This Universal Medicine will cure every natural disease both in young and old, strong and weak, in a very small dose, without any danger, not nauseating the stomach, as the usual Potions do; and is to be taken in any Liquor, according to the Condition of the Sick, as warm Broth or Gruel, Wine, Beer or Ale, Water, Milk, &c. from one grain to eight grains, which is the highest dose. It operateth after a diverse manner, according as the strength of the sick, or the nature of the disease requires: if you continue in the Use of the prescribed Doses, the operation will be insensible; it strengtheneth and mundifieth the radical moisture, and in a wonderful manner expelleth every Evil out of the Body being taken daily, every other or every third day: It preserveth from accidental Diseases, correcteth Venom, and resisteth infectious Airs. But if the Dose were greater, the Operation will be more evident, by Sweat, Urine, Spitting, and sometimes by Stool, according as you please, by encreasing or lessening the Dose; and if the disposition of the Disease comply, it is cured by a small quantity of this Medicine, without ocular observation; but being radicated, requireth a manifest operation, if it refuse to yield to a small Dose acting invisibly; because both in preparing and using this Medicine, regard is to be had, that you neither err in excess or defect, but by observing a Medium, you shall obtain both Profit and Honour.
Those of ripe years may take from one to six grains every day, if they have leisure to attend the Cure, but if not, three grains every fourth day, until there remain no foot-steps of the Disease: taking nothing besides this Medicine, and keeping that day from the cold Air, and abstaining three or four hours from Food. In the Leprosie and foul Scab, there is no Remedy safer than this Medicine, extirpating the Roots of the Evil without trouble. Nor will you ever be frustrated in the desired effect, if the Sick have strength sufficient to undergo the Cure. [See its Preparation and Use more particularly described, in [Part 2. Phar. Spagyr.]]
After the Description and Use of this Medicine, by which the health of Man may be preserved, and being lost, may be restored, which is far to be preferred to all the Treasures of the whole World. There now follow other Secrets, shewing how by the help of this subject a man may acquire an honest Living; and, as I have said in the Preface, this subject may be provable to all orders of men in the World, whether superiour or inferiour, Ecclesiastical or Political, noble or ignoble, rich or poor, by conferring or admonishing somewhat of good to every one in his Profession. Therefore I will now begin to teach some signal uses of it, that it may be manifest to all men, that this is an Universal subject, which I have alwaies judged such, and that others with me may find it so.
In the first place, all Fossiles or Minerals digged out of the Earth, may be perfectly examined by the mediation of this subject, what metals they contain, how many, and how much of each: It is an infallible Guide to the diggers and melters of Ores, saving them both loss of time and matter. An excellent Artifice, by which the value of all Minerals may be discovered without much labour and charge, being highly necessary for Metallurgists, of Germany especially, being quite undone by a continual War, who may in a short time lay up great Stocks or Treasures, to be imployed against the Enemies of their Country in time of necessity: by whose benefit also rich Mines of gold and silver (which otherwise would for ever lie neglected) may be discovered, when they are swiftly and accurately examined.
The Marcasites of Gold and silver being melted by the mediation of this, by a singular compendium, hitherto unknown, do afford more metal than by the common way.
The volatile and immature Marcasites of gold and silver, are fixed in the space of three hours, so that they yield more metal than they could have done without fixation.
Those three things are very necessary and profitable to every Magistrate having Mines in his jurisdiction, by which he may obtain much wealth.
All Gold and Silver which is not purely melted from its Marcasite, is swiftly purged from all additament, the Silver is separated from the Gold, by fusion only, with small labour and cost, but in great weight. Gold and Silver are easily drawn out of old Tin vessels, the tin being preserved almost in the same weight, and being made better than it was before, may serve for the same uses to which it is wont to be put.
From Bismuth much silver is separated, the Bismuth being preserved, this secret being agreeable to those places which abound with that Mineral.
From old Copper much Silver may be separated, the Copper remaining unhurt, by which Artifice Countries abounding with this metal, may not a little profit themselves.