The London practice of physick, or, The whole practical part of Physick contained in the works of Dr. Willis faithfully made English, and printed together for the publick good.

Prescripts of Medicines that have a volatile Salt for their Basis.

TAke Salt of Amber, Pure Sal Nitre, of each two Drams: make a Powder, the Dose is from a Scruple to half a Dram, in a fit Vehicle.

Take Flowers of Sal Armoniack, Crystal Mineral, of each two Drams: Make a Powder, the Dose is from a Scruple to half a Dram, in a good spoonful of Radish water compound. Salt of Ʋrine may be given after the same manner.

Take Powder of Bees a Scruple, Lovage-seed a Scruple: Make a Powder, give it in a spoonful of distill'd water.

Take Spirit of Ʋrine, from a Scruple to half a Dram, Radish wa∣ter compound, from an Ounce to an Ounce and a half, Juniper water three Ounces, mingle them, make a draught. Spirit of Tartar may be given after the same manner in a double quantity.

Take Millepedes prepar'd two Drams, Flowers of Sal Armoniack half a Dram, Nutmegs powder'd half a Dram, Venice Turpentine what suffices: Make Pills, let four be taken twice a day.

Take Powder of Burdock-seeds two Drams, Wild Carrot-seed a Dram, Salt of Amber a Dram, Oyl of Nutmegs half a Scruple, Balsamum Ca∣pivii what suffices: Make a Mass, form it into little Pills; of which let four be taken in the Evening, and as many the next Morning.

Take Roots of Chervil, Stone Parsly, Fennel, Eringo, Cammock or Rest-harrow, of each an Ounce, Leaves of Saxifrage, Clivers or Goose∣grass, of each a handful, Seeds of Gromwel, Hartwort, of each half a handful, Juniper Berrys six Drams, boil all in four pounds of fountain water till half be consum'd; then add Rhenish Wine a pound, fine Honey two Ounces: Make an Apozem, the Dose is six Ounces twice a day.

Take fresh Millepedes two pounds, Leaves of Clivers, Chervil, Saxi∣frage and Golden Rod, of each two handfulls, Roots of Horse Radish six Ounces, Nutmegs an Ounce, Juniper Berrys, Wild Carrot-seeds, of each two Ounces; being slic'd and bruis'd, pour to them of White∣wine Posset-drink eight pounds, distil it in a common Still: Let the whole Liquor be mixt, the Dose is four Ounces twice or thrice a day.

Take fresh Millepedes wash'd, from forty to sixty, Nutmegs half a Scruple; being bruis'd together, put to them distill'd Water of Saxi∣frage three Ounces, wring it forth hard and drink it.

Take Leaves of Chervil, Macedonian Stone Parsly, of each three handfulls, being bruis'd together, pour to them of Whitewine a pound and a half, wring it forth hard and keep it in a Glass; the Dose is three Ounces twice a day.

Prepare a Tincture of Millepides, Bees, Grashoppers or of Cantharides dry'd with the Tincture of Salt of Tartar; give it from fifteen to twenty or thirty drops in a fit vehicle.

Nitre is a sort of Salt, but differing from any other Salt, or from the nature of Saline Particles, being neither Acid, fixt or volatile, but holds the mean state as it were betwixt those three. And in truth Nitre is the thing by which all Plants have their ve∣getation, all Animals live and breath, and every Sublunary Flame or Fire is kindled and maintained.

But as to our present purpose, it's well enough known that Sal Nitre cools the Blood, and powerfully provokes Urine, though it seems somewhat strange how this, which is of so fiery a nature should so quallify the Blood, and run it into Aquosities to move Urine.

I conceive that Nitre works those effects in a two-fold respect, to wit, as it is a Salt, ally'd both to a fixt Salt and a volatile, and as it carries a living Root of Fire in it. As to the first, we observe that Nitre (ev'n as fixt and volatile Salts) being put into Milk, hinders or takes away its coagulation; so likewise Blood whilst warm, being pour'd to this, is preserv'd from coagulation, and from being discolour'd no less than if put to those. Where∣fore since Particles of Nitre inwardly taken preserve the mixture of the Blood entire, or restore it, it follows that they prevent or take away the fusions or coagulations of the same, from which

heats, and a suppression of Urine, very often arise. So again, Nitre in regard it carries in it a living Root of Fire, when in∣wardly taken, cools the inflamed Blood, and moves Urine, be∣cause (according to what is hinted before) it adds a vigour to the flame of the Blood, which before was troubled and full of fumes, and so renders it more clear and pure, and consequently more mild; since therefore the Blood burning clearer by the ac∣cess of Nitre becomes of a more loose consistency, the serous Par∣ticles easily get clear of the more gross, and pass away in a more plentiful manner.