A compendious body of chymistry, which will serve as a guide and introduction both for understanding the authors which have treated of the theory of this science in general: and for making the way plain and easie to perform, according to art and method, all operations, which teach the practise of this art, upon animals, vegetables, and minerals, without losing any of the essential vertues contained in them. By N. le Fèbure apothecary in ordinary, and chymical distiller to the King of France, and at present to his Majesty of Great-Britain.

The distillation of Tartar, and how to extract both the Spirit and the Oyl thereof.

℞ lb vj. of ☿ purified by dissolution and filtration, put them in a Glazen well-luted Retort, then fit it in a close Reverberatory, and joyn to the neek of it a large Recipient, whose Joynts must be well luted with Saltedearth, or mixt with a little of the caput mortuum of aquae fortis; let the Lute dry, and then apply a gradual fire, until you see white vapours begin to ascend, and red veines to wander about the inside of the Reci∣pient; then encrease the fire and continue even with flame of a very dry wood, until the Recipient grows clear again of it self, in the greatest and intensest action of the fire: the Furnace and Vessels being cooled, take off gently by degrees the Lute from the Recipient, by pouring warm water upon it, then take away the

Recipient, and separate the distilled matter, part whereof is aque∣ous, Mercurial, subtil and spirituous, of a sharp, biting and pe∣netrating taste, which is a token of its volatile salt, and the rest a blackish and heavy Oyle of an Empyreumatical smell as well as the Spirit, having also a sharp and biting taste, though inflam∣mable as other distilled Oyles, which shewes also that this Oyle contains in it self store of volatile salt which is not separated from its sulphur, by reason of the strict union between them both: This separation is performed in the same manner as we have related above. After this the Spirit must be rectified in ashes, with this Note, that as Tartar is a salt which has its original from Wine, so likewise the spirit it yields is of a very resembling na∣ture: that is to say, that the spirit of Tartar is not of the nature of acid Spirits, which yield their spirit the last: but contrariwise, it has two kinds of spirits in it self, the best and noblest whereof ascends the first, and this is the volatile Spirit, the phlegm follows after; and for the last follows an acid or strong Spirit which hi∣therto hath found no great use in Physick. The Oyle may be kept without Rectifying to use externally: But if in case you will make it more Penetrative, more Dissolutive and Resolutive, you must also Rectifie it upon some of the remaining matter after Distil∣lation, and you shall have an Oyl capable of producing such ef∣fects as we shall attribute unto it hereafter.

In the next place, you must joyn again what remains from the re∣ctification of the Oyle of Tartar, to what is left in the Retort af∣ter distillation, and calcine it again in open fire in an earthen Pot not glazed, until all appears white, and this dissolve in warm wa∣ter and make a Lye therewith, running it three or four times, un∣til the water can attract no more of the vertue or taste thereof: theu filtrate all your Elixivations and evaporate gently, without any violent ebullition, until the top of the Liquor begins to con∣tract a skin; then move the remaining matter, and have a great care to gather all what you see stick in every part of the Vessel, and to hinder the coagulation thereof in the bottom of the Ves∣sel, because it would prove very difficult to take it off afterwards: continue your care and work without interruption, until all be converted into a dry and white salt, which is the true fixed salt of Tartar; to be preserved in a very dry Bottle exactly stopt with

a Cork dipt in wax, that it return not to a Liquor, which proper∣ly is called Oleum tartari per deliquium, being nothing else but the Liquor of the salt of Tartar dissolved, and according to our Great Paracelsus, the water or Liquor of Tartar. But when you have occasion to use either this Oyle of Tartar or dissolved Salt, you must let one half of it lye in an earthen or stone-metal Pan, this Salt being the most penetrative of all calcined salts or Alkali, penetrating even through glazed earthen Vessels: wherefore I have thought fit to give this warning, that the Artist may not be deceived herein. Some may perhaps wonder that we did pre∣scribe above, to take well purified ☿ wherewith to make this Di∣stillation; since all other Authors seem to be contented with Tartar as it comes from the Cask, provided it be pure and clean; whom we must satisfie, and shew that it is not without Rea∣son and very good grounds that we have said it. We have shew∣ed above why it was necessary to depurate the Tartar, by reason viz. of its Feces, and earth, and some other adventitious mixtures, which are ever found in this matter. Now all these impurities are capable of being calcined in the distillation, and do commu∣nicate their ill taste and smell to the spirit of the Tartar, which commonly is attributed to the fire or Empyreuma: a reason why this Spirit is very little made use of internally, though one of the best Remedies in Physick. Let those whom this truth will not perswade, compare the penetrating and subtil taste of the purified spirit of Tartar with that which is not purified, and they will know, that with very good reason we have been obliged to cor∣rect and redresse this mistake, the cause sometimes of much more evil then is thought of, because these Heterogenities have in them∣selves some noxious quality, which not only communicates it self to the Spirit, but very intimately mixes with the salt, and imprints and stamps in it an evil Idea, which cannot be corrected in the pre∣paration of Remedies which the Artist is obliged to make; and consequently may often cause very dangerous accidents, which will elude the guesse and suspition of the Physitian.

