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Opiologia: or, A treatise concerning the nature, properties, true preparation and safe vse andadministration of opium For the comfort and ease of all such persons as are inwardly afflictedwith any extreame griefe, or languishing paine, especially such as depriue the body of allnaturall rest, and can be cured by no other meanes or medicine whatsoeuer. Dedicated to theillustrious, high and mighty lords, the estates generall of the vnited prouinces in theNetherlands. By Angelus Sala Vincentinus Venitus. And done into English, and somethinginlarged by Tho. Bretnor. M. M.Sala, Angelus, 1576-1637., Bretnor, Thomas, fl. 1607-1618, tr., ed.Table of contents | Add to bookbag

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OPIOLOGIA. OR, A Treatise concerning the Nature, properties, truepreparation and safe vse and Administrati∣on of Opium.

For the comfort and ease of all such persons as are inwardlyafflicted with any extreame griefe, or lan∣guishing paine, especiallysuch as depriue the body of all naturall rest, and can be cured by no

other meanes or Medicine whatsoeuer.

Dedicated to the Illustrious, High and Mighty Lords, the Estatesgenerall of the vnited Prouinces in the Netherlands.

By ANGELVS SALA VINCENTINVS VENETVS. And Done into English,and something inlarged by THO. BRETNOR. M. M.

LONDON, Printed by NICHOLAS OKES. 1618.

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To the Learned, and my worthily respected friends, D. BONHAM, andMaister NICHOLAS CARTER Physitions.

B EE not offended, worthie Doctor, if I presume to pa∣rallel youwith a Physition, which netther is nor wilbe dubbed Doct. for anymans pleasure, nor cares a whit for any clothing in Bysse, howworthy soe•er. For the which I blame him the lesse, sithence

nei∣ther Aesculapius, Hippocrates, Galen, Auicen, nor any other ofthe old stampe euer assumed any such title, though better giuen

them. But tempora mutantur, and therefore now adaies fordistinction and decorum sake it is very conuenient

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and necessarie to giue such attributes, especially to men indowedwith so excel∣lent a qualitie as the true knowledge of Physicke, and

guift of healing is. But how vilely this worthie Science andprofession is traduced and abused! Witnesse the mul∣titude of

Mounte-bankes, Quack-saluers, Horse-leaches, Cunning-women,Imposters and Vpstarts, who hauing learned (my chance) the

Calcining of Mercurie, the preparation of Antimony, or thecompo∣sition of some home-spun medicine, and hauing scraped

together some triuiall ex∣periments out of some old Manuscripts, orfrom some brazen-fac't Bragadotio, will presently forsooth set thePhysition at open defiance, boasting and protesting that they hauesaued the life of twentie, whom such and such a Physition had quiteforsaken and giuen ouer for dead. Nay I haue heard a good fellow (I

will not say a Pharmaco∣paean, and that no simple one neither)bouldly affirme that if hee should not now and then adde or

diminish something from the Physitions Bill, the fat were in the

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fire, and twere as much as the Patients life were worth, aggrauatingthe matter in such manner that my very eares haue glowed to heareit, seeing that by this their scandalous detraction, they arrogate tothemselues and impose vpon the simple people, bringing them intofooles para∣dise! But the Physitions are well enough serued, for ifthey would expulse one packe of these, snaffle another, and take a

little paines with Fernelius, to prepare or see prepared theirprincipall Medicines, and not to be so idle as to giue too much

credit to the Druggist, nor let each giddie-headed fellow be partakerof their secrets, it were doubtlesse better for the Common wealth,more profitable vnto themselues, and more pleasing vnto God: butof this inough. There resteth nothing now (my worthy friends) butthat you would vouchsafe to stand betwixt me and such maliciousde∣tractors; for if they dare baspheme the tall Cedars, what will

they not doe vnto the lower shrubs. The subiect of this trea∣tise isso well knowne vnto you, that how∣soeuer

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some nice and scrupulous persons may make question of the veritieof the passages, or of the safetie and excellencie of the medicine,you are so well instructed in the composition and vertue thereof,

that no wise man will oppose you, some may imagine that I mighthaue made better choice of some famous and remarkable

Collegians for my patrons, but vnto you onely, and vnto that worthieDoctor Gwin am I obliged, whose multiplicity of lear∣ning,

iudgement and discretion, accompa∣nied with affabilitie, humanitieand cur∣tesie is more then apparantly knowne to all your

acquaintance; Let me therefore craue this boone at your hands, thatyou would accept this simple translation as a testimo∣ny of my

louing remēbrance towards you, and that you would defend it fromthe ob∣trectations of scandalous tongues, and you shall euer make

mee

Yours, THO. BRETNOR.

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To the ingenious and indif∣∣ferent Reader.

T HE cause moouing mee (curteous Reader) to trās∣late andpublish this smal Pamphlet, was not onely the scarsitie of theFrench Copies, but the especiall want of such a Treatise in our ownemother-tongue: for not onely the rude multitude and men of someiudgement through vaine delusion and superstitious feare, butmany Physitions themselues through a Galenicall perswasion, makeno small question and scruple whether Opium may bee takeninwardly or not; Nay, I haue knowen men of good discretion so farreinfatuated by conceipt and

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heare say as they haue rather chosen to indure intollerable painesthen they would take three poore graines of well preparedLaudanum: but I cannot greatly blame them, for the naked truth is,many moderne Physitions know not well what to make of it.Forestus Mon∣tanus and many others with Galen ab∣solutelyconclude, that it is stupefying and cold in the fourth degree at least,and therefore not fit to be inwardly ta∣ken at all, but in Syncopesand ex∣treame necessitie; Mercatus is indiffe∣rent. Capiuaccius isforced by com∣mon experience to grant with Auicen, that for itsfoure degrees of coldnesse it is furnished with three of heate inoperation.

But Platerus, Bauhinus, Zwingerus, Scaliger, Quercitanus and othersaffirme with Rhasis, that Opium is rather hot then cold, seeing thatin tasting there∣of it doth Palatum & linguam vrere, caput tentare,Sudorem prouocare, vene∣rem promouere, sitim excitare, pruritum

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insignem parere, animositatem fi•e potius furorem inducere, andbeing outwardly applied doth (contrarie to all cold things) blister

the skinne, discusse and mollifie hard tumors and nodes. Butwhether it bee hot or cold it skils not much, seeing it is confessed ofall true Physitions, that it doth ex forma speci∣fica, naturally resistputrefaction and wonderfully and speedily release the bodie fromintollerable paines: for, let the torments or griefe proceed from whatcause soeuer, either hot or cold, inward or outward it worketh thesame effects, so that this onely Me∣dicine well prepared woulddoubtlesse saue many thousand mens liues that trauaile or faile,sub aequatore vel polo Arctico, into the East Indies or Nor∣thernediscoueries, vnder the hottest or coldest climes in the world, seeingit resembles much the oyle of Vitrioll, Vinegar, Chymicall salts andsuch like, which are giuen with good successe as well in cold as hotdiseases: but what

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needs many words seeing the Author himselfe hath sufficientlydiscouered the benefit hereof, I onely wish you to haue great regardto its preparation: for as in most Physicall Drugges there remainethsome bad qualitie or other which needeth correction, so doth Opiumrequire Vulcans helpe, and other specificall meanes to driue awayits sulphurous malignitie: you may read in Quercetane his answereto Anonimus Cap. 2. and in Sennertus his Institutions Lib. 5. part. 3.Sect. 2. Cap. 1. that the an∣cient fathers of Physicke made theirchiefest Medicines with their owne hands, and intituled them aftertheir owne names, which many retaine to this day, but now the caseis altered; The Merchant he will haue his Factor, his Casher and hisBroker too, the Grocer his Garbler, the Vintner his Cooper, theGold-smith his Forger, the Draper his Cloath-worker and Drawertoo, the Physition his Apothe∣carie, The Apothecarie his Druggist

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and his Workeman too: for few of them make all their owneMedicines. In briefe Iohn wilbe a Gentleman at least. But methinkes, the life of man (so pretious a thing in the sight of God)should not be so little esteemed of as I feare it is in posting ouerhither and thither, I would be loath to be mi∣staken, or haue anyman thinke I goe a∣bout to correct magnificat, or teach othershauing neede of instruction my selfe, but ingeniously (as anyconscio∣nable man ought) declare my opinion, and to let thefriendly Reader know how hee may bee abused if hee looke notabout him; for mine owne part, I wilbe so bold, if able, as to preparethe chiefest Physicke I vse my selfe, and for the Medicine handled inthis booke, they may haue it well don of my friend Harbert Whitfieldin Newgate-Market, of Maister Bromhall, who hath confer∣red withthe Author and some others, no doubt about this towne. And soin∣treating

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thy gentle patience for these rude lines, and thy kinde acceptanceof this homely translation while better is abree∣ding, I euer rest,

Studious of thy health, THO. BRETNOR.

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The Authour his Preface to the Reader.

I Make no question (Curteous Reader) but as soone as this littlePamphlet shall come abroade, there wilbe some which willpre∣sently beginne to taxe mee; saying, what fellow is this Sala? willhee (like a Master) teach vs what Opium is, and how wee shouldpre∣pare an excellent Medicine thereof called Lauda∣num, whichwill presently appease all griefes of the bodie, extinguish allextreame heates in Feuers, stay all Fluxes of the belly, pro•oke quietrest to the diseased, &c. are not these onely two things, the onewhereof hath beene disclosed to the world ma∣ny ages agoe, theother reuealed to vs of late by sundry moderne Physitions, so thatwee stand not in need of his instructions, hee might well inoughhaue spared his breath, to haue cooled his pot∣tage.

To whom I answere first (concerning the na∣turall propertie ofOpium) by demanding of them

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what ancient Physition was there euer, who hath written of, ordeclared the nature and vse of this Medicine so well, or so amplygiuen such in∣fallible and true reasons of its vertue and energie, butthere may remaine some gap open, or some sub∣iect or other toworke vpon, wherein they may bee controuled, and whereto or fromwhence a man may adde or diminish something more or lesse:beleeue me (I thinke) they would haue much adoe to finde me suchan Author; for if it were so, to what ende should they dispute sooften in their publike Aca∣demies and priuate consultations of thenaturall qualities of Opium? were it not a notable argu∣ment ofvaine curiositie rather then of solid iudge∣ment or discretion todispute against a doctrine al∣ready reduced into necessary andirreproueable Maximes as they imagine? But the naked truth is, thatthe vse of Opium is yet doubtfull among the greatest part ofPhysitions: which being gran∣ted, I know no reason but that if it beelawfull for an other to argue and dispute of many things be∣side thecommon conceipt and apprehension of the Ancient: it cannot beaccompted idlenesse or va∣ni•ie in me to vtter my opinion alsobeing grounded vpon rationall termes, and agreeable to theau∣thoritie as well of ancient and moderne Sages as mine ownepeculiar experience and obseruations, collected and gathered forthe instruction and be∣nefit of such onely as shall haue occasion tomake

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good vse of them, not taking vpon me in this tract or any other toteach any man; much lesse those which thinke they know alreadymuch more then my selfe.

Secondly (concerning that obiection that diuers Physitions hauewritten and made mention alrea∣dy of the Chymicall preparation ofOpium as a principall ingredience into that excellent Medicine calledLaudanum) I deny not their assertion, but rather rely vpon theirauthoritie, and am partly satisfied with such things as they hauealready di∣vulged, as may appeare hereafter, yet notwithstan∣dingthe whole world can beare mee witnesse that neither Laudanum northe vse thereof haue beene things commonly knowne; for it is athing most certaine, that among a hundred Physitions andPractitioners in Europe, a man can hardly finde fiftie that will takepaines to read ouer the workes of Paracelfus, or any otherSpagitique which hath written of this subiect; much lesse can thething it selfe bee common or familiar vnto them: among those fiftie amanshall hardly finde twentie which make vse of it: among thosetwentie it were strange to finde ten which are able to pre∣pare itwith their owne hands, and among those ten it were rare to findethree which durst freely pub∣lish or manifest its vertues to theworld, or propound the vse thereof in their priuate and particularconsultations for the benefit of the diseased; or

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maintaine the same for such a soueraigne thing as it is indeed.

I am very well assured that although the most part of our Physitionshere at the Hage doe sometimes make vse of this Medicine, yet aman may trauaile into a hundred Cities in Christendon• where thePhysitions neither vse it nor make any more accompt of it then of athing altogether strange vnknowne and of no vse in the world.

Furthermore, if we come to a popular examina∣tion thereof, I amperswaded that in this very Ci∣tie (notwithstanding the aforesayd)among a thou∣sand men and women which know the name and vseof Treakle, Mithridate and other ordinary Medicinall compositions,and can apply them to their best vse and behoofe when they arediseased or sicke, yet a man can hardly find twentie of them whichhaue once in their liues heard one speake of Laudanum, theknowledge whereof no question had beene as requisite andnecessarie as of either of the aforenamed. What great matter is itthen if Iames, Martin, Francis, &c. knew what Laudanum is, and thevse thereof, when so many thousand men know nothing at all, manyof them in the meane time languishing and complayning ofextreame paines and want of sleepe euen to death, and can finde noease at all, vnlesse by meanes of this ex∣cellent and pretioussecret, or such like: Well then, Let vs put the case that this myTreatise were

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good for nothing else but to inlarge and make knowne the name ofLaudanum among the rude multitude to giue them occasion (when

time and oportunitie shall serue) to inquire and de∣maund for it oftheir Physitions, or of others which shall haue the same by them,whereby they may be assisted and fortified against sundrydaunge∣rous accidents which by no other meanes can be soqu•ckely, safely or easily auoyded; so that if it were for no otherreason then this, my labours (me thinkes) were not vnworthieregard; but the pro∣fit which may redound to many persons by thisdis∣couery is not small, as the discreet Reader may easily perceiuehereafter. To conclude with the common prouerbe, As hee cannotspit sweete whose throat is full of gall, no more can such as arestuffed with their owne passions (thinking themselues onely wise)euer speake well, or com∣mend others labour or knowledge thentheir owne, yet notwithstanding, neither these nor any otherobstacles whatsoeuer, either ought or can hinder the good will andentire affection of him which de∣si•eth the aduancement of Art toGods glorie, the benefit of his neighbour and his owne priuate ioyand contentment.

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Whether Chymicall Medicines in gene∣rall are more violent anddangerous then other ordinarie Medicines are; and whether inrespect thereof a man may lawfully administer them except inde∣sperate diseases onely as some imagne?

A man shall finde some Physitions in the world which (hauing noskill in Chymicall art) being de∣manded of their patients and otherpeople, what they imagine and thinke of Chymicall Medicines andtheir vse ingenerall, will not altogether blame and reprooue them(as not long since many d•d) but in answering perhaps will say, theMedicines are ind•f∣ferent good, but are alwaies more violent anddan∣gerous in their operations then other ordinarie Medicines are,in regard whereof they ought not to be vsed but in desperated•seases onely.

