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 ...

III. Magisterium Bismuthi; Magistery of Marcasite or Tin-Glass; or, Spanish White.

Bate.] ℞ Marcasite in fine pouder, p. j. Spirit of Ni∣tre, p. iij. mix and dissolve, precipitate with Salt water, edulcorate and dry, S. A. It is good against the Vices of the Skin, as Freckles, Len∣tils, Impetigo or Ringworms, Scabbiness of the Hands, and the like, for which intentions it is a most absolute Cosme∣tick or Beautifier.

Salmon.] § 1. Rolfincius Art. Chym. lib. 5. sect. 2. cap. 34. makes it thus: ℞ Of the Marcasite of Lead, which they call Bismuth, and by us Tin-Glass, q. v. Aquae∣fortis made with Alum and Nitre, A. q. s. mix and dis∣solve in a gentle heat; what is dissolved pour off, and precipi∣tate with Oleum Tartari per diliquium, so in a moment you will have the Alcohol of Bis∣muth, most pure white, like the new-faln Snow: Dulcifie it by many ablutions in fair water, which will free it from all its saltness and acrimony, and then dry it.

§ 2. This (says he) is a most wonderful Cosmetick, freeing the Face and Hands from Freckles, Spots, and other Defedations. In using it to cleanie the Face, let it be applyed with Bean-flower-water; to take away the Freckles and Spots of the Hands with Ʋnguentum Po∣matum, or Hogs Lard well washed, for by this means it removes Lentils, Freckles, Ringworms, Tetters, and all sorts of Scabs whatsoever.

§ 3. But the way most agreeable with the Process of our Author you may see ex∣plicated at large, with a Ra∣tionale thereon, in our Pharm. Lond. lib. 3. cap. 10. sect. 6. wherein you have many Ob∣servations in the making thereof worthy of noting.

§ 4. Lemery's Magistery of Bismuth. ℞ Bismuth in pouder ℥i. put it into a Glass Matrass with Spirit of Nitre ℥iij. put the Dissolution into a clean white Ware Vessel, and affuse thereon five or six pints of Fountain-water, in which you have dissolved beforehand an ounce of Sea-salt, so will you have a white Pouder, precipi∣tate to the bottom; decant the Water by inclination, and wash the Magistery several times, drying it in the shade.

§ 5. This is that which is called Spanish White, and is a most excellent Cosmetick, for that it serves to cleanse the Skin and whiten the Com∣plexion; and it is used mixt either with Pomatum or Lil∣ly-water.

§ 6. Now, in the making of this, you must be sure to use a very large Bolthead to dissolve the Bismuth in, be∣cause of the great Ebulition; for as soon as the Spirit of Ni∣tre is put upon it, it takes up much room to move in, sen∣ding forth many Vapors, of which beware, for they are very pernicious to the Head, Brain, Brest and Lungs.

§ 7. Now this great Ebu∣lition proceeds from the A∣cid's penetration of the large Pores of the Bismuth, which violently divide all that op∣pose their motion: In this operation the Bolthead grows so hot, that a man can't en∣dure his Hand upon it, which comes from the points of the Acid chafing against the so∣lid body of the Bismuth, which makes a heat much after the manner, as when two solid Bodies are rubbed hard one against another: And the great store of Igne∣ous Particles contained in the Spirit, help much also to en∣crease this Heat.

§ 8. If the Dissolution becomes troubled thro' some Impurities in the Bismuth, you must put into it twice as much Water and filter it, for if you should filter it without Water, it would coagulate in the filter like Salt, and not pass through. This Coagu∣lation proceeds from the acid Spirits of the Nitre, included in the Particles of the Bis∣muth, which having not room or moisture enough to swim in or disperse, do gather to∣gether when the Dissolution is cold, into Crystals.

§ 9. The Impurity which commonly swims upon the Dissolution of the Marcasite is a fat or bituminous mat∣ter, which the Spirit of Nitre is not table to dissolve; and indeed Marcasite is nothing but an Excrement of a Me∣tal, or a fat Earth impregna∣ted with metalick parts.

§ 10. That is, it is a sul∣phurous Substance found in the Tin Mines, (thought by some to be an imperfect Tin, which partakes of good store of Arsenick) but its Pores are disposed in another manner than those of Tin; which is evident from the operation of the Menstruum, for that it perfectly dissolves Bismuth, but has nothing near such an operation upon Tin.

