Introduction - Uppsala Monitoring Centre

it Venom, Venom! Poison, say they (as I myself above confessed)
lies in Antimony. For this Cause let us dissuade all men from its use;
for it endangers the Health and Life. Therefore Doctors resident in
Princes Courts, admonish Monarchs, Princes, and other Potentates
not to use Antimony. Other Scholasticks cry out, Beware, you in no
wise admit Antimony into Medicinal Use; for it’s mere Poison: these
the Inhabitants of Cities and Villages follow. And this far spread
Clamour so moves the greatest part of Mortals, as Antimony in these
our Days is very ill spoken of, and no man dares put confidence in
the Medicine thereof, which in it is found so various and
unexpressible. For truly and holily I affirm (as truly as GOD is the
Creator of all things visible, which are contained in Heaven or Earth,
which either have come, or in time to come shall come unto our
knowledge) that under Heaven, or by the Rays of the Sun, with the
Guidance of Experience, can be found or demonstrated no greater
Medicine, than is in this Mineral; yea, there is no Subject, in which so
fluently and abundantly can be found such most certain Remedies
for Health, as shall be declared (by sure and undeniable
Experiments) to be in Antimony.
It causeth gentle Stools, and purgeth without Gripings of the Belly;
and indeed if you have proceeded well in preparing, it renders the
Blood agile, and is a Medicine apt for those who desire Gentle
Purgations.’ (http://www.levity.com/alchemy/antimony.html)
Throughout the period from 1560–1670 there was a very polarised
struggle between those in favour of antimony and those wishing to
ban it, which is perhaps why Valentine was so vehemently in favour.
1607 King James I gave privileges to the Apothecaries as a section of the
Grocers’ Company.
1610 Markham, Gervase, (1568?–1637) ‘Markhams master-piece, or, What
does a horse-man lack containing all possible knowledge whatsoever
which does belong to any smith, farrier or horse-leech, touching the
curing of all manner of diseases or sorrances 107 in horses: drawn with
great pain and most approved experience from the public practise of all
the foreign horse-marshals of Christendom and from the private
practice of all the best farriers of this kingdom: being divided into two
books, the first containing all cures physical, the second whatsoever
belongeth to chirurgerie, with an addition of 130 most principal chapters
and 340 most excellent medicines, receipts and secrets worthy every
107 Sorrances = disease or sores in horses