Therfore before we speake any more of Opium, or the Chymicallpreparation thereof (for the bet∣ter purging of chymicall Medicinesand such as vse them from suspition and blame) I thinke it fit∣testto resolue this question on this fashion.

First, it may bee easily perceiued, that these Learned M. M. by thismaner of answering fall into a double error, and are thereforeworthily taxed in two principall points which makes theirconsequence vnsauery and idle. First, that they

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iudge and censure of things whereof they haue no skill, nor exactexperience at all, so that what they answere in this point, is eitherby some vaine con∣iecture, blind tradition, or idle report; secondly,by making no distinction betweene generall and par∣ticular, theycondemne all Chymicall Medicines without exception to be such asa foresaid.

But leauing to reproue the former of these two points, as a thing

exploded by each discreet mans conceipt, let vs insist a little toconfute the later: in pro•ing that they wrongfully impose violenceand churl•shnesse to chymicall Medicines, seeing that vnder thisgeneralitie they doe not only con∣demne those excellent Vomiteriesand Cathar∣tickes of Antimonie and Mercurie, but also all otherkinde of Vomitiues, both meane and gen∣tle, all kind of Vegetable,Deiectories or Purga∣tiues from the strongest to the weakest, euenfrom Scammonie to Aloes and so the very Rose, as also all otherformes and degrees of Medicines, whether they be Diaphoreticke,Diureticke, Vulnerarie, Be•oardicke, Cordiall, Anodyne, Somniferous,Roborating or Specifically ap∣prop•i•tted to diuers parts of thebodie, or resisting diseases of diuers natures, and finally all otherkind of wholesome and necessary Medicines, vsed gene∣rally as welamong the Spag•riques as other ordina∣ry Physitions, differing onlyin maner of their com∣position and preparation.

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Hereby you may at first dash perceiue that if they would speake anything against the vehemence which may subsist in any ChymicallMedicine whatsoeuer, they should change this generall enun∣tiationinto a more particular, and say, among Chymicall Medicines there besome which be vehement and not to say absolutely and generallythat all Chymicall Medicines are so in perfor∣mance whereof we willdo them right, and presently draw them to confesse that wee onelyhaue not some vehement and churlish medicines, but that theythemselues also haue the like, no man can deny.

Seeing therefore we accord in this (as wee can∣not choose) if theywill further aggrauate the for∣mer accusation, they must ofnecessitie prooue that chymicall medicines of a vehement natureare more churlish and daungerous then their ordi∣nary Medicines ofthe same nature are, as al∣so that their milde and gentle PhysickeChymical∣ly prepared, becommeth more dangerous then be∣fore,but (alas good men) they can proue no such matter.

For primarily touching those Chymicall Medi∣cines, which theypretend to be vehement (as those of Antimonie and Mercurievomitiue) there is no question made among vnderstandingPhysitions (besides daily experience) that being compared withthose vehement vomits which the auncien• Physitions haueprescribed, as those of white Hel∣lebore,

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Tythimalls, Spurges, &c. they would bee found as gentle and familiarin their operations, a• Sena and Rheubarbe are in comparison ofScam∣monie, Colocynthis, and other vehement and alt•∣ratiuepurgatiues.

And furthermore, if they should say that they neither vse whiteHellebore, nor Tithymalls in re∣gard of their venemous proprieties,or because they are found daungerous in working, this is the thingwee looke for at their hands, for they can ne∣uer make it appeare,that either Antimony or Mercurie well prepared cause any such

Sympto∣mes in the bodie as these doe: or if they esteeme it a thingfit and requisite to desist from the instituti∣ons of ancientPhysitions, exploding the vse of such Medicines which they finde tobe daungerous; we thinke it far•e more rationall on the other part,(obseruing the main end of the foresaid intentions, and so cuttingoff quite the vsage of euill things,) to appoint and ordaine in theirroome such as are more gentle and familiar.

Here they may finde fault (but nothing to the purpose) and say thatthey custome to make sicke people to vomit is very daungerus, andtherefore to that intent they ought to vse no Med•cine at all▪ &c. Buthauing sufficiently answered this obiection, and proued thecontrarie in my Trea∣tise intituled Emetologia, concerning thenature and vse of vomitiue Medicines, I thinke it

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needlesse to repeate the same in this place.

If notwithstanding what is said these M. M. persist in their opinio•,saying that Antimonie and Mercurie, are Medicines not so free fromMaligne qualitie as I pretend, but that that they in-here and cleaueto the guts, and leaue some se∣cret infection in the blood orRadicall humours, the which in continuance of times comes tomani∣fest it selfe. And these are those common nui∣sances whichmany obiect, thinking thereby to drawe mens, affections after theirowne fan∣tasies.

But this vaine opinion is quickely confuted by plaine and euidentdemonstration when they please, for most men which take eitherAntimonie or Mercurie well prepared, evacuate or cast the same outinto the vessell, whereinto they vomit euen at the very firstoperation of the Medicine either vpward, or downeward, so that ithath beene often found in the excrements, when nature did workethat way first, as sometimes it falleth out.

Secondly, these (being mettallicke and fixed bo∣dies) cannot beeconcocted, or brought into chyle or naturall nutriment by anymeanes, whence it con∣sequently followeth that they cannotintermixe themselues with the blood, or any other substance of thebodie, as all other vegetable and animall Medicines may easily doe,in regard of that Sym∣bolization

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they haue with the foresaid substances, so that the stomacke mayreduce them into chyle at pleasure, which is the cause also that thepoysons of euill plants, serpents and other venemous crea∣turesare more actiue, sodaine and piercing then Arsink it selfe or Realgarminerall.

I could produce a number of other reasons to demonstrate thatChymicall Medicines of a vehe∣ment nature, as principally the twobefore named (against which all this controuersie doth particu∣larlyarise) are more gentle then any violent vo∣mitiue Medicine which

our Ancients prescribed, yea farre more safe then any vomitorievnder Hel∣lebore or any aboue named: but to auoide long discourselet these suffice at this time.

Now let vs come to resolue our selues whether those ordinarieMedicines which be naturally gen∣tle and without any offensiuequalitie, after chymi∣call preparation change their naturallmildenesse, into that which is euill, and so become vehement anddangerous.

Concerning which point wee haue in this dis∣course alreadiespoken some thing in defence of purgatiue Medicines, as those ofmore frequent vse then others among diseased persons, andtherefore wilbe contented to determine the whole matter in thegenerall defence of Diaphoretickes, Diu∣reticks, Alexiteries, &c.chymically prepared.

First, therefore it must of necessity be granted of

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all opponents that euery Medicine ingenerall be∣reaued of itsearthinesse and seculencie▪ and made pure cleane and welldigested by fire must of conse∣quence be lesse hurtfull, lessedangerous, and lesse offensiue, and is also farre more apt to worke,ci•ò∣tutò & miundè (as the Physitions wish) then any crude, earthie,impure or ill prepared Medicine may or can doe by any meanes'possible; the reason is, that when such ill-prepared stuffe is oncegotten into the stomacke of any diseased person, nature (al∣readiestrugling against the disease) becommeth thereby more wearied,ouer-cloyed and oppressed in concocting and seperating thepu•enesse from the impurenesse of such drugges then it wasbefore, and therefore can receiue very little or no comfort at all bysuch Medicines, whereas on the contrary part other medicines(made subtill, actiue, pure and well prepared by art) doe begin todisperce and dilate themselues gently into all parts of the bodie assoone as they are receiued thereinto, and being neuer so littleexagitated or moued by naturall heate assist nature her selfewithout any alteration or distur∣bance at all, and like a good friendaide and pro∣mone her; whereas the other wearieth andtor∣menteth the body like a Tyrant. Moreouer wee may considerthat Chymicall Medicines being pure and neate, as aforesaid, leaueno feculent resi∣dence or corruption in the bodie at all, as otherscommonly doe.

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But if it commeth to passe (as it is not vnlikely) that some shoulddeny these reasons, obiecting that Chymicall Medicines beingsubtill and pure, can more easily disturbe nature, and moue thebody more sodainely then other Medicines do; to whom weanswere, that although among our Chymicall Medicines, there beesome of a subtill Nature, as our distilled oyles, the quintessence ofwine, and other vegetables: and as there be diuers liquors (weacknowledge) very sharpe and piercing; so in like manner be there

some diseases, wherein such Medicines be very requisite andnecessary, where∣as others of a crosse, seculent, and clammysubstance can yeeld no ease or comfort at all; in regard whereofwee ought not to accompt them daunge∣rous or hurtfull, but rathervery beneficiall and wholesome, especially being well applyed andvsed a• all Medicines of what nature soeuer ought to bee.

But vnder colour of these no man ought to comprehend otherChymicall Medicines, or pro∣claime them to bee of such a piercingnature, for comming to purgatiue Medicines extracted (be∣ing of asappie, thicke, and condense forme) wee know well that they arenot nor cannot bee so sub∣till or piercing as oyles, nor are calledsubtill in regarde of their penetratiue vertue, but rather becausethey are farre more easily conuer∣ted into Liquors, then thesubstances from whence

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they are extracted, and therefore ought in no ease to be calledirritatiues.

Experience her selfe teacheth vs that the ex∣tract of Mechoacan,Rheubarbe, or Sena (being gentle Med•cines) duely administred,shew them∣selues farre more milde, gentle and effectuall then whenthey are exhibited after an entire and grosse preparation.

But what need many words? doe we not plainely see that ourChymicall Art bringeth Colocyn∣this and Scammonie (acrimoniousand vene∣mous purgatiues) •o bee so gentle and milde inope∣ration, that a man may as safely and freely admi∣nister themas Rheubarbe, hauing onely regard to the qualitie of the disease,and the humour they naturally purge? as namely that of Scammoniewhereof a man may boldly giue to one of a strong constitutiontwentie graines at a time, in sugar ro∣sat, or any other conserue;And this will worke ea∣sily and well, without any touch of paine,pertur∣bance or inflammation in the bowells, as otherwise it wouldsurely do.

And this is a Maxime that not only Scammo∣nie, but euerie otherpurgatiue Medicine of such venemous and vehemēt nature asHellebore, Ti∣thymalls, &c. loose their acrimonie and malignequalitie, and by meanes of this Art become gentle and effectuall inthe extirpation of all such diseases as they naturally concerne orrespect, without any

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inconuenience or danger at all: and this is no vaine coniecture ofmine owne braine, for I can produce a hundred sage and learnedPhysitions which can & will testifie and make this good as well asmy selfe.

And this is all which I purposed to speake at this time in defence ofChymicall Medicines, a∣gainst the suggestions of scandaloustongues, not meaning or intendeng hereby to disgrace or vi∣lipend

those ordinarie Medicines, wherewith the world is and hath beenefurnished and serued for so many ages together; for both the oneand the other may be found good or euill according to thediuer∣sitie of their vsage, notwithstanding I haue at all timesindeuored my selfe to the vttermost of my power, to amplifie andillustrate the Art of Phy∣sicke for the comfort of the diseased (aseuery one ought) without any passion or malice in condem∣ningthings newly inuented for Paradoxes and Heresies before dueexami∣nation and tri∣all.

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Ad Authorem.

EXcuse me worthy Sala if I chanceFor want of iudgement thy intent to misse,In fitting that for England which for France:Thou paines hast tane and labour to Iwis,For which and others thou deseruest blisse:I wish I were thy neighbour, or that IWith such a one might spend my daies and die.

But now the world is such, we cannot findA man with whom we freely may conuerse,Some proud, some stately, others so vnkind,That't greeues my heart their manners to reherse:Or talke of such selfe-louers in my verse,When men by nature friendly creatures borne,Doate on themselues and others foulely scorne.

But thou, Patauian-like, I heare dost ioyTo do poore schollers good, and to impartThy secrets best to him thou art not coy,That's of an honest and a friendly heart,What wight from such a one would euer part:Witnesse thy bookes abroade and notes beside,For which to thee some priuate friends are ti'd.

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For what's in Physick more to be desir'd,Then knowledge how to vse a Medicine wellWhat in that worthy art to be requir'd:More then o'th vertue and safe vse to tell?Wherein than others many dost excell,For how to strengthen vomit, sweat and restIs taught by thee as well as by the best.

Let Carping Criticks, that in corners lurke,Blaspheme, detract and vtter what they canLet some of them divulge me such a worke:And I will say he quits him like a man:If not I wish him hold his peace till then.For sure I am that he that fault doth find,Will come at least a bow and halfe behind.

THO. BETNOR. M.M.

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Mod•s extrahendi papaueris succum.

[illustration]

AMong those powerfull guifts to man infus'd,What better is thē knowledge of those plants,Which for two thousand yeares were only vs'd:As meate and sustinance to humaine SaintsFor neither flesh, nor fish, the Highe• gra•ts:Till cataclismed world so weake wa• growne,That fruit and hearbs could not suffice alone.

And yet we find in basest plants that grew('Mongst those accompted weeds of witlesse men)Such strange effects that farre surpasse we know:The sence and reason of the learned'st pen,(More is the blindnesse of our nature then▪)Witnesse the Poppie whereby Greeke and TurkeBy planting profit, and do wonders worke.

T.B. M.M.

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OPIOLOGIA.

CHAPTER. 1. The opinion of Ancient Physitions, concer∣∣ning the naturallproprietie and vertues of Opium.

O PIVM (as ancient Physi∣tions testifie and moderneconfirme) is a certaine iuyce or viscous liquor which one time ofthe yeares destilleth or •sue•• from the tops of white or blackePopp•e, by me•nes of a little gash or incision made in theouttermost rind of them (as wit∣nesseth Discordes in his fourthbooke of Simples Chap. 60.) the which liquor after dueconden∣sation is reserued and layd vp for necessary vses, as maynot only appeare by the History aforesaid, but by that of PeterBellon hereaf∣ter recited.

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Good Opium (as Diescordes and other An∣cient Physitionsaffirme) is weightie and ponderous, bitter in tast, and is quicklydis∣solued in water, it is smooth and whitish and not rugged orlumpish, and being streined it doth not like waxe melt against the

sun, be∣ing kindled it causeth not a blackish flame, and beingquenched or put out, it alwaies retaineth its naturall smell.

They ▪vse many times to sophisticate or mixe Opium withGlaucium, Gum, or the iuyce of wild lettice, but that which issophisticated with Glaucium is easily discerned, for being cut intosmall peeces, it becommeth yellow; in like manner, if it be mixedwith the iuyce of wild Lettice it becommeth more rugged and tart,and hath little or no smell at all; but if it be counterfeited withGum, it will be bright & shyning in colour, but weake in operation.

