One of the best known alchemical medicines formulated by physicians and apothecaries of the Paracelsian persuasion was aurum potabile, i.e., potable (or drinkable) gold. Its underlying theory reasoned that since gold was the most perfect metal, medicines so derived would be unusually salutary, dispatching their virtues in the curing of all diseases. Thus solutions consisting of finely powdered gold dissolved in wine or vinegar came to be regarded as universal medicines. The London empiric and unlicensed physician Francis Anthony achieved great success and notoriety by dispensing medications based on the following chemical prescription; however, it also resulted in much professional difficulty for Anthony, including prosecution by the Royal College of Physicians, the conservative medical governing organization that continued to advocate ancient Galenic herbal cures.

Following is the complete text of Aurum-Potabile: or the Receit of Dr. Fr. Antonie. Shewing, His Way and Method, how he made and prepared that most Excellent Medicine for the Body of Man, in Collectanea Chymica: a collection of Ten Several Treatises in Chymistry (London, 1684), edited and printed by William Cooper. Additional readings: Allen G. Debus, The English Paracelsians (New York: Franklin Watts, 1966), 142-45; DNB, s.v. “Antony, Francis.”

Take Block-tinn, and burn it in an Iron Pan (making the Pan red-hot before you put it in) and keeping a continual Fire under it, and stirring it always till it be like unto Ashes, some will look red, it will be burning a day, or half a day at the least, it must be stirred with an Iron Cole-rake, a little one, the handle two Foot long.