Plaisters, onely keep the wound clean, and in a moderate temper ’twixt heat and cold.  This was presently reported to the Duke of Buckingham, and a little after to the King [James I.], who were both very curious to know the issue of the businesse, which was, that after dinner I took the garter out of the water, and put it to dry before a great fire; it was scarce dry, but Mr Howels servant came running [and told me], that his Master felt as much burning as ever he had done, if not more, for the heat was such, as if his hand were betwixt coales of fire:  I answered, that although that had happened at present, yet he should find ease in a short time; for I knew the reason of this new accident, and I would provide accordingly, for his Master should be free from that inflammation, it may be, before he could possibly return unto him:  but in case he found no ease, I wished him to come presently back again, if not he might forbear coming.  Thereupon he went, and at the instant I did put again the garter into the water; thereupon he found his Master without any pain at all.  To be brief, there was no sense of pain afterward:  but within five or six dayes the wounds were cicatrized, and entirely healed."[1]

[1] Ibid., pp. 7-11.

Sir KENELM proceeds, in this discourse, to relate that he obtained the secret of the Powder from a Carmelite who had learnt it in the East.  Sir KENELM says that he told it only to King JAMES and his celebrated physician, Sir THEODORE MAYERNE (1573-1655).  The latter disclosed it to the Duke of MAYERNE, whose surgeon sold the secret to various persons, until ultimately, as Sir KENELM remarks, it became known to every country barber.  However, DIGBY’S real connection with the Powder has been questioned.  In an Appendix to Dr NATHANAEL HIGHMORE’S (1613-1685) The History of Generation, published in 1651, entitled A Discourse of the Cure of Wounds by Sympathy, the Powder is referred to as Sir GILBERT TALBOT’S Powder; nor does it appear to have been DIGBY who brought the claims of the Sympathetic Powder before the notice of the then recently-formed Royal Society, although he was a by no means inactive member of the Society.  HIGHMORE, however, in the Appendix to the work referred to above, does refer to DIGBY’S reputed cure of HOWELL’S wounds already mentioned; and after the publication of DIGBY’S Discourse the Powder became generally known as Sir KENELM DIGBY’S Sympathetic Powder.  As such it is referred to in an advertisement appended to Wit and Drollery (1661) by the bookseller, NATHANAEL BROOK.[1]

[1] This advertisement is as follows:  “These are to give notice, that Sir Kenelme Digbies Sympathetical Powder prepar’d by Promethean fire, curing all green wounds that come within the compass of a Remedy; and likewise the Tooth-ache infallibly in a very short time:  Is to be had at Mr Nathanael Brook’s at the Angel in Cornhil.”