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.

First Discourse of distilled Waters.

IF Substances are not throughly known, it is impossible to have any good success in their Preparation, since from this knowledge doth absolutely depend, the exact and most commendable way of Operation: and, if that be necessary in all Chymical operations, much more is it in those which concern Vegetables, and chiefly the manner of their distillation without wasting any of their vertue, which hath induced me to believe it necessary, to give a general Idea of the nature of Plants, before I come to speak of their particular prepara∣tion.

We shall not speak here of Plants according to the sense of many; following the trace and steps of Botannick Authors, which for the most part have left us nothing but the external Picture of the Plant, and the divers degrees of their qualities, without taking any pains to teach us the differences of the intrinsecal nature of the same Plants, and much less the true manner of Anatomizing them, to separate and extract from them all what is good and serviceable, and also what is unprofitable.

To begin methodically; we must explain the nature of Plants, as they are in themselves, by the division we make of them, according to the degrees of their increase and perpetuation: for, they are either long-lived, or annual: The Long-lived (or vi∣vacious) are those whose roots in the two Aequinoxes do attract the universal nutriment to themselves; in the Vernal Aequinox they attract what is necessary to bud out and vegetate, to the full perfection of the Plant, which ends by her flower and seed; and in the Autumnal Aequinox, they attract wherewithall to re∣pair the exhausting of their strength, caused by the Suns heat, and of the other Stars and Planets. This Note is not made by us without necessity, being absolutely usefull, to acquaint the Artist with the most proper and fitting time to gather the Plant with its root, or to leave the same as unnecessary; for, if he hath need of the Plant a little after it is sprung out of the Earth, he must meditate with himself, and make a judicious reflexion, that this Plant is not yet furnished with that saline and spirituous nutriment, the Principle whereof is contained in the root, and that so his Operation will be lost upon this Plant; since what he may extract of it, is destituted of that strength and vertue which is desired by the Physician, and much more of that which is requisite to shew its efficacy against the disease; his recourse then shall be to the root, which containeth the Volatile Salt, the very soul of the Plant, and possessing in it self the vertue and efficacy of the whole. But if he desires to work upon the same Plant, when it hath almost attained to the period of her per∣fection, and that it hath but yet a small portion of its vertue left, which does administer yet a kinde of languishing life, untill it hath recovered its vertue, strength and new life, in the time of the Autumnal Aequinox, to the end that in Winter it may evade

destruction, and be renewed or born again in the Spring. By which it appears, that when the Plant is in her full state, as they speak commonly, the Artist must choose it between flower and seed, if he is desirous to enjoy the full vertue thereof; for when it hath attained to that perfection, the stalk, leaf, flowers, and the first seeds, are yet full of vigour and vertue, which they communicate to the Liquor extracted by distillation, which being a Volatile and Mercurial Salt, and an Embryonated Sulphur, containeth all the vertue of the Plant; for, that which is extracted from it, is a spirituous Water, which preserves it self very long, with the proper taste and odour of its subject, upon the surface of which swims an aethereal and subtile Oyl, which is that Embryonated Sulphur, mixt with part of its own Mercury. But if the Artist doth expect that the Plant should shoot and concen∣trate all its life in the seed, and that this Sulphur which was but embryonated, should become actuated and fully ripe, he must then in such a case reject the root, stalk, and leaf, because they have no more in themselves, that vertue which they had before. Here the Artist must meditate anew, and consult with the me∣thod of Natures action; for, the seed being once perfected, hath no more that Mercurial and saline moysture, which caused her vertue more easily to be extracted, but all is to the contrary re∣united, as it were, and lockt up under the skin of the kernel and the seed; and moreover, these seeds are of three differing kinds; for some are muscilagineous, and slimy, or like unto a Jelly; in the first of these, the Mercurial Salt and Sulphur are more fixt then Volatile, and so these seeds will not yield their vertue, but by the means of decoction; for, as they are clammy and sticking, the vertue thereof doth not ascend in the distillation: The other are milky, of a white and tender substance, whence Oyl may be extracted by expression, if so be they are well ripened and dryed; but their best vertue is only to be extracted, when you draw the Lacteous substance, or emulsion, out of it: For, this second kinde of seed is equally mixt with Volatile Salt and Sul∣phur, which easily communicates it self to Water; the Artist must not hope, by distillation to extract the vertue of this kinde of Seeds, no more then of the former. But there is a third kind of seed, altogether oleaginous and sulphurous, which communi∣cates

to the Water neither any Mucilage, viscosity or clammi∣ness, no more then whiteness; but to the contrary, their sub∣stance is compacted, drye, and astringent by a Sulphur predomi∣nant over the Salt. The Artist must distill this kind of seeds, either alone, or with addition; alone, if externally to be used; with addition, if it be to administer the remedy, which he pretends to extract internally to the Patient. These three differences or distinctions of seeds, do sufficiently shew, that it is required for a Chymical Apothecary to be very well vers'd in the know∣ledge of Nature, thereby to make the necessary observations upon the fixt and volatile parts of substances, whereupon he ope∣rates, that his work may orderly proceed, and not be unnecessa∣rily confounded.

The same Notes and Theorems are to be applyed to annual Plants, which are not preserved by their root, but are every year to be renewed by their seed. Now of these two sorts of Plants, either vivacious or annual, as well as of Seeds, there are three diffe∣rent kinds, viz. Those that yield no smell, of which some are almost insipid or tastless, or acid, or bitter, or severally intermixed of these two last qualities, and others which have a taste by them∣selves sharp and subtle; all these kind of Plants are green and tender, whose vertue begins to appear in the prime of their ve∣getation, because they do abound in Juice, which contains in it self an essential tartarous Salt, which with time and heat thic∣kens into a Mucilage, from whence, but with great difficulty, they cannot be separated; therefore must they be taken whilest they are yet juicy and tender, so as to break easily upon the least bending of their stalk. The second kind of Plants is alto∣gether opposite to the first; for, the Plant newly growing out of the ground is endued yet with little of vertue, even a good while after; for, when they are yet green and tender, they are tastless and inodorous, have no taste properly but of grass, because the superfluous humour is yet predominant, and that their vertue doth not consist in an essential tartarous Salt; but this kind of Plant carries with its natural nutriment, a spirituous and volatile Salt, mixt with an Embryonated Sulphur very subtle, which never is reduced from power into act, nor ever discovered by the taste or smell; but after this superfluous humidity is by heat

