Pharmacopœia Bateana, or, Bate's dispensatory translated from the second edition of the Latin copy, published by Mr. James Shipton : containing his choice and select recipe's, their names, compositions, preparations, vertues, uses, and doses, as they are applicable to the whole practice of physick and chyrurgery : the Arcana Goddardiana, and their recipe's intersperst in their proper places, which are almost all wanting in the Latin copy : compleated with above five hundred chymical processes, and their explications at large, various observations thereon, and a rationale upon each process : to which are added in this English edition, Goddard's drops, Russel's pouder [sic], and the Emplastrum febrifugum, those so much fam'd in the world : as also several other preparations from the Collectanea chymica, and other good authors / by William Salmon ...

XIII. * Arcanum Corallinum; The Coralline Secret.

Bate.] It is made of crude Mercury lbj. Spirit of Nitre lbij. distilled therefrom with cohobations, so will the Arca∣num remain in the bottom which is to be edulcorated ei∣ther by calcination, or washing it with Water S. A. Dose à gr. iv. ad vj. or more. It purges chiefly downwards, is a great Secret in the Lues Venerea, Dropsy, Gout, Ulcers, Scabs, Cancers.

Salmon.] § 1. We have shewn you another way of making it in our Pharm. Lon. lib. 3. cap. 7. sect. 23. which is with red Precipitate and Spirit of Salt, which is from Thibaut. And in Sect. 27. following you have another Coralline Arcanum from Schroder, in these or the like words. ℞ Fine Quick-silver, rectified Spirit of Nitre, A. ℥iij. digest till dissolution, draw off the Spirit in Sand, with a long∣neck'd Glass; to the Mercury left and pouder'd add as much fresh Spirit, viz. ℥iij. more, draw it off again, and repeat this with ℥iij. of fresh Spirit of Nitre the third time, so will you have a fine corallated Mer∣cury, which calcine with a gen∣tle fire, and it will be sweet without any corrosion.

§ 2. Now the difference between this Prescript, and that of our Author is only this; that whereas Schroder, or rather Hartman, prescribes but an equal quantity of Spi∣rit with the Mercury, and the operation to be three times repeated with the same quan∣tity of fresh Spirit. Our Au∣thor prescribes a trebble quantity of Spirit at once, and the same to be 3 times cohobated, which to me seems to make the Preparation the better by all the Cohobations, though Lemery seems to be of another opinion. He makes it thus.

§ 3. ℞ Mercury revived from Cinnaber ℥viij. Spirit of Nitre ℥viij. or ix. mix, and

dissolve, put the dissolution in∣to a Vial or Matrass with a short Neck, set in Sand, and evaporate all the moisture with a gentle heat, until there re∣mains a white Mass, then quic∣ken the Fire by little and lit∣tle, to the third degree, and keep it in this condition till all the matter is turned red, then take it off from the Fire, let it cool, and break the Vial, so will you have ℥ix. of Precipitate. Some put this red Precipitate into an earthen Pot, and pour upon it S. V. well rectified, then fire it, letting it burn till it is consumed, and then adding more, and burning it off as be∣fore: They repeat this Opera∣tion of deflagration six times, and call it Arcanum Coralli∣num.

§ 4. Now here is to be noted, that Lemery is of opi∣nion, that the distilling Spirit of Nitre three times off from the white Mass, or cohoba∣ting of it, to the encrease of its redness, is of no use, and as I apprehend him, adds no∣thing to the Vertue of the Medicine.

§ 5. But that it reduces the Mass into smaller Parti∣cles, is apparent; for if ℥iij. of Spirit of Nitre will reduce the Mercury into Particles so fine, ℥ix. of Spirit, from the same reason, must reduce it into Particles three times as fine. And this was the Opi∣nion of Paracelsus; and that the Particles at length might be made so fine, as to become Oily, else in vain was the Engine of Joel Langelot made, for the grinding of Gold, thereby to reduce it into Oil, if the smalness of the Particles added not something to that Reduction.

