Chemical-Medical Miracles and Mysteries

I wished to bring this labor of mine to the public light original: "luci publicæ dare volui," a common idiom for publication; the sole cause is public utility: "utilitas publica," the early modern concept that scholars and scientists had a moral obligation to share knowledge for the common good: which, so that I might consider it, many friends advised and requested a printed edition. Nor is it unknown to the more learned in what a Charybdis: in Greek mythology, a dangerous whirlpool; here used metaphorically to describe the "treacherous waters" or professional perils of poorly practiced pharmacy Pharmacists: "Pharmacopœi," the apothecaries and drug-makers of the 17th century struggle today, selling those laborious and numerous recipes: "receptas," the specialized formulas for compounding medicines of theirs, which are prepared in a crude manner; if we show some better ones than those, thanks be to Apollo—or rather, to the father of Hygieia and Panacea: the Greek personifications of Health and the Universal Remedy Hygieia and Panacea, to God, thrice best and thrice greatest original: "Deo ter opt. ter max.," a Christian adaptation of the Roman title for Jupiter, often used in alchemical texts to emphasize the Holy Trinity or the "three principles" of matter. May He likewise favor you, Reader; and may you favor me.