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 ...

XXVIII. Sal Margaritarum, Salt of Pearls.

Bate.] It is to be prepared as Salt of Coral.

Salmon.] § 1. It is made exactly as the Salt of Coral; but Pearls heed no pouder∣ing, for they dissolve whole, by meer digestion in distilled Vinegar: it is made also with Juice of Limons, and with all the other things with which Salt of Coral may be made.

§ 2. It is also made with Juice of Citrons thus. ℞ Pearls bruise them, and affuse thereon Juice of Citrons purified by digestion, so much as may over∣top them four Inches: digest till they are dissolved: then

add distilled May Dew, or Bawm water, and decant the Solution: add fresh Juice of Citrons depurated, digest, and add more distilled May Dew, or Bawm-water, and decant; this work repeat till the Pearl are nearly all dissolved, a few Feces only remaining; joyn the Solutions, and inspissate with a gentle fire, to dry∣ness.

§ 3. But Crollius seems most to approve of its Pre∣paration with Spirit of Vine∣gar, which Hartman assents to, as being a proper Men∣struum, and herein says he, (Crollius) is not besides the Mark; yet the use of other Juices for this purpose is not to be contemned.

§ 4. When the Evaporati∣on is made, in Salt of both Pearl and Coral, &c. the flegmy or watery parts only go forth, the Acids stay be∣hind, being joyned to the Particles of the Coral or Pearl, and so make a kind of Salt.

§ 5. This Salt, should it be put into a Retort and di∣stilled in Sand, would only yield a kind of styptick Li∣quor, without any conside∣rable Acidity, which plainly enough demonstrates, that the Acids are in a great mea∣sure destroyed, and come not forth of the Alcali with that Strength, Life, and Form or Figure, with which they went in.

§ 6. We will give you the Vertues of this Salt of Pearls from Crollius. It is (says he) a most noble Cordial, not much inferior to Aurum Po∣tabile, in Temperature and Operation; as in helping Contractures, Resolution of the Nerves, Convulsions, Phrensies: it keeps the Body sound; and if hurt restores it to its pristin state of Health, amends Womens Milk, and corrects and in∣creases the Seed of either Sex.

§ 7. It comforts the Brain, Memory and Heart; is a Prophylactick against the Vertigo and Apoplexy; dry∣ing up and consuming all the depraved Humors in the Bo∣dy from whence all kinds of Gout and Fevers are wont to proceed; it is good against a Consumption, and the wi∣thredness of Age, renewing, increasing and confirming the radical Humidity, by which it preserves from extream de∣bility in Age.

§ 8. It is admirable against the Stone, and preserves from the Gout, if daily taken for some time: it preserves from the Palsie, taken in Wine;

and is a Confortative in the Dropsie, Universals being premised: it alleviates the Venereal Evil; and is a sin∣gular Medicament against the Epilepsie, being taken Morn∣ing and Evening for six Weeks together.

§ 9. It strengthens the Child in the Womb; is good against Trembling and Pal∣pitation of the Heart, and Swoonings; being given in Cinnamon-water: it fortifies the Vital principal, and the Internal nature through the whole Body. Dose, à ʒss. ad ʒj. If it will do the half of all this, it is a wonderful Medicine.

§ 10. But Paracelsus attri∣butes great Vertues to the Salt of Pearl, and some other of its Preparations: and (says he) tho' the Process be simple yet believe my Experience, for Pearls have a wonderful Operation, not from Art but Nature: The Vertue lodged in the gross Substance, can∣not work but like a dead Body; but Resolution being made the Body is revived, and they become an excellent Cordial, resisting Poyson, Pu∣trefaction and the Pestilence, chear the Spirits and streng∣then the Balsam of Life, so that the greatest Agonies are removed thereby.