§ 11. This Magistery may also be made by affusion of a great quantity of Fountain-water into the Dissolution, without any Salt, but it is made the quicker when you do it with Salt, and the Pre∣cipitation is the better, be∣cause the Salt Particles do encounter and break the Acids, which Water alone was not sufficiently able to enervate or weaken. Thus you see the Acid of the Salt overcomes the Acid of the Spirit of Nitre.

§ 12. Now how fair Wa∣ter alone should be able to precipitate Lead, Antimony, and Marcasite, being dissol∣ved by the Acid, and yet cannot precipitate Gold, Sil∣ver, or Mercury, without the help of some Salt or other Body, is worthy to be enqui∣red into: Without doubt the largeness of the Pores of the former give the Water a greater liberty to pervade them, and force away the Acids, which cannot stick so close as they do in Gold, Sil∣ver, and Mercury, where the Pores are very much finer and smaller, by which rea∣son the Acid sticks not only the closer, but the Water for the same reason is denied that easie entrance, and so can make no separation, without

the help of a more piercing and active body.

§ 13. In making of this Magistery there is a conside∣rable augmentation of the Bismuth, but this proceeds from part of the Spirit of Ni∣tre remaining in it, and which cannot be separated by the precipitation nor lotion, tho' never so often repeated.

§ 14. And what we have here taught you from Bis∣muth, or the Marcasite of Load, or Silver, as some call it, the same you may do from Zinck, or the Marcasite of Gold, which much resembles Bismuth; and the operation is performed in like manner in all respects: But in the whole operation avoid the use of AF. (made with Vi∣triol) for that, by reason of the Vitriol, will blacken or foul the Precipitate, do what you can.

§ 15. Modus Ʋtendi. You may mix ʒj. of this Magi∣stery with Orange-flower-water or Damask-rose-water ℥iv. Or with choice Pomatum, or well-washed Hogs-Lard ℥i. It sof∣tens the Skin very much, and is also good against the Itch, because it feeds upon those Acids or Salts which cause and nourish this Disease.

§ 16. Le Febur makes it thus: ℞ A. F. made of equal parts of Nitre and common Salt, lbss. Bismuth in pouder ℥iv. mix and dissolve, and if there be any foulness in it, filter it, then precipitate with tar∣tarized S. V. abstract the Li∣quor swimming above the Ma∣gistery, and wash it with di∣stilled Rain-water, till it is sufficiently dulcified. Thus Schroder and Beguinus.

§ 17. It is, says he, a very good Remedy for all the Vices and Eruptions of the Skin, and above all against the Itch: It takes away Spots and Freckles in it, and smooths the roughness of the Face and Hands: But if you would make there with a pure and white Cosmetick, and use it either with or without Pomatum, he advises to precipitate with Oyl of Vi∣triol, (tho' I think Oyl of Sul∣phur would be better) so (says he) you shall have an almost incomparable White, which you must dulcifie, dry; and keep for use.

§ 18. Charras makes it in all respects, as does Le Febur, in a large Glass Cu∣curbit, but with this diffe∣rence. That whereas Le Febur allows for the Bismuth, but p. ij. Charras allows the full tripple quantity, and then when the dissolution is perfected, precipi∣tates with the best tartarized

Spirit of Wine, and pouring thereon a good quantity of fair Water, lets it settle, decants the Water by inclination, and perfectly edulcorates it by many ablutions, then dries it in the shade between two Papers, and keeps it for use.

§ 19. This (says he) is a very white Magistery, fit for all Deformities of the Skin, and to beautifie the Com∣plexions of Ladies, mixing it with proper Waters and Po∣matums. And here note, that the Water of the first L••••ion is very good to cure Tetters Ringworms, and the Itch.

§ 20. This Bismuth is a Mineral Body, half metalick, composed of Mercury, or the first maner of Tin ill dige∣sted, a ••oul terrestial Sulphur no•• ripened, and an impure Arsenical Salt, as aforesaid, which Arsenical Salt making one part of the Composition, is the reason that no Prepa∣rations made thereof are ever taken inwardly.