The curious distillatory, or, The art of distilling coloured liquors, spirits, oyls, &c. from vegitables, animals, minerals and metals ... containing many experiments ... relating to the production of colours, consistence and heat ... : together with several experiments upon the blood (and its serum) of diseased persons, with divers other collateral experiments / written originally in Latin by Jo. Sigis. Elsholt ; put into English by T.S. ...

Observations of Attenuation, and of Coagulation.

1. We call Attenuation, when a solid and Gross Body, is rendred thin and fluid: but the contrary to this is called to inspissat, thicken, or coagulate, when such things which of themselves are fluid, and thin, ac∣quire firmness and subsistence, and are thickned, either by the means of Coagulation, or Gla∣ciescency, (that is, freezed or made Ice) or else altogether Lapidificated, or turned into Stone; which Physical, or natural af∣fections above all others are most fre∣quently known not only in the Apotheca∣ries Shops, but also in other Mechanical Arts: wherefore the whole Spagirical Art is by many believed to receive its name from dissolving and congregating, or com∣pacting together, for which reason these two qualities (in our opinion) justly de∣serve a peculiar consideration.

2. When the Apothecary prepares De∣coctions, or Infusions, and the Cook makes fresh Broth, by pouring on of Liquids: gross and dense bodies are attenuated, and their nobler parts extracted. There is the like reason in Iuleps, or emulsions, and

the rest of Medicines in a Liquid form.

3. Thus we see the bodies of all dry Salts, are melted and attenuated, by ef∣fusing watry Liquors upon them: From whence those Solutions called the simple ones, of which sort for Example is that of Vitriol dissolved into Fountain Water, which being mixed with the infusion of Galls produceth Ink, of which mention is made above in chap. 2.

4. Relating to this purpose are all the corrosive Solutions made by Caustick Waters, upon the solid compage of Metals. For Gold by its smallest parts doth swim in A∣qua Regia, so that, that which if left to it self stops the sharpest sight from looking into, it presently changeth its Species, and Texture, and appears diaphanous, or trans∣parent.

5. Nor is it less to be wondred at, that the same Gold, and the rest of the Metals will suffer themselves to be so attenuated by the Fire, (by as it were a certain cor∣rosion) that they will flow like Waves of Water: which fusion truly, unless the thing were so common as it is, would hardly be believed by such as were ignorant of it.

6. Alablaster, and Gypsum, or Plaister of Paris, may be burned as they do Lime∣stone, as is commonly known; and it is par∣ticularly asserted by Anselmus Boetius, lib. 2. de Lapid & Gemm. cap. 269. But whe∣ther or no the following Experiment be much noted, I know not, (and therefore will set it down) Cast into a vessel of Brass, or Iron with a Flat botom, Ala∣blaster, or in stead of it Plaister of Paris, (very finely grown'd, and sifted) some pounds weight: Apply Fire to it by degrees, even to the utmost height. And you shall see this Stony Powder to put on the form of a Liquor, and to boyl like Waves, sending up White Vapours, resembling Smoak; moreover if you then stir it with a Stick, you will not find it to resist the motion of your hand, like Sand, but to yeild like Liquor: which thing truly doth produce no small delight, to the curious Spectator, as Mr. Boyl doth witness of himself, in his History of Fluidity, Sect. 18. where he ad∣deth more notes, and cautions upon this thing.

7. It is also a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, of a species of attenuation, by which Salt of Tartar is dis∣solved into a Liquor per deliquium: And amongst Natures works, it is an Illustrious

Attenuation, by which the thickest Ice of Rivers in the Spring time is dissolved by the heat of the Sun.

8. But that we may also come to the Phaenomena or appearances of Coagulation, amongst those which are best known is that of making Bread, whilst the Bakers by mixing Water with Flower or Meal coagulate it into a Mass, to make Bread out of. The like, but more compounded work, is that of the Confectioner, who mix∣eth together Butter, Sugar, Egs, and di∣vers other ingredients.

9. But there is hardly extant a more domestick, or familiar Example, than the coagulation of Milk, whether it be perfor∣med by Calves, or Lambs Runnit, or by juice of Limons, or by sowre Herbs, Spirit of Vitriol, or other acid Salt: by which means the fluid substance of the Milk sepa∣rates it self from the whey, and suddenly joyns together into a cheesy Mass.