concocted and digested; then begins to appear the vertue of these Plants, discovered by the smell and taste, but particularly by the smell. The proper time to work upon this second sort of Vegetables, is when their stalk begins to grow drye at the foot, when they are yet covered with flowers, and begin already to shew some little part of their seed. The third kind of Vege∣tables is mixt and composed of the two first, for they have a taste from the first moment of their vegetation: But they are without smell, and acquire very little when they are in their perfection; or, if they have any, it appears only when they are pressed, grounded or rub'd with, because their Sulphur is overcome by a slow and gross viscosity, which contains much Salt, and appears by a bitter and biting taste, or a sweetish sugared savour like un∣to Honey, the Vertue of this last kinde, without previous digesti∣on or fermentation cannot be well extracted. These Plants are to be gathered, when their flower is yet upon them, if so be they are bitter and without smell, but if they bear fruit, berries or grains, their maturity is to be expected, because it is in these parts that the principal vertue of the whole is maintained, and it is in the center of the sugared Muscilage, and of a Honey na∣ture, which is in these fruits, that an Artist must seek the vertue of these wonderfull Mixts.

Now it is not enough for us to have given these general no∣tions, unless we make some particular applications, which may serve us for a pattern and guide upon each of these kinds; of in∣tegral Plants or their parts. We shall then in the first place treat of Juicy, Nitrous Plants, that is to say, those which par∣ticipate of a Salt, much of the nature of Salt-peter, or of that Salt in the Earth which is the Principle of Vegetation, and seems to have received yet very little of alteration in the body of these Plants, only that it begins already to partake a little of Tartar and its feculency. Plants of this nature are, Pa••ietary, Fumito∣ry, Purslane, Borage, Bugloss, Mercury, Night-shade, and gene∣rally all succulent Plants, which are neither acid nor bitter to the taste; but whose savour is only mixt with a tartness, com∣pounded of acidity and bitterness; qualities neer to the taste of Salt-peter.

Of the preparation of Nitrous, Juicy Plants, how to extract the Juice thereof, the Liquor, Water, Extract, Essential Nitro-tantareous Salt, and the Fixed Salt.

TAke a good quantity of any of the Plants above mentioned, which you must by parcels beat in a stone, wooden or Mar∣ble Mortar, untill they be reduced to a kind of Pap, that is to say, untill the parts of the Plants be sufficiently disunited and confounded together, so that expressing the same in a Hair-bag, Tammy, or Linnen Cloth thinly woven, you may extract all the Juice, which being thus extracted, you may run again through a closer strainer, and then let it settle, untill in a manner it be depurated by it self; after which you must softly pour by incli∣nation, this Juice so depurated in Cucurbites, or Bodies of glass, fitted for Limbecks, and place in B. M. in case you desire a good Extract and but a weak Water, because the heat of the said B. M. is not strong enough to elevate the essential Nitrous Salt of the Plant, which causes it to remain with the thick Juice, properly called Extract, when reduced to a thicker consistency, in the bottom of the Glass. But if you desire a long lasting Wa∣ter, and animated with its spiritualized Salt, you must then place your Cucurbites in Sand, because this degree of heat is capable to elevate and volatilize the, purest and most subtile portion of the Salt, and raise it towards the latter end of the distillation, with the last aqueous vapours: nevertheless, great heed must be taken, that the heat towards the end be not too violent, and that the residence in the bottom of the Cucurbit become not totally dry, of cleave to the Glass in danger of burning. But before you come to the end of your Operation, have a special care that your Juice may be exactly defecated, for there are two Separations performed, when by the heat of B. M. or sand the separation of the radical substance of the Juice of the Plant is made, from the feces or sediment which falls in the bottom of the Glass, and the skimm which rises above; wherefore this Juice so depurated must run through a strainer of Cloth, com∣monly cal'd a Bag, or Manica Hippocratis in the Shops: after which, the Juice being so separated of all its Heterogeneities,

and of the forain mixture of terrestreity, the distillation in B. M. or Sand must be continued, according to the intention of the Artist, untill this Juice be reduced to a consistency of Syrup, which is to be put in a fresh Cellar, or some other cool place, untill the Nitro-tartareous Essential Salt be reduced to Crystal, and separated from the viscosity of the inspissated Juice, which must be drawn again by a soft effusion by inclination, then put a second time in B. M. or Sand, to evaporate it to the consistency of an Extract, which shall yet contain great store of Salt, in case the first Operation was in B. M. and will be usefull to the ma∣king of Opiats, according to the indication which the learned and skilfull Physician or the Artist himself will take, when they intend to make use of it in any disease, according to the nature o•• vertue of the Plant whereupon the work is performed. And thus much for necessary Observations, concerning the purification of the Liquor of Juicy Plants, distillation of their Water, and the manner of making their essential Salt and Extract.

