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Bate. It is made of the Butter of Antimony lbj. and Spirit of Nitre lbiij. vel q. s ('tis Spirit of Salt in the La∣tin Copy, I suppose that is a Mistake) mixt and distilled by a treble cohobation, as in the Jovial Bezoar. Or it may be prepared from the Caput Mor∣tuum of the Bezoardick Spirit of Nitre. It is a great Alexi∣terick, or Resister of Poyson. and a most saluberrious Re∣medy, which Effects it de∣monstrates by powerfully
provoking Sweat in all pesti∣lential, and venene or malign Disaffections. Dose à gr. vj. ad xij. and more.
Salmon.] § 1. The Col∣leges way and method of preparing this Medicine, with several Notes and Animad∣versions thereon, you may see in our Pharm. Lond. lib, 3. cap. 7. sect. 11. to which we refer you: What other Au∣thors say upon the matter, we now come to examine.
§ 2. Rolfincius, lib. 5. sect. 6. cap. 6. Art. Chym. makes it of the Butter of An∣timony, with Spirit of Nitre, a sufficient quantity, (but not limiting the proportion) which he distills Guttatim, till the Ebulition ceases, then distils by an Alembick with a treble cohobation, then calcines it for 6 hours in a Crucible, till it be∣comes a Chalk like pouder, and sometimes of a subincarnate co∣lour.
§ 3. What the Bezoardick Spirit of Nitre is, you shall have from Marggrave, viz. That it is that Spirit with which the Bezoar Mineral was prepared, or which was thrice abstracted from it: Hic dici∣tur Bezoardicus, non quòd vim Bezoardicam contineat, sed quia à Bezoardico minerali aliquoties abstractus est.
§ 4. Le Mort makes it thus: ℞ Butter of Antimo∣ny q. v. put upon it Spirit of Nitre q. s. till the noise or ef∣fervescence ceases; this mix∣ture evaporate, or abstract by Retort to dryness, then put into a Crucible, and calcine it, first with a gentle fire, till the pouder appears of a Citrine co∣lour, after augment the fire, till the Crucible and that within it is red-hot, then let it cool, and keep the white pouder for use.
§ 5. The effervescency is caused from the occurse of the greater and lesser Acid, viz. from the concentrated Spirit of Salt, and common Spirit of Nitre, concurring with the Antimonial Parti∣cles, which the Spirits of Vi∣triol and Salt were neither strong enough, nor in quanti∣ty enough to make an entire Solution of, but only gnawed them into smaller bits, with a light adhesion; but those Spirits of Vitriol and Salt be∣ing once concentrated with the Spirit of Nitre, they act with much more force, divi∣ding every Particle, and ren∣dering them almost imperce∣ptible, and uncapable of re∣ceiving a more perfect disso∣lution.
§ 6. Now, by reason of the great effervescency the Sp. Nitri ought to be put in Guttatim, for fear the matter should rise or swell above the Vessel; and this effervescen∣cy proceeds in part from the resistance which the points of the Sp. Nitri meet with, en∣tering into the narrow Pores of the Antimonial Particles, in order to their dissolution, for as soon as that is performed, the ebulition and noise cea∣ses.
§ 7. How the Butter of Antimony (which was a vehe∣ment Caustick, from the acid Spirits with which it was fill'd) should by means of another acid Corrosive, (such as is Spirit of Nitre) suffer such an exceeding change, and become one of the swee∣test and mildest Medicines that is; or how Spirit of Ni∣tre should be able to sweeten such a corrosive matter, is difficult to conceive.
§ 8. This Doubt receives a twofold Solution; first, that as Acids and Alcalies are Op∣posites, and destroy one ano∣ther, so also in the Acid king∣dom there are opposite Acids, which have like effects, by mixing one with another, the points of the one entering in∣to the sheaths of the other. Secondly, That as the first Acids did but adhere super∣ficially to the Antimony in its Butter, and adapted to the motion of the Antimonial Particles, which served them as a Vehicle, to display their points, so being dissolved by the Spirit of Nitre, they joint∣ly fix the Antimony, and de∣stroy its motive quality, and sheath themselves in the sul∣phurous parts thereof, where∣by they lose all their corrosi∣on.
§ 9. The abstracted Li∣quor called Bezoardick Spirit of Nitre, (ut suprà) is nothing else but an Aqua Regia from the conjunction of the Spirit of Common Salt with the Nitrous Spirit; for which reason it dissolves Gold, and will do all other things which Aq. Regis can. In abstracting this Li∣quor, much of the Sulphurs which were in the Butter of Antimony are lost.
