Collectanea chymica a collection of ten several treatises in chymistry, concerning the liquor alkahest, the mercury of philosophers, and other curiosities worthy the perusal / written by Eir. Philaletha, Anonymous, Joh. Bapt. Van-Helmont, Dr. Fr. Antonie ... [et al.].

The admirable Efficacy, and almost incredible virtue of true Oyl which is made of SVLPHVR VIVE, set on fire, and called com∣monly Oyl of SVLPHVR per Campanam.

OF this most noble Liquor, and not vulgar Medicine, the noble Helmont writeth thus in his ex∣cellent Discourse concerning the Tree of Life.

In the year 1600. a certain man belonging to the Camp•• whose Office was to keep ac∣count of the Provision of Victuals which was made for the Army, being charged with a nu∣merous Family of small Children, unable to shift for themselves, himself being then 58 years of Age•• was very sen••ible of the great care and burden which lay upon him to pro∣vide

for them, while he lived, and concluded that should he dye, they must be inforced to beg their bread from door to door, whereup∣on he came (saith Helmont) and desired o•• me something for the preservation of his life I then (being a young man) pityed his sad condition, and thus thought with my self•• the fume of burning Sulphur, is by experi∣ence found powerfully effectual, to preserve Wines from corruption. Then I recollecting my thoughts, concluded, that the acid liquor or Oyl, which is made of Sulphur Vive, set on fi••e, doth of necessity contain in it self this fume, yea, and the whole odor of the Sulphur, in as much as it is indeed nothing else, but the very Sulphurous fume imbibed, or drunk up in its Mercurial Salt, and so becomes a con∣densed liquor. Then I thought with my self•• Our blood being (to us) no other then as it were the Wine of our life, that being preser∣ved, if it prolong not the life, at least it will keep it sound from those many Diseases which proceed originally from corruption, by which means the life being sound, and free from dis∣eases, and defended from pains and grief, might be in some sort spun out to a further length than otherwise. Upon which meditated resolu∣tion, I gave him a Viol glass, with a small quantity of this Oyl, distilled from Sulphur Vive burning, and ••aught him (moreover)

how to make it as he should afterward need it; I advised him of this liquor, he should take two drops before each Meal in a small draught of Beer, and not ordinarily to exceed that Dose, nor to intermit the use of it, taking for granted, that two drops of that Oyl contain∣ed a large quantity of the fume of Sulphur, the man took my advice, and at this day in the year 1641. he is lusty and in good health, walks the Streets at Brussels, without complaint, and is likely longer to live, and that which is most remarkable, in this whole space of forty one years, he was not so much as ill, so as to keep his Bed, yea, although (when of a great age) in the depth of Winter, he broke his Leg, near to his Ancle-Bone, by a fall upon the Ice, yet with the use of this Oyl, he recovered without the least Symptome of a Fever, and al∣though in his old age, poverty had reduced him to great straits, and hardship, and made him feel much want of things necessary for the comfort and conveniency of Life; yet he lives healthy and sound, though spare and lean. The old mans name is Iohn Mass, who wait∣ed upon Rithovius Bishop of Ypre, in his Cham∣ber, where the Earls of Horne, and Egmondon were beheaded by the Duke of Alva, and he was then 25 years of age, so that now he is compleat 99 years of age, healthy and lusty, and still continues the use of that liquor daily.

Thus far Helmont, which relation as it is most remarkable, so it gives the Philosophical rea∣son of his advice, on which it was grounded: And elsewhere the same Author relates how by this liquor he cured many dangerous deplo∣rable Fevers, which by other Doctors had been given over for desperate. And in other places he commends it as a peerless remedy to asswage the insatiable thirst which accom∣panies most Fevers.

To which relation and testimony of this most learned Doctor, and acute Philosopher, I shall add my own experience.

I find it a rare preservative against corrup∣tion, not only in living Creatures, but even in dead flesh, Beer, Wine, Ale, &c. a recove∣rer of dying Beer, and Wines that are decay∣ed, a cure for Beer, when sick and roping; Flesh by this means may be preserved so in∣corruptible, as no embalming in the World can go beyond it, for the keeping of a dead Carcase, nor Salting come near its effcacy, as to the conserving Meat, or Fowles, or Fish, which by this means, are not only kept from corruption, but made a mu••ial Balsome, which is it self a preservative from corruption, of such as shall eat thereof, which being a cu∣rious rarity and too costly for to be made a

vulgar experiment, I shall pass it over, and come to those uses which are most beneficial, and desirable.

