by reaſon of its corroſiveneſſe the cauſe of the gout, colick, ſtone, &c.
3. This feces being diſtilled yeelds a ſharp Spirit, and fetid Oil, which leave behind them a ſaltiſh ſubſtance, out of which when the ſalt is extracted, there remaines an inſipid earth.
Now if any ſhall object againſt what I have aſſerted, and ſay that Aquavitæ, or Spirit of Wine are inebriating, the cauſes of palſie, gout, ſtone, colick, weak ſtomacks, and ſuch like as wee fee by daily experience in thoſe that are given to the drinking of theſe Liquors to which I anſwer it is true: but then I muſt diſtinguſh of Aqua vitæ, and Spirit of Wine, for there is. a common Aqua vitæ, and Spirit of Wine, of which alſo they make Anniſ-ſeed-water by putting a few Anniſ-ſeeds thereunto, and other ſuch like Waters, as Clove, Angelica, Lemmon, &c. With which this Nation is moſt abominably cheated, and their health impaired. But theſe are not rectified throughly, but three parts of four of them are an inſipid Narcotick flegme, containing in it the feces I ſpake of, all which I can in a day ſeparate from the true pure Spirit, which spirit rather prevents, then, cauſes ſuch diſtempers: And the truth is, all the goodneſſe of the Wine is from this pure Spirit.
FIrſt we muſt underſtand that there are three acceptions of the word Homunculus in Paracelſus, which are theſe.
- Homunculus is a ſuperſtitious image made in the place, or name of any one, that it may contain an aſtrall and inviſible man; wherefore it was made for a ſuperſtitious uſe.
- Homunculus is taken for an artificiall man, made of Sperma humanum Maſculinum digeſted into the shape of a man, and then nourished and increaſed with the eſſence of mans blond; and this is not repugnant to the poſſibility of nature, and art. But
