A compendious body of chymistry, which will serve as a guide and introduction both for understanding the authors which have treated of the theory of this science in general: and for making the way plain and easie to perform, according to art and method, all operations, which teach the practise of this art, upon animals, vegetables, and minerals, without losing any of the essential vertues contained in them. By N. le Fèbure apothecary in ordinary, and chymical distiller to the King of France, and at present to his Majesty of Great-Britain.

The sublimation; To make the Flowers of Brimstone.

AS we have said heretofore that Tartar was purified by disso∣lution, percolation or straining, and chrystallization, and Antimony by its reduction into Regulus, so do we say here, that the Brimstone is only purified from its feces and earthly superflui∣tie, by sublimation into Flowers, which are absolutely nothing else but a well purified Brimstone; to prepare well these Flowers, you must chuse of the best Brimstone and bray it grosly, then put a Cucurbite of earth in sand, the bottom near the plate of Iron on which it stands, having but the thicknesse of a finger of sand be∣tween; put lb ss. of Brimstone at every time, and cover it with a Head which must not be luted; have another also warm in rea∣dinesse to substitute into the place of this which lyeth on the Cu∣curbite, when it shall be filled with Flowers; after you have given it a gentle and gradual fire of sublimation: there must also be a small Matrass for a Recipient, to receive at first a little portion of sharp fine spirit, which rises before the Flowers and condenseth in∣to liquor in the Limbeck. Thus proceed taking away the Flowers, and substituting a Head to the former taken away, until you per∣ceive the greatest part of the sulphur to have ascended into Flow∣ers; after which you may put again another lb φ. and thus go on till you have enough for your purpose. But you must be nimble in exchanging the Heads or Limbecks, lest that the ayre should set the Brimstone on fire, and if that should happen, let it be extinguished with ashes or burnt Allom. You must also regulate the fire conveniently until the sublimation begins to work, and entertain it in the same state; otherwise too much heat would melt the Flowers, before they were sufficiently carried up into the Limbecks Head.

Now there are some that do add Colchotar with the Brimstone & melted salt, to be able more boldly to give it fire, thinking also by this way to draw more pure and subtile Flowers. Others do mix also Bolus or terra sigillatae, which we do much better approve of then

the process of those who think it enough to mix only Brick flower or small Brick dust, because the oriental Bolusses or sigilled earths have in themseves a solar sulphur, which joyning with the flowers of Brimstone, renders them more efficacious. But we altogether disapprove of those who with the Brimstone do mix Gums and A∣loes, because the sublimation cannot be performed until the Gums also burn, what care or precaution soever is had in it: wherefore it is much better if the Gums beaten to small powder, be mixt with the flowers of Brimstone already sublimated, or what will be much better, the vertue of both be jointly extracted, as we shall teach here∣after. The flowers of Brimstone may be 3 or 4 times sublimated, for a greater depuration, concoction and maturation by the reiterated action of fire, which thus perfects by degrees what Nature had not yet accomplished, by reason of the heterogeneous and terrestrial mixture of matters.

The flowers of Brimstone resists putrefaction, provokes sweat∣ing, and dry humours. They are given with very great successe against pestilence and all malignant Feavers, whether us'd as a cu∣rative or preservative Remedy. They are also of singular use a∣gainst Asthma's and short breath, diseases of the Lungs, inveterate Coughs, Suffocations of the breast, Catarth's and Fluxions. There is not above ℈ ss. given for preservative, but for cures of diseases it is administred from ℈ j. to ʒ j. They are for the most part mixed in Lozenges or Opiat's, and often also given in new layd Eggs: but if you desire to quicken more their working, give them with Treacle, Conserve of Roots of Enula, Campane, or Extract of Juniper berries. There are some yet that sublimate the Flow∣ers of Brimstone with red Coral, and extract the Tincture thereof with oyle of Aniseed, which they give to Consumptive persons as a true specifick Remedy for their cure: but all these contrivances depending from the knowledge and experience of Physitians, we shall not instance upon any here to examplifie; for it is enough for us to have taught the best and surest way of performing the plain sublimation; for whosoever can make the simple Flowers, shall be in much lesse danger of erring in the preparation of those that are compounded.