A course of chemistry containing an easie method of preparing those chymical medicins which are used in physick : with curious remarks and useful discourses upon each preparation, for the benefit of such who desire to be instructed in the knowledge of this art / by Nicholas Lemery, M.D.

Remarks.

Quick-lime, which is an alkali, destroys the strength of the acid Sea-salt, which in a manner bound up the volatile salts in the Sal Armoniack, whence it comes to pass, that as soon as Lime and Sal Armoniack are mixed together, there exhales an unsufferable smell of Urine; for the volatile salts coming forth abundantly do so fill the Nose and Mouth of the Artist, that he would never be able to put the mixture into the Retort, if he did not take good care to turn away his head, while his hands are at work.

Water is added to it to liquifie these volatile salts, for if there were nothing to moisten them, they would suddenly sublime to the neck of the Retort, and stopping it all together would break it to pieces.

You must stop the Retort with your hand, so soon as you have poured the water into it, and shaking it one minute, you must hasten all you can to fit to it the Receiver, and to lute well the jun∣ctures; for the Quick-lime does presently grow hot, so soon as its body is opened; and this heat, which is very considerable would spend the more volatile of the salts, if there were no care taken to preserve them.

The Quick-lime being wetted does swell, and take up a great deal of room; wherefore the Re∣tort must be filled but half full, that there may remain room enough for the Spirits to rarefie in; you must also use a large Receiver, in which the vapours that rise in abundance may be able to circulate with ease.

This Spirit is nothing but a solution of volatile salts in water; if you would sublime, and sepa∣rate it from the water, you must put the liquor into a matrass with its head, and proceed as I shall shew when I describe the volatile salt of Vipers; but this salt being dry, flies away more easily than when it continues dissolved in water, so that it were better keep it as it is.

This is a stronger Spirit than that which is pre∣pared with Salt of Tartar, because the little fiery bodies of the Quick-lime, which are mixed with it, have quickned the motion of the volatile salts; likewise these fiery particles are they that do

hinder the coagulation of this Spirit with spirit of Wine, when they are mixed together, for there must be a cohaesion and repose of parts, in order to make a Coagulum.

You must also have a care when you remove the Receiver, not to hold your head over it; for this volatile salt suffering a greater separation than before, enters the Nose immmediately, and hin∣ders Respiration; insomuch that several persons have been seen to fall in a swound by that means alone. Now to avoid this accident, you had best have ready a wet cloth, to stop the Receiver with, so soon as it is unluted.

This Spirit is an excellent Menstruum to make precipitations with, it destroys acids exceeding well, as do all other volatile alkalis; it is used to precipitate Gold, after it is dissolved.

It is good in those diseases I named, because it opens the pores, and drives the humours by per∣spiration, or by Urine, according to the dispo∣sition of bodies: moreover, as it is an alkali, it destroys the acids which caused these diseases.

Again, it sometimes causes sleep, because it dulls the keenness of acid salts, which entring into the little conduits of the Brain, do cause perpetual watchings.

It is better give volatile Spirits in Sudorifick waters, than broth, because the broth being taken hot, the heat would evaporate the better part of the volatile Spirits, before a man could reach the Porringer to his mouth.

You will find in the Retort thirty ounces of a white matter, which you must throw away as use∣less; it is the fixt salt of sal Armoniack mixed with the Quick-lime.