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.

Of Chalybeate Medicines.

SInce mention is here made of Chalybeate Medicines, it seems expedient to enquire into the various Preparations of them, and consequently into the divers sorts of Affects which they are wont to produce in the Body of Man, that hence it may appear by what means, and on what accounts, these or other Preparati∣ons of Iron mightily benefit some Hypochondriacal persons, and very much injure others.

Steel or Iron consists chiefly of Salt, Sulphur, and Earth; it has very little of Spirit and Water; and the Particles of the former Elements, especially the Sulphureous and Saline, in the mixt, combin'd together with the Earth, remain wholly fixt and without Action; but being loosed, and divided from each other, they have a very efficacious Energy.

The foresaid Particles are dissolv'd and set at Liberty for Acti∣on two ways, viz. either by Art, when Medicines are prepared, or by Nature, after they are inwardly taken. We shall consider both.

1. The Filing of Iron inwardly taken is dissolved by the Fer∣ment of the Stomach, as by an acid Menstruum; and upon the Iron's being dissolved within the Viscera of Concoction, the active Particles, both Sulphureous and Saline, plentifully display them∣selves, and mixing with the nutritive Juice, are carried into the Blood, and as they are of a differing virtue, often both of them, as it were by joint Forces, conspire for the good of the Diseased. The Sulphureous Corpuscles, passing into the Blood, furnish it with a new and more plentiful stock of Sulphur, so that its Mass, if it were before depauperated and effaete, ferments more sprightly within its Vessels, and being more kindled in the Heart, acquires a Heat more intense, and a deeper colour. Thus many troubled with a Leucophlegmatia, and the longing Disease, whose Coun∣tenance is pale, and whose Blood is cold and watery, after the use of Steel soon become of a more florid Aspect, the Blood being given a more intense Tincture and Heat. Again, upon the Filing of Iron being dissolved in the Stomach, the Saline Particles also are displayed, and often produce good effects, both in the solid parts and the Humours; for being of a vitriolick and stiptick nature, they astringe and corroborate the over Lax and weaken'd Fibres of the Viscera, and so restore their broken Tone: More∣over they stop the Impetus of the Blood, repress its over boiling

and rising to a Froth, and keep it in an even Circulation. And again, (which is their greatest Virtue) they straiten and close the over lax, open, and gaping Mouths of the Arteries so that neither the Serum nor bloody Latex may distil forth, or break off the thread of Circulation; Wherefore in Dropsies and Haemorrhagies Remedies endued with the Saline Particles of Iron are of nota∣ble use and efficacy; for many Diseases proceed from this Cause, That the little Mouths of the Arteries being too open, and the Interstices of the Vessels being become too lax, the Serum or bloody Latex breaks forth; which kind of Affects are oftentimes cured by the Vitriolick Particles of Steel, they constringing and corroborating the Blood-Vessels and the Nervous Fibres.

After this manner the Filing of Steel inwardly taken seems at the same time to put Spurs to, and check the Blood; but in regard that this Medicine is much more powerful in instigating than restraining, therefore it ought to be given only to those whose Blood is very thick and cold, as to Rusticks and very Ro∣bust persons: It is not proper in a very hot and spirituous Blood, and in hot Bowels. Moreover in persons of a delicate and tender Constitution there is danger lest small Portions of Steel, when they are not able to be dissolved, are thrown on the Membranes of the Viscera, and sticking pertinaciously to them, cause Ulcers and mortal Gripes, which I have really known to have some∣times happen'd.

2. After the Filing of Iron, the next way of preparing it is by Calcining it with Sulphur, and reducing it to a Powder; in which Preparation of it, some of the Sulphureous Particles exhale: In the mean time the Saline Particles seem to be encreased, new ones accruing to them from the burning Sulphur, so that the active Particles of both kinds, viz. the Sulphureous and Saline, come near to an Aequilibrium; and since by this means this Medi∣cine, the Texture of the Metal being loosened, may be brought to a very fine Powder, it becomes of a much more excellent use than the Filing of Iron. In many cases, where Steel ought not to be given in substance, as in a Cachexia, the longing Disease, and the like, it is proper to use this Medicine.

3. In the third place follows the Preparation of Steel with Vinegar, sprinkling the Filings of Steel with Vinegar, and drying it till it may be reduced into an impalpable Powder. In this Preparation the greatest part of the Sulphureous Particles eva∣porate, and the Saline are much encreased by reason of others accruing to them from the Vinegar. This Powder does little in opening the Obstructions of the Viscera, or in restoring the Fer∣ment

of the Blood; nevertheless in a hot Constitution, in Hae∣morrhagies, and in the Hypochondriacal affect it is wont to be given with greater success, than the foregoing Pre∣parations.

