I have formerly written of preparing a Panacæa of common Antimony, and taught its way of making. But whereas the description is dispersed in divers tracts, and is obscurer thereby, and haply one man may not have all those Treatises, I have judged it expedient to repeat that description in this place, and to mention it in this Treatise.
The preparation doth for the most part consist in the Calcination by Niter, which corrects and changeth the venome and immature Quality of the Antimony. Then afterwards the pure part is extracted by Spirit of Wine, and becomes a tender and spadicious (or light-red) Powder, and can effect those things, which I do here ascribe unto it. It may be taken in a morning before you eat, either in Wine, Ale, or some hot Broth, or in a soft poached Egg, or roasted Apple, and fasting some hours after it untill its operation be finished. The Dose is ¼ or ½ of a Grain, or 1, 2, 3, or 4, Grains at most for one time, regard being had to the Age and Disease, concerning which, the well minded Reader will find more written, in the first part of this Spagyrical Pharmacopœa, and in my Miraculum Mundi, but yet I will here likewise annex it for the benefit of the sick.
Of the common use of this Medicine.
This Universal Medicine may safely and without any kind of danger be used in all the natural Diseases of new born Infants, as well as in those of years, and strong people, and may be used I say without any danger, and in so small a dose as may not move in any one either a loathing or a nauseate, as these large Cup-fulls of the common Potions are wont to do when they are drank down. For that dose exceeds not 1, 2, 3, or 4 Grains at the most, and may most easily be taken down in a spoonfull of warm Broath, Wine, Ale, Water, or Milk, as the necessity of the sick requires. For if this prescribed dose be observed, it operates after an invisible manner, and strengthens the radical Moisture, and purgeth and expelleth out after a wonderfull manner, every hurtfull thing (by little and little) out of the whole body, if it be daily used, (or every second or third day) once each day according as the condition, or necessity of any one requireth. It defendeth every body from all hurtfull Causes and Diseases, and admits not the least venomous Air, but if the Dose be augmented, it doth also display its vertues, by a visible operation, and drives out by Sweat and Urine, or Spittle, sometimes upwards and downwards, every noxious thing, and operateth even as you will have it, according as your dose is either more or less, and as your Disease needeth. A dose that is very small and void of any visible operation, is wont to heal many Diseases, yea and the greatest part of them. But some Diseases there be which have deep rooting, and do therefore require a visible operation, forasmuch as they cannot be expelled with a small and invisible operating Dose. Every one therefore that prepareth and administreth this Medicine, must accurately observe this direction, that so (having regard to the Disease) he neither exceed nor come short in the administration of this Medicament, but by a right using of the same, he may obtain praise and glory.
But that the whole matter may be the better and more clearly apprehended, I will set down the use of the said Medicine, according as my self have experienced it, in the most grievous Diseases, that so the sick may be instructed and helped, and the less Errours committed.
In the Plague and other raging burning Diseases, and contagious Feavours, this Medicament doth (next God’s help) preserve every one that takes it daily, in this proportion, viz. to Infants ½ a Grain, to those of a midling Age, 1, 2, or 3, at most. But if any one be infected by either of those Diseases, then the dose is to be doubled according to the parties age, or trebled, that the sick being well covered may sweat. If one time sufficeth not to free him of this Disease, the dose of the said Medicine may be repeated the day following, or the third day, and so is it to be proceeded on with, till the Disease being weakened is cast forth.
This way of preservation and curing is not onely to be observed in the Plague, but in all contagious Diseases that assaults with heat or cold, and in all kind of Feavers whatsoever. The sick need not any other Medicaments, for this is powerfull and effectual enough; provided you pray seriously therewithal, that it may (by the help of God) drive away that abominable and detestable Disease the Plague, and the pricking paining Pleurisie, with the other Feavers. Nay farther, there is no Medicament, no not of the best that performs what this can.
In the Epilepsie, or Convulsions of Children, of whom a great Number destitute of such help die, this Panacæa is a most experienced and certain remedy for them, and is to be administred to a little Infant presently after its Birth, the quantity of the ⅛ part or ¼ part of a grain, in a little Milk, or else in some warmed fresh Butter, and is to be repeated again the third and eighth day following. But if it should be so, that after some days, weeks, or months, the fits do again come, then let your Dose be somewhat stronger if the Child needs it, and be so often reiterated untill the Disease be wholly subdued and carried off. I do most highly commend this Medicine to all Mothers, for that abundance of Infants (otherwise healthfull and sound enough are without any help, snatched away by the violence of Death. And here the error of some Physicians deserves to be taxed, who administer to the poor little Babes, whole Glassfulls of the Water of Pearls void of all kind of Virtue. Also the Powder of Bezoar Stone either with, or without the Water, together with the infusion of such like unprofitable things.
Such Men as are of riper years, may daily use the Dose of one, two, or three grains, and it will profit them. If not daily then may they repeat it every third or fourth day at least, and so continue untill the Disease being subdued pass away: ’Tis needless for them to use any other kind of thing, onely to observe this direction, viz. that day that they do use this Medicament, let them shun the cold Air, and abstain from Food three or four hours at least.
In the Leprosie, and other like detestable Diseases of whatsoever name they are called by, and in every kind of Scabbiness, there is not to be found any Remedy, whereby those affects are more easily and without any trouble or labour, taken away better than this, which never fails your hoped event, provided the sick be so strong as to brook the Cure.