Philosophical Transactions/Volume 4/Number 52
Numb. 52.
PHILOSOPHICAL
TRANSACTIONS.
October 17. 1669.
The Contents.
A particular Accompt
SInce it cannot but considerably conduce to the rendring a rationale accompt of the Cause of such Fiery Eruptions, as are frequently made by divers Mountains, if the matters, by them cast up, be well examined, in regard that if they are found to be of an easily inflamable nature, they may quickly kindled by some falling stones, which breaking in pieces may strike sparks into and so set on fire such combustible matter, they light upon; It was thought, it would not be amiss, by the favour of our friends in Sicily, to procure from clue lately flaming Mount there, what Minerals they should be able to get upon the place. And accordingly we received by a ship lately arrived from Messina;
First, a good quantity of Ashes, taken up in divers parts of and about Ætna; some at the top or mouth of the new made Mountain; some a mile off, some four, some ten miles, some but halfe a mile distant, and others on the skirts of the said Mount; whereof the four first were found to agree well enough with their distances, but the two last to differ much both from the former and from one another; the former 4. sorts having been found very dry like dust, but the two latter being still very moist, though in Sicily (as we are informed) they have layn exposed a good while to the hot Sun; besides that the two last differ from one another, in that one sort of them consists of hard and final lumps, the other, of very soft durty grains, yet both moist and of a vitriolate taste.
Secondly, Some of the Cinders, which the people of Sicily call Sciarri, whereof some are courser, taken up at some distance from the Mouth; and of these some black, with a crust of Brimstone, some of a red hew; others finer, said to be got out of the gutturs of fire at the very Mouth. Both these kinds are light; but then there is a third sort of Stone, very solid and ponderous, which seems to be made up of a conflux of divers Minerals, melted together.
Thirdly, A piece of Sal Armoniack, and several pieces of Sandever, besides those moist Vitriolate Ashes above mentioned.
All which was accompanied with a Mapp of that part of the Country, where the Fire hath run; in which Mapp the annexed Scale of a Mile shews, that the Fire spred about 3. miles in breadth, and 17. miles in length; the same being now quite extinct, but that only in the clefts or hollowness's of the rocks of Sciarri some fite still remains glowing.
The Observations of the former we shall here declare, as he presented them in writing to the R. Soc. the 17th of December 1668, which was as follows;
YOu may remember, that about 3. weeks since I brought the Testiculos Cuniculorum marium dissected in several shapes; which appear'd to several or this illustrious Company, as well as to my self, to be indeed made up of Vessels; and I then had particularly show'd them to M. Hook and some others, and the manner how they lay; who seem'd to be fully satisfied by the help of a good Glass, they then made use of. And being, desired, to give in the Account in writing, I cannot but affirm here, that I find the Vessels in the Testes of this kind of Animals to lye in round folds, in the manner of the little intestins, but both ends of each roll meeting at their insertion, which seems to be made into the Ductus Nervosus: And every one of these little rolls are very curiously embroidered with other vessels, which I Judge to be Veins and Arteries by reason of their reddish colour; appearing in them even to the bare Eye.
These little rolls ly in ranges, having a kind of vniformity not unpleasant to behold by a good light. But I do not mean, that every one of these rolls is one entire tube, but consists of many tubes, besides the said Embroidery of Veines and Arteries: For, when I cut one of the said rolls transverse, there seem'd to me (and so, I suppose, will it do to any, that think it worth examining,) 5. 6. or more distinct tubes in one roll, contain'd as 'twere, in one common membranula; but the fine texture and tenderness of them is such, that they will not admit of expansion in such a manner, as some other Testes will, and especially as that of a Ratt is said to doe by Dr de Graeff (if we mistake him not;) yet if it shall appeare; that they are really made up of vessels, though of never so many sorts, I humbly conceive you will not think the Experiment lost, because I suppose the chief thing intended by these trials to be, that it may be well known, what indeed the Body of the Testes is made of; Whether indeed it be a Congeries or Vessels and Liquors without any intermediate substance, as was asserted by me to many of this Honorable Company, several years agoe, concerning most if not all parenchymous parts, which was inserted in Numb. 18 of the Ph. Transactions, since which time I have made several Experiments of the same kind, about the Testes, the Pancreas, and other so esteem'd Glands; and as far as I have examined them, I find them to be only a Texture of fine Tubes or ducts, with more or less liquor, without any other substance.