Opium taken crude and raw, as asoresayd, to the quantitie of anOrobus or wild Fitch, appeaseth all Aches or paines, helpethdigesti∣on, stayeth all Coughes and Destillations or Rheumes,which fall from the braine into the stomack, it is excellent againstall kinde of Head-ach if the temples bee anointed and chaffedwith the same and oyle of roses: be∣ing dropped or instilled intothe eares with

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the oyle of bitter Almonds, Mirrhe and Saf∣fran, it healeth andrecouereth Hearing, and the sooner being applied with the yolkeof an egge hard rosted in the imbers: it auaileth much againstinflammation of the eyes, and being mixed with vinegar is verygood a∣gainst Saint Anthonies fire, and healeth olde vlcers: withsaffran and womans milke it is singular in gouts, and being mixedwith Sup∣posatories, it prouoketh sleepe.

Diagoras, Aetius and Mnesidemus disproue and finde fault withthe vsage of Opium in the diseases afore-named, by reason of itsstupefactiue qualitie, but Diescordes (affirming the lawfull vsethereof) maintaineth the con∣trary, and proueth their opinion tobee idle and false; seeing that the propertie of Opium is quite ofanother operation; yet hee inge∣niously else-where confesseth,that the indis∣creet and super••uous vsage thereof produ∣ceth nosmall detriment to the patient, ma∣king him fall into a Lethargie,whereby death commonly insues; the which he furthercon∣firmeth in his sixth Booke and seuenteeth Chapter ofPoysons, and their remedies, where hee reckoneth vp theSymptomes which it causeth in those bodies which haue eatentoo much thereof.

Nicander and Aetius haue written of the

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great annoyances that come thereby; and Gallen also in hissecond and third bookes D• Comp. Med. describeth Opium to beea daun∣gerous Medicine, saying, that it mortifieth the senses, andcauseth deadly Symptomes, in regard whereof hee wisheth thatno man should vse it, vnlesse his Patient bee in dan∣ger of death,through the extremitie of his paine, and, hereunto assentethPlinie and di∣uers others: notwithstanding there bee no smallnumber of moderne Physitions quite of another minde.

The cause of those dangerous effects and Symptomes, whichcrude Opium by its too much vse is said to procure, is attributedto its exceeding coldnesse; for most Physiti∣ons hold, that it isnot vnfitly ranged among things that are cold in the fourthdegree.

A Small Tract of Opium, taken out of the 13 Booke and 15 Chapter of Peter Bellonhis Historie of the singularities of some memorable things found in Greece, Asia,and other Countries.

A Man can hardly find (saith hee) any thing more worthy ofobseruation then Opium, which they prepare now a daies inTurkie, and especially at Achara, Carachara,

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Spartade, Emetelinde, and in other Cities bordering vponCappadocia, Paphlagonie and Cilicia.

They sow their fields with white Poppie, as we do with corne,and are so circumspect in the sowing thereof, that eueryPaysant or Husbandman shall sow no more then he canprocure people to gather the same in due time, for when thePoppie is growne to be headed, they cut a small hole or makeinci∣sion therein, whence issueth forth certaine milkish dropswhich they suffer to thicken or congeale: some one of thesePeasa•ts will gather (may chance) ten pounds, another sixe,another more, or lesse, according to the num∣ber of peoplehee sets aworke, for it bootes nothing to sow a great deale ofground, vn∣lesse he can get people enough to gather it. Weeverily beleeue that vnlesse the Turkes vsed it much themselues,it would be as vnus∣ually vended among Merchants, as othervn∣knowne drugges are, but it is so common among thē, thatthere is not a Turke but buy∣ethmore or lesse thereof, for if hebe worth but an Asper in all the world, hee will bestow halfethereof in Opium, and carry the same at all times about as wellin Peace as Warre.

A certaine Iewish Merchant, of the country of Natolia, assuredvs that there passed no

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yeares wherein there were not fiftie Camels laden out ofPaphlagonia, Cappadocia, Galatia & Cilicia, to transport thesame into Persia, In∣dia and Europe, and other parts of theGreat Turkes Dominion in Africa and else where; the which weshould haue hardly beleeued if hee had not related to vs bypeece-meale (as it were) what quantitie might bee made andbrought from each seuerall Village about the Confines ofCarachora, and the Villages of Paphlagonia, Cappadocia,Armenia the lesse, and Gall•grecia, hee told vs moreouer thatthe Persians vsed it more aboundantly then the Turkes.

Wee desired one day to make an experi∣ment, and try howmuch Opium a man could take at a time without any offence or

hurt, and wee found that a certaine Ianisarie of ouracquaintance did vse to eate thereof euery daie, who tooke atone time in our presence the weight of halfe a Dragme, andmeeting with him the next daie at a Mercers shop, wee cau∣sedhim to weigh vs out a whole dragme, which wee gaue him, andhee swallowed it vp all at once without any daunger or hurt atall, sauing that for a while hee seemed like a drunken man.

To •ate Opium in Turkie is no new

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thing, and the reason why it is vsed so amongst them, isbecause they perswade themselues that it maketh them moread∣uenterous and lesse fearefull of daungers in warre, so thatwhen the Turke assembleth or mustereth any great Armietogether, they make such hauocke of their Opium, that theyalmost disfurnish the whole Coun∣trie. They take it in as greatsnuffe a∣mongst them, and accompt it as great an iniurie whenone vpbraides another with eating of Opium, as anotherCountriman would do if one should call him a drunkard.

A Christian-Armenian, with whom wee lodged long time, vsedmany times to eate Opium in our sight, and prouing the sameour selues, we found no other accident, sauing that it heatedour stomackes, troubled some∣thing the braine, and caused vsto sweat in our sleepe. Wee thinke that if men were disposedthey might as easily plant and sow Poppie in France, Germanie,Italie, and some other places of Europe, as well as in Asia, ifthey would but take the paines to dresse and gather it as theyshould doe, for surely the Climate of Natolia is as colde as thatof France. It is made in the same manner as Authors doedescribe, but I am affraide if wee haue anie brought

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ouer hither it is sophisticated & mingled, for the Merchants doquestionles multiply it be∣fore they vent it abroad into theCountries, and therefore because we know some marks andtokens how to choose the best, it is not amisse to set downethe same.

The best Opium is that which is very bit∣ter, and so hot in tastthat it wil almost scorch and inflame the mouth, it is in coloursome∣thing yellowish or like to a Lyons skin, and being formedinto a lumpe, it seemes speck∣led as a masse of diuers colours,for in ga∣thering the sayd Opium, the seeds are found clusteredvpon the Poppie-heads, which being amassed cleaue togetherlike a cake, its smell is fulsome and strong, and although it beaccompted but of a cold temprature, yet it many times scaldeththe mouth.

Opium is formed into cakes in the Coun∣try of Natolia, whichexceed not aboue foure ounces or halfe a pound at the most,but the Merchants to make the greater profit by their

sophistication double the aforesaid quantitie, for the subtillVenetians make the Cakes in their shops to weigh a pound atleast, and this is the report of Bellon concer∣ning Opium.

Now considering that in his time a man could hardly get any inChristendome that

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were good, how should we finde any now adaies either in theApothecaries or Drug∣gests shops which hath these tokens, oris so effectuall or pretious in its operation, letting passe theseeds or graines as the onely diffe∣rence in gathering.

It is called ordinarily Opium Thebaicum, in respect of theProuince of Thebes where the best is made.

CHAP. II. Of the assurance we haue that Opium may bee vsed, and takencrude or mixed in Medi∣∣cines without any preiudice or indangering thePatients life at all.

A MAN shall find some Phy∣sitions now a daies whoad∣hering too much a conscience to the opinion of olde Leeches(capitall enemies to Opium its vse) doe not onely beleeue it as anarticle of their Creed, that whatsoeuer any Author hath said indetraction and disgrace of Opium is an vndoubted truth: To whomI answere and say, that wee ought not to submit our selues totheir iudgement altogether, nor to

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beleeue the opinion or saying of any Physi∣tion, whether antientor moderne otherwise then daily obseruation of the vse of things& our Grandame experience confirme in our vn∣derstanding fortruth: for seeing that the an∣cient Physitions, as well Grecians asArabi∣ans, how great or learned soeuer they were esteemed, yetbeing all but imperfect men and subiect to errour, had their owneproper passions, and were full of con∣tention and iealousie oneagainst another, as wee are now adaies; whence it followes thatwee ought not to receiue all their workes for gospell, withoutcondition as aforesayd: for as for example Galen, Plinie, andothers, put the world in feare and suspition of Opium, andcontrariwise Oribasius, Diescorides and others commend it, andassure and affirme it to bee pro∣fitable and necessarie for thecure of many diseases: who then in this case can giue vs betterknowledge and satisfaction of truth of these things thenExperience her selfe? Now shee tells vs that a man may safely vseOpium inwardly in mens bodies, Oribasius therefore andDiescorides, haue spoken truly, whereas the errour and abuse ofothers is manifest: which howsoeuer it falls out, it hinders vsnothing at all to search

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into these things, seeing that neither cause nor reason canpreiudice or hinder the au∣thoritie of daily experience.

That the vse of Opium deserueth to be ap∣plauded of allPhysitions, wee haue two prin∣cipall and certaine assurances;whereof the former is not onely the certification of Peter Bellonaforesaid, but of a hundred honorable personages, who hauebeene in Asia, and af∣firme that the Turkes eate thereof in greatquantitie almost euery day ordinarily with∣out any mischāce orhurt to their bodies at al, which may in part be a sufficientdemonstra∣tion that Opium is not a thing so venemous anddaungerous to the life of man, as some giue out and proclaime itto be.

But heere some (to small purpose) may tell mee that the Turkesmay easi∣ly digest Opium, how colde soeuer in re∣garde of thehot Clime they liue in, where∣as the Christians dwelling vnder acolder in Europe can doe no such matter: to whom I aunswere,that if it were graun∣ted that Opium were of such qualitie asa∣foresayd: yet whether a man could di∣gest it or not, cannot bee

Physicallie at∣tributed to the temprature of the Cli∣mate, butrather to the strong constitu∣tion, or naturall vigour of thepeople; for

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the Turkes being from their very cradle more grossely brought vpand sed then the Chri∣stians are ingenerall, become not onlymore able bodied and stronger thereby, but also more apt andable to eate and digest diuers things which the tender and niceChristians cannot iudure: and that the truth is so, Let vs butconsider a little the difference of natu∣rall toughnes and strengthbetweene a Chri∣stian Paysant or Carle here amongst vs, and aGentleman or Citizen; do not we see (I pray you) that the Paysantcan more easily indure a purgation made of White Hellebore,Tithy∣malls, Euphorbium or Colocynthis (which are accomptedviolent and venemous Medi∣cines) then these tender sparkesaforesayd can brooke Rheubarbe, Mechoacan, Sena, Aloes or theDamaske rose.

But why the Turkes deuoure Opium on this fashion, ought ratherto be imputed vnto an ordinarie custome, and common vsageamong them, then to any other cause what∣soeuer; euen as theIndians are accustomed to take Tobacco, which is a plant notonely Narcoticke and stupefactiue, but of a vio∣lent and extreamevomitiue quality also. Notwithstanding we see that Christians, allEurope ouer, by little and little haue brought themselues into sucha custome and habit

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thereunto, that they feele no alteration or preiudice at all (as theythinke) by the vse thereof.

I make no question but a man might finde a number of peopleamong Christians that if they cannot alreadie, could easilyaccu∣stome themselues to eate Opium as familiar∣ly, as they takeTobacco: although they could not vse •t in such quantitie, nor sooften in regard it is a pure essence and extract, which Naturehath seperated from its plant: For es∣sentiall things are alwaiesfarre more ef∣fectuall then grosse bee, for confirmation whereofwe neede not doubt, that if a man should separate the rosinousand sulphurous substance of Tobaccao, and bring it into such aconsistence as Opium is, and afterwards giue it vnto such asvsually take Toba•co, they could not possibly indure the tenthpart so much of this as of the leaues, as hath beene alreadiepractised and tried.

There be some Empericks (I know) which giue crude Opium totheir Patiens in as great or greater quantitie at a time thenDiscorides hath limitted, and that without any great daunger orhazard of life at all, onely cor∣recting it a little with the powder ofCara∣way-seed; and in case of necessitie I my selfe would notsticke, or make any scruple to

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vse it, yea I durst, if neede were, take two or three graines thereofat a time my selfe; for although I neuer did eate thereof hither∣toindeed, yet haue I often tasted the same, and also receiued greatquantitie of the sulphurous vapours, both into my stomacke andhead in time of the preparation there∣of without any perceiuance,or the least touch of any offence in the world: neuer∣thelesse it isnot my counsell that any Physi∣tion should vse it crude in thismaner, seeing we haue Art and meanes to prepare it other∣wise.

The second assurance that wee haue con∣cerning the vse ofOpium, is in that wee finde and see that the most expert andwisest Phy∣sitions of olde, found it good, and thereforeprescribed this Medicine as a principall in∣gredient, and as one ofthe most important ba∣ses in their chiefest compositions,Alexiteries, Diaphoretickes, Anodynes, Cordialls, which naturallyresist the most grieuous and vio∣lent diseases that can any waieshappen to humaine bodies, for which cause they vsu∣ally callthem Opiate Confections, as that of their Tre•cle of Andromachus,their Mithridate of Danocrates, their Triphera magna, Aurea,Alexandrina, Philomuim romanum, Requies Ni∣cholai, and others,which they haue vsed as

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principall Medicines for these many hundred yeares and yet doe;for they are indeed the most pretious and necessariecompositions their ordinarie Apothecaries haue.

The causes which moued Ancient Physi∣tions to put Opium vntothe foresayd con∣fections are not few, seeing that its proper∣tiesare to asswage all inward paines, strengthē the passages &conduits which are open, loose, & disbanded: precipitate,disperse and consume these venemous vapours which are raisedfrom one part to another: incrassat and thicken al subtillcorros•ue & humors, by correcting their malignitie and acrimonie:stop and stay all fluxes as well Dysenterick as Menstruall:appease and extinguish all extremities in burning Feuers: prouokenaturall rest and sleepe to Distressed and Lunaticke persons: andfinally, like a Balme defend the partes from corruption, whichoperations and effects are required in all compositions, which aregenerally orday∣ned to resist the violence of diuerse diseases, inappeasing and repelling whereof some of these properties beforenamed are or∣dinarily desired, as Quercetanus in hisPharmacop•a (intreating of the vetues of Opium) affirmeth inthese wordes, say∣ing, Pauci en•m sunt morbi qui non simul

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complacentur vel ardoribus, vel inflammationi∣bus, velinquietudinibus, commotiomibus, la•guori∣bus, oppressionibus,vigilijs, de•luxionibus vel var•• generis doloribus, capitis, pectoris,ventricul•, ven∣tris vel cu•scun{que} alterius Patris: ad quorum

omnium Symptomatum ferociam compescendam Opiumspecificam & peculiarem quandam habet proprietatem, qua velvnum exhis Symptomatis seorsim, vel plura cum malo coniuncta,Simul cum admirabili astantium, & ipsorum aegrorum admirationeeuincit ac subigit, vnde saepeumerò in e•usmodi casibus tammirandos sanationum ef∣fectus prodere videmus Theriacam,Muhridati∣um, Antidotos Esdrae & similes, quae Opium exci∣iunt,&c.

