Tractatus de simplicium medicamentorum facultatibus. = A treatise of the nature and qualities of such simples as are most frequently used in medicines,: both purging, and others. Methodically handled, for the benefit of those that understand not the Latine tongue. To which is added: many compound medicines for most diseases incident to mankinde: as also two alphabeticall tables, very necessary for the reader. Together with, the explanation of all hard words or termes of art, whereby the vulgar may the better understand it. / By Robert Pemel, practitioner in physick, at Cranebrooke in Kent. Licensed and enterd according to order.

CHAP. 81. De lapide Bezaar, of the Bezar Stone.

The Names and Kindes.

BEzar-stone is taken out of a Beast like a Hart or Goate. It is called Bezar. from Paser, which signifieth a Goat. Or it is called Belzaar, from B••l, dominus, a Lord, and zaar, venenum, Poyson, the Lord of poyson, as being good against venome and poyson. There are two sortes, the E••st and th•• West, the East is called Bezoar orientalis, and the West Bezar occidentalis: the East is most in use.

The best kinde.

There is much written by Authors concerning the best choyce of these stones, bu•• I shall onely say thus much, that the best is that which you fi••de, by experience, to be most eff ctuall, for I dare say there is scarce one good stone among forty to be found.

The temperament.

They are hot in the first or second degree, some say temperat, others cold.

The duration.

These stones will keep many years.

The inward use.

It is usefull in the swimming of the Head, Falling sicknesse, Jaundes, Collick, Dis••ntery or Flux of the Belly; also against Wormes, the Stone, the Courses stopt, and hard labours of Women; but especially it is used against poyson and venome, the P stilence and P stilentiall Feavers, in the small Pox and M••asells, and in many other Diseases, to provoke Sweate, and thereby to expell ill vapours from the Heart and vitall spirits, and for Swou••ings, and against Melancholly also, and the Diseases that arise from thence, and to preserve strength and youth. Monardus doth commend it in the Pleurisy, and saith it doth much profit such as have taken Arsenick▪ or such like corrasives. Thonerus in lib. 3. obscurat. 5. f. 186. 187. he cured a Maide forty years old, of the Mother fits, by giving her six graines of Bezar in Balme-water. It doth not alwayes provoke Sweat.

The manner of Administring it.

It is chiefly given in powder.

The outward Ʋse.

The powder put on the place that is bitten by any venemous Crea∣ture doth free them from danger of death, and likewise put into a Plague-sore that is opened it doth the like.

The Dose.

I conceive there are two chiefe causes, why Bezar-stone doth not worke and eff••ct, according to expectation; the one is because wee seldome get the right B zar; the other is, because people take too small a Dose thereof, for the ordinary Dose of the E••st B zar is not above five or six Graines at the most, nay the vulgar rare y give above two or three G••aines thereof. Whereas wee may safely give of it from three graines to ten or twelve, yea to twenty. Zacutus Lucitanus de pr. med ad mir lib. 3. obs. 86. relates of a Woman that fell into a malignant F••ver with dangerous symptomes, who in three dayes brought upwards three score and two Wormes, having B••zar given her in a small quantity; but after the taking of a dram of B••zar at once shee soone recovered, although before sh••e was very dan∣gerous. If any desire to reade more of the B••zar-stone, let them read Monardus in English of the Bezar-stone, and the Hearbe Es∣cuerconera, printed, 1580. Also Doctor Primrose of errors, tra slated by D ctor Witty into Engl••sh lately. And Paeraeus in English, booke 21. Chapter 38.

Of such Medicines as are made thereof.

Pulvis Beroardicus. Pulvis è ch lis cancrorum compositus, or Gascons powder. Pulvis cardiacus magistralis.