Mercurius Vitae.
Melt in a hot sand Butter of Antimony, mad•• in the following manner, powder and mix six oun∣••ces of Regulus of Antimony, with a pound of Sub∣••limat Corosive, put this mixture into a glass Retor•• whose half remains empty, set your Retort in san•• and after having fitted to it a receiver, and lut•• the junctures; you must first make a small ••i•• under it, and there will distil a clear Oyl, after th•• augment the ••ite a little, and there will come for•• a white thick liquor like Butter, which will stop t•• neck of the Retort and break it, if you did not ta•• care to set the live coals near it, that it may me•• and run into the Receiver, continue the fire, un•• you see a red vapour come forth; then take aw•• the Receiver and put another in its place filled wi•• water: Increase the fire by degrees, to make t•• Retort red hot, and the Mercury will run into t•• water; dry it and keep it for use as other Me∣••curies.
Virtues. The Butter of Antimony is Caustick.