THE HISTORY OF CHEMISTRY, 



dodlrine, and ineflicacy of tlieir practice. Sucfy 

 then, were the chief opinions of authors on the 

 fubject of an univerial medicine, which prevail- 

 ed fo long, and with fuch extenflve influence; 

 nor ceaied until the nature of difeafes, and the 

 powers of remedies were better underftood. 



What it was that occafioned gold to be con- 

 fidcrcd as an univerfal medicine is perhaps not 

 fo eafy to determine. Probably it was indebt- 

 ed for this character to the metaphorical lan- 

 guage of the Arabians ; who, coniidering all the 

 media they believed neceflary to the tranfmu- 

 tation of the bafer metals into gold as medi- 

 cines, diftinguifhed gold by the appellation of 

 a ftrong and healthy man, while the other me- 

 tals were in general defcribed as men labouring 

 under difeafe and infirmity. The chemifls of 

 the fucceeding age reading this language, would 

 probably apply it literally to the human bpdy. 

 And it is not unlikely, from the high opi- 

 nion they entertained of the power and adlivity 

 of the philofopher's (lone, and the moderate 

 temperature of gold, with regard to heat and 

 cold, that they conceived fomc hopes of its 

 efficacy in difeafes of a very oppofite nature. 



The great virtues afcribed to the univerfal 

 tincture, wore believed to arife from its agree- 

 ment with thofe elementary and general prin- 

 ciples on which the phenomena of life and death 

 depended ; and, from its great purity, that 



* could 



