_The preparation of the Vitriol of Gold and its use in Medicine._
Dissolve Gold in some acid sulphureous _Sal Mirabilis_, and not
alkalizated, _viz._ by the moist way, pass the solution through a
Philter, and abstract the unprofitable Phlegm so far untill there
appear a thin skin at the top, which appearing, set the remainder in
the cold, and you shall get a green Stone like to an Emrald. That
part of the Liquor which is not shot, evaporate again even so long
till a skin appears, that so you may get the rest of your Vitriol:
So all the Gold will together with the _Sal Mirabilis_ shoot into a
Vitriol, resembling the greenness of Grass, (and so green) as nature
never produced the like. In this Smaragdine Table are found written
(or engraven) many wonderfull things, which will neither be read nor
understood by every body. I will hint some few things concerning it,
and such as appertain to Medicine: And in the first place, what kind
of Vitriol this ought to be, and what notes and marks it is to be
distinguished by, (as thus) a little of it being rubbed with your
thumb, on pure or cleansed Iron, doth guild it of a golden colour,
whereas the common Vitriol makes the Iron look of a coppery colour.
This is a sign of this golden Vitriol’s being prepared after a due
manner, which said Vitriol will effect those things in Medicine which I
am about to ascribe to it. Besides, it makes Copper and Brass shew of a
golden colour and performs wonderfull things with Mercury, if digested
with it, in the moist way, but for brevity sake I omit these things.
For it grows like a little Tree, and sends forth golden Sprouts.
As touching its Medicinal Virtues such of them as I have found out, are
here briefly described; without question there lie hid in it yet more
and more excellent Virtues, which as yet are unknown unto me, but will
come to light in process of time.
But the chief efficacy and virtue of this golden Vitriol as far as I
know, doth consist in purging and bringing out all evil and noxious
humours out of the whole body of Man, and withall in corroborating
and strengthening him. And as to this office it outstrips all other
Medicines whatsoever. Nay more, it performs its operation speedily,
yea more speedily than any other purge doth. For as soon as ever it
shall be taken into the body it doth presently begin to work, because
the Salt is soluble, and therefore such bodies as are not opened,
can’t at all compare with it, for they must necessarily lie in the
Stomach at least half an hour, or a whole hour before they begin their
operation. And because every common Vitriol is a capital enemy to all
the Worms of the Belly, and the Feavers arising therefrom, wherewith
a very many Infants both Boys and Girls do die, void of all kind of
help, I do most highly commend this Vitriol of Gold to all such Fathers
and Mothers of Families, whose Children are dear unto them, that they
at all times have it in a readiness, to be made use of in cases of
necessity. For verily I never found any better or certainer Remedy
against the Worms than this very same, because it not onely kills them,
but also casts them out, and doth by strengthening the Sick, take away
all the Feavers both of old and young. It is also a most great secret
in the Plague, in which Disease verily, a longer delay or abiding of a
Medicine in the Body (without working) is hurtfull. Besides, it is not
onely a certain and safe curative Medicine, but likewise a preservative
too in the Plague, and in all acute and contageous Feavers, as well of
young as old, the like to which is scarce, yea very rare to be found.
For this Vitriol doth speedily and swiftly draw back from the heart
every Poison, and every burning heat, and being drawn back from all the
Members of the whole Body, doth drive it forth by all the Emunctories
of the whole Body, but principally by Stool and Sweat. Furthermore, if
the Disease require it, and the Patients strength permit it, it may
be administred in a bigger Dose, and then ’twill provoke to Vomit,
and powerfully expel Choler. It doth in the _Lues Venerea_ shew it
self most efficaciously virtuous, and powerfully casts out Tartarous
Fluxes and acute humours out of all the whole Body: By which operation
it likewise brings much help and comfort to such as are troubled with
the Stone and Gout, it removes the Epilepsie both from young and old,
and frees the Hydropical of the Water betwixt the Skin. And that I may
comprise all as ’twere in one word, ’tis such an universal purge as
that it roots out of the whole Body whatsoever is found to be hurtfull
and offensive therein. It hath not its fellow as to Remedy the Feavers
of Children whether proceeding from Worms or from a corrupted Stomach,
the which kill such abundance of Infants of both Sexes, without any
help left. Nor do I think that there can be found a better Remedy in
the Plague, and in all other acute Feavers which usually kill Men
suddenly, than this Vitriol of Gold, if it be but rightly made use of.
