A discourse of natural bathes, and mineral waters wherein, the original of fountains in general is declared, the nature and difference of minerals with examples of particular bathes, the generation of minerals in the earth, from whence both the actual heat of bathes, and their virtues proceed, by what means mineral waters are to be discover'd, and lastly, of the nature and uses of bathes, but especially of our bathes at Bathe, in Someerset-shire / by Edw. Jorden, Doctor in Physick.

CHAP. VIII. (Book 8)

Of Mineral Spirits; Quick-silver, Salphur or Brinsstone, Arsenick, with his kinds, Cadmia.

AFist kind of Minerals are called Spirits; these are volatil in the fire, and have in∣gression into Metals, but no metalline fusion. These are Quick-silver, Sulphur, Arsenick, Cad∣mia, Rusma, &c. All which being volatil, will easily sublime, and being mixed with metals, as Cadmia's ordinarily to make Brass, will alter the colour of the metal, and make it less fusible, and less malleable. I will briefly run over the exam∣ples of these and their virtues or qualities, being more obscure, and in our Baths less useful than the former, and more rare.

Qnick silver was not well known to Galen, for he confesseth that he had no experience of it, and did think it to be meerly artificial, and not naturally bred in the earth. * 1.1 Dioscorides makes no mention of the temperature of it, but holds it to be a pernitious venome, and to fret the en∣trails; although Matthiolus affirms that it is safely given to women to further their deliver∣ance, and we find it so by often expcrience, both in that cause, and in Worms, and in the French Disease and Leprosies, if it be skilfully prepared, and with judgement administred. Fallopius holds it to be one of the miracles of nature. Those that take upon them to determine of the qualities of it, are much distracted; fome reckoning it to be hot and dry, and some cold and moist; and both

in a high degree. But in this account they con∣sider not the qualities of the ingredients in the preparation; whether it be sublim'd or precipi∣tated. * 1.2 For my part I know not how to reduce 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to the Elementary qualities: neither am I asht∣med of mine ignorance in it, seeing no man hi∣therto hath given true satisfaction herein. And if it be true that the elements do not concur to the generation of mixt bodies, (as I shall shew, cap. 11.) we need not marvail if we find the•• not where they be not. * 1.3 But for our own use, where reason fails us, let us be guided by experience. We find by experience, that it cuts, attenuates, penetrates, melts, resolves, purges both ad cen∣trum & a centro, heats, cools, &c. and is a tran∣scendent beyond our rules of Philosophy, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 monster in nature, as Renodaus faith. For our pur∣pose it is enough to know whether it will impr•• any quality to water; which Fallopius, Bacei•••• Solinander, Banbinus, and Felix Platerus do ac∣knowledge. But it gives no taste to it, neither have we many examples of Baths which contin•••• it. In Serra Morena in Spain, near the Village Almedien, is a Cave where are many Wells i••∣fected (as is thought) with Quick-silver, because much of that mineral is extracted from thence out of a red stone called Minium nativum. A∣bout fifty miles from thence in V alentiola, then is another fountain called La Nava, of a sha•• taste, and held to proceed from Quick-silver and these waters are found wholsome. So are 〈◊〉〈◊〉 waters at Almagra and Toletum, and others by the River Minius, which are hot. There are man venomous springs attributed to Quick-silver, 〈◊〉〈◊〉

the red fountain in A••thiopia, others in Boetia, Caa in Trigloditis, Stix in Arcadia, Stix in Thessalia, Licus in Sicilia, &c. which perhaps are from other minerals, feeing we find some from Quick-silver to be wholsome. For Mines of Quick-silver, we read of many in Baetica, Attica, Ionia, out of a stone which Pliny calls Vomica liquoris aterni. In Germany at Lands∣berg, at Creucenacbum, Schenbach, Baraum above Prage, Kunningstien, &c. In Scotland three miles beyond Barwick, I found a red stone, which I took to be minium nativum, seeing Agricola makes mention of it in Scotland, but by a mis∣chance could not try it.

Sulphur attracts, contracts, resolves, mollifies, discusses, whereby it shews a manifest heat, though not intense, yet the sume of it is very sour, and therefore must cool and dry: and I perswade my self that there is no better sume to correct veno∣mous and infectious air, than this of Sulphur, or to remove infections out of rooms, clothes, bed∣ding, vessels, &c. * 1.4 We must acknowledge dif∣fering parts in all compounded bodies; as Rhu∣barb hath a purgative quality in the infusion, and an astrictive in the Terrestrial substance, where the salt hath been by infusion extracted. The substance of Sulphur is very fat (Sulphure nihil pinguius) faith Felix Platerus, and this is the cause of his easie taking of fire, and nor any pro∣pinquity it hath with fire in the quality of heat: for if it were very hot, Dioscorides would not comment it purulenta extussientibus, the next door to a Hectick. Also Galen faith, that fat things are moderately hot, and are rather nutri∣ments