But perceiving, the Testes of several Animals to be variously composed and intertext; I proceeded ad Testiculos Tauri, which I have dissected and ordered several wayes; some boyled, others broiled, broiled, others infused in Spirit of wine, hot and cold; &c. and upon the best examination, I can make, I cannot see any of this intermediate substance, or indeed anything else, that is not Vessel or Liquor.
Now in obedience to your comands, I have added another Experiment, and that is Testiculi humani, (the exact knowledge of whose fabrick we suppose to be chiefly aimed at in this kind of Inquiry,) hoping to prove it clearly, and perhaps to put it out of dispute, That it is nothing else but a Congeries of Vessels of various forts, and their several Liquors; and that there is no such thing as an intermediate substance (by what name soever it be call'd;) And to demonstrate this, I think, it will evidently appear: to the bare Eye, by what I have here expanded,* which is the true genuine substance Testiculi humani, I mean, the Body of it, after the Tunica albuginea is remov'd, without any addition or diminution, excepting only what Liquors are dryed up during the time of the Expansion, which could not he prevented in making such a Scheme of it,
*See Fig. 1. which represents only the 4th or 5th part of what was exhibited of the same testis after the same manner with this on Glass. as this is. And this is continued from one end to the other of the Glass, on which you see it exhibited, in several places, without breaking; which breaking yet does not at all prejudice the truth of this Experiment. And although I had not time to open every part, which you see to belike that substance, I deny; yet I can order it so, as to show you with ease, that that also i nothing but Congeries of Vessels, as aforesaid, not yet opened; fix on what part you please.
And if it should be objected, that this may be drawn out into seeming Vessels, which yet may not be really such; I answer, that these Vessels have the same appearance in the Body of the Testis, as to denote them such, before they are drawn out; and in the extension it does sometimes so happen, that one of them will extend easily near halfe a yard long, before it breaks, though so exceeding delicate and tender, as you may imagine: And when it is thus extended, it hath a kind of resemblance of the corrugations of the Epididymis, and keeps the same figure and magnitude in the whole extent of them, as to the sight, unless they begin to dry, and then you may see them loose their giratians upon stretching: as you may see of both sorts on the Glass above mentioned.
And if the greatest part of these Vessels are Arteries, or other Vessels, that immediately receive liquors from them; I may prove, I think, from another Experiment, made by Injection into a part of the Arteria præparans, before I began to expand the Body of the Testis; whereupon opening the part, which I saw discoloured, I found, that many of these Tubes had received some of the fine particles of that matter, which I tinged my injected Spirit with.
And to prevent another Objection, that might arise, viz. That these particles might possibly change their colour only outwardly; I used other endeavours to assure my self, that the said particles were indeed included within the Cavities of these tubes. In the doing of which, I did moisten those two Tubes with Spirit of wine, to see whether that would remove of alter thoseparticles; but finding no such thing, I prickt an open'd with a fine needle part of the containing tube; whereupon I saw issue forth several of those liquid particles afore-mentioned: Which assures me farther that this is a mere Scheme or Congeries of vessels.
I have made several other Experiments of this kind, about other parts of the Body; not to mention the Muscles, Heart, and Kidneys, because I suppose, that few men will now undertake for a parenchyma in them. And as I have opportunity, I shall shew, I hope, that all forts of Glands (so called) are nothing else but Vessels (and their Liquors) variously wrought, and receptacles of several Liquors for divers uses; the difference of which alters their Colour, Consistence &c. My meaning is, that there is in no reputed Gland any other thing, than in the Body of the Testis, viz. That it hath not this or that intermediate substance, but that the Liquors, regularly come and goe to and through them in fine tubes (in such and such heaps and figures, as may make them appeare so and so form'd in several parts of the Body, where they are scituated;) As also, that the more conspicuous Vessels of the Body have other vessel, that help to makeup their Coats, and serve for the nourishment of the same, besides such, as import or export those liquors, for the conveyance of which they were designed for common use. But of this hereafter, as occasion shall serve.
