to mention two or three, whose efficacy is more notorious.  
'Tis known, by almost daily experience, in Italy and divers other hot Countries, that though the stings of Scorpions oftentimes produce very acute Pains, and formidable Symptoms, yet the Mischief is easily remedied, either by presently crushing the Body of the Scorpion upon the Hurt, or by anointing the part affected with Oil of Scorpions, (for that reason to be almost every where found,) which being made by suffocating those Infects in common Oil, and keeping it long in the Sun, the Liquor does not at all appear to have any manifest Quality, to which its sanative Efficacy may be ascribed.  
The Bitings of those Serpents, which for the noise they are wont to make, with a kind of empty Bladders in their Tails, the English call Rattle-snakes, are counted much more poisonous and dangerous than the stings of Scorpions. Of which I remember a learned Eye witness, that lived divers years in Virginia, where they much abound, related to me a very strange Instance, which I cannot now stay to set down. And yet the English Planters, when they have the misfortune to be bitten by these Serpents, are wont to cure themselves very happily by the use of that plant, which from its effects, and the place it grows in, is well known by the name of Virginian Snakeweed, [or Serpentaria Virginiana.  
That the Peruvian Bark, commonly called here in England the Jesuits Powder, is a Specific against Agues, particularly Quartans, divers learned Physicians not only grant but assert. And I remember the justly famous Dt. Willis gave me this Character of it in private discourse, (not without taking notice that some decried it,) 'Tis the noblest Medicine we (meaning the Physicians) know. But though I will not dispute, whether it be so certain and safe a Specific for Agues, as 'tis believed by, divers eminent Doctors, yet I think it can scarce be denied, to be a Specific Medicine to stop the fits of Agues, (in the notion of Specific Remedies formerly delivered) since it does that far more effectually, than the generality of Physicians, for many ages, were wont to do, with their other Antifebrile Medicines.  
I might here tell you, that I have myself seen a stone, whose efficacy in stopping Hemorrhagies invited my Wonder; and another, which performed extraordinary things in more than one Distemper though I could not perceive that either of them did these things by any manifest Quality. And I might here add some other particulars, that may be borrowed from Experience, in favour of our opinion, but that 'tis like they will be more properly alleged hereafter in some places of the remaining Part of our Discourse.  
I know those, that have rejected Specific Medicines, have confidently urged three plausible Arguments against them. For some Physicians deny there are any Effects of Medicines so considerable, as to make them deserve the name of Specific. Others would probably allow that Experience favours our opinion, if they did not think the way of a Specific Medicines operating must be inexplicable, and consequently ought not be admitted by Physicians. And others again (being of Sentiments very differing from these) will allow them to be very efficacious, but endeavour to derive their whole Efficacy from Manifest Qualities, as heat, cold, tenuity of Parts, faculty of making large Evacuations by Vomit, Siege, etc.  
But these objections will be more opportunely considered in due places, Only there is one Argument, that may be objected by the deniers of Specific remedies, which I confess is so specious, as to deserve to be particularly examined in this place, lest it should, if unremoved, beget too strong a prejudice against a great part of the ensuing Discourse. For it may be said, that a Medicine taken in at the Mouth must, in the Stomach and Guts, be at lest very much changed by Digestion, and the Aliments it meets with there, and a good Part of it will be proscribed among excrements. That alter it has passed out of the Stomach, it must meet with divers strainers of differing Textures, which will probably stop all or most of the Medicinal Corpuscles that would pervade them. And that if any shall be so lucky, or so penetrating, as to surmount all these obstacles, they will probably either be assimilated unto the Substance of the Body, or quite changed by the parts they will be fain to combine with there. Or, if yet any should be able so obstinately to retain their pristine Nature, they will in all likely hood be too few to have any considerable operation upon the Body. But to this plausible objection I have several things to oppose by way of Answer.  
1. And first I may represent, that divers Specific Medicines, as some some Ointments, Plasters, Poultis' Annulets, Pericarpia, etc. Being outwardly applied, their Corpuscles can get into the Mass of Blood without passing through the Stomach, and consequently are not concerned in the proposed objection.  
2. Against most of the Galenical Physicians, that are wont to urge the formerly proposed objection, I see not why one may not argue ad hominem by putting them in mind, that the same Difficulties for the main, or others not inferior, may be alleged against a common opinion of their own. For since they believe that Purgatives, Cordials, Diaphoreticks, besides Cephalicks, hepatics, and some other sorts of Medicines, do contemperate, and sweeten the Blood, and usefully affect the newly mentioned stable Parts; and since these Medicines act not by naked Qualities but by small Particles, of their own substance, if they can give us an intelligible account of the ingress of these Particles in considerable numbers, into the Recesses of the Body, without being, despoiled of their particular virtues, they will at the same time instruct us, how to answer the objection they urge against us.  
3. And in regard the generality of Physicians hold, that Milk, and Urine, were materially in the Mass of Blood, and are separated from it by the Breasts, and Kidneys; I think one may by experience show she invalidity of their ratiocination against Specificks. For 'tis obvious to observe, and I have several times done it myself, that Rhubarb will (perhaps for many hours) tinge the Urine of those that take any considerable dose of it And in some of our English American Colonies, there grows a fruit, which the planters call the Prickled Pear, whose inward Substance is exceeding red, and whose being pleasant in taste, as well as colour, frequently invites eaters; but its Juice is of so penetrating a nature, that it passes from the stomach into the Bladder, and then into the chamber-pot, with so little loss of its redness, that strangers are wont to be surprised and frighted at it, as thinking this unknown fruit had made them void bloody Urine, if not blood rather than Urine. This is a known thing among those, that have dwelled in our Southern Plantations, and has been affirmed to me by unsuspected Eye-witnesses, and among them by a famous Physician. As for Milk, the great Hypocrates himself informs us, that if a Woman, or a she-goat take Elaterium, the Cathartick virtue passes into the Milk, and will purge the Child that drinks it. And I remember that haying occasion to make some stay, in the Spring or beginning of Summer, in the confines of Switzerland and Savoy, I had the opportunity to observe this odd Phaenomenon, That when the Cows, in that District, fed, as they would in that season plentifully do, upon a certain weed, said to be a kind of Wild-Garlick, that grew copiously in the Pastures, the very Butter made of their Milk had so rank a taste of the Herb, that though I was not, yet divers other strangers were, thereby diverted from eating of it, though otherwise fresh and good. And I remember too, that having passed a Winter on the Sea-coast of the County of Cork in Ireland, I found it a known observation, that a sort of greedy Seafowl, whose name comes not now into my mind, living almost wholly upon Fish, (upon whose schools I have sometimes wondered to see such a multitude of ravenous Fowls attending) they acquire a Taste that makes some pleasantly Question, whether the food they afford be to be reputed flesh or fish. But how constantly the Particles of divers Bodies may retain their nature in all the digestion, and strainers they pass through, I have more amply discoursed in another Tract, About the concealments and disguises of seminal Principles. And I presume I have here said enough, to allow me to proceed to the fourth part of my answer.  
4. I consider then, in the last place, that whereas 'tis objected, that so small a quantity of the matter of a Specific, as is able to retain its nature when it arrives at the part it should work on, must have little or no power left to relieve it. This difficulty will not much stagger those that know, how unsafe it is to measure the power that natural Agents may have, to work upon such an engine as the Humane Body, by their bulk rather than by their subtlety and and activity A sober Gentleman, that was Governor of a Colony in the Torrid one, and commanded a Warlike English Vessel, that sailed up very far in the great River of Gambia or Gambra in afric, and stayed there some time to trade with the Negroes of the Inland Country, being inquired of by me, among other things, about the Poisons that are said to be extraordinarily powerful in the Parts he came from; he answered me, that the Blacks had a Poison, that was, though somewhat slow, yet very mortal; in so small a dose, that it was usual for them to hide enough of it to kill a man, under one of their Nails, which they wear somewhat long: Whence they would drop it so dextrously into the Drink, or Milk, or Broth or other Liquid Aliment of those they owe a spite to, that 'tis scarce possible for a stranger to be watchful enough to prevent it. For which reason, as he told me, though he sometimes eat with their petty Princes, or Governors, at the same table, yet he would never eat out of the same dish, nor drink out of the same Cups with any of them. He added that, in another part of Africa, a famous Knight, who commanded the English there, and lately died a shipboard in his way home, was so poisoned at a parting Treat, by a young Negro Woman of Quality, whom he had enjoyed and declined to take with him, according to his promise, into Europe. And though my Relator early gave him notice of what he suspected to be the cause of this Indisposition, and engaged him thereupon to take Antidotes, and Cordials, as Treacle, etc. yet his languishing distemper still increased, till it killed him.  
I could name a Vegetable Substance, growing in Europe, and perhaps not far from hence, which though some Empirics employ as a Medicine, is so violently, operative, that a Learned and famous Modern Physician relates, that no more than half a grain would work so violently, as to cause very dangerous Hypercatharses, of which though he remedied some, yet he was not able to keep all from being Mortal. And because many ingenious men deny that out English Vipers are poisonous, I shall add in favour of the Argument that I have been enforcing that I know a Young man, who having been bitten by an English Viper, which he too rashly laid hold on, though the tooth pricked but his hand, yet the venom, conveyed by so small a hurt which perhaps equalled not in quantity the hundredth part of Pins head, quickly produced in him the bad Symptoms that usually follow the Biteing of that Serpent,; And among others (for I particularly asked him about that) a violent vomiting of ill conditioned stuff. I know also a person, that practised Physic in the Isle of java, where Scorpions are held to be more venomous than in Italy who having, after he had drank some what freely, provoked, and been stung by, a Scorpion, though the Hurt was but in his Thumb, and was so small that I could not perceive the least scar it had left, that it put him presently to such violent tortures, for some hours, till he had procured Specific remedies, that he looked upon himself a dead man; and felt so raging a heat within that he thought (to use his own Expression) that hellfire was got into his Body. Nor is it only by mere poisons, that a Humane Body may be greatly affected, though the agent be but very inconsiderable for bulk and weight, for we see, that divers Women, otherwise strong and healthy, will be cast into sounding fits, and perhaps will complain of suffocation, and be put into convulsive Motions, by the fragrant Odours of Musk, or Civet; though if all the Effluvia, that cause these Symptoms, were reduced into one aggregate, this would not probably amount to a hundredth, nor perhaps to a thousandth, part of a grain. And I have oftentimes speedily suppressed such fits, by the odour of the volatile Salts Hartshorn, Shall Armoniac, or the like, or of destilled Spirits abounding with such Salts; though perhaps all the Particles, that actually relieved the patient, and calmed these frightful Symptoms, if packed together, would not have equalled, either in bigness or in weight, the tenth, not to say the fifteenth, or the hundredth, part of a grain of mustardseed. And as for inward remedies, 'tis vulgarly known, that in the infusion of Crocus Metallorum, Corpuscles that render the Liquor vehemently vomitive and Purgative, are so very minute, that great proportions of Wine, or other Vehicles may▪ be strongly impregnated with them without any sensible diminution of the Body that parts with them. And of this we have a not less, if not more, considerable instance, when Quicksilver is decocted or long infused in common Water. For Helmont observes that, though the Liquor be not altered in Colour, or Taste, nor the Quicksilver at all sensibly changed, nay nor grown any thing lighter in a balance, yet the Liquor does, by means of these insensible and unponderable Effluxes of the Quicksilver, acquire a notable virtue against worms; for which purpose not only Helmont, but before him that experienced Chemist Hartman, and another eminent Writer, extol this Medicine. And on this occasion I remember that a fine Boy, born to be heir to a very illustrious family, falling into a dangerous Fever, which was judged to proceed from worms or verminous matter; a famous and Experienced Physician, that treated him, confessed to me, that he was out of hopes of him; Because the Child, having been bred to have his will, and tired with unsuccessful Remedies, was so obstinate and careful in refusing to take any thing, that smelled or relished of a Medicine, that he forbore, in spite of all the art used to deceive him, even to drink any thing but small Beer Whereupon I persuaded both the Doctor, and the Lord, whose son the child was, to impregnate his small beer with Mercurial particles, by frequently shaking it with good Quicksilver in it. By which means the patient, perceiving no change of Colour or Taste in the Drink, swallowed it greedily, and through the blessing of God was soon after restored to a Health, which the Parties concerned ascribed to the Mercurial remedy.  
I should condemn myself, for having bestowed so many words upon one objection, but that I hope the Answer, given to it in this place, will facilitate and shortens several things relating to my present Subject Specific Medicines. About which I shall now proceed to offer my thoughts in some Propositions, and short discourses upon them.  
Having now dispatched the first of the two formerly proposed Inquiries, I proceed to the second, namely, whether the Mechanical Hypothesis can be accommodated to Specific Medicines, so as that they may be either intelligibly explicated by a, or at least shown to be reconcilable to it. I presume you will easily believe, that there are few writers more inclinable, than I'am, to confess the dimness of our knowledge, and the obscurity of many things in nature; or that are more forward than I to grant, that many of the operations, of Specific Medicines, are to be reckoned among those abstruse things, whereof nature seems to affect the concealment. But notwithstanding this, when I consider how comprehensive and fertile the principles of the Corpuscular Philosophy are, I cannot despair burr that it will be found, that divers of the effects of these Medicines may be, in a general way explicated by them, and not any will appear inconsistent with them. This I desire may be here taken notice of once for all that, retaining the Scope of the following discourse still in your memory, you may not think it strange, that I content myself, on most occasions, to give in general possible explications, and to show that Specific Medicines may operate on some such account as I propose, without affirming that they certainly do so I observed soon after the beginning of this Paper that there were three sorts of virtues to which Physicians (though not unanimously) have given this Title of Specific; namely such as evacuate some particular humour, such as are peculiarly friendly to this or that part of the Humane Body, and such as in an unknown way cure or much lessen this or that determinate Disease. But yet I shall now apply my discourse peculiarly to the last sort of these Medicines, as being both more considerable in itself and the chief subject intended in present Discourse, giving nevertheless, as occasion serves, such additional Hints and observations, as may make the Reflections, belonging to this Third sort of Specificks, easily applicable Mutatis Mutandis to the other two.  
And I shall begin with laying here for a foundation what I have in another Treatise had occasion to deliver and make out, namely, That a living Humane Body is not to be looked upon as a mere statue, or a mere Congeries of the Materials 'tis composed of, Flesh, Blood, Bones, Fat, Nerves, Veins, Arteries, etc. But an admirably framed Engine, consisting of Stable, Liquid, and Pneumatick Substances, so tightly adapted to their respective functions and Uses, that oftentimes the effects of an agent upon it are not to be measured so much by the power of that agent considered in itself, as by the effects that are consequently produced by the action of the parts of the Living Engine itself upon one another.  
This premised, I consider▪ that there is no need to grant that the operations of all Specificks, or of the same in differing Diseases, must be of one kind; but that differing Specificks may operate in several manners, and some by one of these ways may oppugn such a disease, and others may do good against such another. And of these general ways I shall briefly propose six or seven that now occur to my thoughts. For having first given you this important caution, that the Specific Remedy does not commonly (though sometimes it may) relieve the patient by this or that single way of operating, but by a concurrence of two or more, that as it were join their forces to produce the desired effect.  

PROPOSITION. I.  
And first, sometimes the Specific Medicine may cure by discussing, or resolving the morbific matter, and thereby making it fit for expulsion by the greater common shores of the Body, and the Pores of the skin.  
'Tis known that many Diseases, and those oftentimes stubborn and Chronical, proceed from certain tough or viscous Humours, that obstruct the passages whereby the blood should circulate, or other useful Liquors be transmitted. And these peccant Humours are oftentimes so viscid and obstinate, that ordinary Remedies will do little or no good upon them. And yet a Specific may, by the smallness, and congruous Figure of some of its Corpuscles, get through the Pores into the Recesses of this stubborn matter; and by their solidity, Figure, and Agitation, promoted by the heat of the patient's Body, may dissolve and ruin the texture of the Morbific matter, and render it capable of being proscribed by nature, by Urine, Sweat, or some other commodious and innocent Evacuation. Thus the blood, or some other Liquor of the Body, being (to use the Chemist's Phrase) impregnated with the friendly and operative Particles of the Remedy, becomes an appropriated Menstruum in reference to the Pecant matter: impregnated with Sal Armoniac becomes a Menstruum, that by degrees will dissolve both Copper and Iron, as compact bodies as they are. I said appropriated Menstruum, because there is no sufficient reason to suppose, that the Menstruum works by any manifest quality, as Heat Moisture, etc. or even by Acidity itself: But rather by virtue of the fitness, which the shape, bulk, solidilty, and other Mechanical affections of its particles, concur to give it, to disjoin the parts of a body of such a determinate Texture. For as I have in another Paper amply shown, there are far more Menstruums of distinct sorts than are commonly taken notice of, and the operations of these cannot safely be measured by the strength of their manifest qualities, since it may several times happen, that a Menstruum, less acid or less strongly tasted, may dissolve this or that body, which another Menstruum, that seems far stronger, will not work on. Thus cold water will dissolve the white of an Egg, which pure spirit of wine will be so far from dissolving, that it will coagulate it; [and so will spirit of Salt and Oil of Vitriol itself.] Thus dephlegmed spirit of Urine will readily dissolve minute filings of Copper, which spirit of Vinegar will but slowly work upon; and yet this Liquor will speedily dissolve Crabs Eyes, which spirit of Urine will leave entire. Thus Quicksilver, that is insipid, will in the cold dissolve Gold, which Aqua Fortis itself, though assisted by exeternal heat will not work upon; and yet Aqua Fortis will furiously bear asunder the parts of Iron, though Quicksilver will not so much as adhere to its surface. And thus in fine (not to accumulate instances) common Oil, that is so smooth upon the Tongue, and will not dissolve so much as an Eggshell, will dissolve Brimstone, which yet will resist Aqua Fortis itself, that will dissolve almost all Metals, beside many hard Stones and Minerals. And I know a liquor, having more than once prepared it, which, though so weak that one may drink a Wine Glass full of it pure without danger, will yet work on some very hard bodies, both Stones & Metals, in a way that is not to be matched, among the highly corrosive Menstruums in use among Chemists.  
And now, supposing that the active Corpuscles, of a specific Medicineassociated with the blood, or other Vehicle they impregnate, may act upon the morbific matters they meet with in the body, after the manner of Menstruum; supposing this I say, we may hence illustrate several things that have reference to the operation of specific Medicines.  
1. And we may hence derive a Guess, why an appropriated Medicine will perform things, which will not be done by another, whose manifest qualities seem to be the same for kind, and much stronger in degree. For Menstruums do not always act according to the degree of their Acidity, or the like sensible quality, but according to the congruity of their Corpuscles to the pores of the body they are to dissolve; and also oftentimes according to a fitness that depends upon other Mechanical Affections of the acting Liquor. And therefore Physicians, as well as others, may easily mistake in their Argumentations à majori ad minus, & à minori ad majus. For the consequence is not good to argue either thus, Water, which is so strengthless Liquor, will dissolve Gum Arabic, therefore highly rectified spirit of Wine, which is a much more subtle and penetrateing Liquor, will do the same thing more powerfully; for Experience shows, it will not dissolve it at all: or thus, strong Oil of Vitriol is more corrosive in taste, and will dissolve many bodies that Aqua Fortis will not, therefore it will also dissolve Silver as well as Aqua Fortis, the contrary of which is true. Nay 'tis not a good inference to argue thus, Aqua Fortis is dissolves Silver by virtue of its acid Spirits, therefore the more it abounds with these, the more potently it will dissolve that Metal, whereas I have elsewhere proved by Experience, that if Aqua Fortis be made exceeding strong, it will not work upon Silver, but it will readily do it if it be weakened by the addition of a fit quantity of Common Water.  
To this I shall add, that the dissolution of a Body may depend, as well upon the peculiar texture of the body itself, as the manifest strength of the Menstruum.  
2ly. The foregoing Doctrine may suggest a Reason, why a Medicine that does wonders in one disease, may do little or nothing in another, that some may think to be a kin to it, and perhaps too, more easily superable by it. For the presumed cognation may not be so great, but that some dissimilitude of texture in the morbific matters, may make one of them unfit to be wrought upon by the same Menstruum that dissoloves the other. And though pure Spirit of Wine will easily enough dissolve Gummi Guajacum, and also the little portion of resinous matter that are harboured in the Pores and small cavities of the Wood; yet the same Menstruum will not work upon the Wood itself of the Tree that affords those soluble Substances.  
3. This may keep it from being thought strange, that Specific Medicines should sometimes fail of their usual Effects. For, as the Bodies of individual Patients, may differ very much, either according to their natural Constitution, or to that which they acquire by the disease that distempers them, or on both those accounts; So it ought not to seem strange, that in some sick Persons among many, the congruity between the agent ct patient should be altered, either by some considerable change in the Texture of the Morbific matter, or by some notable alteration that the Corpuscles of the Medicine receive in their passage through the Vessels, by the admixture of some incongruous Particles of the Blood or other Vehicle. Thus Spirit of Salt will, as I have tried, dissolve Copper, as Spirit of Niter does: which notwithstanding, though this last named Liquor will dissolve Silver, yet if you mix with it Spirit of Salt, which by the like operation of both upon Copper, seems to be amicable to it, the Spirit of Niter will no more be able to dissolve Silver, as it could before.  
4thly. Our Hypothesis may also hint to us an answer to one of the main and most plausible objections of the deniers of Specific Medicines. For some of them ask in a Scornful way, how 'tis possible that a Medicine should rove up and down in the Mass of Blood, and neglecting all other things, should single out, and fasten upon the Morbific matter men wish it should proscribe. For if the Medicine acts by impregnating the Blood, or some other Liquor of the Body, and turning it into a kind of Menstruum, 'tis very possible, both that the strainers through which the Corpuscles must pass, may keep back the inconvenient parts of the vehicle, and (which is in our case more considerable) the Menstruum may be either appropriated to the peccant Humour, as has been formerly declared, or else may at least be qualified, to resolve that more easily than any other Substance it meets with in the Body. As if you take some Bone-ashes, and Crocus Martis, and Sawdust, and powdered Sea-Salt, and Filings of Gold, and blend all these together, if upon one half of this mixture you pour common Water, it will not meddle with any other of the Ingredients except the Sea-Salt, which it will readily dissolve: & if upon the other half of the same mixture, you put a sufficient quantity of Quicksilver, and rub them together, this Metalline Liquor will neglect all the rest of the Ingredients, and the Sea Salt itself, and fasten upon the Gold. And those that work in the Spanish Gold mine's inform us, that when they have well ground some Ore, that contains Gold and Copper, besides Heterogeneous Minerals, well heated Quicksilver will take up the Gold much sooner and better than it will the Copper, scarce meddling with the latter, as long as there remains any not despicable quantity of the former, to be wrought upon by it. And as for the supposed difficulty, that the Medicine should Ferret out, if I may so speak, the morbific matter, in what vessel soever of the Body it lies, this objection might have been considerable, before the discovery of the Blood's circulation: But 'tis not so now that we know, that things that once get into the Mass of Blood, are presently whirled about with it, and may be conveyed by it even to small vessels lying in the remotest Parts of the Body.  
5thly. And this prompts me to take notice, that our Hypothesis may help us to answer those many learned Physicians, that either reject, or at least despise, most External remedies, especially Pericarpia, Annulets, and Appensa, upon a supposition, both that they neither can furnish the Body they do but externally touch, with any store of Medicinal Particles; and which is chiefly in this place to be considered, that being but external remedies, they must be very unable to do good in Internal diseases, especially such as are seated in Parts, remote from those which the Medicine is applied to. But as to the former part of the objection, 'twill not be difficult to answer it to him that has read what I have elsewhere written of the subtlety, numerousness and efficacy of Effluviums. And we need but consider, what plenty of Particles sensible to the nostrils, are for a long time emitted by a small quantity of Ambergris, or even of Camphire (which is often externally used) and the multitude of Magnetical Corpuscles, that for many years constantly effluviate from a small vigorous Loadstone, to think it possible that even dry and stable Bodies may afford sufficient store of effluvia, to perform considerable things in so curiously framed an Engine, as the Humane Body is; where we see that the odour of Musk, or Civet, for instance, may speedily cast divers Persons into Fits, and the smell of Castor or Assa faetida, and much more that of Salt of Hartshorn or of Sal Armoniac, quickly relieve them. And as to the Second Part of the objection, what I have elsewhere made out, and the best Modern Physicians grant, 
The Essay of the Porosity of Animal Bodies.  of the Porosity of the Skin, shows, that 'tis very possible for the subtle Effluvia of several Bodies, to get through the Pores of the Skin; and when they have once got admittance, so much as into the smaller Vessels, 'tis easy to conceive how these may carry them into the greater, and consequently into the Mass of Blood, by whose Circulation they may be readily conveyed to all the Parts of the Body, and among them to the seat of the disease: & perhaps, (to add that upon the by,) the efficacy of these Corpuscles, that, if I may so speak, get in at the Keyhole, not at the Door, may be the more considerable, because they get presently into the Mass of Blood, without passing through those Digestions in the stomach and other Parts, which oftentimes much weaken the virtue of Medicines taken in at the Mouth, before they arrive at the Blood.   

