A TREATISE OF THE Great Antidote OF Paracelsus, Van Helmont, Croulius, And by them called THE Elixir Proprietatis Showing the true way of preparing of it, and the wonderful Cures they have performed thereby. And also this Authors Experience thereof.  
Written by J. H. a Lover of truth, and made public for the good of all that stand in need thereof.  
London, Printed for the Author, 1666.   

To the Reader.  
REader, I have here set before thee the opinions of these great Philosophers, concerning this incomparable Medicine, pardon me if I have not so fully explained their meaning as possible thou canst wish; If this finds exceptance with thee, then expect suddenly a large discovery of this nature; in the mean time give me leave to tell thee, there is no cure mentioned in my Experimentals, but I am able to give a sufficient account from credible people; to name them; it's possible, would be to some prejudicial therefore I omit it; and I will assure thee that I have been a diligent Searcher into the secrets of things for the finding out of good Medicines two Apprenticeships, and could never find a surer or safer nor more effectual Medicine than this. If thou benefit by it, thank God, if not, blame me. Farewell.  
From my House in Crouched-friars, at the Sign of John Baptis Van Helmont near Tower-Hill. J. H.   

PAracelsus in his Archidoxes, hath these words, R. Myrrh, Aloes, Safforn, of each a like quantity, 
* A Vessel so called.  put them in a Pelican well closed two months in a sand Furnace, with a gentle heat, after put the matter in a Limbeck, and Distil over the Oil without burning, circulate this Oil for a Month, and after keep it for use.  
He saith that the virtues of all natural Balsams, are in this one Medicine contained, and that it doth above any other Medicine keep back old Age; he adds further, that the Age of a man will be too little for the discovering of all the virtues therein contained.  
That great Philosopher John Baptist van Helmont in the 458. page. prescribes this way of making of it.  
R. Myrrh, Aloes, Saffron, of each an Ounce, being beaten, put them into a large Glass with a long neck, 
Commonly called Boulthed.  close the neck of the Glass, and put it in a gentle heat for fear of breaking the Glass, let it stand until you see a clear Oil circulate, then break the neck of the Glass, and pour on a pint of Cinnamon water, and Distil it in 
* Putting the Glass in boiling water.  Balneo till no more will assend, then keep it for use. This Medicine, saith he, cures the obstructions of the Lungs, called Asthma, the Convulsions, the Appoplex, Palsy, 
* Deadly Consumptions acconnted by the Galanists.  Atropha * Tabes, all Agues, and (saith he) a man that had taken the holy Sacrament, and the extreme Unction, being so far wasted with the third day Ague (which is the shame of Physicians) was so far cured by this Medicine in so short a time, that I dined with him the next day.  
Crollius' in 250. of his Basilica Chyomica, or Royal Receipts, R. Myrrh, Aloes, Saffron of each four Ounces, powder them, and put thereon so much * Alcalizate Spirit of Wine, as will reduce them to the form of paste, than put so much Oil of Sulphur made by a Bell still as will colour the matter black, then pour on Spirit of Wine tartarized 4 fingers over, put them in digestion two days, separate the tincture, then pour on good Spirit of Wine, and circulate it two months, separate the tincture, and destil the fecis by a gentle heat.  
The first Spirit that comes over add to the tinctures, and (saith he) it will be far better than the common distilled for the virtues of it, he hath the words of Paracelsus, and adds further, that it most powerfully assists nature against the decays that old ages bring, removing the obstructions of the Lungs and Chest pipes: prevents popular Infections, and Infectious airs, and Pestilential Fevers, removes all pestiferous humours in the Stomach and Bowels, and eases all pains there: Takes away the obstructions of the brain, curing the 
* Turning in the head so called.  Virtigo, 
* A pain in one half of the head.  Megrim, the dimness of the sight, comforts the memory, prevents the Palsy, and Gout, quickens the intellects and all the senses, breaks the Stone in the Reins or Bladder, comforts the Heart, and expels Melancholy, and takes away that intolerable pain in the Belly, called the Illiaco passio, carries away Salt humours insensibly, and all surfeits from intemperance of Diet or Drink, cures the third day Ague, and the Hectic Fever, and brings forth congeiled blood, and speedily heals inward Ulcers and Wounds; further, saith he, all Diseases proceeding either from heat or cold, this Medicine doth by an occult property heal.  
