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 V. Of Salts.

WEE may say in general, that Salts are nothing else then Minerals dissoluble in water, and which after evaporation of the said water, may be resto∣red into salt. But as we speak not here of salts as they are principles and causes of Physical generations; so will we only deliver plainly our mind concerning mineral Salts, ei∣ther natural or artificial which are used in Physick, and afford ma∣ny vere good Remedies, and many excellent dissolvents by the help of Chymistry. And as we have spoken above of the prepara∣tion of animal and vegetable salts, so have we no more left to do now, then to examine and describe the nature of such mineral salts as are natural, and of those which though artificially prepa∣red, keep still in themselves the Character and Idea of mineral natural salts. We must neverthelesse say something of their ori∣ginal in general terms, before we come to the particular descrip∣tion, and so give a general Idea and Prospect of such Operations as are performed upon salts.

The original and spring of mineral salts cannot otherwise be

conceived then intellectually, and by the comparison which a na∣tural Philosopher must make of sensible and known things, with those that are hidden and removed from knowledge. For as he can perceive some salinous substances to be generated in Animals and Vegetables, from the superfluity of their food and nourish∣ment, or by some action of their internal heat, or coagulation of their Tartar naturally coagulable; even so doth he conceive the great World to be filled with a spirituous and luminous sub∣stance analogous to food, which maintains the generation and pro∣duction of all things by the help and ministery of heat; and when this spirituous and lucid Aliment hath once stamped his chara∣cter and efficacy in any substance or place, and that it begins to contract a heat in it self, and to overflow, there mineral salts are generated; and according as the matrices where this coagulation is made are different, so likewise are produced salts of a different & distinct nature: such as are common salt, salt Gem, Allom, Salt∣peter, Vitriol, to which is added likewise Armoniack salt, though prepared by Art. The preparations of salts in general are, Purifica∣tion, Calcination, Distillation, Sublimation, Fixation and Liqua∣tion. We will give examples of all these operations, when we describe every one of these salts in particular, the better to in∣struct the Sons of art, and proceed still as we have done hitherto, with the least possible confusion.

Of common Salt, and its Chymical Preparation.

COmmon salt, is nothing else but that substance which causes the brine of water, whether it belongs to the Sea, or some spring yielding the same, and the water being vapoured away, leaves that which we call Common or Kitchin salt; And though under this general appellation many species be included, yet the best of all them is that they call Sea-salt, or Bay-salt; and parti∣cularly that which hath been dryed up in saltish Marshes, by the vertue of the Sun beames, and the salifick ferment which is pe∣culiar to the soil of those Marshes after they have been impreg∣nated with impressions and particles of the light: wherefore our Counsel is to the Sons of Art, ever to make use of that kind of

salt, whensoever they finde the name of Salt mentioned in any Author, or some practical Manuscript; and as sal gemm is no∣thing else but a natural conctetion of Common salt in some Ma∣trix of the earth, so think we unnecessary to give him any peculiar preparation, since the way of preparing it is the same with Com∣mon salt.

Purification of common Salt.

THis purification, is nothing else but a dissolution of the Body of the salt upon which your operation is intended, whither in Rain or Spring-water, to sever from it some earthly foulnesse and impurity, which might communicate some ill quality to the Remedies intended to be made therewith. The dissolution must be made in a proportionate quantity of water, and in a moderate heat; after which, percolate the dissolution being warm through a linnen cloth Bag, or a Filter or Blanket, and if you will pro∣ceed more exactly, filtrate through a paper, and let the salt shute into Chrystals; then proceed in evaporating the water to half con∣sumption, and let the Chrystals shute again in the cold, until you have got all your salt pure and clean, which cause to dry, and put in a Box or small Barrel very close, and keep it in a dry place for your Operations.

The Calcination of Common Salt.

THere are two kind of Calcinations of salt, Decrepitation, and Fusion. Decrepitation is nothing else but the calcination of salt in an earthen pot not glazed with a circular fire, until the salt makes no moncracks or noise; the end of it is by reason of mixing the salt with other substances in some operations, and be∣cause when the fire works upon it, it crawles, leaps and stirs, and so might scatter and discompose the said substances join'd with it, which happens not when it is decrepitated; besides, that this Calcination deprives it also from its phlegm and moisture: but if it be too much urg'd by the fire, the acid spirit flyes also away:

wherefore the Artist must here govern the fire gently and with dis∣cretion, to make it rather a violent Exsiccation, then such a Calci∣nation as might bereave the Body of the salt from its active Spirit.

The Calcination made by fusion, is nothing else but the melt∣ing of the decrepitated salt in a Crucible in the wind-furnace; if this salt be kept melted in a warm and dry place, it will preserve it self in a lump, to be used when there shall be occasion; But if it be exposed to the ayr, it dissolves in water, which must be filtra∣ted and put in a Bottle; it is that which Paracelsus calls Sal solu∣tum & aqua salis, dissolved salt, or water of Salt. There is be∣sides a third Calcination of salt, called the fixatory Calcination, which is made with equal parts of Common salt and quick-lime, which is put in an earthen unglazed pot, and being exactly co∣vered, place in a wind-Furnace in a violent heat until it melts to a lump; which done, cease the fire, and dissolve the lump in Rain-water, filtrate and evaporate to a dry bottom, and reiterate so often this Calcination with quick lime, that at last it may be∣come a fusible salt, which is used for extracting the Tincture of Metals, upon which processe the Sons of Art may make their re∣flection, for this is not without some Mysterie.

Having delivered the manner of these general Preparations, we must say something in general also of the vertues of Common salt, before we come to the particular application of those that are found in each particular preparation. Common salt is gene∣rally good for cleansing all rotten, putrid and hollow Ulcers, to resolve all Tumors and Boyls, but chiefly pestilential sores; it al∣layes the fire of burnings, dryes scabs and itch, takes away mange, resolves extravasated blood, and removes the lividity or blewish∣nesse of Contusions and bruises, asswages the Toothach and pains of the Head and Gout: but for all this the use is only external, mixt in Water, Vinegat or Urine according to the distemper; the best for all these purposes is that which hath been melted without addition, because its internal sulphur begins to produce it self, as it appears by the rednesse of its colour. But if salt hath many vertues in outward applieations, it possesses no lesse emi∣nently several remarkable ones internally used: for it doth heat and dry, cleanses and purges, hath a gentle astriction, consumes

superfluities, penetrates, digests, opens, cuts phlegm and tough humours, provokes lust, resists putrefaction and venoms: where∣sore it is of singular use to correct the crudities of the stomach, quicken appetite, and helps the recovery of it when lost, removes obstructions of the Belly and Reines, and is good against griping of the Guts and Collick: Finally according to Basilius it is the noblest and best of Aromats, and the true Balsom of Nature.

The distillation of Common Salt.

ALthough many Artists have spent their Philosophy and me∣ditation upon the distillation of Common salt, and that Glauber amongst the rest, hath taught a way to extract a great quantity of it in a short time, yet have I found no surer nor quicker way, or lesse intricate and more easie to put in practice, then that which I shall now teach. But before we come to the description of it, let us make some necessary Notes: for is it not first a very strange thing, that the most part of those which describe this Operation, will have the salt to be decrepitated? but as we have said above, that violent Exsiccation, not to say Calcination, se∣parates and takes away from the salt its volatile spirit, phlegm, and almost alwayes the best part of its acid spirit, which ought not to be done, since the volatile spirit and phlegm have also their uses in Physick, and it is not fit the Artist should want of skil and knowledge, and lose that which he may easie preserve without any way endangering his Operation, provided he observes well the degrees of fire. The Artist must also note in the second place, that some do mix salt with the heterogeneous matters, pretend∣ing thereby to facilitate the distillation thereof; as for example, burnt Allom and Colchotar of Vitriol; but they do not consider, that by this meanes they alter and change the vertue of the spirit of Salt. Some other do mix ordinary Clay, taking no no∣tice that oftentimes this earth is impregnated with some mix∣ture of metallick or mineral seed, as it is evident by the smell of the smoak, phlegm of Kills where Bricks or Tiles are ordina∣rily back't, and likewise of Potters Furnaces; so that all things well considered, the Artist must choose such kind of Earth or Clay

which may be of a most fix nature, and contribute the least of its quality to the spirit of salt; Now amongst all the several kinds, that which is called Sigillated or fine Bolus, are of a nature which cannot at all bring any alteration to the salt, unlesse to the bet∣ter: wherefore we would have either of these two used for the distillation of this Spirit, which is made as we will now declare, so as to hinder the fusion or melting of the salt.

How to make and duly prepare the Spirit of Salt.

℞ lb ij. of Common salt purified, beat it in a Marble Mor∣tar, and mix it by parcels of ℥ ij. at once, with ℥ vj. of fine Bolus or sigillated Earth, and all the mixture being exactly done, knead it and incorporate it with water of Salt, which is melted salt dissolved in a cold Cellar, and thereof make a kind of paste, whereof frame Pellets to be dryed in an Oven, after the bread is removed, or in the heart of the Sun; break one of the Pellets to know whether it be dry to the very Center, and that being so, fill up with it a great earthen Retort very well luted, and having placed it in a close Reverberatory, fit a large and capacious Re∣cipient to the neck thereof, which lute exactly and cover the Furnace, leaving a Register in the middle above the Retort, that the fire may the better circulate about it. The Lute being well dryed, give it first a gentle fire fit to warm only, and modifie both the matter and Vessel, and when the drops shall begin to fall, and the body of the Recipient to grow warm, proceed soft∣ly and gently in your work; for it is a signe that the volatile spirit of salt, begins to free and dis-intangle himself from the Body, and as it is a subtile and fiery spirit, you must stop the Register and moderate the fire, until the first rage of it be allayed, for it is at that instant and nick of time that the whole operation runs more danger, because this sulphureous spirit is coagulated with difficulty; this will last ordinarily four or five houres, after which the acid spirit begins to come forth, which appears by vapours and white clouds which fill up the Recipient; then may the Ar∣tist freely encrease the fire without fear of any danger, and con∣tinue it stronger and stronger, until the flame comes forth

through the Register, and the neck of the Retort appears red as fire through the body of the Recipient; this Operation cannot be well compleated in lesse space then of xxx. houres, after which cease the fire, and the next day open your Vessels, wherein you shall finde in the Recipient a liquor mixt with the volatile spirit the phlegm, and the acid spirit of the salt, some do add to this the oyle of Salt, but improperly. Pour all these into a Cucurbite and place it in B. M. to draw off the volatile spirit which ascends first, having a sulphureous smell, and frames subtile and crooked veines in the head of the Limbeck, receive it as long as these come forth, and when you see the veines to grow straight, and the drops falling to have none of the smell or taste of the volatile spirit; change the Recipient to receive the phlegm, and encrease the fire stronger then before, because it doth not so easily ascend as the volatile spirit, and when the distilling drops shall have an acidity, cease the fire; for it would prove too great a toyl to endeavour to raise the acid spirit by reason of its heavi∣nesse in B. M. the heat whereof is too weak and insufficient for this purpose, If the Artist hath a design to apply the acid spirit of salt to physical uses, he needs not rectifie it any more, for it hath an excellent and very pleasant acidity as it comes out of B. M. wherefore he may preserve of this a third or one half part for his use, and put the Cucurbite in sand to draw the other half by distillation, and so shall he have a true acid spirit of salt very clear and very pleasant, and that which remains in the bottom of the Cucurbite will be of a yellowish colour, heavy, and of a bi∣ting and violent sharpnesse, fit to be used in the dissolution of Metals, and chiefly stones; this is that substance which improper∣ly is called Oyle of Salt.

We have noted here all the circumstances of the distillation and rectification of the spirits of Salts, that we may have no need to make unnecessary repetitions thereof when we shall speak of other salts, since whosoever can exactly well draw the spirit of salt, can never be mistaken in the distillation of others. So that we have no more to do now, then to add the proprieties and vertues of several substances drawn and proceeding from the Common Salt.

