difficulty and expence CHAP. III. I Now proceed to the several Parts of Animals as Hairs Hoofs Horns Shells and shelly Insects Bones Flesh and the several Viscera Silk Blood Eggs Musk Castor Gall Vrine Dungs Salts and Stones And first of all the Hair of a mans head with Oyl of Vitriol maketh no Bullition at all Nor yet with spirit of Nitre So that although it contains a good deal of volatile Salt yet it seemeth either not to be alkalizate or else is centred in so great a quantity of Oyl that the acid menstruum cannot reach it Hares Furr with spiriâ— of Nitre maketh although a short yet very plain Bullition and huff Hence the Hair anâ— therefore the Blood oâ— some Animals is fuller oâ— Salt at least of an alkalizate Salt than that oâ— some others And perhapâ— the Hair of some men aâ— of Blacks may be so fulâ— of Salt as to make a Bullition like Hares Furr The shavings of Naiâ—â— stir not at all either witâ— Oyl of Vitriol or spirit oâ— Nitre only with the latter they turn yellow Elks Claws with spirit of Nitre make a small and slow Bullition Horses Hoof with Oyl of Vitriol stirs not of many hours But with spirit of Nitre allowing it some time makes a very plain Bullition and huffs up very high Cows Horn neither with Oyl of Vitriol nor with spirit of Nitre maketh any Bullition only turneth to a yellow colour Rams Horn stirs noâ— with Oyl of Vitriol buâ— with spirit of Nitre makeâ— a small and slow Bullitioâ— Harts-Horn makes â— considerable Bullition aâ—â— huff even with Oyl of Vitriol which the rest of thâ— Bodies above-said will nâ—â— do But with spirit of Nitre it makes yet a greater From the foregoing Experiments and almost all that follow what waâ— formerly asserted of the Salts of Vegetables and Minerals is here also evident concerning that of Animals scil That it is not made but only separated by the fire It likewise hence appears That the proportion of Salt in the fore-mentioned parts is very different and that therefore some of them are never and none of them but with good discretion to be substituted one for another in Medicine As also that there is a different proportion of Salt in the several Animals themselves to whicâ— the said Parts belong Next for shells as thosâ— of Lobsters Eggs Snailâ— and Oysters all whicâ— make an Effervescence both with Oyl of Vitriol and spirit of Nitre Buâ— with spirit of Nitre thâ— greatest Lobster-shells make a considerable Bullition and huff but no noise nor steams Egg-shells make a Bullition and huff with some noise but no steams Snail-shells make an Effervescence with noise and steams Oyster-shells make one with the greatest noise and thickest steams Hence we may judge in what case to administer one more appositely than another As also in what proportion according to their different strength Some may be better for Children as being milder Or for a Body whose very sharp Blood or other Humors are very easily kindled into Ferments Or else may be safest to avoid a sudden precipitation of the Humors or for some other cause Oyster-shells and the rest above-said make a quicker Effervescence not only with spirit of Nitre but even with spirit of Salt thaâ— they do with Oyl of Sulphur or Oyl of Vitriol So that these Bodies as well as Metals have their proper Menstruums whereby they are best dissolved Egg-shells calcined make with Oyl of Sulphur or Oyl of Vitriol or spirit of Nitre a greater Effervescence than when uncalcined As also with steams which uncalcined they produce not The like is seen in calcined Oyster-shells The longer the Calcination is continued the quicker and stronger will be the Effervescence This I tryed at several terms from a quarter of an hour to five hours So that after so long a Calcination they make an Effervescence almost instantaneous The reason hereof is Because the Sulphur being for the greatest part driven away by the fire the remaining Salt lies now more open and naked to the attaque of the Menstruum so soon as ever they are mixed together From hence it is plain That Egg-shells and the others above-said being burnt are far stronger Medicines than when unburnt It is hereby likewise evident That a great portion of their Salt is not a volatile but a fixed Alkaly To these may be subjoyned all kinds of shelly Insects I will instance in three or four And first Bees with Oyl of Vitriol stir not in the least With spirit of Nitre they make an exceeding small Bullition without any elevation Cochinele makes some Bullition with Oyl of Vitriol but very small for the bubbles are not to be seen without a Glass But with spirit of Nitre the Bullition is more visible and joyned with some elevation Cantharides make no visible Bullition with Oyl of Vitriol But with spirit of Nitre they do and huff up rather more than Cochinele Yet is this done very slowly and comparatively with many other bodies is not much Hence it is not the quantity but the quality of their volatile Salt which makes them so strong an Epispastick For most of those bodies above and hereafter named make a greater Bullition and yet are neither Caustick nor Epispastick in the least It is hence also evident as hath been before suggested That there are divers kinds of volatile Salts eminently different some being highly alkalizate others very little and some scarce any thing so such as those of Scurvygrass Anemone Crowfoot and many the like Plants to whose Salts this of Cantharides seemeth to be very near of kin Millepedes make a Bullition and huff much greater and quicker than any of the Insects above-named and that both with spirit of Nitre and Oyl of Virtriol it self Yet is this Insect of a very temperate nature Whereby is further demonstrated That the being simply alkalizate is not enough to make a body to be Caustick Again although Millepedes make a Bullition greater than any of the Insects above-named yet is it much less than that of Oyster Snail or even Egg-shells and of divers other bodies above and hereafter mentioned Hence being given to the same intent as any of those bodies it is the mildest and gentlest in its operation of them all Millepedes likewise calcined make a stronger Effervescence than when uncalcined as do Oyster-shells c. So that it appears That all Testaceous Salts are at least in part fixed Salts I next proceed to Bones And first Whale-bone maketh no Bullition at all with any acid A Cartilage with spirit of Nitre makes some very small bubbles not to be seen without a Glass The Bone in the Throat of a Carp makes a little and slow Bullition with spirit of Nitre The Spina of a Fish that which I used was of a Cod-fish maketh a Bullition one degree higher All sorts of Teeth as of Dogs Boars the Sea-Horse Elephant make the like As also the Bone of an Oxes heart So that all these are very
