The works of the highly experienced and famous chymist, John Rudolph Glauber

by Johann Rudolf Glauber

For amongst all stones none are more easily to be dissolved than Pearls, Corals, Crabbs-eyes, and other stones of fishes.

But the truth of this, viz. that every corrosive is killed by feeding upon pearls and corals, and thereby can be made sweet; and besides, how a sowre coagulated Tartar, by the help of corals or pearls may be reduced to a sweet liquor (a pleasant and acceptable medicine to the nature of man) which never can be coagulated again by any means, shall be afterwards proved and taught when I shall come to treat of Tartar.

Now in tartareous coagulations and obstructions of the internals proceeding from the predominancy of an acid humor there is no better remedy, than to give the patient every morning fasting from ℈ss. to ʒ i. (more or less, according to the condition of the patient) of red corals and pearls made into powder, and to let him fast two or three hours upon it, and so to continue daily until you see amendment: By this means the hurtful acid humor is mortified, and dulcified by the corals and pearls, so that afterwards it may be overcome by nature, whereby the obstructions are removed, and the body freed from the disease.

This my opinion of the abuse of Magisteries and the good use of Corals I could not conceal, although I do know for certain, that it will take but with few, in regard that it will seem very strange to most. However, happily there may be some yet, that will not be unwilling to search into the truth, and to consider further of it, and at last will find this not to be so strange, as it seemed to them at the first: but he that cannot believe or comprehend it, may keep to his Magisteries.

And if it seem so strange unto any, that corals or pearls made into powder shall be concocted in the stomach, and so put forth their vertue, what will you say then, if I do prove, that even whole pearls, crabs eyes, and corals being swallowed, are totally consumed by the Melancholy humor, so that nothing cometh forth again among the excrements? and which is more, even the like may be said of hard and Compact metals, as Iron, and Speaucer or Zinck: But this must be understood only of those that are of a Melancholick constitution but not so in others, viz., those that are of a sanguine, and those that are of a phlegmatick constitution, to whom such like things are seldom prescribed. For I have seen many times, that against obstructions, to strong bodies there hath been given at once from ℈ss. to ʒ i. of the shavings or filings of Iron, and they found much good by it, yea more help then by other costly medicines of the Apothecaries, whereof they had used many before, but to no purpose, by reason whereof their excrements came from them black, just as it useth to fall out with those that make use of medicinal sowre waters, which run through iron mines, and thereby borrow a spiritual mineral vertue.

Now if those filings of iron had not been consumed in the stomach, how come it that the excrements are turned black? so then it is sufficiently proved, that even a hard unprepared metal can be consumed in the stomach: and if so, why not as well soft pearls and corals?

Which is also to be seen by children, that are troubled with worms, if there be given unto them 4, 6, 8. to 12. or 16. grains of the finest filings of steel or iron, that all the worms in the body are killed thereby, their stomach and guts scowred very clean, and their stools also turned black. But this must be observed by children, when the worms are killed, and yet remain in the guts (because that the iron in a smal quantity is not strong enough for to expel them, but only make the body soluble) that a purge must be used after, for to carry them out; for else if they do remain there, others will grow out of their substance. But to those that are more in years, you may give the Dose so much the stronger, as from ℈ i. to ʒ i. that the worms also may be carryed out, they being better able to endure it than little children, and although sometimes a vomit doth come, yet it doth no hurt, but they will be but so much the healthier afterward.

And thus Iron may be used, not only against worms, but also against all stomach-agues, head-ach, and obstructions of the whole body, without any danger and very successfully, as a grateful or very acceptable medicine to Nature; for after a powerful magnetical way it doth attract all the ill humors in the body, and carrieth them forth along with it. Of whose wonderful vertue and nature, there is spoken more at large in my Treatise of the Sympathy and Antipathy of things. Which some Physitians perceiving and supposing by Art to make it better, they spoiled it, and made it void of all vertue: for they taking a piece of steel, made it red-hot, and held it against a piece of common Sulphur, whereby the steel grew subtle, so they did let it drop into a vessel filled with water; then they took it out, and dryed it, and made it into powder, and used it against obstructions, but to no effect almost; for the Iron was so altered by the sulphur, and reduced to an insoluble substance (which ought not to have been so) that it could perform no considerable operation: But if they had made the steel more soluble (whereas they made it more insoluble) than it was of it self before, then they had done a good work: for he that knoweth sulphur, doth know well enough, that by no Aquafortis or Aqua Regis it can be dissolved; and how could it then be consumed by an animal humor?

Hitherto it hath been proved sufficiently, that in some men, especially in those that are of a Melancholick constitution there is an acid humor, which can sufficiently dissolve all easily soluble metals and stones: and that therefore it is needless to torture, and dissolve pearls, corals and the like with corrosive waters before they be administred to patients: but that the Archeus of the stomach is strong enough by the help of the said humors to consume those easily soluble things, and to accept of that which serveth his turn, and to reject the rest.

But it is not my intent here, that this should be understood of all metals and stones; for I know well, that other metals and stones (some excepted) before they are duly prepared, are not fit for Physick, but must be fitted first, before they be administred or given unto patients.