§ 6. And if the reducing of the Mercury into small Par∣ticles accidentally add to the Vertue of the Mercury, by enlarging the surface thereof; if then by adding three times the quantity of Spirit, the Particles be made three times as small, it follows by parity of Reason, that its Vertues must be three times as great.

§ 7. The white Mass which remains after the first evapo∣ration of the humidity, is a mixture of Mercury with a great many acid Spirits, for it weighs three ounces more than the crude Mercury did; and it is extreme corrosive and fiery, if applied to the Flesh.

§ 8. But according as it is calcin'd, to make it red, the Points of the Spirit of Nitre which caused the corrosion, do strike off, and fly into the Air; whence it comes to pass, that the more it is cal∣cin'd,

the more we encrease in nedness, and the more di∣minish its weight, and the less, it corrodes even in outward application. And therefore some Chyrurgions observing this, when they would make an Eschar quickly, chuse the Precipitate that is less red, or less red than usual, the more red being less escharotick.

§ 9. Therefore being con∣tinued for some hours under the red Mass, will cause it to sublime, and yet still retain its red colour, but this subli∣mate is hot so corrosive as the other; from whence it ap∣pears, that the Points or Acids of the Spirit of Salt are neces∣sary to make a sublimate very corroding.

§ 10. And the reason why it will sublime, is, because the Mercury being freed from many of the acid Spirits, which did fix it, has power to sublime with those that re∣main; but because those re∣maining Spirits do a little clog it in its career or volati∣lity, it commonly makes its station in the middle of the Vial.

§ 11. Le Mort makes it in all respects as Schroder or Hartman does, but after the dissolution and abstraction of the Spirit of Nitre, he affuses Spirit of Vinegar, so much as to overtop in 4 inches, di∣gests two days, after evapo∣rates to dryness, then affuses tartarized S. V. to overtop it 3 inches, digests and abstracts in Sand to dryness, cohoba∣ting the same Spirit upon the Mercury, so long till it ac∣quires an acidity. Lastly, affuses fresh Spirit of Wine upon the matter, and abstract again, so have you an Arca∣num Corallinum, which you may keep under the name of Aurum Horizontalis.

§ 12. It brings forth all noxious humors in the French Pox, Leprofie, Kings-Evil, &c. being given à gr. j. ad vj. It is a specifick Purge in all ul∣cerous Affects, or any vene∣real Relique; and if pru∣dently given with proper Catharticks, it cures the Dropsie, and all Diseases proceeding from cold glassy Flegm and watery Humors.

§ 13. Marggrave makes it of crude Mercury, and but double the Spirit of Nitre, with one single dissolution and abstraction of the Spirit and calcination to redness, abstracting several times from it the Alcohol of S. V. to re∣move from it its Acrimony.

§ 14. Charras makes it thus: ℞ Quick-silver ℥iv. (revived from Cinnaber) Spi∣rit of Nitre ℥iv. put all into a

Matrass, being first placed in a gentle Sand-heat; the ☿ being dissolved, encline the neck of the Matrass a little, and by en∣creasing the fire, evaporate the Spirit; this repeat three times with equal quantities of Spirit of Nitre, and at last encrease the fire, till the matter looks perfectly red, pouder it, affuse thereon the best rectified S. V. a little to overtop it, then de∣flagrate, and repeat the defla∣gration six times; pouder it, and keep it for use.

§ 15. He not only gives it against all venereal Di∣stempers, but also against Dropsies, Rheumatisms, and intermitting Agues, it purging universally bad Humors, chiefly Flegm, which it dis∣solves and carries off by the most commodious ways.

§ 16. It is given in some Conserve or Confection, from gr. iij. (saith he) ad. gr. viij. or x. It is used outwardly for the cure of old Ulcers, Fistula's, &c. chiefly such as are venereal; and in Poma∣tums, to take away all sorts of Scabs, Leprosies, Scurf, Morphew, and other defeda∣tions of the Skin.