For there bee very few diseases which are not eitheraccompained with heates, inflam∣mations inquietude,preturbation, langui∣shing, oppressions, watching, fluxes &c. formitigating and •epressing of which Symp∣tomes Opium hath aspecificall and a cer∣taine peculiar proprietie &c.

And this may serue to assure vs that wee may boldly vse Opiuminwardly without any preiudice to life, yea rather for its bettercon∣seruation being administred with iudgement and discretionas all other Medicines what∣soeuer ought to be.

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CHAP. III. Concerning the good and euill affects which Opium may produce inmens bodies.

T Hat Opium (as aforesaid) be∣ing wisely administred to thediseased, produceth in them many good effects, andcon∣trariwise abused exciteth di∣uers dangerous and mortallaccidents, is in no sort doubted among discreet Physitions; buttouching the cause why Opium doth worke these effects in mensbodies is dispu∣table: for most Physitions impute it to thatextremitie of the fourth degree of coldnesse wherewith it isendowed, and for proofe and confirmation hereof they producean argu∣ment drawne from the effects of its opera∣tion in thismanner: Opium (say they) pro∣uoketh a vigilant or watchfull manto sleepe, and incrasseth thin and subtill humours: vi∣gilancie,then proceeding (for the most part) from a hot and drie causewith matter or without, and the dissolution also of the hu∣moursfrom the like distemprature, Opium therefore contrarying andimpugning the causes of these effects must needes bee of the

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qualitie aforesayd, and for the further con∣firmation hereof theyalledge Galen, Plini•▪ and others, who in like manner witnesse,that when Opium is vndiscreetly vsed, it causeth Lethargickesleepe, priuation of sense, stupe• faction of members, suffocationof natural• heate, and death in the end.

But although I cannot like a cunning Lo∣gician, frame sophisticallSyllogismes, or giue such luster to my reasons, as many woulddoe, which take greater pleasure in the Flo• of words, then in theveritie and realitie o• things, notwithstanding if it be lawfull formeere Naturalists in plaine and simple termes to discourse of

such things, whereof they haue sufficient experience, I may(vnder cor∣rection of those which know these things better thenmy selfe) deliuer my opinion also.

Opium then is not such a colde thing as they would haue it, as Ican proue both by reason and experience; by reason in regard itis not onely bitter, but inflaming and ex∣coriatiue, which areeuident tokens of its hot qualitie and complexion; for so thewisest Physitions in the world iudge of bitter things: and the lightof Nature it selfe teach∣eth vs that none of the foure elementsdoe corrode, in•lame, or heate, but that of fire.

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Againe, its nature is knowne by its colour, for being of a darkishyellow, when it is dry∣ed and powdered, it must needs be hot, asAloes and Myrrhe, and all things of like co∣lour be, especially ifthey haue any bitter tast adioyned.

By experience wee may well approue that Opium is not cold intwo respects▪ first that when the Turkes eate thereof, theybecome cheerefull, couragious and fierce in warre, secondly thatwhen one giueth two or three graines thereof to any sick person,and couer him warme in his bed, it will make him sweate morethen any other Diaphoreticke, which operations can by nomeanes proceed from any cold qualitie it hath.

But if a man should obiect amongst both. these reasons, saying,first the Turkes being of a hot constitution, and liuing in a hotclime, become more faint-hearted and cowardlike then those ofcolder temperatures, and there∣fore Opium tempering that heatemaketh him more frolicke and cheerefull accidentally; secondly,that if a man giue but a cup-full of cold water onely to a sickeman to drinke, it will questionlesse make him sweate &c.Whereunto I answere, that if the Turkes doe acquire force andcourage by tempering their heate with cold things, they mightvery

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well spare that great labour and toyle they take in sowing theirPoppie, and gathering their Opium, seeing that spring andriuer∣water might stand them in as great stead, be∣ing a coldliquor, and dispiercing it selfe in∣to all parts of the body, as sooneas it is drunke, but it is so farre short of Opium in quickening thespirits, and raysing the cou∣rage, that it worketh quite contraryef∣fects.

And whereas they affirme that a cup of water (which is apparantlycold) will cause any sicke person to sweate, I answere, that if itcause one that is in a Feuer, or pestred with some other hotdisease to sweate, as many times it doth, it proceeds not fromany Dia∣phoreticall or sweating qualitie, inherent in it, butcommeth to passe rather, per antiperi∣stasim, and accidentally,for like as water cast vpon a hot Anuile or burning stone,

imme∣diately rayseth vp vapours and fumes, •uen so doth watergiuen to such a bodie, which after condensation, nature eitherexpelleth by vrine or sweate, nor hath it this operati∣on in alldiseases or tempratures, whence it is manifest that waternaturally cannot pro∣cure sweate but by accident onely, as issaid.

Now let vs returne to their arguments,

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which goe about to proue that Opium is cold in respect itprouoketh sleepe, thickneth the humours, and taken too liberallycauseth daungerous Symptomes and doubtfull e∣uents, whichreasons (I affirme) are of no force in this behalfe, for first asOpium pro∣uoketh sleepe to all those which are afflicted with hotdiseases, so doth it also prouoke the same in all other causeswithout exception, yea although they bee of different qualities, aswitn•sseth Auicen and others, who haue diligently noted thesame: and as for the humours, Opium doth not onely incrafsateand thicken th•se which are of a hot quali∣tie, but those alsowhich are coldest of all, as that white and christalline humourwhich floweth and distilleth from the braine vnto the other parts,whence it appeareth that a man cannot produce such anecessarie con∣sequence of the operation of Opium, as thosemen goe about to doe, for it we were tyed of necessitie to adhereand stand to the sence of the former arguments, it wouldconse∣quently follow that all colde things would procure sleepeto the diseased, where no o∣ther thing could effect the same:Item, that they onely appeased all inward grieses, in∣crassedeuery humour, hot, cold or how s•b∣till socuer, and in briefe hadthe very same

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vertues that Opium before is described to haue, whereas ou thecontrarie part no hot things could effect the same; but experienceproueth it farre otherwise, for if Quick-siluer, the Magisterie ofLead (compared to Saturne) Salt-peter, or Allome (salts of a coldtempra∣ture) or the water de Sper: Ran, which is thought tocoagulate or congeale the bloud by its extreame frigidi•ie, if noneof these (I fay) perform those effects which Opium doth, nor Icenor Snow themselues rationally ad∣ministred in neuer so large adose, can pro∣cure sleepe, or cease paines, but rather for themost part cause more vehement fits. Yet I will not deny that coldthings may some∣times, and vpon some occasions procure rest,though not alwaies when neede is, nor so surely at any time asOpium well pre∣pared.

And as for hot things, they are for the most part so farre fromcausing disquietnesse to mens bodies, or subtilizing grossehu∣mours that quite contrary a man may finde many that willprouoke sleepe, and thicken subtill and virulent humours, ratherand soo∣ner then other of a colder qualitie, as we may plainelyperceiue by Mirrhe, Aloes, Storax, Olibanum, Worme-wood,

Betonie, Safran and such other, yea & Sulphur it self (the very fire

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of nature) doth not onely prouoke sleepe in some reasonablemeasure, but doth also in such wise coagulate and condense thesubtill and hot humours, that it auaileth much the Pthysicall instaying their defluxions, and it is a thing most manifest amongstSpagirists that Sulphur can coagulate water, wine or Aqua-vitaein such sort that a man may beate them to powder in a morter,and after re∣duce them to that naturall forme they were in before.

I am not ignorant, that a man may tell mee that things of a coldor hot nature, doe worke diuersely in bodies according to thediuersitie of the subiect they light vpon, as the fire whichhardneth clay, and softneth waxe, and so of cold things, in likemanner that Opium being extreamely cold, by that extremitieworketh in bodies, where other things of an inferiour degreecannot in any wise; but neither of the two reasons reach to thedeapth of our dispute, for first Opium (the subiect of ourdiscourse) worketh not in mens bodies in this or that manner byelecti∣on, according to the diuersitie of their tem∣pratures andcomplexions, but doth indiffe∣rently prouoke sleepe, and causethall paines to cease of what nature or qualitie soeuer as aforesaid.

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Secondly, putting the case that Opium were the coldest thing inthe world, yet that small Dose, which we commonly vse to giue ata time, cannot exceed the great frigidi∣tie of those thingsafore-named in their larger Doses.

Were it not a great absurditie, to be∣leeue that one graine or twoof Opium were colder then a dragme of Allome, prepared orcrude, or one scruple of the Magisterie of Lead, or an ounce ofthe water of the Sperm• of frogges, or two ounces of the water ofNymphaa, or as an ounce or two of Quick-siluer, which some hauevsed to giue against the wormes and other maladies, all whichpasse through the bodie as cold as any ice, and manifestly coolethe mouth, and other conduits where they passe, which one smallDose of Opium cannot doe, but rather con∣trarily heateth bothmouth and stomacke; whence you may gather that these reasons,and the like, are meere palliatiue and stuper∣ficiall arguments,and fine gloses to enter∣taine long chat, rather then to proue anycoldnesse in Opium.

Now touching the Symptomes which Opium causeth beinginordinately taken, Ex∣perience her selfe teacheth vs, thatAqua-vitae (which is of a hot and subtill essence) being

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too abundantly ingurged, causeth semblable effects, for manybeing drunke with Aqua∣vitae haue dyed, seased as it were with

Stupidi∣tie, priuation, of sense, Trembling, Lethargie; and indeedended their liues in such manner, as if they had swallowed tomuch Opium, and be∣came benummed and stiffe, as if they haddi∣ed in the very yee and snow.

Wine it selfe also causeth diuers Symp∣tomes of Opium in themwhich abuse it, as wee may plainely see by the lamentableex∣amples vsed in diuers parts of the Papacie, where theycommonly make those people drunke which are condemned toany vio∣lent death, of whom some goe singing, and some raylingthereunto, and others as dull and senselesse as bruit beasts,none of them hauing any vnderstanding or memorie of theiriminent slaughter, and which is worse, haue no true feeling oftheir sinnes, nor solide iudgement or discretion to re∣commendthemselues to the mercie of their Creator.

Wine (as all Authors affirme, and Expe∣rience her selfe declareth)being abused, doth cause in processe of time Phrensie,Madnesse, Rage, Furie, Stupiditie, Lethargie, Palsi• and o∣therdangerous diseases, euen as Opium doth, and is notwithstandingan hot liquor, as all

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the world knoweth. Wee may then con∣clude that Opium makethnot the Turkes fierce and couragious in warre, nor maketh thediseased to sleepe, nor appeaseth all in∣ward griefes of thebodie, because of its cold qualitie, or by reason of its heate(although it manifestly appeare to be hot) but in regard of hisoperations, which doubtlesse procee∣deth from a specificall andhidden proprietie wherewith it is indowed, euen as wee see indeiectorie Physicke, which purgeth neither by reason of any heateor coldnesse therein, but rather by a certaine specificall qualitieas is sayd.

Now as purgatiue Medicines rightly vsed, doe not onely euacuateNatures excrements, and bring the bodie to an excellenttempra∣ture, but being abused doe mightily offend and bringdissolution to the same; euen so Opium well administred,endoweth the bodie with singular benefits, but abused andvn∣temperatly giuen, worketh the contrary, whence it followeththat in the vsage of either of them, it behoueth the Physiti•n to beruled by reason and experience, walking in a good conscience,and practising his Art in the best manner to Gods glorie and hisPatients comfort.

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CHAP. IIII. Wherein is shewed the Counsell and aduise of TheophrastusParacelsus, concerning Medicines Narcoticall or Anodynes, and in particularthat of Opium.

H Auing generally declared the opinion of ancient Physi∣tionsconcerning the nature, vertue and vse of Opium, and the

controuersies which are among moderne Physitions touching thequalitie thereof, it is not amisse to see now what TheophrastusParacelsus (that great searcher and diuer into nature) saith inthis behalfe.

This Author hath generally the vsage of Anodyne Medicines insuch high esteeme and reuerence, that hee recommendeth themvnto his disciples as a principall pillor of the whole bodie ofPhysicke, assuring them that they are the most importantremedies of all others to cure the bodies of men of the mostgrieuous diseases they are subiect vnto: In the seuenteenthbooke of his Archidoxes and Chap. De Specifice anodyno, heesaith thus, that we should speake with great reuerence, and

Page 28

regard of the Anodyne or Specificall appeasor, we are moued bydiuers reasons, for in par∣ticular, wee haue met with somediseases, for cure whereof (finding no helpe or reliese a∣mongour best secrets) the Specificall Anody•• not without greatadmiration accomplished our desire, and this fell not out casuallyo• without reason, seeing it is the nature of Anodynes toextinguish diseases, euen •• water quencheth fire. And in his firstbooke of Naturall things and Chapter D• Sulphure F•brionato,speaking generally in praise of those things which naturallypro∣uoke sleepe, and are Anodynes, hee saith what greater secretwould a Physition desire to possesse, then that which can causeall paines to cease, and extinguish all internall heate? hauing this,doth not his skill passe that of Appollo, Machaon or Podalyrius?Let a man consider a little this sentence, and marke with goodiudgement the subiect thereof, and hee shall finde no iestingmatter of it, In his Commentarie vpon the second Apho∣risme ofthe second Section of Hippocrates, vb• somnus delirium, &c.Paracelsus speaking in the end of that exposition, concerning thebenefit of wholesome sleepe, saith that sleepe is such a greatsecret in Physicke, that be∣ing spoken without disgrace of otherthings,

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•ee would gladly haue any man tell him wh•re he can in all theworld find such a reme∣•ie, which can ma•ifest such sodaine and•ctiue ease and reliefe, to the health of mans •odie as it doth.

Hence you may perceiue why these Ano∣•ynes (of what kindsocuer) ought to bee so well regarded, esteemed and madeaccompt of among all Physitions▪ for seeing sleepe •s a Medicinefarre surpassing all gemmes, & •ewels in the world, hee thatknowes how to •pply this Somniferous secret, conueniently •nd ingood season, ought to be held in great •ccompt and estimationamong diseased people.

