Pharmacopœia Londinensis, or, The London dispensatory further adorned by the studies and collections of the Fellows, now living of the said colledg ... / by Nich. Culpeper, Gent.

PREPARATIONS OF CERTAIN SIMPLE MEDICINES.

The way of Preparing Fats.

TAke of fresh fat, the veins, strings, and skins be∣ing taken away wash them so often in fair water till they be no longer bloody, then beat them well, and melt them in a double vessel, strain them and powr off the water, keep it in a glass in a cold place; it will en∣dure a yeer.

So is also prepared Marrow taken out of fresh bones, especially in Autumn.

The burning of Brass.

Lay flakes of Brass in an earthen vessel, interposing Salt or Brimstone between each of them, so lay flake upon flake burn them sufficiently and wash the Ashes with warm water till they be sweet.

The washing of Aloes.

Put as much Aloes in pouder in a glass, as you will, putting a sufficient quantity of warm water to it, that it may overtop it two or three fingers thickness, stirring it about with a Spatule, that the purer part of the A∣loes may be mixed with the water, that being poured off, put in fresh warm water, and stir it in like man∣ner, that the dross may be separated, gather those wa∣ters together, evaporate the Humidity, nad keep the Mass.

The preparation of Bole Armenick.

Grind it smal, and dissolve it so often in Rose wa∣ter, till the dross and Sand be taken away, dry it in the Sun, and keep it being dryed.

Foecula Brioniae.

Take of Bryony roots scraped, bruised, and the juyce pressed out, which being, let it stand still a while in a vessel, a white pouder like Starch will fall from the bottom, from which pour the water, and let it dry for use.

So is Gersa Serpentaria prepared of Aron roots, and Foecula of the roots of Radishes, and Orris.

May Butter.

About the latter end of May, take fresh Butter with∣out Salt, and in a glazed earthen vessel, set it in the Sun, that it may be all melted, strain it through a rag without pressing, set it in the Sun again, strain it a∣gain, and keep it a year.

The preparations of Lapis Calaminaris.

Heat it red hot three times in the fire, and quench it as often in Plantane and Rose water, at 〈◊〉〈◊〉 levigate it upon a Marble, and with the same waters make it into Balls.

The washing of Lime.

Bruise quicklime, put it in a pan, and mix it with sweet water, and when it is settled to the bottom, change the water, and mix it again, do so seven or eight times, filtring it every time, at last do it with Rose water, and dry the Lime.

The preparation of Corral, Pearls, Crabs Eyes, and other precious Stones.

Beat them in a steel mortar, and levigate them on a Marble, putting a little Rose water to them, till they are in very fine pouder, then make them into Balls.

The preparation of Coriander seed.

Steep them twenty four hours in sharp Vineger, then dry them. So may you prepare 〈◊〉〈◊〉 seed.

The burning of Harts horn, Ivory, and other bones.

Burn them in a crucible till they e white, then beat them into pouder, and wash them with Rose water, at last levigate them on a Marble, and make them into Troches, you may dissolve Camphire half an ounce in the last pound of Rose water, if you please.

A new Preparation of them

Hang them by a thred in a vessel of Aqua vitae, so as that they touch not the Liquor, then putting on the head distill it, and the vapors ascending will make them easie to be brought into pouder, after many distillations.

The way to make Elaterium.

Take of wild Cucumers almost ripe, and cut them with the knife upwards, and gently press out the juyce with your foremost fingers, let it run through a sieve into a clean glazed vessel, let it settle, and powr off the cleer water into another vessel, dry the setlings in the Sun and keep them for use; if you will you may keep the cleer water for Unguentum de Artanita.

The Preparation of the bark of Spurge Roots.

Clense them and infuse them three daies in sharp Vi∣neger, then dry them. So are Lawrel leaves, Mezere∣on, and other things of that nature prepared.

The Preparation of Euphorbium.

Take of Euphorbium purged from the dross and pou∣dered, put it in a glass and put so great a quantity of Juyce of Lemmons to it, that it may overtop it three or four fingers; then place them in a hot bath, till the Euphorbium be dissolved in the Juyce, strain it through a rag, place it in a bath again, and evaporate away the juyce, and keep the Euphorbium for use.

The Preparation of Black Hellebore Roots.

Steep such black Hellebore Roots as are brought to us, the woody pith being taken away, three dayes in juyce of Quinces by a moderate heat, then dry them and lay them up.

The Preparation of Goats blood.

Take a Goat of a middle age, and feed him a month with Burnet, Smallage, Parsly, Mallows, Lovage, and such like things, kill him in the end of Summer, about the Dog dayes, then take the blood which flows out of his Arteries and let it settle, powring off the wa∣ter, dry the blood in an Oven.

The Burning of young Swallows.

Kill young Swallows so as the blood may flow upon their wings, then sprinkle them with a little Salt and burn them in a new glazed vessel, and keed the ashes for use.

So are burned Hedg-bogs, Frogs, Toags, and the like creatures.

The Preparation of Lacca.

Take of Lacca not clensed, for otherwise your labor were vain, bruised a little, and boyled in water in which the Roots of long Birthwort, and Squinanth of each equal parts have been boyled, till the purer part swim at top and the dross sink to the bottom, keep that

purer part, put it in a Glass and cover it, and evapo∣rate the moisture either by the heat of the Sun, or of a 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and being dry keep it for your use.