So farr Dr King: Aa to Dr. de Graeff, we shall deliver what he lately imparted to us upon this subject, in his own words, extracted out of his Letter dated July 25. 1669, at Delst: accompanied cum Testiculo Gliris dissoluto, & transmisso in Spiritu vini; represented in Fig. II.
Quod Clar. D. Clarck ait, Se parenchyma (quod succum quendom denotare dicit assusum vel effusum & aliquomodo concretum in vasculorum & fibrillarum interstitiis,) in Testiculis vivorum & aliorum etiam animelium, testimonio sensuum oftendere posse; hoc Ego, pace tanti viri dixero, nonnise Autopsià edoctus admittere possum. Quandoquidem sæpissimè Hominum aliorumque Animalium testiculos, exceptis tenuis simis quibusdam membranulis, ita dissolverim, ut ne umbra quidemtalis parenchymatis remaneret; imò, quod magis est, quorundam Animalium testiculos ita dissolvi, ut visus acie no quidem membranulæ illa conspicerentur. Et ut verba mea factis comprobem, mitto ad Te Gliris testiculum meo modo dissolutum, ut videas, an Glandule tales in Testibus (quales proponit Clar. Dn. Clark in Epist. sua, 18 Maji. 1668. Transactionibus Philosophicis inserta) vel etiam Parenchymatale, quale in Epist. sua 10 Maji, 1669. describit, reperiatur. In hunc feré modum reliquorum Animalium Testiculos dissolvere possum, câ tamen diversitate, ut in nonnullorum Testibus aliquæ membranulæ tenuis simæ, & in quorundam, radix præterea Epidymidis Highmori remaneat.
So farr these two industrious Physitians; which though it looks very fair to evince, that the Testes of Animals are made up of nothing but Vessels and their liquors, yet doth our Learned and Inquisitive Dr. Timothy Clarck, and divers other Ingenious and expert Amtomists and Physitians still doubt, whether that be so indeed, considering that not only it cannot be denyed, that this curious heap of Strings or suppos'd Vessels was at first cov'red all over with a Mucous matter (which in so fine and tender a part may well be thought to serve for a parenchyma,) but also that Monsieur de Graeff must himself grant, that in the said part there are found certain smal Membrans besides those Vessels, he is asserting; such another substance being conceived to be highly necessarry to serve for a medium, whereby that compounded liquor, which from the greater Vessal passeth into the minute arteries, nerves and lympheducts of the testes, may be secreted, and according to the different nature and figure of their several particles conveyed into those several small and subtil vessels.
An Extract of a Letter
My Lord
IN obedience to the commands of the Right Honorable the Lord Ambassadour for Barbary, I present your Lordship with a Phœmonenon and matter of fact in Nature, which, for its rarity and prodigiousness, may, with a lesser check to me from your Lordship for the presumption, and a lesser regret for the avocation, obtain the favour of your perusal. The thing is evident, and shews itself, and can withall be attested by thousands, but above all the rest by his Excellency, the said Lord Ambassadour, who was an Eye-witness of it, and imposed this task on me, of giving your Lordship a perfect Narrative of the wonder, which is as follows;
Elizabeth Trevers, 23. or 24. years of age, fair of complexion, brown-hair'd, of an healthy constitution, low of stature, of honest repute, but of mean and poor parentage, near this Town, was on Friday July 3d, 1669. in good health, and went well to bed, where she took as good rest and sleep, as ever before, but in the morning, when she awaken'd, and attempted to turn herself in her bed, was not able, finding her Breasts so swell'd, than she was affrighred to an astonishment. Then endeavoring to sit up, the weight of her Breasts fastned her to her bed; where she hath layn ever since, yet whithout all pain and weakness either in her Breasts, or in any other part.