Having formerly seriously considered of these Authors, I find Van Helmont in the 626. page, not only to find fault with the preparation of Paracelsus, but also not to seem to follow or allow his own middle way, as he calls it; but saith, that it is best prepared by a Dissolvent. Now of Dissolvents there is two, according to his and Paracelsus Doctrine; the great Dissolvent, as they call it, is the Alkahest, of what it is made of, or how, neither mention. The other is the volatile Salt of Tartar, volatised with Spirit of Wine, of which Van Helmont gives a large account, where he says that in uniting the Spirit of Wine with the Salt of Tartar, that of one Pint of Aquavitae, is made half an Ounce of Medicine, the rest in the Conjunction is converted into his own Element of Water; and saith he, that which is done with the volatile Salt of Tartar, is equal to that which is done with the Alkahest, only this, that the Alkahest is separated from the Medicine by Distilling, and the volatile Salt of Tartar remains united to the Medicine: Now Crollius his tartarifyed Spirit of Wine should be that volatile Salt of Tartar, and I should like his preparation was his Oil of Sulphur left out, for that is an Albortive in Philosophy, and some other small errors he hath there, in which my paper will not now give me leave to speak of, for I am tied to two sheets: I shall now tell you how I prepare it, and what virtues I have found by it in this term of years since I was Master of it; my way is this, R. Myrrh, Aloes, Saffron, of each four Ounces, bruise the Myrrh and Aloes, and put them into a bolt head, with the Saffron, pour thereon a pint and half of volatile Salt of Tartar, volatified with spirit of Wine, according to Helmont, which he and Paracelsus call circulatus minor, set it in an ash Furnace, with a gentle heat till the ingredients be fully dissolved, and the bitterness and gummousness be fully gone, a few earthly fecies will remain in the bottom, which separate and keep the spirit for use. This Elixir thus prepared, will in colour resemble the pure sound Arterial blood of a Healthy man, and in smell and taste will be very pleasant, in which the Myrrh and Saffron will plainly appear, only their bitterness will be gone, and in stead thereof a pure fragrancy remaining. This Medicine thus prepared, is that which I have had experience of for some years, for which I own eternal thanks and praise to Almighty God: for had I not had this, (though I have many others by which I have performed many excellent cures) yet for all them, I had not been here to have writ this, for in the height of the Sickness in August 1665. I was taken with a Lethargy with that violence, that for the space of seven days I could take nothing but drink, my drink was sometimes Sack, and sometimes Ale; sometimes I was senseless for many hours together, and when I recovered my senses a little, I did still call for and took this Medicine, and by God's blessing on it, was perfectly cured, though it was reported with much confidence, that I was both dead and buried, and by no inconsiderable persons neither, and at the same time all my Family was most dangerous Ill, my Son, a Child of eight years old, was taken with an Impostumation in his Neck near the jugular Vein, which Distemper he had two years before in the same place, when formerly coming out of the Country, was taken with it the next day, and now by reason of my illness, I could not so mind it, but that it came to a suppuration, and I being a little recovered, was much troubled to see, but in short time brought forth the matter and healed it, and since he hath continued well. My daughter of the age of ten, had a Blane on her Breast, but did not keep the house four days for it. My wife had a Pestelential Fever, but was cured of it in three or four days, though in the beginning of the Fever, by taking this Medicine, there came forth many Fever Spots, and the Nurses seeing them, did conclude she had the Tokens, and it was talked publicly abroad, that I had cured her of the Tokens, which thing I absolute deny to be within the reach of any Mortal Man to cure the real Tokens, though there are many sorts of Spots not much unlike, which are as easily cured as the Disease they proceed from, as Surfeit Spots, Purple or Scurvy Fever Spots, and such like; but the Tokens are, I am confident, Marks sent from God, and it is as impossible to cure any that once have them, as to contradict the Divine Decree; and besides my own Family, many came to me both in my sickness, and before and after, so that there was not a day during the Visitation, but from Visited houses, and some that had running Sores, came daily to me, which I no more refused, than the soundest and healthiest bodies, nor shall not God willing upon a just occasion, nor to Visit a Friend or Acquaintance in the greatest of Dangers, for I have seen many that have had many Sores & Blanes, some that have had the Tokens.  