The Dose is small, and is easily made pleasant to Childrens Palats,
by putting a little Sugar thereunto, or some such like sweet things.
To Infants newly born, you may give scarce an eighth part of a grain,
against (or to prevent) the Epilepsie, or Convulsions. To such as are
from one year old, to 10 or 12 years of age, the Dose may be one,
two, or three grains, according as their age is, the which Dose may
be augmented in such as are older, according as the age and condition
of the Sick requires. Where the Disease is Worms, there the Dose must
be so strong as not onely by well purging to kill them, but also to
cast them forth when killed. For from those slain Worms, if they abide
in the Bowels, other new Worms usually breed. I hope that by my thus
revealing this Medicament, I shall so bring it to pass, as that for the
time to come, so many Infants both Boys and Girls will not be destroyed
by Feavers arising from Worms, but very many will be safely preserved
from so immature a death.
But here, some or other may say or at least think within himself,
what is the reason that I have such an especial regard to Infants and
Children, and am so very solicitous of preserving them from an untimely
end. I answer hereunto, that nothing is more necessary than to afford
some comfortable due help to Infants, and poor innocent Babes, who
do evil to none, and whose loss their Parents do sadly brook. For it
is certain and without all kind of doubt, that (amongst Diseases) the
Epilepsie or Convulsion is the first that sets upon new born Infants
and sweeps them away. Then presently follows Measels, Small Pox, and
such like, and these kill not a few. Then comes the Worms, and they
cause Feavers which afflict them with a continual burning, whereby
they lose all their Appetite to eating, and covet nothing but drink,
and the Parents use no remedy to suppress them, being ignorant that
such guests are lodged there, and do not perceive them when the poor
sick Babes Bellies do not swell. But further, when by the swelling of
their Bellies, they do know that they have the Worms, and though they
desire to use some Remedies, yet can they hardly make their little ones
to take them as being so averse to them. Nay more, though sometimes
they do administer common Worm-feed, or some other Vegetable Powders
good against the Worms, yet there’s scarce one in ten that is help’d,
and the poor sick Children grow worse and worse: And at last when the
Disease hath gotten such head as that the Parents see that death is at
hand, then is the Physician sent for, who (if he knows the Disease to
arise from Worms, and be furnished with a good Medicine) doth presently
help the Sick, and free him of the Disease. But if he be destitute of
a good Medicine, and attempts to refresh or cherish the Sick with his
sweet Syrups, _&c._ he widely erreth, for by such kind of sweet Juices
he gives Nutriment to the Worms. Neither doth it at all avail to put
Linnen Cloaths, dipped in Rose water, to the Head, thereby to allay
its burning heat, and to little purpose are the gentle purging drinks
prescribed. For as soon as ever the Worms do perceive any thing given
to the Sick, which is contrary to them, they presently hide themselves
(or run to holes) and do wreath themselves into a kind of Ring, and
pass out with the Excrements. But if they perceive any sweet thing
which is pleasant to them to be given to the Sick, they do receive
their nourishment thencefrom and remain alive. And if by some hap or
other it doth so chance that one or more is hurried away with the
Excrements, yet the rest of them remain unhurt, and the Disease is not
taken away, but prevaileth more and more, and at last deprives the Sick
of Life. He therefore that endeavoureth after the happy curing of such
Feavers as arise by reason of Worms, must of necessity (in defect of
this golden Vitriol) give his Patient such things to drink for three or
four days as do cause a bitterness in the Stomach. And although bitter
things are unpleasant to the Palate of poor Sick Infants, yet are they
enemies to the Worms, and do kill them. Such bitter things therefore
being drunk for three or four days, the Worms do sometimes in some Sick
Children die the first or second day, but in other some ’tis the fourth
day e’re they die.