We come now to the preparation of the fixed Salt; to this end you must dry the Cake, or remaining part of the Plant after the expression of the Juice, then calcine and burn it well, untill all be reduced to whitish gray ashes, whereof you must with river or rain-water make a Lye, which must be filtrated through gray Paper not much stiffened, that the stiffening or glue may not hinder your Liquor to run swiftly and easily thorough. After the first Lie, impregnated with the Salt of the Ashes of the Plant, hath been filtrated, you must pour new water upon the Ashes, to extract the remainder of the Salt, untill the water comes off as insipid and voyd of taste as it was powred first; which is a manifest and evident sign, that no portion of Salt remains in the Ashes, which seem to be no more then an useless Earth, or as some do call it, the Caput Mortuum of the Plant upon which you have wrought: but I will prove the contrary nevertheless, by the following relation of what happened to me at Sedan, after I had wrought upon a parcel of Fennel: For, being posses∣sed of an opinion, as others are, that these Ashes devested of their Salt were totally unusefull, I caused them to be thrown away in a back-yard, where for the most part, Dung and other Immundicities were cast; but the next year by what happened

unto me, I knew I was deceived; for great store of Fennel grew in that yard, whereof, after it had attained to its perfection, I drew great store of distilled Oyl; by which experiment I was taught with that excellent Philosopher and Physitian Van Hel∣mont, that the Median Life of things is not so easily destroyed as it is imagined, and that according to this Axiom of Philoso∣phy, Formae rerum non pereunt; because both the Art and Artist do but follow from far our Mother Nature; and this is sufficient to convince us, that we apprehend not the least of her wayes or contrivances, much less any of those which she uses towards the attaining her own ends. But let us return to our purpose after this digression; which, because it is in its proper place, I thought more fitting to make here: After then you have gathered toge∣ther all the Lyes well filtrated, you must evaporate them in Jugg∣mettle dishes upon sand, untill they thicken to a skin, or in∣crustate by reason of the Salt, which then abounds; then must you begin with a Spatula to stirr and agitate softly the Liquor, untill the Salt be wholly dryed, which then being put in a Cru∣cible, reverberate in a Wind-furnace between kindled hot burn∣ing Coals, untill it growes glowing red on all sides, taking never∣theless exact heed that it melt not; this done, take off the Cru∣cible from the fire, let it cool, and then dissolve the Salt in the Extracted Water of the Plant which hath yielded the said Salt, that you may once more filtrate it, purifie it, and restore that portion of Volatile Salt which ascended in the distillation; after which, you must put this dissolution in a Glass Cucurbit covered with its head or Limbeck, and draw off again the Water from that Salt upon Sand, untill it begins to contract a skinne, then cease the fire, and put the Vessel in some cool place, to cause the Salt to Crystallize, and thus continue drawing off the Water upon Sand, and causing the Salt to shoot in Crystals, untill it be all drawn away, and so shall you have a pure and cleanly Salt, fit for use when you have occasion: but the chief use of it, is to put part thereof in the Water extracted from the Plant, to ren∣der it thereby not only more active and efficacious, but also to make it more durable, fitting for keeping several yeers, without any loss of its vertue. The proportion may be of ʒ ii. upon eve∣ry pint of distilled Water. The general use and faculty of the

fixed Salts of Plants made by calcination, evaporation, reverbe∣ration, depuration and crystallization, is moderately to loose the Belly, draw away Urines, and take off all obstructions from the lower parts of the body: the other particular vertues may be taken or assigned, according to the nature of the Plant from whence they were extracted.

And as we have declared the manner of purifying fixt Salts, so must we do also in shewing the way, of drawing off and sepa∣rating a certain viscous and coloured sliminess, which is found even amongst the Estential Nitro-tartareous Salts, in their first Crystallization. It is thus performed; You must dissolve them in clean, common Water, and percolate three or four times upon a portion of the Ashes of the Plant whence they were ex∣tracted; which is done upon two intentional ends: For, the the Artist must not work blindly, or without being capable to give an account, wherefore he doth, or doth not such a thing: The first intention is, that the Essential Salt which is not yet purified, and for the most part is found mingled with the Extract, without having been capable to take the Idea or Character of Salt, by reason of the hinderance caused by the clamminess of Inspissated Juyces, takes in his way as it passes through the Ashes the fixed Salt of its own Body, which imprints upon it its own saline Idea, and so causes it easily to crystallize, after the superfluous Liquor is vapoured away: The second intention is, that the Ashes may preserve the thick and clammy body of the Extract in themselves, and so the Water, impregnated with the essential and fixt Salt of the Ashes, may pass cleanlier and purer by the re-iterated Percolation. This being ended, you must slowly and gently vapour away your Water in a Dish of Jugg∣mettle in Sand; not till the skin begins to cover it, as we have spoken when we treated of the Fixed Salts, but evaporating away the two thirds, or the three parts of the Liquor, which must be softly and without shaking the bottom gently powred in a clean Earthen Dish, so as if by the action of heat any small Atoms or Corpuscles should happen to settle and make a sediment in the bottom, they should not mix with the clear Liquor, to hin∣der the purity of Crystallization in the Salt. The water which shal swim above the Crystals, must be drawn off, and the Evapo∣ration

re-iterated, untill half of the Liquor be consumed away: and so continue till you have got all your Salt turn'd to Crystals. And if so be this way of Purification doth not satisfie the Artist, and that the Crystals want the cleanliness and transparency de∣sired; he shall put them in a Crucible made of the least porous Earth which is to be found, and let him melt his Salt in a Wind-furnace, that the fire of Fusion may consume all what may hin∣der the Crystallization to be done with the requisite cleanliness and transparency: this Salt being so melted, must be poured in a very clean brass Mortar, warmed a little before, that the too violent heat of the melted Salt should not cleave or split it; when it is cooled, dissolve it in a sufficient quantity of the Water distilled from the Hearb whereof the Salt is extracted; but the quantity of Water must not exceed that of the Salt; other∣wise the third part or half must be drawn again by Distillation, or Evaporation; whi••h being done, the Vessel must be placed in a cold Room, and the Crystals will become fair and transparent, with sharp ends and sides much like unto the figure of Salt-peter, and about the same taste: Thus you must continue to evaporate and crystallize, untill the Water yields no more Salt. This Essential Salt must be dried between two Papers, then be put in a well stopt Glass-bottle to preserve for use: It hath the vertue to preserve as well the Water of the distilled Plant as the fixed Salt; and moreover, makes it diuretical, aperitive, and cooling, much better then the Mineral common Crystal made with Salt∣peter. It may be given in Broths, or the ordinary drink of the Patient, according to the judgement and discretion of the Pru∣dent and Learned Physician. The dosis is from ten grains to a Scruple.

The Preparation of Juicy Plants, possessed with an Essential Volatile Salt, and how to extract the Water thereof, their Spirit, Juice, Liquor, Essential Volatile Salt, Extract and Fixed Salt.