This being nois'd abroad, several Physicians and Chyrurgions resorted to her: some proposed cutting off her Breasts, which I was wholly against, advising for the present only an emollient and temperately warme fotus, and once gave her a Bolus with ******; upon the taking of which she had ten motions deosum, and the swelling somewhat abated; but the Maid was so weaken'd upon it for 2. or 3. days after, that lI durst not attempt any thing of that nature since; sed quiapassa suit suppressionem mensium per sex retrò menses, Diuretica non nulla, & sanguinis menstrui prolectamenta præseripsi, intending also Phlebotomy. The Tubuli or pipes of the Breasts are all very hard and swelled; and indeed the whole breasts seem to be nothing else but those tubuli, and little or nothing of wind or water. As near as we can guess, the left breast weighs about 25. pounds, but the right somewhat less. And the skin of the Back, Neck and Belly seem to be drawn towards the Breasts to serve for the distention. The measures of the Breasts are these;
| See Fig. III. | Feet. | Inch |
| The Circumference of the right Breast | 2. | 7 |
| Of the left Breast | 3. | 1½ |
| The length of the right Breast from-the Coller-bone | 1. | 5½ |
| The length of the left Brest | 1. | 7½ |
| The breadth of the right Breast as it lyes | 1. | 1 |
| The breadth of the left | 1. 4½ |
Thus farr, My lord, the matter of fact, faithfully related.
Now what should occasion those monstrous tumors of the whole Breasts, and that so suddenly in one night, keeps us in great suspence. There occurs nothing in this point satisfactory in the writings of Platerus, Rhodericus à Castro, Fontanus, Forestus, or any other of the Moderns, that I have seen, writing de Morbis Mulierum, suitable to what may be offer'd upon the Data of the Circulation of the Blood, the Lymphæducts, and the Vasa Chylifera Thoracica, and probably some Capillary vessels branching thence (in their progress to the Sub-clavials) through the Intercostal Muscles into the Breasts. I humbly beg pardon for this tediousness &c. Plymouth, July 18, 1669.
This Narrative having been produced and read at the R. Society, and the Author of it thanked for his communication, and desired to impart what he should further observe in this very odd Accident, he was pleased to write, some while after, a second Letter to the Publisher, as follows;
Sir.
I Had written to you ere this, but that I unhappily mislaid your Letter among other papers; but having, after much search, found it again, I return the Most Honorable Society and you my very humble thanks for your invitation of me to continue my Observations about the vnusuall swelling of the Breasts, heretofore described.
About the beginning of this month, our prodigious woman in Coughing brought up at several times some blood; but this I soon took off; and at that time there appeared several cutaneous ulcers upon her Breasts and other parts, & abundè in verendis (ut à fæminis edocebar) which last I cured; but those on her breasts in part remain, and daily discharge, by the sole application of Cole-leaves, good quantity of sanious matter. And the Patient complaining also at that time of grievous interjuncture pains, especially vpon the Tibia, I suspected &c. and applyed Empl. de Ran, *** and gave her 3. succeeding mornings *** for a dose. The third day, it wrought sursum & deorsum pretty briskly; after which her pains vanish't and many of those vicuscula; and her breasts (which, since her Case; formerly sent up, were grown considerably bigger and very painful) much less'ned, and her pains also; and she, though drooping much before, and out of hopes of life, exceedingly revived. This indicated to me, what I was further to do for her. I gave her on sunday last ***; which wrought upward plentifully; and she daily gets strength since, and her Breasts abate. I designe to salivate her, in hopes to correct that vitious ferment, which is spued out of the Genus nervosum into the Breasts, and contributes much to those tumors. But I shall now stop my hand, &c.
Plymouth Septemb. 17. 1669,
Some Reflexions
- These Notes Were made by the Learned Dr. Daniel Foot, in a friendly Letter of his (dated October 11th. 1669.) to the Publisher, as follows.
