The York-shire spaw, or, A treatise of foure famous medicinal wells viz. the spaw, or vitrioline-well, the stinking, or sulphur-well, the dropping, or petrifying-well, and S. Mugnus-well, near Knare borow in York-shire : together with the causes, vertues and use thereof : for farther information read the contents / composed by J. French, Dr. of Physick.

CHAP. XVI. Of the Dropping, or Petrifying-well. (Book 16)

OVer against the Castle of Knaresborow, the River Nide running betwixt, ariseth a certain Spring, in the manner of other Springs in a high ground, which running a little way in an entire stream, is at the brow of a descent by a dam of ragged stones, divided into se∣veral trickling branches, whereof some drop, and some stream down, partly over▪ and part∣ly through a jetting Rock, and this Spring is of a petrifying nature, for of it was the Rock, from which it distils, wholly made, and is by it daily increased, notwithstanding the cutting off great pieces from it. This water also gene∣rates stones where it fals, and likewise where it runs, but not all the way it runs, but near the place onely where it fell, the reason of which I shall presently shew.

If any stick, or piece of woodlye in it some weeks, it will be can died over with a stony whitish crust, the inward part of the wood continuing of the same nature as before. But any soft spongie substance, as moss, leaves of trees, &c. into the which the water can enter,

will thereby in time become seemingly to be of a perfect stony nature, and hardness.

Now the cause of this petrifying property is, as Philosophers call it, succus lapidescens, i. e. a stony matter which is in its principiis solutis, for indeed the principia soluta of all things, whether animals, vegetables, metals, or minerals are in a liquid form, and are con∣creted by degrees▪ by a natural heat separating from them all accidental humidities, and fix∣ing them into their proper species.

When the water, with which this succus la∣pidescens is mixed, is in part wasted by the Sun and air, it doth then deposite it, as being too heavy for it any longer to bear it. And when that is deposited, or fallen down, it doth by a continued addition, and concretion in time amount to a considerable stony mass.

For the better understanding the true na∣ture, and causes of this water, I made these three experiments.

1. I evaporated away the water, and in the bottom was left a stony pouder▪ very like to the pouder of the stones of the Rock.

2. A pint of it weighs ten grains heavier than a pint of common Spring water.

3. It coagulates milk if it be boiled there∣with, and the reason of this is, because for the principiis solutis of all minerals, nature hath provided some Sulphurious acidity for the better fermentation, and digesting them into perfection. The chief vertues of this water are to allay acid, gnawing, and hot cholerick hu∣mours,

and to stop all fluxes proceeding from thence; It is also good against burstness, pis∣sing of bloud, all overflowings in women, and strengthens the back.

They that take this water, except in case of looseness, must every other day take a glyster, or some lenitive as Cassia, Manna, &c. every other night, in case it binds too much.

This water in many cases is better than the syrup of Coral, and the pouder of the Rock, or rather the pouder that remains upon eva∣poration maybe used for Coral; for the truth is, (as is the opinion of many Philosophers) that Coral is a certain vegetable, fed and nou∣rished with a succus lapidescens.

The proportion of the water to be taken is from half a pint to half a gallon, according to the age, constitution, distemper, and place of the distemper.

The quantity of the pouder is from ten grains to a dram, according to the aforesaid considerations.