PROPOSITION. II.  
Sometimes a Specific Medicine may mortify the over Acid, or other immoderate Particles that infest the Mass of Blood, and destroy their coagulatory or other effects.  
Tho' I am not of their opinion, who of late are wont to impute almost all Diseases to acidity, abounding in the Blood and other Liquors of the Body, by whose intervention the stable parts also are offended; yet I readily grant that a considerable number of Distempers are, at least in great part, produced either by Acids themselves, or by their bad effects or Productions. Agreeably to which Doctrine we may very probably conceive, that several Maladies may be either quite cured, or much lessened, by a Specific Remedy that abounds in Corpuscles fitted to mortify Acids. This mortification may be effected by more than one way, and of these ways the chief that now occur to my thoughts, are two.  
For there are some Bodies, that mortify or disable Acids by a positive Hostility, if I may so term it; that is, by such a contrariety as is discernible by the Taste, and more by the visible conflict, and manifest Tumult, that is produced, when they come to invade an Acid. Of this sort of mortifiers of Acids, are the most part of those that are called Alcalisate Salts. Whether fixed, as the Lixivial Salts of Plants, or volatile, as the Spirits and ascending Salts of Urine, Blood, Hartshorn, Soot, etc. As may be exemplifyed, when any of these comes to be mingled with Aqua fortis, Spirit of Salt, Oil of Vitriol, or the like Acid Liquors, by which by the way we may see, that those Galenists mistake, who ascribe the virtues of Spirit of Hartshorn, and of Urine, only to their tenuity of Parts, Briskness of Motion, and the like affections, that they might not seem beholding to the Chemists for so useful a notion, as that of the contrariety of Acids and Alcalies.  
The other principal way, by which Acids may be mortified, or disabled to bite, is by Sheathing them, if I may so express it. For as a knife may be disabled to cut, either by filing off or otherwise blunting its Edge, or else by covering the Blade with a sheath fit for it, or by sticking it into a Loaf of Bread, or the like Body fit to receive and detain the whole Blade; so an Acid Corpuscle may lose its power of cutting or pricking, either by having its Figure spoiled by the action of a strong and manifest Alcaly, or else by being as it were sheathed in a Porous Body, though perhaps endowed with no Taste, or any other manifest Quality, by which one would think it contrary to the Acid it disables, as a file is to the edge of a knife. Of this way of mortifying Acids, Chemical operations afford us many instances, as when Menium destroys the Acidity of Spirit of Vinegar, as I have found Chalk will do that of Aqua Fortis itself; and Lapis Calaminaris very much lessens, as well as altars, the Acidity of Spirit of Salt, and even of Spirit of Niter. And I the rather mention this Mineral, both because its Qualities are less known to Physicians, and the generality of Chemists, and because it supplies me with an Argument to prove that Acids may be, though I do not think they always are, rather sheathed in, than destroyed by the Bodies that silently mortify them. For, as Glauber has truly enough observed, Acid Spirits (as I have tried in some) may by force of fire be driven in Distillation out of the Lapis Calaminaris, very much dephlegmed, and stronger than before.  
I know it may be here objected, that the Mortification of Acids is performed by a manifest Quality, and therefore makes nothing for the feavourers of Specific Medicines. But to this I answer.  
1. That the power of mortifying Acids, especially by sheathing them, or if you please, by Absorption of them, is none of those Qualities, whether First, Second or Third, that the former Physicians took notice of in Medicines; though the sufficiency of these Qualities to cure diseases, has been, and still is, used by many as a ground of denying the Specific virtues of remedies.  
2. That I have often looked upon it as an happy mistake, and of ill consequence, that so many learned modern Physicians take it for granted, that if a Medicine be endowed with a manifest Quality, as Acid or Alcalisate, the good it does, (and the like for the most part may be said of the Harm) may safely be abscribed to that Quality, that is to its being of an Acid, or else of an Alcalisate nature; whereas in my poor Judgement, there being a considerable disparity, as various Trials have assured me, between Acid and Acid, as likewise between Alcaly and Alcaly, 'tis fit to distinguish betwixt an Acid for instance, as merely such, and the peculiar modification that may belong to that Acid. Thus, though all Acid Menstruums that I know of, if they be well dephlegmed, will dissolve Copper, yet Aqua Regis that will dissolve not only that Metal, but the much more closely compacted body of Gold, will not at all dissolve Silver; as on the other side Aqua Fortis, as corrosive a Menstruum as it is, will not of itself dissolve Gold, but if you give it a new Modification, by adding to it common Spirit of Salt, which itself I have often found (whatever Chemists think or have written to the contrary) will leave it entire, the Aqua Fortis will easily dissolve that Metal. Nay a different Modification may not only make a Disparity between Acid, but that which according to the received way of Judging, aught to be called a contrariety: for Spirit of Salt will precipitate Silver, which Aqua Fortis has dissolved, and Spirit of Niter, though one of the Acidest Menstruums we have, will not only precipitate an Antimonical powder out of that odd substance, that Chemists call Butter of Antimony, but will do it with a wonderful conflict, tumult, and effervesence; and yet this Butter of Antimony is so highly Acid, that a little quantity of it, put into a considerable one of Water, makes it so sour, that many Chemists call it Acetum Philosophorum. And now to apply these things to the lately proposed objection, I desire it may be remembered, that near the beginning of this Letter I plainly intimated to you, that I did not deny, but that a Specific Medicine may sometimes be accompanied with, or even in part operate by a manifest quality, but that yet I thought the good effect was not due, barely to the kind or degree of the manifest Quality, but to somewhat superadded which gave it a Specific virtue, against this or that particular Disease. And suitably to this it may be said, that, as there are several kinds of Acids, and of Alcalies too, 'tis not every Acid that will be mortified by every Alcaly; and have its Effects destroyed by it, which may be illustrated by this, that, though when Copper is dissolved in Aqua Fortis 'tis possible, by the help of mere Chalk skilfully applied to make the Menstruum let go the Corpuscles of the Metal, yet if upon such a high coloured solution of Copper, you shall pour (as to convince some ingenious men, I have purposely done a due quantity of Spirit of Urine, or the like volatile Alcaly, though there will presently ensue a great conflict and manifest ebullition, with noise and store of Bubbles, yet between these Hostile Salts, a multitude of the Acid Corpuscles of the Aqua Fortis will not be so mortified, as to let go the Metal, but the solution varying its colour, will have and keep a deeper one than before.  
And when I consider the differences that a Skilful Observer may find, between Vinegar, Alum, Crystals of Tartar, Juice of Lemons, Juice of Barbaries, the essential Salts (as Chemists call them) of those Plants that are sour in Taste, to omit divers other Acids, I am apt to think, that disordered nature may have, in a diseased Body, produced Acids of several sorts which are not particularly known to us, and that some of these may be of such a nature, that none of our common Alcalies, as such, is able to mortify them, and which yet may be mortified, at least by the way of Sheathing, by some appropriated or peculiarly modified Corpuscles of a Specific Remedy which may be illustrated by what is elsewhere observed, that, though neither Spirit of Vinegar, nor Spirit of Salt, nor Oil of Vitriol itself, would, as far as I have tried, dissolve a stone taken out of a man's Body, yet Spirit of Niter, (which does not dissolve several Podies, that I have found dissoluble in Oil of Vitriol) will readily work upon it, and thereby lose, its Corrosiveness.  
Before I leave this Subject, 'twill not be amiss to intimare a couple of things, that perhaps you will not think impertinent to it.  
One of these is, that, whereas I not long ago distinctly named Acids themselves and their Productions, I did it (not out of Inadvertence, but) because I think Preternatural Acids do not only disaffect the Body whilst they continue sensibly Acid, but may in divers cases be the causes of some Distempers, whereof most men would think them more likely to be the remedies. For, though Acids be reputed to have an Incisive and Resolutive virtue, and therefore Oxymel and some other Acetous Medicines are commended to cut tough Phlegm, and Spirit of Vitriol is used for the same purpose, and to dissolve coagulated Blood; Yet, as I am willing to grant this virtue unto Acids in some cases, so there are others wherein I much suspect, that obstructions, and consequently the diseases that usually attend obstinate ones, may be occasioned by Acids, as they coagulate some Fluids in the Mass of Blood, that are disposed to be thickened by them, and by that consistence made unfit to pass with the rest of the circulating Blood, through the smaller Vessels and strainers of the Body, where upon that account they make obstructions. This I shall exemplify by the coagulation that I have made by some Acid Salts, as Spirit of Salt, of the White of an Egg, especially if by beating reduced to an Aqueous Consistence. And the like coagulation may easily be effected in Milk, which may not only be speedily curdled with Spirit of Salt, but, as is known by Bodies not Chemically prepared, as Rennet and Juice of Lemons. And Experiments purposely made have shown, that, if some Acids be conveyed immediately into the Mass of Blood, they will coagulate even that Liquor, whilst it continues in the Vessels of the yet living Animals.  
The other thing I lately told you, I was to observe, is, that, though Acid Corpuscles are those, that modern Physicians and Chemists are wont to take notice of as hurtful, both in the Blood and stable Parts of the Body, except the Stomach, and perhaps some few neighbouring Parts, as the Spleen and Pancres. And, though some ingenious men proceed so far, as to impute almost all Diseases to the bad Effects of Acids, yet I am very inclinable to think, that divers maladies and ttoublesom Symptoms proceed from Corpuscles, that, whether they be of a Saline nature or not, are different from Acids properly so called. For I consider, that there may be many Body, which may as 'twere result from the combination of Acids with other Saline Particles, that much alter their nature, as I have elsewhere noted, that Spirit of Salt will, with Spirit of Urine, compose a kind of Sal-Armoniac; and Spirit of Niter with Salt of Tartar dissolved in common Water, will concoagulate with it into Salt Petre (or a Body exceeding like it,) and the same Spirit of Niter or Aqua Fortis with Spirit of Urine, or of Blood, or the like, will afford a very fusible Salt, differing enough from what either of the Ingredients was before their conjunction. And 'tis vulgarly known, that Oil of Vitriol, and Oil of Tartar per deliquium, do by their coalition produce Tartarum Vitriolatum, in which the Acidity of the former, and the Alcalisateness of the latter, are very much infringed, a third Body being by resultancy produced, that differs much both from the former and the latter Oil, or rather Saline Liquor. And when, besides Instances of this nature, I consider how many differing sorts of Corpuscles so fruitful a Principle as nature may have formed, that, without being Acid, may yet have notable and hurtful Effects upon the Blood, or some particular solid part of the Body. It seems probable to me, that there may be other Qualities required, to mortify or disable these Morbific Corpuscles, than a contrariety to Acid Salts, and consequently, that a Medicine that affords Corpuscles peculiarly fitted to correct or enervate this particular sort of hurtful ones, may deserve the name of a Specific.  
And here I further consider, that, as in the Body there may be divers coagulations made by Saline Corpuscles manifestly Acid; so there may be others produced by Corpuscles, Whether Saline in taste or no, that are not manifestly Acid, but perhaps rather of a contrary nature, which observation, being wont to be overlooked by Physicians, and yet in my opinion of no small importance, may deserve to be a little the more carefully made out. I have sometimes for curiosity made a Liquor, that was not in Taste either Acid or Urinous; to which having put a moderate proportion of a distilled Liquor, which itself was not in taste either Acid, or Urinous, or lixiviate, it would in a very short time, perhaps in not many minutes, be coagulated into so consistent a Body, that, though the wide mouthed Vessel were held with the Orifice downwards, nothing would fall out of it.  
I have taught in another (unpublished Paper, that if upon a certain solution (which I there show how to make) one drop some Spirit of Urine, or anorhet Volatile Alcaly, there will presently be produced a Jelly, whose consistence and colour may make it easily be taken for common Starch, ready to be employed to stiffen Linen.  
The like Jelly, but more transparent, I have more than once made, without the help of any thing, that is sensibly Acid or Urinous.  
I have also, to convince some virtuosos, showed them somewhat to their surprise, a substance I had prepared without the help of Urine, or any volatile Alcaly, (and sometimes almost in a trice) that would in very few minutes coagulate above twice, if not thrice its weight of highly rectified and inflammable vinous Spirit into a stable Mass.  
And to show you, that 'tis not requisite that a Liquor be strongly, or so much as sensibly Acid, to coagulate an Animal Substance, as I lately noted, that the Spirit of Salt did the White of an egg, I shall add, that well dephlegmed Spirit of Wine will do the same thing as well, if not better.   

PROPOSITION III.  
Sometimes the Specific Medicine may help the Patient, by precipitating the Peccant matter out of the Blood, or other Liquor (of the Body) that harbours it.  
Tho' Precipitation be oftentimes a consequent of the Mortification of Acids, or of Alcalies, by Corpuscles of a contrary Quality, yet I thought fit to say something of it apart: Because I have observed that some Acids and Alcalies may be put together without causing Precipitation by their contrariety; and on the other side, that divers Precipitations may be produced where there does not appear any Hostility, though I know divers ingenious men, who think this Effect itself a sufficient Argument, that the hostility of Acids and Alcalies must be the cause of it. But that should not be taken for granted, but proved by collateral Experiments, that do not suppose the Truth of the Hypothesis itself. But to proceed to our Exampls, I know (and elsewhere mention) several Urinous Spirits, that I could mix with Acid Menstruum without making any manifest Conflict, or Precipitation; And on the otherside, Acids and Alcalies, that will make a manifest Conflict by their mutual creation, and yet if they be mingled in a just proportion, will have for the consequent of their Mixture, Coalition instead of Precipitation; as may be exemplified in certain Mixtures of Spirit of Sal-Armoniac (made with Salt of Tartar, or Pot-Ashes) and Spirit of Nitre or Aqua Fortis; and also when Spirit of Urine and Spirit of Salt, being mingled in a certain proportion, convene into Corpuscles for the making of Sal-Armoniac, which the Phlegm of those Liquors will keep swimming. But that which makes most for my present purpose, is, that there may be Precipitations, where, whatever may be supposed, it does not appear that there is any Tumult or Contrariety, as when Silver being dissolved in Aqua Fortis, and the Menstruum diluted with 30 or 40 parts of distilled Water, or of Rain Water, if clean Plates of Copper be immersed in the Solution, the Metal will be very slowly Precipitated out of it, in the form not of a Calx, consisting of Metalline, and Saline Parts incorporated together, but, at least at the beginning in the form of pure shineing Scales of Silver, almost like the white and glittering Scales of some small Fishes. There is also a way, by which I have brought dissolved Gold to settle about a Body, suspended in the Solution, in the form of a fine and high-coloured Calx of pure Gold. But you may easily see an Instance of silent Precipitation, if you do but rub a little either Roman or Dantzick Vitriol, upon the well whetted blade of a knife wetted with Water or spital, for you will have the Steel, almost in a trice, overlaid with a reddish substance, which by its colour and other signs appears manifestly to be Cupreous. And here I shall advertise you, that 'tis not only, as is wont to be supposed, out of Solutions made with Acids, that bodies may be thus Precipitated, for upon search I have found that there are in nature Precipitants, that are capable of silently Precipitating some Bodies dissolved in Urinous Menstruums, or others not Acid. I know it may be suspected, and that not without colour of Reason, that such Precipitations may be dangerous, by producing Heterogeneous Corpuscles in the Blood, that may be too-heavy or gross to be evacuated. And I look upon this as a suspicion, for whose Resolution 'twere fit to consult Experience. But in the mean time one may represent.  
1. That, though some Inconvenience may happen from the Bulk of the precipitated Corpuscles, yet that may be much inferior to the danger threatened by the over-active & hostile Particles, that produced or fomented the disease.  
2. That, 'tis not necessary that all concretions should consist of Corpuscles so bulky, as to be too big to be thrown out of the Mass of Blood, for we see that stony matter, which, as the Chemical Analysis of it shows, is of a very compounded nature, may be carried to all Parts of the Body. And I remember I knew a Lady, who a while before she told me the Story, had a stone taken out of the lower part of her Tongue. And Physicians, that prescribe great quantities of Mineral Waters impregnated with Iron, such as I found those of Tunbridge to be, and with Sulphur, such as some of the Bath Waters are, are wont to build their expectations of Curing with them, upon a supposition, that they are carried into the Mass of Blood, and consequently to the innermost parts of the Body.  
3. That yet 'tis possible, Precipitations may be made of matters contained in the Blood, by Medicines that do not get into the Mass of it. As Physicians give Steel in Substance sometimes crude, as well as oftentimes prepared, to mortify the Acidities of the Blood, though the Metalline Corpuscles do not, for aught we know, pass into the Mass of it, but are wrought upon by the matter, that in its circulation is thrown out of it into the Stomach & Guts, where their operation on it is probably inferred from the blackness, that Chalybeates are wont give the excrements of the lower Belly; and if they will have it, that prepared Steel, for instance, calcined with Sulphur, gets through the Pores of the Bowels, or the extremities of the capillary Vessels, into the Mass of Blood itself, 'twill be obvious to demand, why nature should not be able to expel Precipitate Corpuscles at the same passages, at which such compounded Concretions, as those of Sulphur and Metal, can get in.  
4. That some may very speciously pretend; that Experience has been already consulted about the expediency of employing Precipitating Medicines. For not to urge, that the learned and judicious Sennertus seems to intimate, that in some cases the Fibrile Matter may be surmounted by being Precipitated out of the Blood; there is a Professor of Physic, who, though I cannot assent to some of his Principles & Doctrines, has delivered several considerable things about Fermentation and Fevers: & this Professor, by name Kergerus, very solemnly declares 
* Ego ab anno 1649. in hunc diem per integros 14 annos ultra mille Febricitantes sine Ven., sectione, sine Purgatione, sine Sudoriseris, sine Diureticis, sine Alterantibus, sine Corrobarantibus, sine Topicis, & siquid praeterea unico fere Medicamento Praecipitante, Deo inprimis benedicente, curavi: non considerando, an Febris sit Intermittens, an Continua, an Tertiana vel Quartana (quae tamen difficilius curatur quam aliae) nec expectatà Coctione, nec habito respectu sexûs, (ne p●erperis quidem exceptis) aetatis, anni, temporis, vel aliarum Circumstantiarum: & quidem paucorum dierum spatio sine Recidiva vel aliquo notabili incommodo, nisi ubi aeger ipse per Incontinentiam de novo Paroxysmos provocarit. Kergerus de Fermentatione, sect. 3. cap. 3. Pag. mihi 250. , that for fourteen years he cured above a thousand Febricitants without bleeding, purging, or sweeting Medicines, (to which he adds some others sorts) by a single precipitating Remedy. I endeavoured to obtain from Germany an account of the truth of the matter of fact, but did not receive it; only I found that a Physician of this Emperors, does, in a lately published Book, declare himself inclined to believe it to be true.  
I shall much the more easily be induced to think, that great and desirable changes may be wrought in the fluid Parts of the Body by appropriated Precipitants, if that be true which is unanimously taught by a multitude of Physicians, who impute many Diseases to the Putrefaction of the Blood and other Liquors of the Body. For, though certain Reasons oblige me to desire you, not to ask me any Questions about the Remedy I am going to speak of, because I must not yet Answer them; yet I am willing you should on this occasion know Historically, (what probably you will think strange) that there is in rerum natura, a certain Substance, which is so powerful an Enemy to Putrefaction, that, when a few grains or drops of it were put into a considerable quantity of Water, that had been kept till it stunk so strongly and offensively, that, if I had not known what it was, I should have judged the smell to have proceeded from Carrion. This Medicinal Liquor, I say, (for so I may call it,) being diffused by agitation through this abominably stinking Water, (which did not appear turbid to the Eye) in so very small a proportion, Precipitated out of it a very little and light Feculency, which being separated, the rest of the Liquor was quite freed from all stink; nor did I observe that the Feculency itself had any. And, which is very notable, all this was done in a very few minutes, by a Precipitant, whose Taste was not at all either Bitter, or Acid, or Urinous, or Lixivial. All which are Circumstances, that may afford good Hints to speculative and sagacious Inquirers.   

