A course of chemistry containing an easie method of preparing those chymical medicins which are used in physick : with curious remarks and useful discourses upon each preparation, for the benefit of such who desire to be instructed in the knowledge of this art / by Nicholas Lemery, M.D.

Opening Saffron of Mars.

This Preparation is only a Rust of Iron con∣tracted in the Dew.

Wash well several Iron Plates, and expose them to the Dew for a good while, they will rust, and you must gather up this rust. Set the same Plates again to receive the Dew, and gather the Rust as before. Continue to do so till you have gotten enough.

This Rust is really better than all the Prepara∣tions of Iron that are called Crocus. It is excel∣lent for Obstructions of the Liver, Pancreas, Spleen, and Mesentery.

It is used very successfully for the Green-Sick∣ness, stopping of the Terms, Dropsies, and other Diseases that proceed from Oppilations. The Dose is from two grains unto two Scruples in Lo∣zenges or Pills. Many do give Mars with Pur∣gatives, which is a good Practice.

Remarks.

The Chymists have called Calcin'd Steel Crocus, by reason of its red colour; and they have given this name to many other Preparations for the same reason.

Though Steel hath been always used in the Chy∣mical Preparations that are used in Physick, and is preferred before Iron for the Cure of Diseases; it is certain nevertheless that Iron is fitter for that

intent than Steel, because it is more Soluble; for if the action of Iron proceeds from nothing but its Salt, (as there is no reason to doubt,) the Salt of Iron must be much more easily separated in the stomach than that of Steel, because as I have shewn before, the Pores of Steel are more close than those of Iron, and therefore this must have quicker ef∣fects; besides that Steel being harder to be dis∣solved doth sometimes pass away with the excre∣ments, without bestowing any impression on the Chyle. The reason that hath induced People to believe that Steel is better for use than Iron, was its being thought to be deprived of many impuri∣ties by Calcination, but that which is called Im∣purity is the more open part of the Iron, and consequently the more wholesome.

This Preparation of the Saffron of Mars is out of the common road, and longer a doing than the others; but it is the best of all that ever were in∣vented. The Dew is impregnated with a Dis∣solvent that opens very much the Pores of Iron, and incorporating with it renders it more active and soluble than it was before.

Iron doth open Obstructions by its salt, which being assisted with the solid parts of the Metal, penetrates further than other Salts. But you must always purge and moisten the Person you give it to with broths before you presume to give it, be∣cause if it should find the passages of the small Ves∣sels filled and obstructed with gross matters, it stops and sometimes causes Inflammations that create pains like to those of the Colick.

Many do use the filings of Steel without any Pre∣paration at all.

Iron doth frequently open Obstructions by ab∣sorbing, as an Alkali, the Acid that fomented them.

Seeing that some persons have indeavoured to contradict the Remarks I have made upon the Ef∣fects of Mars, and particularly concerning the preference I have given Iron to Steel for Physical uses, I have thought it not convenient to end this Chapter, before I have laid down and Answered their Objections.

First then they say, that because the different substances of Mars cannot be separated, as those of Animals and Vegetables can, it is in vain that an Aperitive virtue is attributed to its Salt.

Answer, I grant, all the substances of Mars can't be separated so easily as those of Animals and Ve∣getables; but because we find Salts to be Aperitive, and commonly Remedies that are so, are full of Salts, and that water in which rust of Iron has steeped for some time, is proper to open by way of Ʋrine, it seems to me rational enough to at∣tribute this effect of Mars principally to its Salt; for if the water has carried off any taste or pene∣trating quality from Iron, there's nothing at all in Mars that is able to contribute such a virtue to it, besides the Salt therein dissolved.

Secondly, they say, the Earth and Salt of Mars being united and in a manner become inseparable, cannot act but by consent of both, and receive to∣gether joyntly the good or bad impressions, that may happen to them.

I Answer, there's no reason to think the Salt of Mars absolutely inseparable from the Earth, for the water in which this Metal has steeped or boiled,

after Filtration does contain a Vitriolick taste, and Aperitive quality. Now it is the effect of Salt to dissolve imperceptibly in Water and drive by Ʋrine, as I have said; but if any body would take the pains to steep and boil gently the rust of Iron a good while in water, then Filter it, and Evapo∣rate the liquor over a small fire to a Pellicle, he'l by Crystallization or by an entire evaporation of the humidity, gain a small quantity of Salt; and it is probable enough that there was much more in the water, as may be collected from the strong taste it had of Mars, but it being something of a Vola∣tile nature, it fum'd away in the Evaporation. I do not say nevertheless, that the close connexion of Earth with the Salt of Mars is altogether unuseful for this effect; on the contrary, I do conceive that this Earth rendring the Salt more heavy than otherwise it would be, does help to drive it for∣wards, and causes the Mars sometimes to pene∣trate as much by its gravity as by its Salt; but we must attribute the principal virtue to the Vehicle which is Salt, since without that, the Earth would be a dead matter, and would have no more action than other Earths bereaved of their Salts.

