But externally, this liquor is of the same use with that of iron or steel, yea, proveth more effectual and speedier in healing. It would be good that Surgeons knew how to prepare it, and would use it instead of their salves, wherewith many fresh wounds are spoyled and turned into horrid ulcers, especially it requiring so little cost and pains to make it. And if you would have these liquors purer yet, you must pour on spirit of wine, and extract them, and they will easily yield their tincture, and leave many fæces behind which are good for nothing: but the tincture will be so much the better, purer, and more effectual, so that you need use but four or five drops for purging, whereas of the gross liquor you must have from 4, 6, 8. to 12. or 16. drops: and this extracted tincture worketh also much better externally, and keepeth longer than the balsome or liquor, which in time is corrupted, but the extraction is never spoiled. But if you will distil the liquor or balsome, it is needless that it be extracted first, but may be distilled so as the boyling made it, after the same manner, as above was taught for Lead, and there will come over a yellow spirit and oyl from iron or steel, and from copper a greenish spirit and oyl. The spirit and oyl of iron may safely be used in the plague, feavers, obstructions, and corruption of blood, from ʒ i. to ℥ i. It is much better to provoke sweat, than that which is made of crude Tartar, without addition of a metal: the like doth that also which is made of copper and more effectually yet, and sometimes causeth a vomit, if it be used in a greater quantity, than is fitting. N. B. Although the Chymists do prefer copper before iron, as a more firm and ripe metal, nevertheless it is found by experience, that iron or steel by reason of its sweetness is better to be used for an inward medicine than copper. But for external use, copper (if it be well prepared) hath the preheminence, being an appropriate medicine for all ulcers and open sores, in all the parts of the body, if the same inwardly be kept clean by fitting purges. For not only the now described medicine, but also many more besides, are taught to be made out of copper in other places of my books.