First then, the volatile sulphureous spirit is a good Cephalick

and Sudorifick, wherefore it may be given from ij. p. to x. in Broths and appropriated waters, to those which are troubled with Megrim, or any other Headach; it is also very excellent to be mingled in the ordinary drink of feaverish or aguish persons, al∣laying thirst, and asswaging their restlesnesse. They may also have Frontals applyed, made with the phlegm, that have inveterate paines in the Head, and not sleep through too much heat and dis∣quietnesse. But above all things the phlegm is excellent to wash Wounds and Ulcers, which it wonderfully doth cleanse without pain or grief; but contrariwise, it appeases it if there be any. It is also a wonderful fomentation for the swollen joints and pained limbs in gouty people, provided you mingle a little of its vola∣latile spirit, and a little of salt of Saturn with it. The acid spi•••• of salt is diuretical and good against gravel and stone, it resolves and drives away powerfully Tartar and Muscilagineous substances from all the parts of the body: wherefore it is of very good use to open all obstructions of the Liver and Spleen, and generally all the parts of the Ventricle; is singular against Dropsie, for it quenches the thirst of the Patient; it is also wonderful against Jaundice, ebullitions of blood, driving away by Urine the causes of both Diseases; it is of a soveraign efficacy to stop Gangrenes, and to resist all manner of corruption and putrefaction; mixt with oyle of Turpentine or oyle of Wax, it appeases the ach and grief of the Gout, dissipating the Tophus's and Nodosity's thereof; it quickens again, and cures also the contraction of Members and withered Limbs, and doth remedy their atrophy.

We have spoken above of the sweet spirit of Salt and tem∣pered Water, when we made mention of Coral and of its Tin∣cture, where also we did relate its proprieties and vertues; where∣fore we shall not use vain repetitions here. We will only add one distillation more of an extraordinary spirit of Salt very Phi∣losophical, and which is altogether endowed with a particular vertue.

The essential and stomachical spirit of Salt.

℞ Of purified and very dry salt, calcinated in open fire in a Cru∣cible to whitenesse; put it in a Matrass and imbibe it with oyle of salt, which is the last spirit remaining in the rectification in the bottom of the Cucurbite; make the imbibition by little and little, stirring the Vessel until the mixture be reduced into a clear pap, lute the Matrass with a Blindhead, and put it to digest in ashes in a moderate and equal heat, until the oyle of salt be well united with the calcined and desiccated salt; then begin again the imbibition, digestion, union and extraction so often, that the salt refuses to receive any more of, and be satiated with this Oyle, which must swim above it without penetrating; but the true con∣cluding signe that this salt will be ready fitted for distillation, is the turning of its colour into a fair golden yellow colour, and having contracted a pleasing and a sweet smell, which when it hath, put it in a Retort, and distil in a well graduated fire, and there will come out a very white smoak and clouds, which by degrees shall turn into Liquor; the distillation being ended, rectifie this spirit in B. M. to separate the phlegm thereof, and you shall have an essential and stomachical spirit of Salt, with which none is to be compared in Physick, to stop in a moment and as it were miraculously all fits of vomiting in any accident or Disease whatsoever. Some are of opinion, that this Spirit is capable to extract and-draw the Tincture of Gold to it self, without a full dissolution or disunion of the whole body. The Dosis is from j, to iv. drops in some Broth, or a spoonfull of syrup of Pomgranates, or rind of Oranges, or in a little Wine.

The preparation of the sweet Chrystals of Common salt, or the coagulated spirit of Salt.

YOU must chuse first a capacious and large Retort, made of good Earth, capable to resist fire and not porous, the neck of the Retort must be three fingers broad in diameter, that the spirits issuing forth in abundance may have a free passage, let it also have a channel or Conduit in the upper part made Funnel-like, only five inches high, with a very close and well fitted stop∣ple, easie both to be shut and drawn off again with the same ease, and without stirring the Retort; moreover, this Retort must be walled in a close Reverberatory, having four Registers in the four corners, the channel or Conduit-pipe of the Retort being just in the middle; all this being so fitted and prepared, throw into the Retort lb iiij. of Bay salt well purified and well dryed; put a large round glass Body, or Ballon to the neck of the Retort with lb j. of distilled Rain-water in it; lute exactly the joints, and let the Lute dry very well, that no crack may be in it; then begin to give it a gradual fire, which encrease to that height that it may leave the salt in fusion in the Retort; this done, throw into it j. or ij. drops of cold water with a Feather by the upper pipe or channel, and stop it immediately; it will yield great store of va∣pours which will come over into the Recipient, and the Reci∣pient being cleared, begin again to throw j. or ij. drops more of water at the most; for otherwise the Vessel might flye up and the Artist run hazard to be hurt; keep up the fire in this height for preserving the salt in fusion, and proceed in throwing of wa∣ter by drops until it be turned all into spirits and vapour, which done, let the fire cease and the Vessels cool. Put whatsoever is found in the Recipient in a Cucurbite in B. M. if so be you finde it pure and clear; if not, filtrate it before you draw off the phlegm, and distilled Rain-water which was added, then try in a cool place if any Chrystals will shute, which if you finde; sepa∣rate the Chrystals which are sweet and of a pleasant taste, and pro∣ceed in the extraction of superfluous moisture and chrystalliza∣tion

until it yields no more Chrystals: keep some part of these Chrystals in a Viol very-exactly stopt; because they may so be more ready and easie for transportation, and put the rest in a Cel∣lar to dissolve into a Liquor which will be of the same vertue and efficacy, but the Dosis must be a little bigger. Both Chry∣stals and Liquor are two good Diaphoretick's or Sudorificks, allay∣ing altogether the thirst of hydropical persons, and restoring to their languishing bodies that essential moisture which is daily con∣sumed and preyed upon by that undermining Disease, strengthen∣ing their digestion, and restablishing all the intrals which suf∣fer by it and are altered; briefly, it is a true vital Balsom in all other Diseases, and chiefly in the Plague and all malignant and burning Feavers. They are also good Topical Remedies to mun∣difie evil Ulcers, and resolve Tumors and swellings.

Of Niter or Salt-peter, and its Chymical preparation.

ALthough there are many that take Salt-peter to be an uni∣versal Salt, believing that it possesses in it self the Soul of the World, yet we are of a different judgement, if by Niter or Salt-peter is understood that chrystalline Hexagonal salt, which is used in the making of Gunpowder. But if by Niter or Salt-pe∣ter be understood a mysterious salt which is the soul of all phy∣sical generations, a Child and Son of Light, and the Father of all Germination and Vegetation, we confesse that Salt in such a re∣spect to be Universal: but we say at the same time, that it is more to be apprehended by the Intellect then the Senses, and that this divine Salt cannot be comprehended nor hidden under any o∣ther covering or shape, then of the sulphureous and Mercurial volatile salt of all natural Bocies, since this salt is endowed of all the essential and centrick vertues of sublunary Mixts. But as concerning Niter or Salt-peter, which is common in our dai∣ly use, we do not deny, but that it possesses in it self much of a volatile sulphur and Mercutial spirit, which have their original from Light; and are folded, wrapt, and sealed in a course and earthly saline matter proceeding from the Water and the Earth, which is the reason that much of Philosophy, and much of work

and operation must be bestowed upon, before any body can at∣tain to the capacity of separating these several substances, by dis∣intangling this wonderful Agent from the society of its matter, without losing or imbezelling any of its essential and heavenly qualities. But as it is not our design to treat generally of Salt∣peter, so will we restrain our selves to speak of it here as only of a mineral salt, which is extracted from fat and fruitful Earth. Wherefore a Lye is prepared with water which this salt coagu∣lates with its self, as it appears by the fusion of Niter, which by the action of the fire loses all its aquosity, so that there remains in it nothing but the taste and vertue of an Urinous and Lixivial salt, which properly is nothing else but that fat and frui••ful salt extracted from the earth, separated by fire from the water which Nature or Art had mixed with it: and this is not one of the least secters and mysteries of Chymistry, if it be well heeded and me∣ditated upon. For we must confesse, that Niter is one of the most wonderful and powerfulest Agents which Nature hath lent to Art, as the Sons of Art may have noted hitherto by those Ope∣rations wherein we have used it, and may yet note by those we shall describe in the sequel of this Discourse.

We say then, that Salt-peter is a sulphural salt, partly vola∣tile, and mixt with another earthly salt of a saline and bitter taste, extracted from fat Earth's or Grounds, and from the mines of old Buildings; as likewise from Vaults of Cellars and Stables, the Earth having received the impression and being impregnated with the Excrements and Urines of Beasts, the volatile salt whereof did join and imbody it self with the salt of the Earth, and these two being knit and indivisibly united together by the power and action of the light and ayr upon it, and of the Archeus of the Earth which is the Director of all mineral generations, Chy∣mists do call it the Chymical Ce••berus, the infernal Salt, the sul∣phurate Salt; the Dragon of the Earth, the winged Serpent. Now, as we have still begun all our Operations by charging the Son of Art, ever to be careful of chusing well his Materials before he puts them to work, so do we here enjoin him to take very good heed in the choice of his Salt-peter, and would have him ca∣pable of setting a difference between that which of it self is good, without any previous separation, and that which abounds with

fixed salt, which of necessity must be depurated and separated from it that it may be without mixture. The visible notes of that purity, are the length of the Needles, their whitenesse and transparency, and the hexagonal Figure which this salt takes al∣wayes in its chrystallization: moreover, there is the taste which must be of a harsh acidity and sharpnesse, somewhat bitter and end∣ing in a saline sowrishnesse: neverthelesse, all these marks are not yet absolutely concluding for its goodnesse and purity; wherefore the Artist must have his recourse to that tryal which is made by fire; Let him then take a burning coal, and put one or two ʒ of Niter upon it, and so let it burn and evaporate into the ayr; if nothing remaines upon the coal, the action of fire being ovet, it is a true sign of the goodnesse and purity of the Salt-peter; but he shall judge of the value and goodnesse ac∣cording to the greater or lesser quantity of fixed salt which re∣maines upon the coal. Physitians are in debate amongst them∣selves of the first qualities of Niter; for some believe it to be cold, others contrariwise hot; but without losing time about these tri∣fles, we will say generally the vertues of Niter, by the rehearsal of which it shall appear that the last are better grounded then the first in their Assertion, since it resists putrefaction, quenches thirst, and cooles powerfully sick and languishing persons, chiefly feaverish Bodies, but it doth not produce such an effect by any cold quality, but rather by the quicknesse and subtility of its parts, which insinuates and causes the Patient's Drink to penetrate from the center of the body to the Circumference; and moreover, because this Salt hath in it self a sulphur and subtile spirit which recreates and strengthens the Archeus, so as to dispose him to meliorate and better qualify those functions which it does exer∣cise: add to this that Niter doth cut and attenuate slimy humors, and muscilagineous matters and tartarous coagulations, which are the cause of obstructions; it resolves congealed blood and al∣layes paines. It is given to persons troubled with Pleuresie, hot and putrid Feavers, against gravel in the Kidneys and Bladder, and heats of Urine. The use of it is also very commendable in Gar∣gels, against inflammations in the Throat and Quinsy. It is of very good successe outwardly applyed in Fomentations with Fil∣lers, to take away the heat and grief of burnings, and other inflam∣mations

proceeding from effervescency of blood. But let this suffice concerning the general uses of it, since we are to speak more particularly of it in the description of its preparations, which are Purification, Calcination, Fixation, and Distillation.

The purification of Niter.

℞ lb x. of common Niter, otherwise called of the first boil∣ing, put it in an earthen pot not glazed, place the pot in a wind-Furnace, and give it fire by degrees until the Niter begins to melt, and whilest it is in fusion, throw by degrees in it ℥ ij. of powder of Allom and Armoniack salt ground together; this will cause at every throwing an effervescency, by which the fatness and impu∣rity of the Niter will be driven away, which remove with a hot I∣ron Ladle, and having done with the powder, cleanse very well the superficie's of the Niter from all impurities; then throw it in a brass Mortar very clean and warm; the Niter being grown cold in the Mortar, grind and dissolve it in Spring-water in the heat of a clear wood-fire, then strain it through a Blanket, and pour imme∣diately into this straining whilest yet warm ℥ iiij. of good distilled Vinegar, and put the Vessel in a very close place, leaving it there the space of 24. houses, and so shall you finde your Niter well chrystalliz'd in fair, clear and transparent Chrystals; separate the water from them, and evaporate it by a slow ebullition to a redu∣ction of its half, and let this also shute into Chrystals in the cold; But the Artist must here note, that it is necessary he should still make use of the Niter which proceeds from the first chrystalliza∣tion, for all the preparations which are to be taken inwardly; and of the remaining for making of aqua fortis, and all other Opera∣tions which are of lesse consequence. Dry gently your Niter between two fair Searchers or sieves turned upside down, and co∣vered with linnen cloth or paper that it may not be sullied; then put it in very well closed Boxes in some warm and dry place, to use in all hind of necessary Operations, when occasion shall call for in a Chymical Laboratory.

Calcination of Niter, to prepare the Chrystal Mineral.

