Opiologia: or, A treatise concerning the nature, properties, true preparation and safe vse and administration of opium For the comfort and ease of all such persons as are inwardly afflicted with any extreame griefe, or languishing paine, especially such as depriue the body of all naturall rest, and can be cured by no other meanes or medicine whatsoeuer. Dedicated to the illustrious, high and mighty lords, the estates generall of the vnited prouinces in the Netherlands. By Angelus Sala Vincentinus Venitus. And done into English, and something inlarged by Tho. Bretnor. M. M.

To the ingenious and indif∣ferent Reader.

THE cause moouing mee (curteous Reader) to trās∣late and publish this smal Pamphlet, was not onely the scarsitie of the French Copies, but the especiall want of such a Treatise in our owne mother-tongue: for not onely the rude multitude and men of some iudgement through vaine delusion and superstitious feare, but many Physitions themselues through a Galenicall perswasion, make no small question and scruple whether Opium may bee taken inwardly or not; Nay, I haue knowen men of good discretion so farre infatuated by conceipt and

heare say as they haue rather chosen to indure intollerable paines then they would take three poore graines of well prepared Laudanum: but I cannot greatly blame them, for the naked truth is, many moderne Physitions know not well what to make of it. Forestus Mon∣tanus and many others with Galen ab∣solutely conclude, that it is stupefying and cold in the fourth degree at least, and therefore not fit to be inwardly ta∣ken at all, but in Syncopes and ex∣treame necessitie; Mercatus is indiffe∣rent. Capiuaccius is forced by com∣mon experience to grant with Auicen, that for its foure degrees of coldnesse it is furnished with three of heate in operation.

But Platerus, Bauhinus, Zwingerus, Scaliger, Quercitanus and others affirme with Rhasis, that Opium is rather hot then cold, seeing that in tasting there∣of it doth Palatum & linguam vrere, caput tentare, Sudorem prouocare, vene∣rem promouere, sitim excitare, pruritum

insignem parere, animositatem fi••e potius furorem inducere, and being outwardly applied doth (contrarie to all cold things) blister the skinne, discusse and mollifie hard tumors and nodes. But whether it bee hot or cold it skils not much, seeing it is confessed of all true Physitions, that it doth ex forma speci∣fica, naturally resist putrefaction and wonderfully and speedily release the bodie from intollerable paines: for, let the torments or griefe proceed from what cause soeuer, either hot or cold, inward or outward it worketh the same effects, so that this onely Me∣dicine well prepared would doubtlesse saue many thousand mens liues that trauaile or faile, sub aequatore vel polo Arctico, into the East Indies or Nor∣therne discoueries, vnder the hottest or coldest climes in the world, seeing it resembles much the oyle of Vitrioll, Vinegar, Chymicall salts and such like, which are giuen with good successe as well in cold as hot diseases: but what

needs many words seeing the Author himselfe hath sufficiently discouered the benefit hereof, I onely wish you to haue great regard to its preparation: for as in most Physicall Drugges there remaineth some bad qualitie or other which needeth correction, so doth Opium require Vulcans helpe, and other specificall meanes to driue away its sulphurous malignitie: you may read in Quercetane his answere to Anonimus Cap. 2. and in Sennertus his Institutions Lib. 5. part. 3. Sect. 2. Cap. 1. that the an∣cient fathers of Physicke made their chiefest Medicines with their owne hands, and intituled them after their owne names, which many retaine to this day, but now the case is altered; The Merchant he will haue his Factor, his Casher and his Broker too, the Grocer his Garbler, the Vintner his Cooper, the Gold-smith his Forger, the Draper his Cloath-worker and Drawer too, the Physition his Apothe∣carie, The Apothecarie his Druggist

and his Workeman too: for few of them make all their owne Medicines. In briefe Iohn wilbe a Gentleman at least. But me thinkes, the life of man (so pretious a thing in the sight of God) should not be so little esteemed of as I feare it is in posting ouer hither and thither, I would be loath to be mi∣staken, or haue any man thinke I goe a∣bout to correct magnificat, or teach others hauing neede of instruction my selfe, but ingeniously (as any conscio∣nable man ought) declare my opinion, and to let the friendly Reader know how hee may bee abused if hee looke not about him; for mine owne part, I wilbe so bold, if able, as to prepare the chiefest Physicke I vse my selfe, and for the Medicine handled in this booke, they may haue it well don of my friend Harbert Whitfield in Newgate-Market, of Maister Bromhall, who hath confer∣red with the Author and some others, no doubt about this towne. And so in∣treating

thy gentle patience for these rude lines, and thy kinde acceptance of this homely translation while better is abree∣ding, I euer rest,

Studious of thy health, THO. BRETNOR.