That Theophrastus doth also commend the vsage of Opiumamong his Anodynes, and Somniferous Medicines, it may easilyappeare in the forenamed Chapter De Specifico Anod. wherein hee

proposeth Opium onely without addition of other Somniferousthings, to make that composition which he calleth his AnodynumSpecificum, and attributeth vnto it this excellent proprietie,saying, that it cau∣seth not the whole body of man to sleepe, butthe diseases onely. In his booke De Morbis amentium, where hewriteth of those that be Mad, Lunaticke, Phrantick, Epilep∣ticke,&c. hee putteth the quintessence of

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Opium in the ranke before Aurum Potabile, Argentum Potabile, theMagisterie of Pearles, and all other pretious Medicines which beeordained for these maladies.

Here some enuious Critick• (beside the pur∣pose) will hit mee ablow on the blind side, saying how comes it to passe that thesebraue Spag•riques heale not all the patients that fall into theirhands, seeing they brag of such singular secrets as these? ofwhom I de∣maund the cause also, why they cure not all theirs,hauing such graue institutions, so∣lid grounds and principallMedicines vsed ordinarily amongst them? This is not to prouethat although Chymicall Medicines worke more citò, tutó &iucundè, by reason of their better preparation, and exaltation inpower then other ordinary Medicines, that therefore they cansurely ouercome and cure all hereditarie, inbred and incurabledis∣eases, or such others which God for the ex∣ercise of hisiustice, hath inflicted and con∣firmed vpon the bodies of men insuch sort, that no Medicine nor skill in the world can cure. For,

Ni Deus affuerit, vires{que} in fuderit herbis,Quid, rogo dyctamnus quid pauacaea invent?

If God helpe not, and into herbes infuse,A working power, in vain we Medicins vse▪

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In his booke De morbis resolutis, In his first booke of Mineralldiseases, and in diuers other passages of his workes, hee makethmention of Opium, with such great ho∣nour and respect as anyauncient Physition in commendation thereof euer did: after∣wardsconcerning it's vsage hee mean∣eth not that any man shouldadminister it simple and crude, or grosly tempered and mixedwith other Medicines before the due preparation, for in his firstChapter De Sulphure Embryonato, and his first booke de Reb. nat.hee aff••neth that Opium, Man∣drage, and Henbane, containe inthem some maligne substance, in regard whereof no man oughtto vse them (if he worke wari∣ly) before he haue reduced theminto a quin∣tessentiall f•rme, which indeed hath bin the principalloccasion, that the Spagiricke Physitions (putting their hands tothe plough) haue found the m•anes to prepare Opium into such apretio•s and profitable Medicine that in all Spagi•icall andordi∣nary practise whatsoeuer, none other can bee comparableeither for speedy or won∣derfull operation, for w•ich onelyMedicine all Christian Physitions and people, which know it, are

eternally bound to giue the

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fountaine of all goodnesse, thankes, for his gratious guiftsinspired into men.

CHAP. V. Of the inuention or meanes how to prepare Opium well, and whereinit generally cons••∣∣steth.

H Auing hitherto diuersly dis∣coursed of Opium, indemon∣strating its pretious and nece∣sarie vse in Physicke, we〈◊〉 now goe about to shew th•• effectuall manner ofpreparation, which the Spagirists vse, to the end wee may morefre•l• and safely administer the same, then the an∣cientPhysitions did, who commonly put the same into their Medicinesvnprepared, which Quercetanus (in his Pharm. Dog. R•st. p•• 186.)treating of the composition of Tre•kle, mightily complayneth of inthese words, saying, De plorandus enim error est nobilis hui••,alexipharmaci compositioni in tam magna, trium scilicet vnciarumdosi ad miscere tantum ven•∣nū quale Opium crudum & minuspraeparatum esse constat. The errour of them is greatly to belamented, &c. Which Quercetanus auouch∣eth not to blame theinuention of auncient

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Physitions, nor the vertue of Treakle, which •ath beene, and yet isdaily vsed with great •uccesse, but rather to insinuate and shew•ow much more warily & safely they should •aue delt in the vsageof Opium, then they •aue done heretofore, if they had as truely•nowne the Art Spagiricke, as wee doe now •d•ies; how bee it weeought notwithstan∣ding to take these things in good part which•hey haue reueiled vnto vs according to their •xperience,although the inuention of the •rue preparation of Opi•m, ought byall •eanes to be ascribed to Theophrastus Para∣•elsus, asprincipall and chiefe of the naturall Philosophers and Spagirists,who haue gene∣•ally written of the Chymicall preparation of allthings in a manner, which are vsed in Physicke: where others onthe contrary (in∣•reating of the Philosophers-stone) haue bu∣••edthemselues to besot and foole the world, •nd by that meaneshaue rather seduced mens vnderstandings, then produced any••od fruits or workes of worth.

Now the best preparation of Opium, con∣••steth in three principallpractises; the first 〈◊〉 depriuing, or taking from it itsOleagi∣•ous, or sulphurous substance, wherein prin∣•ipallyconsisteth the euill, Narcoticall and •upefactiue qualitie; thesecond in correct∣ing

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and mitigating its causticke and ad••ing acrimonie, wherein it is

almost parallel∣led vnto Tithymalls, Spurges and otherlacti∣ferous corrosiues; and the third in accom∣panying or mixingthere with some suc• good additaments, and furtherers, as shalb•described hereafter.

CHAP. VI. Conteyning three manners, or waies to depri••Opium from itsnar•oticall, stupefactiue an• nuisible Sulphur, which must be done be∣∣fore itsessentiall extract can be drawne.

I T is formerly said that Op•∣um is depriued and freed from itsmalignitie three manner of waies, the first (as Paracel∣sus in hissecond booke D• morbis amentium saith) is by taking Opium, andmixing therewith certaine Aromaticall things, and reducing theminto a Ma•• with the rob or iuice of Quinces, and after∣wardsputting them, into a Quince, whose coare is first taken out; andlastly, hauing couered or infoulded the same in past, bak• it in anouen like bread, and being taken out reduce or beate it intopowder, and infuse i•

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in some conuenient liquor, whereby the es∣sense or tincturethereof may be extracted, to which purpose he taketh the spirit ofVitrioll (composed against the Epilepsie) as a specifi∣callfurtherer in this case.

The second meanes, is to take Opium, and to cut it into smallslices, and to put it into •a cleane Frying-pan, or vpon a Lamine orbroad plate of yron, and with a gentle fire euaporate away itsSulphur, which will ex∣hale or fume away like a grosse andstinking smoake, from which smell it is no• amisse to abstaine asmuch as may bee: some in the interim sprinkle it with a little roseVinegar, and stirre it together with a Spatula or slice as it meltethlike Aloes, and after spread it abroad vpon the sayd Lamine ofyron, and so let it euapour away as long as any fume will arise,and vntill it become so drie that it may be powdred, alwaiesbewaring that it burne not.

This manner of preparation is approued for good of Quercetane,and many other mo∣derne Physitions, and I my selfe also alwaiesobserue the same methode when I haue oc∣casion to make anyLaudanum for mine owne vse.

The third way is to dissolue the crude Opium in some conuenientliquor (as is sayd)

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and letting it digest and boyle easily, still scumming away thefroath, and vnctuous Cremor swimming aloft, which indeed is itssulphurous malignitie, and reserue the rest for vse.

This manner of preparation is highly commended of Crollius in hisBasilica Chy∣mica, in the Chapter intreating of Lauda∣num.

Of these three maners of preparing Opium before it be brought toan extract, let euery Physition make his owne choice.

CHAP. VII. How the •incture, quintesse•ce or (as some call it the substance ofOpium) is to be ex∣∣tracted, wherein his manifold vertues con∣∣sist, and howto depriue or take away his maligne acrimony.

T HE tincture of Opium (pu∣rified from its sulphurousma∣lignitie as before) is ordina∣rily extracted with Aqua∣vitaerectified, or else with Vineger, iuice of Citrons, Oranges, Quincesor other egar and tart liquors, but of all these I make continuallchoice of Vinegar, for egar

Page 37

things generally haue a naturall proprietie to correct allvenemous things, and to qua∣lifie and mitigate all those whichhaue any great Acrimonie, or any Causticke or aduring facultie,which a man cannot find that Aqua∣vitae can by any meanes doe,and this is the reason that the most sage and auncien•Phy∣sitions haue ordained that Scammonie••ould be correctedwith the iuice of Quixces, which is an egar liquor: Euphorbium, theHellebores, Esula, and other corrofiue and venemous Medicines,are commonly corrected with Vinegar, being therewith sprinkledor to∣tally drenched: Antimonie (which is both of a vomitiue andpurgatiue facultie as modern Artists know) being extracted indistilled V•negar, insteed of any alteratiue or nauseall qualitie,becommeth onely a Bezoardicke Medicine naturally prouokingsweate: Ar∣senicke (that great poyson) and Mercurie sub∣limate(that violent corrosiue) may bee so corrected by digestion withVinegar, that a man may safely vse them in Chirurgery.

Vinegar and other sower and tart things are of such high esteemeamong Physitions, that (in a maner) no man doth administereither Bezoar-stone, Vnicornes-horne, Terra∣lemnia, Treakle, orany other preseruatiue to any sicke person, vnlesse they be mi•edwith

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Oximel-simplex, Syrupe of Quinces, iuice of Citrons, Pomgranates,Berberies, Sorrell or some other tart liquor; the which thing theydoe not without great reason, considering that egar thingsingenerall comfort the stomack, resist poysons, qualifie inwardheates, and defend the parts from corruption; the which thingindeed Vinegar doth aboue all other vegetable things whatsoeuer,as may plainly appeare by its safe conseruation of all things fromany corruption that are put therein, which neither the iuice ofCitrons, Oranges, Pomgranates, nor any other thing can doe,vnlesse a man couer them with oyle and keepe them close fromthe ayre; and for my part I haue made sufficient experiment thatthe essence of Opium extracted with Vinegar is of greaterefficacie, and more confortatiue then that which is drawne withAqua-vitae, which liquor notwithstanding I mesprise not in regard

it is a subtill and very excellent essence seruing many Me∣dicinalloperations, yet in this particular I doe in no wise approue or allowthereof, for many reasons which euery discreet Phy∣sition canmanifestly yeeld.

The meanes then to extract the Tincture of Opium (after it isprepared and powdered as aforesayd) is to put the same into acon∣uenient

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glasse bodie hauing a strait or nar∣row mouth, and that for eueryounce of Opium you poure ther•unto eight ounces of liquor at theleast, be it Aqua-vitae, Vinegar or what other things soeuer thePhysition pleaseth, and being well and close luted or stopped, letit be put in B. M. or set in the Sunne, or by a furnace, or neere thefire-side where it may remaine warme in digestion for the spaceof thirtie or fortie daies toge∣ther, for by that meanes the Opiumwill begin to alter & change its acrimonious churlish∣nessealtogether; for this maner of digestion doth much resemble theSuns operation, in concocting & ripening tart and crude things, &changing thē into a sweet, pleasant & de∣lectable tast, as naturehath manifested by the example of Figs, which at first haue such acorrasiue and causticke kind of Milkinesse in them, which (assoone as it but toucheth any part of the body) rayseth pustulesand blisters thereupon; which milkinesse not∣withstanding isafterward conuerted by the Sunnes-heate into a delicate andsweet iuice.

Hauing thus accomplished the digestion of the Opium, his subtilpart is easily separa∣ted from the grosse by inclination orfil∣tring; And his essence is afterwards easily

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brought into a required and due consistence by euaporation inB.M. and so may be well reserued for vse, as shalbe declaredhereafter.

CHAP. VIII. Concerning the diuersitie of those opiating com∣∣positions, whichthe Spagirists call Lau∣∣danums.

T HE Spagirists (imitating Paracelsus, who in diuers passagesof his workes, term∣eth Anodyne and mitigating MedicinesLaud•nums) haue euer since retained that name of Opium socomposed: which word signi∣fyeth nothing else but a Medicineendowed with noble and singular vertues, and there∣foredeserueth wonderfull comm•nd•tions, which moued Croll•us toblazen it in this ma∣ner: Laudabile med•camentum, quod pl•nesuo nomine respondet si Laudanum dicas.

But the preparation thereof is diuersly handled, for euerySpagirist (for the most part) differeth from another, in one thingor other: For •irection wherein I haue principally made mention of

foure prin∣cipall-ones, according whereunto a man

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for his vse may comprehend all other what∣soeuer.

The first Laudanum or specificall Anodyne is that of Theophrastus Paracelsus,which he thus describeth in the seuenth booke of his Archidoxes.

opij Theb. j. succi pom. aurant. Suc. Citon. ana. vj.Cinamo. garyoph. ana. ss. Contus. per∣quam opt. simulomnia mixta{que} ponantur in vi∣trum cum suo coopertoriocaeco: digerantur in , vel simo per mensem, postmodūexprim. & impo∣nant. iterum cum seq.

mosch. ss Amb. gr. iiij. croci ss sueci corall magist.perlar. ana. j.ss. Comisco, postquam digestionem eorum vnomense fact. Adde quintess. auri j▪ ss quae permixt. caeteris,Anodinum speci∣ficum erit ad auferendum quosc•n{que}dolores in∣ternos & externos, vt nullum tor queatur velarri∣piatur membrum latius.

Here you may behold Paracelsus his Spe∣cificall Anodyne,wherein hee ordeineth onely Opium as its principall base, whichis the more remarkeable in regard hee doth reckon and esteemeit as a powerfull Medicine to as∣swage and cease all griefes byits Specificall forme, which ought to confirme vs no little in ouropinion concerning his qualities a∣foresayd.

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The second Laudanum is that which Quer∣∣cetanus appointeth in hisPharmacopaea. pag. 203.

essent. Opij, a suo dissoluente per B. vaporo∣sum vt supraseparatae, ij. essent. croci, cum aq. limo. extract. j. Haeduae essentiae confundantur invicem in parvo quodam vasculoargenteo: his adde Gemmarum, Magist. Hyacinthorum, &Co∣rallo. ana. ʒ j.ss. ter. sigillat. verae ʒ j. pul. Bezoard. veri,Vnicor. Ambr. gr. ana. ij.

Hi pulveres sufficient ad bonam consistentiam Laudanoindu•endam: miscendo & agitando om∣nia continuò ad ignemlentum, donec ex materia frigefacta pilulae formari possunt:sufficit exhibere de hoc Laudano magnitudine piperis gr. &in∣signes a• suspiciendos perc•pies huius Anodyni effectus,quod te spe tua numquam fi ustrabit: nam confert citramolestiam & cerebi vllam per∣turbationem adversus omnisgeneris dolores á quacun{que} causa subortos: contra omnesHaemor∣rhogias siue fluxus sanguinis in quacun{que}corpo∣ris parte fuerint: contra omnes defluxiones & fluo∣resventris, dysentericos, Hepaticos, lientericos & similes: & adadducendam grat•m tranquillita∣t•m in febribus ardentissimis,in quibus ipsis ratio∣nis sensus laeditur, & in phrenesim aegerplerum{que} delabitur. After this he describeth an other,

Page 43

whereunto hee adioyneth Henbane, and al∣most an hundredBezoardick and cordiall things: which whosoeuer is curious, andde∣sireth to know may finde them written in his sayd booke, forI am vnwilling to set then downe in this place, in regard theyrequire a long and tedious kinde of preparation, and this mayserue insteed of all.