℞ Purified Niter of the first chrystallization very dry, put it to melt in open fire in a good strong Crucible capable of resist∣ing the fire, not apt to crack and very well reback't; when it is in fusion, throw by degrees into it ʒ φ. of flowre of Brimstone upon each ounce of Niter; this done, throw it in a brasse Skil∣let very clean, and stir it, that it may be extended in a flat Table or Cake, out of which Lozenges may be cut: or you may form small Rowles thereof with an Iron hot Ladle, pouring it upon a smooth Iron plate, or upon a Marble stone. If you will not take so much paines, pour only this Niter so prepared and melted in a clean and warm Mortar. Now I take this Calcination rather for a Reiteration of purification, then a true preparation of Chrystal mineral; wherefore you must have water distilled of the juyce of wild Endive, Buglosse or Borrage, and in a conve∣nient portion of this water melt this pretended Chrystal mine∣ral, and filtrate it through a paper filled with Province or Da∣mask Roots, or Buglosse and Borrage Flowers, made wet before with a little spirit of sulphur, salt or Vitriol, and thus shall you have a Mineral Chrystal pleasant as to the taste, colour and vertue, endowed really with those proprieties and that efficacy we have attributed to Salt-peter. But above all, it will be a true Anodyne and an excellent allayer of thirst and restlesnesse to Aguish and Feaverish persons, to whom may and must lawfully be given the name of Lapis prunella, or S••l prunellae; for it is a soveraign Remedy against those malignant and putrid Feavers, which are called Fieves prunelles or burning Feavers, because prunella in Latin signifies a burning coal. The Dosis must be from ℈ ss. to ʒ j. in the ordinary Drink of the Patient, some Decoction, Broth, or distilled water appropriated to the Disease. This Chrystal Mineral is a general Remedy, that may be speci∣ficated by the addition of several salts which may be united and in∣corporated with it, as the salt of Saturn, whereof we have spoken treating of Lead, salt of Pearls, Coral, and so of others; and

thus may you have a Cordial, Hepatick, Splenetical or Stomachical Chrystal mineral, according to the faculty and vertue of the salt which you have joined and coagulated to your well prepared Niter.

The fixation of Niter.

MElt lb vj. of very pure Niter in an Iron pot in open fire; throw in it continually by small parcels Charcoal dust, which will immediately take fire, and softly consume by the action of its fire and sulphur, the waterish moisture which the salt of the Earth had coagulated and united to it self in its chrystallizati∣on; continue this throwing of Coal-dust until you finde it will kindle no more, and that the remainder of the Niter begins to thicken and turn to a blewish and greenish colour; then cease this Operation, and take off this salt out of the pot, and put it in a warm Mortar: and if the Artist will preserve any of it whole, let him put thereof as it is hot and dry in a Bottle, and stop it exactly with a stople dipt in melted Wax. This is true fixed Niter, much altered from its first nature; for it is no more volatile or apt to be turned into Chrystals, but contrariwise turns exposed to the ayre into a liquor which is subtile and penetrating, hath an urinous and lixivial taste like unto salt of Tartar, but yet more biting and more penetrating. We are beholding to Glauber for the invention of this Liquor, who hath given us the description thereof under the name of Liquor alkahest, fit to draw the Tinctures of all natural Bodies, whether Animals, Vegetables or Minerals, and to speak truly, this Liquor hath in it something very considerable, being ca∣pable of extracting the sulphurs of Metals, provided they have been well opened before; those of Minerals do easily yield unto it, from whence it may be concluded that it takes in an instant the sulphurs and volatile salts of Animals and Vegetables. If any Chymical Artists have a curiosity for these noble Oparations, they shall finde them in the Book which this great and famous Artist hath given us thereof. But there is left much matter of speculation and Philosophy upon this fixation of Niter, which is made by the Vegetable sulphur of Coals, which doth change it into the nature

of salt Alkali, whose taste is urinous and lixivial; this salt being ca∣pable of fertilizing the worst Earth's, if the seeds to be put in be prepared with a Liquor made of this salt and some other Ingredi∣ents, this admirable Salt so nourishing and invigorating the bud or sprout of the seed, that it multiplyes to so high a number as to seem altogether Hyperbolical, and fabulous to those which appre∣hend not the hidden mysterie which Nature doth extract from the light of Spirits and Salts, and how the sperm of the seed finds in this saline Liquor that which is analogous to its principle, doth greedily suck and attract it, for which reason being as it were dou∣bly strengthened, it shoots and puts forth a more vigorous and nu∣merous stalk, yielding eares and graines of Corn above all belief, as it hath been seen and tryed in Paris some yeares since. But to make this Assertion more plain and palpable, let us reflect upon the practice of the Husbandman in Britany and the Forrest of Or∣dermes; who meeting with unfruitful and barren grounds, produ∣cing nothing but Heath and Fern, a kind of wild Flag and Broom, use to pare off the upper part or moale of their ground, pluck off the Broom and Fern, and drying all in heaps something distant one from the other, set it on fire, leaving after the heavenly influences and Rain to work upon this calcined Earth, containing the Alkali of all the plants fixed by their own sulpbur; this Alkali assisted by the sulphur hath contracted a fatnesse and clammy moisture, heavy and of slow motion, which communicated to the lightnesse, dry∣nesse and too great porosity of the Earth, causes it to keep with it a kind of greedinesse and delectation, a pleasant substance and nou∣rishment; and as soon as the Rain doth abound and exuberate, it cannot so soon be disjoined from it, neither carried away by the violent heat of the Sun by reason of its fixednesse; and so it comes to passe, that when these Husbandmen have plowed and sowed their grounds, they reap store of Rye for the first year and Oates in the second. We brought in this story only to the end that the Artist may reflect with his meditation upon this salt, and note the better its worth and excellency, which proceeds from nothing else but the mysterie of Nature contained in the Salt-peter, which he must seek by his industry how to free and dis-ingage.

To make the Solar dissolutive Earth of fixed Niter.

℞ lb j. of the fixed Niter which you kept in a Bottle, pour upon it lb ij. of very good distilled Vinegar, put it in ashes to digest 24 houres, then distil and draw off the liquor to a dry bottom, and your Vinegar will ascend tastelesse and insipid; rei∣terate in the same manner the same operation with new distilled Vinegar, until the Vinegar comes off with the same sharpnesse as you did pour it on; then dry it well, and dissolve it in very good alkoholized spirit of Wine, filtrate and digest them toge∣ther during the space of four natural dayes, then distil in B. M. to a dry bottom, drawing off the spirit of Wine again, which you may yet use afterwards in all other Operations. Put after this your Cucurbite wherein lyeth the salt in a sand-Furnace, and give it a good fire, so shall the salt cleanse it self from all re∣maining impurities, and settle in the bottom into a substance something resembling Calk, white, of a good and pleasant taste, and dissoluble in all manner of Liquors, melting in the heat like Wax. It is one of the best Remedies amongst Chymical prepa∣rations, for it opens all obstructions and purges gently and with∣out prejudice, and giving offence to the digestive faculty of the stomach, both by Stools, Urines and Sweats. It corrects the malignancy of all Purgatives, and encreases their strength in double proportion, it is one of the most soveraign Medicaments that can be made use of against Chronical and obstinate Diseases. The Dosis may be from ℈ j. to ℥ ss. and ℈ ij. in infusion of Rhubarb made with this salt, a little of Cinnamon and white Wine, or in Broth.

The distillation of Niter, and how to prepare the spirit of Niter.

℞ lb ij. of depurated Salt-peter, grind it by little and little with lb vj. of common Bolus, and being thus well mixt make a paste of it with water impregnated with as much pure Salt-peter as it is capable to dissolve in the cold, knead and work well the paste, and rowl it to make Pellets therewith fit to be put in a great earthen well lu∣ted Retort, which place in a close Reverberatory, and fit a capa∣cious Recipient to the neck of the Retort, exactly luted with a salted Lute. The Lute being dry, begin to give it your fire by de∣grees, and thus proceed the space of 20 or 24 houres, with the same gradation as we have taught in the distillation of the spirit of Salt. There is neverthelesse this difference between them, that Salt-peter alone yields red spirits, by reason of its soul and in∣ternal spirits, which are children of the Sun, for all other salts send forth only whitish vapours; this is that Spirit which ancient Philosophers have called the Salamander's blood, as if one should say, the blood and soul of Fire. This is the most ordinary way of preparing the spirit of Niter, to use in all dissolutions and other Chymical operations. But there is yet another manner of prepa∣ring it with more subtility for inward uses, to apply it as a Remedy; which is thus performed.

℞ Of the finest Salt-peter you can finde, and very dry, reduce lb ij. thereof in powder in a warm Mortar, in a very dry & fair day, pound also lb vj, of pots made with ordinary Clay, only wrought & dryed before they be baked; mingle these two substances exactly together, and pour them in a capacious glass Retort with a very broad or wide neck, and chiefly from that side which is towards the belly of the Retort, let it be luted with a very good sticking Lute, abiding in the fire and not easily falling off, neither crack∣ing; fit to the neck thereof a very large Recipient, and lute or close the Vessels together only with a wet Bladder, begin the fire very slowly at first, and thus go on encreasing by degrees until all the phlegm be come over, and the Recipient begins to grow red, then empty the Recipient, or substitute another like unto it very

dry and clean, which lute with the same Earth wherewith the Re∣tort was luted; then encrease the fire and keep it still higher, so as you perceive that the falling drops shall be of a red or yel∣low colour, or that the Recipient begins to lose something of its high red colour, even during the great height of the fire; for this is a true sign of the end of the Operation, and do not expect till the colour begins to grow cleater, for this would never happen by reason of the red vapours which this spirit continually sends forth. But the Artist must be preadmonished to take heed, when he comes to unlute the Vessels and pour out this red spirit, for it is so vaporous, subtile and volatile that it would endanger and suf∣focate him, or it may be cause him to lose all by breaking his Vessels: wherefore let him stand above the Wind and stop his Nose, not opening the mouth, and taking very great heed in the pouring out of it; and to this end let him have both his Bottle and Funnel in great readinesse, that he may meet with no stop. The Viol wherein this Spirit is put, must be very exactly closed with an earthen stople, very closely joyning on all sides that no∣thing may evaporate: this spirit is endowed with many admirable faculties, both for Physick and Metallick: but considering it is so subtile and so volatile that it cannot almost be preserved, much lesse transported or sent upon occasion abroad; there is a way found to mix and circulate it as followeth for better prser∣vation.

The circulated spirit of Niter for Physick.

℞ ℥ vj. of the red spirit of Niter, ℥ xij. of Balm water, ℥ ij. of spirit of Lilly Convally Flowers, put them together in a capacious Pellican, or two joined Matrasses with a long neck, and place them in a vaporous Balneo in Oat straw, and digest them in a temperate and gentle heat the space of seven continual days: then put this circulated and united spirit to the other, and to the water in a strong Viol very well stopt; as we have said of the spi∣rit; it is an admirable Remedy, both against Apoplexy and Epi∣pilepsey, against Colick, and generally against all obstructions; it is also very good against Agues and Plague. The Dosis is from ℈ j.

to ʒ j. and ʒ j. ss. in Wine, Broth, some Decoction or distilled water appropriated to the Disease.

Now as the aqua fortis and Regal water take only their dissol∣ving faculty properly from Niter, though for the most part other salts be mingled with it, such as are Allom, common Salt, sal gemme, Vitriol, and salt Armoniack; therefore will we give a de∣scription of them here, as we did promise above.

How the good aqua Fortis is to be prepared.

THe name of aqua fortis hath been given to the spirit extra∣cted from Niter and Vitriol, because it hath the strength and faculty to dissolve all kinds of Metals, Gold excepted, whom it cannot touch or work upon unlesse it be Regali••ed; that is to say, made capable of dissolving Gold which is the King of Metals, for which cause the name of Regal or Regal water hath been given to this other Dissolvent. Aqua Fortis is made thus:

Equal parts of Salt-peter of the second chrystallization, and Vitriol only desiccated, to which add half their wright of Brick∣dust very dry, and put these in a good earthen Retort well lu∣ted, fitting to it a Recipient, and make your Operation and Distillation with the same care and precaution as we prescribe above in distilling the spirit of salt. Drive the fire the space of 24 houres, making it the last eight houres of a very quick flame, that the last spirits may be very well drawn off from the Center of their own Earth, wherein they be strictly intangled. Then there remaines a salt of middle nature in the Caput Mor∣tuum (as it is called) which is of very great vertue, by reason of the mixture and action and reaction of the Vitriol and Niter one upon the other, whereof a very good Remedy may be pre∣pared in the manner following.

The vitriolated Niter, otherwise the Arcanum of Niter and double Panacea.

