THE MEDICINAL

ORACLE OF APOLLO

IN WHICH HE HIMSELF

THE UNIVERSAL MYSTERY OF HEALING, OR

THE SACRED TREASURY OF THE SECRET OF MEDICINE, BOTH CELESTIAL AND TERRESTRIAL,

or the medicine chest, is seen to open and reveal to his son Asclepius The Greek god of medicine, moved by faithful and fatherly piety toward the sick:

THE BLESSED RESTORATION OF THE FORTRESS OF HEALTH, PITIFULLY ATTACKED AND SHATTERED, TO ITS PRISTINE

state of perfection and beauty, and the faithful and exact repair of its weakened bulwarks:

THAT IS,

THE SECOND VOLUME

OF UNIVERSAL MEDICINE, OR THE MYSTIC ART OF HEALING.

A complex printed page featuring a title at the top and a detailed hierarchical diagram (synopsis) below, all enclosed within a decorative woodcut border of dense floral and leaf patterns. The diagram uses numerous curly braces to organize the philosophical and medical topics of the book into a tree-like structure, starting from theological origins down to specific medical preparations and practices. Bold, large-font titles and smaller descriptive Latin text fill the branches.

The contents of which are as follows:

The Principal, or essential, most central, eternal and uncreated is GOD himself, the creator, who says: I will strike, and I will heal. Deuteronomy 32. Or the WORD. For: He sent his word, and healed them. Psalm 107:20. And The word of the Lord heals all things. Wisdom 16. Or WISDOM: since she is the tree of life. Proverbs 3. For through Wisdom days are multiplied: and years of life are added. Proverbs 9:12. And concerning this, A single Book treats.
THE CURER, or Physician
- Meta-physical, and this is the Angel Raphael The archangel whose name means "God heals", and every good Angel who is subjected to his dominion. Concerning which A single Book likewise treats.
- Physical: And this is
  - Less principal and organic, which is
    - Celestial, which is animated by Metaphysical or Angelic organs. And it is the star favorable to human life, such as the Sun, Jupiter, Venus, etc. And the history of this kind of Physician is likewise comprised in Book 1.
    - Terrestrial, who is centrally governed by the principal Physician, through the Angelic organ in that stellar one, whether by a favorable or unfavorable Deity: And he is MAN made in the image of GOD, who is taught all things by God (as Holy Scripture witnesses):
      - And his { Office. / Dignity. / Property. } is expressed in an entire book.
Of the Sick Person, whose duty it is
- To humble himself both before God and Men.
- To pray to God faithfully for the restoration of his health.
- To do penance for sins, and to put away malice from the heart.
Of the terrestrial Physician: For it is his duty to suppliantly pray to God, or the Physician of physicians dwelling in his center, for the prosperous success of his work, and to humbly beseech that He direct him into the right way.
Of Friends
- On the Super-celestial part
  - To bring consolation to the sick person, and to persuade him to bear himself patiently in his affliction or tribulation. And to admonish him especially to trust in God (for as He alone is the striker, so indeed is He the radical healer) and then afterwards, to be obedient to the Physician.
- To pray to God heartily, and with a sincere mind, that He have mercy on the infirm, and lead the spirit of the Physician into the way of truth.
Of those Absent: For it is their duty to invoke by faithful prayers the recovery of the sick person's health.

To put to flight and drive away morbid "meteors" In this context, "meteors" refers to atmospheric or spiritual disturbances affecting health, two things come worthy of note and observation, namely

Observation
- Celestial, namely of the times in which celestial configurations occur, either
  - More fortunate: since by their dominion or presence a more favorable and healthy effect is to be expected in the crisis, and medicines can be administered with better success.
  - Less fortunate, so that having known these, the life of the infirm may be better fortified against their dangerous and lethal influences expected in the future. And concerning these, Medical Iatromathematics Astrological medicine treats in A single Book: As does the Characteristical art The use of sigils or sacred signs.
- Elementary, namely
  - Of the winds, whether benevolent or malevolent, ruling in the common element. For the breath of one wind is accustomed to cure the contrary effects of a contrary or opposite wind. Thus the North wind removes the afflictions of the pestilential breath of the South wind.
  - Of meteors both healthy and unhealthy arising from the winds, since contraries are cured by contraries. But one imperfectly mixed thing is adverse to another in nature and property: thus Southern lightning and flashing destroys the snowy and icy effects of the North. Concerning this Elemental observation, however, an entire Book discourses.
Method of Curing, which is done either by
- Application
  - External or topical, which works either
    - With a breach of continuity A surgical opening of the body, namely either
      - Of the Skin
        
        Of the cuticle alone by { Excoriation / Blistering. } Concerning which, Book 1.
        