It is an excellent cleanser of the Teeth, being scoured with it, they will become as white as the purest Ivory, and the mouth be∣ing washed with Oyl dropped in water or white-Wine, so as to make it only of the sharpness of Vinegar, it prevents the growing of that yellow scale which usually adheres to the Teeth, and is the forerunner of their pu∣••refaction, it prevents their rottenness for fu∣ture, and stops it (being begun) from going further, takes away the pain of the teeth, di∣verts Rheums, and is a sure help for the strong savour of the Breath, making it very sweet: In a word, there is not a more desire∣able thing can be found, for such who would have clean or sound Teeth, or sweet Breath, or to be free from Rheums: for which use let the water be made by dropping this Oyl into it, as sharp as Vinegar, as I said before.

Against a tickling cough and hoarsness, it is a rare remedy, not only taken two or three drops, twice a day inwardly, in the usual drink one useth before each meal, but also by gargling the Throat with it, and (so used) it is excellent against swelled Throats, Angi∣na's,

Struma's, Palates of the mouth in∣flamed, or the Vvula of the Throat, or the Almonds of the Ears, which are (usually said then to be) fallen; It is excellent also against the Head-ach, and to divert Rheums from the Eyes, to wash the Temples there∣with, likewise to take away Tetters, Morphew, Itch, or Scabs, this dropped in water is a pleasant, safe, and effectual remedy.

Besides which outward applications, it is a Lord internally taken, preventing corrup∣tion, rooting out the seeds thereof, though never so deeply concealed in the body, and upon that score opening inveterate obstructi∣ons, eradicating old pains, and preventing otherwise usual relapses into Stranguretical, Colical, or Arthritical pains: it is abstersive, cleansing all Excrementitian setlings in the Mesaraick or Mesenterial Vessels, and so cut∣ting off the original sourse, and taking away the cause of putrefactive corruption, which is the productive beginner of very many dis∣eases.

On this score it lengthens the life, and fress the body from many Pains and Ailes, to which otherwise it would be subject.

It is a pleasant remedy, having only a little sharpness, which to the Palate is most grate∣full, and yet this Acidity is contradistinct from that Acidity which is the forerunner of putrefaction, which it kills and destroys, as the Acidity of Spirit of Vitriol is destroyed by the fixed Acrim••ny of its own Caput mor∣tuum, or that of Vinegar, by the touch of Cerusse or Minium.

Praeternatural heat and thirst in Fevers, is no way allayed so speedily, and easily, as by this, nor is there any thing that for a constant continuance may be more safely and profita∣bly taken; Spirit of Salt (such as the noble Helmont speaks of) alone may be joyned with this, for its safety, and continual use with profit, especially in Nephritical distem∣pers, and the heat or sharpness of Urine.

Now as this is so noble a medicine, so there is none in the World more basely adulterated and counterfeited, our wise Doctors com∣mending for it (quid pro quo) an adultera∣ted mineral acidity of Vitriol, distilled in a Retort form vulgar Sulphur, which the Apo∣state Chemists prepare, and sell for, and the Knavish Apothecarries use, and give to their Patients instead of this tru•• Spirit, which if sincere is clear as water, ponderous, and ex∣quisitely

acide, made of Sulphur Vive only, set on Fire without any other mixture, and the sumes received in a broad Glass, fitted ••or the purpose, vulgarly called a Campana or Bell, from its shape or likeness.

Most sottish is that Maxime of the Doct∣ors, that Spirit of Sulphur and Vitriol are of one nature, when experience teacheth, that the meer Acetosity of Vitriol (which brings over nothing of its excellent vertue) will dissolve Argent Vive, which the strongest Spi∣rit of Sulphur, truly, and not sophistically made, will not touch, nor will that recover Beer or Wines, or preserve them, as this will do, one therefore is an unripe Esurine Ace∣tosity, of little vertue: the other a Balsom of an Antidotary vertue, a preservative against corruption, and upon that score nothing can be used more effectually as a preservative a∣gainst, or a remedy in, Contagious Fevers, Small-Pox, Measles, or Pestilence than this, nor more ridiculously than the other, which being drawn from the vulgar Sulphur, that hath an infection of malignity mixed with it (which it took from the Arsenical nature of the Minerals from which it was melted) adds nothing of vertue to the crude vitriolate Spirits, but only ••hat which was before of little vertue, to become a Medicine of more

danger and hazard, but not a jot more good∣ness, than it was, when first drawn from the Vitriol; which being of it self clear, and crude, is for to deceive the ignorant (by its Colour,) tincted with some Root or Bark; Thus the credulous world is imposed on, and cheated, while instead of most noble remedies (in name promised) adulterated trifles are produced, to the Disparagement of Art, and the scandal and reproach of the pro∣sessors Medicine.

To discover which abuses, and vindicate true Art, I have made my Praeludium, con∣cerning this Oyl or Spirit of Sulphur, the vertues of which (if truly and faithfully made) are so eminently remarkable, and almost incredibly efficatious, that I thought it not unworthy my pains, in a few lines to com∣municate to the studious Reader, both what real benefit is to be expected from the true, and what injury is done to deluded (at least) if not destroyed Patients, by the Sophisticate Oyl of Sulphur.