AFter we have shewn the way of operating upon those Plants which are impregnated with a Nitro-tartareous Salt, and in what manner the Artist is to prepare them, we must proceed in shewing what change of Operation there is in those which are

also juycy, but with an acrimonious, biting, and Aromatical taste, possessing in themselves great store of Essential Volatile Salt: such as are all kinde of Cresses, Water-parsley, Water-Mint, Alisander, Rapistrum, Spoonwort, and, to be short, all the kinds of Mustard, and generally all other Plants of this nature, which commonly are called Antiscorbuticks.

But as we have sufficiently and amply enlarged our selves upon the preparation of Juycie Plants, which have in them∣selves a Nitro-tartarous Juyce, and the Operations already des∣cribed are to lead the way, and serve as for a rule and example in the case of all other Juycie Plants; we have nevertheless thought it necessary to add here some notes, concerning the nature of these Plants, the proper time of gathering them to enjoy their vertues, and furthermore to add the manner of ex∣tracting the Spirits of these Plants, by the help of Fermentation, because we have said nothing of it heretofore.

It is then to be noted first of all, that the••e either waterish or cultivated Plants, do from their first orignal participate of great store of Essential Salt, which is of a very subtile, penetrating and volatile nature: and that therefore the Artist must work upon going. The reason is, because the other had not in themselves that saline, subtile and Vol tile Salt, which easily vapours and flies away, if the Artist doth not use great industry, and take the nick of time to preserve it; for, if too much time be spent, from the gathering of these Plants to the making use of them, their Spirit doth easily contract a heat, and being volatilized by the same, doth flie away, and the body of the Plant remains rotten and useless. This kind of Vegetable then is to be taken when he is newly sprouted, and begins to frame the tuffs or umbella's of its flowers; for, it is in this very time that the Essential the vertue which is hoped for; for, with a longer stay, all this efficacy would concentrate it self in a short time in the Seed, by reason of the Plants own heat, and that of the time of the year, as it is specially observed in the bringing up of Water-cresses or Nose-smart. And so much shall suffice to admonish the Artist, what heed he is to take in his Operation upon Plants of this

nature; for the remainder, let him follow the Prescriptions we have already given above; and specially not to use the Crucible for the Essential Volatile Salt of these Plants, otherwise all this Salt would vanish away, by reason of its most subtile and most volatile Principle, which participates more of Light and Hea∣ven, then of Water or Earth, which in Nitro-tartarous Salts a∣bounds most.

How the Spirit of Juicy Plants, possessed with an Essential Volatile Salt, is to be Extracted.

AFter we have given all the necessary observations to work upon Plants of this nature, we must end our discourse or treaty thereof, by the manner of well extracting their Volatile Spirit by the help of Fermentation; which is thus performed.

B••; as much as you shall think fitting of one of these Plants, and cleanse it from all its earthliness and impurities, bruise it in a Marble, Stone, or Wooden Mortar, and immediately put it in a great Glass Receiver, commonly called a great Ballon by the French Artists, and pour water upon it, between luke-warm and boyling, which by the Cooks is called Scalding-water, the height of ½ foot, then stop the neck of your Receiver with a blind-head (or Vaisse au de Rencontre;) and thus let it rest about two hours: after which, new water less then luke-warm, and only simpering must be added, to temperate the heat of the first, untill the finger being put in can, scarce perceive the heat, and that is the degree which the most expert in the Practice and Theory of Chymistry, use to call Natural or Human Heat, and the true point or instant of Fermentation. Herein the Chymical Artist needs properly his nicest judgement, to take the true nick of time of this soft and amicable heat, because if this degree of heat doth exceed, it volatilizes too sud∣denly, the Spirit and subtile parts of the Plants upon which he doth work; which, notwithstanding all care and precaution, easily vapours and vanishes away, for all is converted afterwards into an unpleasant acidity, which contains no more of the Volatile Spirit: And if this heat, on the other side, is less than it ought to be, it doth not sufficiently help the Leaven or Ferment, to

dissolve and divide the most solid parts of the Plant, which con∣tain yet in themselves a Centrical Salt, contributing very much to the perfection of the Spirit which is to be extracted out of the Plant; and moreover helps not a little to disunite the viscosi∣ty of the Juyce of the Plant, which contains in it self the prin∣cipal portion of the Essential Volatile Salt, which affords the Spirit; nevertheless, it is safer to fail in the defect then in the excess. Things being put in this temper, Take Barm, or Beer-yest, if you are in a convenient place to recover it; if not, raise Flower dissolved in Water something less then luke-warm, with about lb ss. of Leaven or Ferment commonly used every where for Dow in the making of Bread: and when the Liquor is sufficient∣ly raised and puft, and the flower hath got on the top of the Liquor, heed must be had when the top of the Flower begins to crack, for it is a token that the Fermenting Spirit is sufficiently excited, to be reduced from power into act, and to be introdu∣ced in the matter, ready to be fermented: but you must note, that your Vessel is not to be more then half filled, otherwise all will run out and fly away, by reason of the action of the Fer∣ment, which by an internal motion agitates and elevates the matters, and in which motion doth consist the power both of Nature and Art. This first Heat of Ebullition being past, the Artist must suffer the Ferment to act softly and by degrees, untill he perceives that all that Crust which the Fermenting Spirit had raised up, and framed out of the most corporeal and material substance, to be as a Wall or Defence against the evasion or evaporation of the acting Spirits, begins of it self to subside, and precipitate it self, because it is no longer supported by the activity of the Spirits; this most commonly doth happen at the end of two or three dayes in Summer, and four or five in Winter. Here again must the Artist be very carefull to take his time, for as soon as this sign begins to appear, he must distill his fermen∣ted matter, unless by his own sloth and neglect, he will lose what Art and Nature had prepared to his hand; for, at that time this Fermented Spirit easily vanishes, and what remains is no more then an acid, useless and unprofitable Liquor. But when the Artist taking opportunely his time, shall have put his fermented matter in the brass Vessel or Body, covered with its

