this Author makes it; whence, without doubt, those that did this pious and necessary Office towards preserving the Dead, must needs have been equally honour’d with the _Embalmers_, and what seems yet clearly to confirm this, is that sometimes the _Art of Embalming_ has been call’d _Honesta Anatomia_. Now the Instrument with which this Incision was made was an _Ethiopic_ Stone call’d _Basaltes_, [Sidenote: _Basaltes_ an _Ethiopic_ Stone.] and nam’d from its hardness and colour like to Iron, that word in the _Ethiopic_ Language signifying Iron, and this Stone being much harder than that Metal, it might very probably be whet to a keen edge or point, and so be ceremonially us’d instead of an Incision-Knife, like as the antient _Jews_ were wont to use Knives made of Flints in their Circumcision, _Joshua_ 5. 2. [Sidenote: The _Embowelling_ a Corps.] As to the Exenteration or Embowelling the Body, we are not to imagine they drew out only the Brain and Guts, but likewise the Lungs, Stomach, Liver, Spleen, and other _Viscera_, except the Heart and Kidnies, which being carnous and fleshy might very likely be left, as being easier to be preserv’d than the moist parts. The former they might probably leave to be _Embalm’d_, as being the principal Bowel of the whole Body, and source of vital Heat (wherefore it has been frequently preserv’d apart by several People) but for what Reason, or out of what Superstition they left the latter I cannot readily conjecture. Then having empty’d the Head, Breast and Belly of their Contents, they first wash’d and cleans’d them with Phænician or Palm-Wine, compounded of aromatic Spices and sweet Odours, [Sidenote: The _Body_ stuff’d with medicinal Ingredients.] and afterwards stuff’d them with a mixture of sweet scented Drugs, Spices and Balsams, such as _Myrrh_, _Aloes_, _Saffron_, _Cassia_ or _Cinamon_, _Opobalsamum_ and the like, _Frankincense_ only being excepted, because that was by them consecrated to their Gods. These Ingredients had not only a power to preserve the Body for a long Time, but also gave it a sweet and agreeable Smell. This done, they sew’d up the Incision or Passage thro’ which they drew forth the Bowels; but _Antonius Santorellus_ in his _Post-Praxis Medica_, p. 136. not without Reason observes, That tho’ Aromatics are of a drying quality, yet as they are likewise heating, they may occasion a Fermentation in the Body; therefore I am apt to think _Myrrh_ and _Aloes_ were the basis of the Composition, and that Aromatics were us’d only in small quantities, and that rather to conciliate a grateful Odour to the Body than preserve it from Putrifaction. Yet I am not ignorant at the same time of what some alledge of Aromatics, that by their innate balsamic Virtue, by their bitterness and oleaginous Sulphur, or penetrability of their volatil Salts, they resist Putrifaction. Neither am I ignorant of what _Bellonius_ affirms, Lib. 2. _De Medicato Funere_, p. 27.