3° 



1 he Hiftory of Life and Veath. 



34 



35 



dried, and a little Myrrhe, Unified up in the morning, at the Mouth and Noftrils,would 

 be very good. 



In Grand. Opiates, 1'uch as are Treacle, Methridate, and the reft ; it would not be a- 

 miffe (efpccially in youth) to take rather the dtfl tiled Waters of them,than themfel ves, in 

 their Bodies : For the vapour, in diftilling, doth rile ; but the heat of the Medicine com- 

 monly fetleth. Now diifilkd Waters '.are good in thole vertucs, which are conveyed by 

 Vapours ; in other things but weak. 



There are Medicines, which have a certain weak and hidden degree ; And therefore 

 fafe ;To an Opiate Venue : Thefe lend forth a flow and copious vapour, but not Ma 

 lignant, as Opiates doe : therefore they put not the Spirits to Flight > Notwithftandinj 

 they congregate them, and fomc -what thicken them. 



Medicines in order to Opiates,ziz ; Principally Saffron ; next Folium Indum, Am- 

 ber-Grife, Coriander- feed prepared, slmomum , <pfeuda-momum , Lignum Rhodium, 

 Orenge-F lower mater \ and much more the Infufon of the fame Flowers new gathered; 

 in otle of Almonds ; Nutmegs pricked full of holes , and macerated in Rofe- 

 water. 



As Opiates VL\t to be taken very fparingly, andat certain times, as was faid ; fo thefe 

 fccoiidaries may be takcnfam.liarly,and in our daily diet ; and they will be very effe£tu- 

 all to prolongation of lite. Ceitamly, an Apothecary or Calecute,by the yfe of Amber, 

 is faid to have h\cd an hundred and fixty years : And the Nobl.-men of Barbary through 

 the ufe thereof, are cemfied to be veiy long liv'd ; whereas the mean people are but of 

 fhortlife. And our Anceflors, who were longer liv'd then we, did ufe Saffron much 

 in their Cakes,Broths,and the like. And touching the fuft way ofcondenfingthe Spirits 

 by Opiates, and the Subordinates thereto, thus much. 



Now we will enquire of the fecond way of'condenfing the Spirits by Cold. For the 

 proper work oiCold «s Condenfation ; and it i» done without any malignity, , or adverfe 

 quality ; And therefore it isa iafer operation than by Opiates, though fome-what lefle 

 powerful, ll it be done by turns onely, as Opines arc- But then again, becaufe it may be 

 ufed familiarly, and in our daily diet with mc deration j it is much more powerful for the 

 prolongation of Life, than by Opiates. 



The Refrigeration of the Spirits is effete J three wayes; Either by Refpiration ; 

 or by Vapours ; or by ^Aliment. The firf* is the bef ; but , in a fort, out of our pow- 

 er : the fecond is potent, but yet ready, and at hand j the third is weak , and fome-what 

 about. 



sAtre clear and pure ; and which hath no fogginefle in it , before it be received into 

 the Lungs ; and which is lealt expofed to the Sun-bcams , condenfeth the Spirits beft. 

 Such is found either on the tops of dry Mountains,or in Champagnes,open to the winde, 

 and yet not without forrie ihade. 



As for the Refrigeration and Condenfation of the Spirits by Vapours ; the Root of this 

 opei iition we place in Nitre ; as a creature purpofeiy made and chofen for this end , be- 

 ing thereunto lead and perfwaded by thefe Argum nts. 



Nitre is a kinde of cool Spice : This is apparent to the fenfe it felf ; For it bites the 

 Tongue, and Palate, with Cold-, as Spices do with Heat : And it is the onely thing , as 

 far as we know, that hath this property. 



Almoft all cold things, ( which are cold properly-and not by accident, as Opium is ) 

 are poor, and jejune, or Spirit ; Contrarily, things full of Spirit, are almoft all hot : only 

 Nitre is found among!> Vegetables, which aboundeth with Spirit, and yet is cold. As 

 for Camphire, which is full of fpirit, and yet performeth the actions of cold , it cooleth 

 by accident onely ; as namely, for that by the thinnefle thereof, without Acrimony , it 

 helpeth perfpiration in mflamations. 



In congealing and freeing of Li^urs ; ( which is lately grown into ufe; ) by laying 

 Snow ai d Ice on the out-'hde of the \(.fid;Nitre is alio added ; and no doubt it exciteth 

 and fortifieth the congelation. It is true, that they ufe-alfo for this work, ordinary Bay- 

 Salt ; which doth rather give activity to the coldnefte of the Snow, than cool by it felf: 

 But, as I have heard , in the hotter Regions, where Snow fals not, the congealing is 

 wrought by Nit re alone ; but this I cannot certainly affirm. 



It is affirmed, that Gun-powder, which confitfeth principally of Nitre, being taken in ' 

 drink, doth conduce to valour ; and that it is ufed oftentimes, by Mariners and Souldiers 

 before they begin their battels, as the Turksdo Opium. 



Nitre 



