The surgeons mate or Military & domestique surgery Discouering faithfully & plainly ye method and order of ye surgeons chest, ye uses of the instruments, the vertues and operations of ye medicines, with ye exact cures of wounds made by gunshott, and otherwise as namely: wounds, apos fumes, ulcers, fistula's, fractures, dislocations, with ye most easie & safest wayes of amputation or dismembring. The cures of the scuruey, of ye fluxes of ye belly, of ye collicke and iliaca passio, of tenasmus and exitus ani, and of the calenture, with A treatise of ye cure of ye plague. Published for the service of his Ma. tie and of the com:wealth. By John Woodall Mr. in chyrurgerie.

A Caveat concerning fuming of Houses, Chambers, or Garments, with Brimstone.

THis one Caveat I desire the Reader to take notice of, and to be warned, touching a grosse Error by many used in their Fumes for Houses or Apparell, which I have often observed; namely by the burning of Brimstone to fume Houses and Apparel with; which, in my opinion, as well they might prescribe the fuming with Cinaber, Mercury, Arsenick, Rialger, or Antimony; for I am sure, and can maintaine it, that the vapors are all venemous and deadly the one as well as the other.

* 1.1 And I can speak it of practise and proofe, that I my selfe have seen killed Cocks, Hens, and diverse other Birds and living creatures, as Bees, Gnats, Flyes, &c. with the onely smoake of Brim∣stone; and upon good grounds, I will not let to shew any man the practise for his learning: and that it most artificially killeth Fleas, Flyes, Lice, Gnats, and Bees, I need not prove.

Wherefore beware of it, for the fume of Brimstone is venemous and deadly, I know it; and that it is an enemy to the Brain and will quickly confound the animal faculties. My selfe have bin from my youth delighted in Alchymy, and have opened the bo∣dies of diverse Minerals and farmiliarly of Sal, Sulphure, and Mer∣cury, to my no small cost, and now and then some danger; and therefore I wish all wise men to beware of them: But if any one will teach his Neighbour the practise of fuming his House with Brimstone, let him first fume his owne Bed-chamber well with it certaine nights together, and shut his doore, the Roome being filled with fume, and goe to bed; or any small Roome that is close, where he would have the true force of the fume, then brag how he likes it, it perhaps may cost him too dear.

And for his apparell, if it be either of wooll, or Silke, or of Lin∣nen, it will surely doe hurt to it, as well by rotting them, as by staining them.

There are some parts of the world, where there are great Mynes and mighty Mountaines of brimstone perpetually burning: and it is affirmed, and for truth observed, that no Man, Beast, Bird, nor other living creature can live neere them, nor within the compasse of the vapor of them. Therefore I believe the author of the invention of fuming with Brimstone, can never be able to make it good; that the vapors of Brimstone are safe, nor so much as friendly to the life of man: witnesse all the workers in like sulphurous Metals, whose very countenance will witnesse, that though the substances of Metals, are most serviceble to be used, yet their sulphurous, Mercurial, and Arse∣nical vapors of them are often proved to be most deadly; yet will I not deny, but that Brimstone is many wayes medicinable, and so is Quick-silver, to be taken into mans body, duly administred and prepared artificially; but not their crude vapors, by way of fuming. Thus much of Brimstone, by way of fuming Houses or Apparel.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Fume of Brimstone dan∣gerous.