Post-Script.

THat those who desire this so pleasant, so efficacious, and profitable a remedy, may

not be abused by the base counterfeit Oyl of Vi∣triol, corruptly called Oyl of Sulphur, because it hath been once distilled from common unwhol∣some Brimstone, and tincted with some Bark or Root, of which the Town is full, and all Apo∣thecaries Shops, to the great abuse of Art, but much greater of those who make use of it instead of the true, when indeed it hath not one quality like thereto: Let the Reader be informed that at George Starkey's House, in St. Thomas Apostles, next door to Black-Lyon-Court; And at Richard Johnsons, at the Globe in Moun∣tague-Close in South∣wark, the true is to be had, drawn from Sulphur Vive (set on Fire) without any addition, but the Sulphur it self, which is easily known by its clearness, sharpness, weight, not working on Quick-silver, turning bitter like to Gall, on the filings of Sil∣ver, preserving Wine and Beer from Corruption, restoring them when decayed, and in a word, by its quenching feverish heat and thirst, &c. As before hath been rehearsed at large, may by any one be distinguished, from that which is false and Sophisticate. However at those two places he may be confident of that which is real and true; And likewise at Richard Johnsons House, in Mountague-Close in South∣wark aforesaid, you may have any Chimical Salts, Oyls, and Spirits.

Besides which Oyl or Spirit of Sulp••ur, several other rare and admirably effectual Me∣dicinal Secrets for the certain, safe, and spee∣dy cure of most (if not all) diseases, as hath been proved by many hundr••d Patients (ad∣judged rather incurable•• or d••sperately dange∣rous by other Doctors) are there to be had, being the more than ordinary Se••rets, and preparations of George Starkey, who entitles himself a Phi∣losopher by the Fire.

And in particular, that Pill, or Antidote, injuriously challenged as the Invention of Mr. Richard Mathews, who in truth had that Preparation (for which he hath since been so famous) from the said George Starkey, the true Author thereof, who had it from God, by studious search, without the help of Book or Ma∣ster, and which Preparation he hath since a∣mended, and advanced in its virtue beyond com∣parison of that which Mr. Mathews had from him, as hath been, and is daily confirmed by the Experience of able Men. Concerning which Antidote, or Pill, or rather Anodinous Elixir, its vertues, and advancement, to almost a true Vniversality, by four variations thereof, which the first Author of the thing (by long Experience) found out, he hath wrote parti∣cularly, and at large, with the way of ad∣ministring it, and how to order the Patient, by

one or all of those Preparations, for his recove∣ry, out of any the most desperately acute, or fixed Cronical disease, which Book being now ready for the Press, in few days God willing, shall see the light. It is called a brief Examina∣tion and Censure of several Medicines, &c.

For the undeceiving of such who have been injuriously and falsely perswaded, that only Mr. Richard Mathews, and Paul Hobson have that Medicine truly prepared, condem∣ning all others as counterfeit, to the disparage∣ment, and palpable injury of the first Inventor, who accounts it unreasonable, that he who lear∣ned what he had from him, should censure him∣self as a counterfeit, unless he bind himself up to his Preparation, which though it be a true one, yet is the most inferiour in vertue of all the Author knows, and called by him, his Elixir Diaphoretick, commune; Of which, able judicious Practitioners (having once brought his more effectual, and higher graduated Preparati∣ons in the same kind) have so low an esteem (comparatively to these others) that they desire no more thereof.

Farewel,

George Starkey,

When this Treatise and the Post-script was Written, Mr. Starkey then lived in the Place therein specified; but he dyed (as I have been informed) of the Sickness, Anno. Dom. 1655. by venturing to Anatomize a Corps dead of the Plague (as Mr. Thomson the Chymist had done before him, and lived many Years after) but Mr. Starkey's adventure cost him his Life, however the Medicine truly made and prepared from Mineral Sulphur called Sulphur Vive, may now be had of very many Chymists in and about London, nay, the difficulty in making thereof is not so great, but that you may make it your self if you please, and if you do but wait the time, and Opportuni∣ty to buy the Mineral Sulphur (not common ••rim∣stone) for the Mineral is not to be had at all times.

The Process and shape for the Glass Bell, and the manner of making and rectifying this Spirit from Mineral Sulphur or Sul∣phur Vive as it comes Stone-like out of the Earth, it may be seen in the Chymical Works of Hartman and Crollius called Royal Chymistry, Charas's Royal Pharmacopaea, Lefebure, Thibault, Lemery, Glaser, Schroder's Dispensatory, and many others, unto whom I refer you. W. C. B.

FINIS.