Moor's-head, or Still, exactly luted the Joints, as much of the Head as the Pipe, taken care that the Water of the Refrige∣ratory, to condense the raising Vapours, be kept cool and fresh, given the fire by competent degrees, untill the drops begin to fall and follow one the other pretty thick, and having attained this degree, closed the Registers of the Furnace, and stopt ex∣actly the dore of the Furnace, to keep the Fire in that temper; he shall obtain by these means a Volatile Spirit, very subtile and efficacious; and must not cease the fire, untill he hath found out by the taste, that the Liquor stilling down be insipid, which is the true sign upon which he must cease his Operation. If he will rectifie this Spirit, he must distill it again in B. M. But in case he hath proceeded by the method we have described, there shall be no need of rectification, because he can separate imme∣diately in the Operation, the first Spirit from the second, and the second from the third, which shall differ accordingly in de∣grees of vertue and subtility, because they have more or less of mixture of phlegm.

The vertues of this Spirit are wonderfull in all Diseases which have their seat, and are rooted in fixt, crude, and tartarous matters, which he dissolves and volatilizes powerfully: But above all, the Spirit of Spoonwort, as also its Volatile Salt extracted of its Juice, as also the Juice of all Nitro-tartareous Plants: for, these are the two most powerfull remedies which learned men have found against scorbutical Diseases raigning in Maritime Coun∣treyes, and whereof very few can preserve themselves in long Sea-voyages. And though these diseases be almost unknown in the Climes of France, yet for the most part such are evil Rheu∣matisms proceeding from the alteration of the mass of the blood, whose whole Substance is vitiated, and degenerated in a gross and malignant serosity, whose venemous quality im∣printed in the membranous and nervous parts, causes weariness, running pains, swellings, and spots in the skin, which are all symptoms and tokens of the Scurvey,; and therefore, as these diseases can only be terminated by Diaphoreticks and Diureticks, recourse must be had to the Spirits and volatile Salts of Anti∣scorbutical Plants, whereof we have spoken but a little before. The Dosis of the Spirit is from vi. drops to xx. in broth, or ordi∣nary

drink of the Patient; that of the volatile Salt, is also from v. to xv. or xx. grains in the same liquors, or is yet better, in the water of the same Plant.

There will be no need of making any great discourse by it self, whereby to give to understand how the little Centaury, Wormwood, Rhue, Penny-royal, Balm, Mint, Flowers of lime-tree, and other Plants of this nature; which in themselves have no moisture when they are possessed with their vertue, and fit to be used, are to be gathered. They are only to be grosly bruised in a Mortar after they are cut, and you have added to each lb of the Plant (which you purpose to ferment and distil thereby, to extract the Spirit) x lb of water, as we have already related above, observing all the notes and hints also given, which are essentially necessary to the true ordering of fermentation. But in case you purpose only in your distillation to extract hereby the aetherial Oyl, and spirituous Water of the Plant, you must only distil the same Plant without any previous infusion, macera∣tion, and much less fermentation, being shred very small, putting to each lb of plant x lb of Water.

There is yet notwithstanding a way to preserve Plants of this nature, and even the Flowers themselves, and cause them to fer∣ment without any other addition of mixture: And herein also is the Artist to take great heed, and to be very circumspect: for, unless you will lose time and labour, not one of the circumstances which we shall now relate, is to be omitted. Proceed then as it followeth; Gather the Plant or Flower when they are in their per∣fection; to this purpose must the Plant be in a state between Flow∣er and Seed; and if it bears no Seed, or be only a Flower, it must be in the height of its smell, and the leaves must firmly hold to their stalks: But the principal Note besides, is, the time of gathering, which is, to gather these things a little after the rising of the Sun, that the dew may not be upon them, which would cause corruption; they must not also be gathered after a rainy-day, or the day before, whereby they might have contracted superfluous moisture, which would cause the same accident. Having these Plants thus conditionated, you must fill great Pots or Vessels of Jugge-metal therewith, well cleansed and dryed, and thrust them in very hard; leaving no empty space, but only so much as will

serve to put astopple of Cork very well fitted to the place, & steept in melted Wax; this done, pour upon the stopple, black melted Pitch, and besmear all round about the mouth of the Vessel, then put it in a Cellar upon Boards, that the Earth may not impart it to much coolness, and the Plant or Flower may not thereby be altered; and so shall you for whole years preserve Plants and Flowers, which shall be fermented by themselves, and will be ready for distillation at all times that there will be any need of it; adding only lb x. of Water to every lb of Flowers or Plants so fermented by themselves, and you shall extract a Water and a Spirit which shall really be endowed and impregnated with the odour, and all the vertues of the Plant, as we have our selves exemplified upon Plants so digested and fermented in them∣selves and by themselves, by order of Mr. Vallot, first Physitian to the King of France; who hath ever ordained those ocular de∣monstrations to be made in the eyes of the publick; that the ver∣tue of things, and the noblest way of distilling them may be made known, and that it may be truly confessed from hence∣forth, that this noble and learned way of operation owes its inven∣tion to him.

We have nothing else at present, to say, touching the general rules and common observations which the Artist is to make upon the Vegetable in general, and its parts in particular, but that we must impart the way of extracting the Liquors from the whole Plants, or their parts, and exalt them more and more, until they are arrived to the nature of their first being, which will eminently possess all the central vertues of their Mixt, because Art and Nature have preserved in this operation all the seminal powers with which it was endowed, as our great and illustrious Paracelsus doth most learnedly explain in a Treatise, which he intitles, De Renovatione & Restauratione.

The manner of Extracting Liquors from the Plants and their Quintessences.

