Filter the Liquor consisting partly of the dissolved Worms, and partly of the fire of salt, that so it may be rendred clear, and free from the Coals or Husks of the Worms, it haply there be any of them remaining undissolved. And if (by reason of the too much fatness) it be very difficult to filter, pour thereunto so much common water as to make it thinner, and more ready to pass through the Cap Paper. Into this thus cleared Liquor, drop the Liquor of Salt of Tartar, and it will kill the sharp fire of the salt; so that there will arise from the fire of the salt and from this Alkaly-salt a salt of a middle nature, and concreting into Crystals, and will leave the other part in a liquid form; the which said part will be either white or yellow according as the saline fire which you made use of, is. Now this Liquor is more virtuous than the concreted salt is, as being that which contains the essence of the Worms, which doth not congeal or shoot with the salt, but abides in the form of a Liquor. Experience will teach the business more largely.
Now such qualities as these Worms had afore their preparation and as yet not deprived of their Venome; the same do they obtain after their preparation, but with this provizo, these qualities are safely used, which afore were hazardous. But now the properties of these Worms are these, they do not onely draw out of the body all podagrical humours, but also expell the Stone out of the Reins and Bladder beyond all other medicaments; and besides, do cure other such like diseases as are meerly unknown, and are adjudged plainly incurable. More, it wholly takes away that volatile Gout, which runs wandring through the Members of the Body. But here ariseth this Quæry.
LXXII. Whether or no every moist fire of salt is also fit for this labour?
For answer I say, that indeed this very labour may be accomplished by any moist fire; whether it be prepared out of vitriol or common salt, or salt peter. But withall I affirm, that there proceeds a great difference from those salts. For the con-centrated spirit of niter, doth (after its being mortified with a fix salt) shoot into salt peter. The con-centred spirit of salt, shoots into square Crystals. The same doth oil of vitriol and salt of tartar. But the salt that is in this operation made of the common salt exceeds the others, as to sweetness. That which comes from vitriol, doth beget a nauseating by reason of its bitterness; and that which ariseth of salt peter is of a middle nature. But yet they do all three of them enjoy a laxative and purging faculty; and likewise provoke Urine either stronger or weaker according as the Vermine are, which these said fires have been used in the dissolution of.
N. B. That the operation of the Liquor doth always exceed the virtues of the salts. When the sharp spirits of salt are not mortified with a Lixivium of Tartar, but with the spirits of Urine or of Sal. Armoniack; the salt and liquor become far stronger, than when the precipitation is done with Salt of Tartar. For the spirit of Sal. Armoniack doth for the most part precipitate the dissolved and corrected Vermine into a Powder, which being washed off with common water, and freed from all Acrimony or sharpness is used in medicine, in a dry form. But this, the Lixivium will not do, but always conserves the Vermine in the form of a liquor.
LXXIII. Question. Whether or no there may be any more or any other usefull things learned from this solution of venemous Vermine?
For Answer. Yes, for this operation doth not onely teach the good and bad properties of all Vermine, but doth withall evidently demonstrate, that every animal of what kind soever, (yea and Men themselves too) when they are put into such an agony and perceive the approach of death, do discover and clearly evidence the internal motions of [their] nature, which they have (in their life time) been indued withall.
LXXIV. The way how to know the internal nature of every Worm in the earth, Fish in the water, Birds in the air, yea even of Man himself.
Take a Scarabæus or Beetle, either such a one as lives in Horse dung, or else one that is of a coppery colour, put him into a glass wherein is some Aq. Fortis, and you shall see that in the utmost necessity [or last agony] of death, he will not endeavour to get from out of the Aq. Fortis, but will strive to hide himself in the earth according to his innate property. But whereas the bottom of the glass is too hard for him to get thorough, he will be so long endeavouring to accomplish his desire, and in striving to get through the bottom till he dies. From hence may it be perceived what his ultimate refuge [or shift] is: viz. to endeavour the shunning of his approaching death, by sheltering himself within the earth.
If you put a flie in the Aq. Fortis, she will not go to the bottom but will do her utmost to get out at top, because her living is in the air, and so all volatile or flying things are wont to do. As for a fish if it be put to its shifts, it endeavours to shun the danger by betaking it self to the bottom.