Usefulness of Exper. Phil. c. 10. p. 207.
De Lapid. & Gemm. l. 2. c. 11.
Hist. 6.
De Gemm. & Lapid. l. 1. c. 23.
De Lapid. & Gemm. l. 2. p. 102.
Mod. Intrand. p. 604.
3. These things are confirmed by the effects of appensions of many natural things which produce strange and wonderful effects, some of which we shall give in the words of that honourable person Mr. Boyl, who saith: “That great cures may be done by bare outward applications, you will scarce deny if you disbelieve not the relations which are made us by learned men concerning the efficacy of the Lapis Nephriticus, only bound upon the Pulses of the wrists (chiefly that of the left hand) against that stubborn and Anomalous disease the Stone. And that which gives the more credit to these relations is; That not only the judicious Anselmus Boetius de Boot seems to prize it, but the famous Monardes professeth himself, not to write by hear-say of the great virtues of this Indian Stone, but to have made tryal of it himself upon persons of very high quality: And that which is related by Monardes is much less strange than those almost incredible things which are with many circumstances delivered of that Stone, by the learned Chymist Vutzerus. And although it must be acknowledged that some Stones that go under that name have been ineffectually applied in Nephritick Distempers. Yet the accurate Johannes de Laet himself furnisheth us with an answer to that objection, informing us that many of those Nephritick Stones (which differ much in colour, though the best are wont to be greenish) although not at all counterfeited or sophisticated are of little or no virtue. But that yet there are some others of them which can scarce be distinguished from the former, but by tryal upon Nephriticks, which are of wonderful efficacy, as he himself hath more than once tryed in his own Wife. Garcias ab orta mentions a Stone found in Balagat, called Alaqueca; of which he tells us, that though it be cheap: Hujus tamen virtus (to use his own words) reliquarum Gemmarum facultates exuperat, quippe qui sanguinem undequaq; fluentem illico sistat. Monardes (cap. 35.) relates the great virtues of a Stone against Hysterical suffocations, and concludes; Cum uteri suffocationem imminentem præsentiunt, adhibito lapide subitò levantur, & si eum perpetuò gestant (Hysterici) nunquam simili morbo corripiuntur: exempla hujusmodi faciunt ut his rebus fidem adhibeam. The same Author in the next Chapter, treating of the Lapis Sanguinaris or Blood-stone, found in New Spain (having told us, that the Indians do most confidently believe, that if the flesh of any bleeding part be touched with this Stone, the bleeding will thereby be stanched) adds this memorable observation of his own: Vidimus nonnullos hæmorrhoidum fluxu afflictos remedium sensisse, annulos ex hoc lapide confectos in digito continue gestando; nec non & menstruum fluxum sisti. And to these for brevity sake, we shall only mention the virtues of the Jasper, which is blood-red throughout the whole body of the Stone, which Boetius de Boot of his own experience doth avouch in several trials to have stopped Fluxes of Blood, only by bare appension: As also the child of a famous Chymical writer, who had his child (supposed to be bewitched) cured by hanging a piece of that Noble Mineral by Paracelsus called electrum minerale immaturum, of which Helmont tells us this: Imprimis electrum minerale immaturum Paracelsi, collo appensum, liberat, quos spiritus immundus persequitur, quod ipse vidi. Illius potum verò plures à veneficiis solvisse, memini. Nemo autem, qui appenso illo simplici, non præcaverit, ne injecta intromittantur: vel ab importunis ligationibus confestim non solvatur.” All which do manifest the great and wonderful virtues, that God hath endowed Stones, Minerals, Plants and Roots withal, that the Devil need not be brought in to be an adjutant or operator in their effects.
Argum. 4.
Ut supra. 209.
Helm. de Febr. c. 2.