ALl Plants are not fit for this operation, because they have not equally a sufficient proportion of Salt, Sulphur, and Mercury in themselves, to communicate to their Liquors and

Quintessences, the vertue of renewing and repairing themselves: and Paracelsus himself doth only recommend us two, among all the rest, which may serve for a rule and pattern, in all other Plants coming near the nature of these two, viz. Balm gentle, (or Melissa) and the great Celandine; among those that come n••ar, we may lawfully comprehend the great Scrophularia, the little Centaury, and the vulnerary Plants, as is the Pyrroha, Con∣solida, Sarracenica, Virga aurea, St. Johns-wort, Wormwood, and generally all Alexite••ical Plants, as Scordium, Asclepias, Gen∣tian, and the kinds of Genti••nel, Rhue, Parsley, Small••ge, and many more, which we leave to the choice and judgement of the Artist, who shall prepare them all in the manner we will relate hereafter, and when he shall have extracted the Liquor or Quintessence, he may use it as occasion shall serve, and according to the vertue of the Plant.

Of these Plants when you intend to prepare any, being in its state and strength, that is, when the Flower is fully blown, but not yet grown to Seed, at that time which Paracelsus cals Balsa∣miticum tempus, the Balsamick time. i. e. a little before the rising of the Sun, because in this operation is needful, that sweet and pleasant humor which Plants do in the night time attract from the dew, by the magnetical and natural vertue wherewith they are endowed to recruit themselves with the necessary moisture as much for their subsistance and self-preservation, as to resist the Suns heat, which by day time sucks and dryeth them: when you have a sufficient quantity of the Plant you intend to pre∣pare, beat it in a Marble Mortar, and reduce it to an in palpable Pap, as near as you can; then put this Pap in a long-neckt-ma∣trass thermetically sealed to digest in Horse dung, the space of a Philosophical month, which is forty natural dayes; or else put the Vessel in a vaporous Bath, wrapt up in sawings of Wood, or minced straw during the same time, and in a heat analogous to that of Horse-dung. The time being expired, open your Vessel to take out the matter which you shall find reduced into a Liquor, which being wrung, separate the pure part from the impurity in B. M. in a slow heat, that there may be a residence of the grosser parts, which you shall separate by inclination, or, which is better, by filtrating this Liquor through Cotton by the

Glass Funnel: This Liquor so depurated, put in a Viol Glass, to joyn therewith the fixed Salt, which you shall draw off by ex∣pression from the Plant, or from the same dryed: which will serve to encrease the vertue thereof, and make it more lasting, and even as it were incorruptible.

But when the Artist will go further, and purifie this Liquor to the highest degree, and reduce it to a Quintessence, he must proceed thus.

℞ equal parts of this Liquor, and Water or Liquor made out of dissolved Salt, (the manner of which Preparation we shall teach in the chapter of Salts) and put them in a Matrass, which being hermetically sealed and exposed to the Sun during six weeks; thus without any other operation, this saline Liquor will separate all heterogeneous and slimy substances, which did hinder the purity and exaltation of this noble Medicament: but, this time being over, you shall see three several separations, which are the feces of the Liquor of the Plants, the Quintessence of the Plant, which is green and transparent as Emerald, or red and clear as an oriental Granate, according to the quality and quantity of Salt, Sulphur, and Mercury, which shall predominate in the pre∣pared Plant.

I know many will say, that the practise of this operation is ea∣sie, and most will hardly believe, that the Liquor of Plants or their Quintessences should possess those vertues, which after Paracel∣sus, we will attribute unto them. I wish nevertheless every one might be, by legitimate and true experiments, as well assured of this truth as I am my self; that Artists might be more industri∣ous, in furthering these rare Preparations, with a confidence, they shall not miss the benefit they may hope from it in their particular, and procure to the general society of mankind, in pre∣serving and repairing health in the individual members thereof.

Of the Ʋse and Vertue of the Liquor of Plants.

THis word Liquor is not here singly to be accepted for juyce, or moisture of the Plant: but it is by excellency here given to this kind of Remedy, because it contains in it self, all the efficacy and vertue which may be in the Plant whence it proceeds;

whence it is not difficult, to make the understanding conceive, to what use these Liquors so prepared, may and ought to be im∣ployed; for, if the Liquor be prepared out of a vulnerary Plant, it may be more safely exhibited then the decoction of any of the Plants of this nature in vulnerary potions; it may also be-mingled in injections, used in plaisters, unguents and digestives, which are applyed to wounds or ulcers: but with this condition, that the body of these remedies be composed of Honey, yolk of Eggs, Turpentine, Myrrhe, or any other Balsamick bo∣dy, which may rather prevent accidents in the wounded parts, then to cause a purging and painful colliquation, ever contrary to the good intention of Nature, and much more of the true pre∣cepts of the commendable and learned Chirurgery. In this ex∣cellent part of Physick, Paracelsus hath chiefly excelled, as, with∣out any gain-saying, it may be proved by those his two excel∣lent Treatises, which he doth entitle The great and small Chi∣rurgery. Moreover, if the Liquor be extracted from a Thoraci∣cal Plant, it may be mingled in the Julips and Potions, which are to be exhibited to the Patients, affected with any infirmity of the Brest. If it be prepared from a Diuretick or Antiscorbutick Plant, it may be given for obstructions in the Spleen, Mesente∣ry, Pancreas, Liver, and other neighbouring parts: or, it may be employed against gravel, retention of Urine, and other diseases of the Reins and Bladder: to conclude, if this Liquor draws its vertue from any Alexiterial, Cordial, Cephalick, Hysterick, Sto∣machal or Hepatick Plant; it may with very good success be given against Venoms, and all Agues, which may draw their ori∣ginal from venom; if the Plant be alexiterial, it may be given against all Lypothymies, or Swoundings, if the Plant be cordial: and if Cephalick, against Epilepsie, threatnings of Apoplexy, Palsie, and all other diseases and affections of the Brain. If hyste∣rical, it will wonderfully conduce against all Suffocations or Fits of the Mother, raisings, Convulsions, and all other irritations of this dangerous creature, living, as it were, and moving within another. If it be stomachical, it will extreamly conduce to hin∣der all corruptions which are generated in the bottom of the Ventricle, whether proceeding from the defect of digestion, by reason of the superfluity, or from the vice and evil quality of nu∣triment;

or occasioned by evil fermentation. Finally, if the Li∣quor be impregnated with the vertue of an hepaticall Plant; if it be true, that the Liver is the receptacle and source of the bloud; it shall be administred in all the diseases which are at∣tributed to the vice and defect of this entrail: but chiefly in g••owing D••opsies, and their very birth, as even in those which are thought to be confirmed and grown. The Dosis of these Li∣quors, and Tinctures truly Balsamical and friendly to our nature, is from ℈ ss to ʒ i. and ʒ ij. according to the age and strength of those to whom they are prescribed by the skilful Physitian. Let us add nevertheless one advice more, that those which shall p••epare these Liquors, may also preserve them long without any alteration or diminution of their strength, vertue or efficacy: which is done by mixing only ℥ iv. of Sugar in Powder, to lb i. of Liquor, if it be to be used inwardly, ℥ iv. of Hony boyled with white and despumated Wine, if to be used outwardly in Chirurgi∣cal Operations.