Now then as concerning such bitter Medicaments, which I here write
of, that they may not be bitter in the Mouth, but be made so in the
Stomach, I say, that the Metals are such, and especially Iron, Copper,
Gold and Silver, the which being dissolved do obtain a very bitter and
ungratefull Savour. But the reason why Gold and Silver being taken
into the body, when they are filed and ground most exceeding small, do
not operate any thing at all, comes from thence, _viz._ because the
Acidity of the Stomach is too weak to set upon them: And therefore
’tis necessary that they be first converted into Vitriols, if you would
have them operative in the Stomach, as I have taught you concerning
Gold. But forasmuch as every Body cannot be Masters of such a golden
or silver Vitriol, it seemed expedient to me to reveal to the poor, a
certain and never failing Secret, by the help whereof the Worms both in
old People and young are killed.
It is not unknown to Physicians that every common Vitriol wherewith
Dyers use to dye their black Colour, doth (being administred to young
People) kill the Worms and cast them out too. But because of its
unpleasant and odd tast ’tis a hard matter to make Children take it.
But now if you do a little more accurately examine the properties of
common Vitriol, you will find it to be nothing else but a mere acid
Salt, by which Iron or Copper, or both together are dissolved in the
Earth, by nature. If now we are so minded, we can also make a Vitriol
in the Stomach, which will be equally as operative as that which is
made by nature and taken in at the mouth, and ’tis done thus. If we
give most small filings of Iron or Copper to little Infants in a due
weight, these now may be easily administred unto them, as containing no
ungratefull tast. For, being reduced into thin or curious filings, and
being a metal easily admitting of Solution, as soon as ever it comes
into the Stomach, the Acidity of the Stomach doth meet with it, by
which ’tis easily dissolved, and turned into a Vitriol, and so endued
with the very same operation as that is, which is prepared in the Earth
by Nature.
But you are here to observe the difference that is betwixt the filings
of Copper and Iron, and that is this, the Copper works strongly, and
the Iron much milder. Besides the Copper makes the Stomach vomit, but
the Iron causeth no Vomits, and doth very rarely disturb the Stomach,
and when it doth, ’tis onely in this case, _viz._ when ’tis administred
in too great a Dose. Therefore amongst all such Medicaments, Iron is
the best, the safest, and the least cost, though to proud men it may
appear sufficiently vile and base. Nor is it to be questioned but that
the brethren of ignorance will entertain it with derision, and say;
if _Glauber_ knows no better remedy for the Worms than this, which
consists of the gross filings of Iron, he had done a great deal better
to have kept it onely to himself: And if Iron abounds with such Vertues
there’s no reason for him so to praise his pretious Vitriol of Gold
with such a deal of commendations. To this I answer, that my aim in
teaching the preparation of the Vitriol of Gold is not directed for
the Worms in Children so much. But I have added this remedy of Iron
to the description I have made of the vertues of the golden Vitriol,
to this end, that I may demonstrate it self also is so excellent a
remedy against Worms, and for the removal of those Feavers as are
caused by them. But because their cure can be more easily perfected
(as we just now spake about the filings of Iron) ’tis worth the while
to have regard to the way that is most compendious. He that pleaseth
may administer of the Vitriol of Gold, but I commend Iron to such as
are poor, for they may have that even every where. There is no Village
so small but hath a Smith living in it, who can when your necessity
requires supply you with some filings of Iron.
