be Hifiory of Life and Death. 
rrr marina = ns a, 
The Grectans attributed much, both for health and for prolongation of life, as O- 
| 
| 
: 20. 
piates : but the Arabians much more, infomuch that their grand Medicines (whichthey | 
called the gods Hands ) had opinm for their Bafls and principal Ingredient, other things 
being mixed to abate and corre the noxious qualities thereof ; fuch were Treacle, 
Methridate, and the reft. 
_ Whatfoever is given with good fuccefs in the curing of Peftilential and Malignant 21, 
| Difeafes, to ftop and bridlethe Spirits, left they grow turbulent and tumultuate, may 
very happily be transferred to the prolongation of life ; for one thing is effectual unto 
both, namely, the condenfation of the spirits: mow there is nothing better for that 
4 than Opeates. pit | 
The ?urks find opivm,even in a reafonable good quantity harmlefs and comfortable, 
| infomuch that they take it before their Battel to excite courage ; but to us, unlefs it be 
. | inavery fmall quantity, and with good Corredtives, it is mortal. 
Opinm and Optates are manifeftly found to excite Venus ; which fhews them to have 
force to corroborate the Spirits. : i 
Diftilled water of wilde Poppy is given with good fuccelfs in Surfeits, Agues,and divers 
difeafes; which no doubt is a temperate kind of Opiate. Neither let any man wonder 
| at the various ufe of it ; for that is familiar to Opiates, in regard that the Spirits, cor- 
roborated and condenfed, will rife up againft any difeafe. 
The Turks ufe a kind of Herb which they call Caphe, which they dry and powder, 
and then drink in warm water ; which, they fay, doth not alittle fharpen them, both 
in their Courage, andintheir Wits ;. notwithftanding, if it be taken ina large quantity, 
“it affects and difturbs the mind: whereby it is manifeft, that it is of the fame nature 
with Opsates. : ‘ ba a . 
~ There is a Root much renowned in all the Eaftern parts, which they call serel, which 
‘the Yndians and others ufe to carry in their mouths, and to champ it, and by that 
_| champing they are wonderfully enabled both to endure labours, and to overcome 
} ficknefles, and to the aé& of carnal copulation: It feems to be akifd of Seupefactive, 
becaufe it exceedingly blacks the Tecth. alg 
Tobacco in our age is immoderately grown into ufe, and it aflects men with a fe- 
| cret kind of delight, infomuch that they who have once inured themfelves unto it can 
hardly afterwards leave it : and no doubt it hath power to lighten the body, andto 
fhake off wearinefs. Now the vertue of it is commonly thought to be, becaufe it 
Opens the paflages, and yoids humors :. but itmay more rightly be referred tothe con- 
denfation of the Spirits ; for it isa kind of Henbane, and manifeftly troubles the. 
| Head, as Opiates doy?! 
| | There are fometimes Humors engendred in the body, whichare, as it-were, Opiate 
themfelves ; as it is in fome kind of Adelancholzes, with which if a man be affe@ed, it 
| isafign of very long life. Dy ak ’ 
The fimple opiates ( which are alfo called stupefattives) are thefe : Opium it felf, 
which isthe juice of Poppy ; both the Poppses.as well in the Herb as in the Seed ;. Hen- 
| bane, Mandrake, Hemlock, Tobacco, Night-fhade: ; 
| The compound Opiates are, Treacle, Methridate, Trifera, Ladanum, Paracelfi, Diacos 
nium, Dialcordium,? hilonium,? ills of Hounds- tongue, aig 
“From this which hath been faid, certain Defignations or Counfels may be deduce 
for the prolongation of life, according to the prefent intenfion ; namely, of condenfing 
the Spirsts by Opiates. f 
* Let there be thercfore every year, from Adult years of Youth, an Opzate diet; let it 32. 
| be taken about the end of May, becaufe the Spirits in the Summer are more loofe and 
attenuated , and there are lefs dangers from cold humours; let it be fome Adage(ral 
Opiate, weaker than thofe that are commonly in ufe, both in refpeé of a {maller quan- 
{ tity of @pzam, andof a more {pating mixture of extreme hot things; let itbetaken in 
the morning betwixt fleeps. The fare for that time would be more fimple and {pa- 
ting thanordinary, without Wine, or Spices, or Vapourous things. This Medicineto 
be taken onely each other day,and to be continued for a fortnight. This Defignation in 
our judgment comes home to the intenfion, —_. 
Opiates alfo may be takenj-not onely by the mouth, but alfo by Fames ; but the 33- 
Fumes mult be fuch as may not move the expulfive Faculty. too f{trongly, not force 
down humours, but onely take in a Weft, may work upon the Spirits within the. 
brain, And therefore a Suffumigation of Tobacco, Lignum-Aloes, Rofemary-leaves 
VA te . : , F : dried, 
22. 
23. 
24. 
25. 
26. 
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