Of the Ʋse and Vertue of the Q. E. of Plants.

THE Q. E. of Plants may be used in every thing, wherein we have said, that their Liquors were useful. But there is that remarkable difference, that as these noble Remedies are much purer and exalted, then the Liquors which are more corporeal, so must also their dosis be very much lessened: so that what was given by dragms, before this high degree of preparation, must be now only given by drops: The dosis then is from iij. drops to xx. raising by degrees. This Remedy may be taken in white Wine, Broth, decoction or some kind of Water, which may serve as a vehicle to the Medicine, to render it more active and penetrating by the subtility of its parts, even into the last di∣gestions, to expel the evil, obnoxious, and useless part thereof, re∣store decayed strength, and finally bring Nature back again into his true path, to direct the health and preservation of every indi∣vidual subject.

But we will demonstrate, that it is not without reason Pa∣racelsus speaks of the Preparation of Quintessences in the Trea∣tise by us above quoted, De Renovatione & Restauratione. This

great Philosopher concludes his Treatise by the method of pre∣paring Quintessences of four several sorts, viz. Quintessences of Minerals; precious Stones; Plants and Liquors, which are Sulphurs and Bitumens: he hath not been contented with a Theo∣rical Discourse of the possibility of renewing and repairing our internal and external defects; but hath also added the practice and way of operation, upon several matters, to extract the Quintessences thereof, and finally doth conclude, by the manner of using the same to attain renovation of nature. He saith then, that it will suffice, to put as much of this precious liquor in white Wine, as there will be need to colour it with a colour neer that of the remedy; and thereof give a Glass every morn∣ing fasting to him, or her which shall feel a deficiency by age, or infirmity of sickness. Moreover, he gives the signs of the beginning and progress of this renewing, and the time when the use of this admirable Medicine must be put by: for, he thought it unnecessary, to mention the signs and observations which are to be heeded, when it is taken for some sensible and apparent disease; since it necessarily follows, that the use thereof must be continued, until the Patient finds alleviatior, or the disease falls away, and then must cease consequently the use of the Remedy. But as for the signs of renewing, he delivers them in a judicious order, as if he would prevent the incredulity of those which know not the power nor sphere of activity of the vertue and efficacy which God hath placed in natural Beeings, when by the help of Art they are reduced to their universal Principle without loss of their seminal goodness: or to prevent also the astonishment of those which shall make use of it, since what ordinarily happens, in the taking of this Remedy, causes no little surprisal, when the person that uses these Remedies, sees in the first place all his nails fall off from feet and hands, and next all the hair of the body, and then the teeth; and last of all, the skin to shrink and wrinckle, and drying insensibly to fall as all the rest, which are all the signs he gives of internal re∣novation, by that which is performed outwardly: For, it is as if he would insinuate, and give us to understand, that of all necessity, the medicine must have penetrated through all the body, and replenished it with new vigour, since the external parts

which are insensible, and as the excrements of our digestions fall of themselves without any pain: But you must note, that he causes the use of the Remedy to be intermitted, when the last sign, viz. the drying of the skin doth appear, the wrinckles and the falling thereof, because it is an universal sign, that the acti∣on of renewing hath sufficiently extended it self through the whole habit of the body, which the skin generally covers over, and that so it was necessary, that this old rind should fall, and another grow in the place, because the first was not sufficiently porous, or permeable, to cause the natural heat which is renewed, to drive outwardly all the supe••fluities of digestions, which are the occasional internal and external causes of most sicknesses in the humane body.

I know this Remedy, and the renewing and restoring ve••tues which are attributed to it, will pass for ridiculous amongst the vulgar sort of the learned, and even amongst those that pretend to the mysteries of Physick; partly, because Closet Philosophy is not capable to apprehend this great Arcanum Naturae; partly, because they will not, for the most part, be convinced by any proof or experimental demonstration. But I will, to convince them, bring here two remarkable examples; the one drawn from what naturally happens every year, by the renewing of some kind of creatures in one season of the year only; the other from a true History of what happened to one of my best friends, which took Quintessence of Balm Mint to a woman past the age of sixty, which took some also; and finally, to a Hen which did eat Corn steeped in some drops of the same Quintessence.

As for the first example, there is none but knows the renewing of the Stags-head, as also the skin of Serpents and Vipers; with∣out mentioning that of the Bird, called by the Latines, Halcyo, or the Kings-Fisher, the History of whom Paracelsus makes in the Tract before-mentioned. But of all those which agree in the fact, very few do know, or care to know how, and by what means, or for what reason it is done. For first, as for the Serpents in gene∣ral, it is to be considered, they remain hid under ground, or in the holes of Trees and Rocks, or lodg'd among rubbish and stones, from the end of Autumn, until very far in the Spring, and so during that time, they are as benummed & dead; their skins become thick

