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 ...

LXXII. Mercurius praecipi∣tatus albus, white Precipi∣tate.

Bate.] Dissolve Mercury: or Quick-silver in A. F. pre∣cipitate with Salt-water, wash or sweeten and dry. Albus Sub∣dulcis; sweet white Precipi∣tate. Dissolve Quick-silver in Spirit of Nitre, precipitate with S. V. dry, and often burn off from it S. V. S A. The Dose is the same with Mer∣curius Dulcis: It is used in the French-Pox, Dropsie, Gout, Yellow Jaundice, &c.

Salmon.] § 1. Precipita∣tion is an Operation which belongs to all Magisteries; but that Medicament which is signified by the simple name of Precipitate is chiefly Mercury or Quick-silver dissol∣ved in A. F. and separated again according to the fol∣lowing Method.

§ 2 ℞ Quick-silver revi∣ved from Cinnabar ℥viij. A. F. ℥xiij. mix and dissolve, then precipitate with Oil of Tartar per Deliq. or with Salt-brine, i. e. water in which common Salt is dissolved; de∣cant the clear Liquor, and e∣dulcerate the Precipitate with many affusions of fair water, till it is freed from all its Acri∣mony. Dose, à gr. vj. ad x. Rolfincius Chym. Lib. 5. Sect. 6. Cap. 1. It is given in Pills or Bolus: outwardly it is used against Freckles, Spots, and Defedations of the Face, and is called therefore Mercurius Cosmeticus.

§ 3. This is the same way with that declared in our Pharm. Lond. Lib. 3. Cap. 7. Sect. 21. but the Proportions differ, for the Colledge pre∣scribes to Quick-silver, P. ij. A. F. p. j. which is indeed too little of the A.F. by p. ij. for if the Quick-silver be ℥ij. the A. F. ought to be ℥iij. for that with a less quantity a compleat and perfect Dis∣solution

will not so well be made.

§ 4. Zwelfer limits no Proportions but requires a sufficient quantity of the A.F. to be taken. Lemery uses Spirit of Nitre instead of A. F. and to Quick-silver ℥viij. takes of Spirit of Nitre ℥x. and precipitates with Salt-wa∣ter filterated, made of water lbiv. common Salt ℥x. adding unto it Volatile Spirit of Sal-Armoniack ℥ss. and then washes the Precipitate seven times with Fountain-water, drying it in the shade.

§ 5. If you would have the Precipitate very white, the Q. S. ought to be dissol∣ved in a Vessel whose mouth is very large, that so the red Vapours of the Sp. N. may vanish the more easily: and if the Dissolution is made without Fire, it will yet be the whiter.

§ 6. Nor need you religi∣ously retain the exact quan∣tity of Spirit of Nitre here limited, you may either use a little more or less, according to the strength of the Spirit, or its being deflegmated; if perfectly deflegmated, an equal quantity may do.

§ 7. In the Precipitation, you must not make the Wa∣ter too Salt, because the quan∣tity of Salt would keep the Precipitate from falling. But it may seem strange that an Acid Salt (such as Sea-Salt) should be able to precipitate that which the Acidity of Spirit of Nitre had dissolved.

§ 8. To which is answer∣ed, that the Acids do all perform the same things, in pricking and piercing; yet they all differ in the Figure and Sharpness of their Points, as their Fermentati∣on is more or less, so their Points are more subtil, sharp and light; or more thick and dull, which not only the Taste but the Sight also e∣vinces: if you Crystallize various Acids, you will have as many kinds of Crystals, each different in figure, as there were different Dissolutions.

§ 9. And as the Crystals of Vinegar will be sharper than those of Spirit of Nitre; so those of Spirit of Nitre will be sharper than those of Spirit of Vitriol; and those made by Spirit of Vitriol sharper than those made by Spirit of Alum; and those made by Spirit of Alum sharp∣er than those made by Spirit of Salt; each kind of Cry∣stal retaining the figure of its Constituent parts.