Sir
YOur last publisht Transactions N° 51. have adiministred the occasion, and the Candour, I know you posses, hath encouraged me to give you this trouble. In your enlarged accompt of D. Witties Answer to Hydrol. Chymica, p. 1039. l. 21. you say; This I had not here mentioned, but to introduce our Authors weighty remark; That these waters loose all their virtue, yea their quant and bulk also, though in Glasses and under the Hermetick seal, if removed from the fountain-head &c. Now, Sir, 'tis a truth, if not universally, yet generally known and assented to by unlearned as well as learned, that some sort of 
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But though the effect be so plain and manifest, yet the cause thereof seems not to me so plainly discovered; and because you are pleased to your fore-cited words to subjoyne these; And even their quantity and bulk also, though in Glasses and under the Herm. Seal &c: I suppose, you intimate and offer, that the cause of the loss of their Medicinal vertues is upon the loss of their quantity and bulk: which also you aptly strengthen by the authority of the famous Doctors, French, ab Heer, and Frambesarius; and then in a parenthesis you put altogether, and cautiously say (doubtless thorough the loss of the Volatile Spirits) &c. And in the beginning to the very next paragraph you goe on thus; Whatever these Spirits be, that will neither endure to travel from the Place, nor will be confined in any bottle, nor under any seal &c. So that the sum of your Conjecture (for as other you propose it not) is, That this losse consists in the Avolation of some most subtle and penetrating Spirituous parts, not to be imprisoned by any any inclosure imaginable, but will find their way out, and leave the waters bereft of virtue, and decreased in quantiy too, and (what more is) perhaps of their weight also, especially if they loose of their quantity. But to this last you modestly add, Here we want instruction, whether that decrease was as well of weight, as of bulk &c.
That this Conjecture of yours concerning the Cause of the loss of virtues in these waters carried from their Spring, may be true, I do not absolutely deny, but further acknowledge, that it is the sentiment of very many, if not all, Physitians and Naturalists, that have concern'd themselves with the consideration thereof; and I my self have entertained the very same thoughts of it, and doe not now but suppositively relinquish them. But having lately, in reading Tachenius's Hippocr. Chymicus (newly recommended by your self in N°. 50. of your Transact.) found c. 16. somewhat relating to this matter; I began ny the encouragement of his authority to resume some Conjectures touching the same, which I had, if not abandoned, yet kept supprest in silence, which indeed are of another kind, but how true I yet know not. Wherefore I thought, it might not be very un-acceptable to you, if I desired you, publickely to give notice of these Conjectures, that the Learned may reason and find out the truth of them; whence may result no few nor very unuseful discovery's for the increas of knowledge, the benefit or mankind, and the glory of the Creator of all. In order thereunto I desire, you will propose these or such like Queries;
1. Whether by Chymical researches it wes ever yet or cin be found, that such waters as the above-said, ever yielded either a Vinous or an Acid, or any other sort of Spirits, that were either inflammable, or un-inflammable, or dying over the Helm from the fire.
2. Whether all these sorts of Waters, when they are most closely stopt up, and so let stand, or conveyed to some distance, doe not let fall a sd iment (most commonly) yellowish, or of some such colour, when they are become effæte in their vessels.
3. Whether, when they are let stand only, and not moved by carriage, they do not sooner become castrated, and sooner precipitate Ochre to the bottom?
4. Whether such an Ochre is not found in all their Spring-heads, and Streams also; but more in the Head than in the Streams, especially if issued there-from to a good distance.
5. Whether it may not be found upon due Observation, that two Bottles of the said waters, whereof the one being industriously stopped, the other left unstopt, and both equally permitted to stand still or equally moved, will not equally loose their virtues Medicall in the same space of time, and have the same precipitated sediment, and be of the same taste, colour, and alike diminisht in quantity, with divers others such like circumstances?
