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 Spirit and volatile urinous Salt of Armoniack.

℞ lb j. of well chosen Armoniack salt, and as much of well purified Tartar very dry; beat the Armoniack to powder in a warm Mortar, and then add to it the salt of Tartar exactly mixed; this mixture put in a glass Retort with a wide neck, and placing it in sand, fit to it a large Recipient, and give it a gradual fire, and in a short time you shall have a volatile spirit coming over the Helm in liquor: the salt will sublimate it self into a clear sub∣stance as white as Camphire, and this Operation may be ended in three, four, or five houres at the most. The volatile salt may be dissolved with its own spirit, and they both kept together for such uses as we have said the spirit and volatile salt of Urine to be good, it being one and the same thing; this more only we have to add, because it is a thing of the highest concern, that as this volatile salt and spirit do more then any thing else correct and hinder pu∣trefaction and corruption, and that the poyson or venom of the Plague and all analogous Diseases unto it, is corruptive and putri∣fying, killing by his evil fermentation the natural spirits; so must Physitians have a care to use this admirable Remedy, as much to preserve bodies from that fearful scourge and malady, as to hinder the progresse of it when it hath already begun to rage and spread its infection. We will likewise say that this volatile salt and spi∣rit are more subtile and penetrating, and of a kinder taste and smell then those that have been extracted out of plain Urine, be∣cause they were not fermented and depurated by common salt: wherefore we do particularly recommend them, to preserve the stomach from that putrefaction and corruption which is generated by the vice and defect of the digestive faculty; as also to destroy and quench all evil acid fermentations in the Ventricle; it is like∣wise good in fits of the Mother against Epilepsie, and Apoplexy, inveterate diseases of the Head, and it will produce surprizing and wonderful effects.