To make the Water, Oyl, Spirit, volatile and fixed Salt, of Humane Bloud.
TAke in the month of May, a good quantity of some young mens bloud, which they ordinarily cause in that season to be let out for prevention of diseases, and distil it in Ashes in a large Glass Body; but to prevent the raising of it in the Head or Lim∣beck, put upon it two or three handful of Hemp, luting all ex∣actly, and fitting a convenient Receiver; rule your fire accurately by proportionate degrees, and take care above all things, that the remaining Mass after distillation in the bottom may not burn, but be only dryed sufficiently. So shall you have Water Page 135and Spirit, which rectifie in Balneo: with the Water you may ex∣tract the Salt remaining in the Caput mortuum, after due calcina∣tion; the Spirit may be preserved as it is, to be used against the Falling-sickness, and Convulsion fits of children. The dosis from ℥ ss. to ℥ i. It is also a specifick Remedy for the same diseases, if you mix with it the Flower of Lilly-convally and Lavender, to extract the Tincture thereof. It will nevertheless be better, if you co∣hobate it in a Retort upon what did remain in the bottom of your Cucurbit, or Glass Body nine several times, or so long till it hath got a ruby colour, and that the Oyl cometh at last with its volatile Salt, sticking to the Neck of the Glass or the sides of your Recipient; then mix it with the Spirit, and joyn them to∣gether by distillation in Balneo. This is that Spirit impregnated with its volatile Salt, so much cryed up for the cure of Palsie, be∣ing inwardly taken from six drops to ten, in Broths, or decoction of Squina-root, or in white generous Wine.
What did remain in the bottom of the Glass Body, must be calcinated with a circular fire to extract the Salt thereof, with the water that came first in the distillation, filtring, evaporating, and crystallizing, to preserve for the following use.
Take the distilled Oyl, and rectifie it upon Colcothar in Sand in a Retort, until you find it subtile and penetrative; mix the fixed Salt with your Oyl, and digest it together, until they be perfectly united; and thus shall you have a wonderful Balsom, to allay the grief of Gout in hands, and feet, and remove the swel∣ling and redness thereof: But, that which is more considerable, is, that this remedy softens, dissipates, and dissolves the Chalk ga∣thered by the Gouty humor in the Joynts, as also coagulations in the Joynts of Pocky Bodies, being purged before with the ordi∣nary preparations of Mercury and Antimony.
But you must not stick still at the Spring season of the year, whereby to get your blood; for if necessity doth require it, you may take it also in the other seasons of the year; you may also make use of Goat, Swine, Near, or Sheeps bloud, and distil it with the same Art, and in the same manner as humane bloud; for in perfect Animals, the natural digestions are performed in the same manner, and their bloud is endowed with the same vertues; only that of Man is of a subtiler nature, by reason of the delicacy of his food.