6. Whether two Vessels, diversified in their matter, and consequently in their parts, pores and figures of the whole (as e. g. a Glass-bottle and an Oxe-bladder, or any two such like) fill'd with such waters, will not-yeild the like Phænomena in all circumstances, as in the 5th, Query are mentioned?
7. Whether it may be devised, how to prevent all precipitation of a sediment in the Waters vesseled up; and then to observe thereupon, whither their vertues would riot be kept entire during. such a prevention?
8. Whether any Observer ever found the Waters enervated but found withall an Ochre, let fall to the bottom or sides of the containing Vessel?
9. To be brief, Whether the Phænomenon of loss of vertues in such Waters may by an Hypothesis of an intestine Precipitation of their parts, wherein those vertues consisted, be as well (if not better) explicated, than by the Hypothesis of an Avolation of Spirituous parts through all Vessels and closures whatsoever?
Which Hypothesis that it may be the better weighed, I shall only exhibit it, and leave it to the ingenious and Learned to conclude concerning it.
First therefore it is generally received amongst most, especially the more polite, Chymical Anchors and Students, That, if any Medical vertues be in Minerals or Metals, it consists in their Sulphurs; which are of a Volatile and Alcalisate property; especially when not intimately conmmix't with, or after commixtion perfectly freed from their Mercurial parts.
Next, its as much received, even to become a Cymical Maxime, That Acids and Alcaly's mutually operate upon one another to a satiety, to an abating, and (if circumstances correspond) to an utter amission or their former activities, and lastly to a production of a Tertium neutrum.
Again they alike conclude, that Salts act best in a State of Solution. All which Premises thus concenter in this Hypothesis;
That the Waters, which materially make some Springs, passing underground by the veine of some Mettal, which yet is in fieri, having first taken up of an Acide Salt which is in the Earth, thereby catcheth hold on the immature Sulphur of that Mettal, and presently glides it along with it self to the Springs orifice, and from the moment of the Sulphur and Acide Salt's meeting and contact begins a mutual action and reaction upon one another which never ceaseth; till both are imperceptibly spent, and blended into a new Body, which then the water lets fall, and we call an Earth, Ochre, or Sediment: After the production of which Ochre, the Medicinal vertues of the immature Sulphur is lockt up into the inseparable embraces of the Acide Salt, and so is lost, or at least disappears. But this mutual action and reaction may last, till the Waters issue out of the Earth, and for some small time longer, and so long their Medical vertues are to be imparted, and no longer.
This, Sir, is the Hvpothesis of Tachenius (if I rightly apprehend him) which I send, not to have it Justlc out the more received one, or any other that may be proposed;, but that it may have its Tryall, and accordingly may live or dye. I could alledge more in its behalf, especially in the particular of such a Body, as we commonly call an Ochre; resulting from divers Experiments of Vitriol: but I have trespassed too much already to hope for pardon from any, but &c.
- An Accompt of two BooksI. GUAGING EPITOMISED, by MICHAEL DARY. London, Printed by W. Godbid 1669, upon one folio page.
A Table of Squares and Cubes is of general use, but more particularly in Guaging, for taking away Proportional work in computing the Contents of Brewers Tuns from inch to inch, or by as great portions as you please; or for making the Tables of Gallon-measure for Mt. Ougthreds Guage-Rod: Yea each kind of Table doth much expedite the Guaging of Caske, as may be seen in this Printed Sheet of Mr Dary, wherein he supposeth, that a Beer or Ale-Gallon contains (according to the late Establishment by Law) 282. Cubical inches; a Wine-Gallon, according to custom and Experiment, 281. Cubical Inches: And he takes an Example (of Canary Pipe) whose diameter at the Boung
Head is 32
22 inches, and Length 44 inches.