10. In the Canary Islands they thicken, (by boyling) the fluid juice of Canes and Reeds into innumerably useful, and most sweet Sugar: And on the con∣trary, in the Island of Succotra, they make Aloes of the juice of a Plant, which is so exceeding bitter that it is become a nick∣name,

for other bitter things: [You will have a large account of coagulations of this nature in the Philosophical Essay of Petrification, written by the Translator of this Treatise, and printed Anno 1672.] Nay without Art, or Labour, Water is converted into Stone in divers dens. And to omit other Countrys, the Cave called Baumanus's Cave, not far from the Mountain Bructer in the great Forest of Hircinia in Germany, in which not only Waters are turned into stony Icicles, but also there is found a wonderful company of the Bones of Animals, but from what Original, or how they came there, is yet uncertain.

Eleventhly. But as to what concerns Minerals. If you mix the best Vrinous Spirit of Sal Armoniack equal parts, with the most dephlegm'd Spirit of Wine, they will set, or fall to the bottom of the Glass in the manner of Icy flakes, or rather like Snow. For whilst the Acrimony of the Armoniack Spirit is blunted and mitigated▪ by the sweetness of the Spirit of Wine, the crisped, and sharp pointed Particles of the Salt falling to the bottom, and others falling still upon them, they represent the form of Snow.

Twelfthly, If Spirit of common Salt be mixed with the Acid Spirit of Sal Armo∣niack, (not with the Salt Urinous one) then at first the mixture will grow hot, and presently it will be troubled, and thick, and at length it will begin to conjoyn to∣gether plainly in the form of Butter.

Thirteenthly, If there be mixed together equal parts of highly rectified Spirit of Wine, and exquisitely dephlegm'd Spirit of Vrine, they will coagulate (by agitating them) in a quarter of an hours time: first, into the form of Snow, and a little after, into a solid Mass. But unless both the Spirits be freed from all Phlegm, this business will want success: As Mr. Boyl doth prudently admonish in his History of Fluidity and Firmness, Part 2. Sect. 32.

Fourteenthly, Beat the white of an Egg, even to thinness, then mix with it half as much of the best Spirit of Salt: and you shall see this mixture will coagulate, even in a few Minutes of an hour by agitating it.

Fifteenthly, Many have attempted di∣••••••s ways to coagulate the most Fluid Body of Quicksilver Io. 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 Part 1. Pag. 35. proposeth his way. And that I may omit others, Thomas 〈◊〉〈◊〉

now hath propounded his, Cent. 1. Num. 79. But the most exquifite, and no less certain way, is by the vapour of Lead; if you make a hole with a Stick in melted Lead, being removed from the Fire, and beginning to cool, then sprinkle some Ashes into the Hole, and nimbly pour in the Quicksilver: and so the Vapour ascen∣ding from the Lead will congeal it, al∣though there are not wanting those which doubt of this coagulation. But the Translator of this Treatise hath experimented it to be true.

Sixteenthly, 'Tis a more difficult opera∣tion which I make use of to procure a yel∣low coagulated Mercury: for I take of Quicksilver one ounce, of rust of Brass, and common Salt, of each an ounce and a half, Wine, Vinegar a pound or pint: boyl them in an Iron frying-Pan the space of an hour or two, continually stirring them with an Iron Spatula; till at length the Mercury co∣agulate into an Amalgame, which after∣wards wash several times from the Salt▪ and then form it into little Balls, the big∣ness of Pease. These little Balls being ex∣posed to a temperate Air, after a few hours, will harden of then own accord: But if you have a mind also to induce a colour upon this coagulated Mercury, then

take of Turmerick roots fourteen Drams, and of prepar'd Tutia one ounce, and mixing them together, make with the Balls Stra∣tum super Stratum, that is, one row of the Powders, and another of the Balls, and so do till you have filled up a Cruci∣ble, which lute well, that nothing may expire. Let it stand at first in a gentle fire, that the matter may dry: afterwards for an hour or more, apply a strong fire to it; then take it off, and after it is cold, melt it as they use to do Metals, and pour it into an Ingot, and you will have a Mass very much resembling Rhenish Gold, of which may be made Rings, Bracelets and Medals. If there be any body that will not allow this Mass any longer to partici∣pate of the Quicksilver, I will not contest with him; because others which are ac∣quainted with that Planet, will not be induced easily to believe, that it can free∣ly endure a vehement fire for an hour to∣gether.