2.6o The Complete ¥.ngi\iï\ e Difpenfatory. Part II.

SECT. XV.Of Metals.

N. B. "the Préparations in the following Part without Afte-rifms, are from the College ; others fo marked being fromother Authors.

IT is a much ha r der Task in thisPart, not to fay too much, thanto fay what is neceffary. ManyFerions who have chiefly giventhemiclves up to the ChymicalPharmacy, have entertain'd fuchNotions of Mercuries, Sulphurs,and other imaginary Exiftences inthe Comportions of Metals, thatthe Shops are loaded with theirVolumes. And a ferious purfuitoftheir Reaionings would not only bethe Buiinefs or one's Life, accordingtothe ufùal Age of Man; but wouldalio run a Perlon into Enthuliafm,if not Diftraition. And this Con-tagion has rag'd ever fince the Ex-pulsion ot Mechanical Knowledge,and the Usurpation of a Spiritualkind of Phuoibphy, propagredby the Sons of Tire: For by thistitle have the Furnace-Sages thoughtfit to diftinguiih themiclves untilvery lately. The laft Englißi Dif-penfatory Writer has very injudi-cioufly amafs'd together, the worft»ndmoftinfignificant, with the belland moft efficacious Preparations.We (hall therefore in this Part dif-mifs ali that is not of prefent Ufe,and real Service in Medicine, howpompoufly icever dignified withNames : And what is of true Effi-cacy, we (hall endeavour to account¡or, both as to their manner of Pre-

paration and Phyfical Virtues, up-on fuch Principles as are intelligible-and convincing.

6x\. Aurum, Gold. What fhouldhave been the principal Inducementto torture this Metal with fo muchViolence, to obtain from it fomeMedicinal Virtues, is not eaiily tobeguefs'd: Unlefs it was to keepup the Authority of an ill-deferv'dRegard, and a Jealoufy that theycould not be well in the commonOpinion for Phyiicians, who couldnot do extraordinary tilings in theirProfeffion, with aMc\dl which hadfuch a prodigious Influence almofton every other accouut. Many in-deed there have been, who havehoneftly oppos'd thio Artifice, butthe contrary fide has a long timeprevail'd, and to fuch a degree,that this Metal it iêlf has not onlybeen transform'd into all the Shapesimaginable for Medicinal Purpofes,but even its Name has been tran£-fer'd to do honour to, and enhancethe Price of many other worthlefsPreparations that bore but any re-fembiance to its fenfible Qualities.Hence many Tinftures of a yellowColour, are prefently the GoldenTincflure of fomething or other.Moft indeed acknowledge, that Goldin Subftance, or redue'd into thefmalkft