A compendious body of chymistry, which will serve as a guide and introduction both for understanding the authors which have treated of the theory of this science in general: and for making the way plain and easie to perform, according to art and method, all operations, which teach the practise of this art, upon animals, vegetables, and minerals, without losing any of the essential vertues contained in them. By N. le Fèbure apothecary in ordinary, and chymical distiller to the King of France, and at present to his Majesty of Great-Britain.

Of the Preparations made out of Vipers.

WE shall close this Chapter of the Chymical Preparations of Animals, by examining the several Remedies which Vipers do afford by the help of Chymistry: for this Reptile is endowed with a very subtile and efficacious Volatile Salt for the cure of several obstinate diseases. Galen doth make several relations of leprous bodies cured by the only drinking of Wine wherein Vi∣pers had been suffocated. Cardan doth also prove the same truth, in a consultation which he sent to John Archbishop of S. Andrews in Scotland containing this sense. I will declare you a very great se∣cret for the cure of consumptive bodies, leprous, and cor∣roded with Pox, &c. which fattens and restores them against all hope. Take a well chosen Viper, cut off the head and tayl, pull off the skin, throw away the entrails, and pre∣serve the Fat by it self: cut it in bits as you would do an Eel, and sod it in a sufficient quantity of Water, with Benjeethin and Salt, adding towards the end some few Parsley leafs: being well sodden, strain the Broth, and in that Broth boyl a Pullet, and give every morning to the Patient Bread that hath been dipt in that Broth, and let him eat the Pullet: Continue thus seven dayes to∣gether; but keep the Patient either in a Stove, or a very warm Room during the time, and anoint him with the Vipers fat all along the back-bone and other joynts of the body, as also the arteries of the feet, hands, and brest. This way are the Ulcers of the Lungs cured, for they are driven to the surface of the skin in the form of Pustula's and other eruptions. Quercetan doth also speak very advantagiously of Vipers in his Dogmatical Pharmacy. Several other Authors have followed these two: but we must ac∣knowledge here, that they have all stumbled against the same rock, holding the Viper to be venemous either wholly in it self, or at least in some parts.

But the Experiment related by Galen, must confound this opini∣on of the Ancient and Modern Authors, since that Viper was whole and alive, when suffocated in the Wine which did cure his Le∣prousy. The English Ladies herein shame the vulgar of Physiti∣ans themselves, making no scruple to drink of that Wine, where∣in

living and intire Vipers have been suffocated, to keep them∣selves in their plumpness. Sound disposition of Body, and quick∣ness of Spirits, hinder the injury of wrinckles, and preserve their flying beauty. But that which is yet more remarkable in this parti∣cular, is, that the Italian Curtesana's preseve themselves against the Venerian disease, and its sad accidents, taking every Spring and fall, Broths, made of Pullets, Vipers flesh, and China root. None amongst our Modern Physitians, but the famous Poterius, and the most learned and subtil Philosopher Van Helmont, have well explained wherein the poyson of Vipers doth consist; which is only placed in the sting of choler, which prints in the imagination of that Ani∣mal an envenomed Idea.

Fabritius Hildanus, and many other grave and renowned Au∣thors, do by their observations authorise the truth of the effects; but the two quoted only have taught us the true seat of poy∣son, which cannot be but in the Spirit of the Animals life; as the Italian Proverb hints very well; which faith, that Morta la Bestia, morto il veleno, since Man it self, Dogs, Horses, Wolfs, Cats, Pole-cats, &c. leave no venemous impression by their bitings, but when they are angered, and their Imagination poysoned with a desire of rage and vengeance.

And let this hint suffice by the by, to prove more and more, that all the Vertue of things is placed in the Spirits and Life, which are nothing else but a portion of the Universal Spirit, and corporified light. We come now to the Preparations made of Vi∣pers, and of their parts.