LordBaconspeaksoftheWeaponOintment，inhisNaturalHistory，ashavinginitsfavorthetestimonyofmenofcredit，though，inhisownlanguage，hehimself“asyetisnotfullyinclinedtobelieveit。“Hisremarksupontheassertedfactsrespectingitshowamixtureofwisesuspicionandpartialbelief。Hedoesnotliketheprecisedirectionsgivenastothecircumstancesunderwhichtheanimalsfromwhichsomeofthematerialswereobtainedweretobekilled；forhethoughtitlookedlikeaprovisionforanexcuseincaseoffailure，bylayingthefaulttotheomissionofsomeofthesecircumstances。Buthelikeswellthat“theydonotobservetheconfectingoftheOintmentunderanycertainconstellation；whichiscommonlytheexcuseofmagicalmedicines，whentheyfail，thattheywerenotmadeunderafitfigureofheaven。“[Thiswasamistake，however，sincethetworecipesgivenbyHildanusarebothveryexplicitastotheaspectoftheheavensrequiredfordifferentstagesoftheprocess。]“Itwaspretendedthatiftheoffendingweaponcouldnotbehad，itwouldservethepurposetoanointawoodenonemadelikeit。“This，“saysBacon，“Ishoulddoubttobeadevicetokeepthisstrangeformofcureinrequestanduse；becausemanytimesyoucannotcomebytheweaponitself。“Andinclosinghisremarksonthestatementsoftheadvocatesoftheointment，hesays，“Lastly，itwillcureabeastaswellasaman，whichIlikebestofalltherest，becauseitsubjecteththemattertoaneasytrial。“Itisworthremembering，thatmorethantwohundredyearsago，whenanabsurdandfantasticremedywasassertedtopossesswonderfulpower，andwhensensiblepersonsascribeditspretendedinfluencetoimagination，itwasboldlyansweredthatthecuretookplacewhenthewoundedpartydidnotknowoftheapplicationmadetotheweapon，andevenwhenabruteanimalwasthesubjectoftheexperiment，andthatthisassertion，heasweallknowitwas，cameinsuchashapeastoshaketheincredulityofthekeenestthinkerofhistime。TheverysameassertionhasbeensincerepeatedinfavorofPerkinism，and，sincethat，ofHomoeopathy。
ThesameessentialideaasthatoftheWeaponOintmentreproduceditselfinthestillmorefamousSYMPATHETICPOWDER。ThisPowderwassaidtohavethefaculty，ifappliedtotheblood-stainedgarmentsofawoundedperson，tocurehisinjuries，eventhoughhewereatagreatdistanceatthetime。Afriar，returningfromtheEast，broughttherecipetoEuropesomewhatbeforethemiddleoftheseventeenthcentury。TheGrandDukeofFlorence，inwhichcitythefriarwasresiding，heardofhiscures，andtried，butwithoutsuccess，toobtainhissecret。SirKenehnDigby，anEnglishmanwellknowntofame，wasfortunateenoughtodohimafavor，whichwroughtuponhisfeelingsandinducedhimtoimparttohisbenefactorthecompositionofhisextraordinaryPowder。ThisEnglishknightwasatdifferentperiodsofhislifeanadmiral，atheologian，acritic，ametaphysician，apolitician，andadiscipleofAlchemy。Asisnotunfrequentwithversatileandinflammablepeople，hecaughtfireatthefirstsparkofanewmedicaldiscovery，andnosoonergothometoEnglandthanhebegantospreadtheconflagration。
Anopportunitysoonoffereditselftotrythepowersofthefamouspowder。Mr。J。Howell，havingbeenwoundedinendeavoringtoparttwoofhisfriendswhowerefightingaduel，submittedhimselftoatrialoftheSympatheticPowder。Fourdaysafterhereceivedhiswounds，SirKenehndippedoneofMr。Howell’sgaitersinasolutionofthePowder，andimmediately，itissaid，thewounds，whichwereverypainful，greweasy，althoughthepatient，whowasconversinginacornerofthechamber，hadnot，theleastideaofwhatwasdoingwithhisgarter。Hethenreturnedhome，leavinghisgarterinthehandsofSirKenelm，whohadhungituptodry，whenMr。Howellsenthisservantinagreathurrytotellhimthathiswoundswerepaininghimhorribly；thegarterwasthereforereplacedinthesolutionofthePowder，andthepatientgotwellafterfiveorsixdaysofitscontinuedimmersion。“
KingJamesFirst，hissonCharlestheFirst，theDukeofBuckingham，thenprimeminister，andalltheprincipalpersonagesofthetime，werecognizantofthisfact；andJameshimself，beingcurioustoknowthesecretofthisremedy，askeditofSirKenelm，whorevealedittohim，andhisMajestyhadtheopportunityofmakingseveraltrialsofitsefficacy，whichallsucceededinasurprisingmanner。“[Dict。
desSciencesMedieales。]