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.

To make the Extract of plain Opium.

PUT in a Matrasse ℥ iiij. of prepared Opium, prepared after the way above related, in very small pouder, pouring upon good distilled Vinegar the height of four fingers: stir very well the same, and then put your Matrass to digest in sand or ashes to extract the Tincture of Opium, which will separate from its gross and earthly parts, wherein the greatest part of its impure and inquinated sulphur lies lurking; when the distilled Vine∣gar shall be well impregnated with the colour of the Opium, draw it off by Inclination and with a care of not troubling the grounds; then pour again new Vinegar, stir and extract, and so proceed until the spirit of Vinegar comes off no more coloured then when poured on: filtrate these Tinctures, and lay aside that which shall remain in the Bag, and dry it, to use the same as we shall immediatly direct. Evaporate softly in sand all the Tin∣ctures to a consistence of Honey boyled into a thick Syrup, which you shall keep; then take the remainder of your Extraction of the Opium made with distilled Vinegar; which having dryed, put in a Matrass, and pour upon ratified spirit of Wine a••••ated with ʒ j. of the salt of Ta••tar of Senne••tus, to every ℥ iiij. of Spi∣rit, that this Menstruum thus animated, may extract the remain∣ing internal sulphur of the Opium, which the spirit of Vinegar could not do, and may at the same time also digest its unripeness:

continue these extractions in B. M. until the spirit take no more of the colour; filtrate the Tinctures, and draw off again the spi∣rit of Wine in the same Balneo (which will serve anew for like operations) to a consistency of decocted Honey; then join the two Extracts together, and go on in evaporating till they attain to the true consistency of a solid Extract which may be framed into Pills, so shall you have a Body of extract of Opium depurated and corrected, which will serve to make all the other compound∣ed extracts of Opium, which by excellency are called Laudanum; as if one should say, a Remedy which cannot be exalted or praised enough, and exceeds even all kind of praise, as the Rare and ad∣mirable effects which it daily produces in the hands of the most skilfull and excellent Practitioners do sufficiently witness every day. This general Extract of Opium may already in a manner be called Laudanum, since it is the ground and foundation of all others, and that without any either danger or scruple it may be used in many Occurrences, chiefly when the Chymical Apothe∣cary shall be yet unprovided of the other kinds of Laudanum, which are more exalted, and admit of some other Ingredients in their composition appropriated to the disease in hand, or intended for help or ease of some particular part of the body.

Before we attribute any vertue to this plain Laudanum or Ex∣tract of Opium, we are obliged to prove that it is not capable of any of those ill effects, which the most circumspect and lesse venturous are affraid will happen from the use of Opium: which ill effects are, as they say, that Opium suspends and doth suppresse the excretion of Excrements and stops the passages of Urine, be∣nums and enervates the limbs, changes the natural complexion in∣to a leaden colour of the face, causes cold sweats, short breath and difficult Respiration, and in progresse of time a perturbation of the Senses and Spirit, makes drowsie and stupifies all the animal and vital Faculties. But we have shewed that whole Nations make use of crude Opium without any Corrective, and yet never fall into any of those so decantated accidents, except giddinesse, whereof they are as easily freed after the first impression is past, as those that have been inebriated with Beer, Wine or aqua vitae. Wherefore we may conclude with much more reason, that well depurated and well corrected Opium after the way we have taught,

shall not be capable to produce any of the evil symptomes which commonly are feared from it, provided that those who shall pre∣scribe it either to sound or diseased bodies, exceed not the judi∣cious Dosis, which at first must ever be small, to avoid the surpri∣sal of those accidents which might be occasioned by the too great quantity: And moreover, considering that it is ever easie to add, but very difficult, if not impossible to diminish it when once let down into the stomach, let this be said by the by upon the pre∣cautions of the Dosis, which ought to be from gr. j. to iiij. and vj. gr. We add now the singular and noble Vertues wherewith this excellent Remedy is endowed: which are first to appease all irritations, intestine, seditious and violent commotions of the bo∣dy, disquietings, rages, fury and madness of the Archeus, which is the principal Director of the Spirit of Life, and consequently of health and sickness; re-stablishing again peace and concord, and maintaining it between the Motor and motions of the Body: so that after it has softly appeased the pain and allayed the grief, it procures a soft and pleasant sleep, which restores nature to its self, and repaires the strength of weak Patients brought low and attenuated by reason of pain, disquiet and want of sleep, and so without doubt is at least half of the Cure of the Disease of what nature soever it be: for somnus reparat vires, fessaque membra le∣vat, by which we may conclude, that, Natura corroborata est omnium morburum medicatrix, for which truly I can have a proof from Paracelsus out of the fifth book of his Archidoxa, in the Chapter where he treats of the specifick Anodine, of which we have been moved to speak by several causes, having had sometimes in hand such kind of Diseases, as all our Arcana's have failed us in the cure of them, except the only specifick Anodine which has produced wonderful effects, by us the lesse admired at, because we know that by the course and Law of Nature water does quench fire, and that in the same manner the Anodine extinguishes in all ages the pains of Diseases, and that for several Reasons which we now omit. For that which sleeps is at rest, naturally commits no fault: If then the Paroxysme is set asleep, it cannnt be felt, but if it be awaked his operation goes on and will be felt. And in this Remedy have we one comfort more, that sleep takes away and dispels much grief, pain and melancholy. But it is to be no∣ted

here, that it is not necessary the man should sleep, but on the disease it self; wherefore we frame a Specifick which encoun∣ters the disease alone, and combates not the whole man; as it must be understood of Feavers, where it is necessary to make use thereof; for are there things hurtful to the whole man and di∣visible in the diseased man: which makes us to set upon the disease, and so prepare the Specifick that it may have no operation upon the Body. These are the words of that Great Philosopher the wonderful Paracelsus, after which he delivers the preparati∣on of Laudanum, in the manner which followeth.