PUT the Caput mortuum of your Aqua fortis to digest in boyling distilled Rain-water, and stir it often, the better to extract the salt, filtrate the dissolution, and slowly evaporate it in ashes in an earthen Pan or glass Vessel, and when you shall perceive a small skin gathering on the top of the Liquor, put it to chrystallize, then continue to evaporate until you have extracted all the salt; which you must so often dissolve, filtrate, evaporate and chrystallize, that it appears clear, pure and bright. Then ℞ ij. p. and φ. of this salt, and p. φ. of mineral Chrystal, prepa∣red as we have taught, put them together in a well luted Cucur∣bite, being first triturated into very subtile powder, calcine them together in open fire in this Cucurbite, giving it a gradual fire un∣til they be together in fashion; the Vessel being cooled draw out the matter, and grind it once more with an eighth part of mineral Chrystal, and begin again the Calcination and Fusion in a new luted Cucurbite. After this second Calcination, dissolve that which did remain in the distilled Rain-water, and filtrate the dissolution, then evaporate in the vapour of B. M. to a dry bot∣tom; this salt being so dryed, grind upon a Porphyrie stone into Alkohol with an eighth part of calx of Gold well opened, and mix them as it were indivisibly together by trituration; then put this mixture in a new luted Cucurbite, and calcine it in a very well graduate fire till it hath attained to a fluxion, which done, cease the fire and let the Vessel cool; and out of it take that Grand Remedy, whereof abundance of experiments have been tryed a∣gainst diseases of Melancholy, and all kind of Agues and feaverish distempers, both continual and intermittent, also against gravel and scurvy, and finally against all obstructions. The Dosis must be from scruple φ. to scruple ij. in some Confection, Conserve, or appropriated Liquor. The vertues of this Salt and its manner of operating cannot sufficiently be praised; for it sweetly provokes sleep, and settles the archeus of the Ventricle in its ordinary state

and calmnesse when it is out of order. Briefly, there is a certain hidden Mysterie in it, whereof it is very difficult to render any reason, unlesse we conceive that this salt must have received the eradiations of the anodyne sulphur of Vitriol, by the great ex∣pression of the fire, or sufficiently opened the Gold, to make him yield and communicate his salutiferous influences; but we rather give credit to the first then the last Conjecture.

How the Aqua fortis is to be regaliz'd or made Regal.

ARtists use to Regalize their Aqua fortis with decrepitated salt, or salt Armoniack. Some dissolve either of it only without more ado in the aqua fortis, viz. j. p. salt, and iv. p. of aqua fortis. Others mix ij. p. of Niter, and j. p. of Armo∣niack salt, with iij. p. of the Caput mortuum of the aqua fortis and distil it S. A. Others do make Gradatory waters, as they call them, with Sublimate, Arsenick, Orpiment, Brimstone, Cinnabar, as ustum, spanish-green, and many other Ingredients; but as all these are not for Physical uses, and that moreover, the ill smell proceeding from those operations doth kill and hebetate the Brain, and causes evil accidents and shakings of the Limbs, we shall af∣ford no description thereof here since they make nothing to our purpose, which is to preserve and restore health, not to impair or destroy it. But as we have occasion of a good Regal water, pure and well prepared to reduce Gold in a subtile and well opened Calx, the son of Art shall thus prepare it.

How the true Regal water is to be prepared.

℞ ℥ v. of red spirit of Niter, and ℥ iv. of sal gem in powder, put the sal gem in a pretty capacious Retort, and pour upon it the spirit of Niter, mixing them very well together, place the Retort in sand, and fit to it a very capacious Recipient, which lute without much circumspection, provided the neck of the Retort be large, and strikes half a foot into the body of the Re∣cipient; give fire to it by degrees, and encrease it by little and lit∣tle

till the sal gem be altogether dryed, and that neither drops nor vapours will come forth any more from it. Pour this true Regal water into a good Lortain Glass bottle, double and well backed, stopping it with a Glass stopple made very fit to the neck of the bottle, by working and turning it within with powder of Emerod and Oyle, otherwise this water would flye and vapour away; which makes me counsel the sons of art, not to prepare it till they be ready to use it in their operations: this is the Dissolvent where∣with they shall be capable to prepare Gold in the right manner, to reduce it into a Calx capable to answer their expectation, in such preparations as they shall design with it, or to satisfie their curio∣sity in discovering the sphere of activity of this noble Art, or to extract such Remedies as may be useful for the relief of afflicted Patients.

Of Allom and its Chymical preparation.

WEE understand nothing else by Allom but a saline sub∣stance dissoluble in water, though many other things bear improperly this name, which rather participate of the nature of Calk by their incombustibility then of Allom, whereof we in∣tend to treat as of a fit subject for this Section, where we only handle Salts. That Allom whereof we intend to give the man∣ner of preparation, is that which in Pharmacy is called alumen rupeum or Roch Allom, and being nothing else but the salt sub∣stance of a mineral earth, participating of the nature of Lead or Saturn, having in it self an acid spirit and a harsh, canstick salt▪ Our Allom is made three several wayes: for some of it is first found ready prepared by Nature, and condensated of it self in the veines of aluminous Earths. Secondly, It is made by the evapo∣ration of mineral aluminous Waters: and thirdly, it is also drawn by the dissolution of Earths, Stones, or other Minerals abounding with aluminous salt. The general vertues of this Salt are to de∣siccate, astringe, thicken or incrassate, there is not much use of it inwardly without preparation, though by some it is given against Agues; but it is much us'd in Gargarism's, which are appointed for diseases and paines in the Throat, and chiefly in the swelling

and inflammation of the Almonds, and falling, swelling or inflam∣mation also of the uvula; it is also good against Quinsy, rot∣tennesse and putrefaction of the Gums, proceeding either from a Scorbutical venom or Tincture, as also of Venereous infection; it is also a good Resolutive, taking away swelling and oedematous Tumours of the feet, being mixt in a Bath which is called a lave∣pieds or feet-washer, because it resolves and allayes the inflamma∣tion and heat of spirits attracted and irritated in these lower parts, either by toyl and wearinesse or indisposition of body.

The preparations commonly made upon Allom are, purification or chrystallization, Calcination or Ʋstion, Distillation and Extra∣ction, or Subtiliation, of each of which Operations we will give some Examples, that the Artist may fully be instructed both of the Work and vertue of the Remedies resulting from the same.

Purification of Allom.

THe Purification of Allom, is not made upon the bare in∣tention of separating the impurities and earthlinesse of it, but the son of Art must have a more excellent prospect and end in it, which is the correcting of its harsh, austere and unpleasant taste; to attain to this, dissolve as much Roch Allom as you please in distilled Rain-water, heated before in a glazed earthen pan, for Allom must not be put in any metallick Vessel because it imme∣diately works upon it, and by its acid and penetrating spirit drawes the taste and Tincture thereof. The Allom being dissolved, fil∣trate it, and evaporate afterwards the superfluous▪moisture in a slow heat, like unto that of the boyling vaporous Balneo until it con∣tracts a skin; then put the Vessel in a cool place to cause the Chrystals to shute, and go on in evaporating and chrystallizing un∣til no more Chrystals will come; this Work reiterate four times, and so shall you have a subtile and pleasant Allom if compared to common, which you may administer both inwardly and outward∣ly with much more successe, safety and delight.

The Calcination or Ʋstion of Allom.

IT would not be worth while to speak of this Operation by rea∣son of its easinesse, unlesse we had some notes and reflections to make upon; for there is none but is capable to put a piece of Allom upon an Iron plate, and to give fire under it until the phlegm and spirit be evaporated away, and that this piece which was smooth, heavy, clear and compacted is become light, opa∣cous, spongious and white. And now since the Artist hath need of the phlegm and spirit of Allom, and that the substance remaining after they are extracted by distillation, hath the same vertue with that which remaines upon the Iron plate, it will be much more convenient to distil first the same in order to Calcination, where∣by to preserve the phlegm and spirit, which otherwise are wasted without any advantage. Burnt allom is very good to consume by degrees and without pain, the moist and spongious flesh and excrescencies of the lips of Wounds and Ulcers; it is good also to hinder corruption, because it desiccates and resolves their superfluities. The fixed salt of Allom is also drawn from it, as we shall say after we have spoken of the distillation thereof in order to calcine it.

The Distillation of Allom.

℞ As much Allom as you will, and put it in small pieces in a capacious glass Retort, filled with it to a third part, place it in sand, and adaptate to the neck of it a large Recipient, give it fire by degrees to draw the phlegm thereof with a well and duly graduated fire, and when the white vapours shall begin to come forth out of the neck of the Retort, change the Recipient, and encrease the fire by degrees until all the spirit be come forth, and you shall finde your calcinated Allom in the bottom of the Re∣tort. But this Spirit being unpleasant and of an ill taste, hath need of being rectified, corrected and sweetened, which is per∣formed

with the spirit of Wine, with which it must be rectified three or four times, so it becomes sweet and pleasant, and an excellent Remedy to mingle in the ordinary Drink of Febricirants, because its little sharpnesse and quicknesse, doth cool and temper their predominant heat, and allayes their thirst. But if it be good in∣wardly applyed, it is no lesse successeful outwardly; for it cleanses and heales wonderful well all Ulcers in the mouth, and particularly those small Ulcers called aphtha, or the sore mouth of sucking children. The Dosis must be from iv. drops to x. in Wine or some convenient Decoction. The phlegm of Allom is good to temper the inflammation of the eyes, as also that of Phleg∣mons or Eresypela's; it is also very useful to wash and foment Wounds, Ulcers and Burnings.

How Allom may be turned into a liquid Magistery.

℞ As much purified and chrystallized Allom as you will, put it in a glass Cucurbite and sprinkle it with distilled Rain-wa∣ter, and put the Vessel in a cold place, until all the Allom be resolved into Liquor; which filtrate and distil in ashes to a dry bottom; sprinkle again the remaining Allom with distilled Li∣quor, and let it dissolve again, and so distill to a dry bottom as before, going on thus sprinkling, resolving and distilling, until the body of the Allom be all converted into Liquor, and come through the nose of the Limbeck, which is that we call the liquid Magistery of Allom, or to speak more properly, his true astrin∣gent Spirit; for this Remedy is one of the noblest and surest Stipticks and Astringents to be found amongst all Physical Prepa∣rations, not inferiour to Martial Remedies, Bolus or any other, whether for inward or outward application, as experience will make evident. The Dosis inward is from iv. to xij. drops, in immoderate Fluxes, Gonorrheas or heat of Urine, the Venereous stain being first taken off by some excellent Purge appropriated to the Person or the Disease. It may be mixt with hopes of a speedy and hasty successe in Epulotical Waters, for nothing advances better Cicatrization and re-union of the several so∣lutions of continuity.

How Sugar of Allom is to be prepared.

PUT lb ij. or iij. of Allom in a good glasse Retort, which place in sand to draw off softly the phlegm of it in a well graduated heat; as soon as this is done, remove the fire, and the Retort being cold, cohobate the phlegm upon the desiccated Al∣lom, and digest them together in a simple heat of the vaporous Balneo the space of 24 houres: this done, put the Retort again in sand, draw off the phlegm from it, and thus seven times con∣secutively reiterate the cohobation, digestion and extraction of phlegm, which being performed, put that which after the se∣venth separation of the phlegm remaines in the bottom of the Cucurbite, in a Cellar or some other cool place to dissolve it into Liquor; the dissolution ended, filtrate it cleanly, and put it to digest in a double or circulatory Vessel in ashes in a slow heat, the space of twelve natural dayes; after which, having placed it in a Cucurbite in ashes, you must distil off all the moisture to a dry bottom, and there shall remain the sugar of Allom, which is a particular Remedy against Diseases of the Breast, allaying also Toothach applyed upon the Gums. Above all, it is of sin∣gular use for those whose Brest is infected with any metallick, mineral, arsenical, mercurial vapours, or the like. The Dosis must be from v. to xv. graines in Broths, or some Pectoral or Diuretical Decoctions. It serves also to allay thirst in Feavers, and is o•• singular comfort to them that feel heates and perio∣dical paines about the Region of the Sternum or the upper part of the Brest, by reason of malignant, sharp and biting serosities, which the Venereous infection sends ordinarily in these parts to such as have long had the stain upon themselves; it works by U∣rine, spitting, sweats, and an insensible and natural transpiration.

The salification of Allom.

TO obtain the fixed part of Allom, ℞ lib. j. or ij. of the Caput mortuum of the distillation of the spirit of Allom, and put it in a Cucurbite; then pour upon it distilled Rain-water six fingers high, digest it in ashes in a moderate heat, which must be encreased by degrees, till the Liquor begins almost to boyl; stir it from time to time with a wooden Slice, then filtrate, and e∣vaporate the filtration in the vapour of a boyling Balneo, in a gray earthen or white earthen Dish till the skin begins to cover it, then let it stand in a cool place and there shute into Chry∣stals, or evaporate it to a dry bottom, stirring continually till it quite dry. This Salt is much more active then burnt Allom, be∣cause it is separated from its earth, and for this reason may be a plyed in much lesse quantity to the same uses. It may be also internally given to those that have a stomach stuft with slime or other foulnesse which deads and duls the appetite: for it will cut them, attenuate and expel, either by stool or vomiting. The Dosis must be from grain vj. to xij. or xv. in Broth or deco∣ction of wild Endive, or Spanish Scorzonera Roots.

