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.

SECTION I. Of Earths.

WE begin by the Earth, as being the principle of all Physical Generations; for it is the common Mo∣ther, not only of Animals and Vegetables, but it is also much more properly of Minerals, since her bosome is as it were their matrix, in the Center whereof they are bred and generated. We do not pretend to speak here of Earth as it is a simple and pure Element, not to be conceived but intel∣lectually; we will neither treat of it as of the Earth which is im∣pregnated with the soul of the World, and which though dead of it self lives neverthelesse with an invisible life, which the universal Spirit does continually infuse in it, to advance in her entrails the production of Minerals, in her surface the Vegetables, and supply the necessity of Animals which seem to be Masters of all the rest: for we have already treated of this noble and ample Matrix in the Theorical part of this Treatise. Wherefore we dedicate this Section to mineral Earths which are endowed with some physical Vertue, to the end to teach the Spagyrical way of the extracting of this ver∣tue, and separating it by the operations of Chymistry; and even if this vertue cannot be separated without alteration of its Subject, or its only essential Faculties, to preserve and even encrease them by an addition of what may concur with the intention and answer to the indication of the Artist that intends the use of them. These kinds of Earths have been declared by several names for three principal Reasons: the first for the place of their original: the second for the Matrix which has supplyed them and given them their colour: the third by reason of certain Characters or figures

impressed upon them. This is called the Lemniac, Maltha and Turkish Earth. This the golden Mine or Solar Earth, the silver Mine or Lunar Earth, the Venerean, Saturnine, &c. and final∣ly, the terra Sigillata or sealed Earth, according to the place from whence it comes.

We shall not speak here of the mineral Earths or mines of Me∣tals, no more then of Marcassites, middle-Minerals, or Vitriolick and Sulphurated Earths; when we come to treat of Metalls and their original in the following Sections we shall be oblig'd to speak thereof. Our Discourse then here shall only be of Bolus's and Earths so properly called, that what we shall deliver, may be as a Light and Direction to handle all other sorts of Earths that shall have some resemblance and analogy with these.

Of Terra Sigillata or sealed Earth.

BEfore we speak of the chusing of these Earths, and designe particularly the marks of their goodnesse and Vertue, we must make a small mental reflection upon the cause and reason of their chief Vertue. We have already so often said, that Light is the spring and source of all good impressions, that we need not farther insist thereon, being it is of absolute necessity that this Light should have transmitted her Rayes into the very center of these Earths, since we find in them a Cardiack, Cephalick, Hepatick, Stomachical vertue, which could not be unless this Earth were impregnated with some vitriol, or Solar, Martial or Lunary Sulphur, which are never∣thelesse only embryonated in the same, as we will make it appear in the sequel of this Discourse; For these Earths being only found in such places where perfect or imperfect Metals are extracted, so are they more or lesse pure, more or lesse efficatious and full of vertue, according as they partake of the purity or impurity of Vitriol and Sulphur, which are the principles of Metals found in the place of their birth and original.

The most excellent of all these Earths is that which is digged in the Island of Lemnos by order of the Grand Seigniour every year, and thence carried to Constantinople, to be distributed afterwards through Europe at his pleasure: The second in order and good∣nesse,

is that which is found about the Town Striga in Silesia, where they have begun to give it a Seal, viz. two Sols: some call it the fat of Gold or axungia Solis, because impregnated with a so∣lar Sulphur, and it is of a reddish colour; there is also a second or inferiour kind which is gray or whitish, called also the fat of sil∣ver or axungia Lunae, because impregnated with a Lunar Sulphur. That which is Solar is dedicated to the Heart and the diseases thereof, as the Lunar to the Brain and Liver. The third kind of Earth in goodnesse is that of Blois, and all the sorts of Earth that come nigh to it; the choice of either of them depends upon two chief notes: first, it must be apt to stick and cleave easily to the Tongue when touched by it; secondly, the wet or spittle that sticks upon, or any other moist liquor, must immediately rise in smal pustuls or bubbles, and make a kind of ebullition, or any parcell thrown in water must immediately put it to a boiling; and as we said that these earths did partake of a solar Vertue, by reason of embryonated mineral sulphur which is in them; so may we also affirm that they are Remedies purely natural, and capable to shew their vertue as they come from the hands of Nature without ne∣cessitating Art to contribute any help of its own: contrariwise, it should seem that Art here would but injure and offend Nature, since these earths have much more vertue before the common pre∣paration thereof pretended by vulgar Pharmacy, which are to wash & triturate them upon a Marble or Porphyry; which in effect doth nothing else, but take away from them that vitriolick embry∣onated portion in which doth consist their vertue and effica∣cy. But there is a Spagyrick preparation better able to draw their purest and most efficacious substance, and thus more plea∣santly and in a lesse Dosis it may be exhibited to Patients. The general and particular vertues of Earths and Bolus's are to desic∣cate and astringe, resist putrefaction and venom, resolve coagula∣ted and congealed blood, strengthen the Heart and Brain, and by sweat purifie the masse of the Blood; wherefore with great suc∣cesse and advantage they may be given in Plague, malignant Fea∣vers, Diarrhea's, Dysentery and bitings of venomous Creatures. Their external use is to apply upon festered and desperate wounds, and to stop Hemorrhages or issues of blood.

