LIFE AND DEATH. 363 



humours, but only taken in a weft, may work upon the 

 spirits within the brain. And, therefore, a suffumigation 

 of tobacco, lignum aloes, rosemary leaves dried, and a little 

 myrrh snuffed up in the morning at the mouth and nostrils, 

 would be very good. 



34. In grand opiates, such as are treacle, mithridate, 

 and the rest, it would not be amiss (especially in youth) to 

 take rather the distilled waters of them, than themselves in 

 their bodies ; for the vapour in distilling doth rise, but the 

 heat of the medicine commonly settleth. Now, distilled 

 waters are good in those virtues which are conveyed by 

 vapours in other things but weak. 



35. There are medicines which have a certain weak and 

 hidden degree, and therefore safe to an opiate virtue : these 

 send forth a slow and copious vapour, but not malignant as 

 opiates do ; therefore they put not the spirits to flight not 

 withstanding they congregate them, and somewhat thicken 

 them. 



36. Medicines, in order to opiates, are principally saffron, 

 next folium indum, ambergris, coriander seed prepared, 

 amomum, pseuda momum, lignum rhodium, orange flower 

 water, and much more the infusion of the same flowers new 

 gathered in the oil of almonds, nutmegs pricked full of 

 holes and macerated in rose water. 



37. As opiates are to be taken very sparingly, and at 

 certain times, as was said, so these secondaries may be 

 taken familiarly, and in our daily diet, and they will be 

 very effectual to prolongation of life. Certainly an apothe 

 cary of Calecute, by the use of amber, is said to have lived 

 a hundred and sixty years, and the noblemen of Barbary 

 through the use thereof are certified to be very long lived, 

 whereas the mean people are but of short life. And our 

 ancestors, who were longer lived than we, did use saffron 

 much in their cakes, broths, and the like. And touching 

 the first way of condensing the spirits of opiates, and the 

 subordinates thereto, thus much. 



38. Now we will inquire of the second way of condensing 

 the spirits by cold, for the proper work of cold is condensa 

 tion, and it is done without any malignity, or adverse qua 

 lity ; and therefore it is a safer operation than by opiates, 

 though somewhat less powerful, if it be done by turns only 

 as opiates are. But then again, because it may be used 

 familiarly, and in our daily diet with moderation, it is much 

 more powerful for the prolongation of life than by opiates. 



39. The refrigeration of the spirits is effected three ways, 