The third Laudanum is that of Oswaldus Crollius, according to his description in hisBasilica Chymica.

BEfore Crollius describeth his Laudanum, he commendeth thevsage of all Anodynes generally in this manner. Multi suntmorbi, qui abs{que} Anodynis sanari non possuns: Ergo inomnium morborum curationibus, vbi dolorum co∣mites vigiliae,virium{que} resolutiones adfuerint, Anodyna intrinsecaappropriata possunt admini∣strari, vt ablatis symptomatumipsis radieibus per∣nitiosorum cruciatibus, amica quies naturaerod∣datur. Afterwards setting downe the com∣position of hisLaudanum (which hee calleth Laudanum paracelsi) hedescribeth it thus.

Opij Theb. iij. suc. Hyoscyam. deb. tem∣pore collect. & in .prius inspissat. j.ss. Spec. Diamb. & Diamosch. fideliterdispensatorum ana ij. ss, mumiuae transmarinae select. ss,Salis Perla∣rum,

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Corallorum ana ʒiij. liquor. succini albi per Alcohol vin• extract.Oss. de Cord. Cervi ana ʒj. lap. Bezoad. vnicorn. animalis velminer. ana ʒj. Mosch. Ambr. ana j.

In defectu auri potab. nullis corrosiuis coniq•i∣nati addanturoleorum anisi, carvi, aurant. nuc. myr. caryoph. cinamo. succ.ana gut. 12.

Fi. ex his S. A. chym. massa seu extranctum, • quo adnecessarios vsus possint pillulae eff orman And proceedingforward he noteth certaine obseruations concerning theAnteprepara∣tion of Opium and Hyosciamus and othercir∣cumstances, as also in particular the manner and way oftheir composition: the Dose hereof according to the Author, isfrom two graines to foure, and touching its vertues shalbedeclared hereafter.

The fourth Laudanum is the Authors Ne∣∣penthes Aurea.

Essens. Opij, per spir. aceti cardiaci ex∣tract. ʒiiij. tincturaecroci more Quercetani ex∣tract. ʒij. Lap. Bexoard. Regij seu auripuriss. mor• Spagirorum purpurizat. & in veram medicina•cardiacam redact. ij. resinae lig. Aloes, Ambr. gris. opt. ana

j.

Let these things be well incorporated to∣gether in a small glassevessell, and after∣ward

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keepe the composition very close.

But because all these Medicines are both very costly, andcurious to compound, and perhaps of no greater efficacie thensome others which I make, and participate to my friends, Ihaue made bould for the good of my country to set downe two,the one whereof was communicated to mee at a second hand,from the learned and eminent Physition Io. Hartmannus ofMarpurge in Germanie, and the other by the no lesse worthyand my much re∣spected friend▪ Maister Dr. Bonham of London,which are as followeth.

Laudanum siue philonium nostrum.

Opij cum spir. vini extract. vj. cui adde seq. tincturam vz. croci j. cinamo. nuc. myrist. garyoph. mac. torment zedoarbistort. •na ʒij. ss galang. angel. zz. ana. ʒij. florum cord. •n•, •.i. pulver. omnia s•bt. & cum aq. Cinamomi q. s. F•. extract. &m•sce cum supradict. opio. tunc adde Oss. de cord cervi, corall.alb. & rub. praepar. succin▪ a•b. coru. vnicor. lap. Bezo•r. lig.aloes; solut •erlarum ana. ij. santal. alb. & cit. ana. j. fol auripul. ss ter. lem. verae gr. Xiiij. amb. gris. gr. X. mosch. gr. viij.omnia opt. pulver. & sub∣•il•ss. cribrat. in fi•e adde ol. anisi gut.Xij. ol. nuc. myrist. gut. viij. ol. cinamo. gut. vj. Dosis a. gr. iij. adv. cum corn. vnicor. & lap. Bezoar. ana.

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gra. ij. & cons. ros. rub. j. cum itur cubi∣tum.

Laudanum p•aestantisse. D. Bohami.

Opij Theb. laminatum conscissi & poste• exiccati i ss. gum.hyosc. iij. sem. hyosc. alb. j. mummiae j. garioph.Cinamo. ā. ij. rad. leuistic. cal. arom. gallan. ʒʒ. ana j.castor. pip. nig. carpesiorum croci sinceri ana ss. labdan.belzoin. ana ʒ ij. pul. pul. & ponantur omnia in vitro angu∣stiorificij cun• spir. vini opt. q.s. ita vt quatuor di∣gitossuperemineat, ac bene claudatur ter quaterue in die agitandodum tincturam nigram obtineat, deinde tinctura effundatur, &nou• spiritus addan∣tur donec tota virtus sit educta, tum inB.M. fiat euaeporatio S. A. dum ad extracti consistentiamperuenerit, fiat{que} Laudanum approbatum & tutis∣sium.

Vsus huius est.

In saeuis dolorum implacabilium paroxysmis vt pote colicis,podagricis, arthriticis, pleuriticis, stomachicis, Nephriticis. Itemin vigilijs, destux∣ionibus, haemorrhagijs & dysenterijs inexpugna∣bilibus & praesertim in vomitu pestilenti & phre∣nitidesummum arcanum.

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Cautio.

Puellis tamen & senibus, quibus etiam vires vel magnitudinemorbi v•l doloris saeuitia prostratae sunt, non confert. Quod sipulsus strenuns satis & vehemens appareat, siue periculo vtipossis.

Extractio gum. hyosc.

cort. rad hyosc. in mense Mart. vel septemb. circaplenilunium collect. exiccentur in vmbra po∣stea purgentur &contundantur opt. & in vase vitreo cum q. s. vini alb. arctiss.includan∣tur, tum in B. M. coq. per horas 12. vel amplius &rubicundam inuenes tincturam, quam exprimes è rad. fortiter,dein omnem hunc liquo∣rem per filtrum transactum euaporatosuper car∣bones viuos donec tinctura remanet instar mel∣lus,&c.

Aduertisments.

1 My meaning is that Opium should bee first freed and quitfrom his sulphurous Ma∣lignity, by meanes of its exsicrationafore∣sayd, and afterwards digested for the space of a monethin distilled Vinegar, wherein good stoare of white Saunders,Balme, Red∣roses

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roses and Cinamon haue beene infused, and lastly broughtvnto the consistence of liquid Pitch, or somewhat thicker.

2 For Bezoar-Regall, I meane fine Gold, reduced into the formeof powder, by the Phylosophers dissoluing balsame, and sobrought vnto such a true, reall, comforta∣ble, and BezoardickMedicine, that one graine thereof shall farre exceed six, oreight graines of the best orientall Bezoar; which (if need be) isvery demonstrable.

3 That the (Saffron being pure and neate.) be infused afterQuercetans-maner in Limon-water, and so the tincture drawne,let the water bee euapored with an easie and gentle fire, lestthe more excellent and subtill spirit of the Saffron flie away.

4 To conclude, I put no Magistery or tincture of Pearle,Pretious-stones, Corall, nor of any other Cordiall things in myLau∣danum then you see, not onely because I find the foresaydtincture of Gold to bee as suffi∣cient and auaileable as all therest, but for some other rationall considerations, which here Ispare to speake of.

5 And for the Amber-grise put therein, I neuer knew anywoman troubled with the suffocation of the Mother, feele anymani∣fest nuisance, alteration or offence thereby,

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•s some imagine, but if any man doubt ther∣of, let him but

onely touch the Pill intended •o be giuen vpon such occasionwith a little •yle of Charabes or Amber.

These are the Laudanums, or Opiating •ompositions which Ihaue bin contented to describe in this booke, which indeed areall •ery good and excellent in their operations, •lthough theydiffer something one from an∣other in composition, anddiuersitie of in∣grediences, yet the principal base common tothem all, is meerely Opium.

The reason why I •aue not set downe the preparation of thisMedicine in so ample and plaine a maner and forme, as eueryparticular Reader might desire to make himselfe Ma∣ster of theMysterie, is in regard I would not wrong any priuate person,who by his great •abour, cost and industrie, hath purchasedand gotten a more peculiar interrest therein, as hauingsufficient vnderstanding, knowledge and experience in thewhole Art of Physick. For although I am willing to make eueryman, that shall read this Treatise acquainted with the vtilitieand profit which may re∣dound and accrew by the vse of such aMe∣dicine, yet is it not my intention for all that, to giueoccasion to many presumptuous per∣sons, which rashly, andwithout any true

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ground other then their owne priuate gain• making practise inPhysicke, will take in hand with a thing of so greatconsideration and importance as Laudanum is. And this is thereason also wherefore I doe so freely ad∣monish and counselleuery one that loues his owne life, or the preseruation of hishealth, more then the sparing of a sew scald pence, not to takethis Medicine for any in∣ward vse at any mans hand, but onelyof such as haue good knowledge therein, and will faithfullycommunicate the same, not giuing quid for quo, as somevnworthy Mercenaries doe, who commonly gape after theirowne benefit and commodite, rather then the good and safetieof their sick patient.

Furthermore, I am not ignorant though a man may finde manySpagirists vaunting, and bragging they haue this and thatLa•∣danum, and other excellent Anodynes com∣posed withoutany Opium at all, some saying they can make Laudanum withmixtion only of certaine Cordialls, others would make the worldbeleeue they haue a certaine em∣brionated Sulphur of Vitriall,which is a most rare pretious medicine, and Somnife∣rous

Anodyne; but these are nothing but vaine ostentations, seeingthat without Opium or some other things of equiualen•

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and semblable faculties it is impossible for •ny man to prepareany generall, true or cer∣•aine Anodyne; how be it I deny not,but by permixtion of certaine things differing one •rom anotherin tast, smel and qualitie, a man may compose a handsomecounterfeit Lauda∣•um, seeing that I my selfe can prepare sucha Medicine of Nutmegs, Mace, Myrrhe, Saf∣•ron, Amber, Maske,Aqua-vita, Quintessence, of Sulphur, &c. without any Opi••, theonely smell whereof will prouoke sleepe, and being administredwill appease diuers griefes, yet for all that it is nothing sogenerall or auaile∣able an Anodyne, that it may be compared inany sort with that prepared of Opium, or if it were a man mightdoubtlesse make as great scruple to take that as the other; forif Opium can indanger the body by its naturall som∣•iferousqualitie, why should not another Aromaticall Cordiall do thesame, which by art hath acquired the like facultie.

Moreouer concerning the foresayd sul∣phurous Anodyne,although Paracelsus tells wonders of such a one, in the seuenthChap. of his booke De re•. natur. wherein he dis∣courseth ofdiuers minerall Sulphurs, it is so (ingeniously with Crollius Iconfesse) that I neuer saw any such medicine; for hauingtry∣•d conclusions, and wrought long time vpor▪

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Vitrioll, I could neuer perceiue it had any such substance in it,which had like operation to that of Opium, as I haue plainelymanife∣sted in my booke intituled Anatomia Vitriol•, divulgedfiue yeares since; in regard wherof those are much deceiuedwhich by meanes of its precipitation with salt of Tartar, byboy∣ling in an yron pot, or by meanes of sublima∣tion doeseparate a greenish powder from Vitriol, calling it Sulphur•mbryonatum Vitriol•, which being put to Vulcans Test, a manmay quickly find it to be nothing but Copper, or beingadministred altereth the stomack, and rather prouoketh vomit,then either comfort or disposition to sleepe: it is thereforeappa∣rant that Paracelsus, intēded some other thing in thisproiect then he vouchsafed to disco∣uer to vs.

Hence you may behold the reasons, wher∣fore we ought not tomis-prise, and vilipend certaine things for vncertain, butcontent our selues with the aforesayd Laudanums, or such like,with thankesgiuing to the Author of all goodnesse, notsuffering our vnderstandings to bee abused by the vaineflorishes or idle fantasies of any other.

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CHAP. IX. Concerning the vertues and vse of all opiating Laudanums, aswell

in generall as parti∣∣cular.

H Auing alreadie set downe the manner how to prep••e Opiumwell, and to make excellent compositions thereof calledLaudanums, it behoueth vs now to declare their vertues and vsefor the better direction and aduer∣tise•ent to them which shallhaue occasion to vse the same.

The properties of euery Laudanum, which is well prepared and corrected, asbeforesayd, are principally sixe.

1 The first is to giue ease, or to cease all inward painesproceeding of what cause so∣euer, and that at all times, and toall persons without exception of what complexion, temprature,age, or constit•tion of bo∣die soeuer, onely hauing regard tothe Dose, and other circumstances which are re∣quisit for thePhysition to obser•e.

2 To prouoke those to sleepe which are

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destitute thereof by reason of any corporall disease, oralteration of spirit, which things it effecteth without dulling orbenumming the senses, weakning the members, constipatingthe bodie, or producing any euill accidents at all in them, asother Somniferous things doe which are naturally cold, and ilprepared.

3 To stop all vehement, subtill and corro∣ding Cathurrousdistillations falling from the braine vpon the lower parts,thickening them by little and little, strenthening the braine, andrepressing the grosse vapors which rise from the stomackevpwards, which are ordi∣narily the causes of such defluxions.

4 To stay naturally the Haemorrhagie, dys∣senterie andmenstruall fluxes, as also the Dyarrhaea and fluxe of the belly,proceeding frō the great distemprature of inward heate, orsome sharpe and biting humour.

5 To consummate and cease all burning Fe∣uers andpraeternaturall heate, proceeding from any wound or vlcer, orfrō the fermen∣tation or ripening of any cholerick humor, or anycausticke or venemous matter.

6 To roborate and strengthen the bowels and all the relaxedand feeble conduits, and those whose vertue retentiue isweakened, by reason of some long sicknesse, or by the toomuch vse of purgatiue medicines.

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Laudanum is more particularly vsed with good successe in these diseasesfollowing.

1 Against all maner of head-ach, as inue∣terate Megrims,

Cephalalgia, or any other kind of excessiue paine, hauingregard that the stomacke bee first clensed from all grosse andcorrupt humours, the Dose is one small Pill to bee taken atbed-time, some two houres after supper, either in the water orsyr∣rup of sweet Maioran, B•tony, or some other Cephalickliquor, as the Physitions shall thinke good: or otherwise a manmay take it in ale or broth, or swallow it dry as it is, continuingthe same as long as need shall re∣quire, that is vntill the painebe so tamed, that Laudanum is needlesse, which order must beobserued in all other diseases, wherein it is vsed.

