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.

CHAP. VIII. Concerning the diuersitie of those opiating com∣positions, which the Spagirists call Lau∣danums.

THE Spagirists (imitating Paracelsus, who in diuers passages of his workes, term∣eth Anodyne and mitigating Medicines Laud••nums) haue euer since retained that name of Opium so composed: which word signi∣fyeth nothing else but a Medicine endowed with noble and singular vertues, and there∣fore deserueth wonderfull comm••nd••tions, which moued Croll••us to blazen it in this ma∣ner: Laudabile med••camentum, quod pl••ne suo nomine respondet si Laudanum dicas.

But the preparation thereof is diuersly handled, for euery Spagirist (for the most part) differeth from another, in one thing or other: For ••irection wherein I haue principally made mention of foure prin∣cipall-ones, according whereunto a man

for his vse may comprehend all other what∣soeuer.

The first Laudanum or specificall Anodyne is that of Theophrastus Paracelsus, which he thus describeth in the seuenth booke of his Archidoxes.

℞ opij Theb. ℥ j. succi pom. aurant. Suc. Citon. ana. ℥ vj. Cinamo. garyoph. ana. ℥ ss. Contus. per∣quam opt. simul omnia mixta{que} ponantur in vi∣trum cum suo coopertorio caeco: digerantur in ☉, vel simo per mensem, postmodū exprim. & impo∣nant. iterum cum seq.

℞ mosch. ℈ ss Amb. gr. ℈ iiij. croci ℥ ss sueci corall magist. perlar. ana. ℈j.ss. Comisco, postquam digestionem eorum vno mense fact. Adde quintess. auri ℈j▪ ss quae permixt. caeteris, Anodinum speci∣ficum erit ad auferendum quosc••n{que} dolores in∣ternos & externos, vt nullum tor queatur vel arri∣piatur membrum latius.

Here you may behold Paracelsus his Spe∣cificall Anodyne, wherein hee ordeineth onely Opium as its principall base, which is the more remarkeable in regard hee doth reckon and esteeme it as a powerfull Medicine to as∣swage and cease all griefes by its Specificall forme, which ought to confirme vs no little in our opinion concerning his qualities a∣foresayd.

The second Laudanum is that which Quer∣cetanus appointeth in his Pharmacopaea. pag. 203.

℞ essent. Opij, a suo dissoluente per B. vaporo∣sum vt supra separatae, ℥ij. essent. croci, cum aq. limo. extract. ℥j. Hae duae essentiae confundantur invicem in parvo quodam vasculo argenteo: his adde Gemmarum, Magist. Hyacinthorum, & Co∣rallo. ana. ʒ j.ss. ter. sigillat. verae ʒ j. pul. Bezoard. veri, Vnicor. Ambr. gr. ana. ℈ij.

Hi pulveres sufficient ad bonam consistentiam Laudano indu••endam: miscendo & agitando om∣nia continuò ad ignem lentum, donec ex materia frigefacta pilulae formari possunt: sufficit exhibere de hoc Laudano magnitudine piperis gr. & in∣signes a•• suspiciendos perc••pies huius Anodyni effectus, quod te spe tua numquam fi ustrabit: nam confert citra molestiam & cerebi vllam per∣turbationem adversus omnis generis dolores á quacun{que} causa subortos: contra omnes Haemor∣rhogias siue fluxus sanguinis in quacun{que} corpo∣ris parte fuerint: contra omnes defluxiones & fluo∣res ventris, dysentericos, Hepaticos, lientericos & similes: & ad adducendam grat••m tranquillita∣t••m in febribus ardentissimis, in quibus ipsis ratio∣nis sensus laeditur, & in phrenesim aeger plerum{que} delabitur. After this he describeth an other,

whereunto hee adioyneth Henbane, and al∣most an hundred Bezoardick and cordiall things: which whosoeuer is curious, and de∣sireth to know may finde them written in his sayd booke, for I am vnwilling to set then downe in this place, in regard they require a long and tedious kinde of preparation, and this may serue insteed of all.