as to make that Intrusion Secondly It is also evident That although they do Coagulate yet not altogether so much as when powred together in the same manner and quantity in the open Air. Wherefore Compression whether made by the Air or any thing else doth somewhat further the Mixture of Bodies and the greater the Compression the more 4. Solution For all bodies mix best in Forma fluida And that for two reasons First Because the parts of a body are not then in a state of Vnion but of Separation and therefore in a more capable state for their Mixture and Vnion with the parts of another body Secondly Because then they are also in a state of Motion more or less and therefore in a continual tendency towards Mixture all Mixture being made by Motion Wherefore all Generations and most perfect Mixtures in Nature are made by Fluids whether Animal Vegetable or Mineral Which is also agreeable to the Doctrine of the Honourable Mr. Boyle in his excellent Treatise of the Nature and Vertues of Gems And 't is well known That bodies are ordinarily petrified or Stones made out of Water That is out of petrifying parts dissolved per minima in Water as both their Menstruum and their Vehicle Wherefore if we will talk of making Gold It must not be by the Philosophers Stone but by the Philosophers Liquor 5. Digestion For which there is the same reason as for Mixture by Solution For First All heat doth attenuate that is still further separate the parts of a body and so render them more mingleable with the parts of another And therefore Secondly Doth also add more Motion to them in order to their Mixture 6. Agitation Which I am induced to believe a great and effectual means of Mixture upon divers considerations As First That the making of Blood in the Bodies of Animals and the mixing of the Chyle therewith is very much promoted by the same means sc. by the Agitation of the parts of the Blood and Chyle in their continual Circulation Again From the making of Butter out of Milk by the same means whereby alone is made a separation of the oleous parts from the whey and a mixture of them together Moreover From the great Effects of Digestion well known to all that are conversant in Chymical Preparations Which Digestion it self is but a kind of insensible Agitation of the parts of digested bodies 'T is also a known Experiment That the readiest way to dissolve Sugar in Wine or other Liquor is to give the Vessel a hasty turn together with a smart knock against any hard and steady body whereby all the parts of the Sugar and Liquor are put into a vehement Agitation and so immediately mixed together And I remember that having with intent to make Mr. Mathews's Pill put some Oyl of Turpentine and Salt of Tartar together in a bottle and sent it up hither out of the Country I found that the continual Agitation upon the Road for three or four days had done more towards their Mixture then a far greater time of Digestion alone had done before And it is certain That a vehement Agitation especially if continu'd or joyned with Digestion will accelerate the Mixture of some bodies ten times more then any bare Digestion alone as may be proved by many Experiments I will instance in this one Let some Oyl of Turpentine and good Spirit of Nitre be stop'd up together in a bottle and the bottle held to the fire till the Liquors be a little heated and begin to bubble Then having removed it and the Bubbles by degrees increasing more and more the two Liquors will of themselves at last fall into so impetuous an Ebullition as to make a kind of explosion sending forth a smoak for the space of almost two yards high Whereupon the parts of both the Liquors being violently agitated they are in a great portion incorporated into a thick Balsam in a moment and that without any intense heat as may be felt by the bottle And thus much for the Causes of Mixture SECT V. HAVING enumerated the general Causes we shall lastly enquire into the Power and Vse of Mixture or into what it can Do and Teach And I shall Instance in fix particulars First To Render all Bodies Sociable whatsoever they be Secondly To Make Artificial Bodies in Imitation of those of Natures own production Thirdly To Make or Imitate the sensible Qualities of Bodâ—es as Smells and Tasts Fourthly To Make or Imitate their Faculties Fifthly It is a Key to discover the Nature of Bodies Sixthly To discover their Use and the Manner of their Medicinal Operation Instance I. FIRST To render all Bodies Sociable or Mingleable as Water with Oyl Salt with Spirit and the like For Natural and Artificial Mixture are the same as we have before proved If therefore Nature can do it as we see in the Generation of bodies she doth 't is likewise in the Power of Art to do it And for the doing of it two general Rules result from the Premisses sc. The Application of Causes and the Choice of Materials As for the Causes they are such as I have now instanc'd in And for the Application of them I shall give these two Rules First That we tread in Natures steps as near as we can not only in the application of such a Cause as may be most proper for such a Mixture but also in allowing it sufficient time for its effect For so we see Nature her self for her more perfect Mixtures usually doth She maketh not a