The workes of that famous chirurgion Ambrose Parey translated out of Latine and compared with the French. by Th: Johnson

CHAP. XII. Of extracting Oiles of vegetables by Distillation.

ALmost all hearbes that carry their flowres and seeds in an umbell, have seeeds of a hot, subtle and aiery substanc, and consequently oyly. Now because the oyly substance that is conteined in simple bodyes is of two kindes, therefore the manner also of extracting is twofold. For some is grosse, ear∣thy, viscous, and wholy confused and mixt with the bodyes out of which they ought to be drawne, as that which wee have sayd is usually extracted by expression; * 1.1 this because it most tenaciously adheres to the grosser substance, and part of the bo∣dy, therefore it cannot by reason of this naturall grossnesse, bee lifted up, or as∣cend. Othersome are of a slender, and aiery substance, which is easily severed from their body, wherefore being put to distillation it easily rises: such is the oyly sub∣stance of aromaticke things, as of Iuniper, Aniseeds, Cloves, Nutmegs, Cinnamon, Pepper, Ginger, and the like odoriferous and spicy things. This is the manner of * 1.2 extracting oyles out of them; let your matter be well beaten and infused in water to that proportion, that for every pound of the materiall, there may bee ten pints of water; infuse it in a copper bottome, having a head thereto either tinned or silvered over, and furnished with a couller filled with cold water. Set your vessell upon a furnace having a fire in it, or else in sand, or ashes. When as the water contained in the head shall waxe hot, you must draw it forth, and put in cold, that so the spirits may the better be condensed, and may not fly away: you shall put a long neckt recei∣ver to the nose of the Alembecke, and you shall increase the fire, untill the things conteined in the Alembecke boyle.

There is also another manner of performing this distillation, the matter preserved * 1.3 and infused as we have formerly declared, shall be put in a brasse or copper bottome covered with his head, to which shall be fitted, and well luted, a worme of Tinne, this worme shall runne through a barrell filled with cold water, that the liquor which flowes forth with the oyle, may be cooled in the passage forth; at the lower end of this worme you shall set your receiver. The fire gentle at the first, shall be encrea∣sed by little and little, untill the conteined matter, as wee formerly sayd, do boyle; but take heede that you make not too quicke or vehement a fire, for so the matter swelling up by boyling may exceede the bounds of the containing vessell, and so vio∣lently fly over.

Observing these things, you shall presently at the very first see an oiely moi∣sture flowing forth together with the watrish. When the oyle hath done owing which you may know by the colour of the distilled liquor, as also by the consistence

and taste, then put out the ••••re; and you may separate the oyle from the water by a little vessell made like a Thimble and tyed to the end of a sticke; [or, which is better, with a glasse funnell, or instrument made of glasse for the same purpose.] Here you must also note that there be some oiles that swimme upon the top of the water, as oile of aniseedes; othersome on the contrary, which fall to the bottome, as oile of * 1.4 Cinnamon, Mace, and Cloves.

Moreover you must note, that the watrish moisture, or water that is distilled with oile of Aniseede and Cinnamon, is whitish, and in successe of time, will in some small proportion turne into oile. Also these waters must bee kept severall, for they are farre more excellent than those that are distilled by Balneum Mariae, especially those that first come forth together with the oyle. Oiles are of the same faculties with the bodies from whence they are extracted, but much more effectuall; for the force which formerly was diffused in many pounds of this, or that medicine, is af∣ter distillation contracted in a few drams. For example, the facultie that was dis∣persed over j. pound of Cloves, will be contracted into two ounces of oyle at the most; and that which was in a pound of Cinnamon will be drawne into ʒiss. or ʒij. at the most of oile. But to draw the greater quantity with the lesser charge, and without feare of breaking the vessells, whereto glasses are subject, I like that you di∣still them in copper vessells, for you neede not feare that the oyle which is distilled by them will contract an ill quality from the copper, for the watrish moisture that flowes forth together therewith will hinder it, especially if the copper shall betinned or silvered over. I have thought good to describe and set before your eyes, the whole manner of this operation.

[illustration]

A Fornace with set vessells to extract the Chymicall oiles, or spirits of Sage, Rosemary, Time, Lavender, Aniseeds, Fennell seeds, Cloves, Nutmegs, Cinnamon, Pepper, Ginger, and the like; as also to distill the spirit of wine, of Vinegar and aqua vitae. In stead of the bar∣rell and worme, you may use a head with a bucket or rowler about it.

A. Shewes the bottome, which ought to be of Copper and tinned on the inside.

B. The head.

C. The Barrell filled with cold water to refri∣gerate and condensate the water and oyle that run through the pipe or worme that is put through it.

D. Apipe of brasse or lattin, or rather a worme of Tinne running through the Barrell.

E. The Alembecke set in the fornace with the fire under it.

Now because we have made mention of Cinnamon, Pepper, and other spices, which grew, not here with us, I have thought good to describe these out of Thevets Cos∣mography, he having seene them growing. Pepper growes on shrubs in India, these shrubs send forth little branches whereon hang clusters of berries, like to Ivy ber∣ries, * 1.5 or bunches of small blacke grapes, or currance. The leaves are like those of the Citron tree, but sharpish and pricking.

The Indians gather those berries with great diligence, and stow them up in large cellars, as soone as they come to perfect maturity. Wherefore it oft times happens, that there are more than 200. shippes upon the coast of the lesser Iava an Island

of that country, to carry thence Pepper and other spices. Pepper is used in Anti∣dotes * 1.6 against poysons, it provokes urine, digests, attracts, resolves, and cures the bites of Serpents. It is properly applyed and taken inwardly against a cold stomacke; in sauces it helpes concotion and procures appetite; you must make choyse of such as is blacke, heavie, and not flaccide. The trees which beare white, and those that beare blacke pepper, are so like each other, that the natives themselves know not which, is which, unlesse when they have their fruite hanging upon them, as the like happens upon our Vines which beare white and blacke grapes.

The tree that yeelds Cinnamon growes in the mountaines of India and hath leaves * 1.7 very like to bay leaves; branches and shootes at certaine times of the yeere are cut from this tree, by the appointment of the King of that province, the barke of which is that we terme Cinnamon. This is sold to no stranger unlesse at the Kings pleasure and he setting the price thereof, it is not lawfull for others to cut any thereof.

Galen writes that Cinnamon is of very subtle parts, hot in the third degree, and par∣taking of some astriction; therefore it cuts and dissolves the excrements of the body, * 1.8 strengthens the parts, provokes the courses when as they stoppe by reason of the ad∣mixture of grosse humors; it sweetens the breath, and yeelds a fine taste and smell to medicines, hippocras, and sauces. Of Cinnamon there is made an excellent water against all cold diseases, and also against swoonings, the plague and poysons. The composition thereof is this. Take of the choysest and best Cinnamon one pound, beate it grossely, and put thereto of Rose water 4 pints, of white wine halfe a pint, be∣ing * 1.9 thus mixed, put them into a glasse and so let them stand in infusion 24 houres, of∣ten stirring of them. Then distill them in Balneo Mariae, closely luting the receiver and vessels least the spirit should fly away.

Notes

• * 1.1

  What oyles are to be drawne by expression.
• * 1.2

  The first manner of drawing oiles by distillation.
• * 1.3

  Another way,
• * 1.4

  What oiles fall to the bot∣tome.
• * 1.5

  The descrip∣tion of Pep∣per.
• * 1.6

  The uses thereof.
• * 1.7

  The Cinna∣mon tree.
• * 1.8

  7. simp.
• * 1.9

  An excellent Cinnamon tree.