CHAP. XVIII. Of Pyrotickes, or causticke Medicines.
THat medicine is said to be Pyroticke or Causticke, which by its acrimony and biting, commonly consisting in an earthy consistence, either superfi∣cially corrodes, or more deeply eates and putrefies, or lastly, burnes and consumes the skin and flesh, so that it even pierces into callous and hard bodies. Therefore there are three degrees of Pyrotickes; for some are termed ca∣thaereticke * 1.1 or corroding, for that they waste the proud flesh of an ulcerated or any other part, and these are judged the weaker sort of the Pyrotickes. Othersome are termed Septicke or putrefying, as those which destroy and dissolve the tender and new sprung up flesh, and raise blisters in the skinne, and these are more powerfull than the cathaeretickes. Lastly, there are othersome termed most powerfull Escharo∣tickes, which by their fiery and terrestriall quality cause eschars or crusts; where∣upon they are also termed Ruptoria, & potentiall Cauteries: Now all these differen∣ces are taken from that they are more or lesse powerfull. For it oft-times happens, that according to the different temper and consistence of the parts, according to the longer or shorter stay, a Cathaereticke may penetrate as farre as a Septicke, and on the contrary, an Escharoticke may enter no farther than a Septicke.
These are judged Cathaeretickes, Spongia usta, alumen ustum & non ustum, vitrio∣lum * 1.2 ustum, calx mediocriter lota, arugo, chalcanthum, squamma aeris, oleum de vitriolo, trochisci andronis, phasionis, asphodelorum, ung. Aegyptiacum, apostolorum, pulvis mer∣curii, arsenicum sublimatum.
Septickes and Vesicatories are, Radix scillae, bryoniae, sigill. beatae Mariae, buglossa, * 1.3 radix ranunculi, panis porcini, apium, risus, lac tithymallorum, lac fici, euphorbium, ana∣cardus,