Flower or an Apple a Horse or a Man as it were in a moment but all things by degrees and for her more perfect and elaborate Mixtures for the most part she requireth more time Because all such Mixtures are made and carri'd on per minima and therefore require a greater time for the compleating of them A second Rule is Not only to make a due Application of the Causes but sometimes to Accumulate them By which means we may not only Imitate Nature but in some cases go beyond her For as by adding a Graft or Bud to the Stock we may produce Fruit sooner and sometimes better then Nature by the Stock alone would do So here by accumulating the Causes of Mixture that is by joyning three or four or more together or by applying more in some cases where Nature applyeth fewer we may be able to make if not a more perfect yet a far more speedy Mixture than Nature doth As by joyning Compression Heat and violent Agitation and so continuing them all together by some means contrived for the purpose for the space of a week or moneth or longer without cessation Which may probably produce not only strange but useful effects in the Solution of some and the Mixture of other Bodies And may serve to mix such Bodies as through the small number of their congruous parts are hardly mingleable any other way Agitation being as carrying the key to and fro till
it hit the lock or within the lock till it hit the wards Secondly For the Choice of Materials if they are not immediately that is of themselves mingleable we are then to turn one species of Mixture into a Rule which is To mix them by mediation of some third whether more simple or compounded body which may be congruous in part to them both as sulphurious Salts are to Water and Oyl and are for that reason mingleable with either of them Or By any two congruous Bodies which are also in part congruous to two others and other like ways Whereby the parts of Bodies though never so heterogeneous may yet be all bound and lock'd up together Even as twenty keys may be united only by uniting the two Rings whereon they hang. The consideration of these things have put me upon making several Experiments for the Mingling of heterogeneous Bodies I shall give two Examples of tryal the one upon fluid the other upon consistent Bodies For the first I took Oyl of Anise-seeds and powring it upon another Body I so order'd it that it was thereby turned into a perfect milk-white Balsam or Butter By which means the said Oyl became mingleable with any other Liquor Oyl Wine or Water easily and instantaneously dissolving therein in the form of a Milk And note That this is done without the least alteration of the smell tast nature or operation of the said Oyl By somewhat the like means not only Oyl of Anise-seeds but any other stillatitious Oyl may be transformed into a perfect milk white Butter and in like manner be mingled with Water or any other Liquor Which is of various use in Medicine and what I find oftentimes very convenient and advantageous to be done Again Not only fluid but consistent bodies which of themselvs will mix only with Oyl by due mixture with other bodies may be render'd easily dissoluble in Water as may Rosin and all resinous and friable Gums As also Wax and this without changing much of their Colour Tast or Smell Whereof likewise whatsoever others may do the Physician may make a manifold Vse Instance II. BY Mixture also we may be taught to Imitate the Productions of Nature As to which from what we have before said of Mixture we may conclude That there is no generation of Bodies unorganical but what is in the power of Mixture to imitate As of Animals to Imitate Blood Fat Chyle Spittle Flegm Bile c. Of Vegetables to Imitate a Milk Mucilage Rosin Gum or Salt Of Minerals to Imitate Vitriol Allom and other Salts as also Metals and the like I do not say I can do all this but if upon good premisses we may conclude this may be done it is one step to the doing of it But I will also give an Instance of somewhat that may be done in every kind And 1. First For the Imitation of an animal body I will instance in Fat. Which may be made thus Take Oyl Olive and powr it upon high Spirit of Nitre Then digest them for some days By degrees the Oyl becomes of the colour of Marrow and at last is congealed or hardned into a white Fat or Butter which dissolveth only by the fire as that of Animals In converting Oyl thus into Fat it is to be noted That it hardens most upon the exhalation of some of the more Sulphureous parts of the Spirit of Nitre Which I effected well enough for my purpose by unstopping the glass after some time of digestion and so suffering the Oyl to dissolve and thicken divers times by successive heat and cold Hence The true Congealing Principle is a Spirit of Nitre separated from its Sulphur For the better doing whereof the Air is a most commodious Menstruum to the said Spirit of Nitre Whence also if we could procure such a Spirit of Nitre we might congele Water in the midst of Summer We might also refrigerate Rooms herewith artificially And might Imitate all frosty Meteors For the making of Fat is but the Durable Congelation of Oyl which may be done without frost as I have shew'd how Hence also it appears That Animal Fat it self is but the Curdling of the Oily parts of the Blood either by some of its own Saline parts or by the Nitrous parts of the Air mingled therewith Hence likewise it is That some Animals as Conies and Fieldfares grow fatter in frosty weather the oily parts of the blood being then more than ordinarily coagulated with a greater abundance of nitrous parts received from the Air into their bodies For the same reason it is That the Fat of Land-Animals is hard whereas that of Fish is very soft and in a great part runs to Oyl sc. Because the Water wherein they live and which they have instead of breath hath but very few nitrous parts in it in comparison of what the Air hath 2. For the Imitation of a Vegetable Body I will give three Instances In Rosin Gum and a Lixivial