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.

Of Bolus.

BOLUS is a knd of reddish earth, which partakes and is im∣pregnated of the vapours of some Mines or veines of Iron, which is Mars, and participates something of the solar nature. It is vulgarly called in shops Bole-Armeniack, or oriental and fine, because it comes from the oriental parts of Armenia. The best is that which is pure, not mixt with Sand, which insensibly melts a∣way as lime after it has been wetted, or like butter in the mouth is very astringent, and easily and quickly sticks to the lips and tongue. The chief vertues of it are, strongly to desiccate and dry, to astringe and strengthen; wherefore it is very useful in stop∣ping of Fluxes, hindering colliquations and resisting putrefaction and venoms, which makes it to be employed in Diarrhea's, Lien∣tery, Dysentery, immoderate courses, whether white or red, spit∣ting of blood, bleeding of the Nose and stopping the blood in Wounds. It may also be mixt in Cataplasms, Unguents, Salves and astringent pouders for outward applications. Bolus may be distilled in the same manner as the sigilled Earth and applyed to the same uses. But because Bolus of it self is already an excel∣lent Earth, we must teach our Artist how to improve and meliorate it, not by a separation of its parts, but rather adding some Sub∣stances which shall encrease its vertue, according to the Indication which may engage him to make use thereof; for as this Earth is dry and void of all moisture, so doth it attract to its self the Spi∣rits and Salts of any Liquor mixt with much eagernesse, and keeps them to its self till the heat of the Patients stomach calls them forth by making separation thereof. We will deliver four several descriptions, that upon the model of it others may be prepared. The first shall be to make it more astringent, and capable of pro∣ducing its effect sooner and more safely in outward applications. The second, to render it more efficacious for dissolving congealed and coagulated blood in the body, whereby to corroborate Nature, and help it to expel and evacuate that blood so dissolved, either by Sweat or Urine. The third will encrease its astringency for in∣ward applications, to make it sooner stop the Fluxes and loose∣nesse

of the Belly, Dysentery and immoderate Courses. The fourth will render it more fit to produce very remarkable effects in pestilential diseases and all malignant Feavers, where strength doth fail by the sharpnesse and abundance of the venom, which of necessity must be brought to transpiration, and expelled from the center of the Patients body to the circumference and outward parts by the help of this prepared earth, which retains in it self the best, subtilest and purest of the liquor wherewith it has been im∣pregnated.

Preparation of the Bolus to make it more astringent for out∣ward applications.

THis preparation cannot be made but once in a year in the moneth of March, because you can have no spawn of Frogs but in this season only which is the beginning of the Spring. Take then about that time half a Bucket full of spawn of Frogs, which put in a linnen cloth bagg somewhat thin with half a hundred of Cray-fishes bruised in a stone or marble Mortar until they be reduced to a pap, and having hung it over an earthen panne or other Vessel receive the Liquor dropping from this bagg, and when you shall have about lb iiij. of this liquor, purifie it by percolation, and mix with it purified and chrystallized Salt-peter and roch-Allum ana ℥ j. φ. After which reduce lb j. of fine Bolus to pouder; and having moistened the same with this Li∣quor, dry it again, and thus proceed moistening and drying un∣til the Bolus hath drunk up all the liquor; and this Bolus thus prepared will be very good for outward applications, both for stopping blood and hindering inflammation and other accidents, which for the most part follow bruises and Wounds. It may also be put in Plaisters, Salves and Cataplasms.

Preparation of Bolus to resolve coagulated blood inwardly.