4. The rust of Iron follows, in which there being but few Sulphury Particles, it does not so powerfully Ferment the Blood, or open the obstructions of the Viscera, as Steel prepar'd with Sulphur, nevertheless in Hot dyscrasies of the parts or humours, it Egregiously performs the Intents required from a Chaly∣beate Medicine.

In this Classis our preparation of Steel is justly plac't, in which all the Particles of the Metal being freed from the Bond of Mix∣ture, are contained together: Which also (the Concrete being first reduc't to a Powder) are immediatly dissolv'd in any Latex, or Menstruum. This Powder inwardly taken excels in the same ver∣tue, as Steel Calcin'd with Sulphur; But to the Menstruum or Liquor in which it is dissolv'd, it Communicates chiefly and in a manner only the Saline or Vitriolick Particles, the Sulphure∣ous flying away, and the Earthly Particles subsiding in the bot∣tom: I use to give common Water impregnated with this disso∣lution instead of Natural Spaw Waters, in a great quantity; And often with excellent Success: Moreover I make Medicinal Wine, Beer, Cider, Whey, and other Liquours by dissolving this Powder in them, and order them to be taken for various Physical intents. So far of preparations of Iron in which the Elementary Particles of each kind, though in a various proportion are comprehended: There remain others in which the Particles in a manner only of one kind, viz. the Saline or Earthy are left, the rest for the greatest part being driven away, of which kind chiefly are Vi∣triol of Mars, Salt of Steel, and Crocus Martis.

5. Salt of Steel prepar'd as you may find here in Dr. Willis, has a Sweetish Tast with somewhat of a Rough Stiptickness, and so much partakes of a Vitriolick nature, that it seems not much to differ from Green Copperas: Taken inwardly as a Medicine it somewhat ferments the Humours, and powerfully constringes the Nervous Fibres: In Cold and Phlegmatick Cachexia's, be∣cause no Particles of Sulphur are exerted, this Medicine is not proper. It is often given with success either by it self, or mixt with other Medicines as a Spur, in Hot Dyscrasies of the Viscera, with a predominancy of adust Sulphur, also in Flitting, Scorbutical, and Irregular Boylings of the Blood, and Nervous Juice. Not∣withstanding in tender Constitutions there is danger lest through

its acrimony, and too great constriction, the Tone of the Sto∣mach, and the Fibres be injur'd.

6. In the last place comes the astringent Crocus Martis, pre∣par'd by long Calcination in the Fire: This Medicine is of egregious use in some cases, and yields to none of the Chalybeats. viz. in every Extravasating, and too great Eruption of the Blood and Serum, as in inward, and out∣ward Haemorrhagies, in a Diarrhaea, a Diabetes, in a Vehement Catarrh, also in an Ascites or a beginning Dropsie I have known nothing more excellent than this Medicine, & I have heard it late∣ly mightily commended by a Famous and Expert Physician of our Country, of which Medicine nevertheless in regard it is wholly destitute both of Saline and Sulphureous Particles, and in a manner only consists of such as are Earthy and Fiery, it is much in dispute with what Faculty it operates and produces so lauda∣ble an effect in humane body. For it might seem that nothing should remain in this more than the Caput Mortuum, or Terra Damnata of Vitriol, and of other Minerals distill'd by a most in∣tense Fire. To give my opinion concerning these things, it seems in the first place, that a certain activity whereby it exerts it self and displays its virtues, either by opening obstructions, or by Astringing the Vessels and Nervous Fibres of the Viscera, ac∣crues to this preparation from the Fiery Particles being included in the most fixt Earth, and from their breaking forth within the Body. But the chief way of giving help consists in this, that the Earthy Particles being wholly depriv'd of the Saline, (to which they were most closely bound) most earnestly seek to be reunited to the same, or the like: Wherefore that Crocus Martis being Immerg'd in our Bodies, suddenly catches to it self any sorts of Salts that come in its way, and closely binds them to it, and so whilst it drinks up like a Sponge a great ma∣ny Saline Particles, it takes away many Enormities chiefly a∣rising from the Flowings of the Salts. This way it is that Harts∣horn burnt, Spodium, and Diaphoretick Antimony exert their vertues, if at any time they give help.