PROPOSITION IU.  
Sometimes the Specific Remedy may work, by peculiarly strengthening, and cherishing the Heart, and by that means, or without it, the Part affected.  
This Observation can scarce be made good, without entering into the Controversy, which for its difficulty and importance, has perplexed divers Modern Physicians; whether there be any Medicines, that have a Sympathy with the Head, Heart, Liver &c and thereby deserve the name of Cephalic, Cordial, or Hepatic etc. Or, to speak somewhat more clearly, whether there be any Medicines, that in a peculiar manner do good to this or that particular internal part of the Body. In this dispute the Affirmative part has been held, but I doubt upon slender grounds of reason, in most of the Physic Schools for several Ages. But in our times, many do not only maintain the Negative, but deride the Opinion they have forsaken. For some of them object in a Triumphant Style, that 'tis ridiculous to fancy such a Sympathy, betwixt a dead Medicine, and the Parts of a living body. As that the Physician may send the Drug, as 'twere of an Errand, to find out one in the dark, among a multitude of others, and do it good offices.  
But notwithstanding this, I think it very possible, that a Medicine may so far respect a particular Part, as, though not to be beneficial to that only, yet to be friendly to that, in a peculiar manner or degree. And this I conceive it may be, upon one or more of the Accounts, that I shall briefly mention.  
And First, when I consider that the stable Parts of the Body, as the Heart, Brain, Liver, Kidneys etc. have each its particular structure, wherein it differs from others, and probably the fluid Parts also, as Blood, Gall, Lympha etc. have their distinct Textures, it seems not improbable to me, that the Corpuscles of a Medicine dissolved in the Stomach, and carried too and fro by the Liquors of the Body, may according to the determinate shape, size, stiffness or flexility, motion, etc. be much more fit to be detained by one part of the Body, as the Brain, the Heart etc. than by the rest; and so, by lodging itself in its Pores, or associating with its Fibres, may supply it with such congruous Particle, as it either does want, or in case it do not, may by their congruity be of advantage to it, by re-establishing or strengthening the Tone of it. And by this Corroboration, the Part may be made able to resist the Hostilities of Morbific Matters, which Physicians usually observe to be wont, by the more Vigorous Parts, to be thrown upon the Weakened or Distempered ones; as is manifest in persons that are much subject to the Gout, in whom oftentimes peccant humours are very apt, upon several occasions, to be thrown off by the nobler Parts, if they be robust, upon the frequently debilitated Joints; on which score the Gout, if it be well managed, is, not irrationally, wont to be thought conducive to long life. And on this occasion I remember, that I formerly knew a Learned Physician, who, though a great Traveller, and, as such, accustomed to great varieties in point of Diet, had such a peculiar indisposition in his Jaw, that though he could moderately drink Wines of several sorts without inconvenience, yet the drinking even of a very little Brandy, would soon after give him the Tooth Ache, of which odd distemper he has sometimes complained to me. But this upon the by: For I must now proceed to illustrate and make probable, what I was saying of the possible fitness of some Medicinal Corpuscles, to associate themselves with those of the Part they are to befriend, by observing what happens in Nutrition, especially in that of sucking-childrens. For in these, one single Aliment, namely Milk, does afford, besides various excrements, such as the grosser faeces of the Guts, and the more fluid ones of the Bladder, the Mouth, the Nose, the pores of the Skin etc. a great number of Corpuscles, that are not only detained, but assimilated by Parts of differing Structures, as the Brain, the Heart, the Bones etc. since otherwise these parts could never be so plentifully nourished by them, as daily to increase in all their Dimensions. And 'tis considerable, that some Parts, which in Babes are Cartilaginous, do in process of time become Boney, which change seems not probably referable to the bare exsiccation, produced by Native heat, increasing with the Persons Age.  
Secondly, the friendly Corpuscles of a Specific Medicine, may not only confirm the good estate of a determinate Part, but, which makes most for our present purpose, they may very much conduce to restore it to a sound condition, when it is distempered, and this they may do upon two or three Accounts.  
For in the first place, those friendly Particles may dispose the Obstructing or other Morbific matter, to be more easily and safely expelled. And this they may do, not barely as they impregnate the whole Mass of Blood, and so may be carried by it, as well to many other Parts, as to that we now consider; but as by their particular Texture, Motion etc. they may in a peculiar manner respect that peculiar Modification, which the Peccant matter may have acquired by being produced or harboured in that determinate part: And that the distinct Structure of an affected Part may much diversify the condition of a Morbific matter, I argue from this, among other things, that Physicians are wont to teach (though I have found the Observation rather to hold commonly than unreservedly) that in those that are subject to this Stone, the Petrescent matter, when it is bred in the Kidneys is reddish or yellowish, but when in the Bladder, white, or of a light grey; and that the Stones that are generated in the first named Parts, are more friable, or at least of a slighter Texture, than those that have their Original in the Bladder, some of which are exceeding hard, especially in comparison of large ones, that I have had out of the Bladder or Gall of lusty Animals. The aptness then that the Corpuscles of the Specific may give the Blood, or other Liquor that conveys them, to act as an appropriated Menstruum, upon the peculiarly modified Matter that obstructs, or otherwise disaffects, the Liver, for Instance, may enable the Remedy, to be very helpful to that Part, by preparing the molesting Matter for expulsion. But it may also succour the same Part in another way.  
For in the second place, it may so work upon the Fibres, and stable portion of the Part affected, as both to enable it, and excite it to free its self from its Enemy. For it may give firmness and strength to the Fibres of the part; it may also contemperate, or correct the immoderate heat, coldness etc. of it: It may mortify the Acid, or other incongruous Particles, that are lodged in the minute Intervals of the stable Parts, end perhaps, even in the Pores of the Fibres: It may appease its Convulsions, Cramps, or other inordinate motions, that hinder it from daily executing its proper Functions; it may relax or widen the Pores, according to the exigency of the work to be performed. And having thus, by means of its friendly Corpuscles, prepared the matter to be expelled, and disposed the part to expel it, it may then also excite the Part to do its office, by irritating the Fibres, or motive Organs, or stimulating them to disburden the Part of the Matter that offends it, as a very small Dose of Cantharideses is known by this way of irritation, to be capable of making the Bladder forcibly, though not safely, discharge itself of Urine, and with that oftentimes expel the Sand and Gravel, or lesser Stones, and the Excrementitious Slime that molested it before.  
And this Instance may be of use to us, in answering that which we formerly noted to be so confidently urged by the Rejecters of Specific Medicines. For here we have a Medicine, though a dangerous one, whose Corpuscles have such a peculiar reference to the Bladder, and Urinary Organs, that though being gotten into the Mass of Blood, they are carried by it indiscriminately to other parts of the Body, as well as to these; yet oftentimes, without manifestly disaffecting the rest, they exceedingly irritate the Bladder, and determine it to the excretion of what it contains. And whereas it may be objected, that the first of the three ways, by which we noted, that a particular Part may be succoured by a Specific, seems contrary to the second; the former tending to corroborate the Part, and the later to relax and irritate it: I answer two things, one, that since the Part may be sometimes in a Natural, and sometimes in a Preternatural state, in the former, a Medicine may deserve the name of Friendly or Appropriated, because it keeps it sound, which is most properly done by strengthening it; and in the later it may merit the Title of a Specific, because it helps to restore it to a state of soundness: And the other, that though to effect this Recovery, 'tis often very expedient, if not necessary, that the Medicine procure an Evacuation of some matter that offends it; yet that Evacuation itself is often much promoted and facilitated, by stengthening the Part so, as to enable it to disburden itself. And the same Medicine may contain, and communicate to the Blood, Corpuscles of such differing shapes, sizes, motions &c. as may at least successively relieve the Part by both these ways; as Physicians observe that Rhubarb does, not only by its finer and Laxative Parts, purge the Liver of Choler, but by its more earthy Astringent Corpuscles strengthen the Tone of that Part: [What farther belongs to the Illustration of this matter will be met with in due place.] On this occasion, 'twill not be impertinent to add, that in some cases, this very Corroboration of a Distempered Part, may restore it to soundness; there being some Diseases of such a nature, that they are, if I may so speak, almost always in Fieri, that is, they could not continue to subsist in the affected Part, unless through its debility, and the consequences of it, it were subject to admit from time to time fresh recruits of peccant matter, to foment the Malady: And in such Distempers, if the Structure and Tone of the Part be reestablished by the operation of the Specific Medicine, it's acquired vigour will enable it to resist the Ingress of new supplies of peccant Matter, and to turn them off into the Mass of Blood, to be thence discharged by the Common Shores of the Body; whilst in the mean time Nature will be able by degrees to subdue, dissipate, or otherwise dispose of, that comparatively little Portion of peccant Matter, that was lodged in the Diseased Part.  
We have not in this Paper given any Example of the peculiar respect of a Specific Medicine to a determinate disaffected Part, that one would think so incredible, as that a heavy stony substance, being in no great quantity taken in at die Mouth, should manifestly contribute to the Cure of a broken Bone in one of the Limbs, as the Leg or the Hands. And yet, not to urge the Testimony of Chemical Writers, I remember a Germane Physician, that was Famous for notable Cures, related Wonders to me of the efficacy of that Stone growing in his Country, which from its effect they call Osteocolla, especially if it be improved by a Skilful Preparation, which he communicated to me, but I had not opportunity to make Trial of it. But without Preparation, the judicious and long experienced Chirurgeon Fabricius Hildanus much commends upon his own Observation a single Dram of it finely Powdered, for the breeding of a Callus to solder together the Parts of a broken Bone: Insomuch that he gives a caution to use it but sparingly in young and vigorous Patients, lest it breed too great a Callus, of which he gives a notable Instance. And the like caution was inculcated to me from Experience, by the lately mentioned German Doctor, because otherwise (he said) his Preparation would in such Persons make the Medicine generate a Callus too soon and too great.   

PROPOSITION V.  
Sometimes a Specific Medicine may do its work, by producing in the Mass of Blood, such a disposition, as may enable Nature, by correcting, expelling or other fit ways, to surmount the morbific Matter, or other Cause of the Disease.  
He that shall heedfully observe the practice of divers Learned and successful modern Physicians, may discern that many, if not most, of their Prescriptions are founded upon a supposition, that a great Part of the Diseases incident to Man's Body, and the recovery from them, depends mainly upon the vitiated Constitution of the Blood, and the restoring it to a sound Condition.  
This advantageous change of the Blood may be effected by a Specific, several ways, (sometimes separately, and sometimes jointly,) and particularly by those that follow.  
1. That which I shall first name, is, by furnishing the Blood with some sort of active Corpuscles, that it needs to ferment it, or excite an useful Commotion or Agitation in it.  
I will not here examine, whether the Mass of Blood, contained within the Vessels of a living man, is capable of a Fermentation properly and strictly so called; and therefore I employed also the word Commotion, which will be easily admitted, if the other be disliked. But in regard Fermentation is a Term that hath generally obtained, I shall not scruple to make use of it, after what I have intimated about it.  
But because many modern Physicians, especially since the Learned Dr. Willis's Notions came to be in request, have looked upon Fevers and Agues to consist in, or be produced by vicious Fermentations of the Blood; I thought fit to add to the Fermentation I am about to speak of, the distinguishing Epithets of useful.  
This premised, it seems not improbable to me, that, as there is oftentimes a vicious Fermentation of the Blood, so there may be sometimes a want of Fermentation, or a certain Sluggishness, upon whose account, either the brisk intestine Agitation, that it ought to have as a warm Fluid of such a Nature as 'tis wont to be in sound Persons, or a due quickness of Circulation through the Heart is wanting: To which Sluggish State of the Blood, if it be obstinate and lasting▪ several Distempers are wont to be consequent. Now, although there be divers Medicines, such as Spices, Brandy, and other Spirituous Liquors distilled from fermented vegetables, that are usually, and oftentimes successfully enough, employed to correct this dull Indisposition of the Blood; Yet in regard they are wont to be very hot, being usually pitched upon by those that prescribe them because they are so; there are several constitutions of Patients, and divers other Circumstances, wherein they are not safe, but may do more harm by their immoderate Heat, than good by their Spirituosity, Besides, that the Sluggishness of the Blood may sometimes proceed from Causes, that this sort of hot Medicines will not correct. I remember, that having for Trials sake moderately dried a parcel of Human Blood, a Vinous Spirit Total inflammable would not, at least in many hours that my Experiment lasted, make a Solution of it, or draw a red Tincture from it, though it were well pulverised: Whereas a well rectified urinous Spirit grew red upon it in less than the tenth, or perhaps the twentieth, part of that Time.  
Now a Specific Medicine may abound in Corpuscles of such a Nature, that without dangerously, or incommodiously heating the Blood, they may disable those Corpuscles, they meet with in the Blood, that make that Liquor viscous, or roapy, or dispirited; and also by enlivening the Mass of Blood, if I may so speak, or putting it into a more brisk and kindly Agitation, may make it fit to throw off those Heterogeneous Parts, or recrements, that were blended with it before, and to permeate, as freely as it ought, the Viscera, whose Capillary Vessels and Pores would formerly scarce, and but very sparingingly, admit it.  
That a Specific may perform this, you will perhaps the more easily allow, if you consider, that the generality of Physicians teach, that there are several Cordials, which they style some of them Temperate, and divers of them Cold, (as in effect 'tis not usually observed, that they considerably, if at all sensibly, heat the Body;) as Pearls, and some of them, being gratefully Acid, should rather cool it, as Wood-sorrel (Alleluja) and Goats-Rue (Galega.) And 'tis very possible, that the Corpuscles, that make the Blood thick, and Sluggish, may not be of a Cold Nature, but of a Hot, and therefore may have their Effects rather befriended than destroyed by divers Hot Remedies: As, if the white of an Egg be by beating reduced to Water, (which is not necessary to the Experiment, but shows it better) if you put to it a certain Proportion of well dephlegmed Spirit of Wine, instead of destroying the viscosity of the Liquor, it will curdle a good part of it, and thereby produce a Body far more remote from Thinness and Fluidity.  
And I remember, I once for Trial sake made a vegetable Liquor, which, from somewhat Sluggish that it was before, did presently by the Addition of a little Spirit of Wine, grow surprisingly viscous, and roapy.  
2. Another way, by which a Specific may befriend the Mass of Blood, is, by imparting to it a dilatation or tenuity that it wants. This Second way is of much affinity to the First, but yet is not the same: Because in that, the thing mainly considered was, the Fermentation or Agitation of the Blood; Whereas this mainly respects the Consistence of it, which is a thing of no mean importance to health. For if the Blood be too thick, as oftentimes it is, it cannot pass so freely and readily, as it ought, through the Capillary Vessels, which thereby come to be by little and little obstructed, and the Circulation inconveniently retarded; Whence 'tis easy to foresee, that divers mischiefs must in time arise. And on the other side, if the Blood be too thin, especially if it be over much agitated too, 'tis apt to make its way out of the Vessels, and produce Hemorrhagies, in case it flow out of the Body, or other bad Effects that usually attend the Extravasation of the Blood. Which Liquor, when it is out of its proper Vessels, in so warm a place as a Living Human Body, is very Subject to Putrefaction, and thereby apt to produce Imposthumes and several mischievous Symptoms.  
Now a Specific Medicine may remedy this faulty Consistence of the Blood, by furnishing it with Corpuscles, fitted by their figure, bulk, motion, etc. to disable those peccant ones that make the Blood gross, or else to cut, or divide the Parts of the Blood itself, and so dispose them to be more fluid: Or else they may produce in it such Pores, as may, as it were invite the subtle Aetherial matter, that abounds in the Atmosphaere, to insinuate itself into the Mass of Blood, and rarify it. And on the other side, when the Blood is too thin, as not only some Diseases, but some Medicines, especially Aloes, are wont to make it; A Specific Remedy may reduce it to a good Consistence, either, by furnishing it with Corpuscles, apt to Combine themselves with the active ones, that did too much Attenuate the Blood; Or, by helping Nature to expel those overbusy Particles, by insensible Transpiration, or some other undisturbing way.  
3: There is yet another way, by which a Specific Remedy may conduce to rectify the State of the Blood And that is, by so working on the Heart, as to make it advantageously regulate the Transmission of that Liquor through it.  
That a Specific Medicine may peculiarly befriend this or that particular Part, and consequently the Heart, is granted by the Generality of Physicians, who are wont to reckon up many Cordials, (of which yet I fear, but few deserve that name.) But, since 'tis elsewhere in this Paper shown, that some Medicines may particularly respect a determinate Part of the Body, and consequently the Heart; One may be allowed to suppose, that the Corpuscles of a Specific may either dissolve some Particles they meet with in the Heart, by which that Noble Viscus is by Irritation, or otherwise disturbed in the Regularity of its Dilatations, and Contractions; Or, so Corroborate the Fibres, or Motive Organs of it, as to dispose it to moderate the Circulation of the Blood that passes through it, in the most advantageous way. And that the Disposition of the Heart, even when men have no sense of it in the Part itself, may be of moment as to health and sickness, will appear credible, if we reflect on two thing. One, that a living Human Body is not a mere Aggregate of Flesh, Bones, etc. But an tightly contrived, and very sensible Engine; Whose Parts are easily set a work by proper, though very Minute, Agents; And may, by their Action upon one another, perform far greater things, than could be expected from the bare Energy of the Agents, that first put them into Motion. The Second, (which supposes the first,) that the Disposition of the Heart, being, though perhaps insensibly, changed, it may produce a notable Alteration in the Motions of the Blood, and its passage through the Heart, in point of quantity, celerity, or both.  
How much this change in the Circulation may in many Cases conduce to sickness or recovery may partly appear by the Effects of vehement or durable passions of the mind. As 'tis observed, that in a deep sorrow, which does in a manner straiten the Passages of the Heart, the Blood being too sparingly dispensed, the enlivening Spirits are not generated plentifully enough; And (besides other bad Effects of this State of the Heart) the Blood is so dispirited, as (in these Parts of Europe) to dispose the Body to the Scurvy, which does either produce or irritate divers other Maladies. We see also, that the Passion of shame does oftentimes suddenly alter the Motion of the Blood, and make it swell the little Vessels that lie under the Cuticula of the Face, and sometimes other Parts; as is very manifest in young Maids, and other Persons of a Delicate Complexion, the white Part of whose Faces in blushing turns Red. The like Effect I have seen produced by a great and sudden Joy. And though Grief, which is the opposite Passion to it, has been usually taken notice of, as a thing that deads' the Appetite to meat; Yet so much does depend upon a well moderated Transmission of the Blood, that it has been observed in divers Persons, and I have known an eminent Instance of it, that great Joy has very much lessened Hunger: Of which Effect Mr. Des Cartes ingeniously attempts to derive the cause, from the varied Dilatation and Motions of the Heart. And it seems not absurd to conceive, that such like Motions may be caused by the Corpuscles of a Specific Medicine; Which by affecting the Fibres of the Heart, after the like manner that Joy is wont to do, may produce in it such friendly Dilatations and Contractions, as are wont to flow from the agreeable Passions. In favour of which conjecture, I shall take notice that a Lady of my acquaintance has complained to me, that the smell of perfumed Gloves is wont to make the Blood fly to her Face, and continue there for a great while, giving it such a colour as if shame, or joy had covered it with blushes. And the like she says she has observed in others of her Sex. But having in another Tract spoken of the power of the Passions of the mind, to alter the state of the Body, by producing changes in the Blood, that is transmitted through the Heart; what has been said may now suffice to make it credible, that a Specific Remedy, by peculiarly befriending the Heart, may contribute much to introduce, or re-establish a healthy Crasis in the Blood. And this being thus rectified, and invigorated itself, may both befriend the Body in general, and conduce to the removal of some particular Diseases, by strengthening, and perhaps too exciting, the particular part, in which the peccant matter resides, to subdue or expel that which it already harbours, and resist any accession of more. And the Blood, being itself well constituted, as well as the stable Parts corroborated, the Specific Medicine that produces these good effects, may be said to cure, tho' perhaps but slowly, divers particular Diseases; such as those elsewhere mentioned in this Paper, which to continue, must be frequently supplied with vicious matter by the Circulating Blood.   

