The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

HISTORY OF LIFE AND DEATH. 491
13. Whatsoever putteth to flight on all parts little sharpen them both in their courage and in
driveth the body into his centre, and so con- their wits; notwithstanding, if it be taken in a
denseth. large quantity, it affects and disturbs the mind;
14. To the condensation of the spirits by whereby it is manifest, that it is of the same
flight, the most powerful and effectual is opium, nature with opiates.
and next opiates, and generally all soporiferous 26. There is a root much renowned in all tho
thinos. eastern parts which they call betel, which the In
15. The force of opium to the condensation of dians and others use to carry in their mouths, and
the spirits is exceeding strong, when as perhaps to champ it, and by that champing they are wonthree grains thereof will in a short time so coagu- derfully enabled both to endure labours, and to
late the spirits, that they return no more, but are overcome sicknesses, and to the act of carnal
extinguished, and become immovable. copulation: it seems to be a kind of stupefactive,
16. Opium, and the like, put not the spirits to because it exceedingly blacks the teeth.
flight by their coldness, for they have parts mani- 27. Tobacco in our age is immoderately grown
festly hot, but on the contrary cool by their put- into use, and it affects men with a secret kind of
ting the spirits to flight. delight, insomuch that they who have once inured
17. The flight of the spirits by opium and opi- themselves unto it, can hardly afterwards leave
ate medicines is best seen by applying the same it; and no doubt it hath power to lighten the
outwardly, for the spirits straight withdraw them- body, and to shake off weariness. Now, the
selves, and will return no more, but the part is virtue of it is commonly thought to be, because it
mortified, and turns to a gangrene. opens the passages, and voids humours; but it
18. Opiates in grievous pains, as in the stone, may more rightly be referred to the condensation
or the cutting off of a limb, mitigate pains most of the spirits, for it is a kind of henbane, and maniof all, by putting the spirits to flight. festly troubles the head as opiates do.
19. Opiates obtain a good effect from a bad 28. There are sometimes humours engendered
cause; for the flight of the spirits is evil, but the in the body, which are as it were opiate themcondensation of them through their flight is good. selves; as it is in some kind of melancholies,
20. The Grecians attributed much both for with which if a man be affected it is a sign of very
health and for prolongation of life, as opiates, but long life.
the Arabians much more, insomuch that their 29. The simple opiates (which are also called
grand medicines (which they called the god's stupefactives) are these; opium itself, which is
hands) had opium for their basis and principal the juice of poppy, both the poppies as well in the
ingredient, other things being mixed to abate and herb as in the seed, henbane, mandrake, hemlock,
correct the noxious qualities thereof; such were tobacco, nightshade.
treacle, mithridate, and the rest. 30. The compound opiates are, treacle, mithri21. Whatsoever is given with good success in date, trifera, laudanum, paracelsi, diaconium, diathe curing of pestilential and malignant diseases, scordium, philonium, pills of houndstongue.
to stop and bridle the spirits, lest they grow tur- 31. From this which hath been said, certain
bulent and tumultuous, may very happily be designations or counsels may be deduced for the
transferred to the prolongation of life; for one prolongation of life, according to the present inthing is effectual unto both, namely, the conden- tention, namely, of condensing the spirits by
sation of the spirits: now, there is nothing better opiates.
for that than opiates. 32. Let there be, therefore, every year, from
22. The Turks find opium, even in a reasonable adult years of youth, an opiate diet; let it be taken
good quantity, harmless and comfortable, inso- about the end of May, because the spirits in the
much that they take it before their battle to excite summer are more loose and attenuated, and there
courage; but to us, unless it be in a very small are less dangers from cold humours; let it be
quantity, and with good correctives, it is mortal. some magistral opiate, weaker than those that are
23. Opium and opiates are manifestly found to commonly in use, both in respect of a smaller
excite Venus; which shows them to have force to quantity of opium, and of a more sparing mixture
corroborate the spirits. of extreme hot things; let it be taken in the morn24. Distilled water out of wild poppy is given ing betwixt sleeps. The fare for that time would
with good success in surfeits, agues, and divers be more simple and sparing than ordinary, withdiseases; which, no doubt, is a temperate kind out wine, or spices, or vaporous things. This
of opiate. Neither let any man wonder at the medicine to be taken only each other day, and to
various use of it, for that is familiar to opiates, in be continued for a fortnight. This designation
regard that the spirits, corroborated and con- in our judgment comes home to the intention.
densed, will rise up against any disease. 33. Opiates also may be taken not only by the
25. The Turks use a kind of herb which they mouth, but also by fumes; but the fumes must be
call caphe, which they dry and powder, and then such as may not move the expulsive faculty too
drink in warm water, which they say doth not a strongly, nor force down humours, but only taken