℞ Smallage, Sorrel and Plantain newly gathered, of each lb j. beat them in a marble Mortar and expresse the juice thereof, which you must put in a Cucirbit on sand with ℥ iiij. of mundi∣fied Roots of the same plants, and Manip. ij. of our Ladies-thistle or the Milky-thistle, Manip. iij. of Chervil, and iiij. of Pimper∣nel: cover your Vessel with a Blind-head and make it boyl the space of six hours, then percolate it as clean as you can; and with this liquor imbibe lb j. of fine Bolus in pouder, and let it dry, continuing this moistening and drying until all the liquor be spent; and keep it thus prepared to administer to such as being fallen from high, have some quantity of blood inwardly shed in the breast or lowermost belly. The Dosis must be from x. grains to ℈ iiij. mixt with as much Nutmeg-pouder in Broth or some vulnerary Deco∣ction, made with Bugle, Sanicle, Winter-green, and Consolida Sar∣racenica, or even administer it in Pills and give the Patient to drink after.

Preparation of Bolus against Dysentery and Diarrhea's.

℞ Bistorta Roots or Snakeweed, Sorrel, Cynoglosse or Dogs-tongue, Lapathum acutum, Plantain, Tormentil, ana ℥ j. φ. fresh and recent Herbs of Plaintain, Mille-solium, Pyrola or Winter-green, new-gathered leaves of the ends of Oak-branches ana Man. ij. pick all these, wash and shred, and boyl in an earthen pot in sand, with lb j. of phlegm of Vitriol, and lb iij. of water of Knotgrasse till it be reduced to a third part; then strain and per∣colate it cleanly, and with this liquor sprinkle and moisten lb ss. of Bolus; and continue moistening and desiccating until the whole Decoction be spent; and thus shall you have a wonderful Bolus to stop Dysentery and all kind of Lasks of immoderate loosnesses of the belly, without any fear of shutting (as the Proverb says) the Wolf in the sheep-fold: For this Remedy performs its action by strengthening, corrects meerly the irritation or weaknesse and

relaxation of the Maw-gut, and restores the Ventricle in a condi∣tion and sufficient strength to retain and digest the aliments and meats injected. The Dosis is from v. gr. to ℈ ij. with half as much salt of Coral made in Pills with vitriolated Conserves of Roses, or mingled with some stomachical Decoction or in Broth; but it is much better given in Bolus, that it may have so much more leisure to tang in the stomach, and impresse better there the character and irradiation of its vertue.

Preparation of Bolus against Pestilential and contagious Diseases.

℞ Scordium and Rhew, ana Man. ij. upper rind of Oranges and Lemmons ana ℥ ij. Angelica, Carline-thistle and Contra∣yerva Roots ana ℥ j. shred small the Plants and Rinds, and re∣duce to course pouder the Roots, then put in a Matrass with lb j. ss. of Spanish Wine, and applying thereon a Blindhead, put it to di∣gest in a vaporous Bath the space of three natural dayes, which expired let the Vessels grow cold; then expresse the Species and filtrate the liquor, with which imbibe lb s. of oriental Bolus re∣duced to pouder and divided in four equal parts: but because it would be damage to lose the water, which by an ordinary way of exsiccation would vapour away in the ayr, draw off the water a∣gain in B. M. till the masse remains dry in a Cucurbite fitted with its Still head, and that four times reiterated; having so many times moistened your Bolus, which afterwards keep in pouder in a bottle well stopt; You must also preserve curiously the water: for as the Bolus hath preserved the centrical vertue, and taken to him∣self the Extract of those Ingredients which encrease its Cardiack and alexiterial Vertue, so hath the water drawn what was spiri∣tuous and volatile in the same, which is not of lesser importance then the rest. This antipestilential Bolus may be given from v. gr. to xxx. with half as much Vipers flesh in a spoonfull or two of the water drawn off from the preparation in all pestilential and malignant diseases, but chiefly against the plague, and even this admirable Remedy may generally be used against all poysons.

These are the four kinds of preparations whereof we thought

our selves engaged to speak, that they may be as Models and Ex∣amples to perform others, according to those Indications which Physitians carefull of the recovery of their Patients shall take. The Chymical Artist may distil the Bolus in the same manner as we have taught above the sigillated Earth was to be distilled and ap∣propriated to the extract thereof, according to the vertues where∣of the Bolus is possessed, observing the same Rules and Dosis as in the Remedies extracted from sigillated Earth, as we have suffici∣ently declared above.