Nine books of physick and chirurgery written by that great and learned physitian, Dr Sennertus. The first five being his Institutions of the whole body of physick: the other four of fevers and agues: with their differences, signs, and cures.

CHAP. IV. * 1.1 Of the second ranke or forme of operations.

TO the second forme of operations we refer those things, which are imployed in seperation and detracti∣on of any thing; and in seperation of Homogenialls from

Heterogenialls, of pure from impure, of Profitable, from unprofitable, such are fifting, washing, infusing, boyle∣ing, straining, fumeing, Clarifying, Filtring, Digestion, Expression, Distillation, Sublimation, Exsiccation, Eva∣poration, Exhalation and Coagulation.

Sifting is not only a seperation of things beaten, * 1.2 and brought into powder, of the finer part from the thicker, by meanes of the seive, but also for the most part, a casting of moist and boyled things through a haire seive.

Washing is not appointed for that end only, * 1.3 that medi∣cines defiled may be cleansed, but that some superfluous quality may be taken away from the medicine, or a new, may be introduced.

Infusion is nothing else but a steeping of a medicine in some liquor, * 1.4 whereby the medicine may be moistned within and without, that its force or strength may be drawn out, or increased, or its malignity corrected, or that which is hard may be softned.

Next to infusion, is boyling, or seething, * 1.5 which differ only in this, that medicines in infusion are moistned with longer time and lesse heate, but by boyling tis performed sooner and with greater heate.

Straining is that whereby moist things, * 1.6 either first heat∣ed, as the thicker and more viscid things, or lukewarme or eold, as those that are thinner, are cast through a thick, or thin strayner, the thicker parts and dregs being left be∣hind in the strainer, they become the purer.

Scumming is when during the time of seething the froath swimming on the top, is often taken away with a spoon, * 1.7 for the most part perforated.

Clarifying, * 1.8 although it may be taken in general for any sort of separation of filthy, and thick things, which may be per∣formed many wayes, either by standing still whilst the secu∣lent matter, descends of its selfe to the bottome, and settles or by straining, or by froathing, yet principall with the Apothecaries, Clarification is that purification of things boyled by despumation, having added the white of an egg, namely whilst the white of an egg is beate with a Spatula, or spoone, untill it come into froath, and afterwards is ming∣led with the Syrup or decoction hot to clarify it, and when it hath contracted any blacknesse tis taken away, and a new is put in so often till the liquor become cleare.

By Filtration, * 1.9 or straining through a brown paper, that which is thick and faeculent, mixed or confused in any li∣quour is separated, namely whilest the pure liquour descends through the strainer, whether it be a linnen ragge or brown paper, into the Vessel that is under it, but the impuritie is left in the strainer.

Digestion, although sometimes it signifie putrifaction, sometimes a certain exaltation, * 1.10 and circulation, since that in general, to distribute or dispose in order, is to concoct, and digestion is concoction, yet in this place, by digestion, we understand such a conction only whereby that may be se∣perated, which is as yet foule in things, whilst the substance of the liquour is attenuated, and separated from its earthy impuritie.

Hereunto belongs Expression, * 1.11 by the benefit whereof by a strong endeavour, either with the hand alone or with a presse, we separate the liquid and moist from that which is dry and earthy.

Distillation is nothing else, * 1.12 but a collection of exhalations elevated by heat, out of something exhalable, by the help of a Vessel, and receptacle, thick, and cold into a liquour.

This is commonly accounted threefold, the one is that which is by ascent, the other is that which is made by the sides, the third is that which is made by descent.

By ascent Distillation is said to be, * 1.13 when the exhalations and vapours ascend upward, from the Alembick, or the head of the Furnace. And the Vessels which contain the matter to be distilled, the head being put on in it, tis condensed into a liquour, which distills drop by drop through the beak or nose into the receiver, and it is gathered together. This is performed, either by the Sun beams or by fire, sometimes ly∣ing open, sometimes not manifest, namely some other body intervening, as sand, ashes, water, &c.

Hitherto also may be referred conveniently Distillation by a Glasse like a ball so called, * 1.14 whereby oil of sulphure is pre∣pared, namely when the brimstone is kindled, glasse, ham∣mers receives the vapours, and condense them into oil.

Distillation to the sides, * 1.15 or else it is called by inclination, when the exhalation, and spirits do not ascend straight up∣wards in the Alembick, but tend towards the receiver by the sides and obliquely, This is performed either when the fire is opened to it, or when some other body comes between, as sand, ashes, &c. By a Vessel which they call a Retort, or a

Straight gourd, yet placed oblique in the furnace, that the Alembick may incline downwards.

Distillation by descent is when a liquour, * 1.16 is not carried upwards, from the dissolved exhalations, nor to the sides; but tends downwards, and drops into the supposed Vessel. This again is performed, the Vessel lying immediatly on the fire, or sand, ashes, &c. intervening.

To distillations belongs Rectification, or Cohobation, * 1.17 whereof that is no other then a repeated distillation of a thing, to purifie and exalt it the more, the dreggs being left in the bottome, or to seperate the phlegme from oil, or the spirit from phlegme, but this is said, when the humour which was distilled, is powred off, and again, and again, is drawn, and distilled in the same Vessel, where the matter was left.

Sublimation, * 1.18 which is performed sometimes by fire that is open, sometimes by some intervening body, as Sand, Ashes, &c. Tis the nearest to distillation by ascent and differs from it only in this, that as in distillation vapours, which are exalted, come together into a liquour, so in sublimation exhalations ascend dry, and being carried up on high, stick to the sides of the Alembick like attomes.

Praecipitation seems to be contrary to this, * 1.19 which is done when bodies dissolved by waters and corroding liquours, are again separated from the liquour, that the form of chaulk or dust may remain, which commeth to passe, when any thing is cast or powred into the solution, by whose force the dis∣solving liquour, or that which was the cause of solution in the liquor, is seperated from the dissolved body. * 1.20

By Exsiccation the superfluous moisture is taken away, whether in the shade, or in the Sun, or whether it be done in an Oven, or in a Frying-pan over Coales, both for that the Medicines may the better be preserved, and may not contract thirst by their superfluous humidity, and putrifie, and be cor∣rupted, and also, that they may the easier be contained, and made into powder.

By Evaporation the aqueous humidity expires, * 1.21 as by exha∣lation, dry exhalations are elevated by heat, as that which is superfluous in the thing being dissolved into vapours and ex∣halations may go out, and the more useful part only may be left.

To these operations is added Coagulation, * 1.22 which is no∣thing else but a reduction of a liquid thing to a sollid sub∣stance by the privation of moisture.

Notes

• * 1.1

  In the In∣stitutions Chap. the 8.9.10.11.12.13.14. the se∣cond forme of opera∣tions.
• * 1.2

  Sifting.
• * 1.3

  Washing.
• * 1.4

  Infusion.
• * 1.5

  Seething.
• * 1.6

  Straining.
• * 1.7

  Scumming.
• * 1.8

  Clarifying.
• * 1.9

  Filtring.
• * 1.10

  Digestion.
• * 1.11

  Pressing.
• * 1.12

  Distilla∣tion.
• * 1.13

  Distilla∣tion by as∣cent.
• * 1.14

  Distilla∣tion by a glass.
• * 1.15

  Distilla∣tion to the sides.
• * 1.16

  Distilla∣tion by descent.
• * 1.17

  Rectifica∣tion.
• * 1.18

  Sublima∣tion.
• * 1.19

  Praecipi∣tation.
• * 1.20

  Drying.
• * 1.21

  Evapora∣tion. Exhala∣tion.
• * 1.22

  Coagula∣tion.