2 Against all subtill Catarrhons, Destilla∣tions which fall fromthe braine vnto the eyes, teeth, or eares, or vpon the inferiourparts, as the lungs, brest, stomack, &c. where∣in Laudanum isvsed, as aforesaid, keeping the Patients head in the meane timeneither too hot, nor too cold, nor suffering him to drink anywine, stale beere, or other strong drinke, as also to forbeareeating of mustard, garlick, onions, all spices and other things ofa hot

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and drie qualitie, which further and prouoke too much theforesaid distillation. If it bee conuenient to open the body youmust vse no other purgatiue then that of Aloes, wa∣shed inrose-water, and thickned with the iuice of Rheubarb, Manna,Syrrupe of Roses, or with a conuenient Clister, which indeed ismuch better, for all other kind of purgatiue, dry and attractiuemedicines are very dan∣gerous in such accidents.

3 Against all paines of the eares with noise and flatulenttingling, be it by reason of cer∣taine wind inclosed in thebraine, or of any other vapours arising from the stomack: thismedicine is best taken in the water of Fennel, Sage or a littlewhite wine going to bed as aforesayd.

4 Against the ayrie Epilepsie (I speake vn∣to Naturalists)whose sits happen with great ebullition of bloud, and afflict thePatient with an Haemorrhagic and great head-ach, we vse togiue Laudanum in the water of Pae∣onie, wild Poppy or otherappropriat liquor before or after the fit, and this must be giuenonce euery quarter of the Moone in the mor∣ning beforeSun-rise, causing the patient to keepe a good diet, and to beelet bloud in due season and oportunity.

5 Against tooth-ach caused through any

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hot and subtill destillation, we vse to dissolue a little Laudanumin Vinegar, a few drops whereof the sicke patient must take andhold in his mouth a while, and after spit it out, and so takemore and more in that fashion, vntill the paine cease.

7 To those which cannot sleepe by any means, we commonly

giue a little La•danum with a spoon-ful of the water ofHypericon or Balme, some twice or thrice a weeke, as long asneed shall require.

7 To those which haue any great fluxe of bloud at the nose, ormouth, after due inqui∣sition of the precedent cause, to theend Phle∣botomie, Cupping-glasses, or other means forrevulsion-sake may be vsed, which taking no effect, we shouldinstantly giue the patient a little Laudanum in the water ofPlaintaine, bursa pastoris Tormentill, or rather (as mostef∣fectuall) in Aqua spermatis ranarum per descen∣sumdistillat. And if the bloud issue from the nose, we put a little linttherein, that is soaked in the sayd water and Laudanum mix∣ed,and also apply some dipped therein to the fore-head, bymeanes whereof the flux will immediatly stay: But if the partiehath bled much alreadie, vse no more Phlebotomie, butpresently haue recourse to this remedie.

8 To those which are subiect to too much

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vomiting and cannot brooke any meat on their stomack, byreason of some offensive matter there heaped & congealed, itis neces∣sary that expulsion of the aforesaid matter be firstmade by the fittest Emunctory, either vp∣ward or downward, asoccasion shal require; or if the vomiting proceed through theabu∣dance of wind, or vapors inclosed in the bowels by reasonof some obstruction in the reins (as often it falleth out) or ofsome other part in such case these obstructions should beopened with some good Diureticke, Diapho∣retick & otherconuenient medicines, other∣wise if the vomiting proceed fromthe parti∣cular debility of the stomack, f•ō some vlcer, or anyother cause then those aforenamed: In such case a man mayadminister Laudanum in the Syrrup of Quinces or Betony,reiterating the same as often as need shall require.

9 Against burning, malignant and pestilent Feuers (afterconuenient vse of vomits, Be∣zoardicks and other remedies fitto euacuate grosse humors, or purifie the bloud, if it beneedfull) a man may giue the Patient Laudanū in the water ofCarduus-be•ed ctus, Veroni∣ca, Celondine or such•like, for insuch cases it doth precipitate and consume the venemousvapors which arise frō the center of the body to the braine,causing madnesse, rage, phren∣sey,

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and diuers other dangerous accidents, which by this meansmay be preuented, for it asswageth the extreame heat inFeuers, com∣forteth the body and recreateth the spirits.

10 In intermitting Feuers after due euacua∣tion of theoffending and grosse humors, by vomit or siege appropriate,and the subtil and thin by conuen•ent Diaphoretickes, as also

by giuing respiration to the star of Microcos∣mick-fi•e byPhlebotomie, if need require, after which intentions (if theFeuer cease not) a man may bouldly administer Lauda∣num inthe water of Centory, Carduus-be•e∣dictus, Mouseare, or othersappropriat an houre or two before the fit, by which meanestwice or thrice vsed, I haue seene many A∣guish people curedwhen no other remedie preuailed, yet I will not affirme this tobee an infallible cure in all, for intermitting Feuers fall out tobee such many times, that the best Physitions in the worldknow not what to say vnto them, seeing they mock and scorne(as it were both them and their medi∣cines.)

11 Against the Collicke, and all gri∣ping in the bellie (hauingregard that the bodie be alwaies kept soluble by some Clysteror Laxatiue Medicine, we common∣ly giue Laudanum in aspoone-full of good

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white-wine; but the paine falling out too violent and intellerablewe stay for no other remedies, but vse this at the verybeginning, and the griefe being ceased, the Physition mayhappily proceed in his cure by remouing the offending cause,otherwise if hee shall see occasion.

12 In extreame paines and pinches which proceed from thesmall guts called Iliaca p•ssi•, we administer Laudanum in theoyle of sweet Almonds, or Muscilage of Quince-seed.

13 Against paines of the Matrix, we giue Landanum in the waterof Chamomill or Mugwort, but if the paines doe particularlyproceed from retention of the menstrues, then must the causebee taken away by pro∣uoking them with conuenientmedicines, neuerthelesse the griefe being intollerable,Laudanum may be first vsed, for it ceaseth all paines,represseth and consumeth all noysome vapours, which mountto the braine, and af∣flict women with priuation of Sense,Stran∣gulation, Epileptick fits, &c. without feare of anypreiudice, by neglecting the cause, which the Physition maybetter meddle withall when the Symptomes are staied.

14 When a woman is deliuered from Child-birth, and her painesfall out after∣wards to bee insupportable, causing want of

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Sleepe, Sounding, a burning Feuer, and great debilitie. In sucha case Laudanum is found to be the most soueraigne remediethat can be, and hath no lesse vertue in the restrayning the toomuch effusion of bloud after birth, by giuing only one small Pillas aforesaid.

15 In all dangerous Fluxions of the Men∣strues, wee vse to giueLaudanum twice or thrice, or as need shall require, and it willdoubtlesse stay them, so that the Patient vse a conuenient diet

and rest, and refraine from anger and other violent passions,altering and troubling the bloud, I haue cured diuers that hauelost (in a maner) all the bloud in their bodies, by giuing themonely Laudanum, and after taking a course to restore naturewith conuenient Viands, and to comfort the heart, cause themto take the Magisterie of Pearle, Corall, the Cordiall Elixer,commonly called the Philosophers Aurum Potabile, &c.

16 In Dysenteries, and also in great •luxes of the belly withoutbloud, hauing first eua∣cuated the offending matter withRheubarbe or other conuenient medicines, according to thequality of the ma••er, & the part affected, we vse Laudanumwith the Syrtupe of Quin∣ces, once, twice or thrice, as needshall re∣quire, omitting in no wise expedient Phle∣botomie, orany other outward meanes, whe∣ther

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they be Vnguents, Plasters, or whatso∣euer.

17 To those which (hauing taken some naughty purgation) arefallen into a violent fluxe of the belly with no little danger of life(as by many examples is apparant) we giue Laudanum in aspoone-full of Red-wine once, twice, &c. vntill the fluxe cease.

18 In exceeding griefe in the Reines (cal∣led Nephritis) as alsowhen the vrine destil∣leth by drops, scalding and corroding thevrinarie passages, much like to a strong-lee, Laudanū is giuenmixed with a little conserue of Roses, or with some Syrrupe ofViolets.

19 Laudanum is likewise giuen to those which are daungerouslyafflicted with the stone, after the giuing of a mollifyng &car∣minatiue Clister, if the body be bound, and then it is bestexhibited in Meath, or the Syr∣rupe of Liquirise.

20 To those which are exceedingly pained by reason of someinward rupture, Laudanum is vsually giuen in a spoone-full ofgood wine, annoynting them outwardly with a lit∣tle oyle ofNut-megs, and causing them in the meane time to keepethemselues very warme.

21 Against all Gouts, or paines in the ioynts, whether it bee inthe Feet, Hands,

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Knees, Hippes, &c. coniunct with inflam∣mation, and when theoffending matter is windie and vnconstant shifting from oneplace vnto another, in such cases to ease the paine, digest thematter, and thic∣ken it so that it may bee more easily expelledby purgatiue meanes, or that Nature-selfe may consume it byinsensi∣ble transpiration) •audanum is certaine∣ly worthiegreat commendations, especi∣ally when it is giuen from thehand of a skilfull Physition, that is with reason, vnderstandingand in fit time, for in such occurrences where the matter is so

vagant and vncertaine, purgatiue Medicines doe more ha•methen good by sturring the hu∣mour ouer much, and causinginanition of the parts when the inflammation growes morevehement, and the sicke persons farre worse afflicted thenbefore. To Ar∣thriticall persons, in whom the offend∣ing matteris not so vagant, but constant and resident in one place, whosuffer not onely great paine, but an extreame Fe∣uer withdebilitation, losse of naturall rest and such like cases andSymptones, Laudanum is verie conuenient at the in∣stant tostay the violence, after which you may vse purgatiue medicinesto take away

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the cause with farre better successe then before, for if youshould tamper and purge during these fits you would raisesundry o∣thers of greater danger, for such strong purga∣tionsas those which are able to exhale the offending matter from theioynts, would bee vsed when nature is quiet, rather then atsuch times as she is vexed, deiected & cast downe throughviolent paines and griefe.

22 To a wounded person, which is assaul∣ted with a burningFeuer, Inquietude, Hae∣morrhagia, or some other accident,whereby the wound is incensed and in danger to gan∣grene: insuch a case that Chyrurgian is wor∣thie double honour, whoknowes well how to vse Laudanum, for the good successewhich vndoubtedly followes.

23 If any person afflicted with intollerable great paine byreason of any in•eterate vlcers in the legs, armes, or otherparts of the body, as many times it falleth out, by giuing a littleLaudanum some two houres after supper, the paine will ceasewithout faile. I had once in Switzerland a certaine patient about90. years of age in cure, who had two great vlcers, which in 15.yeares did so torment him, that he could take no rest, night norday, so that he was constrained to seeke about for some manto giue him case; to whom hauing but

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begun to administer a little Laudanum, hee immediatlyrecouered his naturall rest, and shortly after was able to walkeall the towne ouer, the which he could not do of long timebefore, so that onely by means of Laudanum hee preseruedhimselfe for the space of one yeare and a halfe together, at theend where∣of hee died for very age, the vlcers in the meanetime, neate, cleane and open, and that without application ofany other outward thing more then a linnen ragge dipped in thewater of Spotted Pers••aria, and so layd to the soarehandsomely as I had directed.

24 Lastly when any person is tormented with any maladywhatsoeuer, and hauing tryed all ordinary remedies that can bedeui∣sed to take away the cause, and being not able to be

holpen therby, but remain in conti∣nual torments, Dolor,Vexation & Watching, whereby the Radical moysture is so dainlyex∣hausted, naturall heate extinguished, &c. In this caseLaudanum doth merit to bee called the onely soueraigne saluefor languishing people, seeing it ceaseth all their griefestrengthneth their inward parts, maintaineth naturall heate,and produceth such miracles in nature, that none can imagine,but such as haue experience of the same, for I haue ob∣seruedmany examples very remarkeable, as

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that hauing my selfe, with good discretion and aduiceadministred Laudanum to some persons, when they hauebeene struggeling with death, and assaulted with intollerableAgonies, Paine and torments, they haue had such comfort andease, that presently after they haue in farre better senserecommended themselues vnto God, giuen order concer∣ningtheir worldly estate, and yeelded their spirits into the hand oftheir Maker with quietnesse, great comfort and edification of allthem that were present about them; But the contrary hathoften fallen out and still doth for want of such a Medicine, inwhose stead there can be found no parrallel, as expe∣riencedoth plainely declare, which ought to moue and stirre vp eueryPhysition, which neither knowes how to procure nor vse thesame to acquit himselfe so much the more carefully of hischarge before God and his neighbour, for there is no reason,particular opinion, nor any disputation ought to pre∣uaileagainst charitie, by meanes whereof the whole vniuerse dothstand and continue, and whereupon all good Arts and Sciencesare founded, so that wee halt in our dutie, when we neglect tosearch out and procure such things as are wholesome, good,and comfor∣table to sicke people, albeit they were inuen∣ted

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and found out by Pagans or Christians, an∣cient or moderne,Gallen or Paracelsus or any other Author, whose opiniō we holdfor Ora∣cles, we cānot render ourselues excusable be∣fore Godthe very searcher of the heart and thoughts: for experiencebeing the great fundamentall booke of Physitions, which is dailyread vnto vs by the light of nature, we should continuallyindeuour our selues, not only to vnderstand but obserue, alsoher mo∣•ions and directions, considering that (as Paracelsussaith) all the meanes and remedies which naturally curesicknesses, are thetrue Canons and rules of Physick, which Iwould •aue to be construed with all conuenient ex∣ception,attributing vnto reason that which •s agreeable, and vntoAuthors the honour •ue vnto them.

Certaine Cautions and aduertisements for the better and more safe vse ofLaudanum.

WE may all vnderstand that there is no∣thing in the world (be itneuer so good) it for medicine, wherein good iudgement •nd

discretion for its safe exhibition is not to •e required, whichindeed is the chiefest rea∣•on that mooueth mee to giue furtherCau∣•on and aduertisement concerning the vse 〈◊〉Laudanum.

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1 First although in the former passages i• hath bin decreed,that •his Medicine should be vsed with di•ers Vehicles in euerydisease, yet there may happen some particular occur∣rence,that in one or other, the distilled wa∣ters and Syrrups aforesaidmay not bee con∣ueniently taken as well in r•spect of theirqualities, smels and tast, as other particular p•op•rtiesantipathizing the sicke Patient, whereof wee haue seene diuersexamples, as some that cannot indure the smell or tast ofroses, others of Quinces, some louing sweet things, others notable to indure them, to some distilled waters are pleasant, toothers they cause vomit, and other accidents, so that thePhysition ought to looke vnto all these things, and becausesuch occasions may often fall out, it is best to administerLaudanum in Wine, Beere, Chicken-broath or some otherVehicle, agreeable as well to the Patients nature as his disease,whereunto great regard must be had.

