TOL. VI.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 507 



This learned physician having carefully perused the antimonial treatise of 

 Valentine, tried all the particulars ordered therein to be done ; but says that in 

 the performance he frequently erred, and was at great expences without suc- 

 cess, yet not by any fault of the author, but always his own. 



Of the many things that are said concerning the usefulness of antimonial 

 preparations, our commentator extols in a very especial manner the red oil of 

 the glass of antimony, of which he teaches the way of preparing it but enig- 

 matically, though he considers that he has done it more clearly than any body 

 declared it to him. This he affirms to be the truly universal medicine, being 

 seasonably and rightly used; alleging (p. l64, l65,) a considerable experiment 

 of his own, made with it, importing, that by the means of this diaphoretic oil 

 alone he cured a young woman of a dropsy in twenty days, making her on the 

 fourth and the following days so to swim in water from sweat, that it dropped 

 at length through the bed upon the floor. 



Besides this, he much praises for surgical uses, the balsam or tincture of the 

 sulphur of antimony, affirming upon his credit, that Basil Valentine has not 

 given the full due to its worth ; and relating withal (p. 157, 158,) the history 

 of a cure he performed with it upon a cancered breast, that had been under 

 the hands of some of the most expert surgeons, who judged it not curable but 

 by cutting it off; which our author prevented by the use and application of 

 this balsam, whereby within two days the matter was brought to due maturity, 

 and, upon the joint use of some proper internal medicines, the person in the 

 space of two months restored to perfect health. 



There is another preparation of antimony here described, and praised above 

 all the rest, called by Basil, his balsam of life, by which he affirms to have 

 cured many that were altogether despaired of, appealing herein to the testi- 

 mony of his brethren. In which he is seconded by this commentator, who is 

 equally lavish in his praises of this medicine. 



IV. Cogitationes Physico-Mechanicae de Natura Visionis. Auth. Johanne Ott 

 Schaphusa Helvetio. Heidelbergae, 1670, in 4to. 



This author shows himself to be a great admirer of algebra, declaring that 

 whatever he has performed, he has obtained by means of this analysis. 



Concerning his dioptrical studies he says, that, remote from other masters 

 and books, by the conduct of the Cartesian analysis he has begun to wind him- 

 self, by a long calculus, out of the labyrinth of vision, and by means of equa- 



their timidity, in regard to the employment of those active remedies which are derived from the che- 

 mical preparations of this and other metallic substances; and which give to tlie practice of physic, 

 ©f the present days, a vigour and efficiency which it formerly wanted. 