The third Laudanum is that of Oswaldus Crollius, according to his description in his Basilica Chymica.

BEfore Crollius describeth his Laudanum, he commendeth the vsage of all Anodynes generally in this manner. Multi sunt morbi, qui abs{que} Anodynis sanari non possuns: Ergo in omnium morborum curationibus, vbi dolorum co∣mites vigiliae, virium{que} resolutiones adfuerint, Anodyna intrinseca appropriata possunt admini∣strari, vt ablatis symptomatum ipsis radieibus per∣nitiosorum cruciatibus, amica quies naturae rod∣datur. Afterwards setting downe the com∣position of his Laudanum (which hee calleth Laudanum paracelsi) he describeth it thus.

℞ Opij Theb. ℥iij. suc. Hyoscyam. deb. tem∣pore collect. & in ☉. prius inspissat. ℥j.ss. Spec. Diamb. & Diamosch. fideliter dispensatorum ana ℥ij. ss, mumiuae transmarinae select. ℥ss, Salis Perla∣rum,

Corallorum ana ʒiij. liquor. succini albi per Alcohol vin•• extract. Oss. de Cord. Cervi ana ʒj. lap. Bezoad. vnicorn. animalis vel miner. ana ʒj. Mosch. Ambr. ana ℈j.

In defectu auri potab. nullis corrosiuis coniq••i∣nati addantur oleorum anisi, carvi, aurant. nuc. myr. caryoph. cinamo. succ. ana gut. 12.

Fi. ex his S. A. chym. massa seu extranctum, •• quo ad necessarios vsus possint pillulae eff orman And proceeding forward he noteth certaine obseruations concerning the Anteprepara∣tion of Opium and Hyosciamus and other cir∣cumstances, as also in particular the manner and way of their composition: the Dose hereof according to the Author, is from two graines to foure, and touching its vertues shalbe declared hereafter.

The fourth Laudanum is the Authors Ne∣penthes Aurea.

℞ Essens. Opij, per spir. aceti cardiaci ex∣tract. ʒiiij. tincturae croci more Quercetani ex∣tract. ʒij. Lap. Bexoard. Regij seu auri puriss. mor•• Spagirorum purpurizat. & in veram medicina•• cardiacam redact. ℈ij. resinae lig. Aloes, Ambr. gris. opt. ana ℈j.

Let these things be well incorporated to∣gether in a small glasse vessell, and after∣ward

keepe the composition very close.

But because all these Medicines are both very costly, and curious to compound, and perhaps of no greater efficacie then some others which I make, and participate to my friends, I haue made bould for the good of my country to set downe two, the one whereof was communicated to mee at a second hand, from the learned and eminent Physition Io. Hartmannus of Marpurge in Germanie, and the other by the no lesse worthy and my much re∣spected friend▪ Maister D^r. Bonham of London, which are as followeth.

Laudanum siue philonium nostrum.

℞ Opij cum spir. vini extract. ℥vj. cui adde seq. tincturam vz. ℞ croci ℥j. cinamo. nuc. myrist. garyoph. mac. torment zedoar bistort. ••na ʒij. ss galang. angel. zz. ana. ʒij. florum cord. ••n••, ••. i. pulver. omnia s••bt. & cum aq. Cinamomi q. s. F••. extract. & m••sce cum supradict. opio. tunc adde Oss. de cord cervi, corall. alb. & rub. praepar. succin▪ a••b. coru. vnicor. lap. Bezo••r. lig. aloes; solut ••erlarum ana. ℈ij. santal. alb. & cit. ana. ℈j. fol auri pul. ℈ ss ter. lem. verae gr. Xiiij. amb. gris. gr. X. mosch. gr. viij. omnia opt. pulver. & sub∣••il••ss. cribrat. in fi••e adde ol. anisi gut. Xij. ol. nuc. myrist. gut. viij. ol. cinamo. gut. vj. Dosis a. gr. iij. ad v. cum corn. vnicor. & lap. Bezoar. ana.

gra. ij. & cons. ros. rub. ℈j. cum itur cubi∣tum.

