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 ...

XC. Cauterium Lunare▪ The Silver Caustick.

Bate.] Dissolve Luna p j. in A. F. p. iij. and evaporate to dryness, afterwards augment the Fire to a melting heat, and till the Fumes cease; then pre∣sently power forth the Matter into a little Brass or Earthen Vessel of a convenient bigness. It is a perpetual Caustick, if it be kept from the Air. It takes away Warts by touch∣ing them therewith.

Salmon.] § 1. See our Pharm. Lond. Lib. 3. Cap. 2. Sect. 20. But Thibaut makes it after this manner. Take A. F. ℥j. refined Silver Fi∣lings ℥ij. put them together in∣to a little Matrass, with a streight long neck, so big as that ⅔ of it may be empty: let it be Coated half way, and set it in a Round covered with Sand in a circular Fire, giving a small heat till the Silver is dissolved; and the dissolvant is evaporated to dryness, and the

Matter remains black not un∣like a P••••nice store: then in∣crease the Fire to a melting ••eat, and continue it till the ••••••ling ceases, and no more Vapors arise, which sh••ws that the Matter is in fusion; then without delay pour out the Mat∣ter into little Brass or Iron Moulds (for if it cools in the Mar••ass it will be reduced into a white Pouder, which is the Calx of Luna, and may by the addition of Bo∣rax return to its first Meta∣lick nature) and keep the same for use.

§ 2. Lemery takes Spirit of Nitre ℥iij. to Silver ℥j. and dissolves in a Vial in a Sand heat, evaporating about ⅔ of the moisture, then puts the rest as it is hot into a good large Crucible over a gentle Fire, and lets it alone till the boiling Matter sinks quietly to the bottom of the Crucible, then increasing the Fire, till it becomes like Oil, pours it out in∣to ••••••p••red Brass or Iron Moulds a little ••iled and heated, in which it presently coagulates and bard••ns, after which he takes the Matter and keeps it in a Glass close stopt for use.

§ 3. Or thus according to Charras. ℞ Refined granu∣lated Silver ℥iv. put it into a Glass Cucurbit, in a gentle Sand beat, and affuse thereon A. F. ℥xij. digest till the Silver is dissolved, and if you please, co∣ver the Cucurbit with its Head and abstract about half the A. F. or otherwise evaporate it, and let the Sediment cool and Grystallize; which then put by piece meals into a good Crucible upon a Culot in the midst of the fire-place in a small Fordace, regulating the Fire that the Matter may not boil over; and continue it till the dissolved Silver becomes as it were dry in the Crucible, and the red Vapors of the A. F. cease to arise; at which time increase your fire to melt the Silver, which after some few boilings will descend to the bottom of the Crucible, of a Consistency like that of thick Oil: then take out the Cruci∣ble, and gently pour out the melted Silver into proper Moulds (before hand heat and greased) in which the Silver will coagulate into brittle Stones of a blackish colour, which being half cold, take them out of the Moulds, and put them up into Glasses, &c. to preserve them for the Air.

§ 4. This Caustick caute∣rizes the Flesh or Bones upon which it is applied, provi∣ded you moisten the end of the Stone, or the part, upon which you would have it o∣perate.

It is a gentle and pleasant Eschatotick, and consumes by touching all Warts, proud Flesh, Cancers, Ulcers, and Red Spots, wet∣ting them first with Water, and then applying the Stone.

§ 5. It eases the Pain of the Teeth, using it as has been said upon that part of the Skin and Cartilage, that makes the hollow of the Ear.

§ 6. The Crumbs of this Stone poudered, and incor∣porated with a Suppurative consumes likewise proud and ill Flesh, and takes away Rottenness in Ulcers.

§ 7. It serves likewise to dye the Hair black, if you put gr. ij. or iij. of it into a Spoonful of Water distilled from the green Shells of Wall-nuts, and then with a Brush-pencil to wash the Hair over with it two or three times, holding mean-season a Comb between it and the Flesh or Skin, for otherwise it will not fail to black the Skin, where-ever it touches, because of the Vitriol which is in the A. F.

§ 8. If the Hair some∣times grows green, it is be∣cause there has been dissol∣ved in the A. F. Silver al∣lay'd with Copper instead of pure Cuppelated Silver.

§ 9. This Stone may be made of Copper instead of Silver, but then it will not keep so well, because the Copper being very porous does more easily suffer the Air to enter it and dissolve it.

§ 10. If you use fine Cu∣pellated Silver, you will from ℥j. of it have ʒxiij. of the Lapis Infernialis; but if you use Silver with allay ℥j. of it will not yield you above ʒxj. The reason of the increase of weight is from the sharp A∣cids of the Spirit of Nitre adhearing to the Silver; but the difference of the increase comes from Cupellated Silver having finer Pores than the other, whereby it the better retains the Acid, and so makes the Stones thereby the stronger.