Salt The first may be made thus Take good Oyl of Vitriol and drop it upon Oyl of Anise-seeds and they will forthwith incorporate together and by degrees will harden into a perfect Rosin with the general and defining Properties of a truly Natural Resinous Gum. Being not in the least dissoluble in Water or at least not any more then any natural Rosin or Gum yet very easily by fire as also highly inflammable and exceeding friable Although this artificial rosin be the result of two Liquors both which very strongly affect the Sense yet being well washed from the unincorporated parts which is to be done with some care it hath scarce any Tast or Smell The Concentration of these two Liquors is likewise so universal that the Rosin is not made by Precipitation but almost a total Combination of the said Liquors and that with scarce so much as any visible fumes Again Having taken a certain Powder and a Saline Liquor and mixed them together in a bottle and so digested them for some time the Powder was at last transmuted to a perfect Oily Gum which will also dissolve either in Oyl or in Water in the self same manner as Galbanum Ammoniac and the like will do And Lastly A Lixivial Salt may be imitated thus Take Nitre Oyl of Vitriol and high Spirit of Wine of each a like quantity Of these three Bodies not any two being put together that is to say neither the Nitre with the Oyl nor the Oyl with the Spirit nor the Nitre with the Spirit will make the least ebullition yet all three mingled together make a very conspicuous one The Spirit of Wine being as the Sulphur and so that and the Nitre together standing as it were in the stead of an Alkalizate that is a Sulphurious Salt against the Oyl of Vitriol Divers other Experiments I can shew of the like nature 3. In the last place for the Imitation of a Mineral Body I will instance in two sc. Nitre and Marine Salt if I may have leave
both of opacous Stones and Metals into which the said Bolus's are transmuted by being concentred with divers kinds of Salts and Sulphurs which successively flow in upon them Aqua fortis and Oil of Vitr being poured severally upon another sealed Earth which was vended by the name of Terra Lemnia they both made a very considerable Effervescence herewith Whence it appears That there is no small difference in the nature and therefore the operation of Bolus Armena and Terra Lemnia As also betwixt the sealed Earths themselves one making a great Effervescence another none at all Whereto those that use them are to have regard Next for Stones And first Spir. of Nitre upon Tripoly stirreth it not in the least Irish Slate with Spirit of Harts-horn maketh a small yet visible Bullition and it presently ceaseth So that it seems to be nothing else but a Vitriolick Bole. As is also argued from its taste which is plainly acid and somewhat rough Whence also it is with good reason given upon any inward Bruises Because by coagulating the Blood it prohibits its too copious afflux into the affected part Yet being but gently astringent and so the Coagulations it makes not great they are likewise well enough carried off from the same part in the Circulation by both which means an Inflammation may be either prevented or the better over-ruled Lapis Haematites maketh no Effervescence at all either with Alkalies or Aâ—â—d◠〈◊〉 of the green part 〈…〉 Magnet with Oil of â—itriol maketh some few bubbles yet not visible without a Glass But the podwer of the black part of a Magnet which is the said stone fully perfect stirreth not with any acid Neither doth the calcined Magnet Hence there is some considerable difference betwixt Iron and the Magnet Lapis Lazuli with Oil of Vitriol and especially with Spirit of Nitre maketh a conspicuous Bullition Hence its Cathartick virtue lyeth in an Alkaly For which reason it is also appropriate in like manner as Steel to the cure of Hypochondriacal Affections originated from some kind of fermenting Acid. Osteocolla with Spirit of Nitre maketh yet a greater Effervescence How it comes to be so great a knitter of broken bones as it is reputed is obscure It seemeth that upon its solution by a Nitrous acid in the body it is precipitated upon the broken part and so becomes a kind of Cement thereto Lapis Tuthiae with Spirit of Nitre maketh an Effervescence much alike And with Oil of Vitriol very considerably But Lapis Calaminaris with Oil of Vitriol grows stark as the powder of Alabaster doth with water With spirit of Nitre it maketh a little Bullition and quickly But with Aq. fortis a great one beyond any of the stones above-named Hence both Tutty and Calamy are Ophthalmicks from their Alkaly Which is also confirmed from the efficacy of some Alkalies of the like use Hence also Calamy seemeth to partake somewhat of the nature of Silver as by tryal made upon that also will hereafter better appear Chalk and Oil of Sulphur or Vitriol make as strong an Effervescence as any of the rest Whence it is sometimes well used against a Cardialgia Whiting makes as great an Effervescence as Chalk So that it seems the saline parts are not washed away with the water wherein the Chalk for the making of Whiting is dissolved Talk will not stir in the least either with spirit of Nitre or Cil of Vitriol But that which is called the Lead-Spar maketh a considerable Effervescence with both of them severally Hence however this be called English Talk yet there is no small difference betwixt this and true Talk To these stones may be added petrified bodies As petrified wood which that upon which I made tryal no acid stirreth in the least Petrified shells upon four or five several sorts whereof Oil of Vitriol being poured produceth a great Effervescence The Root or rougher part of the Stone called Glossopetra with spirit of Nitre maketh a conspicuous Bullition Asteria the Stone so called and found in some places in England with Oil of Vitriol maketh an Effervescence at the same degree So doth the Belemnites or Thunder-stone both the larger and the lesser kinds So that