Essence of mans brains

Essence of mans brains is a distillation of human brain matter and aqueous solution of alcohol from distilled wine, formerly used in late medieval European period for the relief of epilepsy (falling sickness).

John French's Art of Distillation


"The Essence of Mans-brains. Take the Brains of a young man that hath dyed a violent death, together with the Membranes, Arteries, Veins, Nerves, and all the pith of the Back; bruise these in a Stone-mortar till they become a kinde of pap, then put as much of the Spirit of Wine, as will cover it three or four fingers breadth: then put it into a large Glass, that three parts of four be empty, being Hermetically closed, and then digest it half a year in Horse-dung, then take it out and distil it in Balneo, and cohobate the water till the greatest part of the Brains be distilled off. A scruple or two of this Essence taken in some specifical water once in a day, is a most infallible medicine against the Falling-sickness."