than medicaments. Now for Sulphurous Baths, they are very frequent, and if we should believe some, there are no hot Baths but parti∣cipate with Sulphur, but they are deceived, as shall appear hereafter, when we come to shew the true causes of the heat of Baths. Neither are all sulphurous Baths hot. Gesner reports of a Bath by Zurich very cold, and yet sulphurous, Agricola of another by Buda in Pannonia. In Campania by the Leucogaean Hills, are cold Springs full of Brimstone. Also there are hot Baths without any shew of sulphur that can be discerned, as the Baths of Petriolum in Italy, the Baths Caldanelloe and de Avinione in agro Senensi, de Gratta in Viterbiensi, de aquis in pisanis col∣libus. Divi Johannis in agro Lucensi, in Alsatia another not far from Gebersallerum, &c. All which are very hot, and yet give no sign of Sul∣phur either by taste or smell, or effects. And yet no doubt there are many Baths having a sulphu∣rous smell from other minerals; as from Bitu∣men, Vitriol, Sandaracha, Allum, &c. which are hardly to be discerned (if at all) from Sul∣phur. So we commonly say, if a house or a tree be fet on fire by lightning, that it smells of Brim∣stone when there was no Brimstone there. Mans things combusted, will yield a nidorous smell, not discernable after burning what the things were. But there are divers truly sulphurous Baths which contain Sulphur, although not per∣fectly mixt with the water without some medi∣um, but only confused: for perfect Sulphur will not dissolve in water no more than Bitumen, The spirit of Sulphur may be communicated to

water, and so may the matter of Sulphur before it hath attained his perfect form and consistente : otherwise it is only confufed with water, and alters it into a milky colour. Sulphurca Nar al∣bus aqua, Nar with Sulphurous water white. At Baia are divers hot fulphurous Baths, and every where in Hetrnria, in Sicily, in Diocesi Panormitana ; the Baths of Apono, as Savana∣rola Muntagna, and Fallopius avevs, although John de dondis denieth it; the Bath of Astru∣num, of Callatura, S. Euphemie, Aquisgran, Bri∣genses thernmae in V alesiis Helvetiorum, Aqua san∣cta in Picenis, and an infinite number every where. Baccius reckons our Baths of Bath among fulphurous Baths, from the relation of Edward Carne when he was Embassador to Jnlius tertius, and Panlus quartus. I will not deny some touch of Sulphur in them, seeing we sind among bitu∣minous coals, some which are called metal coals, with certain yellow vains which are Sulphur. But the proportion of Sulphur to Bitumen, is very little, and therefore I do not hold them Sul-phurous & pradominio. This is enough for Sul∣phur.

Concerning Arsenick, it is a venomous mi∣neral, and therefore I need speak noth ng of the Baths which proceed from it, but that we take heed of them; It is likely that those venomous waters and vapours which kill suddenly, do pro∣ceed from Arsenick, as at Cicrum in Thracia, font Neptunius in Terracina, at Peraut by Mom∣pelier, the Lake Avernus. * 1.5 The cave of Charon by Naples. Under Arsenick we may comprehe. d Auripigmentum, Risagalum, Sandaracha, Rus∣ma,

&c. I hear of but one Mine of Rrsma in Ci∣prus, from whence the Turks have it to take off hair, and it doth it best of any thing known, as Bellonius and Platerus report, and I have made tryal of it oftentimes: The former sorts of Arse∣nick are found in Misia Helltspontia in Ponu, by the River Hippanis, which is made bitter by it. In the lesser Afta, between Magncsia and Euphesus in Carmania, &c. It is accounted to be extreme hot and putrifying.

Cadmia is either natural or fictitious: Th•• natural is often dangerous in Germany, as Agri∣cola saith, especially that which is liquid, whic•• is a strong corrosive : the other is of the natu•• of Copper, moderately hot and cleansing. as especially good to clear the eyes, as Calamina•• and Tntia. * 1.6 It is found in Copper Mines, and •• it self in Ciprus, as Galen saith by the City Sol•• Also in Agro Senensi, Vicentino, Bergomensi, no•• Como, where they make Brass with it. Unde Meadip hills there is much of it. The Baths •• Saint Cnssian do participate with it, and Cicp his Baths neer Baia. Also the Bath at Zurich •• Helvetia, and Grotta in Viterbio.

Thus much for Spirits.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Simpl. med. fa∣cult. 1. 5. 0. 59.
• * 1.2

  Vidus Vidius turat. generat. p. 2. sect.2.1.3.C. 13. Fallopius de petallis 6. 37.
• * 1.3

  Quick-silver not reducible to the Elemen∣tary Qualities
• * 1.4

  Sulphur.
• * 1.5

  Arsenick.
• * 1.6

  Cadmia.