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 Corrosive Sublimate.

℞ lb s. of purified Mercury, dissolve it in a Matrass with ʒ iiij. of good aqua fortis, then put it in sand, and softly eva∣porate away the aqua fortis to a dry bottom; then cease the fire, and breaking the Vessels after they be cold, weigh the masse, and having bray'd it in a Marble mortar with an equal weight of Vi∣triol, calcined to whitenesse, and as much desiccated salt, put the mixture in a Cucurbite or Matrass, or between two earthen pots, and place either of these which you will use in sand near the bottom plate; if it be a Cucurbite, let it be low and cover it with its Head; if a Matrass, stop it with paper only; and if two earthen pots, let the uppermost which is turned the bottom upwards, have a hole in the middle of it, to evaporate the moisture of the Salts, and when you see white and dry vapours come away through the same, stop it also with paper: give it a sublimatory fire by degrees, until all the substance of the Mercury be ascend∣ed, which will coagulate into a chrystalline matter to the top of

the Vessels, containing in it self many of the corrosive spirits of the salts you have made use of; if you will have a very pure and very corrosive Sublimate, bray that which is sublimated with ℥ xij. more of desiccated salt, and ℥ iiij. of Vitriol calcined to redness, and sublime it for the second time, and continue to the third with as much desiccated salt without addition of Vi∣triol; and for the last, bray it alone again and sublimate in sand in a Viol or Matrass, and so shall you have a sublimate Corro∣sive Mercury very pure, and fit not only to prepare with it the sublimated sweat Mercury, but to serve also for many noble Chymical Preparations; the true Artist must have a care to pre∣pare himself the corrosive sublimate which he intends to use, not trusting to that which is sold at the Grocers, which hath yet too much of impurity, and is sometimes mixt with Arsenical sub∣stances, because they are cheap in those places where those sub∣limates are wont to be prepared in quantity: yet neverthelesse there are marks to know and chuse the same, which are a stink∣ing arsenical smell, cleaving strongly to the fingers if you do but touch it, and moreover, the revivification of it; But it is as soon done to prepare it your self, to avoid all suspition; wherefore my advice to the Artist is, not to trust at all to that which is bought.