EXPERIMENT VI.  
Sometimes a Specific Remedy may unite its Particles with those of the Peccant matter, and with them constitute a Neutrum quid, that may be easily proscribed, or not necessary to be expelled.  
This I take to be one of the most proper and genuine ways of doing good, that belongs to a Specific Medicine, as such, because in this operation an effect is produced, either without the assistance, or beyond the mere power, of the manifest qualities (as Physicians call them) of the remedy; and the cure or relief the Patient finds, is usually attained without violence, and without tormenting or much disordering him.  
This way of working of a Specific Medicine is of near affinity with one or two of those formerly discoursed of; but yet these ways differ in some things, as may be gathered by the sequel of § this discourse § sometimes when a certain kind of Acid has impregnated the Blood, or lodged itself in some stable part, as the Liver, Spleen, Kidneys, etc. The Corpuscles of a Specific may, without any sensible luctation or conflict, which usually happens when Acids are mortified by Sapid Alkalies, be so qualified, as both to make Coalitions with the small Parts of the Peccant Acid, and with them to constitute little Concretions, which differing from the minute Parts of the Acid, either in Bulk, Figure, Solidity, Stifness, Motion, or in two or more of these; may be quite of another nature, and of a much innocenter, than the Acid was before 'twas so corrected. Of this we may be furnished with a notable Illustration, by what I have elsewhere taken notice of about Aqua Fortis itself; for as corrosive a Menstruum as that is, yet by digesting it, and perhaps, distilling it too, with an equal, or rather double weight of Ardent Spirit, I found the highly Acid Liquor would be so changed, as not to retain any sensible corrosiveness; and exchange its piercing Stink and great Acidity, for a not only inoffensive, but pleasant Scent, and a grateful and positively sweetish Taste. Which brings into my mind the practice of a Precedent of the Famous London College, who (as himself told me) was wont to relieve a Patient of very great Quality in Nephritick Torments, by giving her a good Dose of an inflammable Spirit. (But this upon the by.) I have elsewhere given an account of the effects of Spirit of Wine, upon several other Acid Menstruums, wherewith I mingled and digested it; by which it may appear, that it does not work upon them uniformly, as they are all of them Acids; but differingly enough, according to the Nature and Proportion of the Acid Corpuscles, with which the vinous Spirits are brought to be associated.  
And, to show that this change and contemperation of the Menstruum by the Spirit of Wine, is produced rather by a peculiar fitness of the convening Corpuscles of both, than by the contrariety or hostility, that the vinous Spirit, which some Moderns will have to be an Alcaly, has to the Aqua Fortis as an Acid; I shall add, that pure Spirit of Wine being mixed in a due proportion with Highly rectified Spirit of Urine; which is reckoned by Chemists among volatile Alcalies, and of which a drop or two is so fiery upon the tongue; as to be ready to burn it, or to blister it; this Vinous Spirit I say, will very much take off the caustick penetrancy of the urinous one, and compose with it a Salt much more moderate than the Spirit was, and which being sublimed, or (which is better but harder to be done, 
N. B. ) reduced into a Liquor, affords a mixture of no little use in foam Fevers and other Diseases as a Medicine; and with a small, if skilful alteration, is of great use in divers Chemical Experiments as a Menstruum.  
A few grains of Glass of Antimony made without addition, being taken inwardly, will vehemently both vomit and purge. But tho' Wine, notwithstanding its copious Spirits, will, if it be well impregnated with the Corpuscles of this Glass, work upwards and downwards violently enough; yet of Spirit of Vinegar, that is, of degenerated Wine, be for a competent time digested upon this Glass finely powdered, and, when the Liquor is sufficiently impregnated with the Particles of the Glass, be abstracted from it, there will emerge from the Antimonial and Acetous Corpuscles, a multitude of minute Concretions, of which many grains may be given without ordinarily provoking either Vomits or Stools: Which correction may hint, that 'tis not necessary that all Mortifications usefully made by Medicines, should be of Acids, since here we see, that Acids themselves prove Correctors. And perhaps it may be by some such kind of Combinations, that some Poisons (for I do not think they all work one way, or peculiarly assault the heart) may be subdued. And I have sometimes suspected, that it may as probably be upon this account, as upon any that has been offered, that a man stung with a Scorpion may be cured, by crushing the Animal that stung him upon the hurt, as is prescribed by many Physicians, and as an acquaintance of mine told me, he tried upon himself (as another Virtuoso did on a Soldier) with good success: And when I consider what a multitude and variety of figures may fit the Corpuscles that are endowed with them, to make Coalitions very different from both the component parts; I can scarce think it very improbable, that in a Patient's Body there may be made, between the Corpuscles of the Peccant matter, and those of a Medicine, such useful combinations as may produce resulting Concretions, innocent, if not also beneficial.  
If I had leisure, and thought it fit, I could easily add a great number of instances, about such changes of Colours, Odours, Tastes, and other qualities, as are produced by the coallescence of the small parts of differing Bodies, and discourse of the natural consequent of such Coalitions: but having done that sufficiently in other Papers, it will be here more proper to intimate to you, that when a particle of peccant matter comes to be associated with one of a Specific Medicine, that combination may alter it for the better, not only by changing its bigness and figure, but also by increasing, or lessening its stifness, and its solidity, and giving a new modification to its motion; as a little attention to the natural consequences of the Coalitions of Bodies, may easily induce you to grant.  
And I shall add (as it were ex abundanti) that the small Concretions, made by the union of some Morbific with some Medicinal Corpuscles, may not only become innocent, but sometimes also beneficial, which may be illustrated by what happens by a further preparation, to common sublimate; for though this be a substance so highly corrosive and mischievous, that a few grains of it may suffice to kill a man; yet by making a Coalescence of it with less than its weight of Quicksilver, which is a Body insipid as well as modorous, the Corrosive sublimate will be so altered and tamed, as to be turned into what Chemists call, because 'tis freed from sharpness, Mercurius Dulcis; which if it be skilfully prepared and given, though in the quantity of many grains, is not only for the most part an innocent thing, but a very good Medicine, and that perhaps in more cases than Physicians generally know it to be good in.  
The newly mentioned account may hint to us a probable Argument, to show, that, notwithstanding all the digestions and changes that a Specific Medicine may receive in its way, it may prove a salutary one, when it arrives at the Part it should relieve. For, tho' the Corpuscles of the Medicine should in their way to the Part affected be considerably changed, yet 'tis possible that these altered Corpuscles may, by that very alteration, be made Medicinal; since they may be qualified, (even by those changes) when they arrive at the Part affected, to combine themselves strictly with some Corpuscles, whether Morbific or others, that they find already there; and may with them compose new Concretions that may acquire a new Nature very friendly to the Patient. Something Analogical to this we may observe in Asparagus, which being eaten, afford store of Particles, that mixing with those they meet with in the Kidneys or the Bladder, produce a new Odour, very differing, both from that of mere Urine, and from that of the Plant itself. And so if good Turpentine be taken at the Mouth, 'tis known that arriving at the Kidneys and Bladder, it will mingle its minute Parts with those it meets with there; whence will emerge Corpuscles, that will impregnate the Urine with a very differing Odour, from that which belongs to either of the Liquors, since it oftentimes has a fragrancy somewhat like the smell of Violets.  
Before I conclude this Paper, 'tis like it will be thought fit that I should take notice of a difficulty, that I know maybe objected, if not against the past discourse, yet against the sufficiency of it to answer the design I propose to myself in writing it. For it may be said, that, whereas my Arguments and Explications suppose all along, that the Specific Remedies are taken in at the Mouth; 'tis known that divers of the Asserters of Specificks reckon among them, some that are not by swallowing taken into the Body, but only outwardly applied, or perhaps do but barely touch it; as may be observed in Annulets, Rings, etc. On occasion of this considerable difficulty, I have, if I misremember not, represented divers things in another Tract. But however it may be fit in this place, briefly to say somewhat, by way of Answerto it. We may then take notice, that the confidence with which many Physicians reject, and some of them deride, External Specificks, if I may so call them, seems to be built upon these two things: The One, that the Medicine cannot in part, as 'tis certain it does not in the Mass, get into the Body; and the other, that, in case a Specific should have some part of it subtle enough to gain admittance, that Part must be too small and inconsiderable, to be able to produce in the Body any such notable change, as is necessary to the expulsion of Peccant Humours, and the conquering of a Disease.  
As to the former of these Grounds, I largely enough show in another Paper, 
* The Paper here meant is the Essay of the Porosity of bodies.  that a Man's Skin, tho' it seems an entire continued Body, is really perforated with a great multitude, and perhaps a not inconsiderable variety, of little Cutlets and Inlets, which we call Pores; many of which are visible, even in the Skins of dead Animals, by good Microscopes; and others are manifestly inferred, from the numerous little drops that cover all the Skin, at the first Eruption of Sweat. And that these little Perforations may be Inlets to the finer Particles of Externally applied Medicines, may appear probable by several Phaenomena, such as these. That Water will soak through the Pores of a fine Bladder, and dissolve Salt of Tartar, or even white Sugar, contained in it: That I have prepared a certain Liquor, whose Fumes, tho' not agitated by Heat, would quickly penetrate divers Membrans of dead Animals, and manifestly work on Metalline Bodies wrapped up in them: That 'tis a known thing, that Quicksilver outwardly applied in Ointments, Girdles, etc. will get in at the Pores of the Skin, and invade the Internal Parts of the Body, and stay there longer, and perhaps too operate more, than the Physician desired. And when once the Effluvia of these Externally applied Remedies have gained admittance at the Pores of the Skin, 'tis not very difficult to conceive, how they may proceed further. For underneath the Cuticula or Scarf Skin, and close to it, there are so great a multitude of Capillary Vessels, that you can scarce thrust a small Pin into any Part, but that the point of it will meet and tear some of these little Vessels; as will appear by a small drop of Blood, that will be made to issue out at the new made hole, as small as it is. To which instance, if it were necessary, I could add divers others of the multitude and spreading of the Capillary Vessels, that lie close beneath the Skin, and for the most part carry Blood, tho' some of them may contain other Juices, and discharge their recrements by Sweat, or insensible Transpiration, at the Cutaneous Outlets. Now these Capillary Vessels, as small as they are, having their Cavities immediately continued with those of less slender ones, and by their intervention with those of the greater, which are branches of the greatest of all; the Corpuscles of the Medicine, once got into the Capillary Vessels, may have an easy passage, by means of the Liquors they contain, into these greater branches of the principal Veins, and so, by virtue of the Circulation, come to be quickly mingled with the Mass of Blood, and by it may be easily conveyed to all the Parts of the Body: As it has been divers times observed, 
* See this at large proved by the Learned Diemerbro●●k de Peste, lib. 2. cap. 11. in Annotat.  that Arsenical Annulets worn upon the Breast, did, tho' they scarce touched the Skin, produce threatening Distempers in the Heart, and several mischievous Symptoms in other Parts of the Body. And I find it recorded in good Authors, that Cantharideses, even when but held in the Hand, nay sometimes, tho' but carried in one's Pocket, transmitted their hurtful Effluvia as far as the Bladder, and excited great Pain and other bad Symptoms there.  
As for the second Ground on which Specific Remedies are rejected, that, tho' they could get entrance into the Body, yet it would be but by their Effluvia; and these are no way likely to prove efficacious enough, to have any considerable effect upon an Internal Disease: To remove this difficulty, I shall briefly observe;  
1. That the number of the Corpuscles, that may pass from the outward Medicine into the Body, may be far greater, and therefore make them more considerable, than most men are apt to think. This may be rendered probable, by the great multitudes of Odorous, and consequently Sensible, Expirations, that are continually emitted for a very long time together, by Ambergris, Musk, Civet, and much more by skilfully made Compositions of them. And that also subtle Effluvia, even without the assistance of Heat, may quickly penetrate Membrans so plentifully, as to act on stable Bodies contained in them, I have intimated a little above, and have experimentally made appear to divers curious men.  
2. That the Corpuscles of a Medicine may retain their Nature, and not lose their power of operating, notwithstanding their being, as it were, strained through the Skin; as may be argued from the Mercury, that we not long since mentioned to have been found in the form of Quicksilver, in the Bodies of some men, that had been too frequently anonited with Mercury, mixed up with unctuous things into an Ointment: By which the Patient may be as long and violently Salivated, as if he had swallowed a Bolus or Pills with Mercury.  
And so I have divers times observed, as I doubt not but others have oftener done, that a little Opium, mixed up with other Ingredients for Plasters, did by outward application take off the Acute Pains of inward Parts, tho' moderately remote from the Plaster.  
3. And that the Corpuscles of a Specific may on divers occasions act more powerfully, by getting in at the Pores of the Skin, than if the Remedy that afforded them had been taken in at the Mouth: Because if it had, the Particles might be divided, or perhaps on other accounts, (as by dilution, composition with those of the Chyle, etc.) much altered, by the Ferment or the Menstruum of the Stomach, by their Filtration through the Guts, and their long and winding passage through them and the Lymphiducts, before they arrive at the Heart, to be mingled with the Blood; whereas the Corpuscles of the External Specific, presently after they are passed the Skin, get into the Capillary Vessels of the Blood that lie under it, and by their means are speedily mixed with the Circulating Mass of that Liquor, and so escape the formerly mentioned alterations, that other Medicines are subject to before they are admitted into the Mass of Blood. By which it may appear, that those Physicians are much mistaken, that think a Topical Medicine can at best relieve but the Part 'tis applied to, because its Corpuscles cannot be supposed to reach beyond that Part of the Body, that lies very near the Medicine they issue from. But, tho' this reasoning might be excusable enough, if not allowable, before the Circulation of the Blood was discovered, yet, now 'tis known how great an intercourse that Liquor maintains between distant Parts of the Body, the Argument is not seasonable.  
And on this occasion, I shall add an advertisement, that I remember not I have met with in Authors; which is, that Body's outwardly applied may prove Specificks for some Diseases or Distempers, that one would not think them very good for, by the bare knowledge of their effects when taken in at the mouth. Thus Camphire swallowed, is, in the dose of a very few grains, a great heater of the Blood, and is in some Country's, perhaps not altogether without reason, extolled by Physicians in some kinds of ill conditioned Fevers: but outwardly it is applied to take off those Rednesses of the Face, that are thought to proceed from Heat of Blood; and 'tis used in Ointments against Burns. So Spirit of Wine, that is so hot when drunk, is a very good remedy to take out the fire, as they speak, in Burns, especially if the Part be early moistend with it. Bread, that is counted so moderate and well tempered and Aliment, when eaten, if it be chewed and outwardly applied, hath considerable virtues in several external affections. And I know an ancient and experienced Physician, that uses to purge. Children, that will not easily be brought to swallow Medicines, by applying something to their Navels, that does not offend them by Colour, Smell, or Griping: And this himself more than once confessed to me, is but an ordinary Aliment, that most men, and I among others, have frequently taken unprepared, which he freely named to me, but which I have not yet had opportunity to make Trial of.  
That what we have been saying about the possible efficacy of external Specificks, may appear the less improbable, 'twill be fit to take notice of soms observations, that comport very well with our Doctrine. And though the Instances to be brought will not be all of them of remedies that deserve the name of Specificks; yet, besides that some of them may perhaps have a Title to it, they will all conduce to show, that Simples or Drugs externally applied, may have considerable operations against Internal Distempers of the Body.  
'Twere easy for me to mention a great many external Specificks out of Physicians Books. But I purposely forbear it, because to speak freely, I suspect that most of those Remedies, though greatly extolled, have been but little examined, by the deliverers of them. And it may suffice for my present purpose to allege a few Instances that have been recommended to me, either by my own experience, or that of some Friends. Only there is one observation that is so solemnly and expressly delivered by Galen, upon his own knowledge, & so well backed, by other eminent Physicians, that I shall let it lead the way. This memorable story, that is related by Galen, is of a Peony Root, which having been worn as ah Apensum about a Boy, that had been Epileptic for divers months, kept him from his Disease as long as he wore it about him; but when by an accident he ceased to do so, the Disease invaded him again, and yet by applying the Remedy again, he was the second time freed from it, which Galen observing, did for curiosity make the Root be laid aside, but finding the Fits to return, he employed it again with the former success.  
I lived in the same house with a learned and Judicious Person, that was subject to be Paralytic, who being frequently tortured by violent Cramps, was ordinarily and speedily relieved by wearing or handling the Tooth of a true Hippopotamus or River-Horse. And he affirmed to me, that upon leaving off, the use of it, for any considerable time, either out of curiosity, or to accommodate some Friend, the Fits would return with violence upon him. I remember also, that having myself been for some years frequently subject to Cramps, and complaining of it to a Physician that had been a Traveller into cold Country's, he told me, that he had brought home with him some Rings made of the true Elks hoof, from a place where these Animals are usually employed, and that with these he had cured many of the Cramp, and therewithal presented me one to make trial of, which I the more willingly accepted, because he confessed to me, that divers Rings that were sold for such as his, and looked like them, were either counterfeit or of no efficacy. And tho' I did not find that if the Cramp seized me in the calf of the Leg, the Ring would much relieve me, yet when the Fits were but moderate, and in other Parts, especially the hands, I found myself eased, so often, and so soon, that I was at first surprised at it, and used to have the remedy laid every night by my Bedside, to have it ready when occasion should require. And that which I thought some what strange, was, that several times, when the Cramp seized my Foot or my Toes, the Pain was quickly removed, tho' I applied the Ring but to my Finger: which made me much regret the loss of it.  
An eminent Physician speaking to me one day of a Patient of his, that was subject to a nocturnal Incontinentia Urinae, that was very inconvenient as well as shameful; I told him of an Empyrical Remedy, which is mentioned in another Paper, whose success I neither would warrant, nor did altogether despair of, and which at least seemed safe, tho' it should not prove effectual. This was only a simple substance, (belonging to the Animal Kingdom) that was to be worn in a sine Sarsanet Bag between the Shift and the Skin, for which a good while after the Physician gave me great thanks, telling me, that he was surprised at the effect of it, and that he observed that when the Patient had worn it so long, that probably the virtue began to decay, that is in my sense, that the Effluvia were almost spent, the Patient found need to take a fresh Remedy, to continue the benefit she had found by the former.  
I do not affirm or expect, that the three fornam'd Appensa, nor the other Remedy's I am about to mention, will always succeed. And I think, one may assign some not improbable reasons of the want of uniformity in their effects. But for my present argument, it suffices that they do sometimes succeed, since that is enough to show it possible, that outward Medicines may operate upon inward Distempers.  
Having one day given a visit to one of the skilfullest and candidest Physicians of the Famous College of London, I observed in his Chamber, a fine new fashioned Clock; and having taken notice of it to him, as a thing I had not seen there before; he desired me not to think, he was rich and vain enough to purchase, so dear a rarity; but that it belonged to a Courtier whom he named to me, of whose Daughter he told me this story. This young Lady had a great Tumour in her Neck or Throat, which being apprehended to be of a Scrofulous Nature, made her Father fear it would oblige him to increase her Portion more than his Estate could conveniently bear. Wherefore at length he addressed himself to my Relator, who judging the case to be difficult, and being unwilling to torment the Lady with a long course of Physic, told the Courteour, that if he could animate her to suffer a Remedy he would propose, and would assist him to procure it, he hoped to remove this Tumour without weakening her, or putting her to pain. Soon after, all Parties being agreed, and the desired conveniency procured, the Patient was brought into a Room, where there was yet in Bed the Body of a man that had died of a lingering Disease. This man's Hand the Doctor took, and laid it upon his Patient's Tumour, keeping it there till she either complained or confessed that she felt the coldness of it penetrate to the innermost Parts of her Tumour. This application was afterwards repeated more than once, whilst the Body continued without smelling: And by this course the Tumour was dispelled, and the Patient so relieved, that her Father, by way of gratitude, knowing how much the Physician was a lover of curiosities, made him a present of that Clock.  
The Learned Doctor ascribed this odd Remedy to Helmont, who is indeed to be thanked for having mentioned and recommended a Medicine, that was unlikely to be good, besides that it was not in use. But the knowledge of it seems to me to have been for the main very much ancienter than our Age: since there is mention made of one very like it by so Ancient an Author as Pliny; tho' since his time till helmont's it hath been generally forgotten or disbelieved, save that one Physician (Franciscus Ulmus) who, tho' no ill Observer, has not had the Fortune to be Famous, takes notice of a case very like that of our Courtier's Daughter, affirming, that by that one Remedy, after others had been fruitlessly employed, he knew a Noble Virgin to have been perfectly cured.  
I was one Summer, to my great surprise obnoxious to frequent Bleedings at the Nose; for which I sometimes used one Remedy, and sometimes another, for the most part with good, but not still with quick success. But falling once unexpectedly into a Fit, whose violence somewhat alarmed me, I resolved to try an unusual Remedy: And having easily obtained of my Sister, in whose house this Accident happened, some true Moss of a dead Man's Scull, which had been sent her, by a great Person, for a present out of Ireland, in which Country, I found it less rare and more esteemed than elsewhere: I was going to employ it after the usual manner, which is to put it up into the Patient's Nostrils, but before I did it, I had the curiosity to try, notwithstanding the briskness of my Haemorrhagy, whether the Medicine would produce its effect by being only held in my Hand, and therefore covering a piece of the Moss with my Fist, that the warmth might a little actuate the Medicine, I found, to the wonder of the bystanders, that the Blood speedily stopped, nor thanks be to God have I been troubled with a Haemorrhagy for some years from that very time. But this is far less strange than what was affirmed to have happened to one of the Eminentest Members of the Royal Society. This Learned Gentleman, who was of a very Sanguine Complexion, found himself much affected by the use of the Moss of a human Scull, [pieces of which I have seen sticking to the Roots of the Vegetable, when it was genuine] which had so strange an operation upon him, that sometimes when he was let Blood, if for curiosities sake he held a quantity of this Moss in his Hand, the Efflux of the Blood would cease, till he laid it by again; which was not only solemnly averred to me by himself, but confirmed to me by his Ingenious Physician, with both whom I had a particular Acquaintance; which otherwise I should have thought scarce credible, unless imagination, a faculty very strong in that Gentleman, contributed to the strange effect of the Remedy.  
The hitherto mentioned External Specificks are afforded by Vegetables and Animals, which being Bodies of a slighter Texture, may be supposed to have their Parts more Effluviable: And therefore I shall now add two or three examples afforded by the Mineral Kingdom, which consisting of Bodies that never were living, and which are for the most part very close and compact, are generally thought to have their Parts indisposed to emit Effluvia.  
I knew a Person of great Learning, and by Profession a Physician, who enjoyed a Health good enough, save that usually after a few hours sleep, he waked in the Night with great Terrors, followed for a long time with such violent Palpitations of the Heart, as were very troublesome, and sometimes frightful to him. To remove this Distemper, he tried all that his Art suggested to him, but without success, Whereupon he complained of it to several of his Acquaintance; and mentioning it one day among a Company of Merchants, whereof some frequented very remote Country's; one of them told him, he would easily relieve him, by a Remedy that had been found efficacious both upon himself and others. This he told him was, to take divers flat and smooth Cornelian Stones, such as they bring from the East-Indies, to cut Rings out of, and to sow eight or ten of them to a piece of Scarlet or Flannel, to be hung about his Neck, so as that the Stones may immediately touch the Skin over against the Heart, and the Mouth of the Stomach. This Remedy the Physician procured, and in no long time, found the great benefit of it, insomuch that he thought he might now securely leave off the use of these Stones, which he did once or twice out of curiosity, as well as for his ease, but finding the Distemper to return each time, within very few Weeks after he had laid aside his Remedy, he resolved to keep it always on, as he had long successfully done, when he told me the story. And to convince me, presented me with some of the Cornelians, that he had, for fear of wanting them, procured in greater number than he needed at once. But since I have not yet had occasion to make trial of them, I shall not conclude that the Remedy will always succeed, but only (which is enough for my present purpose) that 'tis at lest possible that such an External Remedy may be very effectual.  
I afterwards thought (which I here note, to add to the probability of what I have been relating) that pos; sibly those that first made use of the forementioned Remedy, may have had a hint from what Galen saith of the Jasper: Which Stone we observe to be various in point of Colour, and I have seen in the green mixtures of Red almost as deep as that of Cornelians. Of this Stone Galen relates that some made Rings, in which were graven a Dragon having Beams issuing from him, and commended it as very friendly to the Stomach, being applied to the Mouth of it. And tho' he omitted (and found he safely might do it) the Sculpture, he yet approves the Stones upon his own frequent experience, applying them almost as our Merchant did; 
Galen de Simp. Med. facultatib. Lib. ●ono. Tit. de Lapid.  Sane hujus (says he) ego quo lapidis abunde feci periculum Torquem enim ex hujusmodi lapillis confectum collo suspendi ita ut lapides os ventriculi contingerent apparebant, autem nihilominus prodesse etiamsi sculpturam non haberent, etc.  
I have lately mentioned the efficacy of a Cramp Ring upon some Parts of the Genus Nervosum. But some will perhaps think it more considerable, if a Stone Ring worn on the Finger shall be able to work upon the Mass of Blood, and particularly that depraved Portion of it, that Nature relegates to such distant Parts as the Hemorrhoidal Veins. And yet the experienced Monardes', having desribed the Bloodstone that is brought from New- Spain, and represented it as a Jasper, not only commends it against Hemorrhages, being applied to the Bleeding Part, 
Nic. Monard Simpl. Med. Hist. cap. 36. p. 329.  but adds the following words, which declare that he speaks upon experience, Vidimus nonnullos Haemorrhoidum Fluxu afflictos Remedium sensisse, Annulos ex hoc Lapide confectos in Digito continue gestando: nec non & Menstruum Fluxum sisti.  
I know you will expect here, that I should not on this occasion pretermit the Lapis Nephriticus; of which sort of Stones, tho' many have been found ineffectual against the Disease that gives them their name, and tho' it be scarce possible to choose those few that are good, without having particularly and actually tried them; yet that some of them are of great virtue, we have the Testimony of the inquisitive and judicious Boetius, and that other Learned Writer about Gems Johannes de Laet, whose Praises are confirmed by the Historical Testimonies of Monardes' and others. But none that I have met speaks more home to our purpose than a considerable Merchant of Leipsick, whose rare Observations are recorded by a man of very great reading the Learned 
* Untzer. de Nephrit. Lib. 1. cap. 24.  Untzerus, to whom I refer you, contenting myself to mention in this place two of the ten Remarks he sets down, the first, that the Merchant affirmed to our Author, that by wearing this Stone for some days, the calculous matter was so powerfully proscribed, that a multitude of small grains of Sand were expelled, even at the corners of his Eyes. The like effect, to which he often observed of that Remedy in divers other Persons. The second, that by wearing the same Stone, his Wife who was troubled with a great Catarrh found it considerably Cathartick, insomuch that the first day she was thereby purged fourteen or fifteen times, the next nine or ten times, and afterwards had her Body kept very open. And he adds, that he found also this Stone to operate like a Purge, tho' not so strongly upon himself.  
But enough, if not more than enough, of the virtues of Periapta and Appensa especially, since more instances of them may be met with in some other Papers: And even without them, or at least with them, those particulars I come from mentioning, may furnish a sufficient Answer to the Objection that has occasioned them.   

