Doron medicum, or, A supplement to the new London dispensatory in III books : containing a supplement I. to the materia medica, II. to the internal compound medicaments, III. to the external compound medicaments : compleated with the art of compounding medicines ... / by William Salmon ...

APPENDIX. I. Concerning the Preparing of Artificial Tunbridge and Epsome Waters.

37. To make or prepare Tunbridge Water Artificial.

℞ of the Mine or Our of Iron, q. s. beat it very small; put this into a little Furnace made with a Grate, above which a strong Crucible must be fastned resting on two Iron Bars; let it be so ordered, That the Smoak be conveyed not above by the Crucible, but through a Pipe or passage at the side of the Furnace: this Crucible fill with the said Iron Oar in Pouder: and by a Coal fire without flame cause Ignition, and so keep it, having before hand fitted proper subliming Vessels: so will there come forth an acid Spirit and Flowers: mix them together till the acid Spirits extracts a Salt out of the Flowers; then decant off the clear Liquor, which will have a strong tast and smell of Iron. A few drops of this Liquor, put into a Glass full of Fountain Water, will give it the odour and tast of Tunbridge Water, and Communicate the same Ope∣rations to it. Or thus. Take fair Spring Water lbiv: Salt, Crystals or Vitriol of Mars ℈j: mix, dissolve, and filter through Brown Paper, so have you a Water in Vir∣tues and effects like to that of Tunbridge.

It is certain that Tunbridg Water proceeds from an Iron Mine, whence it contracts that Ironish, acid and vitrio∣lick tast and odour, though upon Evaporation, there re∣mains little or no Salt or Vi∣triol of Iron at bottom. But it contracts this Tast and O∣dour, either, 1. From wash∣ing away some of the Disso∣luble parts of the Mine. 2. Or by impregnating it self with the Volatile parts of the said Mine raised in a Fer∣mentation of the said Mine∣ral, by mixion with the Wa∣ter. 3. Or by mixion of the

Vapours (condensed into an acid Liquor by the cold∣ness of the Earth) arising from the aforesaid ferment∣ed Particles of the Mine. 4. Or lastly, From a partici∣pation of all the aforesaid three. From whence it comes to pass (the Particles of the Mine which the Water is im∣pregnated withal being most∣ly Volatile) that upon eva∣poration, little or nothing of Salt or Vitriol is found remaining. This Artificial Liquor made the first way, (and made moderately acid) may be taken from a pint to fix pints, but by degrees, and also a little warm, or made into Posset, using moderate Exercise after taking of it, and fasting till all the Water is gone out of the Body, which will be in about five or six hours. This Artificial Li∣quor made the second way may be taken from one pint to two or three at most, with Observations, as aforesaid. These Waters open all Ob∣structions, purge by Urine, cleanse the Kidney and Blad∣der, help the pissing of Blood, stoppage of Urine, and diffi∣culty of making Water: They allay all sharpnesses of Hu∣mors, cure inward Ulcers and Aposthumes, cleanse and strengthen the Stomach, Liver, Spleen, and Mesentery, and are prevalent against the Cachexia, Dropsy, Jaundice, Green-sickness and Scurvy.

38. To make an Artificial Epsome-Water.

℞ of the Mine of Alum, or Alum Stones, pouder very small, and distil therefrom a certain acid aluminish Wa∣ter, which must be mixed with a double quantity of Niter-Water, or Water of the Ar∣tificial Bath, made as we shall teach in lib. 3. cap. 1. sect. 15. of this Work. With this mix∣ture you shall make Fountain Water a little acid; that it may resemble Epsome Water, which has an acid tast, partly Aluminous, partly Nitrous, proceeding from a Nitrous Air, and Vapours arising from the sermentation of the Aluminous Mine, mixed to∣gether, for that Epsom Wa∣ter (as is supposed) passes through an Alum Mine. A few drops of this mixture, put into a glass of Fountain or

Spring Water, will give it the odour and tast of spring-wa∣ter, so that you shall scarcely discern them asunder, either by tast, smell or Operation.

This Water is Purgative, and especially purgeth out all sharp Burning Humors; cools an Inflamed, and opens an Obstructed Body; cleanses the Kidneys and Bladder, cures inward Ulcers and Apo∣stemes, prevails against a Cachexia, or evil Habit and Disposition of the Body, and is good against a Consump∣tion. Fountain Water made acid with this Liquor, may be taken from one pint to six, but by degrees, and a little warm, or the cold taken off; or, which is best of all, in Pos∣set Drink, using moderate Exercise after, and not eat∣ing till the Water is out of the Body, except some warm Broth, or Mace-Ale, to help the working thereof.