A complete history of drugs / Written in French by monsieur Pomet, chief druggist to the late French King Lewis XIV. To which is added what is further observable on the same subject, from mess. Lemery and Tournefort, divided into three classes, vegetable, animal, and mineral; with their use in physic, chemistry, pharmacy, and several other arts. Illustrated with above four hundred copper-cuts ... A work of very great use and curiosity. Done into English from the originals.

  • Pomet, Pierre, 1658-1699.
Date:
1748
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A complete history of drugs / Written in French by monsieur Pomet, chief druggist to the late French King Lewis XIV. To which is added what is further observable on the same subject, from mess. Lemery and Tournefort, divided into three classes, vegetable, animal, and mineral; with their use in physic, chemistry, pharmacy, and several other arts. Illustrated with above four hundred copper-cuts ... A work of very great use and curiosity. Done into English from the originals. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    <c kind of Serpent, which has in reality a kind of “ Hat or Hood hanging down behind his Head; “ and it is behind this Hood that thefe Stones are “ found, the leaft of which are of the bignefs of “ a Hen’s Egg. Thefe Stones are found in none “ of thefe Serpents that are lefs than two Foot “ long ; and if they encreafe in Bulk as die Crea- “ ture grows, there muft of necellity be fome of “ an enormous Size ; for in Africa and Afia thefe “ Serpents are fometimes feen five and twenty “ Feet long, as that was, the Skin of which is “ preferved at Batavia, which had fwallowed .a “ Girl of eighteen Years of age.” The fame Author obferves, that this Stone 'is not hard, and that when ftruck againft another Stone, it throws off a kind of Slime, which be¬ ing moiftened with a little Water, and drank by any one who has any kind of Poifon within him, has the Virtue of expelling it in a Moment : That thefe Stones are not to be had but by means of the Portuguefe Seamen or Soldiers who return from Mozambique. It is not of this Stone, however, that I intend to treat in the Remainder of this Chapter ; but of that which makes fo much Noife in the World, and of which fo many extraordi¬ nary Virtues are boafted, and which, though mod People imagine to be a natural Stone, is really factitious, as will be feen by the Sequel of this Chapter. Now I have fhewn the high Efteem in which this Stone is held, and the different Sentiments of different People about it, I fhall add, that we are not to believe this Stone to be natural but facti¬ tious ; and for the Proof of what I affirm, I fhall add here an Account of what it is compofed of, that thofe who are defxrous of having it may make it themfelves, as I have done by feveral which I have now by me. Take French Bezoar, one Ounce; Powder of Toads and of theCrayfifh, prepared in the Month of June, of each half an Ounce ; of Seal’d Earth, prepared in a DecoClion of Scorzonera and Con- trayerva Roots, one Ounce ; Mineral Unicorn, one Ounce ; reduce all thefe to a fine Powder, and make them up into a Pafte with the Jelly of Vipers made with a Decoction of Contrayerva, Snakewood, or Virginian Snakeroot, and form it into Troches of the bignefs of a French Farthing, and of the fame thicknefs ; they may be made larger or fmaller at pleafure, but the Indians ge¬ nerally make them of about this fize. This then is the fo much renowned Serpent- Jtone. Befides the tv/o Accounts already given of its Virtues, the following is what Mr. Tavernier lias written of it. N D 1 X. 199 “ Finally I fhall fpeak of the Serpent-fione, which “ is about the bignefs of a French Farthing, and “ fometimes of a fomewhat oval Shape, thick in “ in the Middle, and growing thinner towards the cc Edges. The Indians fay they are formed on “ the Heads of certain Serpents; but I am rather “ of opinion, that it is the Priefts of thefe Idola- “ ters who make them believe fo, and that the “ Stone, as they call it, is really a Compofition “ which they make of fome Drugs. But be that “ as it will, the Stone has admirable Virtues in “ extracting the Poifon of venomous Bites : If the “ Part where the Bite is be not much torn, an “ Incifion muft be made in it, that it may bleed, “ and afterwards, when the Stone is applied to “ the Wound, it faftens itfelf on, and never drops “ off till it has imbibed all the Venom from the “ neighbouring Parts. To cleanfe it afterwards, “ £hey take Woman’s Milk, or in want of that, “ Cow’s Milk ; and after the Stone has been laid “ in it ten or twelve Hours, it takes in all the “ Venom the Stone had imbibed, and becomes “ of the Colour or the Matter of an Impoftume. “ Having one Day dined with the Archbifhop of “ GW, he took me into his Cabinet of Curiofi- “ ties, where he had many curious Things; and, “ among others, he Ihewed me one of thefe “ Stones, and telling me its Virtues, added, that “it was but about three Days before, that he “ had feen the Experiment made with Succefs, “ one of the People who was with him in a Jour- “ ney having been bitten by a Serpent, and cured “ by it. I have bought feveral of them, and “ there are none but the Bramines who fell them, “ which makes me believe they make them. There “ are two Ways of trying whether thefe Stones “ are good and not adulterated ; the firft is, to “ to put them in the Mouth, for if they are good, “ they immediately rife and fallen themfelves to “ the Palate ; the other is, to put them in a Vef- “ fel of Water, and immediately, if they are not “ adulterated, the Water begins to boil, little “ Bladders arifing from the Stone at the Bottom “ to the Surface of the Water.” f he Serpent-Jione^ Lapis Serpentis in Latin, is a flat Stone, fometimes oval, Lemery. but commonly roundifh, thick in the Middle and thinner at the Edges, foft, and of a blackilh Colour. Many Authors affirm, that it is found in the Head of a particular Species of Ser¬ pent ; but the more modern Opinion is, that it is a Compofition of feveral Drugs : But be that as it will, it is at prefent much efteemed in many Places. It is a Remedy againft the Poifon of venomous BiteSj