2 You must not giue Laudanum twice in one day, vnlesse ingreat extremitie of paines for once will suffice, nor you oughtnot to exceed ordinarily the weight of three or foure grains at atime, yet vnto a person of strong consti∣tution a man may giuefrom foure to •ix. I• is best administred at night two houresafte•

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supper, as aforesaid, vnlesse great occasion fall out otherwise,for then any time of the day must serue, according (to the oldsaying) ne∣cess••ie hath no law.

3 You must also haue great regard that the body bee free fromsuperfluous excrements, which must be procured with someconue∣nient Laxatiue Medicine, molli••ing Clifter, orSuppositorie, but in leane and megre bo∣dies, and such as feedvery little, and such as are slender, full of heate and destitute ofne∣cessary humiditie and radica•l moysture, ha∣uing withalltheir veines full of blood, with such you must deale very warily,for they haue more need then a man would thinke to haue theirheate cooled, and humected, rather then by purging the body,where no excre∣ments are to dry the same more and more, forby diminishing the humours, heat must needs increase, and sowill the bodie pine and con∣sume away to nothing.

4 To Asthmaticall people, whose Brests, Lungs and otherOrganes are stuffed with Viscous and clammy flegme, you musttake heed of giuing any Laudanum, for in such ca∣ses you mustvse Medicines to dissolue and clense away the said matter,which Laudanum cannot do being a medicine of a

corrobora∣ting and indifferent thickning nature:

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5 Laudanum is not good or conuenient for Hydropical persons,which for the abundance of water conteined in them hauemuch adoe to breath and dare not sleepe in their beds for feareof suffocation, yet after the watrie matter is euacuated, theLiuer and other parts vnstopped with conuenient medicines,and deliuer•d from the foresaid Symptomes, then a man maybe bold to giue them Lau∣danum to Roborate the bowels,defend the body from subtill Des•uxions and finish the wholecure.

6 Finally, Laudaunum is not conuenient for them, whosestomack is full of grosse hu∣mours which should beeeuacuated with vo∣mitory or Cathariticke medicines, nor forthose which haue the Small-pocks, which Symptomes shouldbee taken away with ap∣propriat remedies: In briefe, no manought to vndertake the cure of any disease with Laudanum,which hath need of mitigation or helpe, either by Vomitories,Cathartickes, Dia∣phoretickes, Diuretickes, Alexitaries,Vulnera∣ries, Phlebotomie, Diet, or any other appro∣priatremedie: And contrariwise it is idle to goe about to cure anydisease with an other medicine, which of necessity must becured with Laudanum: for euerie medicinall rule, and euerieSection of medicines haue vnder

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them their proper maladies for whose cure they are especiallyappropriated, yet not∣withstanding wee are constrained manytimes vpon occasion to mixe one thing with another, not only inregard that two or three diseases do often iump together in onebody, but also for the varietie of Symptomes, and effects thatone only diseases may sometimes produce, so that one whileone Medicine, ano∣ther while another may be found to be mostconuenient, and agreeable. And this is the reason why Ipropose not Laudanum for a vniuersall Medicine.

CHAP. X. Confuting three erronious obiections which may be proposedagainst the vse of Lauda∣∣num.

S Ome 8. yeares since, •being in consultatiō with certainPhy∣sitions, about a man which was troubled with a fluxe of thebelly a month together, & at that time together with the same hada continuall Feuer, was depriued of naturall rest and mightilytormented with belly-ach,

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so that notwithstanding the vse of a great number of medicines,yet he was become ex∣ceeding weake and feeble: vpon which

oc∣casion when it came to my turne to s•eake, I proposedLaudanum, for an excellent medi∣cine in that case: but theyvtterly disl•king the same, came vpon me with these threeob∣iections following, which notwithstanding were not able torenverse or ouerthrow my opinion. To preuent therefore amischiefe which may happen to some sicke persons for want ofLaudanum, being denied the vse thereof vpon so slight reasons, Ithought good for conclusion of this Treatise, to set downe theirobiections and my refutation of them in manner as followeth.

The Obiections.

1 First that Laudanum, being principally composed of Opium,and still re•eyning its Somniferous propertie, mightconsequently suffocate naturall heate, and benum andstu∣p•fie all the senses.

2 Seeing Laudanum doth incrassate & thic∣ken the subtillhumors, it followed that al∣though it did cease paine for thetime, yet afterwards it made the cause of the sicknessemalignant, fixed and incurable.

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3 That it hath beene obserued, that some sicke people hauedied some few houres after the taking of Laudanū,inconsideration wher∣of we should abstaine from its vsealtogether.

The Answere.

Concerning the first obiection, I am of o∣pinion, that if suchmen as goe about to pro∣pose any such thing, would eithergiue place to the authority of great Physitions, orexpe∣rience-self (both which assuring vs that c•ude Opium,taken in small quantity, neither suf∣focateth naturall hea•e, nordulleth the senses, as hath beene already sufficiently proued inthe beginning of this discourse) they would neither blame, norso basely esteeme of it; but suppose that a very smal Dose ofcrude O∣pium did produce such effects, must it there∣fore doethe same when it is depriued of the superfluity of its narcoticalSulphur, his Acri∣monie corrected, and after mixed with suchBezoardick and Cordiall things as aforesaid? No man ofiudgement, or of any experience in the Mysteries of nature, candeny that Opiū (the principall ingredience or Basis ofLau∣danum) being thus altered both in forme and substance,becōmeth likewise changed in its vertues and operations, andtherefore can

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with no reason censure so hardly thereof as when it is crude:And notwithstanding that Laudanū doth prouoke the diseasedto sleepe, yet daily experience teacheth vs that it doth notsuffocate naturall heate, but rather pre∣serue it when it isabout to consume, and in danger to be suddainely extinct by

reason of its violent motion, extreame paines, andex∣traordinary watching, whereby it is as rude∣ly handled as alampe or burning-torch is in a mightie tempest, which causetha greater wasting of oyle, and losse of light then it would doe ifit were defended from such an accident.

2 For the second obiection: Laudanum is so farre fromaggrauating, impairing or ma∣king worse the causes of thedisease by reason of its incrassating faculty, that quite contraryit prepareth some offending humours, and maketh them farmore apt and easie to be ex∣pelled, as in the 21. passagebefore cōcerning Gouts we haue something declared; For is itnot the consent and verdict of the best Phy∣sitions in theworld, that the preparation of humors before purgation dothchiefly con∣sist in two operations, that is in subtilizing andattenuating of those which are Viscouse thick and clammy, andincrassating and thickning indifferently those which are too

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subtill, virulent, windy & vagant in the body? Now the greatestpart of extreame paines and inward heates proceeding fromsome dissolued matter, that is either salt, sharpe or corroding,or from such as doth excoriate, in∣flame and alter the memberaffected, where∣by malignant vapors arise, which passingvn∣to the adioyning parts, doe by consent pro∣duce sūdrytormēts, & many euil accidents as by experience is manifest:what better course can a man obserue, then by meanes ofLau∣danum to thicken and digest the sayd humors &sequestring & consuming the aforesayd va∣pours in such sort,that they can by no means exercise their cruelty as before? Andin case of superfluity (if it be any waies requisite to be purged,a man may doe it afterwards farre more warily and safely thenin the former e∣state: is not this represented to any mansvnderstanding, by sundry outward vlcers, which being inflamedand distilling from some subtill and corrosiue humour, causegreat Pricking, Dolour and paines and oftentimes by consent aFeuer to the Pati∣ent, so that the true remedie in such a case totake away such accidents is some excellent Anodyne, whichmay mitigate and asswage that vnnaturall heate, and suddenlyripen and indifferently thicken the offending

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humor which was so subtill and corrosiue, which being done, alother Symptomes cease whatsoeuer; Laudanum then (notonely pro∣ducing these effects by its naturall propertie, butalso mundifying, resisting putrifaction, and healing, andcomforting the weakened parts as it were Balsame) may bygood conse∣quence take away or extinguish the cause of manyeuill Symptomes, rather then impaire and make themincureable: for although it doth moderately incrassate, yetnotwithstan∣ding it doth not coagulate the bloud, nor fixe thesubstances, which in their owne pro∣per nature are liquid in

stone, nor soder or glue the parts together as Gypsum doth, forwhich cause onely men should blame it in such maner asbefore.

3 Thirdly, we will not deny, but that some sick person maychance to die soone after the receipt of Laudanum, but thatLauda•um was the cause of their death, & that in regard ther∣ofits vse is vtterly to be abandoned and for∣saken is the matternow in question.

First therefore it is very apparant by our former discourse, thatLaudanum is not a thing of such a venemous quality, as willcause death to the receiuer, for albeit the ob∣seruation be truethat some haue died soone after the taking thereof, yet thatought not

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to supersede all other reasons, attestations & experienceconcerning the good effects, and safe vse of Laudanum, for asit is an absurd and foolish thing for a man to say, • did seecer∣taine graines of Bezoar-stone, Vnicornes-horne, Pearles, orsuch like pretious Cordials giuen to a sicke person who died notlong after, ergo, that was the cause of his death, and ther∣f•retake heed of vsing any such thing here∣after: or I saw one giuea Clister to such a sicke person who died soone after, Ergo,Cli∣sters are dangerous remedies, and ought not to be vsed, asmany simple people are accu∣stomed to argue; Euen so it is asabsurd a thing to hold Laudanum in suspition, because such aone tooke it & after dy•d, for although it doe principally andspeedily cause all tor∣ments to cease, and prouoke thediseased to sleepe, yet that is no consequence that it canpreserue a man from death, when by God his secret decree hishoure is come, for nei∣ther that nor no other Medicine in theworld can doe: sleepe and exemption from paines arenecessary things, as well for sound as sicke men, the one withdistinction, the other with∣out all exception; but that these twodoe sometimes serue for the maintenance and strengthening ofmans life, and other some∣times are vnnecessary, and of novse, this pro∣ceeds

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not through any fault in themselues, but in nature which dothnot receiue them for her owne good and benefit, as other timesshe vseth to doe, which thing is liuely represented vnto vs bythe vse of meate, drinke and all other things called Medicinesnot naturall, which sometimes are good and profitable to thebodie, and sometimes quite contrary, euen as nature disposethof them for our good, or euill, howsoeuer in themselues theyare alwaies good, seeing without thē no man can liue, we mayeasily perceiue the v•∣ritie hereof by the example of any man,who hauing watched, and trauailed moderately vntill at last heebecome drowsie and faint, who after a little sleepe, and reposebeing a∣wakened, becommeth as liuely and frolicke as at first.

But if this man returne to his la∣bour, and redouble his paines &watching in such sort, that hee surpasse the limits of hisstrength, and so long vntill his vitall animall and naturallfunctions be vtterly disbanded and weakned, making such anexceeding al∣teration in his body and turning it quite vp∣side-downe, so that a dangerous and mortall disease insue: Now inthis case, if he betake himselfe to this Medicine for rest andsleepe, thinking to finde like benefit and comfort, as before, heshalbe so farre from enioying

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the same, that quite contrary he must needs pay the price ofhis life for his vaine ex∣cesse and intemperance. After the verysame manner may wee iudge of such a sicke person as hathwanted sleepe be∣yond measure, indured intollerable paines,taken no food or nourishment, and become extreame weakeand at point of death, who afterwards falling into a little sleepeof himselfe, or by meanes of a little Lau∣danum, or aspoone-full or two of some restauratiue liquor to comfort him;in∣steed of recouering his life by any of these, hee doubtlessedies; the cause of his death notwithstanding ought not to beeimputed to the little sleepe hee had, nor to the taking of theCordiall (seeing that sleepe and nourishment are twone∣cessary things for the preseruation of life) but rather inregard that death hauing seized vpon them, these things couldnot produce those good effects, which by natures intentionthey were ordained and appointed for. Let this suffice then tocon∣fute the third obiection aforesaid, in defence of wellprepared and discreetly administred Laudanum. For if any manvsing Opium as the Turkes doe, or Henbane, Mandrage, or anyother Narcotiall thing so crude, raw,

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il-prepared or vncorrected hath or doth cō∣mit any notableerror in that behalfe, it is farre from my scope or intention todefend any such abuse; my desire is rather that Phy∣sitionsshould beware how they deale with simple people, and lest theArt should bee slaundered, there ought to bee a fit timee∣lected for the giuing of Laudanum, that is at the firstincounter of the disease, when there is good hope of cure,considering that wee must not onely haue regard to purgePhlebo∣mize, prescribe a Dyet, &c. to our Patients, but also tocomfort and restore, to aduance and bring them to theirnaturall rest, and to cease and qualifie their torments.More∣ouer wee should omit no occasion at any time, to easeand succour our neighbour, euen vntill the point of death, in allthings wee may or can possibly, euen as, wee would bee seruedour selues in the like •ase, and that with all conuenientexceptions and prote∣station for the reason aforesayd; And thisshall suffice for conclusion of this present Treatise.

Now I protest to euery one that shall read this same, that I

haue no pretension in this discourse, to iniure, or detract fromthose which worthily make profession of Physick, but onelydesire to amplifie the knowledge

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of this medicine, for the benefit of such per∣sons as areignorant thereof, as I haue before sayd in my Preface. And alsoto manifest the paines which I take, and the diligence I bestowto find out the properties, preparati∣on and true vse of suchthings as are especi∣ally conuenient and necessary in Physicke,and consequently to make it appeare, that those which(mooued with their owne pro∣per passions) shall speake anything against me, deceiue themselues, and derogate from thatNoble name whence they are called Christians, thinking it nowrong to detract from anothers honour, so they may by thatmeanes or any other augment their owne, which I would haueconstrued with all mo∣dest exception, intending not to touchany one mans name more than another, if their owne tonguesbee not their owne accusors, wherby if they chance to manifestthemselues they shall haue no occasion to blame me, andtherefore I commit my right to him which only knowes thehearts of men, and who ad∣ministreth Iustice, Equity, Mercieand Grace, vnto all his Creatures, to whom bee glorie for euerand euer. Amen.

FINIS.

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Faults escaped in the Printing.

IN the Epistle Dedicatory Pag. 12. line 10. reade Cal∣ci•ing. In theAuthors Preface p. 12. l. 6. r. iucundé. In the treatise p. 2. l. 1. r.Dioscorides, p. 11. l. 12. r▪ nuisance p. 15. l. 1. r. Complicentur, p.19. l. 17. for amongst r. a∣gainst, p. 49. l. 16. r. Mellis.

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LICENSED,

Feb. 21. 1669.

Roger L'Estrange.

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