The Conclusion.  
And now, Sir, you have what the consideration of the Nature of the things I treat of suggested to me, about the Principal ways, by which I conceive Specific Medicines may cure Diseases, or at least much lessen them. I said the Principal ways, because I am far from denying, that there may be many others, that must not here be mentioned, lest I should too much transgress the limits that become an Epistle; especially, this being already far more prolix than I at first intended; though I purposely omitted the Authorities and Arguments of divers Physicians and Chemists, that maintain that there are Specific Medicines, bccause they proceed upon Principles, (such as substantial Forms, real Qualities, Ideas, or Chaoses and the like,) which I could not fairly employ, because I do not admit them. But though I forbore to lengthen my discourse, by improper, and I hope needless Transcriptions out of others; yet 'tis long enough to prompt me, now at the close of it to remind you of two or three things that I declared at the beginning.  
As First, that I did not pretend that a Specific Medicine, or Nature by a Specific, does commonly effect the cure by one of the particular ways that I proposed, exclusively to the rest; since I rather think that oftentimes two, and sometimes more, concur to the effect. Secondly, that I proposed to myself, to explicate the ways of working of Specific Remedies, only in general. And Thirdly, that I did not assert, that the ways I pitched upon were the true and genuine ones, by which the Medicine does act, but only propounded them, as ways by which it may act: So that without being Dogmatical, I offer you my Explications, but as possible, and perhaps not improbable; and that may suffice for the occasion and scope of this Letter; in which I presume, you remember I aimed but at showing you, that the operations of Specific Medicines are not irreconcilable to the Principles of the Corpuscular Philosophy: Which I hope you will without reluctancy grant, if, by my good Fortune, the difficulties that made you hesitate, seem to you to be lessened by so barren an intellect as mine, discoursing of an abftruce subject, which belongs to a procession that I am not of. Upon which account it may be justly presumed, that you, who have so much more sagacity, and are so much more concerned than I in the subject I have been treating of; and who being a professed Physician, have much more opportunity to discover the various courses that Nature does or may take in curing Diseases; will be able to give yourself far more satisfaction, than you could hope to receive from me, who have therefore proposed to you my conjectures very diffidently, tho' I am very poisitive in asserting myself to be  
SIR, Your most, etc. ROBERT boil.     


THE ADVANTAGES Of the Use of SIMPLE MEDICINES.  
Proposed by way of INVITATION To it.  
By the Honourable ROBERT BOLE Fellow of the Royal Society.   

AN INVITATION To the Use of Simple Medicines.  
To the very Learned Dr. F.  

§I.  
SIR,  
Since SPECIFIC MEDICINES, to deserve that name, must be very Efficacious; and yet are for the most part either simple or very little compounded, what has been said about them in the foregoing Tract concerning Specificks may afford me a not improper rise to invite you, and thereby others of your Profession, on whom your Authority and Example may justly have much influence, to seek after and Employ, more than they are wont to do, such Remedies as are either simple, or, when there happens a necessity to compound, are made up of no more Ingredients than are absolutely requisite to answer the Indications, and the Physicians Scope.  
This sort of simple, or but lightly Compounded, Remedies, I am induced to prefer before those pompous compositions, wherein men seem to have hoped to surmount diseases by the multitude of the Ingredients, upon the following Reasons. In all which I desire the advantages ascribed to simple Medicines, above others may be understood, not in an absolute and indefinite sense, but, as they speak caeteris paribus, which I here give you notice of once for all  
And the first advantage that I shall mention, is, That it is much less difficult, to foresee the operation of a simple, than of a very compounded Medicine. So that Physicians may proceed more securely, in employing the former than the latter sort of Remedies. And indeed, if I do not greatly mistake, we often presume too much of our own Abilities when we believe that we know before hand, what the Qualities and Effects of a Mixture of many Ingredients of differing Natures, will be: Since many Bodies, by Composition, and the change of Texture consequent thereupon, do receive great and unexpected Alterations in their Qualities. Several manifest Instances of this Truth may be met with in our History of Colours; In divers of whose Experiments, the Colour produced upon the Mixture of Bodies, is quite different from that of any of the Ingredients. As, when a blue Solution of Copper made in Spirit of Urine, does with Syrup of Violets, which is also blue, produce a fair Green. And even since I began to write this Section, a Trial purposely made has afforded me a new Instance of the same import.  
For having put together some Tincture of Iron, made with good Spirit of Vinegar, and a Volatile Tincture of Sulphur, (which I elsewhere show how to make) from a Confusion of these two very red Liquors, there emerged in a trice, a very dark and almost Inky Mixture, that retained nothing at all of Redness.  
The like notable changes I have several times produced by Mixtures, in divers other Qualities of Bodies than their Colours, as in their Odours, Tastes, etc. And why such Alterations may not be also effected by Composition, in some of the Medicinal Qualities of Bodies, I do not yet see. Quicksilver itself inwardly taken, does usually cause, either no manifest evacuation, or one that is made at the mouth: But if it be dissolved in Spirit of Niter, and Precipitated with Sea-Salt, this white Precipitate being edulcorated, if it be warily given in a just Dose, doth (as far as I can yet learn) seldom fail of working, and yet seldomer work by Salivation, but by Siege. On the other side Glass of Antimony (made per se) whereof a very few Grains given in substance, are wont to work violently upwards and downwards, being dissolved in Spirit of Vinegar, (which is not easily and quickly done) will not usually either Vomit or Purge, though the Menstruum be drawn from it, and though it be given in a larger Doses, than that of the uncompounded Glass.  
And though if Crude Antimony be fluxed with Niter and Tartar, as in the ordinary way of making Crocus Metallorum, there is produced, as is vulgarly known, a Medicine so Emetic and Cathartick, that an Ounce or less of the Wine wherein it has been infused, without sensibly losing its weight, is wont to work strongly enough both upwards and downwards: Yet I have known some that would without scruple, take several Grains of Crude Antimony in substance, and one particularly that continued the use of it long, without being vomited or purged by it. And Trials purposely made have informed me, that if, instead of Salt-Peter and Tartar, Antimony be prepared with well dried Sea-Salt, and a little Salt of Tartar, though both, these amount not to above half the weight of the Niter and Tartar vulgarly used, yet the Antimony well fluxed with these (for about an hour) is thereby so altered and corrected, that it affords an useful Medicine, of which one may give from 12 or 15 Grains to half a Dram, or more in substance, without ordinarily working, either by Vomit or Siege, but usually by Sweat, and sometimes by Urine. Whence we may gather, that Antimony may be either made a more dangerous, or a more friendly Medicine, than of itself it is, according to the Ingredients 'tis associated with, though these be in themselves Innocent, and perhaps of kin to one another. And even Chemists, as well as other prescribers of Remedies, may be found, though less frequently, to add to a Simple, such things as rather deprave, than improve it. As one of their great Patrons (a happy Practitioner) complains, that Flower of Sulphur, by being sublimed, (as by many it is) from Calcined Vitriol, and one or two other things, under pretence of purifying and subtillizing it, does really acquire a hurtful Corrosiveness. And if I had here the Leisure, Instances enough might be brought to show, that Chemists sometimes mistakingly produce by their additions to a Medicine, other Qualities, if not also worse, than they designed or expected.   

§ II.  
ANother Advantage of Simpler Medicines, is, that caeteris paribus, they are more safe than compounded ones, especially if the Patients be valetudinary persons. 'Tis too much the custom, both of many Herbarists, and several other Writers on the Materia Medica, to give us rather Encomiums than impartial Accounts of the Simples they treat of; enumerating and magnifying all the virtues they have, and sometimes more than they have, without taking notice of their ill Qualities, upon whose account nevertheless they may be inconvenient, if not hurtful and dangerous, to some Constitutions, and in divers Cases. We know that divers Perfumes, as Musk and Amber, though very grateful and refreshing to most men's Spirits, are yet very hurtful to many Women, and especially to those that are Hysterical. And I have known the smell of Musk very much disaffect an eminent Person, though otherwise of a robust Constitution. I have also known several Persons, not all of them of the same Sex, very much offended by the smell of Roses, which yet is very moderate, as well as to most Persons, whether Men or Women, very grateful. I know a very great Person to whom Honey, whether inwardly taken, or outwardly applied, is almost as hurtful as Poison, having several times produced strange and frightful Symptoms, even when the Patient knew not that any Honey had been employed, and consequently could not be thus oddly distempered by the force of Imagination. I think I have elsewhere taken notice of the harm, that both I and others, subject to Diseases of the Eyes, have received, even by the moderate use of Parsley.  
On this occasion I shall add what occurred to me long after I had dictated what I said of Parsley, that Wormwood, though for many uses, an excellent Plant, has been found by many so apt to disaffect the head, and so unfriendly to the Eyes, that I have for some years forborn it myself for fear of the headache, and forewarned others of it that are subject to weak Eyes. But I know a very Learned Man, whose Elegant Pen has made him deservedly be taken notice of by many, who, though he have naturally very good Eyes, found upon an Obstinate Trial, that his Curiosity seduced him to make of the plentiful use of Worm-wood-Wine and Beer, that within less than three Weeks, his sight was by degrees brought to be so weak, that he could not read a Gazet without Spectacles; but by totally leaving off Wormwood, he quickly recovered the vigour of his sight, without the use of any of the helps that his profession, which is Physic, would have plentifully suggested to him. this Relation I had from himself soon after the thing happened, on occasion of what I told him about Parsley, etc.  
And to speak more generally, I doubt not, but if Men were not so prepossessed with the Praises that Authors give to Simples, that they overlook the Inconveniencies they may on divers occasions produce, we should find in many Medicines bad Qualities, that are not yet taken notice of. And I have more than once hit, but too well, in the Prognostics I made of the Hurt, some Patients would receive by the use of applauded Medicines, prescribe them, even by considerable and Learned Men, when upon their Authority my warnings were neglected, and the use of the Medicines unhappily persisted in. I remember I once saw in the hands of a learned and curious Traveller into the Eastern Parts of the World, an Arabic Manuscript about the Materia Mèdica, which made me regret the loss of the most part of the little skill I once had in that Language. For besides that it was written in a delicate hand, and the Letters in fit Places, curiously adorned with Gold and Azure, the Method seemed to be more accurate than any thing I had seen on that Subject. And that which pleased me not a little, was, that the Author had been so wary, that after the columns wherein he taught, besides many other things, the Virtues, Doses, etc. of every Drug he treated of, he had a distinct column for the bad Qualities of it, and the constitutions and Diseases wherein the use of it may be dangerous or inconvenient. I think it therefore not unreasonable to suspect, that, where a great many Ingredients are blended into one Medicine, one or other of them may have other operations, besides that designed by the Physician; it may awaken some sleeping Ferment, and, if not produce a new Distemper, may excite and actuate some other hostile matter, that lay quiet in the Body before, and perhaps would have been little by little subdued by nature, if it had not been unseasonably roused and assisted by some Ingredient, that perhaps was needlessly put into the Medicine. I have had so many unwelcome Proofs of this in myself, that it engages me to be the more careful to caution others against the like Inconvenience.   

§ III  
ANother benefit accrueing from the use of Simpler Medecines, is, that thereby the Patient may, without burdening his Stomach, or nauseating the Remedy, take a larger Dose of the Medicine, or of that Ingredient of it wherein the virtue chiefly resides. For, whereas Physicians are obliged to stint themselves in the Dose of the Medicine, for fear of disgusting the Patient, or oppressing his Stomach; when there are many things heaped together in a moderate Dose of one compounded Medicine, these Ingredients that are either superfluous, or at least are less efficacious, must necessarily take up a considerable part of that determinate Dose, and consequently leave much the less of the more appropriated or useful Ingredients.  
To say, that all the Ingredients that are thrust into a great composition, are proper and conduce unto the same purpose, I doubt is not always true. And however is not a sufficient Answer, since it does not avoid the Inconvenience I have been objecting.  
If a Baker, being to make the best Bread he can, especially for a Person of a weak Stomach, should to Wheaten Flower add the Meal of Rye, of Barley, and of Oats; tho' all these Ingredients be good and nourishing, and each of them is by many used to make Bread, yet none will take him for a skilful Baker, and few would prefer this compounded Bread, to that more simple one made of Wheat alone. And so to make good Gunpowder a skilful man would not to Salt-Peter, Brimstone, and Charcoal add Wax, Rosin, and Camphire, though these be very inflammable Substances as well as Sulphur. And thus if one would make an Aqua Vitae, whereof but one small cup were to be given for the quick recovery of fainting Persons, he would not with Spirit of Wine, or good Brandy, mix Mead or Cider, and strong Bear or Ale, tho' each of these be itself a Spirituous Liquor.  
Gum Arabic (whereof I prefer that which is transparent and colourless) is prescribed in several compositions, as a Drug proper to mitigate the sharpness of Urine. But by the quantity of the other Ingredients that 'tis mixed and clogged with, no more than a small proportion of it usually comes to be given in one Dose. But when I have had the Curiosity, leaving out all the other things, to give about a dram, or perhaps more of it at one time, reduced by long Pounding (for the best is very tough) to fine Powder, in a large draught of small Ale or Beer, or some other convenient Vehicle, I found very considerable Effects of it. And I remember that a Gentleman of great note, coming to bid me farewel, because of a long and troublesome Journey, he was taking to Mineral Waters, which he intended to drink for many weeks, to ease him of a very painful sharpness of Urine; I that knew it was not venereal nor from the Stone of the Bladder (for when those Causes of the Strangury, the Medicine is not near so powerful) I desired him, before he went to make use of this Powder, once, or (if there should be need) twice a day. Which when he had done, it so relieved, him that he thought himself quite cured, and forbore his intended Journey not only that Year, but the next. For the Chincough, as they call it in Children, whose odd Symptoms do usually fright the Parents and Attendants, and oftentimes frustrate the Endeavours of Physicians, skilful in curing other Coughs, I have not known any magisterial composition so effectual, as the simple Juice of Pulegium (by many called pennyroyal) sweetened a little with SugarCandy, and given long enough from time to time, in the quantity of a Child's Spoonful. (This Plant may be also made to afford a Syrup, that will keep, and is useful in Coughs, but which I doubt, is not so efficacious as the Simple Juice.) There are many and obvious experiments of the great efficay of so simple a Remedy as Ass' Milk; (which yet in some cases, I think inferior to Goat's Milk,) if it be given in a sufficient quantity, and for a competent time, there are also many Instances of dangerous and stubborn Diseases, that have been cured even by Common Cow's Milk, when it has been very plentifully taken, and for a long continuance of time, and perhaps it is no less remarkable, that in a far less time now and then, not extending to very many days, Fluxes, as Dyarrhaeas, and though more seldom even Dysenterical ones, are happily and easily cured, as I have sometimes known by the bare use of so slight a Remedy as Milk, wherein, whilst it is gently boiling, an equal quantity of fair Water is little by little put, till at last there remains but as much Liquor as the Milk alone amounted to at first. This simple Alimentous Medicine being liberally taken (for it should be used instead of all other Drinks whilst the Disease continues) has been very frequently found to cure Fluxes, not all of one sort, in Ireland itself, where that kind of Disease is Endemical. And, though I have formerly in another Paper recommended the use of Paronychia foliis rutaceis, against that sad and stubborn Disease the Kings-Evil, yet I presume you will allow me, by the mention of a Trial that was since made with it, to give a notable Confirmation of the Utility of giving an Alterative Simple, if need require, in considerable quantity. A Physician that I knew, was sent for to a Scrofulous Patient, in whose Throat there was a Tumour, so big and so unluckily seated, that much compressing the Asophagus it rendered Deglutition exceeding difficult: So that being likewise so hard and stubborn, that though the Physician was also a famous Chirurgeon, he could neither discuss it, or bring it to Suppuration; The Patient, though rich, was in imminent danger of being starved. In this Straight the Physician remembering the Character I had given of Paronychia, or Whitlom Grass, sent about the Country to to get all that could be procured: And at first gave a little of it in form of Infusion, in such liquid Aliments as the Patient was able, with much ado, little by little to get down. And having by this means, after some time, made the Deglutition less difficult, he gave the Remedy more and more plentifully, to imbue the whole mass of Blood and Juices of the Body with the Virtue of the Herb, whereby the Tumour was at length resolved, and the Patient secured, so much to the Physicians Reputation as well as Profit, that, as he said, he thought Gratitude obliged him to give me a Circumstantial Account of his Success; as he very civilly did in a long Letter whereof I have given you the Substance.  
And though I might here entertain you with the Virtues of some other Simple Remedies, plentifully given, yet for brevity sake I shall rather observe in general, That I doubt not but several Simple Medicines (I speak of alterative not evacuating ones, would be found far more effectual than they are commonly thought, if they were given in a much larger Dose, and continued for a competent time. And probably so many Physicians (especially of the Old School,) would not be so forward to reject either Specific or simple Remedies, as having found some of them not to answer Expectation; if they would allow them as fair a Trial, as they give to their own Prescriptions, such as the Chalybeats of the Shops, the Spa, or Tunbridge Waters, the Decoctions of Guajacum, etc. which they often give with divers intermediate helps for a Month or six Weeks, and sometimes for two Months together, without expecting that in a few weeks, much less in a very few days, they should perform the cure.   