Extraction of Allom.

℞ lib. vj. of very pure and clean Allom without any pre∣vious preparation, bake it in an earthen unglazed Pot in a very moderate heat, until all the phlegm be vapoured away, then en∣crease the fire by degrees, so as both the Pot and Allom in it may grow red glowing hot on all sides; which done, have in rea∣dinesse in a great earthen Pan lib. iv. of distilled Vinegar, where∣in you shall throw this calcined Allom glowing red, and the Vi∣negar will draw immediately and take to himself the Essence and Magistery of Allom, and the remainder of the body will preci∣pitate it self in the bottom of the Pan into a white powder, which after separation must be washed to a sweetnesse, or edulcorated,

then dryed and so kept for use. But the remaining Vinegar impregnated with the vertues of the Allom must be filtrated, and having joined to it ℥ ss. of Tincture of Elder berries made with its own fermented spirit, put all together in a Cucurbite in B. M. and draw by distillation all the superfluous liquor to a consi∣stency of boyled Hony or Syrup; then place your Cucurbite in a very cool place, and there letting it rest four or five dayes, you shall finde by this time Chrystals framed in this Liquor, which separate and dry, and proceed in the evaporation and chrystalli∣zation until no more Chrystals will shute. These Chrystals are Sudorificks, Diueticks and Stomachical, and therefore a good Remedy against rhe Scurvy; they may be administred twice in the week, in decoction of Nettle Roots, or juyce of Chervil well depurated and mixt with a little white Wine; it may also be given three times to those that are molested with Tertain Agues a lit∣tle before their fit in the same Liquors: the Dosis is from vj. gr. to ℈ j.

Of Armoniack Salt and its Chymical preparation.

THere is mention made in ancient Writers of a natural Ar∣moniack Salt, which was wont to be found in the Lybian sands, there formed and sublimated as they say, by the mixture of the stale of Camels used in their Carava••es, and making for the most part their Stations and Baitings in places appointed for that purpose. But we have none of it for the present, and know none other but that which is artificial and compounded of com∣mon salt and sal gem, salt of Soot and of Urine; this salt hath a harsh taste, mixt with an acid bitternesse very subtile and biting. Chymists do call it the solar Salt, the white Eagle, the white Mor∣curial Rain, and the Philosophers Mercurial Salt. That which is purest is to be preferred in choyce, as also the clearest and whitest. That which comes from Venice is the best, and the second in or∣der of goodnesse is that of Antwerp, the coursest and worst is that which comes from Holland. The general vertues of it are, to provoke Sweat and Urine, and to work also by insensible transpi∣ration: it is of very great efficacy against all aguish distempers,

and chiefly against Quartans, it resists corruption and putrefaction. The Dosis is from iv, grains to ℈ j. It is used also outwardly against Gangrenes, and to consume the superfluous and corrupted flesh. It is also very good used in Gargals against the Quinsy; and moreover, it is mixt in waters for sore eyes.

Moreover, the Artist must note, that Armoniack Salt is one of the most powerful Agents amongst all Chymical Operations, for extracting the sulphuts of Metals and Minerals by the help of sublimation: wherefore it is not without very good reason, that the greatest part of the most famous Writers in our Art, have disguised it with several aenigmatical and figurative appellati∣ons.

The preparations of salt Armoniack are, purification or chrystal∣lization, sublimation, calcination, distillation and liquation; we will treat in the sequel of this Discourse of all these Operations in particular, and will give examples both of the Remedies and the manner of working, that the Sons of Art may be so well in∣structed by it, as not to be surprized with the several changes that use to happen by the mixture of this salt with sundry dif∣ferent matters upon which it operates with so much efficacy, that it ravishes with wonder even the most knowing in those my∣steries which it opens, and drawes from the bosom and center of natural beings: and chiefly because this Salt is compounded of several parts which are united amongst themselves, and produce a Salt quite different from all other salts, and which consequent∣ly operates in a very different way, as it will evidently appear to those that shall put it in practice.

The Purification and Chrystallization of Armoniack Salt.

THis Purification is not made otherwise then by dissolving it with distilled Rain-water in a slow heat, after which filtrate and evaporate in the same heat; then put it in a cool place to shute its Chrystals, and thus continue until you have extracted all your Armoniack salt fair, pure and clear. This Salt hath not any greater efficacy then common Armoniack in Cakes, though it be something purer: wherefore we will not attribute also more ver∣tue, nor prescribe any other Dosis.

The sublimation of Flowers of Salt Armoniack.

℞ As much melted Salt as Armoniack, and mix them ex∣actly together; then pour this mixture into a Matrass or Cucur∣bite, and sublime it in ashes, reiterating this sublimation four times, to purifie, subtiliate and volatilize the better the Armo∣niack; some will have a like proportion of Filings of Steel mixt with the Armoniack that they may sublimate together; but they are deceived: for when the armoniack salt is mixt with Mars, it presently works upon, and the salt corrodes all the Steel, where∣of there may be made afterwards a very good Vitriol: But as the intention of those that add Steel to this sublimation, is only to make the Flowers of this Salt more incisive, aperitive, more sple∣netical and hepatical; our advice is to the sons of Art, to mix a fourth part of this opacous and greenish or blewish Vitrifica∣tion, which is found in Iron works or Furnaces, where the first fusion of the Mine is made, or as much of those scales which fall from Smith's Anvils: But let him note, that neither of these two substances must be made in very subtile powder; contrari∣wise, it will suffice to have it coursly beaten, that the Armoniack may only lick it over in the action of subliming, and so draw only the soul or a portion of the internal sulphur of it, by which it is much encreased in excellency and vertue: The Artist must consider, that as these Flowers are more subtile and penetrating then Armoniack salt meerly purified and chrystallized: so must it consequently be endowed with much more vertue, and parti∣cularly when this salt is made use of against Quartan and other intermittent Agues. These Flowers are also of singular use to correct the crudities of the Ventricle, and remove ill fermenta∣tions, if every morning the Patient takes of it fasting in a Glass of Wormwood Wine, or in infusion of Sassafras wood, made in white Wine: But the use of it must be continued the space of fifteen dayes or three whole weeks. And if this Remedy be gi∣ven against Leucophlegmacy, or the beginning of any kind of Dropsie, which ordinarily followes after long Diseases, and the

various agitations of dangerous Feavers; you must take care that the Patient be in his bed when the Remedy shall be administred unto him, and that he be well covered to help the provocation of sweat, and at his coming out of it, let him take some nou∣rishment of easie digestion, and above all be carerfully rubbed and dryed, by reason of the ill impressions which these sweats do communicate to the linnen wherein the Patient is wrapt, and might easily raise some malignity upon a skin which is yet open and doth exhale some noxious vapours, and capable yet to do hurt. The Dosis of these Flowers, is from iij. graines to xv. and if the strength of the Patient can bear it, even to xx. chiefly it he hath been used to it before, encreasing the quantity by lit∣tle and little.

The Calcination or Fixation of Salt Armoniack.

WEE have ever had a care sufficiently to inform our Ar∣tist, that he must lose nothing, of what the substances whereupon he works may afford, that is good and useful in them∣selves. For which reason we cannot admit, that he should fix or barely calcine the Armoniack salt in an earthen Pot, in a circular fire and a wind-Furnace; because he loses by this way all the vo∣latile urinous spirit which is contained in this Mysterious Salt. Wherefore we prescribe the operation of it to be made in that kind of open Retort, which Glauber doth describe in the second part of his Philosophical Furnaces: for by this means, what flies otherwise unnecessarily away into the ayre, is preserved: you must then proceed in it in the manner following.

℞ j. p. of quick-lime well chosen and that hath not been exposed to the ayre, and j. p. s. of Armoniack salt; reduce them each severally to powder, then mix together, and incorpo∣rate to a Pap with new made Urine: but before you begin this mixture, kindle the fire under your Retort, and make it so red, that the Lead which is in the hollow channel, and is intended to be a Lute to the Cover, be melted: things being thus disposed, put a small spoonful of this matter at once in the Retort, and co∣ver it immeditately with its Cover, and the vapours will instant∣ly

run into the Recipient, which must be fitted to the neck of it, and the same exactly luted. Go on in this manner until all the matter be consumed, or until you have enough of volatile spirit, if your intention be to extract it, or until you have suffi∣cient quantity of Armoniack salt fixt or calcined, if your intention leads no further. Then draw the spirit out of the Recipient and rectifie it; and of this we shall speak again hereafter in the distil∣lation of Armoniack salt; but draw the lump remaining in the Retort whilst the fire is yet in its strength, for then i•• is soft, and may be taken up easily with a small Iron Ladle, having a handle somewhat long. Dissolve and digest the same matter in Rain-water; then filtrate the liquor, and so proceed on till no more salt will come from it; then evaporate all the filtrated▪ liquors to a dry bottom, stirring them continually towards the end until all the moisture be gone; you may keep some part of this salt whol∣ly dry in a Viol exactly stopt, and put the other in a Cellar to dis∣solve in liquor, which will be fit for extracting several Tinctures, as the salt may serve for Cementations. We say nothing con∣cerning the Dosis of this fixed Salt, because it is never inwardly used in Diseases. The dissolved Liquor may neverthelesse be used externally to mollifie and resolve Cornes and Callous or hard ex∣crescences growing in the feet, and often very troublesome: it may also be used with a little spirit of wine to rub and chafe the hard and knotty places of the Gout, to resolve, soften and attenuate the hardnesse of that tartarous and sticking matter contained in those Nodosities.

The Distillation of Armoniack Salt.

MAny Authors have Equivocated upon the Distillation of this admirable Salt; for some would have the volatile Spi∣rit to be the principal part of this mysterious Compound. Others thought the acid Spirit only could yield what the ancient Philoso∣phers did search in it: We must confesse both Parties to have many reasons on which they seem to be grounded: but they have not yet well decided the Question, because those that did en∣dea•••••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••lear it most, have not took well enough into their

consideration the double nature of Armoniack salt, which is com∣pounded of common salt that is acid and as it were fixt, and of the volatile salt of Urine: Now the union and mixture of these two Salts is so strict, that it is very difficult, yea almost impossible to turn them over the Helm into liquor one with the other: but contrariwise, the urinous and volatile salt carries away the body of the acid, which produces no more then the sublimation of the same salt. But they that have attempted to possesse them both together, could never attain to it with successe but by the addi∣tion of some other body, which had the faculty to keep back the acid salt, to let the urinous spirit and volatile salt of Urine a∣scend, that are both but one and the same thing, as it appears by the sublimation of the same spirit into a body of volatile salt. It would neverthelesse be an excellent Remedy, if Art could have attained to raise this Armoniack salt to a Spirit, equally partaker of the vertues of the Volatile and of the common salt without any forraign or strange mixture: because that as the action of these two salts one upon the other hath produced a salt quite dif∣fering in taste, smell and vertue from the two taken asunder, so should we have a subtile and penetrative spirit, which would be capable of many Rare effects in Physick, and useful for the prepa∣ration of many other noble Remedies, if once Armoniack salt could be made to ascend into a Spirit endowed with the vertues which do constitute it. But as many have attempted this Ope∣ration without successe, so do I finde my self forced to acknow∣ledge here my ignorance, and say, that we must be contented wi••h the Flowers of salt armoniack, until some more skilful Artist hath improved our knowledge and experience, or our own industry and labour discovered more unto us, to impart it afterwards to the Common••ealth of Hermetical Physick. We will neverthelesse deliver two wayes of drawing the spirit of Armoniack, and its vo∣latile urinous salt; the first shall only teach how to draw the spirit alone, and the urinous salt only: but the second shall teach the separation of its acid spirit, which possesses much more of vertue then the spirit of common salt, by reason of the mixture and working of the volatile salt of Urine, which hath blunted and kil'd part of its corrosive faculty.

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.

How the spirit of Armoniack Salt is to be extracted.

