Two Physical Treatises: On the Imposture of Healing Wounds by the Weapon Salve and On the Bleeding of Corpses

42. Although we are not unaware that magical things are not opposed by their authors to natural things, but rather are supposed to be included among them.
43. But we, with the common people, understand superstitious magic as that which is accomplished by demonic power and counsel, not by the impulse of nature, even though a pretext is sought from this.
44. But we have considered it worth inquiring which is the true cause.
45. If the weapon is for healing the wound: it has this power either of itself, or it receives it from elsewhere.
46. It acts of itself either insofar as it is a weapon, or insofar as it has some added affection.
47. A weapon, as a weapon, does not exceed the instrumental ratio in wounding, by which continuity is broken.
48. Yet it harms rather by dividing than heals by uniting.
49. It would also heal any wound, even if it had not been the cause of it.
50. And since its reason would have been in the harming, it would be necessary that it be moved by itself toward bringing about health.
51. And it would have the same power even if no medicine were applied to it.
52. It would also have to touch the wounded part.
53. Among the added affections, we count the singular relationship by which the weapon must belong to this wound.