The method of chemical philosophie and physick. Being a brief introduction to the one, and a true discovery of the other. namely, of diseases, their qualities, causes, symptoms, and certain cures. The like never before extant in English.

CHAP. V. Of Melancholy. It is a Sowerness.

THe other kind of Sottishness without a Fever is me∣lancholy,* 1.1 which is caused (according to the Gale∣nists) of black and putrified humours and vapours, oc∣cupying the seat of the mind. That humor is generated when yellow choler or choler degenerates into black choler. Sometime the humour consists in the milt, some∣time in the nigh parts, sometime in the head alone, sometime it is esfused into the veins and the whole body. Hereupon melancholy is threesold; that which is of the fore-••art of the belly, the primary, and that which is caused by the hurt of the whole body.

The Hypocondriack melancholy is called also the sl••tulent melancholy, and it is caused when black choler cometh unto the seventh Traverse or Diaphrag∣ma, from which a black and obscure vapour is convey∣ed into the seat of the mind. The primary melancho∣ly is, when the Brain is prima••ily affected either with a peculiar hurt, or by the hurt of the whole body; from hence we may understand that melancholy wearies without affecting the Heart-roots; which is caused by the hurt of the whole body. They call this Melan∣choly, Solitary, Out-raging madness, but yet falsly; for melancholy is not the cause of Out-raging mad∣ness, but the spirit of life infected with the poison of Mercury, of which Paracelsus writes cap. 4 de morb. Amentium tractat. 1. & cap. 5. that there are four kinds of melancholy men, according unto the four complexions as they call them. If these complexions beget Sottishness, the cause is, because they expell and drive away their spirit for their too much abundance. But what are the spirits of the humours or complexions? a snarp, bitter, or sowr, or sweet taste. But what is the taste? that which hath a great power, as Hippocrates* 1.2 s••eaks. What is that that hath the great power? Salt, Sulphur, and Mercury; for in them all the powers as well of Health as Diseases are contained; so the spirit or taste of every humour containing in it the three first powers as well of sanity as of diseases may produce me∣lancholy, in as much as such poison commixt with the spirit of life is more languid and faint. In this disease the spirit of Salt predominates, for it is a Chronical and fixt disease. In the cited Chap. Paracelsus saith that melancholy and madness are oftentimes caused by Meat and Drink, Cups hurt Men and also Women. Melan∣cholick men are oftentimes sorrowful and sad, and fly the company and sight of men. Others suppose that

they must not be spoke unto, but that they must live all their dayes in quietness and taciturnity. The cure of melancholy; the Galenists (which say that melancholy is the cause of the disease of sadness, when as it is only the name of a disease) they endeavour to cure this disease by contraries. Melancholy is (say they) cold and dry, therefore it is to be removed with hot and moist things; wherefore in that they endeavour to cure it they admi∣nister these hot medicines, Diambra, Mithridates, Dia∣margarita, the hot elect. Plorisanoticon, so also the con∣serve of Borage, of Buglosse, and of Sorrel; so also Dia∣boriginatum, Diabuglossatum, and the confection and compounding of dulcis diamascus; though these are not to be contemned, for in some sort they refresh the vital spirits, but yet they do not remove the disease, but as much as in them lies, and as far as they can exercise their vertues not yet reduced unto perfection, they strengthen Nature. The decree and opinion of Para∣celsus will ever be firm and constant, that melancholy or heaviness cannot be removed by the decoctions of Apo∣thecaries.

In the curing of melancholy the specifical vertues of the secrets are to be considered. The specifical vertue which expels melancholy is in the flowrs of Antimony, for by the flowrs of Antimony those are freed wich have been bound in chains for some moneths. The flowrs of Antimony are administred in a little quantity of The∣riaca in the morning twice, or thrice, or four times, by reason of the contumacy of the disease. In the fifth Chapter of Paracelsus de morbis amentium. The quin∣tessence of Antimony is a perfect cure of madness, so in the sixth Chapter, The oil of Antimony preserves from all the kinds of madness. The tincture or magistery of Saffron expels sadness, desperation, and melancholy, for Saffron is the chief medicine for melancholy, for

when as any begins to despair it doth wonderfully re∣fresh the prostrated spirits. It is a general deoppilative▪ or unobstruct of the vital spirit, and it is the chief joy of the heart. The Armenial stone, and also the Jazal stone be∣ing prepared are more commodiously administred by much. The Confection of Alchermes which is commend∣ed of all Physicians removes Madness and Melancholick Affections, for it strengthneth the spirits and expels all poison. The essence of Silver cures all melancholy af∣fections. The essence of Ellebor administred, It is very expedient against all the affects of melancholy. The Smaragdus not only drunk, but if hanged about the neck it removes all melancholy affects. The essence of Thime, Epithime, and Origanum take away melancholy. Paracelsus tract 3. de generatione hominis Chap. 5. as∣cribes hereditary foolishness and madness to the unpro∣portionable form of the Brain and bad con∣formation* 1.3 thereof. Foolishness and Mad∣ness do not rise from the seeds, but in as much as some hurts are left from Generati∣on from which many diseases of the figures and cavities descend. He that would know more kinds of madness let him read Pa∣racelsus de morbis acutis amentium, these kinds which we have explained are more common, but the other are more rare.

Confection of Alchermes (much better than the ordinary one) make thus.

℞ white Sugar Candid ℥6, spirit of Salt well recti∣fied half an ounce, and as much pure water as will make the Sugar like thick a syrup; then add to those half an ounce of purple Calx of Gold (which hath been first sol∣ved in Aqua fortis, then precipated with Tin or Spilter

and well edulcorated and dryed) lastly to all the former ingredients, add also one ounce of pure Pearl in subtil powder, and one dram of good Ambergreece; so have you a far more excellent Confection than the common one wherein the Gold is used in its metalline form, and so hath no effect in the medicine; but here by reason of it subtil preparation it rendreth the medicine aboundantly more cordial, more effectual.

Notes

• * 1.1

  He is me∣lancholick in whom sowrness excels. Melancholy is a great Sottishness accompa∣nyed with Fear and Sorrow.
• * 1.2

  Of the con∣tracted Members▪ Tract. 1. c. 4. Melanchol•• hath his seat in the whole body.
• * 1.3

  He setteth down the cause of it, viz. The im∣mature seed of undigested liquor of life: for he which hath a vicious liquor can∣not profuse good seed, for the body of the seed is pu∣••rid and such like are ge∣nerated thereof.