none of these are acid or vitriolick but alkalizate Stones Coralline with Oil of Vitriol makes a conspicuous Bullition yet mild and gentle that is with very little if any heat and without any visible Fumes And red and white Coral do the like Hence they are all of a very gentle operation and fit for Children as the case requires Magistery of Coral prepared the ordinary way stirreth not in the least either with Alkalies or Acids Whence it is evident That its active Principles are in its preparation destroyed and washed away that is to say It is an elaborate Medicine good for nothing And thus far of Stones I next come to Metals and Ores And first for Lead upon which spirit of Salt spirit of Nitre or Aq. fortis being dropped it stirreth not in the least with any of them but with Oil of Sulphur and especially with Oyl of Vitrioâ— it maketh a slow Bullitioâ— and froth Hence it seemeth to bâ— the most alkalizate Metaâ— Which is also confirmeâ— by a foregoing Experiment upon the Leaâ—â— Spar which maketh considerable Effervescence with any sort oâ— acid And which likewise being calcined yieldeth a good quantity of Lixivial Salt Lead-Ore stirreth not at all with Aq. fortis or Oil of Vitriol But spirit of Salt makes it bubble and spirit of Nitre makes it boil Hence there is a considerable difference betwixt the perfect Metal and the Ore Burnt Lead and red Lead make a very small Bullition with Oil of Vitriol with spirit of Nitre a far greater Mercury with Oil of Vitriol will not stir nor with Oil of Sulphur But with spirit of Nitre presently boils up Hence Mercury is a subacid Metal spirit of Nitre being a subalkalizaâ— Acid. The filings of Iron oâ— Steel with Oil of Vitriol make a fair Bullition likâ— that of Minium But spirit of Nitre makes them boiâ— with much celerity Hence Iron is likewise a subacid Metal Steel prepared with Sulphur maketh a far less Effervescence with the same spirit of Nitre than do the filings Hence there is a great difference in their strength So that ten grains of the filings unprepared will go as far as fifteen grains or more of those which are prepared as above-said Yet â—n some cases the weaker and milder may be the better There is one circumstance in the mixture of Steel and Aq. fortis which is surprizing and that is this That strong Aqua fortis dropped upon Steel will not of it self make thâ— least Bullition but if here to you only add a drop oâ— two of Water they presently boil up with very greâ—â— vehemency The cause is obscure yet it is well known thaâ— Water it self will dissolvâ— Iron so that it appears as well by this as by somâ— other Experiments thaâ— even in Water as mild aâ— it
gentle in their operation and fit for Children Sheeps and Calves Bones both of them make a Bullition yet a little higher especially with spirit of Nitre Cocks Bones somewhat higher than the former Cranium humanum a little higher than all the rest Bones likewise being calcined make a Bullition with Acids And so doth also calcined Harts-horn But in neither of them is the Bullition advanced by Calcination any thing comparable to what it is in shells Whence it appears That the Salt of Horns and Bones is much more volatile than that of Shells Next for Flesh and the several Viscera And first dryed and powdered Mutton with Oyl of Vitriol stirs not at all But with spirit of Nitre makes a small Bullition and huff Sheeps Heart doth the like somewhat more apparently Vipers flesh produceth a froth but huffs not Powdered Earth-worms make a great froth and huff a little Powdered Tripe makes only a little Bullition Lamb-stones do the like Kidney Spleen and Liver with some elevation Lungs with bubbles very large because extraordinary slowly Dryed Brain makes also a little and slow Bullition Hence there is a greater proportion of Sulphur or Oyl and less of an Alkaly in all these parts than there is in Bones Shells and divers other parts hereafter mentioned And in some of them as in the Brain that Salt which there is may rather be lodged in some sanguineous parts mixed with them than in their own proper substance I proceed to instance in all sorts of Animal Contents And first raw Silk with spirit of Nitre makes a very small Bullition but the elevation is considerable The grumous part of the Blood dryed with Oyl of Vitriol stirs but little But with spirit of Nitre it huffs up considerably Serum of Blood dryed with the same spirit makes a plain elevation with a little Bullition Herewith may be reckoned the White of an Egg which is nothing but a pure Crystalline Serum separated from the common stock This being dryed with spirit of Nitre huffs up rather more than even the grumous part of the Blood the bubbles are much larger break oftner and the elevation sooner made Whence it seemeth that there is a greater quantity of a volatile Alkaly in proportion to the Sulphur requisite to the Generation than to the Nutrition of an Animal The Yolk of an Egg is scarce moved with spirit of Nitre producing only a very few Bubbles The Salt being either little alkalizate or else immersed in so great a quantity of Oyl that the Menstruum cannot reach it For the same reason Sperma Ceti stirs not with any Acid. Neither doth Civet Russian Castor with Oyl of Vitriol stirs not But with spirit of Nitre makes a considerable huff and froth Yet it requires time Wherefore it seemeth That Castor by virtue of its alkalizate Sulphur becomes so good a Corrector of the acido-alkalizate Sulphur of Opium so I take leave to call it having some reasons to believe it such Musk with Oyl of Vitriol stirs not But with spirit of Nitre it makes a considerable and quick Bullition with large bubbles which often break and rise again Whence there is a very eminent difference betwixt Musk and Civet Hence also Musk is Cordial not only from its Sulphur but its Alkaly by both directly opposite to preternatural Acidities Dryed Gall with spirit of Nitre for some time is still but at length it makes a considerable Bullition and froth The reason why it is