Chymical secrets and rare experiments in physick & philosophy with figures collected and experimented / by the Honourable and learned Sir Kenelm Digby ...

A great Diaphoretick of Antimony.

TAke good Antimony Mineral in subtil Powder lbj. mix it with lbss. of ☿ Sub∣limate; put this mixture presently into a Retort, leave the Retort for some time un∣stopped before you distill it, for then you shall have more Butter than if you distill it presently. Then distill a Butter from it ac∣cording to Art, giving strong fire at last, so that the bottom of the Retort may be red-hot; part of it will come over in Butter, and part will Sublime in Cinaber, very hard; if you leave this Butter for some time expo∣sed to the Air before you rectifie it, you shall have more Liquor than if you distill it pre∣sently; rectifie this Butter, then melt it a∣gain, and pour it into a clean Retort, and pour upon it by little and little good Spirit of Nitre, continue pouring on the Spirit of Nitre until the Ebullition ceaseth: Then di∣still it with a gentle fire in Sand, giving strong fire at last, so that the bottom of the Retort may be red-hot; then let it cool, break the Retort, and take out your Matter, which will be very spungy, and of a yellowish co∣lour; pulverize and edulcorate it several times with warm water, then dry it gently; reverberate it for an hour between two Cru∣bles

well luted together: Then grind it a∣gain to a subtil Powder, which put into an Earthen Poringer, and pour upon it recti∣fied S. V. that will burn all away; fire it, and whilst it burneth, stir it continually with a silver spoon; the S. V. being burned away, the Powder will remain dry; grind this Powder again, and mix it with ʒvij. of An∣timony Diaphoretick that hath been Calcined three times with Nitre, grind them well to∣gether, and put them into a Retort, and pour upon them &ounce;iijss. of good Spirit of Nitre; put the Retort in Sand, and let it stand thus four and twenty hours; then distill with a gentle fire to dryness: Break the Retort, and take out the Matter, which grind and edul∣corate with Carduus-water warmed, then spread it upon gray Paper, and let it dry of it self: Then grind it to an impalpable Pow∣der, which put into a Poringer, and pour upon it S. V. so much as may cover it a fingers breadth; let it stand thus for five or six hours, then fire the S. V. upon it, and stir it continually with a silver spoon whilst it burneth, then grind it again, and put it in∣to a Viol, stop it close, and keep it for Use.

The manner of using this Medicine is thus: Take fifteen grains of it for three Mornings together, mixing with it some

Conserves or Sweatmeats, and take it upon the point of a Knife, then drink a Glass-full of the Sudorifick Decoction after it warm. Then take twenty grains for three Mornings more; then fifteen grains again for three Mornings more. It is an Excellent Remedy to Cure the Gout, Dropsie, Palsie, the Ve∣nereal Disease, the Evil, Leprosie; it puri∣fieth the whole Mass of Blood, and is good in all Scorbutick Distempers. Note, That before you use this Medicine, you must pre∣pare the Body before with some fit Purge, according to the Constitution of the Pa∣tient.

Those that are careful to preserve their Health, and to keep it in good state, may take this Powder in the Spring, at the fal∣ling of the Leaf, having first Purged once or twice; then take the Powder with the Su∣dorifick Decoction for Nine days together, as was said, mixing the Powder with a dram of Confection of Alkermes. It powerfully resisteth all Corruption, dryeth up all super∣fluous moisture in the Body, and is a true concretive of Blood.