§ 17. Le Febur takes to Mercury purified ℥ iv. Spirit of Nitre ℥ ivss. dissolves in a gen∣tle Ash-heat, in a short-neckt Matrass, and abstracts the Spi∣rit to dryness, and repeats this same work twice more with fresh Spirit of Nitre ℥ ivss. each time (by which means the Par∣ticles are made much finer than by any of the former. Operati∣ons) then poudering it finely in a Glass Mortar, calcines it in a Crucible by degrees in an open fire, till it is red hot, be∣comes of a fine red coralline co∣lour, and insipid in taste. Lastly, being in fine pouder; deflagrates rectified S. V. from it seven times, as is before taught.

§ 18. This, says he, is a purgative Precipitate, capa∣ble of working many noble effects, and without any cor∣rosion. Dose (says he) is from gr. ij. ad x. in purga∣tive Extracts, or a Dose of the Pilulae Angelicae of Gru∣lingius, commonly called the Frankfort Pill; which you may see in our Pharm. Lond. lib. 4. cap. 3. sect. 86. with its Vertues at large.

§ 19. It is a real and true Arcanum against the French Pox, with all its regiment of evil Symptoms, for it equal∣ly and universally purges away all that is hurtful and superfluous, and therefore is good against hydroptick hu∣mors, Gouts, Sciatica's Rheu∣matisms, Kings-Evil, inter∣mitting Fevers or Agues,

scirrhus Tumors, whether in∣ward in the Bowels, or out∣ward in other parts of the Body; it resolves Fluxions, and Cararrhs, and is good against the malignity of the Plague.

§ 20. Outwardly no Re∣medy surpasses it in the cure of corrosive, or eating and malignant Ulcers; it is good against Itch, Scabs, Leprosie, and all irruptions of the skin if mixed in Pomatums ℈j. of it to ℥ j. of the Oyntment, and so the Pulses in the Wrists, Feet, Fingers, and other parts be anointed there∣with.

§ 21. One thing I have to remind you of here, which is that being taken in∣wardly, but 6, 8, or 10 doses, it is a Specifick in removing nocturnal pains, which it so ab∣solutely cures, that they never return any more from that oc••••••••on. You may give it à gr. iij. ad v. or vj. mixt with ℈j. of Cinnaber of Anti∣mony, or native Cinnaber in fine pouder, which being mixt with the Pap of an Apple, is to be swallowed at night going to bed, and repeated in like manner the next night, then intermitting 2, 3 or 4 nights, (as the strength of the Patient requires) to be in like man∣ner repeated again for two other nights, and this course to be followed till 8 or 10 Doses are taken, at the end of which course you may pro∣bably (thro' God's Blessing) find your Patient perfectly well.

§ 22. Lastly, this Arcanum being put into a Vial hermeti∣cally sealed, and set for 8 whole days in a Sand-heat, a Tincture of Gold may be extracted from it, red like blood, leaving in the bottom a white substance or body of Gold; in another Phiol hermetically sealed coagulate it with a gentle fire in an Athe∣nar, into a red stone, which up∣on a Porphory, in a cold moist place, dissolve into Oyl, which afterwards purged from its fe∣ces, coagulate, and repeat the same coagulation a third time: This Precipitate, Elixir of Life and Mercurial Laudanum care∣fully keep in a Glass close stop∣ped.

§ 23. Dose gr. j. with Ex∣tract of Treacle, and Pouder of Liquorice, enough to make it up into Pills. In every Disease, after taking it, the Sick may drink a draught of Wine, repeating the Dose if necessity urge. Note, that the white substance of Gold remaining in the bottom of the Phiol, which is wont to be called fixed Silver, recovers its pristine colour, if precipi∣tated

with Antimony. See Paracelsus's Chyrurg. Mag.