Pseudodoxia epidemica, or, Enquiries into very many received tenents, and commonly presumed truths / By Thomas Brown Dr. of Physick.

  • Thomas Browne
Date:
1658
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Pseudodoxia epidemica, or, Enquiries into very many received tenents, and commonly presumed truths / By Thomas Brown Dr. of Physick. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    114/572 (page 90)
    5»o How the ftone is bred in the k dncy or bladder* . ^ -x _J* ^ Enquiries Pulg&t Book. H. feftucous divifions lightly drawn over with oyl, and fo that it caufeth no adhefion •, or if we conceive an Antipathy between Oyl and Amber, the Do&rine is not true. For Amber will at- traft ft raws thus oyled; it will Convert the Needles of Dials made either of Brafs or Iron, although they be much oyled; for in thefe Needles confiding free upon their Center, there can be no adhefion. It will likewise attract oyl it felf and if it approach- eth unto a drop thereof, it becometh conical, and arifeth tip unto it; for oyl taketh not away his attraftion, although it be nibbed over it. For if you touch a piece of Wax already ex- citated, with common oyl, it will notwithftanding attraft, though not fo vigoroufly as before. But if you moiften the fame with any chymical oyl, water or fpirits of wine, or onely breath up¬ on it, it quite omits its attraction; for either its efftuenciescan¬ not get through, or will not mingle with thole fubftances. It is iikewife probable the Ancients were miftaken concerning its fftbftance and generation; they conceiving it a vegetable con¬ cretion made of the gums of trees, efpecially Fine and Poplar falling into the water, and after indurated or hardened; where- unto accordeth the fable of Phaetons fitters : but furely the con¬ cretion is Mineral, according as is dilivered by Beet ins. For either it is found in Mountains and mediterraneans parts; and fo it is a fat andun&uous fublimadon in the Earth, Concreted and fixed by fait and nitrous fpirits wherewith it meeteth. Or elfe , which is rnoft ufual, it is collected upon the Sea-lhore; and fo it is a fat and bituminous juice coagulated by the faltnefs of the Sea. Now that fait fpirits have a power to congele and coagulate un¬ ctuous bodies, is evident in Chymical operations; in the diftil- lations of Arfenicky fublimate and Antinomy ; in the mixture of oyl of Juniper, with the fait and acide fpirit of Sulphur; for thereupon enfueth a concretion unto the confidence of Birdlime; as alfo in fpirits of fait, or Aqua fortis, poured upon oyl of Olive, or more plainly in the manufacture of Sope. And ma¬ ny bodies will coagulate upon commixture, whofe feperated na¬ tures promile no concretion. Thus upon a folution of Ein by Aqua fortis, there will enfue a coagulation, like that of whites of Eggs. Thus the volatile fait of Urine will coagulate A<]'<'& vita, or fpirits of Wine; and thus perhaps fas Belmont excel¬ lently declareth) the ftones or calculous concretions in Kidney or Bladder may be produced i the fpirits or volatile fait of Urine coiroyning with the Aqua vita potentially lying therein; as he illuftrateth from die diftiliation of fermented Urine. From whence anfeth an Aqua vita or fpirit, which the volacile fait of the fame Urine will congele; and finding an earthy concurrence, ftrike into laoideous fubiiance. •• •• - ' '* • X-aftly, 4