The writings of modern physicians are indeed free from those gross absurdities; yet the high character given, even by them, to antimonial medicines, so greatly exceeds all bounds of probability, that we shall be justified in witholding our assent, till it is supported by proofs bearing some proportion to the boldness of their assertions.
By the study of mathematics a habit of accuracy and precision is acquired, and it may be suspected that chymistry leads to credulity; or else, some of the modern chymists, after the example of their predecessors, have craftily obtained wealth and fame, by the most criminal practices. Upon the whole, the evidence, as well ancient as modern, concerning the superlative efficacy of antimony is to be suspected, and it is necessary impartially to enquire into its natural history, chymical analysis, and medical effects.
SECTION II.
Of the Natural History of Antimony.
Antimony is of different kinds: by some it is described a blackish mineral substance staining the hands, full of long, shining needle-like striæ, hard, brittle, and considerably heavy. It is found in different parts of Europe, as Bohemia, Saxony, Transylvania, Hungary, France, and England, commonly in mines, intermixed with earth and stones. Sometimes it is blended with the richer ores of silver, which renders the extraction of that metal difficult, volatilising a part of the silver, or, in the language of the miners, robbing the ore[6].
The Hungarian and Transylvanian, of which little or none comes to us, is esteemed much the best for medicinal use. The English seems of all others the least proper for that purpose, frequently containing a portion of lead[7], which is not separable by any of the common methods of purification, or else the English miners are unacquainted with the method of purifying it in foreign countries.
The celebrated Dr. Hunter has in his museum, eighteen curious specimens of antimony, very different from each other: some are covered with a white calcareous crust; some, in external appearance, resemble cobalt[8]; others the lead ores; and others, those of arsenic; some are almost perfectly black; some have red striæ, interspersed throughout the ore, and others shining spiculæ like polished steel. But as they have not yet been assayed, no very probable conjecture can be formed concerning their component parts, nor of the proportion they bear to each other.
Chymists have not been sufficiently accurate in pointing out the signs by which the purity of this mineral is to be distinguished. Basil Valentine says, it is of two kinds which are very different, one is beautiful and possessed of some of the properties of gold. The other has more of sulphur and not so much affinity to gold, it is distinguished by beautiful, white shining striæ. The one is much to be preferred to the other for the purpose of the medicine as well as alchymy[9].