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.

How Volatile Salts are to be stayed, fixed, and purified.

TAke such volatile Salt as you think fitting, put ℥ iiij. thereof in a high Cucurbit, which cover with its Head, on the top whereof let there be a hole of the bigness of a Goose-quill, lute exactly the Joynts, and put in the said hole a fitting Quill, stopt with Spanish Wax, or Gum-lack; then fit a small Recipient to the Limbeck, and softly pour by drops of very well rectified Spi∣rit of Salt, upon your volatile Salt which is to be wrought upon, and continue thus, until the noise and strife between the sharp Spirit and volatile sulphureous Salt be over, then shall you per∣ceive an union made of these two several Substances converted into Liquor; which if it appears to be impure, must be filtrated, if not, stop only the hole in the Limbecks Head with a Glass stopple, covered with a Bladder dipt in white of Egges: then fit your Vessel again in Balneo, and draw off the moisture, till but two parts remain, if so be you would have your Salt crystal∣lized; if not, draw all the moisture from it, and you shall find ℥ iiij. of Salt, fixed in a manner in the bottom of the Cucurbit or Glass Body, and if you have noted the weight of your Spirit of Salt, you shall find as much of tastless Liquor, and full of Em∣pyreuma in the Recipient. The Salt hath a fragrancy and very good smell, a sharp savour, and a Saline tast: The dosis of which is to be from ℈ ss. to ℈ i. It hath a vertue that penetrates to the remotest parts from the first digestion, without any altera∣tion, purifies the blond, and dissolves all excrementitious mat∣ters, which seem already to have incorporated themselves ••••••h our parts, but chiefly in gouty Bodies: it expels' Urine, Sand, Gravel and viscous humours from the Kidneys and Bladder, eva∣cuates

all matters by which melancholick affections are gene∣rated, resists better then any other Remedy to Putrefaction, opens all manner of Obstructions, cures all kinds of Agues, is the true preservative and curer of the Plague; and, to end in a word, the remainder of its vertues, blots out and takes away all the ill Ideas and Impressions, which have imparted their character to the Spirit of Life, the true seat of Health and Sickness: The dosis may also be augmented or diminished, according to the age, strength, and nature of the diseased and disease. But as Zwelphe∣rus hath been acquainted with the way of fixing the volatile Salt, by the help of an acid to take away its evil tast and smell, we will now declare the manner to draw off again this acid, and sublime the volatile Salt, restoring it to its first subtile nature, and encreasing by consequence its penetrating vertue, without contracting any evil savour or smell.