so long before it begins is because the Salt as was observed of some other Parts is locked up in so great a quantity of Oyl The abundance whereof is manifest not only from Destillation but also from hence In that the dryed Powder in lying by incorporateth all together into one body as Mirrh and some other softer and oily Gums are used to do Extract of Vrine with spirit of Nitre makes a Bullition with some Effervescence which continues for a considerable time and at last it huffs up with great bubbles The Bullition begins presently the Salt being copious and the Oyl but little The same Extract of Vrine makes a considerable bullition and froth not only with spirit of Nitre but even with Oyl of Vitriol Hence the Salt of Vrine is more alkalizate than that in most of the afore-said Contents From this and some of the following Experiments it also appears That the Salt which concurs to the generation or constitution of Gravel or of a Stone in the Kidneys or Bladder is of a very different nature from the Salt of Vrine Next for Dungs And first dryed Goats-dung makes with spirit of Nitre a small bullition but no elevation That of Mice the like And that of Cows So that of all I have tryed these three stir the least Goose-dung with spirit of Nitre makes a very small bullition and some elevation But it requires time Oyl of Vitriol stirs it not Album Graecum with spirit of Nitre besides innumerable small bubbles rises up with some great ones exactly resembling the huffing up of Yest or Barm Also with Oyl of Vitriol it maketh some little froth but slowly So that it should seem that the Bones are a little opened by some acid Menstruum in the Dogs stomach as the body of Steel is in its preparation with Sulphur whereby it becomes a good mild Topick in Quinzies Hens dung with spirit of Nitre makes a very great bullition and huff greater and quicker than any of the rest above-named But of all I have tryed Pigeons dung with the same Spirit maketh the greatest and the quickest Effervescence and huff and that not without steams Yet neither the same Dung nor that of Hens is moved in the least with Oyl of Vitriol The cause of so great an Effervescence in these more than in the rest is that white part which is here mixed in a great quantity with the Dung Which white part descendeth not from the Stomach but is an Excrement separated from the Blood as are Gall and the Succus Pancreaticus by a peculiar Organ which evacuates it into the Intestinum rectum whence together with the Stercus it is excluded Hence it is evident That in the said white part of Hen's and especially Pigeons dung is contained a great quantity of a volatile Alkaly I proceed to Salts And first Salt of Blood and Vrine both make a more durable Effervescence with Acids than doth Salt of Wormwood or Salt of Fern. Hence the former are more alkalizate than the latter Again though divers other Animal Salts will not stir with Spirit of Salt or with Oyl of Sulphur or Vitriol yet the Salt of Blood will make an Effervescence with all kinds of Acids Whence it is further argued to be highly alkalizate and very proper for the correction of all sorts of preternatural Acids in the body There is little doubt but that Spirit of Harts-horn will do the like The Tartar or Gravel which precipitates out of Vrine with Oyl of Vitriol makes no bullition in the
is there is some kind oâ— corrosive Principle Antimony with spirit oâ— Nitre and Aq. fortis severally maketh an Effervescence somewhat lower than Iron With Oil of Vitriol the Bullition is so small as difficultly to be perceived with a Glass Hence it seemeth to be of a very compounded nature if I may so call it a subacido-alkalizate Metal Crocus Metallor with spirit of Nitre makes a very little Effervescence Whence the Metalline Salt is not wholly lost in the preparation but only diminished Antimonium Diaphoreticum with Spirit of Nitre and Oil of Vitriol severally makes a considerable Effervescence Wherefore it is not an useless Preparation as from the Calcination and Ablution used therein some have thought Bezoardicum Minerale that upon which I made tryal stirreth not at all either with Alkalies or Acids To which let those who make use of it have regard Tin with Spirit of Nitre makes so hot and vehement an Effervescence that it turns presently as it were into a Coal It makes also a fair Bullition with Oyl of Vitriol And a gentle one with Spirit of Salt Wherefore it hath something of the nature both of Iron Lead and Copper The like remarkable circumstance is seen in the mixture of Aq. fortis with Tin as with Iron For Tin and Aqua fortis of themselves will not stir but add a few drops of Water to them and they boil up with the greatest vehemency Copper with Spirit of Salt and Oyl of Vitriol severally stirs not at all Spirit of Nitre and Aqua fortis both boil it up vehemently Neither Spirit of Harts-horn nor Spirit of Salt Armoniac maketh any Bullition therewith But both of them by a gentle solution that is gently separating its Sulphur from its Salts turn it blue Hence Copper hath a greater proportion of acid than any of the forementioned Metals Silver neither with Spirit of Salt nor Oyl of Vitriol makes any Bullition With Spirit of Nitre it makes one but 't is soon over and then continues to dissolve slowly into white Coagulations It also maketh with Spirit of Harts-horn or of Salt Armoniac a full and deep blue Hence there is a greater proportion of acid in Silver than in Lead Mercury Iron Antimony Tin or Copper Litharge of Silver maketh the greatest Effervescence with Oyl of Vitriol Yet some with Spirit of Nitre And with Spirit of Salt Armoniac maketh some little huff or elevation And being mixed with Spirit of Nitre and Spirit of Salt Armoniac both together produceth a faint blue Hence although the far greater part of this Litharge be but Lead yet it seems it hath some small mixture of Silver But that of Gold seemeth for contrary reasons not to have any Gold Gold maketh no Effervescence with any single Salt I know