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Reader,
I Desire thee to take notice that this Piece at the first was intended only as a Digression in another Dis∣course, viz. in a System and body of Physicke, which for my own recreati∣on and pleasure, I have, at spare times, Compiled. And being more then ordinary provoked by divers of my Acquaintance and Familiars to publish it as well for the benefit of others, as my self. I have, for severall years, notwithstanding, re∣sisted
their Importunities, being Conscious to my self, it is not hand∣led, neither can be, by me, fitting the worthinesse of the Subject, or to be exposed to publick view. But, at length I have adventured, being prevailed with by them, especially by my most Constant, Faithfull, An∣tient, and Beloved Friend FERDI∣NANDO GORGESEsq whom I am willing to pleasure in an higher Nature, then my Tongue, Labours, or Pen are able to expresse: As well for his manifold Virtues, wherein as a Starr of the first magnitude, he farr outshines infinite multitudes in his Spheare; As, for that Ancient Aquaintance and Friendship which hath reciprocally passed between us for above these Twenty years, even ever since we were Youths together at Schoole; But especially, for that his affections and love to all manner of Learning is unparallel, which will
not only be his fame here, but eter∣nall* 1.1 Glory hereafter. If it be not so full and satisfactory, as might be, per∣haps, expected; Know, that it was written in the year 1656. in the Na∣ture of a Digression, with not the least alteration, save only I added the first part of Poysons in General, and divided the whole into Parts, Divisions, and Sections. It was, ex∣torted, as it were, out of my Hands. And therefore when it comes into thine, have the more favourable con∣struction of it; And if it be imperfect, let it be hid by thy perfections. And let thy Ingenuity pitty it that it came out before it's time, like Phares having given Zarah the slip, And so, I fear, many faults are therein, like∣wise, overslipt, which, I doubt not, but the Judicious will over see; And impute rather to those hasty Mid∣wifes, my friends, then to me. In the next, Il'e promise thee amends.
The Subject on which it discour∣ses is Of Poysons, a Doubtful & a Dang∣erous Subject. Dangerous, as the very word imports. Doubtful, so that few Authours have Defined or Ex∣plained sufficiently what Poyson is. Cardan, with others sayes, that is Poy∣son which hath an Aptness to do us much mischief by an occult quality; Lib. 1. De Venenis, Cap. 1. & Cap. 4. And Avicen∣na 2. Prim. Doct. 2. Cap. 15. Sayes it is that which corrupts Mans Complexion, not only by quality, but propriety. Others think, that only to be Poyson, that immediately destroyed, and kills. But, such are in an errour so to ima∣gine; for there are some Poysons, that only extreamly hurt, but kill not; As Pruna Insania, and such like, which you wil meet with, that makes Men mad, mopish, & foolish for a time; As also such as cause Epilepsies, Con∣vulsions, &c. others, again, will admit of hardly any thing, to be nomina∣ted
Poyson, because many things that are so esteemed may be eaten, in a small quantity, without any hurt, As Nux Vomica, which as Taber∣naemontanus observes, Lib. 3. Cap. 14. That a Drachm will only intoxicate the brain, but two ounces immedi∣ately kills. And the seeds of Palma Christi of America kills, as Costaeus notes in Comment. Mesu, if three be but taken, but less he thinks may be eaten without any great damage. Many such like Poysons you will meet with in the Discourse it self; Wherefore, some Conclude them, I say, not to be Poysons; or, if so, that all other things, as meat, and drink, which hurt, being taken in excesse are likewise as bad Poysons. Gaben also, Promiscuously using the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in many places of his works, hath occasioned some to ranck Purging Medicines among Poysons; in regard they kill as well
as others, if they be taken in excess; as also divers other Medicines, nay and Cordialls, if not rightly and du∣ly administred, as Bezoar, Safron, and the like. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, are such as although they sometimes kill; yet they are at other times, when rightly used, helpfull to the Body. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, on the other side are Deadly Poyson, and such as never help, but ever kill and prove destructive. The former hurts only accidentally, as it is errone∣ously administred, &c. But the latter offends in the whole kind, and is to be accompted Poyson. For that, and that only is to be indeed so esteem∣ed (as may be collected from Cardan and Avicenna before quoted) that hath an occult, malignant, and ve∣nemous quality, peculiarly offend∣ing Mans Body, whether it may be used in Physick sometimes (as Opium Mandrake, Henbane, which have, to∣gether with their narcotick quality,
a peculiar venemous property also, as will be shewed beneath) or no. But Purges; Bezoar, Safron, and o∣ther Cordialls, do not thus offend in the whole kind; but by accident taken in excesse; And therefore, falsely reckoned among Poysons. Again, the Idiosynerasis, and custom of some Men, may make Poyson to be food, and hinder the operation thereof. How could it be possible, else, for those recorded by Agricola, and Sanbarolitanus, to drink whole pounds of Argent Vive without any hurt? or those people in Thrace to eat whole handfulls of White Hele∣bor, as Theophrastus notes? Or him in Mercurialis, that could eat thirty drachms of Hemlock at a time with∣out any damage, & yet all Authours conclude it a dangerous Poyson? or the Turks, who, ••s Georgius melichi∣nus observes, familiarly eat of Nux
Vomica without the least prejudice, of which, as was said, according to Tabernaemontanus, two ounces is rank Poyson, &c. But such like passages as these, are 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••ue••tly Cited in our subsequent dis••ou••se, too tedious here to recite. Whence, it is appa∣rent, that, whatsoever Averroes Lib. De Theriaca, Cap. 2. Jacobus Grevinus, Lib. 1. De Venenis, Cap. 1. And others endeavour to maintain to the con∣trary, Poyson may become food; and Men may, by little and little ac∣customing themselves to the eating of it, become, as Mithredates, Poyson-proof. And I my self knew a Gentle∣man about the late Kings Court who would familiarly eat Toades, raw as he found them, without the least Inconveniency, to himself, be∣ing rather nutriment unto him admitting of perfect Concocti∣on, as appeared by the death
of such Women whom he knew. And Cardan Confidently averrs, he knew one that did usually feed upon Spiders. So we find Fal∣lopius, De Simpl. ••••ur••g. Cap. 48. Men∣tioning a fellow whom he sayes he saw eat on ounce of Scamony at once without having so much as a stool after it. But Auhours are ••ull of such like relations not to be derid∣ed, unlesse we resolve to render our selves ridiculous. So that then, we see, by what hath been said, that Poysons are of different Natures. Some, if eaten, by degrees, will be∣come nutritive. Some, retaining both a Poysonous, and medecinall faculty; As those which may be taken in a small quantity, without prejudice. And some absolutely venemous, ever prejudiciall and mortall, & tota ipsorum substantia aliena est à natura nostra; never
being capable of nourishing, or helping us: As you will find in this Treatise. Of all which, we are, especially to beware: since, many times, people, unawares, have been, thereby, not only injured, but absolutely destroyed. For the prevention of which, I thought it necessary to give a short de∣scription of their severall kinds of Poysons, their Nature, Signes, Diagnosticks, Prognosticks and An∣tidotes. And for the better a∣voiding those Horrid Mischiefs which I have known occasioned by the unadvised, and ignorant rash actions of Empericks, and In∣truding Practitioners in the Art of Physick. Which, we hope, the Judicious and Ingenious, are so sensible of; As that they will make it their endeavour in their several places, to rectifie and a∣mend,
by discountenancing and suppressing of them; And that I shall not need to add any more, but that I am and shall be, so long,
Thy Servant W. R.
For what ever our Virtues & Know∣ledges are here they will be perfected hereafter, and that according to the measure we now enjoy.