And those that had Rise, I always advised them to anoint the Rising with Oil of Lilies, and Oil of March Mallows, of each a like quantity; and if they broke, as some did, then to apply only that Ointment called Vnguentum Apostolorum, and any Plaster to keep the Lint that the unguent was on to the Sore, and to take daily this Medicine inwardly, according as I shall afterward direct. So doing they have been perfectly cured by God's assistance and this Medicine, and never troubled any Chirurgeon, though sometimes there hath come forth a large Core, Neither is this Medicine only for this Disease, as the Author's mention and my own experience have found, for the greatest part of my Practice hath been this many years, and is to this day, in those Distempers which are by the common Physicians accounted uncureable, and I have wrought and still do on many other ingredients both Vegetables, Minerals, and Metals, and yet in all of them, I could never find neither so safe, nor so speedily effectual a Medicine, as this one which being of a Solar nature (that is cordial) that as the Sun by his Beams removes all fogs and vapours from the earth, so this Medicine expels all venomous and obnoctious humours from the principle parts of the body, or as Van Helmont saith, passes to the Limen of the fourth concoction, removing all preternatural coaggulations, though they never so obstinately add here to the Vessels, casting them forth by Urinal and Sweat for it is so general a cleanser of the blood, that had I not seen the effects, I should not have believed it, for I have applied it both to persons in Pleurisies and Quincies, and in one hour the party hath been left perfectly at ease going to sleep, and in their sleep have been in a small sweat, and have waked well, not losing one drop of blood, as the common custom is.  
The like have I done by the Squincy, and in Fevers, of which I can verify, the saying of Van Helmont in the 458. page. Hoc medicamine tam quartanam quam continuam statim absolvi: For I have often cured a Fever in two or three days; the small Pox, which is a rotten putrid Fever, I have cured in three days, the venom being breathed forth in a small gentle sweat and the party perfectly well, and not any of the Small Pox hath ever come to matter, though they have been before much swelled with them; the Hectic Fever, which will not admit of bleeding without Death, is by this Medicine suddenly cured: The Convulsions I have frequently cured even where there hath been no hopes of life according to common reason; and I do myself, and advise all my friends to give of it to their Children, first after they are born, six drops in a Spoonful of Ale; and I have had several that have given me thanks, and I always find the Child the better for it for a long time, and if the Mother of the Child take it so soon as she is delivered, it will ease her of after pains, and prevent the vapours of the Mother, being taken for a few day's night and morning in 
* Fear not the heat of the Sack for no Fever will ever trouble you if you take this Medicine.  Sack, fasting one hour after. I have had many Patients of the Muther-vapou●s, and been long in the curing of them, though I used the best means I could devise; but since I have made use of this Medicine for that sad unquiet restless Distemper, I have found that a few days will cure it, except the party be old, and have had it many years, and then some longer time must be allowed, and by God's blessing, you will not miss your expected desire. I cannot explain things as I would do, for want of paper; but I shall give it you in brief as plain as I can: and that I may do it more methodically, I will take the Diseases of the Head not yet mentioned. The Disease of the head called Tutanus, which is the Subliming of an offensive matter in the Brain, as whereby the senses are suddenly suppressed, one Dose of this Medicine brings the party to their senses presently, and being taken night and morning according to order quickly rids them totally of so unwelcome a guest. For the Palsy I have several times cured the worst sort of them, that is, the Palsy in both sides; that in one side is but a trifle to the other, for in one there is but part of the Brain obstructed, in the other it is all obstructed. The Swimming in the head which is a forerunner of Melancholy, is presently by this Medicine cured. Many are, by reason of bruises, troubled with Impostumations in the head, which, after having taken this Medicine, do cast forth much corrupt matter by the Nose, and after become well, and sometimes the Hearing is obstructed, and sometimes the Sight grows dull by reason of a foul humour in the Brain, which I find is much helped by this Medicine: And although I have Spirit of Eye-bright in the house, and Essence of Sullandine; yet I prefer this Medicine before both, for the dimness of the Eyes, which I, by much working in the Fire and Mineral fumes cannot avoid the often receiving damage both to the Eyes and Brain. That