THough we have already shewed how the son of Art may ex∣tract the spirit and volatile salt of this Mixt, yet we cannot shew how the acid spirit of this Mixt is to be extracted, without separating from it at the same time the volatile spirit thereof. And as we have already declared the manner of that Operation above, when we spake of the fixation of Armoniack, we will not insist upon a needlesse repetition of what we have once already said: only we will add, that you must put here equal parts of good quick-lime, and armoniack salt, and reduce them to a pap with Urine, then distil it in a glowing hot Iron Retort, and pro∣ceed as we have said above in the quoted place. The Artist must put all the liquor he shall finde in his Recipient after distillation in a Cucurbite of a Cubit high, and narrow in the neck, placing it in B. M. and covering it with a Limbeck Head exactly luted, as also with the Recipient which must be added unto it; then give it a graduate fire, that all the volatile spirit and volatile uri∣nous salt may separate it self and rise with the heat, and when no more will ascend, put the remaining liquor in a Retort, and rectifie it in sand, and you shall have an acid spirit much plea∣santer then the spirit of common salt, and endowed with the same vertue; wherefore we refer our Reader to what we have said a∣bove: the Sons of Art must only note, that this Spirit in re∣spect of that of common salt, may be compared to a perfect Man, and that which proceeds from common salt can only be resem∣bled to a Youth; from whence he may dra•• those consequences which we only intend to insinuate unto him by this Compa∣rison. The spirit and volatile salt drawn by this Processe, is en∣dowed with the same vertues as we have related above.

The Liquation of Salt Armoniack.

THis Operation is not very mysterious, being nothing else but the resolution of armoniack salt fixed by quick-lime into liquor in the cool of a Cellar, or it is also the resolution of the same armoniack salt purified, chrystallized and reduced to pow∣der, put in whites of Egges newly boyled to a hardnesse, and set it in order in an earthen Pan in a Cellar to extract the Liquor, which Artists do call water of armoniack sal••: these two Liquors made by Resolution are not for Physical uses, unlesse they be us'd in Metallick Preparations, and Minerals, which they either fix or open according to the purpose and intention of the Work∣man.

Of Vitriol and its Chymical Preparation.

WEE have demonstrated in the beginning of the Chapter Metals the first and immediate principles of Vitriol; wherefore we refer thereunto our Artist, to speak only here of Vitriol reduced into a body either by Art or by Nature; for some Vitriol is found ready prepared and chrystalliz'd in the Earth of Mines where Metals do abound; as some is to be seen which cu∣rious searchers of Nature have brought from the Indies, Hungary, Germany, Italy, and several other parts of Europe: But there is also an artificial Vitriol, which is extracted from vitriolick Mar∣cassites, commonly found in fat Grounds, alwayes about the places abounding & with pregnant metallick seeds, and enclined naturally to the generation of Sulphur. They that shall be led by a Philo∣sophical curiosity to instruct themselves further in this matter, must seek in places where the fat Clay for making of Tyles and Bricks is extracted, and there may finde some of these vitriolick Marcassites, which are nothing else but what the Greeks call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and we a Fire locks, Flint, Thunderbolt, Fire-flint, and the Tile-Bakers Machefer—Having got of these stones, let them

examine them by fire, which shall discover to them nothing but a sulphureous substance, by the vapours striking their Nostrils and seizing upon the Brest as burning Brimstone: but having expo∣sed the remainder in the ayre, it will dissolve it self into a gray and blackish powder, which will sublimate upon its superficies, small, white and sharp excrescences melting in the mouth, and yielding at first a sweetnesse, which ends in a vitriolick harsh∣nesse and austerity; then dissolve this powder in Rain-water in a slow heat, filtrate and evaporate it to a Pellicule or skin, and let it chrystallize and you shall have an excellent greenish Vitriol. With this short and superfi••ial Antimony, the Artist may satisfie himself, and know in part by the seve••ing of this stone the way by which Nature did proceed in b••inging the parts the••eof toge∣ther, and coagulating of it.

The most learned Writers which have treated of Vitriol, and best known and apprehended the nature thereof, do all unanimous∣ly confesse and acknowledge it to be a Mixt of so extensive a ver∣tue as to be sufficient to supply with Remedies the third part of all Physical Practice, and even capable to make up a compleat and well furnished Shop. Basilius, Valentinus, Bedro, Paracelsus, Sala, and many others cannot be large and diffusive enough in its praise and commendation; and those Hermetical Philosophers, which have bestowed upon it that excellent name of Vitriolum, have done it as they say, because the putting toge••her of those Let∣ters contains (allowing a word to each of them) the mysteries which this mineral Salt conceals in its Center. Visitabis Interiora terrae, Rectificando invenies optimum Lapidem, veram Medicinam. These words do insinuate where Vitriol is to be sought, how pre∣pared, and extol the Remedy which is to be ••ound in it. But Vi∣triol being so well known, we think it needlesse to b••stow more time in speaking of its various names and appellations; it will suffice to declare the choyce, and the general vertues of it, before we come to the preparations which Chymistry hath found upon this noble and excellent Compound; which properly is nothing else but a mineral Salt near kin to metallick nature, and chiefly to Copper and Iron, or ♀ and ♂. Venus and Mars. There is three several kinds of it, which contain many other species under them. For first of all there is the blew Vitriol as blew as a Sa∣phire,

in hard, clear, solid and dry Chrystals, called commonly Cypruss Vitriol, or Hungarian. There is a second kind, greenish, of grass colour, lesse compact and in lesse Chrystals, broken in∣to corns almost as common salt, something unctuous and sticking to the hand when it is toucht, though it hath but little of moisture; such is that which is extracted in the Countrey of Liege, made about Spa, where are acid, sulphureous and vitriolick springs; but great care must be had not to be surprized and de∣ceived by that which is of a blewish white, and very small corns and wetting the hands of those that touch it, because this is the very worst of all. The last and third kind of Vitriol is that which is white, and is found in small cakes at the D••ugsters shops, compact∣ed, hard and dry, which we call in France white Copporis, commonly made use of for Vomits and Eye-wa••ers. Our Artist must take for the subject of his work of the second kind of Vitriol, if he will ex∣tract such Remedies from it, as his hopes do lead him to: for the first kind which holds of Silver or Copper, hath too much of me∣tallick earth, and very little of acid spirit. The second which is blewish, is aluminous and terrestrial, and hath scarce any good a∣cidity in it, but only a course and excrementitious earth, which has little or none of metallick Tincture: wherefore let him still gene∣rally chuse of the second for his operations, unlesse he hath some peculiar intention of his own, or that the Author which he follows doth tye him to it, and prescribe positively so.

After the choyce of Vitriol we must come to the proprieties and general Vertues thereof, which are to heat, desiccate, astringe or bind, and excite violent vomiting, constipate, open, and kill wormes. As for external applications it provokes sneezing, if put in the nostrils, and applyed to the orifice of the Vessels open, or to wounds, doth stop the blood. We have also spoken more particularly of the vertues of Vitriol in the Chapter of Metals, when we treated of Copper, whereunto for more satisfaction we send back our Artist.

The general preparations which Chymistry teaches upon Vitriol are, purification, calcination, distillation, sublimation, precipi••ation, salification, extraction, whereof we will give examples that the Ar∣tist may afterwards be capable to seek by himself in this noble Mi∣neral, those Vertues and Wonders which God and Nature for the help and ease of mankind have concentrated in it.

Of the Purification of Vitriol and manner of Preparing the Gelly.

WEE have so often already made mention of the Purifica∣tion of Salts, that it will be no difficult matter to lead the Artist to understand that of Vitriol: it is performed two several wayes and upon two several intentions. The first is but a plain dissolution of Vitriol in Rain-water, followed with filtration, e∣vaporation to a Pellicula or thin skin and chrystallization. The second must be done in distilled May dew-water; but the disso∣lution and filtration being made, the Artist must put his liquor to digest in B. M. during the space of a Philosophical moneth, and he will finde a skin separated by the liquor on the top of it, and feces precipitated in the bottom, which must be yet separated by filtration, and this digestion continued until the Vitriol doth cast forth no more impurity; after which evaporate it slowly and chrystallize. The first chrystallization or purification takes only away the superficial and outward foulnesse; but the second se∣parates the very central impurity; The first Vitriol may be made use of in all common and vulgar operations, but the second is to be kept for extraordinary preparations, which are the Tinctures and Arcana's.

The Son of Art shall meet also in several Authors with a kind of preparation they call Gilla, which are only fit for Vomits, and are nothing else properly, but purified Vitriol separated from their metallick earth: but as these Remedies are for the most part violent, and particularly the Gilla prepared with blew Vi∣triol, my advice is to abstain from them, and to make use of the purification of white Vitriol, which is done by dissolving of it four times in a little Centaury water, filtrated, evaporated, and reduced to Chrystals: for this Water doth not only encrease its emetick faculty, but moreover doth specificate it to become an excellent Remedy against Feavers. The Dosis may be from x. grains to ℈ iv. in Broths, lukewarm Beer, some Decoction or convenient Water: it provokes vomiting very gently, and clean∣ses

the stomach from all impurities and foulnesse, checking the appetite, and causing disgust of meat, headach and fluxions: it is good against diseases of the Ventricle, tertian Agues and quotidi∣an Feavers, wormes in the Belly, Plague and growing Epi∣lepsie.

The Calcination of Vitriol.

THe Calcination of Vitriol is performed several wayes and for several intentions. But amongst the Calcinations of Vitriol some are rather to be called Exsiccations, as that which is made by the Reverberation of the Sun-beames in the Ca∣nicular dayes, to prepare that famous and so much celebrated Magnetical Remedy, which is called Sympathetical powder. There is likewise an Exsiccation made in the Sun in a Pan, or upon the top of an Oven heated every day, to deprive it of its superfluous moisture, and make it ready afterwards and ser∣viceable for distilling of aqua fortis, and for several other Chymi∣cal Preparations. But as the chief scope and intention of the Sons of Art is to reduce Vitriol into Colchotar, and that this intention is fully accomplished and attained unto in the distil∣lation of Vitriol, I do not finde it necessary to lose by vio∣lent ignition in an open fire, that substance which flyes from it, since it hath very good uses in Physick's; wherefore we will not insist to deliver the manner of it which is too plain to be unknown; but we will show how Vitriol may be cal∣cinated by a noble Philosophical Calcination, without losse of any of its essential proprieties, provided your prescriptions in this particular may be exactly followed.

The Philosophical calcination of Vitriol.

℞ Vitriol purified by digestion, in the manner we have de∣clared above; dry it between two Papers in a very slow heat, until it turnes of it self into a dry powder, which must be put in one or several Matrasses with a flat bottom, the thicknesse of a shilling or a little more, or of the back of a Knife, observing well this prescription, otherwise it might come short of your design; heat the Vessels Hermetically, and put them in ashes as deep as the matter is high, and about half a finger above; then give it a fire, which must not exceed the Suns heat in Summer, and without any interruption continue the same during the space of a Philosophi∣cal moneth which is 40 dayes, and thus the Vitriol will by degrees from a white colour passe into a yellowish, and from yellow to a red, which comes to the height of blood reduced to powder; then remove the fire, break the Vessels, and keep this Philosophical Vitriol as a rare and excellent Remedy, both inward and outward, possessing in it self the true soul and Tincture of this Mixt, which may be extracted with the true alkohol of Tartarized Wine, if the Artist hath the gift of patience, and takes not the shadow for the substance and body.

The distillation of Vitriol.

WEE will not teach here the bare Distillation of Vitriol, to draw thereof an acid or corrosive Spirit, which common∣ly and improperly is called its Oyle: but our intention is to make an exact anatomy thereof, that the Son of Art may the better ap∣prehend what are the several parts thereof, and his judgement by consequence be well and duly informed of the substances which are extracted from it, and of their Medicinal faculties.

To prepare the Dew of Vitriol.

℞ As much as you will of purified Vitriol, put it in a broad mouth Cucurbite only eight inches high; place it in B. M. and having covered it with a Limbeck-head, and fitted a Recipient, the joints well luted with a bladder wetted with white of Eggs, give it fire by degrees untill the water of the Balneo doth boyl, and thus proceed in this distillation until this degree of heat drives no more liquor, and no more drops will fall. What you finde in the Recipient put in a bottle, which stop with Wax and Bladder, by reason of a little of the volatile spirit mixt in this Dew, and wherein doth consist its greatest vertue; it is given from ℈ j. to ℈ ij. and iij. in Broth or some other convenient Liquor, to those that are troubled with Megrim and other paines in the Head; it allayes the heats and ebullitions of the blood, and strengthens the entrals.

To draw the acid Water of Vitriol.

