Ars chirurgica a compendium of the theory and practice of chirurgery in seven books ... shewing the names, causes, signs, differences, prognosticks, and various intentions of curing all kinds of chirurgick diseases ... : to which is added Pharmacopoeia chirurgica, or, The medical store, Latin and English ... / by William Salmon ...

8. Salt of Mars, or Iron.

℞ Filings of Iron ℥ j. Oil of Vitriol ℥ j ss. Rain-water warmed ℥ iij, or iv, to viij. put them into a glass Cucurbit placed in a Sand-heat, till the Filings are throughly dissolved viz. for about twelve hours; the Solution being warm, filter, and evaporate, till a skin comes on the top; then put it into a Cel∣lar for twenty-four hours, that it may shoot into green Crystals, which take out of the liquor, and dry them upon Paper with∣out Fire: the remaining Liquor evaporate to one half, and put it again into a Cellar to crystal∣lize, as before; which dry, and keep for use. If you have wrought well, you will have from ℥ j. of Filings, ℥ ij. of Vitriol. Salt of Iron, which is called The Soul of the Liver. ℞ Oil of Vitriol lbss. S.V. rectified lbj. mix them in a Frying∣pan or iron Kettle, and digest to driness: so have you the white

Salt of Mars, which gather, and dry in a Sand-heat, and keep it for use.

It is admirably good against the Scurvy and Hpochondriack Melancholy, Obstruction of the Terms, Green-sickness, and evil habit of Body in Virgins, the yellow Jaundies, Dropsy, Dis∣eases of the Spleen, and Worms in Children, for which it is a specifick; as also in all Obstru∣ctions of the Liver, Spleen, Stomach, Womb, and Mesen∣tery, and other Distempers thence arising. Dose, à gr. x, ad ℈j. of the former; and, à gr. iij, ad vj, vel viij. of the latter.