Disease called the Tremor, I have cured in Fourteen days, when the shaking was so violent, that if you held the hand still, it would force the body to move; and one thing I am to inform those that are Lovers of Children, when a Child in the month is froward, either by reason of some crudities it received from its Mothers overmuch eating of fruit and trash, or from hurt or bruise in the birth, or by reason of wind; then for some Diascordium, saith the Nurse; and that, saith she, is a harmless thing, and will bring it to sleep: for, saith she, it is peevish for want of sleep, and then the Mother presently consents, though it proves the Child's ruin, for though they do not give it so much as contains so much Opium, as to cause it never to wake again, yet that little cold poison is the worst of poisons which will lodge in the body till it either brings the Convulsion fits, or, if the Child be so strong of nature to pass that danger, than after succeeds either the Rickets or a Weakness in the Limbs. Which want of knowledge many after repent when it is too late. I had rather any Child of mine took Mercury, then half its weight in Opium, for I can speak by experience of what I have seen in Children whom I have seen after they were born, & what they are brought to by this error. Next, in the middle Belly that is incident to the Palpitation of the heart, and fainting fits, from a wind contained in the Arteries, for which this Medicine is a present help. As for the Tabes, a Consumption from a corruption of humour always accompanied with a Cough, this Disease flies before this Medicine, as combustible matter wastes by fire.  
I have at the writing of this, a Patient, which when he came to me had a great Looseness, and no Stomach to eat; after being upon recovery, he by his own carelessness in overwalking in the extreme heat, and drinking when he was hot, and lying on the ground, was again so bad, that he could not walk half a mile: but since, by the blessing of God on this Medicine, he can walk lustily, and hath a reasonable good Stomach, and what he eats digests well with him; and I question not but he will suddenly have no more need of my help. There happens many times a windiness in the Pleura, that is a skin within the Ribs near the Heart, which by delays proves dangerous, always coming with a dissiculty of breathing, which is by this Medicine removed presently, and by taking of it three or four days together, is fully cured; the windiness of the Stomach is presently expelled by it.  
The Scurvy, a Disease seldom taken notice of by people till their Teeth drop out, or a Dropsy follows them, or the Jaundice; and then what will they not do to be cured. They that have any of the three, or two of them, or all the three, let them take this Medicine and it will rid them of their grief: but observe always, the more Disease is plicated, the longer is required for to continue the taking thereof. Always observe, fixed Diseases require the longer for the removing, and are for the most part in less danger of death. Many are the Diseases incident to the lower Belly, as the Spleen, causing either a pain in the side or sometimes sending up vapours into the head, causing unquiet sleep, makes those that are troubled therewith to be peevish, produces Melancholy, it being the seat and receptacle of Melancholy. He or she that takes this Medicine shall find a pain and tearing near the Spleen after an evacuation of much Wind downward, the Spleen being so near the Hypocondriacks, that seldom one is well and the other obstructed, but commonly both together. I had a patiented near six years ago, that was in a deep Melancholy, that if he see any one laugh would be very angry: always he desired this Medicine, after he had once taken of it, though he had others by: I have cured many Melancholy people, but by the taking this Medicine when the obstructions opened, he broke so much wind backwards, that the neighbour at the next house wondered what noise that was; and after that, he was cured in a little time. That Disease the Seamen call the Belly ache, which in the West-Indies kills so many brave men for want of help, had they with them but a small Glass of this, they might be thereby preserved, for it would quickly remove that intolerable pain, and send the cause forth at the backdoor; There is no Medicine in the world will suit better with those that go long Voyages to Sea, especially into hot countries': for let them carry it to what part of the world they will, and keep the Glass close stopped, it shall not lose any thing of its virtues; for neither the heat of the Summer, nor coldest frost that is, will take any more impression on it then on a stone: That which will not preserve itself, cannot help to preserve another: Those that have the Muther-fits, if they take but a dose of this when they find the Fit a coming, it will prevent it. All sorts of Fluxes is by this Medicine cured, sometimes a Looseness and Vomiting is caused by reason of a cake