ARCANUM

ARCANUM literally signifies a secret; and is therefore very pertinently applied by quacks and impostors in medicine, who conceal their ignorance and fraud under a pretence of secrecy. Hence legions of arcana. There are also standing officinal compositions, under the denomination of arcana: such are:The Arcanum Corallinum, a preparation of red precipitate; made by distilling it with spirit of nitre, and repeating the distillation again and again, till a red powder is procured. This powder boiled in water, and the water poured off, and tartarized spirit of wine put to the powder; two or three cohobations are made: which leave a powder, much like the Prince’s powder; of good use in the gout, dropsy, scurvy, etc. It operates chiefly by stool.



Arcanum Foviale, is made of an amalgam of mercury and tin, digested in spirit of nitre: the nitre being drawn off, the remaining matter is wetted with spirit of wine, and the spirit burnt away; and this for several times till the pungent taste is gone: what remains is used much with the same intentions as the antihysticum Poterii, and is recommended by some as a sudorific. See ANTIHYSTICUM.

Arcanum Duplicatum is prepared from caput mortuum of aqua fortis, by dissolving it in hot water, filtrating, and evaporating it to a cuticle; then leaving it to shoot. The arcanum duplicatum, or panacea duplicata is extolled as a diuretic, and sudorific—The recipe was purchased at the expense of 500 dollars, by that great virtuoso the Duke of Holstein. Schroder, that prince’s physician, writes wonders of its great uses in hypochondriacal cases, continued and intermitting fevers, stone, scurvy, etc.

ARCANUM