The other metals also, if they be not first made soluble by salts or spirits, can perform either none or but very small operation, unless it be Zink or Iron, which being easily soluble, are able to work without any foregoing dissolution, as hath been shewn above, when we treated of the oyl of vitriol. But that the sharp spirits are the cause of that operation, may hence be perceived, and made manifest; that although you take ℥ ss. of quick-silver and pour it down into the stomach, yet it would run out again beneath, as above it was poured in. But if it be prepared with spirits or salts, then but few grains of it will work strongly, and the more it is made soluble, the stronger it worketh; as you may see when it is sublimed from salt and vitriol, that it groweth so strong thereby, that one grain doth work more than eight or ten grains of Turbith Mineral, and three or four grains thereof would kill a man, by reason of its mighty strength. Also it worketh extreamly, and much more than the sublimate, when it is dissolved in spirit of Nitre and crystalized, so that you cannot well take it upon your tongue without danger. Which some perceiving, evaporate the Aqua fortis by a gentle heat from it, so that the Mercurius remained yellow, which in a smaller dose wrought more than the red, from which the spirits were quite evaporated. And they used it only externally, strewing it into impure sores, for to corrode or fret or away the proud flesh, not without great pain to the patient: but also without distinction of young or old gave it inwardly for to purge; which is one of the most hurtful Purges that can be used. For this evil guest, however he be prepared, cannot leave his tricks, unless he be reduced into such a substance, as that it never can be brought back to a running Mercury, for then much good can be done in physick without any hurt or prejudice to the health of man, whereof perchance something more shall be said in another place.
I cannot omit for the benefit of young innocent Children, to discover a great abuse. For it is grown very common almost among all that deal in physick, that as soon as a little child is not well before they know whether it will be troubled with worms, or with any thing else, they presently fall upon Mercury, supposing that in regard it hath no taste, it is so much the better for to get the Children to take it for to kill the Worms.
But those men do not know the hurtful nature of it, which it doth shew against the sinews and Nerves: For some are of opinion, that if they know to prepare Mercury so, that it can be given in a greater dose (as is to be seen in sublimed Mercurius dulcis) that then it is excellently prepared: but they are in a great errour, and it were much better, it were not so well prepared, that the less hurt might be done to Man, in regard that then they durst not give it in so great a dose. For if that which is prepared with Aqua fortis or spirit of salt nitre be used in the pox to men that are advanced in years, it cannot do so much hurt, because it is given in a small dose, and doth work with them, whereby nature gets help for to overcome and expel that hurtful venome, and its malignity is abated by the strong salivation, which provident nature hath planted in it, so that not so much mischief can come by it, as by Mercurius dulcis, whereof is given to little weak Children from ten to thirty grains at once, which commonly (unless they be of a strong nature, and do grow it out) doth cause a weakness and lameness in their limbs, so that (if they do not come to be quite lame at last) they have a long time to struggle withal, till they overcome it.
In like manner those also do err, which do shake Mercury in water or beer so long, until the water come to be gray-coloured, and so give that water or beer to little children to drink for the Worms, pretending that they do not give the substance or body of Mercury, but only its vertue. But this gross Preparation is no better than if they had ministred the running Mercury it self. Neither have I ever seen that the use of Mercurius dulcis, or of the gray coloured water was seconded with good success in killing of the Worms. But it is credible, that it may be done by yellow or red precipitate, in regard of its strong operation. But who would be such an Enemy to his Child, as to plague and torture it with such a hurtful and murthering medicine; especially there being other medicines to be had, which do no harm to the children, as is to be found in iron or steel, and the sweet oyl of vitriol.
And so much of the abuse of Mercury: I hope it will be a good warning unto many, so that they will not so easily billet such a tyrannical guest in any ones house, whereby the ruine thereof of necessity must follow. And that cure deserveth no praise at all, whereby one member is cured with the hurt of two or three other members. As we see by the Pox, when one infected member is cured by Mercury, and that but half, and not firm at all, that all the rest of the body is endangered thereby for the future. And therefore it would be much better that such crude horse-physick might be severed from good medicaments, and such used instead of them, as may firmly, safely, and without prejudice to other parts perform the cure, of which kind several are taught in this book. But in case that you have Patients, which have been spoiled by such an ill-prepared Mercury, then there is no better remedy to restore them, than by medicines made of metals, wherewith Mercury hath great affinity, as of gold and silver: for when they are often used, they attract the Mercury out of all the members, and carry it along with them out of the body, and so do rid the body thereof. But externally the precipitated Mercury may more safely be used, than internally, in case there be nothing else to be had, viz. to corrode or eat away the proud flesh out of a wound. But if instead of it there should be used the corrosive oyl of Antimony, Vitriol, Allome or common salt it would be better, and the cure much the speedier; and it would be better yet, that in the beginning good medicaments were used to fresh wounds, and not by carelesness to reduce them to that ill condition, that afterwards by painful corrosives they must be taken away. But such a Mercury would serve best of all for souldiers, beggers, and children that go to school; for if it be strewed upon the head of children, or into their cloathes, no louse will abide there any longer. In which case Mercury must by his preparation not be made red, but onely yellow, and it must be used warily, and not be strewed on too thick, lest the flesh be corroded, which would be the occasion of great mischief.
Of Aqua fortis.
Out of Salt nitre and vitriol, taking of each a like quantity (or if the water is to be not altogether so strong) two parts of vitriol to one part of salt nitre, a water distilled is good to dissolve metals therewith, and to separate them from one another; as gold from silver, and silver from gold, which in the fourth part punctually shall be taught.
The Aqua fortis serveth also for many other Chymical operations to dissolve and fit metals thereby, that they may be reduced the easier into medicaments: but because the spirit of salt nitre and Aqua fortis are almost all one, and have like operations: for if the Aqua fortis be dephlegmed and rectified, you may perform the same operations with it, which possibly may be performed with the spirit of salt nitre; and on the other side the spirit of salt nitre will do all that can be done with the Aqua fortis, whereof in the fourth Part shall be spoken more at large.
Now I know well that ignorant laborators (which do all their work according to custome, without diving any further into the Nature of things, will count me an Heretick (because I teach, that the Aqua fortis made of vitriol and salt nitre is of the same nature and condition with the spirit of salt nitre, which is made without vitriol) saying that the Aqua fortis doth partake likewise of the spirit of vitriol, because vitriol also is used in the preparation of it. To which I answer, that although vitriol be used in the preparation of it, yet for all that in the distilling, nothing or but very little of its spirit comes over with the spirit of salt nitre, and that by so small a heat it cannot rise so high, as the spirit of salt nitre doth: and the vitriol is added onely therefore unto the salt nitre that it may hinder its melting together, and so the more facilitate its going into a spirit. And the more to be convinced of this truth, the unbelieving may add to such spirit of salt nitre, as is made by it self, a little of oyl of vitriol likewise made by it self, and try to dissolve silver guilded with it, and he will find that his spirit of salt nitre by the spirit of vitriol is made unfit to make a seperation; for it preyeth notably upon the gold, which is not done by Aqua fortis.