The preparation of Lapis 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

Let Lapis Lazult being beaten into very fine pouder, be so often washed in water, continually stirring it, till the water (after washing) remain cleer without any other tast than its own.

The preparation of Litharge.

Let the Litharge be ground into very fine pouder in a mortar, then pour cleer water upon it, and stir it up and down till it be troubled and thick, then pour off that water into another vessel, and put in fresh water to the pouder of the stone, 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 up and down till it be thick, and pour that water off to the former; do this so often till nothing but dross remains in the mor∣tar, the thinner substance being all mixed with the water you poured off, let that stand and settle, so will the pure Litharge remain in the bottom, pour the water off gently, dry the Litharge and grind it upon a Mar∣ble so long, till no harshness can be discorned in it by your tongue.

The preparation of Earth-worms.

Slit them in the middle and wash them so often in white wine till they be clensed from their impurity, then dry them and keep them for your use.

The preparation of Sows or Wood-lice.

Take of Wood-lice as many as you will, wash them very clean in pure white wine, then put them in a new glassed pot, which being shut close put into a hot oven, that so they may be dried with a moderate heat to be beaten into pouder.

The manner of preparing Oesypus.

Take of Wool unclensed which was taken off from the Neck, Ribs, and Shoulder-pits of the Sheep, put it into warm water often times, and wash it dilligently til all the fatness be come off from it into the water; after∣wards press it out and lay it by, then pour that fat and filthy water out of one vessel into another, holding the vessel on high, pouring and repouring till it be froathy; let the froath settle, then take away the fat that swims on the top, pour it and repour it as before till it be froathy, then again take away the fat that swims at the top, do so, so often till no more froath appear, nor fat swim at top; then take the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with the froath and wash it up and down with your hand in cleer water, so often and so long till the filth be washed from it, which may be known by the water remaining cleer, and the fat being tasted do not bite your tongue, then keep it in a thick and clean pot in a cold place.

The Preparation of Opium.

Dissolve the Opium in Spirit of Wine, strain it and evaporate it to its due consistence.

Pouder of Raw Lead.

Beat your Lead into very thin Plates, and cut these thin Plates into very small pieces, the which steep three daies in very sharp Vineger, changing the Vineger eve∣ry day, then take them out, and dry them, without bur∣ning them, and take a little pains with them in a mor∣ter to bring them into very fine Pouder.

The washing of Lead.

Stir about water in a Leaden Morter with a Leaden Pestle, and labor at it to some purpose, till the water look black and thick; strain out this water, dry it, and make it into balls.

The burning of Lead.

Take as many thin Plates of Lead as you please, put them into a new earthen pot, lay them plate upon plate with Brimstone between each plate, then put the Pot in the fire, and stir the Lead about with an Iron Spa∣tule when the Brimstone burns, until you have brought it all into 〈◊〉〈◊〉, the which wash in clean water and keep for your use.

The Preparation of Fox Lungues.

Take of the fresh Lungues of a Fox, the Aspera Ar∣teria being taken away, wash them dilligently in white wine, in which Hysop and Scabious hath been boyled, then dry them in an Oven so moderately hot that no part of them may be burned, then keep them in a glass stopped with wax.

The Preparation of Scammony.

Take the Core out of a Quince and fill the vaid place with pouder of Scammony, then joyn the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to∣gether again, and wrap it up in Past, bake it in an Oven, 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 it under the ashes; afterwards take out the Scammony and keep it for use. This is that which is vulgarly called Diacrydium or Diagry∣dium.

Another way of Preparation of Scammony with Sulphur.

Take of Scammony 〈◊〉〈◊〉 small, as much as you wil, spread it upon a brown Paper and hold it over 〈◊〉〈◊〉 coals upon which you have put Brimstone, stir the Scammony about all the while till it begin to melt or look white; and this is called Scammony 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

The Prepatation of Squils.

Take a great Squil whilst it is green, casting away the outward rinds, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it in past and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it in an oven till it be tender, which you may know if you pierce it through with a Bodkin, then take it out of the oven and take off all the slakes one by one (leaving 〈◊〉〈◊〉 part which is hard, behind) draw a cord through them, and bang them in a dry place, at that distance the one, from the other, that one may not touch another, til they be dryed; yet take this caution along with you, That you ought not to cut nor pierce them with any Iron In∣strument, but with Wood, Ivory, or Bone.

Washed Tartar.

Take of bruised Tartar as much as you will, pour cold and cleer spring water to it, stir it up and down, then let it settle, pour off that water and pour on more, use it as before, and repeat the usage so long till the water remain cleer after washing.

Boyled Turpentine.

Take of Venice Turpentine a pound, to which pour twenty four pound of Water, in which, boyl it so long till it be thick, and being cold may be rubbed in pouder like Rozin and beaten like Glass.

The Preparation of Tutty.

Tutty is prepared the same way that Lapis Calami∣naris is; tye it up in a clean Linnen cloath, which shake up and down, drawing it this way and that way in a vessel full of clean water, till the thinner and more profitable part come out into the water, and the thicker and impurer remain in the cloath; then let it settle, and powr off the water gently from it; repeat this operation so often, till nothing good for any thing remain in the cloath: Then take what you bave puri∣fied, sprinkle it with a little Rose water, make it into Troches to be kept for use.