§ IV.  
THE Fourth thing that may recommend the use of Simple Medicines, is, That caeteris paribus they are more easy to be procured then Compounded ones. This Assertion needs little proof. And where several Simples are required, one or more of them may oftentimes be difficult to be got; and all of them will still be troublesome to be fetched, and to be made up into a Composition. How useful the knowledge of Parable Remedys may be, I have endeavoured to show in a distinct Paper; and therefore shall not discourse of it here, but only add this one Observation, that some Medicines are so parable, that without resorting for them to Apothecarys shops (which are not every where at hand, nor always furnished with them) we may find them in those of other Tradesmen. Thus among Masons and Bricklayers we most commonly meet with Quicklime; whose bare Infusion in common Water [about a pound of the former, as 'tis more or less strong, to about three or four Quarts of the latter,] is of itself a good Medicine in divers Cases, and as Experience has persuaded me, may be made the Basis of several good Remedys, both Inward and Outward. Among the latter of which may be reckoned an Ointment, that I usually kept by me for Burns, and made only by beating up strong Limewater with as much good Lin-seed Oil, as could be made throughly to incorporate with it into a very white Unguent.  
And I shall add concerning Linseed Oil, (since I have mentioned it) which is to be had in the shops of Varnishers and Painters; that of itself, being exhibited in a large Dose, as of several Ounces at a time, I have known it answer the Commendations given it by eminent Physicians, for breaking of Pleuritical Empyemas Simple Oil of Turpentine also, that may be usually had in the shops of the same Tradesmen, is in reality a noble Remedy in divers Affections, not only Inward, in which Chemists commend it, but Outward too. And I have had great thanks, both from Physicians and Chyrugeons, for recommending the use of it to them in Wounds, and particularly, where one would expect little from it in the staunching of Blood, if it be seasonably applied very hot to the wounded Parts, where it also much promotes a good Digestion. And I am confirmed in the good Opinion I have long had of this Oil, by the Information that's given me, That very experienced Chirurgeon has lately been so charitable, as to publish a little Book, considerable for the useful Observations it contains, of notable Cures done by him in Chyrurgical Cases, chiefly with Oil of Turpentine. And I shall add, that a Chirurgeon to a great Monarch, and one of the skilfullest men I ever met with of his Profession, confessed to me, that in an admired Cure that he had then lately done of a desperate Gangrene, in an eminent person, very aged and almost bedrid, the Medicine he ascribed most to, was the Oil we were speaking of. And, because both he and others make much and good use of Spirit of Wine in Gangrenes, which yet is thought to be unmingleable with Oil of Turpentine, because if it be shaken with it, it will quickly separate again from it; I thought it might do Practitioners some service, to make for them a Mixture of Oil of Turpentine and Spirit of Wine, that might probably be more penetrant than the former, and less fugitive than the latter, which of itself does not stay long enough upon the Parts 'tis applied to. Which Mixture I easily made, by digesting for a while, and strongly shaking from time to time, about equal parts by guess of good Oil of Turpentine and throughly dephlegmed Spirit of Wine, till this Liquor, by imbibing or dissolving great store of the Oleaginous Parts, have attained a Yellow Colour, for which reason I call it the Tincture of Oil of Turpentine.  
And, since my subject has led me into the shops of Colour-sellers, I will before I leave them, take notice of one Simple that is wont to be found there, which if it were not very offensive to the Taste, and somewhat disagreeable to the stomach, would be perhaps preferable for its Antinephritick Virtue, to the most pompous Compositions of the shops, and some of the celebrated Arcana of the (vulgar) Chemists. I procured it, not without some difficulty, from a Spagyrist, very well versed in the School of Paracelsus and Helmont; who, though a sparing Commender of remedies, extolled this as the best he had ever met with, to cure the Stone where it was not too big to pass, and to prevent the increase of it where it was. I have known it used in Clysters, with very good success in a Fit of that Disease. But Inwardly I had no occasion to try it but upon myself. And judging it innocent enough, (as indeed I found it rather Anodyne than Driving, I took it now and then, mixed with Oil of sweet Almonds chiefly to allay the Taste, for otherwise I had long found that alone, insufficient) as a Preservative from Grave. And, thanks be to God, I divers times thought it more manifestly effectual to that purpose, by lessening either the bulk of the Grains, or the quantity of the Sand, or both, than any of the remedies I had taken for prevention in several years before. And yet I scarce took a quarter of the Dose, prescribed by the Spagyrist that communicated the Medicine to me; which in short is (for I presume you would gladly know it) to take from time to time, by itself or in some convenient Vehicle two or three ounces of the expressed Oil of Walnuts, which, if the great staleness of it he requires be necessary, (which I mean to examine by Trials) is scarce to be had but at the shops of Artificers, because he would have it at least a year old, and judged it the elder the better.  
Before I quite leave the Shops of Tradesmen, I shall take notice of one Medicine more, that seems to have been first lodged there, and from thence translated into the Shops of Apothecaries. The Medicine I mean is Castille or else Venetian Soap, (for either is often employed in stead of the other) which being a Body abounding with Alcalisite Salts and Oleaginous Parts well combined, invited me to make some Experiments with it, as a Substance that may be applicable to good uses, not only Mechanical but Medical. Of some of though former sort I elsewhere make mention. And as to its Medicinal virtues, I take notice in another Paper of its Efficacy against the Jaundice; for which I have since been informed, that, as nauseous a Medicine as it is, 'tis in great request among some Skilful Men in Holland. And some fresh, but not sufficient, experience has recommended it to me against the Stone. But that virtue of it which I as yet most prise it for, and now intent to communicate to you, you will best gather from the following Story. Having had some dealings with a considerable Merchant (of Cork, in Ireland) he sadly complained to me, that he was afflicted with a necessity of making Bloody Water to that degree, that he feared he must soon quit his Profession, being already unable to ride about his business, and scarce able to walk a foot the length of a Street, without stooping to make red Water. Hereupon I told him I had a Medicine, that, if he could digest the unpleasantness of it, would, I thought, by the blessing of God, do good even in his case. And it was only to scrape with a Knife as much Castille Soap into a Spoon, as it would conveniently hold without being pressed, i. e. neat a dram, and having filled the vacant part with small Ale, or some other, convenient Drink, to facilicate the swallowing so nauseous a Remedy, wash it down with a somewhat large Draught of the same Liquor, or other fit Vehicle, repeating the Dose twice or thrice a day, if need required. The manifest relief he found by this seemingly despicable Medicine, within (if I misremember not) two or three days, invited him to continue the use of it a while longer, and afterwards to return me solemn thanks for it; declaring that now for four years together he had lived quite free from his Distemper, without scrupling to ride Journeys on Horse Back, as his occasions required. To which he added, that in regard I had not confined him to secrecy, he presumed I intended the Medicine should do as much good as might be, and therefore scrupled not to give it to several others, who were likewise happily cured by the use of the same Remedy. Which Account was therefore the more welcome to me, because in the place were I lived, I had not opportunity to make further Trials of its Efficacy. And on this occasion I shall beg leave to advertise you once for all, in reference to the Remedies delivered by me, either in this Paper or in my other Writings; That I am as sensible as another of the almost insuperable Difficulty, of making any certain Experiments in Physic; and that, having of a long time (for Reasons given in due place) studiously, though not unreservedly, declined the Occasions of giving (and consequently of reiterating) Medicines: I justly desire that none of my Readers, and especially that Dr. F. would too much rely upon them, till they have been more competently tried, than perhaps some of them, for want of opportunity, have been; and administered to Patients of differing Complexions, Ages, and other Circumstances.  
You may find other Instances of the virtue of Parable, and some of them unpromising Medicines, in one of my Essay's Of the Usefulness of Experimental Philosophy; to which I the less scruple to refer you, because I do not remember what I have there written many years ago, so perfectly, as not to fear that I might by enlarging this Section, put you to the trouble of reading some things here that you have met with there already. And yet I am somewhat encouraged both to mention to you that Book, and to present you some other Receipts in this Paper; because it has pleased God so far to bless divers of the Medicines I have there recommended, or do there mention, that they have been prosperous to many Patients, and not altogether unuseful to some noted Physicians; and have procured me from both more thanks than I pretended to; besides inviting Encouragements to further Communications.   

§. V.  
THE last thing in order, but not in importance, that induces me to wish, that Physicians would employ Simpler Medicines as much as conveniently may be, is, that 'tis one of the likeliest ways, (and perhaps little less than absolutely necessary) to promote the Practical knowledge of the Materia Medica. For, whilst in one Receipt▪ a multitude of Ingredients are mingled, if not confounded, 'tis almost impossible to know with any certainty, to which of the Simples the good or bad Effect of the Remedy is to be attributed, or whether it be not produced by a Power, resulting from the particular Quality's of all of them, united into one Temperament, and by its means acting conjointly, and, as the School men speak per modum unius. So that by this way of heaping up or blending Simples into one compounded Remedy, I see not how in many Age's Men will be able to discover the true qualities good and bad, of the particular Bodies, that are comprised under the name of the Materia Medica; whereas, when a Physician often employs a Simple, and observes the Effect of it, the relief or prejudice of the Patient, may very probably, if not with medical certainty, be ascribed to the good or bad Qualities of that particular Remedy.  
And this difficulty of discerning, what Ingredient it is of a very compounded Medicine, that helps or hurts the Patient, is much increased to those that affect to write Bills, wherein something is prescribed, which tho, because it goes under one name, passes but for one Ingredient, is yet a very compounded Body; as is evident, in those many pompous Receipts wherein Treacle, (that alone consists of above sixty several Simples) Mithridate, and divers other famous ancient compositions; that each of them consists of good store of Ingredients. I had once thoughts of drawing up a discourse of the Difficulties of the Medicinal Art; and had divers materials by me for such a work, which afterwards I laid aside, for fear it should be misemployed to the prejudice of worthy Physicians. But among the difficulties that occurred to me, I shall on this occasion mention one, which was; That 'tis a harder work than most men think, to discover fully the nature, or the good and bad quality's in reference to Physic, of this or that single Plant, or other Simple, that has a place in the Materia Medica. For besides the great difference that there may be in Plants of the same denomiation, according to the Climate, Soil, the goodness of the seeds that produce it, the culture, or the want of it, the time of the year, the seasonableness or intemperateness of the weather, the time and manner of gathering it, how it has been kept, the parts of it that are, and those that are not made use of, together with other circumstances too many to be here enumerated: besides all these, I say, the unheeded Textures of parts that are thought of an uniform nature, and the length of time during which they have been kept, without being suspected to be superannuated, and indeed without being so, may so much vary the nature of a Plant, that I have sometimes almost in a trice shown the curious a notable disparity in the parts of the same fresh Leaf of a common Plant: And (NB.) I have found by Trial purposely made, that some seeds of common use in Physic (and not putrefyed) will, being distilled at one time of the year, afford an Acid Spirit or Liquor; but at another time of the year, though destilled the same way without any addition, afford not an Acid, but a kind of urinous Spirit, that contains a volatile Salt, which in Smell, Taste, and divers Operations, I found to be of great affinity to the volatile Salt of Urine, or that of Hartshorn. And indeed so many things may be pertinently and usefully proposed to be enquired into, about this or that particular Plant made use of by Physicians, that perhaps they would be less inclined to compound numbers of them in one Receipt, if they were aware how much useful employment the indagation of the Quality's of so much as a few single Plants would give them: and yet without the knowledge of the properties of the separated Ingredients, a Physician prescribes, it will be scarce possible for him to know, with sufficient certainty, how the compound made up of them, will be qualified and operate, which reflection, I the less scruple to propose, because I am conifirmed in it by Galen himself, 
Galen. de Con. p. Sec. Gen. lib. 1.  who very Book, where he largely treats De Medicamentorum Compositione, hath this Assertion; In universum, nemo probe uti possit medicamento composito, qui simplicium vires prius non accurate didicerit.  
I presume you will easily allow, that much of what has been said in favour of those simple Medicines we owe to Natures (or rather to its Authors) Bounty, may be extended to many of the Remedy's that are afforded us by the Chemists Art. For without now entering into the Question, whether the Spirits, Oils, and Salts, that are obtained by what Spagyrists call analysis by the fire, are Principles in the strict sense of the word; it will scarce be doubted, but that the Spirit, or the Oil, or the Salt of a mixed Body chemically resolved, is so slightly or unequally composed, that the Ingredient whence it takes its name, is far more predominant, than it was when combined with others, in the entire or not yet Analysed Concrete. And that such supposed Principles, OF Medicines of a simpler Order, may be very efficacious Remedys, may be justly argued from the great and beneficial effects of such as Oil of Vitriol, Spirit of Urine (NB.) a Medicine of great use both Inward and Outward, Spirit of Hartshorn, Spirit of Niter, Spirit of Wine, and Oil of Turpentine; of which last named Liquor I shall add, that, besides the virtues already ascribed to it in this Paper, whilst it retains its simplicity, it may in many Cases be employed as a Menstruum, and by being combined with an Ingredient or two, be made to afford divers Medicines, which though but little compounded, are not of little virtue. For I have found it readily enough to dissolve Camphire, Mastic, and some other Gums, of which Balsams may be made, and others may be obtained by the help of the same Liquor, even from divers Mineral and Metalline Bodies. I will not insist on so known a Medicine as the common Terebinthinate Balsam of Sulphur; though this be a Remedy, with as much as 'tis peculiarly extolled for Diseases of the Lungs, (wherein yet its heat requires that it be very warily given to Patients of some complexions) has virtues that are not confined to the Distempers of those parts; since both I and some I commended it to, have found it very effectual (outwardly applied) in troublesome Haemorroidal Pains and Tumours: and (NB.) some experience inclines me to think its virtues may not be much greater in Pulmonick than in Paralytic Distempers: in which (last) it may be used, not only Outwardly, but chiefly Inwardly; and that in a pretty large Dose with a Cephalick, and, in some Cases, an Antiscorbutic Vehicle. But I shall rather take notice to you, that perhaps it will be found worth while to try, at least in external Affects, the use of divers Tinctures, and consequently Balsams that may be obtained by the help of Oil of Turpentine from divers solid Mineral Body's, upon which I have found by trial, that this Liquor may be tinged (though not of the same colour on all of them,) among which I shall name, besides Crude Zink, Crude Antimony, and even Crude Copper (in filings;) a noble Subject, Antimonial Cinnabar; from which, though I found I could (but not hastily) draw a fine Tincture, I had not opportunity to make trial of that promising Medicine.   

