The art of curing sympathetically, or magnetically, proved to be most true by its theory and practice exemplified by several cures performed that way: with a discourse concerning the cure of madness, and an appendix to prove the reality of sympathy : also an account of some cures perform'd by it in London / written originally in Latin by H.M. Herwig ...

CHAP. II. (Book 2)

Of the necessity of the Art of Chymistry in this method of Curing. (Book 2)

§ 1. I Cannot imagine how it came to pass, that so great a number of Phy∣sicians should fall into this Error and opi∣nion, to esteem Chymical Medicines to be dangerous and destructive; Whether that was occasioned by the preparation and administration of some pretended Chy∣mists, who prescribe and exhibit in al∣most all Distempers, a sort of precipitate Mercury and liquid Antimony melted into Glass; who all ought to be expell'd the Chymical Schools, nay indeed, to be totally excluded from Chymical Phy∣sick, into perpetual banishment, never to be recalled. But if these aforesaid Me∣dicines, and an infinite number more, as they come out of Natures hand are destructive, they may be so prepared by the art of Chymistry, as to be divested

of that destructive faculty, and become very benign Medicines, and even Bal∣sams: it is very true, and as manifest as the day, that Nature produces nothing perfect, and in all particulars compleat. If therefore the blemishes and imper∣fections of Nature may be corrected by Art, what Art finishes is more perfect than what Nature produces. for Art hath evey thing that Nature has, for it takes a perfect Nature from it; and moreover in regard that perfection of Nature hath something deficient, Art removes and takes it away, and that perfection which before lay obscure, by its Natural imperfections and ble∣mishes, after Art has cleared it from them, seem then to be more perfect. What∣soever Medicines Nature produces, whe∣ther they are weak or strong, always carry something connate with them, that is contrary to the Nature of a Medicine.

§ 2. If therefore nothing Natural is compleat in every particular, but wants. Art to perfect it, or at least wants Art to remove that which hinders and retards perfection, that what, is perfect may appear and exercise its powers,

why then should not Chymical Medi∣cines exceed all others; when beside•• the perfection which they claim from Nature, by Chymistry they are cleared from all things that would sully that perfection, so that being discharged from them, they seem more perfect, in regard they retain nothing opposite therefore I shall not be ashamed to prefer the excellency of Chymical Medicines on account of their purity, which by the benefit of Chymistry, and by the rules and laws of working by fire, they claim to themselves, befores all other Let then all those who imagine that Chymical Medicines are destructive, lay aside this opinion, for they are very mild as Reason dictates, and if they will not give credit to Reason, even Experience it self will oblige them to alter their sentiments.