Thirdly, They say that in all probability Mars does act only according to the preparations which the different juices it meets with in the stomach do make; for these acid juices not failing to encoun∣ter with, and to dissolve it, there results from this dissolution a liberty to the parts of the body on which these juices did act, and consequently their restauration a-new.

I am willing to believe that sometimes Mars may act in the body like an Alkali, by absorbing and

sweetning the acid humour which it meets with, as it does absorb and sweeten the acid liquors which are poured upon it; but it must not be con∣cluded from hence, that its Aperitive faculty does always consist in this effect, because as I before hinted, the water in which Mars has been put to boil, is Aperitive, and yet there is no Alkali in it to sweeten the acids of the body, when it is drunk.

Fourthly, They object, that we must not think the hardness of the parts of Steel above Iron, whose Pores are more open, does render it less proper for all sorts of Preparations, seeing Spirit of Vi∣triol, and many other acids are found to dissolve with the same ease both Iron and Steel.

I Answer, that if Corrosive spirits do dissolve Steel, they can dissolve Iron more easily; and whereas a smaller quantity of them can operate upon Iron than Steel, a better effect does thence follow.

Fifthly, 'Tis objected that the solidity of Steel may be an advantageous circumstance to it, for the better fixing the dissolving Juices that are in the stomach, and that for Metals the pure are to be chosen before those that are not so.

I Answer, that instead of the solidity of Steels being helpful to the stomach, it is certainly of great prejudice to it, as well as to those other parts it is distributed into; for the juices that are found in the stomach being but weak dissolvents, are not able to penetrate nor rarifie this metal, if it be too hard; so that they leave it crude and indigest, heavy and troublesome to this part: Wherefore it passes away by Stool, without any

good effect, as it often happens. But now if a little of this Steel does happen to pass along with the Chyle, it rather causes than takes away Ob∣structions, for by insinuating into small vessels, it stops in the narrow passages, and causes grievous pains.

For what is said concerning the Purity of Me∣tals, it is of great use to Tradesmen, for they by Purifying metals from their more rarified and Volatile parts, do make them the less Porous, and so the less liable to suffer prejudice from Air or time. Thus Steel is much fitter for Utensils than Iron, because its Pores are closer laid together, and it takes not rust so soon as Iron; but in Reme∣dies it is not the same thing, for those Metals that are more rarified, and are more easily dissolved in the Body, are such as we find best effects from, for the reason I have given. So that what Work∣men call Purity, is often but an impurity in Remedies.

Sixthly, They say, that if one would hope to find a distinct Salt in Mars, it would be more likely to find it in that which is Purified, than in the Faeces which are separated from it, and which are indeed but the Impurities of Iron, that Steel is made of.

I Answer, there would be some reason to think that Salt might be more easily found in Steel than Iron, if in the making of Steel, Iron were simply Calcined, without adding Nails and Horns of Animals in the Calcination; for then it might be said that the Sulphur of Iron being in part evapo∣rated, its salt would be the more Soluble: but we must consider that the Volatile salts which come from these parts of Animals, being piercing Al∣kali's,

do destroy the acid salts of Iron, and do thereby render the Steel more compact, and unfit to take rust, because the salts which by their mo∣tion did rarifie the metal, are fixed, and as it were mortified, and have not the capacity of acting as they did. This is the reason why a plate of Steel that has infused in Water will not give so great Impression to it, as a plate of Iron Calcined, of the same weight, infusing the same time, will do.

Another thing remarkable in the Calcination of Iron to turn it into Steel, is, that it is thereby de∣prived of its more Volatile salt, which should have most effect with it, in hopes to free it from Impu∣rities, and that which is called the Scories, is the better part of Iron that has been rarified by its salt. Thus for the same reason that some are pleased to call the rust of Iron its dross, the whole metal may deserve the same appellation, all of it being capa∣ble of rusting, if it be but laid in the open air.