§ 10. I know Authors re∣quire a reiteration of the Spi∣rit of Nitre, but this says Le Mort (Chymic. Medico physica, pag. 238.) is needless, for that the fluid Salts require no more thereof to make them let go their Pouder, and then by consequence this Work has no more need of Correction.
§ 11. This same Le Mort in the place cited, has another Bezoardicum Minerale, made without Sublimate, after this manner: ℞ Regulus of Anti∣mony in pouder ℥j. Spirit of Salt prepared with Oyl of Vi∣triol ℥iij. mix them as before; digest them in a Sand for two days, till the Regulus is dissol∣ved; decant the clear Liquor, (which will be as limpid as it was before the affusion) and evaporate the one half of it a∣way by a gentle fire, then affuse Guttatim Spirit of Nitre, and proceed as before, &c.
§ 12. Or thus, from the same Le Mort. ℞ Regulus of Antimony freed from its Scoria ℥j. Aq. Regia ℥iij. mix them together, and digest them for two days, till all the Regu∣lus is brought to a very white pouder, upon this put a great quantity of fair Water, so will the white pouder precipitate, which edulcorate by many washings. Both this and the last are egregious Sudorificks, and Bezoardicks, curing all Diseases that are to be cured by Sweat, and in particular they resist Plague and Poyson. Dose à gr. iv. ad xij.
§ 13. Lemery makes it thus: ℞ Butter of Antimo∣ny ℥ij. put it into a Bolthead and melt it, put to it guttatim Spirit of Nitre, so much till the Butter is perfectly dissolved, which will be about the weight of the Butter) in the dissolution fumes will arise, which to avoid place the Vessel in a Chimney; decant the Solution into ano∣ther Glass Body or Earthen Dish, and evaporate in a gentle sand-heat to dryness; the white mass being cooled, affuse there∣on fresh Spirit of Nitre ℥ij. and evaporate in Sand as be∣fore to dryness; again affuse fresh Spirit of Nitre ℥ij. and evaporate again, and encrea∣sing the fire a little, calcine the matter for half an hours time, then take it from the fire, so will you have a white pouder, (which is Bezoar Minerale) this keep in a Vial close stopt. Dose à gr. vj. ad ℈j.
§ 14. This Preparation is only an Antimony fix'd by Spirit of Nitre, and render'd sudorifick; or so many Transformations of the Regu∣lus, made by acid Spirits, or by Fire; so that by fusion, or by means of some reductive Salt, they may be recovered into a Regulus again, by de∣stroying those Salts which kept them under this form.
§ 15. Zwelfer, Mantiss. Spagyr. par. 2. cap. 8. p. 837. makes it in all respects as Le∣mery, but orders the dryed mass to be ground each time upon a Porphyry, into a sub∣tile
pouder, before the affu∣sion of fresh Spirit of Nitre, and then calcines it (after the third affusion of Spirit) for an hour or two, and so keeps it without any other Prepara∣tion.
§ 16. Charras makes it of Mercurius Vitae, after this manner: ℞ Mercurius Vitae ℥j. Spirit of Nitre ℥iij. put them into a small Glass Cucur∣bit, on a sand-heat, which stir with a wooden Spatula steeped well in the Spirit; evaporate all the humidity to dryness, then wash and perfectly dulcifie it, keeping the white pouder in a Glass Bottle well stopt.
§ 17. This Bezoar, says he, is given to good purpose in all Diseases where the Be∣zoar-stone is used: It streng∣thens very much all the no∣ble parts, and defends them against Malignity and Poison. It purifies the mass of Blood, and drives from thence, as well as out of the whole ha∣bit of the Body, all those sharp Serosities which offend Nature, and are to be expel∣led through the Pores of the Body, driving them forth ei∣ther by Sweat or insensible Transpiration.
§ 18. For which reason it is very highly commended against all Diseases proceed∣ing from corruption or de∣pravation of the Blood and Juices, chiefly the Scurvy, Cachexia Small Pox, Measles, Plague, Spotted Fever, and all sorts of malign and pesti∣lential Distempers.
§ 19. By reason of the weight thereof it is seldom given in Liquors, because it is apt to descend, unless in some thick Syrup, but for the most part in a Bolus or other proper Electuary or Con∣serve, à gr. viij. ad xx. or xxx.. It is also sometimes mixed with Catharticks and Aperitives, to fortifie the noble parts during their ope∣ration.