        Of the skin alone, as in an ulcer or the lancing of an abscess.
        
        Of a Vein, which Phlebotomy Bloodletting treats. In Book 3.
        
        Of an Artery: and concerning this Arteriotomy treats. In Book 1.
        
        By penetration and perforation or incision made With { SCARIFICATION / INCISION made for the evacuation of putrid or preternatural humor enclosed in some place, as in Dropsy, etc. } In Book 1.
        
        By rupture or burning together with the flesh. And this is done either by Cautery
        
        Potential, which is done with Caustic Medicine. And concerning this species, Book 1.
        
        Actual. And this is done by means of a fired or glowing iron. Concerning which species of breaking or burning, Book 1 likewise treats.
    - Without a breach of continuity, that is, without the opening of the cuticle, skin, or flesh: And such Application is made either with
      
      CUPPING GLASSES. / FRICTIONS. / FUMIGATIONS. / FOMENTATIONS. / BATHS. / PLASTERS. / OINTMENTS. / SACHETS. / HANGINGS AROUND THE NECK. / AMULETS.
  - Passages, or openings, through which such Application ought to be made: Namely through
    
    The Ears. / The Nostrils. / The Mouth. / The Anus. / The Vulva or Womb. / The Male Member.
- Internal which is done with Medicines. And in this two things are to be considered: Namely
  - THE SUBJECT of the thing to be applied: For it is done with Medicines or Pharmaceuticals; In which two things are to be regarded; namely their various
    - Formula of preparation: since one is
      - Galenic: Traditional medicine based on the four humors And in this we consider the Physicians' and Pharmacists' (both ancient and modern)
        
        Errors in their { Decoctions / Syrups / Preserves / Electuaries / Oils } Compositions, in Book 1.
        
        Correction of errors in Book 1 likewise.
      - Hermetic, or Chemical, which is done by separating { The pure from the impure. / The superfluous from the essential. / The poisonous from the good and natural. } Which Book 1 proposes.
    - Kinds, since some are
      - Simple, divided into species.
        
        Super-celestial: Concerning which, Book 1.
        
        Celestial: And concerning this likewise Book 1, treating of the Quintessence: and the Characteristical Art.
        
        Elementary; and this also Book 1 comprises.
        
        Animal, which is distinguished into Two Kingdoms, namely into
        
        Microcosmic Relating to the human body as a small world, which comprises Medicines
        
        Spiritual, which are perfected either by { Utterance of words. / Magical incantation. / Indication of dreams. } Concerning which, Book 1.
        
        Corporeal, which work either
        
        Occultly, and are either { Magnetic or Symphonic. / From a more hidden property. And concerning these, Book 1. }
        
        Manifestly, according to the properties of the four winds. And they are either
        
        Cold: { Northerly. / Westerly. }
        
        Hot: { Easterly. / Southerly. } Concerning these, Book 1.
        
        Macrocosmic: Relating to the universe or great world and this, according to its four provinces, comprises Medicines;
        
        { Northerly / Westerly / Easterly / Southerly } { Cold: Concerning which, Book 1. / Hot: And concerning these, Book 1. }
      - Mixed from simples, and joined of the Empire
        
        Vegetable, and those of the Kingdom either
        
        Northern: Concerning which, Book 1.
        
        Western: And of this kind also Book 1.
        
        Eastern: which Book 1 likewise comprises.
        
        Southern: And concerning these finally another Book treats.
        
        Mineral: and these are of the Kingdom or Region, either
        
        { North. / West. / East. / South. } Each of which is comprised in its own specific Book.
      - Composite from mixed things: namely either
        
        Animal with { Animal / Vegetable / Mineral / only. / All or two together. Concerning which with the things mentioned below in any aforesaid kingdom. }
        
        Vegetable with vegetable, Animal or Mineral only, or with all these or some together: as is clear in the common practice of the aforesaid kingdoms.
        
        Mineral with mineral, Animal or Vegetable together or some of these only, as is more widely seen in the common practice of the aforesaid.

Finally, at the heel or end of this Volume, a full History or description of the 4 CARDINAL DISEASES is annexed: In each of which we express their

Essence.
Cause.
Signs { Demonstrative. / Prognostic. }
Cure, by means of
- The Method { Both Sacred and Christian, that is, according to the laws of divine Wisdom, / As well as Ethnic Pagan/Secular, and according to the rudiments of human Wisdom. }
- Christian and pious.
- Hermetic, or Chemical.
- Galenic.