Pharmacopœia Bateana, or, Bate's dispensatory translated from the second edition of the Latin copy, published by Mr. James Shipton : containing his choice and select recipe's, their names, compositions, preparations, vertues, uses, and doses, as they are applicable to the whole practice of physick and chyrurgery : the Arcana Goddardiana, and their recipe's intersperst in their proper places, which are almost all wanting in the Latin copy : compleated with above five hundred chymical processes, and their explications at large, various observations thereon, and a rationale upon each process : to which are added in this English edition, Goddard's drops, Russel's pouder [sic], and the Emplastrum febrifugum, those so much fam'd in the world : as also several other preparations from the Collectanea chymica, and other good authors / by William Salmon ...

LXV. † Spiritus Succini, Spi∣rit of Amber.

Salmon.] § 1. Spirit of Amber is also twofold: 1. The Acid Spirit. 2. A Sulphu∣rous Spirit made with Spirit of Wine. § 2. ℞ Amber grosly beaten, put it into an Earthen Retort, so as to fill it Two Thirds full; fit to it a large Receiver, luting the Juncture close: Make a gentle fire first

only to warm the Retort, then augment it gradatim, till the Spirit and Oyl come forth, con∣tinuing the fire till no more distils: When cold, and unlu∣ted, put about a Pint of fair warm Water into the Receiver, and stirring it soundly about, dissolve the Volatile Salt, which many times sticks to the sides of the Receiver. Put all this Liquor into a Glass Alembick, fit to it a Receiver, and luting well the Junctures, make first a very gentle fire, which aug∣ment by degrees, so will the Flegm and Spirit ascend, carry∣ing with them a little White Oyl; Continue the fire till no more arises, so will the thick Oyl be left at bottom. § 3. Se∣parate the Flegm and Spirit from the White Oyl; and the Black Oyl (if you so please) you may rectifie from Colcothar or Bone-Ashes, as is often afore-directed. The Flegm and Spirit yet remains together, which you must thus separate: Put them into an Earthen or Glass Dish, and evaporate it about two thirds over a gentle fire, that which remains is the Acid Spirit of Amber, which keep in a Vial close stopt for use. § 4. Where note, That there is little rea∣son for this trouble of evapo∣rating the Flegm; for you cannot so securely do it, but that some of the Volatile Sa∣line Particles will go along with it, which will be a loss to you: And what need is there of thus separating its own natural Flegm from it? for that when it is done, the Spirit cannot be given alone, but must be mixt with some other Flegmatick Vehicle to con∣vey it in: And if so, why should not its own Flegm be as good as any thing For∣reign, for that a less quanti∣ty of another Vehicle would then serve the turn? § 5. The Black Oyl remaining in the bottom of the Cucurbit, by reason of its fetidness is scarce∣ly fit to be given inwardly without rectification; but it may be kept for outward use to anoint the Noses and Wrists, of Women troubled with Va∣pors and Fits of the Mother. § 6. But if you would rectifie it, mix it with so much Sand as is necessary to make it into a Body, which put into a Retort, place it in a Furnace, and force over the Oyl, so will it come over-red, but exceeding clear, which is to be kept by it self, and may serve instead of the White. § 7. This, as al∣so the White Oyl, may be given inwardly in all Hyste∣rick Distempers, Palsies, A∣poplexies, Epilepsies, Verti∣go's, Lethargies, and other

Distempers of the Brain, Nerves and Womb. Dose à gut. ij ad x. § 8. The Spi∣rit is an excellent Aperitive, and is successfully given a∣gainst all the aforesaid Di∣stempers, but chiefly against the Epilepsie, Jaundice, Stop∣page of Urine, Ulcers in the Neck of the Bladder, Scur∣vey, Cachexia, Dropsies, Rheumatisms, and other the like Diseases; for that this Spirit is only the Volatile Salt of Amber, dissolved in some of its Flegm, and may be gi∣ven à gut. xij. ad xxx. in some convenient Liquor. The Oyl may be dissolved with the Yolk of an Egg, by grinding them together, whereby it will easily mix with any Wa∣ter, Wine or Broath. § 9. If you would separate the Salt from the Flegm, you may do thus: Evaporate about a third part of the Spirit over a very gentle fire, then put the re∣mainder into a cool place, lea∣ving it there ten or twelve days without stirring it, so will it crystallize, which you are to take and keep in a Vial close stopt. § 10. But here is to be noted, that it is much better to keep the Salt with its Flegm, for in Evaporation (tho' with never so gentle a Fire) some part of it will fly away; besides, it is easier kept with its flegm, than a∣part from it, because it will be apt to dissolve. § 11. This Salt is acid, and like unto the essential Salt of Plants, and being less volatile than that of Animals cannot rise so high in rectification, and being heavier than the flegm, lets the flegm rise first, for which reason we chuse the method of crystallizing it, rather than that of subliming it. But there is an excellent and subtil volatile Salt of Amber to be made by subli∣mation from the Amber it self, of which we shall say nothing here, but reserve you to its determined place: These Salts of Amber have the Virtues of the Spirit a∣forementioned. § 12. The sulphurous Spirit of Amber, made with Spirit of Wine, is done as we have taught in our Pharmacopoeia Londinen∣sis, lib. 4. cap. 3. sect. 39. where Amber in Pouder, p. i. is mixt with rectified S. V. p. ij. them put into a Retort so as to fill it not above half full, to which is fitted a large Re∣ceiver, without luting (for that if luted, the S. V. would break all the Vessels) and then di∣stilling with a gentle fire, in∣creasing it gradatim, and at last giving a fire of suppression; you will have the sulphurous,

spirituous and volatile Spirit of Amber, equal in quantity to the Spirit of Wine, and a black fetid Oyl, equal to half the weight of the Amber, which you must separate. § 13. This sulphurous volatile Spirit has all the Virtues of the former Spirit and Oyl, and infinitely more pleasant to be taken in∣wardly, being a Specifick a∣gainst Hysterick Fits, Epi∣lepsies and all cold and moist Distempers of the Head, Brain, Nerves, Womb, and Joynts: and may be given à ℈i. ad ʒi. in any proper and specifick Vehicle. § 14. Out∣wardly, it is a most admira∣ble thing against the Palsie, Lameness, Numbness, Trem∣bling of the Limbs, or Weak∣ness of any singular Part, the Cold Gout, and all manner of Aches and Pains proceed∣ing from a cold Cause, and Bruises or Hurts of the Nerves, it is of very thin and subtil parts, and by rea∣son of its penetrative faculty is resolutive and discussive: It cures Contractions and Sinews shrunk up, from its balsamick property, and restores such as have lost the use of their Limbs: drawn up the No∣strils often at one time, and the Head well bathed there∣with also, gives immediate ease in the Head-ache, tho' never so extream, and that even upon the spot.