of But it is commonly dissolved with Aqua Regis which is known to be a very alkalizate Liquor Whence it seemethâ— That as Lead is the most alkalizate so Gold the most acid of Metals These things considered and other observations added hereunto may possibly give some directions not only for the ordering and using but even for the making imitating and transmuting of Metals Thus far of Metals I will next give one or two Instances of tryal upon Sulphurs And first Sulphur vive with Aq. fortis maketh an apparent Bullition but it is some time before it begins But the factitious or common Brimstone maketh scarce any if any at all So that there is no small difference betwixt them White and yellow Arsenick make no Bullition either with Alkalies or Acids Wherefore the strength of its operation on the Body lies more in a Sulphur than a Salt The ashes either of Pit-Coal or Sea-Coal make no Effervescence with Alkalies or Acids Whence the saline Principle is altogether volatile and sublimed away by the fire Lastly for Salts And first of all Borax maketh no Effervescence nor any Fumes with Oyl of Vitriol or Spirit of Nitre Hence it is of a very different nature from Salt Armoniac Oyl of Vitriol and Nitre make fumes or steams though no Effervescence Green Vitriol with Spirit of Harts-horn is scarcely moved White Vitriol with the same Spirit maketh a conspicuous huff And Roman Vitriol a vehement Effervescence Whence the former is the least acid and the latter the most of all Which also confirms what I said before of the like natures of the several Metals to which they belong Salt of Vitriol though a fixed Salt and made by Calcination yet maketh no Effervescence with the strongest acid but only with Alkalies as may be seen upon their mixture but much better heard by holding the mixture to ones ear Hence there are fixed Acids Which further confirms what I have above asserted concerning the nature of Gold scil That the predominant Salt thereof is a fixed Acid. Sal Martis with Spirit of Harts-horn maketh a considerable huff Hence it is much more acid than green Vitriol and is therefore a cooler body Alum and Sp. of Harts-horn make a plain Effervescence Saccharum Saturni with Oyl of Vitriol stirs not at all With Spirit of Salt huffs a little With Spirit of Nitre much more Hence the acid of the Vinegar and not the Alkaly of the Lead is the predominant Principle Common Salt stirs neither with Spirit of Salt nor with Spirit of Nitre nor with Aq. fortis But with Oyl of Vitriol it maketh a great Effervescence with noise and steams Hence even common Salt though it be not reckoned amongst alkalizate Salts yet is far nearer in nature to that than to an acid Hence also the Spirit of Salt is a subalkalizate Acid and of a very different nature from Oyl of Sulphur or Vitriol Salt Armoniac with spirit of Nitre stirreth not But with Oyl of Vitriol it maketh a great Effervescence Hence spirit of Nitre is a subalkalizate spirit Oyl of Vitriol and spirit of Nitre though both acids yet make a great smoak greater than that which the spirit maketh of it self Which confirms the last preceding Corollary Oyl of Vitriol and spirit of Salt though both acids yet make a strong Effervescence with noise and fumes Which further confirms what was noted before scil that Spirit of Salt is a subalkalizate Acid Spirit of Salt Armoniaâ— with Oyl of Vitriol make an Effervescence so extraordinary quick and as iâ— were instantaneous thaâ— nothing seemeth quicker Whence it is probable That if Gun-powder werâ— made of Salt Armoniac instead of Nitre or with both mixed together it would be far stronger than any kind now in use And thus far for Minerals I have only one Corollary to add from the whole which is That whoever doth undertake the Natural History of a Country such as that the Learned Dr. Plot hath excellently performed of Oxford-shire the foregoing Method seemeth so easie cheap and indeceitful for the finding out and well distinguishing the natures of all kinds of Metals Ores Salts Earths Stones or other subterraneal bodies as cannot I think be supply'd but by others of greater
to reckon them amongst Mineral Bodies As for Nitre by mixing of four Liquors together and then setting them to shoot I have obtained Crystals of true and perfect Salt which have had much of a nitrous tast and would be melted with a gentle heat as Nitre is and even as easily as Butter it self I mean not by the addition of any sort of Liquor or any other body to dissolve it but only by the fire And as for a Sea-Salt that I might Imitate Nature for the making hereof I consider'd That the Salt so called was nothing else but Animal and Vegetable Salt freed from its true Spirit and Sulphur and some Saline particles specifically Animal or Vegetable together with them For both Animal and Vegetable bodies being continually carried by all Rivers into the Sea and many likewise by Shipwrack and divers other ways immersed therein they are at last corrupted that is their Compounding parts are opened and resolved Yet the Resolution being in the Water is not made precipitately as it is in the Air but by degrees and very gently Whence the Sulphurious and other more Volatile parts in their avolation make not so much hast as to carry the more fixed Saline parts along with them but leaveth them behind in the Water which imbibeth them as their proper Menstruum And the Imitation of Nature herein may be performed thus Put as much of a Lixivial Salt as you please into a wide mouth'd bottle and with fair Water make a strong Solution of it so as some part thereof may remain unresolved at the bottom of the bottle Let the bottle stand thus for the space of about half or three quarters of a year all the time unstopped In which time many of the Sulphurious and other more Volatile parts gradually flying away the top of the unresolved Salt will be incrustate or as it were frosted over with many small and hard Concretions which for their nature are become a true Sea-Salt Whereof there is a double proof