And if you suppose the Heads of such a Cask to be two Plains erect to the Axis, and alike remote from the Center, cutting off both ends of the figure produced, then, if the middle frustum,, so intercepted, , be computed as
| The Content in Wine Gallons is about | |||||||||||
| The | Solid Zone | of | a | Sphæroid | 126¼ | ||||||
| Parabolical | 115½ | ||||||||||
| Spindle. | |||||||||||
| two | Cones. | Of the same base and height | 110⅓ | ||||||||
| Parabolical | 112 810 | ||||||||||
| Trunci. | Conoids | ||||||||||
the Method of Calculation being very easy by either sort of Tables, and of great affinity in all these figures. And whereas the Learned have commonly supposed, Cask to be the midle frusta of Spheroids, and given Rules accordingly for Gaaging them, those suppositions, as Vintners and others upon experience assert, are found too much to enlarge the Capacity, so that a Canary Pipe, that is reputed to hold about 126. gallons, upon Experiment hath been found to contain but 116. gallons: And to determine, what figure is most proper to be admitted, ought to be built upon such an Experiment as this;
Conceive a Caske to lye upon an Horizontal Plain with its Axis paralel thereto; and Perpendiculars on the outside of the smooth boards of the Cask to fall; from the Head, Boung, and some intermediate point between, upon the Plain or Floore; and in like manner the axis to be designed: Then find out such a curved line of some property, that may pass thorough the said Points, which conceive to have a rotation about the Axis-line: the round solid so made may be taken to represent the Cask; and in the Writings of Geometers divers Curves are to be found, that are capable of palling through such Points and their round Solids measured. But if the Reader think this too nice and troublesome, and that the Sphæroid way is too great, and the Parabolick spindle too little, then the Author gives scope enough between; showing how to contrive such Rules, as shall best agree with Experience.
AS there are above 60 sorts of different druggs, which are ingredients of this no less difficult than famous and usefull Medicine, which was invented by Andromachus, Physitian to Nero, and as those drugs are subject to be sophisticated, and require different preparations, so there are few men, that are sufficiently skill'd to chuse aright all those ingredients, or dextrous and patient enough to prepare them well. The Author of this Book treats of this celebrated medicament, and not only teacheth the way of composing it, but intersperseth many not in considerable remarkes touching the nature and vertues of all the Druggs, which compose it.
He is of opinion, that commonly there are committed many faults in preparing the Ingredients, of which the Theriack is made up. E. g. When the Vipers are prepared, the custom is to whip them; thereby to make all the venom go to the head, which is cut off when they are sufficiently enraged. They also boile the flesh, thereby to draw forth what venemousness may yet rest therein, and their bones are cast away as useless. Whereas he saith, that it being by Experience evident, that all the venom of the Viper is in his Teeth and Jaws, that whipping is not only to no purpose, but also dangerous, in regard that the Spirits being chased and irritated may beget venom in the body, where was none. He asserts also, that the water, in which the viper-flesh is boyled, carryes away all the vertue; and that the bones that are thrown away are no less useful, than the flesh itself.
He takes further notice, that Opium hath not those ill qualities, which many ascribe to it, who teach, that it suffocateth the natural heat, and that these need no more than 3. graines to dispatch the lustiest man: whereas he assures, that himself hath taken 6 graines of it without having been more stupifyed by it, than he used to be; and that instead of being debilitated, he hath found himself strengthned by it. He adds, that he knows a man o a constitution delicate enough, who hath taken of it to 30. grains, and yet not found any troublesome accident upon it; on the contrary that the Patient hath found himself so well after it, that he continued to take the same dose twice or thrice a week.
He observes also, that whereas it hath been disputed, what might cause the difference of Colour in the White and Black Pepper, some believing, that Pepper gathered before it was ripe, looked white, but became black in ripening; others pretending, that as the same Vine-stocks. which produce white grapes, do not bear black ones, so they are different plants, that bear Pepper of different colour; our Author affirms, that this diversity of Colours proceeds thence, that the black Pepper is covered by its skin, which the white is bared of &c.
ERRATA in Numb. 51/ PAg. 1028. l. 7, r. by at bank of ibid. l. 9. r. preserve this bank. p 1039. l. 33. r. botles well sealed up.
Printed by T. N. for John Martyn Printer to the Royal Society, and are to be sold at the Bell a little without Temple-Bar, 1669.