86 The Triumphal Chariot of Antimony. 



Poison is also produced by contrary 

 oppositions and conjunctions among the 

 stars, which infect the elements, and 

 are the cause of the plague and other 

 contagious diseases in this nether world. 

 This is clearly seen in the case of 

 comets. 



Poison is further occasioned by hos- 

 tile extremes for instance, by excessive 

 anger, or by drinking cold water when 

 you are very hot. Deadly weapons may 

 also be enumerated among causes of 

 poison, though when used in self-defence, 

 they are rather of the nature of medicines. 



The natural origin of poison is as 

 follows. Whatever is repugnant to 

 Nature is poison ; as, for instance, if 

 anyone takes food which does not agree 

 with him, that food is poison, because 

 repugnant to his nature. Yet to another 

 with whom it may agree, it is medicine. 



But poison is specially attracted to 

 bodies in the earth, where a certain 

 crude, undigested mercurial essence (I 

 speak of mineral poisons), which has not 

 yet undergone any proper coction, so 