§. VI  
ANd as for those other Medicines, that are not made by bare Analysis, but by Synthesis or composition; though I think an experienced Chemist may, in many cases, with less uncertainty than a Galenist (who employs Crude Ingredients of a more compounded nature) foresee what quality the produced mixed Body may have: Yet I could wish, that even the Spagyrists themselves were more sparing, than many of them are, in the number of the Ingredients they employ to compose one Medicine. For most of the Arguments, upon which I grounded my Invitation to the use of simple Remedies, are applicable to Chemical ones, as well as others: And on this occasion I shall represent two things.  
First That in many cases, preparations skilfully diversified, may be usefully substituted to composition: Since one Body dexterously exposed to differing Operations, may acquire as various, or as considerable, Qualities, as would accrue to it by the addition of such other Bodies, as an ordinary Chemist would in probability associate with it. Thus, not to mention Quicksilver, Antimony alone, whether prepared without addition, as when Flowers of several sorts are made of the more Volatile, and true Antimonial Glass of the more fixed part, or being associated but with one or two Ingredients, may afford a skilful Spagyrist, Medicines numerous and various enough, almost to furnish a Shop; or at least to answer the Physicians Scope, where he would employ an Emetic, a Cathartick, a Diaphoretic, a Deobstruent, a Diuretic, a Bezoardick or cordial Medicine; to name now no other Qualities, that may be found in some Antimonial preparations, in a degree considerable enough to ennoble them. Which. Instances, and others of the like nature I presume you will allow me to make use of in this discourse, because, though I do commonly, yet I do not always, employ the Term Simple Medicine or Remedy in the strict and absolute sense, but in a comparative one, that excludes compositions of more than two or three, or at the utmost a very few, Ingredients.  
Secondly, Without bringing together a Chaos, or so much as a considerabe number, of Ingredients, one or two, or at most three auxilary ones, if judiciously chosen and skilfully managed, may oftentimes produce more efficacious Remedies, than the admirers of pompuous Processes would expect, or perhaps be able to make those Processes' vye with. The violently Emetic and purgative virtue of Glass of Antimony made per se, may be, as I elsewhere show, more powerfully corrected by mere distilled Vinegar, than by many famous Stomachick and Cordial Elixirs, and other Elaborate Preparations. And sometimes a seemingly improper addition may not only correct, but give new and unexpected virtues to a Drug. Thus, though Sublimatum corrosivum be a mercurial concrete, so fretting, that a very few Grains of it may be able to kill a man; yet by adding and carefully uniting to it about an equal weight of running Mercury, there is obtained, when they are well united by Sublimations, a Compound that is so free from being corrosive, that Chemists call it Mercurius dulcis, which though some unwary Practitioners, as well Galenists as Chemists, have too often by their misimployment of it, discredited, yet experience shows that in Skilful hands it may be usefully employed, not only in some venereal affections, but in divers other Distempers. And I shall now add, that being carefully prepared, and well given, it may not only be freed from corrosiveness, but much allay the Sharpness both of some emptying Medicines, & of some peccant humours. To countenance the latter part of which observation, I shall acquaint you with one use of it, that perhaps you have not yet made. I remember, I had an opportunity to observe the Efficacy of Mercurius dulcis, in a stubborn disentery, that had baffled the Remedies of an eminent Physician. But though a reflection on the virtue, I knew this Medicine to have, of allaying Sharp humours, and resisting Putrefaction, may justly increase my favourable opinion of it; yet not thinking my Experience competent, I imparted it to an ancient and expert Chirurgeon, that was the chief of those that belonged to a famous and judicious General of an Army; who thereupon frankly confessed to me, that this was his great Arcanum, wherewith he had cured many scores, or rather hundreds of Soldiers in this general's Army. Only, where as my way is to give from 8, or 10, to 12, or at most 15 Grains of Mercurius dulcis for a Dose, made up with some little Rhubarb, etc. Or other Ingredient that would make it work, once, twice, or thrice with another Patient, (for the disentery itself helps to carry off the Medicine) he, both to disguise it, and to make it more easily takeable, made it up with Sugar and Mucilage of Cum-dragon into Lozenges, whereof one might containfrom near a Scruple to half a dram of the Mercurius dulcis, of which he ordered the Soldiers to take one at a time, without hindering their March; only bidding them have a great care, that nothing should stick between their Teeth, or in their Throats.  
3. But the efficacy of this simple preparation of Mercury, is much inferior to that more simple, although more tedious, preparation of Gold, which was made the same way in two differing Countries, by two dexterous Physicians, both of them of my acquaintance. For though I had long been prejudiced (not without specious grounds) against pretended Aurum potabiles, and other boasted preparations of Gold; (for most of which I have still no overgreat esteem) yet, I saw such extraordinary and surprising Effects of the Tincture of Gold I speak of, upon Persons of great note, that I was particularly acquainted with both before they fell desperately sick, and after their strange Recovery, that I could not but change my former opinion, or a very favourable one of some preparations of Gold; and I should have thought that this Medicine (as little compounded as it is,) could scarce he paid, by a great store of the Noble Metal that afforded it, if it could have been made in great quantity, or without a great deal of pains and time. I can speak thus circumstantially, because by the kindness of the Artists, and the pains I had spent in working on the same Subject they make their Menstruum of, I so far knew, and partly (by themselves invited) saw, the preparation of it, that to bring home what has been said, to the present occasion) I can tell you, that there is no Ingredient associated to the Gold, save one, that comes from above, and is reputed one of the simplest bodies in nature, and of which one may take two or three Ounces altogether unprepared, without the least inconvenience. And yet the Dose of this almost insipid Medicine, that was given to an old Courtier, even in a violent Apoplexy, wherein other Remedies had by skil'ful men been used in vain, was but six or eight drops.  
In another very ancient and corpulent person the Dose was greater, because the Tincture was more unripe and diluted; but the effect was as sudden, though the Patient was not bled, and though there was not in either of these two cases, any notably sensible, evacuation made. [Both these recovered Persons are yet alive] the same Medicine a while after, saved the life of another Gentleman I know, who, having lain above two and twenty days sick of an ill conditioned Fever, was condemned by three Physicians, whereof one told me with great grief, that he would not outlive the next morning; and yet upon the taking of a large Dose of this Tincture, he was presently relieved, and from that time found a sensible amendment towards a recovery, which he now enjoys; though he were then reputed to be about, if not above fourscore years old. Some other odd effects of this. Remedy I could tell you of: But it has already much swelled this Section, and yet I thought it not amiss to relate these things to you, both, because they are very pertinent to the scope of it, and because you may be, as I long was, prejudiced against Medicines made of so fixed, and, as is supposed, un-alterable a Metal as Gold.  
4. This is not the only Medicine made of that noble Body, of which I have known very notable effects. But, because they belong to another Paper, I shall not particularly mention them in this; but pass on to tell you, 
The usefulness of Exp. Philosophy.  that the Preparation of Silver, that I have long since delivered in another Book, tho' it may seem but slight, has been found very effectual, and much used, by one of the eminentest Physicians of this nation, to whom I recommended it: and who acknowledged to me, that He gave it to Patients of very high Quality, tho' disguised, to avoid alarming those that are fearful of Chemical Medicines. And since that I gave it to a great Lady that was Hydropical, and judged to be dangerously ill, with notable success; and the Cure has already for some years held good. But I confess to you, that I look upon Copper, and its Magistery Blew Vitriol, as a much nobler Subject to make Remedy's of, than Silver, and perhaps than Gold itself. And if I were to make Physic my Profession, there is no Metal which I should so willingly bestow pains upon as Copper induced thereunto by the excellent and very extraordinary Effects, (not all of them to be mentioned in this Paper, that I have had opportunity to see, of some Remedies, which tho' I could never learn how to make, I knew were made of that Metal, or Vitriol abounding in it. [But first freed from all cruelticle violence.] And for appeasing of Pains, produced even by inveterate Maladies, the Laudanums) and other opiate Preparations, that are prescribed and praised in Physicians and Chemists Books, and much used (oftentimes with good success) in their practice, seem to me, bccause of the Stupor, and some other inconvenient Symptoms, they are wont more or less to be followed by, far inferior to the Sulphureous Parts, as a Chemist would call them, of skilfully prepared Venus; these being much more harmlessly and friendly Anodynous. And I remember that an Empiric, to whom, at his request, I taught a very uncertain way (for it rarely hits) of making a kind of Sulphur of Vitriol alone, in the form of a Brick coloured Powder; came purposely to give me solemn Thanks for the Reputation he had gained by that Medicine, of which the first time he had the good luck to make it, he gave, as he was instructed, four or five grains of it, to a Woman that could not sleep, but had been for divers months raving mad, [Maniaca.] which single dose not only gave her a good Night's rest, but brought. her to talk sense when she waked in the Morning. I knew also a Chemist, that was much courted even by learned Doctors, for an internal Anodyne he used, and could sell at almost what rate he pleased, to take off inveterate Pains in the Heads and Shins of venereal Patients; and the same Person cured venereal Ulcers in a very short time, only by strowing on them an Indolent Powder. And though he was so shy, that he would not let even the Physicians, I recommended to him, see his Medicine, yet having one day been told of a kindness I had done him, unknown to him; he took it so well, that he not only allowed me to see and handle his Medicine, but when I guessed by the ponderousness and effects; of it, that it was some. Preparation of Mercury fixed with Sulphur of Venus, he frankly acknowledged to me, that, though it would endure not only Ignition, but a strong & lasting fire, that in the former part of my Conjecture (that the Body of it was Mercurial) I was in the right; and in the latter part I shot very near the Mark; but added, that that the true Sulphureous parts of Venus were in his way so difficult to be obtained, and required so much time, that he could seldom prevail with himself, (who indeed was voluptuous enough) to go through so troublesome a work. And in effect I found, upon various Trials, the constituent Parts of that Metal to be much more strictly united than the generality even of Chemist's imagaine. For the extraordinary effects of this Medicine, I can refer you to the Testimony of very ingenious men of your own Profession, (and probably acquaintance too.) And since I know you study Helmont, I presume you will the more readily believe them, if I put you in mind of that notable Passage, where he says: Nihil, aeque victoriose in Humidum Radical, agit atque primum ens cupri, vel ad vitam longam Sulphure vitrioli est benignius; ideoque Sulphur Philosophorum indigitat. But my intended Brevity forbids me to insist longer on this Metal, or to take notice of more than one other Metal. And because that of Steel, Physicians as well as Chemists make great variety of Remedies, some of which are produced by Preparations slight enough; And the like may be said of Mercury, witness the Remedy formerly commended against the Worms, made of nothing but crude Quicksilver barely decocted in common water: For this reason, I say, I shall pitch upon Lead, whose calx dissolved in Spirit of Vinegar affords as you know, Saccharum Saturni, which though so easy and simple a preparation, is a magistery that has more virtues than every Physican knows, or perhaps so much as suspects; especially in mortifying sharp humours in the Eyes, which I have known or made it do sometimes almost in a trice. [But I do not think it safe to make the Plantain or Rose-water 'tis to be dissolved in, considerably strong of it.] And for Burns, I have seldom seen any thing equal to it, and therefore have often used it upon myself (barely dissolved in Common, or else Plantain Water.) But I fear 'tis not so safe as effectual, in some inward Distempers of the Bowels, that are judged to be caused by Acid humours; unless it be very warily and skilfully given. [But as to its external use, I presume, I need not tell so skilful a Doctor as you (NB.) how great it is in healing, and in the mean time appeasing, the Pains of divers sorts of Ulcers. And therefore I shall mention but one Particular, which 'tis like you have not met with; namely, that I know a very Ancient and experienced Person, who, besides a vast practice otherwise, was Chirurgeon to a great Hospital; who professing much kindness, and owning some obligation to me, confessed to me, that amongst all the Medicines he has tried to stop Bleeding, and prevent Accidents in Amputations, that which he oftenest used, and most relied on, is a solution of Saccharum Saturni in Plantain Water (or for a need in pure common Water:) for having dissolved ℥ i. of the former in about a Pint or pound of the latter; as soon as ever the Limb or other part is taken off, he immediately applies Stupes drenched in this Liquor, as hot as the Patient can well endure; and having bound them carefully on, he makes, no haste to take them off, but allows the Medicine time enough to perform its operation: To countenance this I would tell you an odd experiment of mine, of the efficacy of a Saturnine Liquor to resist Putr faction, in the bodies of Animals, but that the relation would take up too much time.]  
5. Perhaps I need not tell you, that I could here mention divers other Experiments, as well upon Saturn, as the other Metals I have named above; but that my Scope confines me to such Preparations, as wherein the Metaline Subject is compounded but with very few others; and also that of those that are more remote from simplicity, you may meet with several in some of my other Papers, which I am not in this to defraud.  
What has been above noted about Metals, may be extended to Minerals: namely, that when there is need to compound them, it may of ten-times be sufficient to associate them with one or two, or at most a very few Auxiliary Ingredients, if I may so-call them; this is apparent in several useful Preparations of Antimony, that are vulgarly enough known. To which divers may be added that are made of common Sulphur, by slight additions. Of which sort, because I elsewhere deliver several, I shall now mention but one, which though I have many years ago described in the History of colours, I shall not scruple to take notice of here, because I there consider not its Medicinal virtues, which yet are very great, especially in Asthmas and Coughs, in which I do not remember that I ever gave it without benefit to the Patient; nor was it less successful in the hands of Physicians, that were willing to try it for me, especially in those of a Person, who though well furnished with choice Remedies of his own, often came to me for a supply of this Spirituous and penetrating Tincture, with which he assured me he did notable things in Asthmatical cases; and particularly in one that was very obstinate, and had lasted many years. But not having had quite so many opportunities as I wished of giving it myself, I shall be glad, that further Trial may be made of it by so skilful an Administrer as you. And therefore lest you should not have the Book lately referred to at hand, I shall here repeat, that our Medicine is made of Flowers of Sulphur, exactly mixed with an equal weight of finely powdered Sal-Armoniac, and somewhat more than an equal weight of good Quicklime, separately reduced to a Suttle Powder. For these three Ingredients being diligently and nimbly mixed, and put into a Retort, to be placed in a sand Furnace, and fitted with a large receiver very well luted to it. This Mixture, I say, being duly distilled in such vessels, will afford a Blood red and smoking spirit, exceeding Sulphureous both in smell and oven Mechanical Operations. And in this Distillation the Sulphureous Parts sometimes came over accompanied with such store of saline ones, that a good part of what passed into the Receiver shot into the form of a Volatile Sulphureous Salt. And I remember that having for curiosity's sake added to the Fluid Tincture a due proportion of an Ardent Spirit (such as that of Wine) exactly dephlegmed, I had a Mixture (whether in the form of a Coagulum or not) which afforded me some odd Phaenomena not here to be mentioned, and which we subled with a gentle fire to unite them into a composition that may for distinction sake be called Sa trium regnorum, because it contains Urinous Particles, Vinous ones, (and perhaps some of Soot) and Sulphureous ones: whereof the First belongs to the Animal, the Second to the Vegetable, and the last to the Mineral Kingdom, as Chemists are wont to speak. But what virtues this Salt (that would presently gild Silver,) and the Spirit that may be made to accompany it, may have in Physic, I had not occasion to try. But yet I have mentioned it upon the by, that you may make use of it, if you think it worth while to do so. To which I shall here present you with no Inducements, since I perceive that the Particulars above mentioned about simple preparations of Gold and other Metals, have already made this Section enormously great. And yet I hope you will not be displeased at it; since to so sugacious a person as Dr. F. these passages may afford some not altogether useless hints: and at least 'tis an Encouragement to Industry, to know that the subjects a man works on are capable of affording Excellent things.   

§. VII.  
1. I Foresee it may be objected against the frequent use of simple Medicines, that oftentimes it happens that a Disease, or a morbific Matter, is not the effect of a single Cause, but is produced by the concurrence of two, or perhaps more, Causes, which producing several symptoms, 'tis not probable that one Simple Drag will be able to answer those different Indications This Objection I confess is considerable, & there are cases wherein I acknowledge it to be so weighty as to invite & warrant a Physician, to employ in them a Medicine consisting of more Ingredients than one or two; which I can admit without prejudice to any Design, since I formerly declared I did not intend to persuade you to confine yourself to Simple Remedy's (so much as in the late sense above intimated of that Term) but only to employ them where they may suffice; and where they cannot to make use of Medicines as little compounded as the case will permit,  
2. But having premised this Advertisement, I presume I may offer you two or three considerations, that may lessen the force of the lately proposed objection And first, though I readily grant, that there are Diseases, whereof each may proceed from differing causes, and that a Remedy may be available against it, When 'tis produced by one of those causes, without being so when it flows from another; yet it may also easily happen, that in one case the Disease may be cured by one simple Medicine, and in another, by a Remedy not compounded. Nay, it may also happen, that the same simple may cure a Distemper, by which soever OF the two causes it is produeed. This I have in another Paper endeavoured to make out. And what we see of the Effects of the Jesuits Powder, as they call it in different kinds of Agues, as Tertians, Quartans, etc. and of pacating Medicines (most of which indeed owe their virtue to Opium, but some are Mineral, and have nothing of the Poppy in them) in appeasing Pains produced by Humours, and other causes very differing; may keep what has been said from appearing improbable, And, if I mistake not, it may divers times happen, that, whatever it were that at first produced a portion of Morbific matter, that first produced matter, is the cause of the continuance of the Disease, by virtue of some peculiar Texture or Noxious Constitution, which if a generous Medicine can destroy, the Disease will, at least little by little, cease.  
3. It not unfrequently happens, that several Symptoms that seem very differing, may so depend upon the primary or principal cause of the Disease, that if a Medicine, how simple soever, be capable to destroy that cause, all the various Symptoms will, by degrees at least, vanish of themselves: as we often see, that when Mercury, though perhaps but crude, is skilfully applied, and raises a kindly salivation, a great variety of Inconveniencies that afflicted a Venereal Patient, and seemed to require many differing and topical Applications, are removed by the same Remedy; insomuch that not only frightful Ulcers, but such Modes as one would think searce possible to be dissipated by the strongest Plasters, are sometimes happily cured by well prepared Quicksilver, taken in at the mouth, as I have been assured by more than one eminent Physician upon his own Experience, And though not unfrequently there be several, & sometimes very different Symptoms, that accompany that Disease of children that in England we call the Rickets; (and of which there die several almost every week in London alone)▪ yet that Medicine which I have elsewhere described under the name of Ens (primum) Veneris [made of strongly calcined and well dulcified Colcothar of Dantsick Vitriol, and elevated with Sal Armoniac into the form of a reddish sublimate] has proved, by God's blessing on it, so successful, that partly by a Sister of mine, (to whom I communicated it) and partly by myself, and those I directed to take it, or to give it; I think I may safely say, that two or three hundred children have been cured by it, and that almost always without the help of any other inward Medicine, or using any Topical application at all.  
4. But the main thing that I intended, by way of answer to the foreseen Objection, was, that in a simple Medince nature herself does oftentimes so well play the Apothecary, as to render the compositions made in his shop unnecessary. For, though we are wont to look upon this or that Plant or Mineral, as an entire and simple Body, yet we may much mistake, if we look upon it as a Homogeneous one. In several Plants that are organical Bodies, this Truth is manifest; as for instance, in Oranges the Succulent part is sour and cooling, but the Yellow Rind considerably bitter and hot: and so in Lemons the Pulp, the Yellow part of the Rind, and the seeds have their differing Qualities and Medicinal virtues. And even in such vegetable Substances as are Homogeneous as to sense, there may be Parts, whose operations may be not only differing, but contrary; as is manifest in the Root, we call Rhubarb, which affords as well notably Astringent, as Laxative and Purgative Parts. And so in Minerals themselves good and clean Lead-Oar, for instance, though an uniform body as to sense, consists of very dissimilar Parts, and affords Sulphureous and perhaps other Recrements, besides Malleable Lead, which is itself a compounded Body. Thus also shining Marcasites, though they appear Homogeneous, will by barely being exposed for a competent time to the moist Air, afford an Efflorescence, that is perfectly vitriolate, and consequently contains an Acid Salt, two kinds of Sulphur, a Terrestrial Substance, and at least one Metal, (for oftentimes it holds both Copper and Iron, though one predominate,) which last named Substances themselves are neither of them simple Bodies.  
5. And if we admit the Chemical Analysis of mixts to be genuine, we shall find that almost all those that belong to the Vegetable Kingdom, or to the Animal, and many that are referred to the Mineral Kingdom, how uniform soever they may appear to the Eye, do each of them contain several different, and sometimes hostile Substances. Thus Hartshorn, though it appears a dry and Homogeneous Substance, will in distillation afford a volatile Salt, an urinous Spirit, a waterish Liquor, or Phlegm, a swimming Oil and a sinking one, a white and porous Earth, or Terra damnata, and perhaps some, though but very little, fixed Salt. Thus also in the Vegetable Kingdom, Tartar, for instance, may without addition be made to afford, as Experience hath assured me, a volatile Salt very like that of Urine, a Phlegm, an Acid Spirit, another Spirit too which I have elsewhere given the name of Adiaphorous, two faetid Oils, whereof one will sink in Water, and the other swim on it, an Earth or Terra Damnata, and a fixed Lixivial Salt, upon which the newly mentioned Acid Spirit manifests such a hostility, that when they are put together, they tumultuate with noise and Bubbles, and in the Conflict mortify each other. And thus likewise in the Mineral Kingdom, not to repeat what I lately said of the compoundedness of Vitriol; Nor confidently to urge the Opinion of divers Eminent Physicians, that Mars (as they call Steel and Iron) affords parts whereof some are Astringent, and other Operative, because I am not yet sure these contrary qualities, do not proceed from the differing degrees of Fire, and other Circumstances of the preparations of the Metal: We see that Native Cinnabar affords by Distillation, besides running Mercury, a dry substance, whence I have obtained a Sulphur that would presently gild Silver, and a Terrestrial substance, whose nature I had not occasion to examine. And I the rather take notice of these differing Parts in Native Cinnabar, because it is a Mineral that I much esteem; and though here in England it is very rarely, or scarce at all employed as an inward Medicine, yet I know some Foreign Physicians of several Nations, that look upon it, as one of their chief Arcanums, and both use it, and conceal it, accordingly. But I do not willingly employ it, till it has been prepared, by grinding it exactly, upon a Porphire, or other fit Stone, as a Painter would do to make a Pigment of it, and by freeing it from certain Salts, that often undiscernedly adhere to it, and sometimes may be hurtful; which is done by First washing it very carefully with boiling Water, and then, after it has been throughly dried, by burning upon it several times, one after another, some Vinous Spirits perfectly dephlegmed. [The Dose, if it be to be long continued, may be three, four or five grains: but when 'tis to be given but seldom, and for an urgent Case, it may be from six or seven, to ten or twelve grains.   