§ 10. This being known, it will not be difficult to ex∣plicate the Phaenomenon; for

that Salt or its Spirit contain∣ing Points more gross than those of Spirit of Nitre, and falling on this dissolution, they move, shake, and easily break the Points of the Nitre, impregnated with the Quick-silver, making them let go their hold, and so the Mercury falls down by its own weight.

§ 11. But to facilitate this Precipitation he adds a little Volatile Spirit of Sal-Armo∣niack. which contains a great Alcali, which by reason of its subtilty and agility pe∣netrates every recess of the Liquor, where possibly the Sea-Salt (by reason of the obtuseness of its points) can∣not go.

§ 12. This is evident by this demonstration. First pre∣cipitate with Salt-water, the Liquor being clear decant it: into this decanted Liquor drop Volatile Spirit of Sal-Armo∣niack, and you will find a con∣siderable quantity of Precipi∣tate more to fall, which plain∣ly shews, that the Salt-water had not precipitated all: And if instead of the Spirit of Sal-Armoniack you use Oil of Tartar per Deliquium, you will have more Precipitate, but of an Orange tawny colour.

§ 13. The Precipitation may be made as well with the Spirit of Salt, as with the Salt in Substance: but this Precipitation is not so easily made in Mercury, as in Zinck or Bismuth, because the Pores of the former are smal∣ler than those of the latter, and therefore retain more strongly the Acids with which they are joyned: Al∣so Mercury (being of a Vola∣tile Nature) does more easi∣ly swim in the dissolvent than Zinck, &c. the latter being bodies more sixt.

§ 14. The Dose of white Precipitate is less than that ••f Mercurius dulcis, because it contains a greater quantity of Acid Spirits; but if you ••ublime it alone in a Ma∣trass in a gradual Sand heat (as Charras speaks) you will have a Sublimate as sweet as the other; for that the Fire having acted upon it, de••••roys most of its Acid points, so that it may then be given in full as large a Dose as the common Mercurius dulcis, in Vencral and other inveterate Diseases! it is given in a Bolus a gr. 10. ad 20. or 30. or mixt with some Conserve, or other purgative Reme∣dy.

§ 15. Charras makes his white Precipitate with Q. S. ℥viij. A. F. (made of Nitre and Alum without Vitriol) ℥xij. which he mixes and dis∣solves: and then precipitates with water ℥24. or ℥32. in

which Bay-Salt ℥viij. has been dissolved and fi••tred; putting upon the dissolved Mercury first fair water lbij. and then the Salt-water; by which means the Mercury coagulates into a very white Substance, precipitating to the bottom: the Precipitate being settled, decant the clear Liquor; and edulcorate the Precipitate by many washings with filtered wa∣ter, which dry and keep for use.

§ 16. From this clear de∣canted Liquor you may with Volatile Spirit of Sal-Armo∣niack produce more Preci∣pitate as aforesaid, which remains insensibly in the Par∣ticles of the Liquor; or you may have an Orange tawny, by doing it with a fixt Alcali, as Oil of Tartar per Deliquium.

§ 17. The reason of this Precipitation has in part been explicated at § 8.9.10. and 11. aforegoing; but to such as that may prove no satis∣faction to, we say that pos∣sibly the ••recipitation may be caused by other means; as, either from the Sympathy of Acids one with another by which means another dif∣fering Acid joyning with the former, the former to lay fast hold of the latter, lets go its hold of the Mercury, and so lets it fall down to the bottom.

§ 18. Or else from the Antipathy of their Natures (for there are Acids which will be destroyed one by a∣nother, as well as by Alcali's) the latter Acid opposing the former, and weaking of it so much, as that it cannot be able to suspend the Particles of the Matter dissolved, whereby mixing together they make a kind of new body.