AS the Artist must work with method and study, if he intends to make any progresse; so likewise must he be a good Hus∣band of his time, fire and Vessels. Wherefore let him have a Fur∣nace in readinesse with a sand Vessel or Capsula, and the sand warm in it; when he perceives that the B. M. drawes no more of the substance of the Vitriol, because it is a token to him that the matter hath need of a stronger degree of heat to be driven to yield any thing more, let him then draw the Cucurbite from the Bal∣neo, and wipe it to take off the moisture from it, and place it all warm and luted upon one inch and a half thick of warm sand, and let him put of the same equally warm round about as high as the matter goes; then the Recipient being fitted again, let him en∣crease the fire by degrees until the head of the Limbeck be filled with white vapours, and that no more drops of the liquor shall fall from the nose of it; then let him remove the fire from the mat∣ters

and Furnace. Put also the liquor which is in the Reci∣pient in a bottle, and stop it as the other: for it is not an use∣lesse Phlegm as many have conceited, which did despise it and throw it away, not well versed with the anatomy of Vitriol and the knowledge of those Liquors which it yields by distillation. This water stath but very little acidity in it self, but participates already of the aperitive and anodyne vertue of Vitriol; which make it to be very successfully used for the cleansing of the Reines, and softening and allaying of all inward corrosions. It quenches the thirst of feaverish persons, and provokes Urine abundantly. This Liquor is also very good for washing of the eyes, if you add a little salt of Saturn with it; it takes away also inflammations, and allayes the grief of corroding and malignant Ulcers, if they be washt with it warm; and having a little of salt of Tartar mix∣ed with it, it takes away itching in the skin and drives away scabs.

To make the acid Spirit and corrosive oyle of Vitriol.

TAke the dry matter left in the Cucurbite, after distillation of the two forementioned Liquors; beat it to a course powder, pour the powder in a glass or earthen Retort, cover it with one finger thick of such a composition as may withstand the most vio∣lent fire; place this Re••ort in a close Reverberatory, and fit to it a capacious and large Recipient, which must also be well luted, and the Lute being dry, give it a graduate fire as we have taught, when we treated of the distillation of spirit of Salt; but the fire must be driven much higher and longer with the flame of a very dry wood; for it must be continued three dayes and three nights without any interruption, so as the Recipient may still remain full of white clouds and vapours, and that at the end drop down red and blackish drops, which grow clearer towards the end, by which you may perceive the operation to draw to an end, and that the fire hath drawn from the matter, as much as the Artist may and ought to hope for, though some weary themselves unnecessarily, continuing the fire without intermission twelve or fifteen dayes: but they betray their skill in so doing, and show how ignorant

they are of the matter upon which they work, and much more of the sphere of activity of the flame of fire which they made use of; you must then remove the fire when you perceive the signes we have noted, and begin to moisten the Lute in the neck of the Re∣cipient with a little warm water, unlesse you will stay till the next day which would be best: go slowly to work for fear of breaking any thing, and by an overhasty precipitancy losing on a sudden what hath cost so much labour and charge: draw then the Recipient slowly away, and what you finde in it pour in a glasse Retort, which having placed in sand, and fitted a Recipient unto i••, give a gradual fire until the drops begin to fall down, which taste from time to time, to change the Recipient assoon as you perceive them to have an acidity, and after you have drawn two parts of the liquor which was in the Recipient, remove the fire, and so shall you have three Liquors: the first whereof shall al∣most be of an insipid taste, but with a sulphureous smell, which is a token of the volatile spirit, and this mix with the sowr Li∣quor, or keep by it self for the same uses. The second hath a pleasant and penetrating acidity or sharpnesse, which is that they properly call the acid spirit of Vitriol, used in Physick: for it is Diuretical, Diapho••etical, Aperitive, Incisive, and resists to pu∣trefaction and inflammations. Wherefore it is of wonderful ver∣tue against all burning Feavers, occasioned by putrid and malig∣nant matters, and also against obstructions of the Liver, Spleen and Mesentery; it is good to restore appetite, when lost; it streng∣thens the faculties of the stomach, and doth correct the defects of it: It asswages Toothach, if mixed with white Wine, and garga∣rized in the mouth; if you mix of this spirit with water of the juyce of great Celancine, and rub with this mixture the scurf in the head, it destroyes the root of it, and kills that ill, harsh and corrosive humour which doth infect the skin; it is given in Broths or ordinary Drinks of sick persons. The Dosis must be to a plea∣sant acidity or sharpnesse, for otherwise it would set the Teeth on edge, and prove troublesome to those that would use it.

Filtrate the Liquor remaining in the Retort after the distillation of the acid spirit through Glasse beaten to powder, for otherwise it would corrode all other substance, being altogether corrosive; put it in a double glasse Viol, and stop it with a glasse stopple ve∣ry

close. This is called oyle of Vitriol, though improperly, since it is neither inflammable, nor unctuous: but the manner of ex∣pression of Writers must be followed, from whom this Liquor had its first denomination, being too harsh and violent for inward Re∣medies, and only fit and subservient to other Chymical works.

We will not speak here of the preparation of the sweet earth of Vitriol, called by some Terra Damnata, or damned earth, in regard it is destitute of its own salt; this earth and salt are ex∣tracted of the matter remaining in the Retort after the distillation of the oyle and spirit of Vitriol, which Chymists call by the name of Caput Mortuum, or dead Head. We shall defer to speak of these two particulars till we come to treat of Salification: the Artist must only expose this Caput mortuum to the free ayre, in a place not open to the Rain, that it may attract the influences of the heavens and of the ayre.

We could bring here the description of several compounded spirits of Vitriol, and specificated for some particular Disease: but we leave the choyce thereof to the skil and fancy of the Artist, or the directions which he shall finde in Writers which have large∣ly treated thereof; we will only give for a taste two Processes or Preparations of it, by which he may be guided in any further work he shall intend or undertake thereupon. The first shall be a sweet and pleasant spirit of Vitriol, the second a very considerable A∣peritive and rate Dissolvent, both proceeding from the same spring, but only brought by us to shew the variety and difference of O∣peration.

To prepare the Oyle or sweet spirit of Vitriol.

℞ lb iij. of calcined Vitriol between yellow and red, in an earthen Pot not glazed in an open fire; beat it to powder, pour it into a Cucurbite, and sprinkle it with good distilled Vinegar un∣til it be reduced to a Pap; stir the Vessel without intermission, and pour in it new distilled Vinegar three fingers high; put the Cucurbite in a vaporous Balneo and cover it with a Blindhead, then during the space of three natural dayes, give it a digestive fire; the fourth day draw off the Vinegar by decantation, and pour fresh

Vinegar in the room of it, digesting again the space of three dayes, and extracting and taking off the Liquor by decantati∣on; thus proceed seven times without omitting digestion; fil∣trate all the distilled Vinegar, which is impregnated with the vertue of the Vitriol, and put it in a Cucurbite in ashes; draw off the superfluous Menstruum by distillation with a slow and graduate fire to the consistency of decocted Honey; this make into Pellets with pebble stones calcinated to powder, these pellets put in a Retort and draw the spirit and oyle thereof, as they call it, with a graduate fire of the requisite heat; this distillation will require twenty four or thirty hours of fire, or thereabout. The Liquor which you finde in the Recipient rectifie in a glass Re∣tort in sand, and keep for use. This Spirit or Oyle is of a plea∣sant and sweetish taste, having in it the vertues of Vitriol mixt with those of the subtile Tartar in the distilled Vinegar: where∣fore it may be given with much successe in all Diseases proceed∣ing from grosse and tartarous matters, as Scurvy, Gravel, great Pocks, Gout, Rheumatism's and Catarrhs, and generally in all Diseases abounding with malignant, grosse and sharp serosities, as in Leprosie, Scabs and Itch: for this wonderful Spirit doth recti∣fie the whole masse of the blood by Urine, Sweats, and insensible transpiration. The Dosis must be from ℈ j. to ʒ ss. in Broths, Decoctions, white Wine, or appropriated Syrups. The Theo∣rical and Practical part of this Spirit might afford unto us a large field of speculation; but having already spoken of it when we handled the first Menstruum for extraction of the Tincture of Coral, where we made some reflection upon the action and mu∣tual reaction of Vitriol and Tartar, we refer the Artist to that place.

The Tartarized Spirit of Vitriol.

℞ lb ij. of Vitriol well purified and only dryed, and lb j. of Tartar of Montpellier washed in white Wine and well dryed; beat them to powder each asunder, mix them exactly, and put in a glass Retort well luted, distil the spirit in a close Reverbera∣tory fire with requisite precautions; especially take a care that the

Recipient may be very capacious, or put one with three mouthes, that there may be the more room to keep within bounds the fu∣riousnesse of this Spirit which is very violent; drive the fire from 48 to 60 houres, and then cease. All what is come out rectifie in a Retort in sand three times at least, and keep this Spirit in a well stopt Viol. Then take the Caput mortuum which remains in the Retort, and put it to digest in the dew of Vitriol in the va∣porous Balneo the space of 24 houres; separate the Menstruum by inclination, and begin the digestion with new Menstruums, until it comes off with the same taste as it was put in; filtrate all the extractions, and slowly evaporate them in ashes to a skin, then let it chrystallize: but it will be more expedient for husbanding of time, to dry all the saline matter into a white and pure salt in the vapour of a boyling Balneo in an earthen Pan or white earthen Dish: for you must forbear using metallick Vessels, because this salt doth easily and quickly contract the taste and colour of Me∣tals; and if the salt did not prove white and pure enough, dis∣solve it again in new dew of Vitriol, and let it digest in a very gentle heat of the vaporous Balneo, that if any impurity should remain it should be precipitated to the bottom of the Vessel; the liquor must be filtrated in the cold, then evaporated and dryed slowly and cleanly. Put this salt in a double Vessel or Blind bo∣dy, and pour upon it the rectified spi it thereof, stop and lute the Blindhead, and put it to digest and circulate in B. M. in a slow and moderate heat the space of three weeks, which being ex∣pired, open the Vessel, and pour into a Retort all the matter contained in it, having first noted the weight thereof, and distil it in sand, until it yields nothing more by encreasing of the fire; weigh the liquor which is come forth, and cohobate it upon the salt which did remain in the Retort, reiterate the distillation, and you shall finde the spirit to be encreased in weight, which is a token that the salt ascends into Spirit, cohobate and distil so long that all the said salt may come over the Helm; which done, put this spirit in a Cucurbite, draw off the same gently in ashes, then encrease the fire something more towards the end and the salt will remain in the bottom of the Vessel, which having placed in sand, give it a subliming fire, then will the salt ascend insipid, pure and clean, leaving in the bottom its impurity and more cor∣poreal

parts; put this salt in a Pellican, and having poured its own spirit upon it, lute the mouth of the circulatory Vessel with a glasse stople, whites of Eggs and quick lime; and digest and circu∣late this matter the space of seven natural dayes, and thus shall you have the most excellent and penetrating Spirit which Art can prepare, to which we cannot attribute enough of vertue and ef∣ficacy for preserving and restoring of health; for it is an uni∣versal Aperitive, which never will fail in time of need. They that shall be acquainted with his excellency, both in respect of Physick and of Chymical operation, shall never question the truth of what I say: but I must give advice to the Artist to carry him∣self with circumspection in this Operation, and not to grow weary of the length thereof, since he will receive in the end all the benefit and satisfaction which his hopes could entertain. This work doth not concern such as think themselves very great Ar∣tists, when they have attained to the preparation of Mineral Chry∣stal, Cremor of Tartar, and Crocus Metallorum; but contrati∣wise is worth the labour of those that are most consummated in the study, and most versed in all the passages of a Chymical La∣boratory; and it is only for their sakes, that we have related here this excellent, but laborious Preparation, because they only know that, Dii laboribus omnia vendunt.

The Precipitation of Vitriol.

THe common settlement of the dissolution of Vitriol, is nothing else but a metallick earth and Oker, and is for the most part confounded with the true Precipitations, which are performed only by instillation of some kind of salts or spirits: but there is a great difference between the matters proceeding from them; wherefore we will speake of it with the requisite order.

To make the Metallick Earth or Oker of Vitriol.

℞ As much Vitriol as you will, dissolve it in a full quart of distilled Rain-water; this dissolution put in a great Matrass, and place it in a moderate heat the space of four dayes, and all the me∣tallick earth or Oker of the Vitriol will fall in the bottom of the Vessel; separate the water by inclination, and wash this Earth, then dry it; it is used so for sublimation.

To make the sweet sulphur of Vitriol.

℞ Of the purest of Vitriol you can get, and dissolve it in water of May-dew; digest the solution the space of seven natural dayes in a vaporous Balneo, filtrate it the eighth day, and draw off again half of the Menstruum by distillation in the boyling Bal∣neo; draw out the Vessel whilst it is yet warm, and precipitate the sulphur contained in the Liquor with oyle of Tartar per d••liquium; let the liquor grow clear by little and little, then draw it off by inclination, then by several effusions of distilled Rain-water e∣dulcorate the remaining sulphur, and being exactly dryed, keep it for use. It is a very good Remedy against affections of the brest; it may be administred from ij. to x. graines in some Syrup, Lohoch, Lozenges, or Conserve appropriated to the Disease. It is also successfully used to mundifie and cicatrize evil Ulcers. It may al∣so be sublimated.

