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.

The cleer oyle of Mastick, and frankincense.

TAke of frankincense, or mastick powdered small as much as will serve to fill the third part of a cornute (which must be coated) upon which pour a sufficient quantity of the spirit of salt, taking heed that the retort be not filled too full, or else the spirit when it boyles, flows over it, then place it in sand, and give fire by degrees, and there will first come out some phlegme, after which a clear transparent oyle toge∣ther with the spirit of salt, which must be kept by it self, after this a certain yellow oyle which must be received by it self: and last of all there follows a red oyle, which although it is not to be cast away, yet it is very unlike to the first, serving for outward uses, and to be mixed with oyntments and Em∣plasters, for it doth wonderfully consolidate, and therefore good in new and old wounds. The first being well rectified is in its subtilty, and penetrating faculty not unlike to spirit of wine, and may profitably be used inwardly, and outwardly, viz. in cold affects, but especially in the stiffness of the Nerves caused by cold humors, upon which follows a contracti∣on; but then you must first rub the member contracted with a linnen cloth, that it may be well warmed, into which then the oyle must be chafed with a warm hand. For it doth do wonders in such like affects of the Nerves.

After the same maner may oyles be made out of all gums. The red, tenacious, and stinking oyles of Tartar, Hartshorn, Amber, &c. distilled after the common way by retort are also rectified with spirit of salt so as to become transparent and to lose the Empyreuma contracted by distilla∣tion.

Now the cause of the blackness, and fetidness of these kind of oyles is a certain volatile salt which is to be found as well in vegetables, as certain Animals, which is easily mixed with

the oyle, and then makes it of a brown colour. For every vola∣tile salt whether it be of Urine, Tartar, Amber, Hartshorn, and of other vegetables, and Animals, is of this condition, and nature as to exalt, and alter the colours of sulphureous things, and that either for the worse, or for the better: but for the most part it makes oyles thick, black and stinking, as you may see in Amber, Hartshorn, and Tartar. The cause there∣fore of the blackness, and fetidness of these oyles being known we may the more easily take heed thereof in distilling, and be∣ing contracted, correct them again by the help of spirit of salt. For all volatile salt hath contrariety to any acid spi∣rit, and on the other side, every acid spirit hath a contrariety with all volatile salts, that have the nature of salt of Tartar. For metals that are dissolved with acid spirits are as well pre∣cipitated with spirit of urine or any volatile salt as with the liquor of salt of Tartar; which shall be more at large decla∣red in the second part.

The volatile salt therefore is by the mortifying acid spirits, as of salt, vitrial, allom, vinegar, &c. deprived of its volatili∣ty, and is fixed, by which means being debilitated it forsakes its associate which was infected with blackness by it: it is ne∣cessary that we should proceed after the same maner with these fetid oyles, viz. as follows.

Take any fetid oyle of Tartar, Amber, &c. with which fill the fourth part only of a glass cornute, and upon it poure by drops the spirit of salt; and it will begin to be hot, as it is used to be, when Aqua fortis is poured on salt of Tartar; wherefore the spirit is to be poured on it by little and little, and by drops for fear of breaking the glasse: Now the signe of the moriification of the volatile salt is when it ceaseth to make a noise, and then no more is to be poured on, but set your retort in sand, and give fire to it by degrees, as is used to be done in the rectifying of things of easie elevation: and first of all will go forth a certain stinking water, after which comes a transparent clear, and odoriferous oyle, and after that a certain yellow, clear, and also well smelling oyle, but not so as the first, wherefore each must be taken a part by chan∣ging

the receivers. Now these oyles become more grate∣ful then those fetid of the shops. For these oyles retaine their cleerness, and fairness, the cause of their fetidness, and redness being taken away by the spirit of salt. In the bot∣tom of the retort remains the black volatile salt with the spi∣rit of salt, from whence it may be sublimed into an odorife∣rous salt, resembling salt armoniack in tast. The spirit of salt is also deprived of its acidity, and coagulated by the volatile salt, and is like tartarum vitriolatum, appointed also for its uses, as shall be spoken in the second part of the spirit of urine.

After the same manner also are rectified other oyles, which by length of time have contracted a clamminess, as are oyle of Cinnamon, Mace, cloves, &c. with the spirit of salt, if they be rectified by retort, for then they acquire again both the same clearness, and goodness, as they had when they were new∣ly distilled.

Here I must make mention of a certain error of Physitians, not only of ignorant Galenists, but Spagyricks, committed in the preparations of some Chymical medicaments. For many have perswaded themselves that oyle of Tartar, Harts∣horn, &c. having lost its stink, is a medicine radically taking away all obstructions; but this must be taken with a graine of salt. For some have rectified these kinds of oyles by calci∣ned vitriol, and by that means have somewhat made them lose their Empyreuma, but withall their vertues: which others observing have conceived that the fetidness thereof is not to be taken away, because the vertue of them is thereby lost, as if the vertue consisted in the fetidness thereof; but that is a very great error, because fetidness is an enemy to the heart and brain, and in it is no good. But this is granted, that they that take away the fetidness of those oyles mortifie the vertues of them. But thou saist, How then must we proceed in ta∣king away their fetidness without the loss of the vertues? Must they be rectified by the spirit of salt? as even now thou taughtest. R. No, for although I said that oyles might be clarified with spirit of salt, yet it doth not follow that my

meaning was that that clarification was the mending of them: this is only a way of clarification, whereby they be∣come more gratefull; and it is not to be slighted, a better be∣ing unknown. But how they are to be rectified from their fetidness, and blackness without the loss of their vertues, and to be made more noble, doth not belong to this place, because it cannot be done by this furnace: I shall refer the reader therefore to the second part, where it shall be shewed, how such spirits are to be rectified without the loss of their vertues, which being so prepared may well be accounted for the fourth pillar of Physick. And these things I was willing at least for information sake to shew you, not to offend you, and that because I was moved with pity, and compassion towards my neighbor.