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 sealed or sigilled Earth.

℞ lb v. or vj. of Silesian Earth bearing the mark of two Hil∣locks, with all the notes of goodnesse which we have assigned a∣bove: break the Cakes in three or four pieces and put them in a Glasse Retort, which you must place in a close Reverberatory, fit∣ing to it a capacious Receiver luted exactly in the Joints; co∣ver the Furnace, and give it a gradual fire during the space of xx. or xxx. hours, or until no more clouds do appear, or that the Artist shall see a Sublimatory made, not only about the neck of the Retort, but that it hath even penetrated into the body of the Re∣cipient; for it is then a sure token that the Earth hath yielded all the salt and sulphur which it did contain; and though it appears little by the bulk and quantity thereof, yet that which is extracted ought to be highly valued by reason of its great vertue and plea∣santnesse; for the liquor has a very agreeable acidity: that which is sublimated must be joined to the said liquor, put in a Glasse-Viol and so kept for use. It hath no need of Rectification, for there is nothing in it but pure and useful. It may be us'd instead of the body of the Earth in all diseases whereto we have said above that it did conduce; but this Liquor hath one quality besides, that it is ex∣traordinary good to appease the pains of running Gouts, and to correct the malignity of Itch and all other eruptions of the skin. The Dosis is from iiij. to xv. or xx. drops in Broth, Wine, or some other distilled water appropriated to the Disease. But you must note, that the Earth left in the Retort after distillation cleaves no more to the Tongue, causes no more ebullition when wetted with spittle or any other Liquor, though it keeps still its shape and colour, which is an infallible token that its radical moisture and internal fire which were causes of their astringence and ebulliti∣on, are passed into the Recipient, and that this was by consequence the chief part of its vertue.