A choice collection of rare secrets and experiments in philosophy as also rare and unheard-of medicines, menstruums and alkahests : with the true secret of volatilizing the fixt salt of tartar / collected and experimented by the honourable and truly learned Sir Kenelm Digby, Kt., Chancellour to Her Majesty the Queen-Mother ; hitherto kept secret since his decease, but now published for the good and benefit of the publick by George Hartman.

Another most Excellent Laxative and Eme∣tick Cream of Tartar.

TAke ℥iv. of Cream of Tartar, grind it to a subtil Powder, which put into a Matrass, and pour upon it so much Spirit of Sal armoniac as may cover it the breadth of two fingers; stop it close, and set it in a Cellar for twenty four hours, then pour it into an Earthen Pot glazed, and put into it ℥j. of Glass of {antimony} in subtil Powder; set this Pot in a Furnace in Sand (or upon a gentle Coal-fire) and pour into it a sufficient quan∣tity of fair water; let it cool six or eight hours, still pouring in more water as it con∣sumeth: At last, evaporate until it come to have a thin light skin on the top; then set it in a Cellar, and it will shoot into Crystals, which take out, and keep them for Use.

This is a most Excellent Medicine, and one of the best Emeticks that can be pre∣pared. The Dose is from gr. j. to vj. for Children; and for Aged Persons, from gr. x. to xv. in a little Sack.

The best and easiest way to make a most subtil and penetrant Spirit of Sal armoniac, (as it was made in Sir Kenelm's Laboratory, and as I make it now) is thus:

Take Quick-lime grosly beaten, put a bed of it about two fingers thick into the bottom of a Cucurbite; then dissolve lbj. of Sal armoniac in as much water as will dissolve it: Pour of this dissolution upon the Quick-lime (having first placed the Cu∣curbite in the Furnace in Sand) so much as may dissolve it well, and swim half a fin∣gers breadth over it. Then be as quick as you can in fitting on the Head and Reci∣pient (for it will immediately begin to di∣still without fire) lute all the junctures well, and distill with a gentle fire, keeping the subtil Spirit by it self, which cometh first. If any flegm should come over with the se∣cond Spirit, rectifie it in Balneo.

This Spirit is not only good for benumbed heads to smell to, but also to take inwardly, for it is a most Excellent Remedy: It opens all Ob∣structions, it is Sudorifick and Diuretick. 'Tis very good in Fevers, especially the Pu∣trid, in Palsies, Epilepsies, Hysterical Fits, and the Plague, resisting all Corruption, in Lethargy, and stupification of the Spirits. The Dose is from eight to thirty drops. It also asswages the pain of the Gout, being mixt with S. V. or Brandy, and Linnen Clothes dipt in it, and laid upon the parts afflicted.

Hartman.) In distilling of this Spirit this way, I have observed several inconveniences;

the first is, that if you use a Glass Cucurbite, it will be apt to crack by the sudden heat of the Quick-lime, caused by pouring on the dis∣solution of the {sal armoniac} (and an earthen Cucurbite will imbibe it.) Secondly, by the same Rea∣son you lose a great part of the subtilest Spi∣rit, which will ascend before you have poured in the quantity of the dissolution above-men∣tioned, and before you can fit on the Head and Recipient. To prevent all these incon∣veniences, I make use of a Tin Cucurbite, with a Spout in the upper part (See it in the third Figure) and having placed it in the Fur∣nace in Sand, I put in the Quick-lime, and then I fit a Glass Head and Recipient, and having well luted all the junctures with wet Bladders, or Paste and Paper, I pour in the dissolution of {sal armoniac} by a funnel through the Spout; then I close the Spout, and distill; with a gen∣tle fire. When the distillation is over, take out the Caput Mortuum, and make the Cu∣curbite clean, and wipe it dry, that it may not rust or canker, and it will serve for many other Operations, and will save you the buying of many Glass Cucurbites, which by reason of their thick and knobbed bottoms are so apt to break.