The workes of that famous chirurgion Ambrose Parey translated out of Latine and compared with the French. by Th: Johnson

CHAP. XXIV. Of Oyles.

PRoperly and commonly we call oile that juice which is pressed forth of Olives; but the word is used more largely, for we call every juice of a fluxible, unctuous, and aiery substance, Oyle. There are three differences of these oleaginous juices: The first is of those things which yeeld oile by expression, as well fruits as seeds being bruised, that by beating the oily juice may be pressed forth; some are drawn without fire, as oile of sweet and bitter almonds, oyle of nuts, of palma Christi. O∣thers are made to runne by the helpe of fire, by which meanes is gotten oile of baies, linseed oyle, rape oyle, oile of hempe, and such like: The manner of drawing oile from seeds is set downe by Mesue in his third booke.

The second sort is of those oyles which are made by the infusion of simple medi∣cines in oyle, wherein they leave their qualities: and this is done three severall * 1.1 waies, the first is by boyling of roots, leaves, tops of flowers, fruits, seeds, gummes, whole beastes, with wine, water, or some other juice, with common, or any other oile, untill the wine, water, or juice bee consumed, which you may perceive to bee perfectly done, if you cast a droppe of the oyle into the fire, and it maketh no noise but burneth. It is to be remembred that sometimes the seeds or fruits are for a cer∣taine time to be macerated before they are set to the fire; but it must bee boiled in a double vessell, lest the oyle partake of the fire.

After this manner is made oleum costinum, rutaceum, de croco, cydoniorum, myrtillo∣rum, mastichinum, de euphorbio, vulpinum, de scorpionibus, and many others. The se∣cond is by a certaine time of maceration, some upon hot ashes, others in horse dung, that by that moderate heat the oile might draw forth the effects of the infused me∣dicines into it selfe. The third is by insolation, that is, when these or these flowers, being infused in oile, are exposed to the sunne, that by the heat thereof the oile may

change, and draw into him selfe the faculty of the flowers which are infused: of this kinde are oile of roses, chamomile, dill, lillies, of water lillies, violets, and others, as you may see in Mesue.

The third kinde is properly that of the Chimists, and is done by resolution made after divers manners, and of this sort there are divers admirable qualities of divers * 1.2 oleaginous juices, whether they be made by the sunne or fire, or putrefaction, as we shall speake in his place hereafter.

Wee use oiles when wee would have the vertue of the medicament to pierce deepe, or the substance of the medicines mingled with the oile to bee soft and gen∣tle. Moreover, when wee prepare oiles that should be of a cooling quality, the com∣mon oile of the unripe Olive is to be used: of that should the oile of roses be made.

Againe, when we would prepare oiles of heating qualities, such as are Oleum phi∣losophorum, or of Tiles, sweet and ripe oile is to be chosen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The making olies by infusi∣on.
• * 1.2

  The manner o•• oiles by resolu∣tion.