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 manner of preparing Diaphoretical Antimony.

IF we did recommend the purification of Salt-peter for the Crocus Metallorum, we have reason to do it much more for the preparation of this Diaphoretical; for as this Remedy is ex∣cellent, so must the Artist study with all his power to prepare it with all requisite dircumstances; and the chief point of this Ope∣ration doth consist in the goodnesse, purity and sincerity of the Ni∣ter, because by him the impure sulphur of Antimony is to be ex∣pelled, and it is he that must digest, ripen and fix the indigestion of its Mercury, as we shall make appear in the progresse of the O∣peration; which is thus prepared.

℞ ij. p. of very pure and dry Salt-peter, and j. p. of well chosen Antimony, beat them each asunder into very small pow∣der, and mix them to the other: then fit a strong earthen pot not glazed, or a good Crucible upon a round Tile in a wind Furnace, and cover it, encompassing the same with kindled Charcoal almost to the top, that the Vessel may be heated by degrees, and when it is grown red all about, blow in it to get out the filth or ashes if any be fallen in, then pour half a spoonful of this mixture, and cover the pot with a well and exactly fitted Covering; as soon as the matter touches the Pot it presently kindles, and the Salt-peter doth forcibly carry away with it the impure sulphur of An∣timony; and what remaines after this detonation or fulguration, doth fix it self in the bottom of the Vessel by the action of the fixed salt of Niter, and the activity of the fire; thus proceed till you have made an end of calcining your Antimony, putting it thus by little and little in yo••r Vessel: which done, add another parcel more of very dry Niter to what is in the Vessel, that it may flow with the matter, and perfect the Coction and fixation of it by the penetration and action of the spirits of Niter, which by their subtilty and quicknesse insinuate themselves in and amongst the least atomes of Antimony; and thus conc••ct, wash, and fix it in a white and b••uisable substance after it has been edulcorated and desiccated. Keep up the fire one or two houres more, after

you have put in the last parcel of Salt-peter, then cease and let the matters cool in the Vessel: you must carefully remove all the filth and impurity which might remain about the Pot, before you put it to soak in a pan full of boyling water, which by degrees shall dissolve the fixed Niter, which makes part of the lump re∣maining in the pot with the Antimony; and when this lump is to∣tally dissolved, stir that remainder in the bottom of the Vessel with a good Pestle; and when the water appears milk-white, pour it in another Vessel, and then grind in a Marble mortar what re∣maines in the Pan, and continue still to wash it with the same water, until all the antimonial substance be converted into an al∣kohol, as we have already taught in the first preparation of the Crocus Metallorum; and if you intend to have sooner done, break the pot or Crucible as soon as it comes from the fire, and draw out the matter from it, which bray on a Marble mortar, and wash it with lb ij. or iij. of water only, until it be all converted into alkohol. Draw off this first water by decantation as soon as it is setled, and lay it by it self; then pour new upon what remains, and thus go on, until the water comes off from it tastelesse; which done, dry the Diaphoretick and keep it for use.

It was not without reason we have said, that the first water wherein the fixed Niter was dissolved is to be set apart; because the nature of this salt is altered by the sulphur of Antimony, and is become of the condition of alkali and lixivial Salt, whose qua∣lity and essence is subtile, penetrating and igneous rather then corrosive, which is the reason it has dissolved the purest portion of the antimonial Regulus impregnated with its fix and solar Sulphur, very well concocted and digested by the action of the fire and Niter; and though this water appears clear, yet it hath contracted a weight: wherefore this water must be precipitated with distilled Vinegar, and it shall immediately turn as white as Milk, because the Diaphoretick which was hidden in the dissolu∣tion of it doth manifest it self, and with no unpleasant smell; but contrariwise hath the very smell of Cream and sowrish Whey, whilest it is edulcorating, and after the desiccation is made to keep it for use; and as we have said, that the precipitate of this Dia∣phoretick was of a very good smell, by reason of the fixednesse of its internal sulphur, so must we make it appear, that that

which is prepared out of the pretended Sulphur auratum or gol∣den Sulphur, whereof we have spoken above, with distilled Vi∣negar, hath a very unpleasant smell, because it is nothing else but the external, impure, and volatile sulphur which the salt had drawn to its self, being not sufficient to draw it and expel away, much lesse to fix it, the parts of Niter and Antimony to make the Crocus Metallorum being but equal, whereas in the preparation of the Diaphoretick, there is first ij. p. of Niter against j. p. of An∣timony, and that moreover j. p. is added after the Fulguration or Detonation is ended, which doth perfect the maturation and fixation of all the crude and indigested remaining matter. We have thought necessary to say so much to inform the Sons of Art, that whatsoever must fix a substance, ought ever to be in triple proportion to what is to be fixed; and contrariwise, what is to be volatiliz'd, must in the same proportion be lesse, then what is to act and work upon it; and sometimes the proportion is quadru∣plicated: as ℥ iiij. of spirit to volatilize ℥ j. of salt, and ℥ iiij. of salt to fix ℥ j. of spirit; which observation passes for a fun∣damental Axiom in Chymistry. The Dosis of this Diaphoreticks in Body and grosse substance, is from gr. iiij. to xxx. and of the Precipitate, from gr. iij. to xx. The vertue of both is very esti∣mable and of high value in Physick; for though we call them fixed, it is only comparatively to other antimonial Remedies which provoke violent Vomitings and Purgation: for the Diaphoretick works by an irradiation of vertue and-efficacy almost inconcei∣vable, because it strengthens gently and naturally the internal Archeus, which is the principal Director of all the functions of Life, either in health or sicknesse: wherefore the use of it must be continued without interruption during the space of a Philoso∣phical month, because during that time, it is capable to alter and change for the better, whatsoever is hurtful and hinders the li∣berty of the actions of this principal and real Archeus. But if it be applyed and appropriated to particular Diseases, as also to parts of the body, we shall be bold to say, that the Diaphoretical Antimony is an unparalleld Remedy, to resist the corruption which may breed and lurk in the body, mundifying and rectifying the whole masse of the blood, and being capable to open the most inveterate obstructions of the Liver, Spleen, Mesentery, Pan∣creas,

and all other parts besides: it removes the stopping of Cour∣ses, cures Green-sicknesse, Dropsie, Hypocondrical Melancholy, Pocks and all the accidents thereof; mundifies and cures inward and outward Ulcers, breaks inward Impostumes without danger: and finally, is singular against malignant and spotted Feavers, Mea∣sels, and small Pocks. And though this Diaphoretical be a gene∣ral Remedy, there are some neverthelesse which think to parti∣cularize and render it specifical to certain parts of the Body, and Diseases, adding Metals, as Gold, Silver, Tin, Copper, or Steel to the Antimony, or its Regulus before it be calcined with Niter, and thus pretend to render it Cordial, Cephalick, Stomachick, Splenetick or Hepatick; but our opinion is, that those Metals are not opened enough for this plain antimonial Fusion, to com∣muicate so easily their vertue which doth properly lurk in a cen∣tral sulphur, not so easily extracted; and as Antimony is a Mi∣neral, whose sulphur is lesse close and fixed, let us content our selves with what Nature and Art have so bountifully supplyed us with, and with so ample and so diffused a vertue.