Laudanum p••aestantisse. D. Bohami.

℞ Opij Theb. laminatum conscissi & poste•• exiccati ℥i ss. gum. hyosc. ℥ iij. sem. hyosc. alb. ℥j. mummiae ℈ j. garioph. Cinamo. ā. ℥ ij. rad. leuistic. cal. arom. gallan. ʒʒ. ana ℥ j. castor. pip. nig. carpesiorum croci sinceri ana ℥ ss. labdan. belzoin. ana ʒ ij. pul. pul. & ponantur omnia in vitro angu∣sti orificij cun•• spir. vini opt. q.s. ita vt quatuor di∣gitos superemineat, ac bene claudatur ter quaterue in die agitando dum tincturam nigram obtineat, deinde tinctura effundatur, & nou•• spiritus addan∣tur donec tota virtus sit educta, tum in B.M. fiat euaeporatio S. A. dum ad extracti consistentiam peruenerit, fiat{que} Laudanum approbatum & tutis∣sium.

Vsus huius est.

In saeuis dolorum implacabilium paroxysmis vt pote colicis, podagricis, arthriticis, pleuriticis, stomachicis, Nephriticis. Item in vigilijs, destux∣ionibus, haemorrhagijs & dysenterijs in expugna∣bilibus & praesertim in vomitu pestilenti & phre∣nitide summum arcanum.

Cautio.

Puellis tamen & senibus, quibus etiam vires vel magnitudine morbi v••l doloris saeuitia prostratae sunt, non confert. Quod si pulsus strenuns satis & vehemens appareat, siue periculo vti possis.

Extractio gum. hyosc.

℞ cort. rad hyosc. in mense Mart. vel septemb. circa plenilunium collect. exiccentur in vmbra po∣stea purgentur & contundantur opt. & in vase vitreo cum q. s. vini alb. arctiss. includan∣tur, tum in B. M. coq. per horas 12. vel amplius & rubicundam inuenes tincturam, quam exprimes è rad. fortiter, dein omnem hunc liquo∣rem per filtrum transactum euaporato super car∣bones viuos donec tinctura remanet instar mel∣lus, &c.

Aduertisments.

1 My meaning is that Opium should bee first freed and quit from his sulphurous Ma∣lignity, by meanes of its exsicration afore∣sayd, and afterwards digested for the space of a moneth in distilled Vinegar, wherein good stoare of white Saunders, Balme, Red∣roses

roses and Cinamon haue beene infused, and lastly brought vnto the consistence of liquid Pitch, or somewhat thicker.

2 For Bezoar-Regall, I meane fine Gold, reduced into the forme of powder, by the Phylosophers dissoluing balsame, and so brought vnto such a true, reall, comforta∣ble, and Bezoardick Medicine, that one graine thereof shall farre exceed six, or eight graines of the best orientall Bezoar; which (if need be) is very demonstrable.

3 That the (Saffron being pure and neate.) be infused after Quercetans-maner in Limon-water, and so the tincture drawne, let the water bee euapored with an easie and gentle fire, lest the more excellent and subtill spirit of the Saffron flie away.

4 To conclude, I put no Magistery or tincture of Pearle, Pretious-stones, Corall, nor of any other Cordiall things in my Lau∣danum then you see, not onely because I find the foresayd tincture of Gold to bee as suffi∣cient and auaileable as all the rest, but for some other rationall considerations, which here I spare to speake of.

5 And for the Amber-grise put therein, I neuer knew any woman troubled with the suffocation of the Mother, feele any mani∣fest nuisance, alteration or offence thereby,

••s some imagine, but if any man doubt ther∣of, let him but onely touch the Pill intended ••o be giuen vpon such occasion with a little ••yle of Charabes or Amber.

These are the Laudanums, or Opiating ••ompositions which I haue bin contented to describe in this booke, which indeed are all ••ery good and excellent in their operations, ••lthough they differ something one from an∣other in composition, and diuersitie of in∣grediences, yet the principal base common to them all, is meerely Opium.

