Paracelsus, his Archidoxis comprised in ten books : disclosing the genuine way of making quintessences, arcanums, magisteries, elixirs, &c : together with his books of renovation & restauration, of the tincture of the philsophers, of the manual of the philosophical medicinal stone, of the virtues of the members, of the three principles, and finally his seven books of the degrees and compositions, of receipts and natural things / faithfully and plainly Englished, and published by J.H., Oxon.

Of the Elixir of Salt; by the Virtues of which, the Body is Conserved.

THere is no lesse power and virtue in Salt, then in Balsame, whereof we have spoken; and that for this reason, because Flesh is preserved by Salt from pu∣trefaction for many dayes, years, and a long time. And that, sundry wayes, and by one way more then by ano∣ther. By the same Basis and Rule will it be possible to Conserve and Preserve the body; Not that we advise the Use of Salt in such a manner as tis used in dead flesh but tis necessary to make thence-from the Elixir of Salt, which doth materially penetrate the Spirit of Life, so, that it lives by the Salt, even as salted Flesh; for this Elixir is so subtile, that it may be compared to the Spi∣rit of Life. They two do so straitly and closely agree in One Conjunction, insomuch that the One is tempered or seasoned with the Other unto perfection; (even as Salt makes some Food favoury) without which it could not possibly be brought to perfection in Unity. This therefore is to be noted, That the Elixir of Salt is a ferment, in which there is a certain Tincture whereby the whole body is penetrated. Tis also an inconsume∣able thing, and is not in the least absumed (with natu∣ral Things) in the body by the digestion; but is fix, like to Glasse in the fire, which doth not at all perish by boyling or fusing. This fix Elixir doth so fix the body, that it becomes permanent in Life, no otherwise then as when a metal is fixt, which, no moisture, no Corrosivity, or such like can hurt afterwards, or bring to be rusty: So therefore, it may be gathered from hence, That the Elixir hereof is as fix a body as Gold, whereinto no unclean thing can penetrate, so as to hurt

it; We will therefore describe the Practick of the Elixir of Salt, after this manner;

Take Salt excellently well prepared, the whitest and cleanest, put it in a Pellican with so much quantity of Aqua Solvens, or the dissolving Water, as may be six times its weight; let them be digested together in Horse-dung for a month; then afterwards let the dis∣solving Water be Separated by distillation, and be a∣gain poured on, and be Separated as before, this let be done so often until the Salt be converted into an Oyl, whereto let be added an eighth part of the Quintessence of Gold, and let them be digested together in a Pellican and in Horse-dung for four months, and let them be Circulated for a month after; then adde another part of Circulated Wine, and let them so remain in Ascensi∣on yet a month longer. This time being over, thou shalt have the Elixir of Salt, of the which we have made for ourselves a memorial as a pattern, for the succouring and lightning of our Ancient dayes.