of Worms, which is always accompanied with much Phlegm: this Medicine breaks the bed of Worms, and leaves the Patient fully recovered, though few but have therewith a strong Fever, which is cured also. There is a Disease which is called Lupus Phlegmaton, but by many foolishly taken for the Dropsy Tympanities, the Belly being swelled to a great bigness, by reason of a cake of congealed phlegm. I had this Spring a Gentlewoman of near 50 years in this Distemper, and taking this Medicine three weeks or a month, found little alteration, but then did begin to be lose, voiding much phlegm; the next day she vomited and was lose and the vomiting, continued for two days, and every day came from her many Basins full of phlegm, and at the end she ceased both vomiting and looseness having voided that which was the cause of her Distemper: during all the time of her Illness, she still continnued taking this Medicine and now is happily rid of her Disease. This Medicine is both a great cleanser and strengthner of the Spermatick Vessels in men or women, thereby begetting fruitfulness in both Sexes; for it doth search every corner of the body, and cast forth what ever is offensive to nature. Some years ago, there came to me a woman big with Child, whom her Husband had given a Clap; and I did not only cure her of it during her going with Child, but also the Child: so that when it was born, it was as fine a Child as you shall see, and did thrive as well for some years: but I hear both the Mother and the Child died in the Visitation. The Difficulty of making water doth arise from several causes, as from wind, from the stone, and from a slimy matter furring that passage of the Urine; and sometimes by a carnosity of the three first, I have had experience and find them easily helped by this Medicine: the Stone only desires a long time for the breaking, and yet I sent some five years ago this Medicine to a Person of quality, and in Fourteen days after they sent me word that it had so broken the Stone, that there had come away too spoonfuls of Sand every day, for a long time; and when there was no more left, there was no more to be expected. Now whether this was the Stone in the Kidneys or Bladder, I know not; for the Patient was a hundred Miles from me: but this I do not question, but it will as well reach the Bladder as the Reins; for I once applied it to a person that had an Ulcer in the neck of the Bladder, a man of near fifty years old, there was a tumour betwixt the Scrotum and the Fundament, they boch being broken before I knew it, so that the Urine came forth there every time he made water, and always in making water he had a great smarting in that place, after, as well as before the irregular passage of the Urinal was stopped; yet I could find no Medicine that he found so much good by: but in short time he was by this perfectly cured, without the least obstruction in making water, although it brought away much mattery substance during the time any thing of corruption remained there. The symptoms by which you may know the Ulcer in the Bladder or the neck of the same, are a pricking pain after making water in the end of the yard in men, and in woman in the passage of Urinal: sometimes there comes away a mattery substance with the Urinal, sometimes like hairs will appear in the Urinal, sometimes both, sometimes a smarting in making of water: and when there is nothing of the Venereal Disease, when these symptoms appear, than you may conclude there is an Ulcer either in the Bladder or in the Neck of the same: and in outward Ague-sores, I have seen its effects, for being taken inwardly without ever applying any thing outwardly but a scorched rag, the sores have run till the matter hath been fully taken away, and they have healed of their own accord: the Patient taking this Medicine daily till they were fully healed, after hath continued well many years, and I question not but most sores may be so healed, and the most venomest of Ulcers, Cancers, etc. may be made by the taking of it more apt to heal, for as they do proceed from a venomous humour, so this Medicine doth expel the greatest of venoms. For when I have been by accident in Mineral fumes that will poison any man to continue in, I have taken no other Antidote against them. I confess I never tried it against poisons, but do verily believe, it will most potently expel any sort of poisons, it will so speedily remove peracute Diseases: the Dropsy will fly before this Medicine for the Liver being freed from obstructions and the Urinary-passage, nature will do the rest, unless it be accompanied with a Consumption, and then there is but small hopes of a cure. The Piles, a distemper much following Melancholy people, and oftentimes that sort called the blind Piles, which always with a vehement pain and burning, as though fire was in the place, by the taking of this Medicine, it doth much mitigate the pain and by degrees takes it fully away, but doth not fully stop the bleeding Piles, for that