To make the Purging Sulphur of Vitriol.

℞ lb ij. of Vitriol of Liege well depurated, mix it exactly with ℥ vj. of Filings of Steel very pure and clean, put this mix∣ture in a great Matrass, and pour upon it sharp or sowr water of Vi∣triol four inches high, then put it to digest in B. M. the space of four dayes, stirring the Vessel five or six times every day: this done,

filtrate the liquor, and draw off one half by distillation in ashes, then precipitate the rest with oyle of Tartar made per deliquium; to lb iij. of the liquor pour on drop by drop ℥ v. of the oyle of Tartar, and proportionably if there be more or lesse: let the sul∣phur settle, then decant the clear liquor, edulcorate and exsiccate as we have taught above. This Sulphur is a mild and commodi∣ous Purgative, very good for those that have any indisposition in the breast or lungs, or do incline towards Consumption or hectick Feavers; it may be given from two graines to six, in Conserve of Roots of Enula Campana, or Conserve of the Berry of Eglantine, called Cynosbatos. But my advice is to those which would pro∣ceed yet more warily and with greater curiosity in obtaining the best Remedies, to digest this sulphur in a slow heat, in a Matrass seal'd Hermetically, during the space of 40 dayes, and it will en∣crease half in vertue, and the Dosis be lesse by half.

To make the fixed and volatile Sulphur of Vitriol.

DIssolve lb vj. of Liege Vitriol very well purified, in a sufficient quantity of distilled Rain-water; this done, put lb j. of Fi∣lings of Needles very clean in a glazed Pan, pour upon it this dis∣solution, and stir them together, and place the Pan in some posi∣tion where the Sun may freely play upon, and there leave it until the matter doth grow thicker by degrees, which you must stir often, and at last dry up wholly; then beat it to powder, and add lb j. φ. more of new Filings of Steel, and sprinkle it with distilled Rain∣water until all be reduced to a pretty clear pap, which dry again in the Sun, stirring it often, and thus proceed to the seventh time, until the matter takes up a very high red Tincture; then being well deprived of all aqueous moisture, put it in a great Marrass, and pour upon excellent distilled Vinegar four inches high, put it to digest in sand, and stir it often; this digestion continue until the Vinegar be well tinged with a red colour, then remove it and pour other in the place, and thus continue until the Vinegar drawes no more Tincture. Filtrate afterwards all the Extractions, and di∣vide them into two equal parts, one of which must be put in ashes in a Cucurbite, and all the menstruum thereof drawn off by distil∣lation

by a graduate heat to a dry bottom; them make the Lotion and edulcoration of the matter with distilled Rain-water until the water comes off tastelesse from it; after this dry it gently be∣tween two papers in a moderate and equal heat; and thus shall you have the burning and volatile sulphur of Vitriol, mixt with that of Mars, easie to take flame, and even to be consumed wholly away if it be set on sire, yielding a purple flame as Cin∣nabar doth which hath store of sulphur in it self; keep it for use for Asthmatick persons instead of flower of Brimstone, being much more efficacious and full of vertue; it is given from iv. gr. to ℈φ. in Lozenges with Benjuin flowers, or in Bolus, with Con∣serve of flowers of Coltsfoot.

The other half of the Liquor kept also as above, must be put filtrated in B. M. in a Cucurbite. Then draw off one half or the two third parts of the Menstruums, and precipitate the remainder with oyle of Tartar made per deliquium poured drop after drop, until no precipitation will longer ensue; let the fix∣ed sulphur settle in the bottom of the Cucurbite some space of time; then separate the liquor from it, wash and edulcorate the remainder, and dry it according to Art; put this sulphur in a Matrasse or Philosophical Egg, and concoct and ripen it in an equal and fermentative heat the space of a Philosophical month, and it will become of a fair red and high in colour. It is a true Preserver and Restorer of health, being given four times in the moneth as a Preservative, and three times in the week for a Curative, from j. grain to viij. in Confection of Hyacinth fasting, drinking upon it a small glasse of some good Wine, or Cordial and stomachal Drink; for this sulphur drives the irradiation of its vertue through the whole body, and ex∣pels from it all impurities, either sensibly by Sweat or Urine, or insensibly by gentle and amicable transpiration. It may even be raised higher, but we keep that processe for the end, when we come to speak of the Extraction of Vitriol.

The Sublimation of Vitriol.

WEE have just immediately before taught how the sulphur of Vitriol or its Metallick earth was to be separated by precipitation, and the sublimation teaches how the Flowers of it are to be severed from it, which are nothing else but the sub∣stance of Copper or Iron, which is found in all the kinds of Vi∣triol. Our purpose of giving this Preparation, is only to de∣monstrate to the Artist the truth of the composition of things. Take then equal parts of metallick earth or oker of Vitriol and Armoniack salt, and beat them to powder each by themselves; then mix them exactly together, and sublime in sand in a Cucur∣bite somewhat low, covered with a still-Head; give it first a slow fire, and encrease it by degrees, until you perceive that no vapour more ascends; then remove the fire, and let the Vessels cool, and take from the Limbeck-head and sides of the Cucurbite the sublimated matter, and having put it in a Matrass, pour upon it common water; then place the Vessel in B. M. and digest it in a moderate heat the space of 24 houres, and the water will dis∣solve the salt, and the substance of the metallick Martial and Vene∣rean Flowers falls to the bottom in subtile powder, which must be separated from the liquor loted and edulcorated, then dryed. It is a very good astringent and desiccative Remedy for all kinds of Ulcers, and chiefly for any pain in the eye. It breeds and re∣paires flesh, mundifies and siccatrizes better then any other Re∣medy.

The Salification of Vitriol.

WEE have deferred hitherto to speak of the Caput mortuum of Vitriol remaining after distillation, saying only a∣bove, that it was to be exposed to the open ayr and influence of Heaven in a covered place, exposed to the free passage of the winds: but we will now teach here how to extract the salt thereof,

after it has been penetrated by the ayr during the space of six weeks or more. Take it then after that time and put it in a Cucurbite, or which is yet better, in an earthen Pan, and pour up∣on it distilled Rain-water, or new and fresh River water, and stir the matter as you pour the water in; otherwise it would grow hard in the bottom; digest all the matter in sand and stir it often, that the salt may the better be extracted; then filtrate the liquor, and slowly evaporate till it contracts a skin, and let it shute into Chri∣stals, and go on thus evaporating and chrystallizing until you can get no more salt; this salt dry gently between two papers, and keep for its uses. After this, take care to edulcorate well the red brownish earth which remaines after the salt is extracted, and to dry and keep it for its use, which is both inward and out∣ward. Internally it is a very good Remedy against the bloody Flux and Dysentery; it is also very good to dry running of the Reines, and stop the fluxion of Gonorrhaeas, the Whites and Reds in Wo∣men, and Hemorrhagy, and above all against spitting of blood; externally applyed it is a very good Emplastical and Balsamical Remedy, which mundifies and cicatrizes gently and without pain, all Wounds and Ulcers: wherefore it is used in Ointments, Cere∣cloths, Liniments and Plaisters.

The true Vitriolick salt which we extracted from this Earth must be white inclining upon the pale red of Roses, and chrystalliz'd as the salt of Saturn in small streaks, long and thin; the taste must rather incline towards mite then acerbity or harshnesse, for it must not keep the Idea or Character of of Vitriol, nor take the cu∣bical or Lozangical figure; otherwise it would not be the true salt of Vitriol; this salt being so qualified as we have described, is full of ma∣ny excellent vertues, which makes it to be a fit remedy for Epilepsy, and for such as are troubled with frequent & great headaches, pro∣ceeding from the corruption and superfluity of matters stuffing the stomach. It is given also against Pleuresy, malignant & pestilential Feavers, and swoonings, and Deliquiums proceeding from some re∣pletion of the ventricle, as also against obstructions of the Liver, Spleen & Reins. It may also be drawn into the nostrils to provoke sneezing, and unburthen the brain from such serous & excrementiti∣ous matters, which do oppress and cause the distention of its mem∣branes: for it is an excellent and specifical Sternutatory. Tsie Dosis must be from vj. gr. to ℈ ij. and ʒ j. in broth, beer, or some appro∣priated Decoction.

The extraction of Vitriol.

BY the extraction of Vitriol we do here understand nothing else then the operation which is made to draw the Tincture of it, which can proceed of nothing else but the sulphur thereof; wherefore we will teach-two several extractions of this Sulphur: the first of the volatile sulphur, the second of the fixed, that a; the processes are various, so the spirit of the Son of Arr may be the better enlightened to penetrate further into the search and operation which will be requisite and necessary to obtain to the possession of the greatest Arcana's which are concealed in natural bodies.

The Tincture or essence of the Sulphur of Vitriol.

BEfore we come to the extraction of the Tincture, the body of the sulphur must have been open and deprived of all its materiality and coursnesse, that it may communicate its soul to the Menstruums which is used for this pu••••••se; Take lb j. of the sweet sulphur of Vitriol very dry, and mix it with lb ss. of salt of Tartar very white, very pure, and very dry; this mixture being put in a Retort, place it in a close Reverberatory, upon the cover of an earthen pot turned upside down; having the thicknesse of one inch of sand upon it, and fit to it a well luted Recipient; then give it a gradual fire, and go on still encreasing the fire, until the red oyle begins to come forth by drops; then keep the fire in the same tenor and degree, and continue it until by that degree of heat nothing will come forth more, which is a sign the last and extreme degree of heat must be used, which is called the fire of suppression, being a violent fire kindled both upwards and downwards, which must be continued the space of four houres; that being over, re∣move the fire and let the Vessels cool. The liquor or red oyle must be poured into a small Cucurbite, pouring upon it drop by drop very good distilled Vinegar, until the internal sulphur of the

Vitriol which was ascended into liquor, be precipitated to a red Violet purple powder, which must afterwards be separated from the liquor and washed to edulcorate, and afterwards dryed very gently. This precious powder put in a blind Matrass, and pour upon it true alkohol of tartarized Wine three fingers high; then stop the Vessel well, and lute it with a bladder thrice doubled, made wet in whites of Egges beaten in water. This Vessel place in a vaporous Balneo in shred straw the space of three weeks, or until the Artist doth perceive that the essence of this sulphur hath forsaken its matter, and swims above the spirit of Wine in the form of a Wine distilled from Cinnament, which separate with the Funnel, after the Vessels are grown cold, and keep it choicely and carefully in a well stopped Viol. All that have treated of this Essence of sulphur of Vitriol, do attribute unto it admirable vertues, and equal it to the Tincture of Antimony; it is given from j. drop to vj. in Balm-water, made with the Plant, digest∣ed and fermen••ed with its own juyce, to drive away insensibly and yet naturally all what can be hurtful to the body, and may be the occasional cause of the irritations of the Archeus; it pro∣vokes appetite and Venery, strengthens the Matrix, and allayes all irregular motions of it, rectifies and encreases the seed, and makes it prolifick & fruitful in either sex; it doth wonders in Dropsies if administred in Parsly water; hinders all Meteotisms and violent, ri∣sing vapours of the Spleen, given in water of Sassafras: briefly it may be said to be Pa••acea of Vitriol; you must observe that the use of it is to be continued according to the greatnesse and stub∣bornnesse of the Diseases; but to preserve health it will suffice to take of it two or three times in a moneth.

The Tincture of fixed Sulphur of Vitriol.

WEE said above, that we did refer our selves to speak in this place of the extraction of fixed sulphur of Vitriol, the pre∣paration whereof we have already taught, and it is performed in this manner. ℞ ℥ iv. of this fixed sulphur of Vitriol, concoct∣ed and matured in it self, and put in a Pel••ican. ℞ also ℥ vj. of tartarized spirit of Vitriol, and as much pure alkohol of Wine,

unite them together by distillation in B. M. then pour them up∣on the sulphur into the Pellican; lute exactly the joints thereof, and put it to digest and circulate in a vaporous Balneo, until you see the liquor grown blood red; then remove the fire, and de∣cant what you finde to be pure and clear into a small Cucurbite, to draw off the half of a third part of the Menstruum, and keep the rest as a Remedy yet more universal in operation and vertue, and more precious then the foregoing. We will neverthelesse attribute unto it no other faculty; for whosoever can prepare it, shall never fail to know also the way to use it. The Dosis may be from j. drop to iv. in Broth or Wine.