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 ...

LXXVII. † Tinctura Exo∣nerans, i. Scammonii; The Purging Tincture, or Tin∣cture of Scammony.

Salmon.] § 1. ℞ Resi∣nous Scammony as much as you please; bruise it into a Pou∣der, and affuse thereon common Spirit of Wine, so much as may overtop it four inches; digest 3 or 4 days in a gentle heat, and then decant the clear Tin∣cture. To the Feces put more Spirit, and extract till they will yield no more Tincture. These latter Tinctures, if they be not strong enough, are to be put upon fresh Scammony.

§ 2. Here note, that if you please you may make the Tincture with Aqua Vitae or Aniseed-water, whereby it will in some measure be cor∣rected, and besides, it will be pleasanter to the Patient.

§ 3. Tentzelius's purging Spirit. ℞ Scammony 4 parts, Juice of Quinces 2 parts; set them in a gentle heat, and stir them daily till they are hard, then beat the Scammony to pouder, and with Spirit of Wine extract a Tincture as aforesaid. It purges without any molestation or trouble.

§ 4. The Dose must be according to the quantity of Scammony; for example

sake, an ounce of Scammo∣ny will make about 32 pur∣ging Doses; and therefore if you have the compleat Tin∣cture of ℥i. of Scammony in a quart or ℥xxxij. of Aqua Vitae, Aniseed-water, or S. V. you may give ℥i. of that Tin∣cture for a Dose, and so pro∣portion it ab ℥ss ad ʒx. accor∣ding to Age and Strength.

§ 5. But Experience, which is the chief Mistriss of Arts, tells us, that this Tin∣cture will purge nothing near so well as the Scammo∣ny it self; and I have many times given an ounce, yea, two ounces and more at a time, without any effect at all; and in many Patients the Body has rather been bound than purged, which I conceived came from the Spirit, overcoming the Ca∣thartick Property of the Scam∣mony (all sulphurous Spirits being of a binding quality.)

§ 6. For this Cause sake I bethought my self of an Expedient to promote the purging faculty of the Scam∣mony, and overcome the binding (I had almost said styptick) Property of the Spi∣rit of Wine, and that was by the addition of Sena, which the Spirit cannot mas••••••; and it is thus: ℞ Spirit of Wine, or Aqua Vitae, or Aniseed-water ℥xxxij. Scammony in pouder Alexandrian Sena A. ℥ij. mix, digest 2 or 3 days in a gentle heat, then strain forth the Tincture by pressing, which be∣ing fine, decant the clear, and keep it for use.

§ 7. It is an excellent Purge, and carries off all Humors in the Body, whe∣ther Flegm, Choler, Melan∣choly or Watery Humors, is good against the Dropsy, Scurvy and Gout, Rheuma∣tisms, King's-Evil, and other stubborn Diseases, not easie to be overcome. Dose ab ʒss. ad ʒj. or ʒx. according to the strength of the Disease, and Patient's Condition and Ha∣bit of Body.