Arcanum duplicatum
Encyclopedia
Arcanum duplicatum also known as panacea duplicata, in pre-modern medicine
, is a preparation of the caput mortuum
, or the remaining residue from distillation or sublimation, of aqua fortis
, by dissolving it in hot water, filtering, and evaporating it to a cuticle. It is then left to shoot. It was used as a diuretic
and sudorific.
The recipe was purchased for 500 dollars by the Duke of Holstein. Schroder, the prince's physician, wrote wonders of its great uses in hypochondriacal cases, continued and intermitting fever
s, stone, scurvy
, etc.
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
, is a preparation of the caput mortuum
Caput mortuum
Caput Mortuum is a Latin term whose literal meaning is "dead head" or "worthless remains", used in alchemy and also as the name of a pigment.-Alchemy and chemistry:...
, or the remaining residue from distillation or sublimation, of aqua fortis
Aqua fortis
Aqua fortis, or "strong water," in alchemy, is a solution of nitric acid in water. Being highly corrosive, the solution was used in alchemy for dissolving silver and most other metals with the notable exception of gold, which can only be dissolved using aqua regia...
, by dissolving it in hot water, filtering, and evaporating it to a cuticle. It is then left to shoot. It was used as a diuretic
Diuretic
A diuretic provides a means of forced diuresis which elevates the rate of urination. There are several categories of diuretics. All diuretics increase the excretion of water from bodies, although each class does so in a distinct way.- Medical uses :...
and sudorific.
The recipe was purchased for 500 dollars by the Duke of Holstein. Schroder, the prince's physician, wrote wonders of its great uses in hypochondriacal cases, continued and intermitting fever
Fever
Fever is a common medical sign characterized by an elevation of temperature above the normal range of due to an increase in the body temperature regulatory set-point. This increase in set-point triggers increased muscle tone and shivering.As a person's temperature increases, there is, in...
s, stone, scurvy
Scurvy
Scurvy is a disease resulting from a deficiency of vitamin C, which is required for the synthesis of collagen in humans. The chemical name for vitamin C, ascorbic acid, is derived from the Latin name of scurvy, scorbutus, which also provides the adjective scorbutic...
, etc.