A description of new philosophical furnaces, or A new art of distilling, divided into five parts. Whereunto is added a description of the tincture of gold, or the true aurum potabile; also, the first part of the mineral work. Set forth and published for the sakes of them that are studious of the truth. / By John Rudolph Glauber. Set forth in English, by J.F. D.M.

To make a spirit, flores and oyle out of salt nitre and Regulus Martis.

TAke one part of Regulus Martis setellatus (made of one part of Iron or steele, and three parts of Antimony whose preparation is described in the fourth part) and three parts of pure salt nitre, mix and grinde all together, and cast it in by little and little to distill, and there will come over a spirit together with a white sublimate, which must be sepa∣rated with water, as hath been taught above with other flo∣res and both the spirit and and the flores are good to provoke sweat. The remaining Caput Mortuum (as they usually call it) is not dead, but full of life and vertue, whereby much good may be done both in Physick and Alchymie, as followeth. The remaining Mass, which looks white, and is very sharpe and fiery (if the Regulus have been pure, if not, then it will look yellowish) may be edulcora∣ted

with fresh water, and it will yeild a lixivium or lye in all like unto calcined Tartar, but sharper and purer, and may be used almost in all operations in stead of salt of Tartar (but first the Regulus Antimonii must be precipitated from it by the help of water) and afterward it may be coagulated into salt and kept for its use; the edulcorated, as also that which was precipitated with water is a white and fine powder, useful in the plague, feavers, and other diseases to provoke sweating thereby, and may very safely be used, and although if it be given in a greater quantity then usual, it do cause some vo∣mits also, yet for all that it doth no hurt. It is easily taken because it hath no taste. It is given to children from 3. 4. to 12. grains: to elder folkes from ℈ ss. to ʒ ss. they worke successefully in all diseases, where sweating is needfull. This Antimonium diaphoreticum, may also be melted into glass, and so extracted and dissolved with spirit of salt, and it may be prepared into several good medicaments: and if all that which may be done with it, should be described at large, it would require too much time. The lixivium, if it be coagu∣lated, hath wonderfull vertues, so that if one should describe them, he would hardly be credited by any body, because it is not made of costly things; and truly the life of man is too short to finde out by experience all that lyes hid in it: and it would be but a laughing matter to a proud fool, if one should reveale it: therefore it is better to keep counsel, then to sow strife. Basilius Valentinus in his Triumph of Antimony, where he writeth of the signed star, hinted it sufficiently, but very few take notice of it. Paracelsus also, here and there in his books under an unknown name, makes frequent mention of it; but its true preparation and use, by reason of the unthanke∣ful was never described by the Philosophers, which for in∣struction of good honest men we do here mention.

Before you edulcorate the Regulus (made by fulmination) you may extract of it a good medicinal Tincture with spirit of wine, and if you dissolve it with spirit of salt, there will shoote a white foliated Talck in all like unto the Mineral Talck: whereof a liquor may be made, which coloureth the

skin very white, but if this calx of Antimony, before it be extracted with spirit of wine or dissolved with spirit of salt be made into fine powder, and exposed to the moist aire, it will dissolve into a fat liquor, which though it be something sharpe, yet doth no hurt to the skin, if it be used with dis∣cretion, but rather cleanseth it more then any other thing, and so it doth likewise to the haire and nailes; but as soone as the liquor hath been applyed for that purpose, it must be wash∣ed off again with water, lest it do not onely take away the gross and unclean skin, but also work upon the tender white skin and do hurt, and therefore I give warning, that you use it discreetly: for according to the old proverbe, you may misuse even that which else is good in it self. If you put some of it into warm water and bath your self in it, the gross skin will peele off all the body, so that you will al∣most seem to be another body. And this bath also is good for many diseases: for it openeth the pores mightily, and cleanseth all the blood in the body, by drawing many ill hu∣mors out of it, which maketh a man light and strong, e∣specially if he be purged first, before he useth the bath. It is also good for Melancholy, scurvy and leprosie, especially when the red Tincture drawn out of it with spirit of wine, be used besides. It is also good to be used in a foot bath for those that are troubled with corns and other excrescencies upon their feet, or with nailes that cut the flesh; for it softeneth them and makes them fit for cutting, and as tractable as wax. For there is nothing known under the Sun, which softneth more a hard skin, haire, nailes and other excrescencies, then this oyle. And this I did set down therefore, because I know, that many are so tormented therewith, that they cannot well endure their shoes upon their feet. But if you coagulate this oyle into salt, and melt it in a crucible, and powre it out in∣to a flat brass bason, that it flow at large and may be broken, then you have the best Causticum, to open the skin withal where is need. If you dissolve crude Tartar with it and co∣agulate it again, you will get a salt which is useful in many Chymical operations; and there may be extracted out of it

a blood red Tincture with spirit of wine, which proveth very effectual against all obstructions.

Also every combustible sulphur can be easily dissolved with it, and used among bathes, it acteth his part admirably. If any oyle of spices be boyled therewith, then the oyle will dissolve in it, and they turn together to a balsome, which doth mingle it self with water, and is good to be taken in∣wardly for some infirmities: but women with childe must not meddle with it, because it makes them miscarry. But af∣ter their delivery, it is good to expel after burthen and other reliques. But if you boyle Oleum ligni Rhodii with this liquor and rose water so long till the oyle do incorporate with the liquor and waters and then separate the watery substance from it, you will get a sope as white as snow, which may be used for to wash the hands with it, and it doth smel very wel. You may also wash the head with it; for it strengthneth the braine and cleanseth the head and haire. This sope may be distilled, and it will yeild a penetrating oyle, very good for the sinews and nerves.

Now as this liquor of Regulus Antimonii softneth the skin, nailes, haire, feathers, horns, and the like, and dissolveth them more then any thing in the world: In the like manner also it hath power to dissolve not only metals, but also the hardest stones, but not in that manner which is done by boy∣ling, and was mentioned by the sulphur, but after another way, which is not proper for this place. It sufficeth that I hinted it. The fiery fixed salt nitre can be dissolved with spi∣rit of salt or vinegar, and sublimed into a Terra foliata. What further can be effected with it, doth not belong to this place, and perchance some where else more shall be spoken of it.