and hard, and loses even its porosity to preserve the better the Animal whom it incompasses; for, if there happened a continual transpiration, there would be also a deperdition of substance: now after the Serpents are in the Spring of the year got out of their holes, and have begun to feed, and live upon the tender ends of Herbs, in which is a renewing vertue: this creature being imme∣diately excited by a pricking and shooting which she feels about the compass of the head, by reason of the Spirits heated and actu∣ated by this natural remedy, she rubs and bestirs herself, until she hath got off her old skin from about her head, which she con∣tinues to do all the rest of the day, till she hath cast away all her old garment; which was not only needless, but want of porosity and transpirability might have suffocated her. Then doth she ap∣pear all glorious, and as it were renewed; which is perceived not only by the difference between the slow and lazie motion of those which are not renewed, from those which have cast their skins; whose motion is so quick and nimble, that easily they scape our sight. And moreover, the skin of the old ones is deformed, and of an earthly colour; whereas the other, to the contrary, is polisht, fair, shining and well coloured. As for the Stags, the casting of their head is done in another way, and for another rea∣son then that of the Serpents: for, that Creature doth not hide it self in the ground; nor renews not all its external parts, since he casts nothing off but his head in the Spring: but the reason is his being, during Winter, deprived of sufficient nourishment, and made unable to maintain this wonderful production he bears up∣on the head since even he wants a due supply for his own subsistence and life; then say the Huntsmen, that the Stag (by a Gallicism) is faln into poverty, which is perceived not only by his leanness and weakness, but chiefly also by the head which becomes dry, spongious and destituted of sap, because this Animal hath not a sufficient vigour, to impart a spirituous and saline nourishment to the head, by reason of its want of food, as we have said even now; now, it is this nourishment, which gives strength, vigour, and su∣stenance to the Stags head; for which reason, when in the Spring, a good and juicie nourishment animates, and heats its body, it causes now vegetation in all its parts, and consequently, and chiefly, in the head, which makes him to cast it off. We shall say no more

of this renovation, and of the vertue contained in the new Stags-head, and that which is already grown to consistency and perfecti∣on, because we have sufficiently made mention thereof in the Chy∣mical preparation of Animals and their parts.

But let us come now to the Experimental proof of Renovati∣on begun by the use of a Quintessence, by the relation of the Hi∣story we have promised above, and which happened thus. After one of my best friends had prepared a Quintessence of Balm mixt, and that all the tokens and alterations which Paracelsus re∣quires, had succeeded according to his hopes, and the truth of the remedy, he could not have a full and true satisfaction in his mind, unless he made the proof of this great Arcanum; to be more fully and better perswaded of the verity of the thing, and the de∣livery of the Authour he had followed: and as he knew that com∣monly experiments made upon other bodies will be defective, he made it upon himself, and an old woman-servant he had by him, of about 70. years of age, in the same house where he lived; and a Hen bred in the same place. He then for about 15 dayes, took every day fasting, a glass of white Wine coloured with this Remedy; and the very first day, the nails of hands and feet begun to separate themselves from the skin, without any grief or pain, and so continued still casting, until they fell off them∣selves without help. I confess unto you, that his constancy was not great enought, to go through all his Experiment, and that he thought himself sufficiently convinced by this that happened, without being obliged to try any further conclusions upon his own person. Therefore he gave every morning some of this Wine to this old Woman; who did drink not above 10. or 12. days, and before this time was expired, her monthly courses came back with a laudable colour, and broke out in a considerable quantity, enough to fright her, and make her believe it would be her death; not knowing she had took a remedy capable to renew her to youth; upon which account also, my friend durst not proceed further, as much by reason of the fear which had pos∣sessed the old Woman, as by reason of what had happened unto him. Having then thus experimented the Effects of his Medi∣cine, both upon man and woman, he would know also, what operation it might have upon other Creatures; and so steeping

some few grains of Corn in the Wine impregnated with the ver∣tue of the Quintessence he gave them, for the space of eight days to an old Hen by her self; and about the sixt day, she began to cast her feathers by degrees, till at last she remained quite naked; but before the fifteenth came about, she beg••n to recover new feathers, and having got them again, they appeared fairer and better coloured then before; her crest did rise again, and she began to lay Egges as before. Thus much I had to relate upon this subject, whereof I draw the following consequences.

I believe, there is none of so perverted a reason and depraved intellectuals, which doth not easily conceive, that since Nature teaches us by all her operations, that to maintain life in living bodies, with all the necessary functions of the parts which consti∣tute them, their porosity must be preserved; so must of necessity Art, which is but imitator of Nature, do the same to maintain and restore the health of Individuals, committed to her care and custody. Whence I do infer consequently, that the Physitian and Chymical Artist, ought perpetually to endeavour, by the Anatomy which they make of natural Mixts, to discover that sub∣tile, volatile, penetrating and active part, which is not corrosive, but to the contrary, friendly to our Nature, and may only ad∣vance her birth or delivery without constraint: And, as I know that there is nothing but the volatile sulphureous Salts, which may have the power of acting in the manner we have said; so must they apply all their understanding, to separate this amiable and friendly agent, and nevertheless very efficacious, and untye it as it were from the commerce of the gross and material body; if they will be the true imitators of Nature, which ever makes use of this same agent, to conduct all animated bodies to the perfecti∣on of their natural predestination, unless she be hindered by some occasional external or internal cause, which ordinarily does inter∣rupt the order, oenonomy, and guidance of her secret motions, which preserves the lovely harmony of all animated compounds. This Paracelsus hath done, teaching us the manner how to pre∣pare Liquors and Quintessences: because, this operations sepa∣rates the subtile part from the gross; preserves & exalts the seminal faculties of the compound, until it hath rendred it capable to correct and amend the defects of natural functions; that imitating

the example of this great searcher of Nature, and according to the Ideas by us given in this Discourse, before we come to the particulars of the parts of Vegetables, and all the operations to which they are lyable by the processes of Chymistry; all those that shall really addict themselves to these noble operations, may be prevented with a general knowledge of their parts, whether gross or subtile, and conducted also and regulated in their judge∣ment and actions, according to the notions and theorems we have imparted, which they may by the direction of their inten∣tions appropriate to each Vegetable in particular, that so the Artist may satisfie the expectation others have of her, and himself also, to the illustrating and innobling his Profession; and, that which must be his principal end, to the preservation and restorati∣on of his neighbours health.