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 to prepare truly the Extract of Coloquints.

℞ Coloquint of the whitest and lightest you can find; separate the Seed contained in the pulp or flesh of the dryed Coloquint, because some are affraid of its violent operation: But, because it can proceed from no other cause, but its volatile sulphureous Salt, in which consists all the venomous and hurtful quality; and, that we teach here, how to fix and correct it; we shall also take the half of the Seed to the double of the Pulp to make our Extract; reduce all to gross Powder, which pour in the Matrass, and imbibe by little and little with good distilled Vinegar, im∣pregnated with ℥ ss. of the prepared Tartar, according to Sennertus

way for every pound of Vinegar, and when all is well soakt, pour over of the same Vinegar about four fingers height, and put it to digest in Ashes to a moderate heat the space of 8 dayes, agi∣tating and stirring the Glass 3 or 4 times every day at the least; observing also, that your vessel be not filled above half, because this Fruit having been much contracted in the former drying of it, when it comes to resume its ordinary bulk in the Menstruum, it swel∣leth extraordinarily, and so might endanger the breaking of the Vessel, and loss of the substance and labour, when you should least think of it; having then laid it thus 8 dayes, strain and percolate the liquor, and put the Cake again in new digestion as before. The liquor you must only filtrate through a Linnen; and, if there remains any substance of the Body, joyn it again to the new di∣gestion, and re-iterate three times the operation of straining, perco∣lating, filtrating and digesting in embers, and, so shall you be sure to have extracted and corrected all what was good and bad in the Coloquint: Evaporate after this all your Digestions to a consi∣stency of Extract; whereof keep one half, to exhibit with some good Mercurial Preparation in Venerous diseases; as also in Drop∣sies, and Arthritical Diseases, provided, your Patient be of a strong and robust constitution: The dosis is from grain ij. to ℈ ss. and a whole ℈. If it be exhibited without Mercury, you must pre∣scribe after it a small draught of Malmsey, Spanish Wine, strong Mead, or some other good generous Wine; or give it in the same. But, if there be any Mercury incorporated with the Extract, you must prescribe a small Broth after, wherein you have mixt X grains of Coral, and as much of powdered Mace. But in case, you desire to give the Extract of Coloquint in a larger dosis, and with∣out any danger of doing hurt; you must pursue and compleat the due preparation of this Extract: Put it then in a Matrass, and to each dragm of the same add ℈ i. of soluble Magistery of Coral, and circulate it one whole Moneth in a Matrass doubled, or Pellican, well luted; having first poured upon it Spirit of tar∣tarized Wine to the eminency of four fingers; the circulation must be performed in a slow heat of B. M. And when it is ended, all must be poured in a Glass Cucurbite, adding to it the weight of ʒ i. of Nutmeg-Oyl made by expression, well mixt and united with ʒ ij. of Sugar in Powder; put this Cucurbite in B. M. and

draw off the Spirit of Wine by distillation, and when no more Spirit ascends, encrease a little the fire, and evaporate all this mix∣ture to the consistency of an Extract, which may be made in Pills: so shall you have a purging Extract perfectly corrected, and of safe use in all cases where Coloquint is wont to be recommended by Physical Authors: but chiefly, in all diseases of the Brain, Nerves, Joynts, and Lungs: and, therefore no scruple is to be made in exhibiting this Extract or Magistery so prepared to per∣sons affected with either Apoplexy, Epilepsie, Vertigo's or swim∣ing of the Head, but chiefly, in all accidents of Venerial diseases: The dosis is from vi. grains to ℈ i. and ʒ ss. in the Pap of a roasted Apple, or some pleasing Jelly: It might also be dissolved in Spa∣nish Wine; but it may contract an ungrateful bitterness, therefore some such vinous Liquors o•• Broths are rather to be taken after, ac∣cording to the constitution of the Patient, and the nature of the disease. But, as those which apply themselves to Chymical Physick, and consequently, to the reading of Authors treating thereof, shall find in Rullandus, and several others, mention made of a Specifical Spirit against several obstinate diseases, to whom the name of Spiritus vitae aureus Rullandi is attributed, and yet the description thereof is not to be found in the Author it self, and what others do deliver of it, is but conjectural; I have thought it necessary, to ease the mind of Artists upon this matter, to joyn my own opinion to that of others for their satisfaction. They that maintain this Spirit to be made out of Coloquint, say, that one of the conditions of it was to Purge without Vomit; and that, by consequence, this remedy could not proceed, but from this fruit, which is the only Vegetable purging with so small a do∣sis, and chiefly, being exalted by the help of Spirit of Wine: for, had this Medicine been both Purging and Vomiting at once they would have all attributed its vertue to some Antimonial Prepa∣ration; but as it is not Emetik, the most judicious have believed, that it was Spirit of Wine impregnated by a long digestion and Circulation with the vertue of Trochisks Alhandal, which are nothing else but prepared Coloquint. Others do maintain the contrary, amongst whom Franciscus Antonius, a London Physitian, is none of the least considerable: for, they will have it to be a preparation of Potable Gold, or some other tincture extracted

from this noble metal; and alleadge for their reason, that Colo∣quint being a Vegetable cannot extend so far its vertue, as are those attributed by Rullandus to this his Preparation in the Cen∣turies of his Observations; and, that none but a Mineral remedy, or Metallick one, can be capable of this Universality of action: and moreover, that it is not without reason or mystery, that this Author gives unto it the name of Golden Spirit of Life, or spiritus Vitae de auratus: seeming to be willing by this denomination, to insinuate what he would have concealed in his writings. Though it seems, that the reasons alleadged of both sides are valuable; yet I am forced to subscribe to the first opinion, which holds for Coloquint; because I am informed by several very ancient and creditable Physitians, who profess to have it from young Rullandus, that the Spirit which his Father used, and whereof he relates the Histories in his Centuries, was nothing else but the Tincture of Trochisks Alhandal: But, that the time, Menstruum, weight of the Trochisks, and their Preparation, was to be observed; and, as this remedy is full of many noble vertues, I have thought my self ob∣liged to set it here, though it be not so well corrected as the last Extract, whereof we have given the description, since the acid and fixative Spirit hath not been used, but for the Preparation of Trochisks; and, that the Salt which did accompany it was an Al∣kali, which deads and bl••nts the malignant action of the volatile Salt of Coloquint; it is nevertheless to be considered, that the Menstruum used in the preparation of the Spiritus vitae deauratus is impregnated with the purest parts of this Salt Alkali, since it must be the Spirit of Wine alkalized, which shall extract the Tro∣chisks Alhandal, and that by consequence it shall correct the ma∣lignity thereof, by the help of this Salt, and the long re-iterated digestion: which is thus performed.