But that my mind may be fully understood, I judg it necessary yet more
clearly to give you a Declaration of this thing, _viz._ in what manner
and with what conveniency the filings of Iron may be administred to
the sick Infants. And ’tis thus done. Whilst the Infants are unweaned,
some Grains of the said filings from 2, to 6 or 8 Grains, may be mixt
with a little Sugar and put into their mouths, and then presently give
them suck, that so those filings may be suckt down together with the
Milk into the Stomach. Do this three days together and the Worms will
be destroyed, and the Feaver vanish. But if any body will make use of
any other Vehicle than what is the Child’s ordinary food, he may do so
if he please. But as for such as do not suck, but do drink out of a
sucking Bottle according as the usual custom is, you may easily give
it them, on this wise; Put a little into the Bottle and stop the hole
of the Bottle with your finger, and so turn it upside down that the
filings may slide down to the hole, and so let the Infant suck it down,
and ’twill pass with the drink into the Stomach. To such Boys and Girls
as are bigger, and have more understanding, it may be given easily and
any way you please, onely telling them that they will be restored to
their former health. To such as are 10 or 12 years old a quarter part,
or an half of the weight which we usually call Quintlein [from 10 to
20 grains] may be given safely, for 3 or 4 days. But in the mean while
let not the meats they use be of hard Concoction, but made of Pottage,
Prunes, and such like mollifying and loosening things, which may help
forward the operation of the Iron, and so the sick will become the
sooner well. I could not refrain from highly commending to all tender
Mothers that love their Children, this most safe and not at all costly
Medicine against all the Feavers proceeding from Worms, which do kill
so many poor little ones destitute of all kind of help. Let no body
matter its vileness, but rather think with himself, that God hath
also endowed vile and contemptible things with great vertues. Verily
this Cure, and thus taking away the Worms, and the Diseases arising
therefrom, is strongly founded on natural reasons, or arguments. For
seeing that the common Vitriol is a Poyson to Worms, but because of its
bitter and nauseous tast ’tis exceeding unpleasant to the Palate, they
do very well, that substitute Iron as being void of all Savour, in the
room of the common Vitriol, that so being given to their Children it
may be converted to Vitriol in their Stomachs, and so kill and drive
out the Worms. I my self have tryed many experiments about the Cure of
the Worms in my Children, but never found any thing safer and better
than contemptible Iron.
_A Story of a Child that had Worms._
I will tell you an instructing Story, concerning a great and eminent
man’s Child in such a Disease proceeding from the Worms, in which my
self was concerned. A certain rich man did on a time consult with me,
(or ask my advise) about this Child’s Disease. I gave him as much
filing of Iron as was sufficient for one Dose, for his Child to drink.
It seemed an absurd thing to the good man, to give an Infant filings
of Iron, upon this conceit he omitted to use it, and having called two
Physicians he shews them the filings, and askt them whether they would
advise him to administer it to his Infant. They earnestly disswaded him
from using it, saying that if he used it his Child would be killed,
and that it was a Medicine onely fit for curing of Horses, and that
they would prescribe a far safer and better one. They said there was
no danger in the Child of Worms, and therefore they prescribed it a
cooling and purging Syrup, thereby to take away the Feaver, and they
also added confections of Pearls, with other cooling Waters. Death
despised these kind of Potions, and snatcht away the Infant: The Child
being dead, there crept out of his mouth great Worms, and clearly
testified to the Parents their unseasonable rejecting my advise, haply
because the Medicine I prescribed was not costly, but prepared out of a
vile Subject. But it repented the Parents too late: The Mother coming
afterwards into the House of a certain Neighbour, gave that filings
which I had delivered them, unto an Infant troubled with a Feaver and
the Worms, who upon the taking of that one dose onely became better,
and by little and little returned to its former state of health, I was
willing to set down this history to the end that I might demonstrate,
that vile and abject things are many times capable of performing more
than Pearls and precious Stones can.
And so I conclude this so very necessary a discourse concerning Worms,
and the Feavers arising from them, whereby great multitudes of poor
Infants are destroyed. I hope that no body will take it amiss that
I have made so long a discourse concerning Worms. For I judged it
necessary to shew the cause from whence so many little ones do dye in
the flower of their Age. He that refuseth to believe what I say, let
him try the thing by his own loss.