CHAP. XIII. Another manner how to draw the essence and spirits of herbs, flowers, seeds, and spices; as also of Ru∣barb, Agarick. Turbith, Herm••dactyls, and other Purgers.
YOu may extract the essences and spirits of the things mentioned in the title of this Chap∣ter, as thus. Take Sugar, R barb, Cinnamon, or any other material you please; cut it small, or else beat it, then put it into a glass with a long neck, and pour thereupon as much Aqua vitae as shall be sufficient to cover the materials or ingredients, and to over-top them some fingers bredth, then stop up the glass very close that no air enter thereinto; Thus suffer it to infuse for eight dares in Balneo with a very gentle hear; for thus the Aqua vitae will extract the faculties of the ingredients which you shall know that it hath done, when as you shall see it perfectly tinctured with the color of the ing edients. The eight dayes ended,* 1.1 you shall put this same Aqua vitae into another vessel filled with the like quantity of the same materials pre∣pared after the same manner, that it may also take forth the tincture thereof, and do thus three or four times until the aqua vitae be deeply tinctured with the colour of the infused Ingredients.
But if the materials from whence you desire to extract this spirit or essence, be of great price, as Lignum, Aloes, Rubarb &c. you must not think it sufficient to infuse it once only, but you must go over it twice, or thrice, until all the efficacy be extracted out thereof; you may know that it is all wholly insipid.
These things thus done, as is fitting,* 1.2 put all the liquor tinctured and furnished with the color and strength of the ingredients, into an Alembick, filled and closely luted to its head, and so put into Balneum Mariae, that so you may extract or draw off the aqua vitae, to keep for the like purpose, and so you shall have the spirit and essence remaining in the bottom.
Now if you desire to bring this extract to the height of hony, set it in an earthen-pot well leaded, upon hot ashes, so that the thin part thereof may be evaporated, for thus at length you shall have a most noble and effectual essence of that thing which you have distilled, whereof one scruple will be more powerful in purging, then two or three drams of the thing it self.