§ 19. But 'tis certain that the quantity of water, not only weakens the A. F. or Spirit of Nitre, but also gives the Salts the liberty of Mo∣tion and Action, making them able to penetrate other Bodies: for though the Cry∣stals of each Salt are all of a different bigness and shape, yet they are either thicker or slenderer, blunter or sharp∣er according to the quantity of Water in which they are dissolved and crystalliz'd; for being dissolved in a lar∣ger quantity of Water the Crystals are much slenderer, finer, and sharper, than if dissolved in a small quantity; for the quantity of Water making a more numerous division of their Particles, it diminishes their quantity, and sharpens their Points, where∣by it renders them more sit to enter one in ano∣ther,

and to unite mutually together.

§ 20. This Precipitate (not being sublimed as at § 14. above) ought to be given on∣ly to Persons of a strong Con∣stitution, à gr. iij. ad viij. or x. because that notwith∣standing all the Lotions; some Particles of the Salts will lie still hidden in its Pores, which cause it to purge upwards and down∣wards.

§ 21. But it is more fre∣quently used externally for the Cure of Scurff, Tettars, Ringworms, Herpes, Pustuls, Redness, and other Defeda∣tions of the Skin, being mixt with Pomatums or Oint∣ments to beautifie the Face: it certainly whitens the Face and Skin; but it ought to be used with caution, be∣cause Mercury is an Enemy to the Native heat. Nerves, Bones, &c. and therefore may at long run prove of ill consequence.

§ 22. Now because of the ill Qualities which the A. F. or Spirit of Nitre gives to the Mercury, you may pre∣pare a white Precipitate thus. ℞ Sal-Armoniack in fine pouder ℥viij. put it into a Glass Cucurbit, and affuse thereon River-water ℥32. dis∣solve in a Sand heat, filter and dissolve therein, Corrosive Sublimate in fine pouder ℥viij. without heat: this done, drop in Guttatim Ol. Tartari per Deliquium ℥iv. this uniting it self with the Acid part of the Salts which ascended in Sublimation will force the Mercury out of its place, and cause it to precipitate into a white Pouder: but at the same time you must affuse on the Precipitation a good quan∣tity of fair Water filtred, both to weaken the dissolvents and moisten the Salts: then the Precipitate being settled, de∣cant from it the clear Liquor, wash and edulcorate it, and dry it between two Papers in the Shade, and keep it for use.

§ 23. This Precipitate purges also like the former, both upwards and down∣wards: but whereas the for∣mer is to be given ad gr. viij. or x. at most; this may be given ad gr. xij. or xiv. be∣cause that the ill qualities of the Acid Salts of the Subli∣mate being enervated by the action of the Sal-Armoniack and Tartar, they cannot ex∣ert their force like those in A. F. or Spirit of Nitre in the former.

§ 24. Now here it is ob∣servable, that Oleum Salis Tar∣tari makes an Orange tawny Precipitate by A. F. but be∣ing cohobated upon the Dis∣solution of Sublimate in Li∣quor of Sal-Armoniack it makes a perfectly white Pre∣cipitate: This Precipitate ought to be given chiefly in Catharticks, as in Confectio Hamech, &c. for the Cure of Veneral Diseases, Kings-Evil, Scurff, Leprosie, and all other Deformities of the Skin, Gouts, Dropsies, and the like Distempers; but outwardly in Pomatums as before directed.

§ 25. Lastly, If you take of the Solution of Quick-silver q. v. and put it into a Glass Matrass, affusing thereon 24. times its weight of fair wa∣ter, all the Liquor will be∣come Milky; let it settle till it becomes clear, then filter it and keep it for use: This Water may be given ab ℥ss. ad ℥j. in a Glass of Decoction of Sarsa, Liquorice, or Broth: it Vomits gently, and pro∣vokes a Salivation: and gi∣ven in the Itch ad ℥ss. it is said to cure it, Universals be∣ing premised as due Purging, Vomiting, &c.