is the sink of body, and would be much injurious. Ruptures called Broken Bellies, which proceed from wind or water, this Medicine doth speedily take away. A Rupture, is a wind in the lower Bowels causing an extension of the Peritonaeum, and in men and boys the Bowels extending the Kall, so that they fall into the Scrotum or Cod; and the obstructions of the Bowels being removed, the Distemper hath no place to lurk in. I have had them that have had this distemper some years, and then I ahve caused them to wear a Truss; and I shall always choose a Steel-Trusse before any other, it being well made and fitted. But what need I spend so much time and paper in mentioning particulars; since there is no Disease that I have met with, but this Medicine will cure: for I find that the obstructions being opened and the parts strengthened, there can remain not any thing of a Disease in any part of the body. Now I shall direct how I always order the taking of it, my advice is to take it Night and Morning in a glass of Sack, and fast one hour after, but not longer. In the morning, the quantity to a strong body, threescore drops, to a Child new born six drops, to one of a year old ten drops, of four years old twenty, and to one of twelve years old forty; always observing that some are as strong at six years, as others at ten, and then the dose is to be according. Those that take it against Infections, need not take above twenty drops, and only in the morning, unless they go where infected people are, and then it is necessary to take it as often as they come where danger is. Sometimes it will be needful for those that have the infection, 
If they take it out of order it will do no harm though but little good.  and have had it a day or two before they take it for them, then to take it four times a day, in the morning, and at ten before noon, and at four afternoon, and at night. Those that are taken either with Pleurisy, Quinsy, or any other peracute Disease, let them take it so soon as the Disease appears, and if the first Dose doth not move it to their minds, then let them take it again two hours after; always putting themselves into bed so soon as they have taken it: and if they be dry, let them drink as much drink as they will in reason desire; but always I forbidden them small beer: it being of a crude quality requires the more concoction, and so hinders the operation of the Medicine; but those that are not lovers of strong beer, let them mix Sack with their small beer, and they will find that the less quantity of drink will allay their dryness: I omitted in my preparation to tell you that my Tartar that I make my Salt of is red, according to Raymund Lulley in his Testamenta nova, where he teaches the making of the Mercury of the Philosophers: Now a word or two to my Brother Tyro, let me advise thee when thou goest about any Chemical preparation, first to learn to know the threefold Salt in nature, the threefold Sulphur, and the three fold Mercury; and the sympathy and antipathy in them; their separation and union; and the cause of their not uniting the degrees of heat and cold required for their putrefaction: understand these, and then thou mayest be in hopes of accomplishing some part of thy desire: for if thou failest in any of them, thou wilt lose thy labour.  
A word to those that take this Medicine: be●o●e they take it, let them seriously consider whether they can have patience in fixed Diseases, to continue the taking of it, as in old settled Griefs will be required, and if they cannot, I desire them to let it alone: if they will take it, then let them in the first place desire a blessing from God on it, and then questionless they shall obtain their desire; and having obtained their desire, let them return thanks to God for it; always concluding they that receive any thing of good, and not giving thanks to God for it, do but rob God. For order in diet, let the Patient eat what is most agreeable to the Stomach, 
The Archeusis is the best Schoolman in diet.  always observing that the Stomach better knows what will agree with it, than the Doctor doth. For perfume against infectious airs, I always had Red Saunders and Rosmary of each a like quantity, and do approve it best, as the one comforting the heart, the other the Brain; and this I prefer before that commonly made with Brimston and Niter, which burn both  and Hang where ever it comes. I could easily prove it Inimical to nature: but I say no more lest Mr. Whiteaker rail against me, as he doth against Van Helmont for speaking truth.  
This Elixir truly prepared, is to be had at this Author's house in Crouched-Fryers near Tower-hill, at the Sign of John Baptist Van Helmont: the price of a whole Glass is five Shillings, and a half Glass two Shillings six pence; and at Mr. Radfords' in Queen-street near the Blue Bell; in Westminster-hall at Mr. Gavills, the Sign of the Faulkon, and at Mr. John Playford 's Shop in the Temple. Sealed with the three Lions Rampant, and no where else.