§ 11. This Strength or the Effects of the Stone proceeds from the lost Spirits which remain in the Pores of the Silver, and are petrified with it, which work more speedi∣ly or more slowly, and with less violence, according as they were dissolved with a greater or less quantity of Moisture.

§ 12. Lemery says this Stone is more Caustick than the Crystals of Silver, though compounded of the same In∣gredients,

the reason of which he says is, that in the Eva∣poration of the Spirit of Nitre, the sharpest part remains at last, which gives the strength to the Infernal Stone; where∣as in the Crystals (says he) there's a much weaker Spirit, as being impregnated with watery parts.

§ 13. But Charras says that the Crystals of Silver of which the Stones are made are more Caustick than the stones themselves: the reason he gives for it, is for that the simple dissolution of Silver in A. F. burns with more speed and violence than the Stones or C••••stals themselves, as Ex∣perience teaches, for if the least drop falls upon ones Hand, it will burn it imme∣diately, and very deep, if you do not presently wash it to weaken and carry off the Caustick Spirits of the A. F. which says he is not to be wondred at, for that the A.F. has nothing in it hardly but what is Caustick, and the Sales are not able to act as they should but when they are dissolved.

§ 14. Nor does this Lapis Infernal•••• burn at all, unless it be wet; and for that reason the dissolution of the Silver in A. F. or S. N. which are Caustick in all their parts, and able to act alone beyond the force of common Water, which is used to excite the Action of this Caustick, and make it operate.

§ 15. If you take Crystals of Luna, and melt them in a Crucible boiling the Li∣quor till it comes to the con∣sistence of Oil, and then cast it into the Moulds, you will have also a Lapis Infer∣nalis, like to this described by our Author.

§ 16. This Silver Caustick is nothing but Cupellated Sil∣ver, dissolved and calcined Philosophically by A. F. &c. and then coagulated by the Evaporation of the greatest part of the Humidity, and at last petrefied by the fusi∣on of the said coagulated Matter, which has retained so much of the A. F. as to make the Luna into the con∣sistence of a Stone.

§ 17. The Matrass here used ought to be small, be∣cause we prepare not much of it at a time, and the fire gentle that the Matter may not run over: its neck long and straight (if the whole Operation be done in a Ma∣trass) for the easier pouring it into Moulds; it ought also to be of strong Glass, and coat∣ed on the bottom half way, that a naked fire, drying up

the Matter may not break the Glass.

§ 18. And tho' Silver may be dissolved in an equal quan∣tity of A. F. yet double or treble quantities are used, as well for making a greater quantity of the Stone, as that it may be softer and less black: for the lesser and less black: for the lesser the quan∣tity of the A. F. the harder the Stone and the more black, the Silver not being so per∣fectly calcin'd, nor contain∣ing so much of the A. F.

§ 19. In boiling of this Solution, it ought to be with a gentle Fire, because it is apt to run over into the Fire; or else it ejects some drops or sprinklings upon the hands of the Artist or his Cloaths, which upon the Skin smarts vehemently.

§ 20. You must also often cast your Eye into the Cruci∣cible, chiefly towards the conclusion, for so soon as the Matter ceases boiling and ap∣pears like Oil, you must im∣mediately cast it into the Mould; for if it be longer in the Fire, the strongest Spirits would evaporate, and the Stone be less Corrosive.

§ 21. That this Caustick may be made either of Sp. Nitri or A. F. but by the first it will be whitish, and less Caustick; and instead of blackning the Skin and Teeth which it may touch, it will only make them look yellow; for that it is the Vi∣triol with blacks in the A. F. but not other Corrosive or A∣cid can corrode Silver, nor by consequence serve in this composition.

§ 22. To make little Moulds of Lattin, you must hold it a little time over the Fire, so will it be flexible, and not apt to break, then cut off a piece, and toul it about a Stick as thick as a Quill, and three Inches long, and so tie it close with small Wyar, turning up the bottom so as it may not go through, then paste it with our Lute, and let it dry; and when you use it, take out the Stick, and pour in the Matter, which will condense into petrefied Cyllinders.

§ 23. To make this Cau∣stick good and strong whe∣ther white, grey, or black, you ought to use only Cupel∣lated Silver, for by a mixti∣on of Copper it will be both green and soft, and will easi∣ly melt of it self.

§ 24. From hence we con∣clude, that it can never be made of Lead or Tin, which are yet softer: nor yet of I∣ron, because it cannot be dis∣solved and brought into a po∣table

Liquor, by reason of its great dryness and earthy∣ness: As for Gold, tho' it may be made of that by dis∣solution in A. R. or Spirit of Salt, acuated with decripita∣ted Salt, you would only have your labour for your pains, because refined Gold would be too dear. And as for the Marchassites or Half-Metals, they are not fit for this Operation, because their dissolution evaporated and reduced to a Calx, cannot keep the Consistency of a Stone, but must remain a Pouder.