§. VIII.  
1. WHat has been said in the foregoing discourse, to manifest, that a simple, whether Organical or not, may notwithstanding its entireness or its seeming Homogeneity, contain or afford very, dissimilar parts; may help us to conceive, that being really a compounded Body, it may afford Parts differing enough to answer differing Indications, or attain several Scopes, that are wont to be looked on by Physiciaus as necessary, or at least very useful to the cure of this or that disease; as in many Diarrhaeas or Fluxes of the Belly, whereas, 'tis judged requisite first to evacuate the Peccant matter, and then to give Astringents, to hinder the immoderate evacuation wherein the disease is thought to consist; Rhubarb answers both those Indications, by its Purgative and its more terrestrial Parts, whereof the former dispatch their work first, which makes the Astringent operation of the latter seasonable and safe.  
2. I have divers times observed, that so common and despicable a simple as Ground Ivy, has performed things whose variety seemed to argue, that it contains Parts of very differing virtues (as of opening, contemperating, healing, etc.) and is thereby capable of answering differing intentions, especially in Distempers of the Lungs & Breast, & indeed partly by the Syrup of it, partly by the infusion of the Leaves, and partly by Medicines made of them in a consistent form; the happy Effects of this simple have procured me the thanks of divers considerable persons, some of which had before unsuccessfully used many Prescriptions of learned men. And I remember I knew an Ingenious Person, who being Master of a considerable manufacture, which was gainful to him, whilst his Servants continued tolerably well, was very much incommodated and perplexed, to find them so obnoxious to violent Colicks, (which he imputed to the Copious Steams of the Vinegar his Art required,) that he was forced almost weekly to allow them some days of cessation from working, to preserve or recover themselves. And I remember that from this Inconvenience, he was at length, as himself confessed to me, in great part freed by making his workmen frequently use a strong Infusion or Tincture of the Leaves of our ground-Ivy made with (not pure or dephlegmed Spirit of Wine, but) good unrectifyed Nants Brandy.  
I could here add divers other uses, both Internal and External, of this seemingly despicable Plant, there being scarce any one English Herb known to me, of which, for its manifest virtues, the Experience of others and my own have given me a greater Esteem. And I am apt to think, that the Efficacy which this and some other Simples, that the fear of Prolixity makes me silently pass by, would be found both greater and more various than they are commonly thought, if Physicians in prescribing Medicines would more often either ordain Simple ones, or at least associate but very few together, and compensate the small number of Ingredients, by the greater quantity of those that are the most appropriated or operative, and by persisting in their use for a competent time.  
Tho 'tis not every efficacious Simple, or but lightly compounded Remedy, that can fitly be employed about the Proof of what I am now endeavouring to show, yet I shall subjoin such Instances, as will, I hope, suffice for the present Occasion.  
Mineral Waters, as well Acidubae, as the Germane Spa, our Tunbridge, etc. as Thermae, such as those of Bath, &c, though but Natural Medicines; and some of them but outwardly administered, are notoriously known in their native simplicity to be able one of them single, frequently to cure several Diseases, and consequently to take off a good number of differing Symptoms, that afford various Indications. It may help much to make it probable that the same Simple may comprise Qualities fit to answer differing Scopes, and thereby cure differing Symptoms, if it be considered, that there are several Poisons that do each of them produce Symptoms not only very frightful, but very various, and yet all these have been oftentimes conquered by a Specific Antidote, that is perhaps but a simple Herb or other uncompounded Drug. I had once, (and but once) the opportunity of making a Trial, whereof I shall now give you a brief Account, of the virtue of a stone taken out of the Head of an enormously great African Serpent; which stone was affirmed to the Possessor of it, Governor of the famous English East India Company, to be highly available against the Bitings of all venomous Animals. The substance of the Experiment (to give it you in short) was this, I caused a young Cat to be bitten by a fierce and highly irritated Viper, which so enraged the Cat, that in revenge he endeavoured to bite off her Head, which he took in his Mouth, and did not let go, till, as the Spectators concluded, she had bit him again, at, least by the tongue; soon after which venomous Hurt, the Cat's Head swelled very much, and though he soon grew so weak, that he was not able to stand on his Legs, but lay along on the ground, yet he seemed to be grown quite mad, for he foamed at the Mouth, and snapped at the end of a Wand, or such like things, that were but held near him; and, which was more, in his rage bit one of his own Legs, that lay not far from his Mouth, much to the surprise of the Spectators. But, though in this desperate condition it seemed in vain to attempt any thing for his Rescue, because one could make him take nothing, and every one was afraid to come near him; yet having mixed a little of the powdered stone with some sponfuls of fair Water, it was by the help of the neck of a glass Retort, that we employed in stead of a funnel, poured by degrees upon the Cat's Mouth; which lying open, though he endeavoured to shake it off, yet some of it was concluded to have got in; and within one hour or two after, if not less, he did, to the no small wonder of the Bystanders, get upon his Legs again, and not only seemed to have much of the Tumidness of his Head, but readily enough took the Medicine I caused to be given him; and would probably have scaped very well, if, whilst I was at dinner with the Company, some unruly People had not hurt him more mortally than the Viper had done.  
Physicians and others have observed in the Plague a great variety of Symptoms, among which there are divers, whereof each, if single would psas for a particular Disease. And this diversity of Symptoms may be not unfrequently observed, not only in Pestilences that happen at times, or in Countries distant from one another, but in the same Plague reigning in the same Place. And yet 'tis possible, that a simple Remedy may be available against this so multifarious or manifold (if I may so call it) and violent a Disease. Of Which Observation (to omit what might be alleged out of some other Authors) I shall give one instance out of Galen himself, who, treating at large of the Terra Samia, takes occasion to bring in the virtues of Bolarmony (Bolus Armena) which I should guests by his manner of mentioning it to have been little, if at all, known to Physicians till his Time. This Earth, that appears a Body so simple and uniform; He not only commends for sevearal Diseases, as spitting of Blood, Fluxes of the Belly, Dysenteries Catarrhs, Defluxions from the Head upon the Breast, Difficulty of Breathing thence ensuing, and even Ulcers of the Lungs; but adds, what makes very much and directly for our purpose, in the following words. In magna hac Peste, 
Galen. de Simpl. Med. Facult. lib. ix. Tiul. de Terra Samia.  (whereof he had spoken before) cujus eadem facies fuit atque ejus quae Thucidydis memoria grassabatur, quotquot hoc Medicamen bibere celeriter curati sunt. [The way of giving it (which I add by the by, because it may sometime or other be of use) was this, Bibitur, says He, ex vino albo consistentiâ tenui, modice diluto, si aut planè Febri careat, aut leviter eâ teneatur, sin gravius febriat, admodum aqueo.] And so excellent a Medicine did this simple one prove in that terrible Plague, that our Author says, Quibus non profuit omnes interiere; Scil. cum nec alio quovis Medicamine, juvarentur: unde colligiter, concludes He, quòd iis duntaxat non fuerit auxilio qui plane erant incurabiles.  
3. There are few Diseases that put on so many forms, or are attended with greater variety of Symptoms, than that which Physicians call Affectio Hysterica, and whose Paroxysus or effects are vulgarly known in England by the name of Fits of the Mother. And yet we have often removed, and not seldom in a quarter of an hour or less, Hysterical Paroxysus and Symptoms, and sometimes such as made the Patient swoon or lie along as almost dead, by the bare Odour, of well rectified Spirit of Hartshorn, or the mere pungent and powerful smell of a Spirit of Sal Armoniac, which by a peculiar way I made very strong, purposely for external Uses. And if I had not out of the experienced Monardes', 
See Nicol. Monard Simple. Med. Histor. Cap. 36. P. m. 329.  Physician to the Viceroy of the Spanish Indies, already mentioned in another Treatise an Antiscorbutical Gem; I would here add another Remedy against the same Disease, more considerable to my present purpose, since 'tis only a simple Stone outwardly applied.  
4. But, because I think not fit in this place to insist on a Testimony already alleged, though its Credibility, as well as that of the thing to be confirmed by it, may be much favoured by what has been related, concerning the Virtues of Stones outwardly applied, in the latter part of the Discourse about Specificks: For this Reason, I say, I shall add a couple of other remarkable Instances, of the Efficacy of even Dry and Solid Bodies, though but externally applied in Diseases attended with several, and divers of them uncommon Symptoms, whereof, whatever many think of the harmlessness of our English Vipers, I have here known several Instances, in Men as well as Brutes. And yet in these dangerous Cases, many that come from East India extol the great Efficacy of some of those Stony Concretions, that are said to be found in the Heads of a certain kind of Serpents about Goa, and some other Eastern Country's: for though most Physicians reject or question the Power ascribed to these stones, for curing the Bitings of Vipers, and though I do not wonder at their diffidence, because in effect many of the stones brought from India are but counterfeit; and of those that were really taken out of Serpents, several, for a Reason I must not stay to mention, are insignificant; (and such perhaps were those that the learned and curious Ready made his Trials with) yet there are others, whose virtues are not well to be denied. For, not to build on vulgar Traditions, which are but too often deceitful, one of the eminentest Doctors of the London College assured me, that he had, with one of these stones, done, though contrary to his expectation; a notable Cure, which he related to me at large. And one of our chief English Surgeons affirmed to me, that he had done the like upon another person; both of these Cures being performed by the bare application of the Stone, to the Place bitten by the Viper or Adder. And a very intelligent person, who had the direction of a considerable Company of Traders in East India, where he long lived, assured me that he had with this Stone cured several persons of the Hurts of venomous Animals, But, this Testimony is much less considerable, as to the number of Cures, than that of a great Traveller into the Southern parts of the same India, who, though he were bred by a famous Cartesian Philosopher, and were forward enough to discredit vulgar Traditions about the Countries he had long lived in; yet being for those Reasons asked by me, what I might safely believe of the Stones I speak of, seriously affirmed to me, that he had cured above threescore persons of the Bitings or Stings of several sorts of poisonus Creatures; and that he perform most of those Cures, by the outward Application of one Stone; because, finding it excellent, He was invited to keep to it, especially in difficult. cases. And this same Experience of my own, made with a Genuine Stone of this kind, upon the Bodies of Brutes, much inclines me to give credit to. But, because this Stone is afforded by an Animal, I shall add the virtues of another, that properly belongs to the Mineral Kingdom; in a Disease, whose Symptoms, though not so various, are sometimes dangerous, and too often mortal.  
To show you then, that in spite of great Closeness and Hardness, a simple Remedy outwardly applied, may be a very effectual one, I shall inform you, that though the Solid I am speaking of past for a Bloodstone, yet by its colour and some other visible qualities, I should rather have taken it for an Agate. It was but about the bigness of a small Nutmeg, and had in it a Perforation, by which a stirring past through it, to fasten it to the Part affected. This Stone had been long kept in the Family that possessed it, when I saw it, being for its rare virtues left by one to another. But, to omit the reports that went of it, the notable case, that makes it pertinent for me to mention it here, was this. An ingenious Gentleman, that was a man of Letters, and when I saw him, was in the Flower of his Age, and of a complexion so highly Sanguine, as is not usually to be met with, was from time to time subject to Hemorrhages at the Nose; so profuse and so difficult to be restrained, that his Physician, though a Person famous and very well skilled in his Art, told me he often feared he should lose his Patient, and that he would be carried away by this unbridled Distemper▪ But when good method and variety of Remedies had been tried, without the desired success, this Stone was at length obtained from an ancient Kinswoman of the Gentleman's, to tie about his Neck, so as to touch his naked Skin. This when he did in the Fits, it would stop the Bleeding; and if he wore it for some considerable time together, he all that while continued well, as both his learned Physician and himself informed me. And, because I was apt to ascribe somewhat of this effect to imagination, on, the Patient told me, that a while before one of the chief Women in the City, (whom he named to me) fell into so violent a Bleedings, that, tho' it brought her into a Swoon, yet that itself, which is somewhat strange, did not hinder her to Bleed on, till the Stone, having been tied about her Neck, made her cease to do so, tho' she knew nothing of its having been applied to her. And this itself is less strange than what the Gentleman affirmed to me of the Power of this Gem, as it may deservedly be called. For his complexion inclining him, as was above intimaed, to breed great store of Blood, his Doctor thought fit to order him, for prevention, to breathe a Vein, from time to time, which when he was about to do, he was obliged to lay aside the Stone for a while, because, whilst he kept it on, the Blood would not issue out, at least with the requisite Freedom.  
But how far have I already past beyond the designed Limits of this little Tract! wherein I at first intended, but to lay before you the five chief advantages I had observed, mere simple Remedies to have of very compounded ones; and briefly to propose the main grounds, on which I ascribed those advantages to such Remedies. But tho' the better to keep this writing from being prolix, I designed that it should consist chiefly of such particulars, as I could best spare from other Papers; And tho' for that reason I have purposely omitted many parable, and other but little Compounded or Elaborate Medicines: Yet I now perceive that, so many new particulars having offered themselves on several occasions, whilst I was writing, my Pen has slipped into the mention of many more Receipts, and Historical passages, than were at first intended. But believing the subject to be very useful, and not despairing but that the things delivered on it may not be altogether useless; I dare hope you will pardon such faults, as only my desire of making the Parts of this small writing, rather serviceable than Methodical or well proportioned, drew me unawares into. But whatever were the cause of my Prolixity, the bulk which I see this Paper has already swelled to, admonishes me, that I ought to put a speedy period to it, without spending time solicitously to declare in what sense I commend the Medicines delivered in this Invitation, For by recalling to mind, what I have formerly wrote (in a Treatise you have been pleased to peruse 
* See the Appendix to the I Section of the TWO Part of the usefulness of Exper. Philosophy. p. 389-390 And of the 2d. Edition. ) about the Limitations, with which I would have the praises I give of Tom Remedys understood, and the cautions with which I would have them administered; you will easily be persuaded, that looking upon them but as fit Tools in a skilful Workman's Hands, I do not pretend that any of them should do the Offices both of Physic and Physician too: and that I propose not the Medicines mentioned in this short Paper, as sure Specificks, but as instances that there are Remedies, which notwithstanding their being but simple ones, may be very good ones.  
I am Sir your most &c. R. B.  
FINIS.     

A Catalogue of late Physic Books sold by Samuel Smith, at the Prince's Arms, in St. Paul's Churchyard.  

Fol.  
BOneti Anatomia, 2. Vol. 1680.  
— Mercurius, 1682.  
— Medicina Septentrionalis, 1684.  
Bidloo Anat. humani Corporis (105 fig. illnjirata) 1685.  
Breiniis Plantarum Exoticar. Cent, cum Figuris, 1680.  
Bibliotheca Anatom. cum fig. 2 vol. 1685.  
Fabriti Hildani opera cum Severino, 1682.  
HippocratisOpera Foetii.  
Hartmanni Opera omnia, 1684,  
Horstii Opera Med.  
Paracelsi Opera, 2 vol.  
Dioscoridis Opera, G. Lat.  
Saxoniae Opera Mid. 1680.  
Piso Hist. natsiralis de rebus Indiae.  
Schenkii Observat. Med.  
Mentzelii Index Plant, cum Figuris, 1683.  
Lepenii Bibliotheca Med. 1683.  
Riverii Opera, 1679.  
Zwelferi Pharmacopeia, 2 vol.  
Pharmacop. Angust. Renovata, fine Notis, 1685.  
Wedelii Tabulae.   

Quartoes.  
Alpinus Medicina Egypt.  
Borriehius de ortu & progressu Chimiae.  
Borrichii Hermetis Aegyptiorum & Chym. Sapientia.  
— De Somno & somniferis.  
Baubini Pinax cum Prodromo.  
Broeckbuysen Oeconomia Corporis Anim. 1683.  
Blasii Anatomia, 1681.  
Borellus de motu Animalium, 2 vol. 1685. price 12 s.  
belinus At Urinis & Pulsibus. 1685.  
Bohn Chymia, 1685.  
Barbetti Opera omnia. 1685.  
Blegny Zodiacus Galen. Med. Chymic. 1682  
— Zodaius Gal. Med. An. 4 & 5. 1685.  
Bartholini Acta Medica. 4 vol.  
Castelli Lexicon Med. 1682. per Bruno,  
Cardilucil Officina Sanitatis.  
Clauderi Methodus Balsamandi.  
— d'ye Tinctura universali.  
Collectanea Chymica Leydensia, 1684.  
Clauderi Inventum cinnabaricum, 1684.  
Cleyer Specimina Medicinae Sinicae, 1682.  
Coberi Observat. Med. 1684.  
Charas Pharmacopeia Regia, 1683.  
Charas Theriaca Andromachi, 1684.  
— Opera Omnia, 1684.  
Diemerbroeck Anatomia.  
Davissoni Comment, in Medicinam Severini  
Ettmulleri Opera Med, 1685.  
— Medicus, 1685.  
— Chimia.  
Dolaei Encyclopedia Med. 1684.  
Ferneliis Opera, 1683.  
Van Helmontii Opera, 1682.  
Glisson de Naturae Substantia.  
Hoffmanni Praxis Med. 1680.  
Helwigii Observationes Med. 1680.  
Hoffmannus in Schroderum.  
Joel Opera medica.  
Kyperi Anthropologia corporis humani.  
Konig Regnuim Animale, 1682.  
Kunckeliis Ars Vitraria.  
Kirekringii Specilegium Anatom.  
Licetus de Monstris.  
Micaelis de Apoplexia, 1685.  
Morhoff de Scypho Vitreo.  
Museum Hermetic.  
Miscellanea Curiosa M. Physica, 7 vol. An. X  
— Id. Decuria secunda Anni Primi, 1683.  
— Dec. 2. An. 2.  
— Dec. 2. An. tertius, 1685.  
Margravi Materia Medica.  
— Prodromes.  
Pauli Quadripartitum Botanicum.  
— De Febribus.  
Plateri praxis.  
Pecblinus de potu Theae, 1684.  
Paulini Cynographia curiosa, 1685.  
Peyeri Merycologia, 1685.  
Regii Medicina.  
Rolfinchius de purgantibus, 1683.  
— Ordo & Methodus Med, Specialis  
— Concilia Med.  
— Chimia.  
Sacra Eleusinia patefacta, 1684.  
Schenckii Hist. de humour, totius corporis, 1684  
Salamandrae Descriptio, 1683.  
Sylvii Opera Med.  
Schrokii Pharmacopeia, Augustana.  
— Hist. Moschi.  
Sturmii Collegium Curiosum, 2 vol. 1584.  
Du Verney de auditu, in fig. 1685.  
Ang. Salae Opera Med, 1682.  
Swammerdam miraculum Naturae.  
Vigerii Opera med,  
Versaschae de Apoplexia.  
Weltheri Sylva medica.  
Welschii Decades X. med.  
— Observat. & curate, med.  
— Concilia, med.  
Wedelii Opiologia.  
— Physiologia Med.  
— Pharmacia.  
— de medicam. facultatibus.  
— de medicam. compositione.  
— Am aenitates Materiae Med. 1684.  
— Disputationes variae, 2 vol.  
Weidenfeld de usu Spir. Vini Lulliani, 1684  
Wepferi cicutae Aquaticae.  
Zwelferi Pharmacop.   

Octavoes.  
Bartholin de ductu Salivali; 1685.  
Bruelis praxis Med.  
Bontekoe de Febribus, 1683.  
Tho. Bartholini Hist. Anatomica.  
Becke de Procidentia Uteri, 1683.  
Borelli Observat. Med.  
Briggs Opthalmo Graphin.  
— Nova Visionis Theoria,  
Barthol. Anatomia.  
Beck. Experimenta, 1684.  
Beckeri Physica subterranea cum supplemento, 1681.  
Brunneri Experimenta nova circa Pancreas, 1682.  
Charleton de Causis Catumor, etc. 1685.  
Ent contra Parisanum, de circ. Sang. 1685.  
— Contra Thruston de Respiat. 1685.  
Camerarii Sylloges memorabilium Me. 2 vol. 1683.  
Deckeri Exercitationis Med pract.  
Dodonaei Praxis Medica.  
Franchimont Lithotomia Med. 1683.  
Franciscus de Venae Sectione. 1685.  
Felicis de Ovis cont. Malpighi, 1684.  
Funerwalfi Anatomia.  
Gockeliis Concilia & observat. Med 1683.  
De Graaf Opera.  
Grulichius de Hydrope, 1681.  
— De Bile, 1682.  
Grimm Compend. Med. Chym. 1684.  
Gieswin Hodegus, med.  
Guiberti Opera Med.  
Hartmanni Praxis Chymiatrica, 1682.  
Heide Anatome mytuli & observat. Med. 1684.  
Hippocratis Opera, 2 vol.  
Juncken Chymia Experiment alis, 1681.  
— Medicus praesenti Seculo Accom. 1682.  
Inventa nova Antiqua Med. 1684.  
Le Mort Pharmacia & Chimia, 1684.  
Lossii Concil. Med. 1684.  
Lister de Fontibus Med. Angliae.  
— De Insectis, 1685.  
— Appendix ad Hist. Animal. Angl. 1685.  
Liseri Coulter Anatomicus:  
Maachetti Anatomis  
Meekrens Observat. Med. Chyrur. 1682:  
Merett Pinax:  
Oeconomia Animalis, 1685.  
Plateri Observat. Med.  
Peonis & Pythagor. Exercit. Anat. & Med. 1682:  
Plot de Origine Fontium, 1685.  
Rulandip de Phlebotomia.  
Riverii Institutiones:  
— Praxis, 2 vol.  
— Observat.  
Rulandi Curationes Empericae, 1680.  
Sydenhami Opera Universa Londini, 1685.  
Sraussii Isagoge Physica, 1684.  
Schroderi Pharmacopeia:  
Sacchius iris Febrilis, 1684.  
— Methodus Curandi Febris, 1685.  
Sculteti Chyrurgia cum Append.  
Sthal Aetiologia Phys. Chym. 1683.  
Tilingii Lilium Curiosum, 1683:  
Prodromus, med.  
— De Laudano opiato.  
— De Febribus.  
Theatrum Chymicum, 6 vol.  
Tulpii observat. med. 1685.  
Versaschae Observat. med.  
Welsch rationale Vulnerum Lethalium, 1685.  
Wepferi de Apoplexia:  
Witten memoria medicor.  
Weberi Anchora Saucitor.  
Zypaei Fundamentu med. 1683:   

Twelve.  
Bail Tract. de Apoplexia.  
— Dissertationes Physicae.  
— Dissertationes Medicae.  
— Problemata Physica Med.  
Blondel Thermarum Aquis granen. & porcet. descript. 1685.  
Barbetti Chyrurgia:  
— Praxis cum notis Deckerii:  
Broen de Duplici Bile Veterum, 1685.  
Barthol. De Ovariis:  
— De Unicornu:  
— De Pulmenum substantia:  
Beughen Bibliographia Med. & Physica, 1682:  
Beguini Tyrocinium Chymicum:  
Comelini Catalogus Plantarum, 1682:  
Closs. de Aquis min. & mixtionibus, 1685.  
Drelincurt Praeludium Anat.  
— Experimenta Anat. 1684.  
— De Foeminarum Ovis.  
— De Conceptione Advers. 1685.  
— De Hum, foetus membranis. P 685.  
Guiuri Arcanum Acidular. 1682.  
Glissoni Opuscula, 3 vol.  
Van Helmont. Fundamenta Med. 1681:  
Hoffmanus de usu Lienis, etc. 1682:  
Harvey de Gener. Animal.  
— De motu cordis:  
Hoffman de Cinnabari Antimonii, 1685.  
Ab Heer Fons Spadanus & Observe. Med. 1685.  
Kirchim de Peste, 1681.  
Kirckring. in BasilValent. currum Triumph.  
Kunckeliis Observat. Chymiaes, 1681:  
Le Mort Compendium Chymicum, 1862.  
Muralti Vade mecum Anat. 1682.  
Mysteria Physico-Medica, 1681.  
Maurocordatus de motu Pulmonum, 1682.  
Macasii Promptuarium Materiae Med.  
Matthaei Experimenta Chymica, 1683.  
Muis Praxis Chyrurgica duabus partibus, 1684.  
— Decus quinta, 1685.  
Morelli Methodus perscribendi formulas. Remedior.  
Primrose ars Pharmae.  
Pecket Anatomia.  
Redus de Insectis.  
Reidlini Observe. med.  
Rivinus de peste lipsiensi, 1680.  
Riverii Arcana.  
St. Romani Physica, 1684.  
Recuell de Curiositez, en Medicine, 1685.  
Smitzii Compend. med. 1682.  
Stockhameri Micocosmographia.  
Severi in Synopsis Chyrurgio.  
Schraderi Observationes, med.  
Schola Salernitana.  
Sponii Aphorismi Hippoc. 1684.  
Swalve Quaerelae Ventriculi.  
— Alcali & Acidum.  
Tilingius de Renum structura,  
Verlae Anat. Oculi.  
Vigani Medulla Chymiae.  
Du Verney traite de L'organe de L'ouvie, 1683.  
Tencke Instrumenta curate. morb, 1683.  
Wedelii Theoremata Med.  
— De Sale Volat. Plantarum.    

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History of the Original and Progress of Ecclesiastical Revenues, by the Learned P. Simon, 1685.  
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