The Fire-Stone of Basil, or the Golden Apple

action, and because all men in general have a living spirit—to be understood philosophically, not theologically—and there is likewise only one single generalisissima causa most general cause of death and of life: who would therefore call into doubt that there could also be one single universalis medicina universal medicine and general remedy against every condition? Who does not see that through bread as a single food, and through water or wine as a single drink, all men are sufficiently fed and watered, and can thus be nourished and kept alive? Why then should not a single medicine, astral and purified in the highest degree through the Spagyrische alchemical/alchemical extraction and Chymistische Scheidkunst chemical art of separation, and reduced to its prima materia first matter and highest simplicity, and [which] through mixing and union with the living spirit—analogous and uniform in proportion, property, and characteristic—penetrates, goes, and runs through the entire body, be sufficient and powerful enough for all physical ailments, to nourish and maintain? Thus we also have universal medicines with which we may be cured and healed.

Polychresta remedies for many diseases of the dogmatists also clearly prove this. If they not only suit one disease and cause, but several, why would a medication not also be given that is so noble that from a Polychreston many-purpose remedy it becomes a Panchreston all-purpose remedy, or a universal [medicine]? It matters nothing if one replies that a Polychreston is made by art through composition, but that a universal [medicine] is sought from one thing, which seems impossible, that one thing could be of contrary powers. But for this, let everyone seek an answer for themselves from simple polychresta by themselves, and by their own nature without any composition, as appears in vinegar, rhubarb, lead, niter, quicksilver, vitriol, opium itself, camphor, and countless others, from which some astringe and open, some heat and cool, [and] some perform other contrary operations and effects in the identity of their own substance, as even the authors themselves testify with unanimous consent. What shall we say of our year, regenerated and more than perfect? The philosophical antiquity of the Hermeticorum Hermetic philosophers acknowledged it as a universal medicine in their sanctuary and left it thus to posterity. There is also a universal medicine from the consideration of the nature of the sick person, or the affection against nature. For if a disease lies upon the sick person like a heavy burden, but the powers are too weak to carry it to the finish line, what is to be done here? Should the powers not rather be revived so they stand up and overcome the burden, rather than the burden being thrown off and the powers perishing? Whence it is clear that every sickness can be overcome by nature with reinforced powers, for it is the only medicatrix healer and victor over diseases, not the pharmacy, which is the custom for many travelers. This also applies similarly to the sick: it is not permitted to always remove their load so that you may feed them