The reason why I ••aue not set downe the preparation of this Medicine in so ample and plaine a maner and forme, as euery particular Reader might desire to make himselfe Ma∣ster of the Mysterie, is in regard I would not wrong any priuate person, who by his great ••abour, cost and industrie, hath purchased and gotten a more peculiar interrest therein, as hauing sufficient vnderstanding, knowledge and experience in the whole Art of Physick. For although I am willing to make euery man, that shall read this Treatise acquainted with the vtilitie and profit which may re∣dound and accrew by the vse of such a Me∣dicine, yet is it not my intention for all that, to giue occasion to many presumptuous per∣sons, which rashly, and without any true

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ground other then their owne priuate gain•• making practise in Physicke, will take in hand with a thing of so great consideration and importance as Laudanum is. And this is the reason also wherefore I doe so freely ad∣monish and counsell euery one that loues his owne life, or the preseruation of his health, more then the sparing of a sew scald pence, not to take this Medicine for any in∣ward vse at any mans hand, but onely of such as haue good knowledge therein, and will faithfully communicate the same, not giuing quid for quo, as some vnworthy Mercenaries doe, who commonly gape after their owne benefit and commodite, rather then the good and safetie of their sick patient.

Furthermore, I am not ignorant though a man may finde many Spagirists vaunting, and bragging they haue this and that La••∣danum, and other excellent Anodynes com∣posed without any Opium at all, some saying they can make Laudanum with mixtion only of certaine Cordialls, others would make the world beleeue they haue a certaine em∣brionated Sulphur of Vitriall, which is a most rare pretious medicine, and Somnife∣rous Anodyne; but these are nothing but vaine ostentations, seeing that without Opium or some other things of equiualen••

and semblable faculties it is impossible for ••ny man to prepare any generall, true or cer∣••aine Anodyne; how be it I deny not, but by permixtion of certaine things differing one ••rom another in tast, smel and qualitie, a man may compose a handsome counterfeit Lauda∣••um, seeing that I my selfe can prepare such a Medicine of Nutmegs, Mace, Myrrhe, Saf∣••ron, Amber, Maske, Aqua-vita, Quintessence, of Sulphur, &c. without any Opi••••, the onely smell whereof will prouoke sleepe, and being administred will appease diuers griefes, yet for all that it is nothing so generall or auaile∣able an Anodyne, that it may be compared in any sort with that prepared of Opium, or if it were a man might doubtlesse make as great scruple to take that as the other; for if Opium can indanger the body by its naturall som∣••iferous qualitie, why should not another Aromaticall Cordiall do the same, which by art hath acquired the like facultie.

Moreouer concerning the foresayd sul∣phurous Anodyne, although Paracelsus tells wonders of such a one, in the seuenth Chap. of his booke De re••. natur. wherein he dis∣courseth of diuers minerall Sulphurs, it is so (ingeniously with Crollius I confesse) that I neuer saw any such medicine; for hauing try∣••d conclusions, and wrought long time vpor▪

Vitrioll, I could neuer perceiue it had any such substance in it, which had like operation to that of Opium, as I haue plainely manife∣sted in my booke intituled Anatomia Vitriol••, divulged fiue yeares since; in regard wherof those are much deceiued which by meanes of its precipitation with salt of Tartar, by boy∣ling in an yron pot, or by meanes of sublima∣tion doe separate a greenish powder from Vitriol, calling it Sulphur ••mbryonatum Vitriol••, which being put to Vulcans Test, a man may quickly find it to be nothing but Copper, or being administred altereth the stomack, and rather prouoketh vomit, then either comfort or disposition to sleepe: it is therefore appa∣rant that Paracelsus, intēded some other thing in this proiect then he vouchsafed to disco∣uer to vs.

Hence you may behold the reasons, wher∣fore we ought not to mis-prise, and vilipend certaine things for vncertain, but content our selues with the aforesayd Laudanums, or such like, with thankesgiuing to the Author of all goodnesse, not suffering our vnderstandings to bee abused by the vaine florishes or idle fantasies of any other.