Now let us come to the vertues of Spirit ☿ its distilled and in∣flammable Oyle, its salt, Oyle per deliquium, or with it dissolved Salt.

This Spirit being prepared as we have taught, and rectified in

B. M. in a very clear Vessel, is one of the Noblest Remedies which Chymistry can yield: for it has the vertue and power to in∣cise or cut, attenuate, resolve whatsoever doth cause any ob∣struction in the Viscera; it is moreover capable to penetrate into the most remote parts of the body, by reason of its great subtili∣ty: for it expels all superfluities in digestions, by Urine and by Sweat: wherefore it may with very good successe be given in Dropsies, Gouts, and all arthritical Diseases, Palsie, Scorbute, Mea∣sels, Itch, Scab, and scrarches, and all contraction of Limbs: the Dosis is from ℈ φ. to ℈ ij. and a whole dram, in broths, white Wine or some other appropriated Decoctions, according to the Disease, and the indication of the skilful and expert Phy∣sitian. We have said that a portion of the distilled Oyle could be kept without Rectification, and that not without reason: for this Oyle abounds with internal salt, which remains in the bottome whilest the Rectification proceeds: and this salt it is which by its active and penetrative vertue causes those noble effects which this Oyle doth produce, in the cure of the Scurf, Tetters, and corroding and sharp running Humors. For as we have said, that the volatile Salts bear an antipathy to sharp and corroding ones, by which both scurf and Tetters are produced; so is it likewise the volatile salt of the sulphur in the Oyle which kils the acidity or sharpnesse, dryes and restores the skin to its natural state; and this Oyle is not use∣ful only to such a purpose, but even works miraculously in resol∣ving Tophus's and knots about the Joynts of Gouty persons and infected with a touch of the Pox, provided they have been purged before with some good preparation of Mercury, joyned to a well corrected extract of Coloquint. The recti∣fied Oyle is to be outwardly used, but with precaution and care, by reason of its penetrability and great activity: but it may be mixt in such Oyntments as shall be prepared for ordinary scabs, scabs called Canine, and all manner of Venerean scabs internally: It is exhibited for the wind-Colick in white Wine, and spirit of Elder∣berries, against fits suffocations of the Mother: The Dosis is from ij. drops to vj. The salt of Tartar is of it self a potent Agent, and which should produce unexpected effects, were it not so unpleasant to take, by reason of its lixivial and urinous taste: for it is the most subtil and penetrating of all the fixed salts, both used as a

Remedy, as also a very useful and convenient ingredient in the separation of several other excellent Medicines: they that will use it without correction, may administer it from gr. vj. to xxx. in Broths or Decoctions, to evacuate and expel by stool and U∣rine all such matter as causes the itching and all eruptions of the skin, scratches, itches, scurf; provided, that at the same time some Oyntment be made use of wherein is distilled oyle of Tartar, and a little salt of Saturn. But we will deliver the manner how to cleanse it and take away its ill taste, rendring it Purgative, which of it self will be a very good Remedy, and an Instrument be∣sides for the performance of many noble operations in the hand of skilful and knowing Artists, who by meditation, study and la∣bour shall attain to the mysteries which it possesses: The Oyle of Tartar per deliquium, is of wonderful effect in the extraction of all the purging Vegetables; For when the Menstruums that are employed therein are impregnated and acuated with a small proportion of this Liquor, they penetrate into the very center of Bodies, extract their vertues, and correct at the same time the noxious quality which may be in them, and that by means of the heavenly and Magical Fire, which the salt of Tartar has borrowed from the light and the Ayr. This Oyle may likewise be given in∣ternally in the same manner, and for the same diseases as the Salt; The Dosis is from iv. to xx. drops. It is also one of the princi∣pal Agents of a Chymical Laboratory to make Precipitations there∣with, and to prepare the vitriolated Tartar.