( 7 \ ) 
Mercury ; The fird of thefe is by chymical Analy- 
fis known to be a compofition of a fubtil Sulphur 
and Salt, and the more the Saline Part is let loofe by 
Preparation, and opening the Sulphur, as it is com- 
monly term’d, with the more vehemence will this 
operate, and the fooner, whereas in its lefler Prepa- 
rations when the Salts are clofely wrap’d up in their 
native Sulphur they will hardly work at all till they 
are got into the farthed dages of Circulation* Mer- 
cury per fe is little known as a Medicine, and its 
firft Preparation which makes it into Sublimate, fo 
loads it with Saline Spicula, that it amounts even to 
a Poyfon; but the more thofe Spicula are broke by 
Triture, Sublimation, &c. the milder doth it ope- 
rate, and if to the comminution of its Points be ad- 
ded a Sulphur fubtil enough to join it, it may be 
reduced to fo mild a Medicine, as not to be felt, 
but in the laft dage of Operation. 
This fhort View may be fufficient to fhew, that 
it is Excels of Afperity, and Motion in a Medicine, 
that will not fuffer it to pafs the Stomach, without 
irritating it into fuch Convulfions, as will throw it 
up again by Vomit ; that a farther Comminution, and 
fmoothing its Figure, will admit it into the Bowels, 
and make it operate by Stool ; that a yet farther 
remifiion of its Properties will carry it into the Blood, 
and allow it there to promote evacuation by Urine ; 
and that a yet farther Comminution will pafs it into 
the minuted Canals, where by the fame Properties, 
only in a lower Degree, it will increafe Perfpiration, 
or caufe Sweat : So that the fubtiler Medicines ope- 
rate in the Capillaries, and fmalled Fibres by the 
fame Mechanifm, that more grofs do in the common 
dream of the Blood, when they go off by Urine, or 
L a the 