First In that most of the said Concretions are of a Cubical or very like Figure Especially on their upper parts because having a fixed body for their basis their under parts therefore contiguous thereto are less regular Whereas the parts of Salt in the Sea being environed on all sides with a fluid their Figure is therefore on all sides regular Secondly In that a strong Acid Spirit or Oyl being powred upon a full body'd Solution hereof yet it maketh herewith no Ebullition which is also the property of Sea-Salt And thus much for the more general Imitation of Bodies Instance III. FROM the aforesaid Premisses and by the aforesaid Means there is no doubt to be made but that also the other sensible Qualities of Bodies may be Imitated as their Odours and Tasts And that not only the general ones as Fragrant or Astringent but also those which are specifical and proper to such a species of Bodies Thus for example by mixing several Bodies together in a due proportion I have Imitated the Smells of divers Vegetables as of Tansy of Lignum Rhodium and others And I conclude it feasable To Imitate the Tast or Smell of Musk or Ambergreece or any other body in the world Instance IV. HENCE also we may be Taught How to Imitate the Faculties as well as other Qualities of Bodies The reason is because even these have no dependance upon any substantial Form as in the first Part of my last Book of the Anatomy of Vegetables I think I have in a few lines clearly made out but are the meer result of Mixture effected by the same Causes whether in Nature or Art as also in the premisses of this Discourse hath been shew'd Instance V. FROM whence again it is likewise a Key to Discover the Nature of Bodies For how far soever we can attain to Mingle or to Make them we may also know what they are For Bodies are mingleable either of themselves or by some third As to those which mingle of themselves we may certainly conclude That there is a congruity betwixt them in some respect or other So upon various tryals I find that Essential Oyls do more easily imbibe an Acid then an Alkaly Whence it is evident That there is some congruity and similitude betwixt Essential Oyls and an Acid which there is not betwixt the said Oyls and an Alkaly As to those that mingle only by some third we may also certainly conclude That though the two extreams are unlike yet that they have both of them a similitude to or congruity with that third by which they are united Moreover We may make a Judgment from the Manner or Degree of Mixture Thus the Acid Spirit of Nitre as is said will coagulate Oyl-Olive and render it consistent Whence it might be thought That any other strong Acid will do the like and that therefore there is no great difference in the Nature of the said Acid Liquors But the contrary hereunto is proved by Experiment For having digested the same Oyl in the same manner and for a much longer time with strong Oyl of Sulphur although it thence acquired some change of Colour yet not any Consistence Again Because the said Spirit of Nitre coagulates Oyl-Olive it might be expected it should have the same effect upon Oyl of Anise-seeds or at least that if other Acids will coagulate Oyl of Anise-seeds that this should do it best But Experiment proveth the contrary For of all I have tryed Oyl of Vitriol is the only Acid that doth it instantaneously Oyl of Sulphur if very strong will do it but not so soon nor so much Aqua fortis and Spirit of Salt for the present do not at all touch it And Spirit of Nitre it self will not coagulate it under eight or ten hours at least Instance VI. LASTLY and consequently It is a Key To Discover the Medicinal Vse and Operation of Bodies Thus for example by the Imitation of Rosins and Resinous Gums we certainly know what all of them are and when and wherefore to be used For what are Mastick Frankincense Olibanum Benzoin and other like Rosins or Resinous Gums for their principal and predominant parts that is qua Rosins but Bodies resulting from Natural in like manner as I have shewed they may be made to result from Artificial Mixture That is to say the Oleous and Acid parts of Vegetables being both affused and mingled together per minima in some one Vessel of a Plant they thus incorporate into one consistent and friable body which we call Rosin Now from hence it is that the said Rosins and Resinous Gums as also Amber and Sulphur for the same reasons are of so great and effectual Vse against most thin and salt Rheums sc. as they are Acido-oleous Bodies For by their Acid parts which in all these Bodies are exceeding copious they mortifie and refract those salt ones which feed the Rheum And by their oleous parts the same salt ones are also Imbibed Whence they are all in some degree incorporated together that is the Rheum is thickned which is the desired effect Whereas on the contrary if the Cough proceed not from a thin and especially a salt Rheum but from a Viscous Flegm the use of many other Bodies which are also more oleous and abound not so much with an Acid as these do especially some of them is more proper such as these in this case proving sometimes not only ineffectual but prejudicial Since the very Cause of the said Viscousness of Phlegm is chiefly some great Acidity in the Blood or in some other part as may be proved by divers arguments Many more Instances might be hereunto subjoyned and may hereafter be offered to the acceptance of such who are inquisitive into matters of this Nature If I shall not herein anticipate or reiterate the Thoughts and Observations of those two accurate and Learned Persons Dr. Willis and Dr. Walter Needham as to what the one hath already published and both have put us in expectation of But the Instances already given are sufficient to evidence what I have said And I hope this present Discourse to prove in some measure thus much That Experiment and the Common Notions of Sense are prolifick and that nothing is barren but phancy and imagination FINIS * First Book of the Anatomy of Plants