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.

The Volatile Salt of Tartar, as I have often made it, which is an Excellent Re∣medy.

TAke Lees of Wine, (which you may have from the Wine-Coopers when they have pressed them out for making of Vine∣gar) break them in small pieces, and let them dry; then being very hard and dry, bruise them grosly, and fill an Earthen Re∣tort with it, or a Glass one coated; distill in naked fire, fitting any Recipient to it to receive only a sour flegm, which will come over first; as soon as you see any white fumes come over, (among which cometh the Vo∣latile Salt) change the Recipient, putting on another pretty large; lute the junctures well with Paste and Paper, then increase the fire by degrees, until you see the Recipient filled with white fumes; continue the fire in that degree, untill those white Vapours diminish, and that the Recipient beginneth to grow cold: Then augment the fire to the highest degree, to force all over at last; when nothing more cometh over, cease. The distillation will be performed in three or four hours; you will have a whitish Liquor, which contained in it the Volatile Salt, and part thereof will stick to the sides of the Recipient,

and a reddish foetide Oyl will swim upon the Liquor. Pour out all the Liquor that is in the Recipient, then pour a little warm water in the Recipient, and shake it to get out all the Volatile Salt: Separate the Oyl from the Liquor by a Glass funnel; then filter the Li∣quor, to free it from all Oyliness: Put this Liquor into a Matrass with a long Neck, to which fit a Head and a small Recipient; di∣still in Sand with a very gentle heat, and the Volatil Salt will ascend into the Head as white as snow; when you see that a pretty quantity is Sublimed, take off the Head, and stop the mouth of the Matrass, if you have not ano∣ther Head to put on; be as quick as you can to gather the Volatile Salt that is in the head, and put it into a Vial, which stop very close with a Glass stopper, for it is very apt to re∣solve into Liquor when it taketh Air: Then put the Head on again, and continue the Sub∣limation until there Sublime no more Salt; gather this last Salt, and put it to the rest: Then put on the Head again, and augment the fire a little, and you shall have a fiery Liquor, which is the Volatile Spirit of Tar∣tar, and is also the Volatile Salt, mixt with some flegm, which makes it come over in a liquid form.

This Salt is much esteemed and recom∣mended to purifie the Blood by Sweat and

by Urine. It is the best of all common Re∣medies against Hysterical Fits and Vapours, smelling to it, and taking it inwardly. It is Excellent against the Palsie, Apoplexy, Epilepsie, &c. against Quartan and Tertian Agues. It opens all Obstructions, and pro∣vokes the Terms. The Volatile Spirit hath the same Vertue as the Salt; it is good for all Obstructions, particularly of the Spleen, and keeps the Body open; it is far beyond the common Spirit of Tartar in Vertue. The Dose is from eight to twenty or thirty drops in some fit Vehicle.