§ 20. Le Mort prepares it also at once, by affusing a triple quantity of Spirit of Nitre at first, then evapora∣ting and calcining as before taught; affirming (as afore∣said) that there is no need of a triple affusion or repetition of the Spirit of Nitre, as most Authors require, because, says he, all the Bodies are satura∣ted with the Acid, so as they can no more be changed or altered.
§ 21. He also prepares it from Flowers of Antimony, dissolving them with Aqua Regis, as before with the Re∣gulus, at § 11 & 12 aforego∣ing, and calcining, &c.
§ 22. Marggrave makes it exactly after Zwelfer's me∣thod, with a double or treble cohobation, and gives it à gr. v. ad xv. vel xx after this manner, ℞ Bezoar Mine∣ral, Saffron, A. gr. viij. Salts of Wormwood and Carduus, A. gr. xij. Crabs-Eyes and Coral prepared, A. gr. v. Laudanum Opiatum gr. iss. Confectio de Hyacintho, or Diascordium, q. s. mix, and make a Bolus.
§ 23. Le Febure puts the Antimonial Butter into a large Matrass, affusing guttatim its equal weight of good Spirit of Nitre; the Liquor being defe∣cated and clear, he decants it into a Cucurbit in a sand-heat, and evaporates to dryness, repeating twice again the same quantity of Spirit of Nitre, evaporating it the third time, till the mass becomes fair, white, dry, brittle and insipid, which is the Bezoar Mineral.
§ 24. In this (says he) should there remain yet any pleasant sharpness, can be no prejudice, wherefore it will be needless to urge the Fire higher, but contrariwise to take off the Vessel, and let the matter cool, and taking the Pouder at bottom, to keep it in a Glass close stopt for use.
§ 25. The Epithite Mine∣rale is added, to difference it from the Stone Bezoar and the Animal, for that the ver∣tues of those is not only at∣tributed to it, but it every way exceeds them in vertue and goodness, possessing ma∣ny other essential Properties. that they have not, by rea∣son of the Solar Sulphur that is in it, the efficacy whereof is not to be exhausted.
§ 26. For this rare Medi∣cine does potently expel by Sweat and Urine, but chiefly by insensible Transpiration, all the hurtful and poysonous Humors lurking in the Bo∣dies both of healthy and un∣healthy persons, especially in all those malign and pesti∣lential Diseases where Swea∣ting is absolutely necessary.
§ 27. And this I can affirm from a Thirty years conti∣nued Experience, That who∣soever makes use of it in all the afore-named cases, shall never find himself deceiv'd, nor disappointed of the help (sooner or later) which he expected: I, who have for so many years tryed, can tell more especially where ma∣lignant Serosities have aboun∣ded, as in the Scurvy, Ca∣chexies, Scabs, Itch, French Pox, &c.
§ 28. Who constantly uses it, ought also to have a Dyet of Veal and Chicken-Broth,
with Scorzonea and Sarsaparil∣la in it, and to keep their Bo∣dies soluble, by adding every third day to the Broths ℈j. or ʒss. of Salt of Tartar of Sen∣nertus, or otherwise with proper Clysters.
§ 29. And as this Remedy is in kind universal, so it may be specificated and appro∣priated to some particular parts, by adding any of the Metals, as Sol, Luna, Venus Jupiter, the eighth part of any of which may be added to the Regulus of Antimony, with three times as much corrosive Sublimate, and then distilled into a Butter, to be fixt with Spirit of Nitre, as before dire∣cted, in making the simple Be∣zoar Minerale.
§ 30. Moebius makes it of Mercurius Vitae, as Charras does, afore-declared. Hof∣man exactly follows Zwelfer, with a gentle calcination at last for an hour. Beguinus is exactly the same with Le∣mery, save that in the second and third affusions of Spirit of Nitre, he uses but half the first quantity of the Spirit.
§ 31. From all that has been said, it appears with Le Mort, that a single affusion of Spirit of Nitre is sufficient, because what is after added is nugatory and void, as ha∣ving no operation: Of which Opinion also is Blasius, the Commentator upon Beguinus; and also with Le Febure, that a simple drying of the Calx, without calcination or wash∣ing, suffices to bring the Me∣dicine to the perfection desi∣red, and indeed leaves it more efficacious than it would be otherwise with it.
§ 32. Hic notandum quod Bezoarticum hoc minerale lon∣ge antecellat Bezoar Animalis, sicut id expresse fatetur Dn. Crato in Epistola medicinali dum inquit; Lapis Bezoar Animalis in febribus pestilen∣tialibus nobis nihil profuit, quod sane de hoc minimè pronuncian∣dum.