Spadacrene Anglica, the English spaw, or, The glory of Knaresborough: springing from several famous fountains there adjacent, called the vitrioll, sulphurous and dropping wels; and also other minerall waters. Their nature, physical use, situation, and many admirable cures being exactly exprest in the subsequent treatise of the learned Dr. Dean, and the sedulous observations of the ingenious Michael Stanhope Esquire. Wherein it is proved by reason and experience, that the vitrioline fountain is equall (and not inferiour) to the Germain spaw.

CHAP. IX. Of the properties and effects of Vitrioll, according to the ancient and modern Writers.

THE qualities of Vitrioll, according to Dioscorides, Galen, Aetius, Paulus Aegineta, and Oribasius; are to heat and dry, to bind, to resist putrefaction, to give strength and vigour to the interiour parts, to kill the flat worms of the belly, to remedy venemous mushroms, to preserve flesh over moist from corruption, consum∣ing the moisture thereof by its heat, and constipating by his astriction the substance of it, and pressing forth the serous humidity.

And according to Matthiolus in his Commentaries upon Discorides, it is very profitable against the plague and pestilence, and the chymicall oyle thereof is very available (as himself affirmeth to have sufficiently proved) against the stone and stopping of Urine, and many other outward maladies and diseases, (Ander∣nacus and Gesner adde to these the Apoplexy) all which, for avoiding of prolixity, I do here purposely omit.

Neither will I further trouble the Reader with the

recitall of divers and sundry excellent remedies, and medicines, found out and made of it in these latter times, by the Spagyrick Physitians, and others: Inso∣much that Joseph Quercetanus, one of those, is verily of opinion, that out of this individual mineral, well and exquisitly prepared, there might be made all man∣ner of remedies and medicines sufficient for the storing and furnishing of a whole Apothecaries shop.

But it will (perhaps) be objected by some one or o∣ther in this manner: If vitrioll, which as most do hold, is hot and dry in the third degree, or beginning of the fourth, nay, of a caustick quality and nature (as Dios∣corides is of opinion) should here be predominant; then the water of this Fountain must needs be of great heat and acrimony; and so become not onely unprofitable, but also very hurtfull for mans use to be drunk, or in∣wardly taken.

To which objection (not to take any advantage of the answer, which many learned Physitians do give, viz. that vitriol is not hot, but cold) I say: First, that although all medicinall waters doe participate of those minerals, by which they do passe, yet they have them but weakly viribus refractis (especially when in their passages they touch, and meet with divers other mine∣rals of opposite tempers and natures.

Secondly, I Answer, that in all such medicinall Fountains as this, simple water doth far surpasse and exceed in quantity, whatsoever is therewith intermixed, by whose coldnesse it commeth to passe, that the con∣trary is scarce, or hardly perceived. For example, take one proportion of any boyling liquor to 100. or more, of the same cold, and you will hardly find in it any heat it all. Suppose then vitrioll be hot in the third degree, it doth not therefore follow, that the water which hath his vertue chiefly from it, should heat in the same de∣gree. This is plainly manifest not onely in this foun∣tain, but also in all others, which have an acide taste,

being indeed rather cold then hot, for the reasons a∣bove mentioned.