1. The Purification of Gold by the Cupple.

TAke a good Cupple made of Sheep's-bones calcin'd, or of common Ashes wash'd, and deprived of their Alkali Salt. Put the same into a little Furnace, and cover it with a Muffle or Tile. Then make a fire round about, and over it, but moderate the fire in the beginning, that the Cupple may heat by degrees, and not crack. When 'tis become red, if you have an ounce of Gold to Cupple, put into the Cupple four ounces of Lead, leave it alone in Fusion for some time, that the Cupple may imbibe some of it. Then put your Gold to it, and it will melt instantly amidst the Lead, though otherwise of very difficult Fusion. This done, continue the fire, and blow incessantly upon the matter: the Lead will by little and little enter like Grease into the pores of the Cuppel, (which, for this intent, is made of porous mat­ter,) [Page 57] and carry with it the other imperfect Metals mixt with the Gold, which will become pure within the Cupple, and of an high colour; except the Gold be mixt with some portion of Silver, which resists the action of the Lead as well as the Gold; in which case you must have recourse to Aqua-fortis, or Antimony.

2. The Purification of Gold by Cementation.

REduce your Gold into plates of the thick­ness of the back of a knife, and cut them into round or square pieces, so that they may lye flat in the Crucible. Then take Cement pre­pared of four ounces of powder of Brick, an ounce of Salt-Armoniac, an ounce of Salt-Gemme, and an ounce of common Salt; all well powdered, and mixt together, and reduc'd into a dry Paste with a little Urine. Lay a Bed of this Cement in the bottom of a Crucible, pro­portionable to the matter, and so continue to lay Bed upon Bed, intermixt of plates and Cement, layer upon layer, or course upon course, (called stratum super stratum,) till the Crucible be full. The first and last layer must always be Cement, to the end the plates may be in­volv'd and covered with it. Cover the Cruci­ble with a fit covering, having an hole in the middle; and then place it thus luted in a cir­cular fire (or ignis rotae) for the space of three [Page 58] hours, during which the hole of the cover must be left open, that the moisture of the Cement may evaporate. After this, lute up the hole likewise. The fire must be moderate in the beginning, then augmented by degrees, and continued during 8 or 9 hours, in such sort, that the two last hours the Crucible be covered over with charcoal. Then let it cool. Open­ing the Crucible, you will find the plates di­minisht in weight, because the Cement has cor­roded and destroyed all that was mixt with the Gold. Wash these plates well, and having put them into a Crucible, make a fire of Fusion, with a little Tartar and Saltpeter; and so you shall reduce them into an Ingot.

3. The Purification of Gold by Aqua-fortis.

TAke one part of Gold, and three or four parts of refined Silver; melt them toge­ther in a Crucible; then pour them into a deep Copper-Vessel full of water; and you shall find the Gold and Silver mixt in the form of small grains, (which is that they call Granula­tion.) Dry the grains, put them into a Ma­trass, and pour upon them a triple quantity of good Aqua-fortis made of Saltpeter and Vitriol. Place the Matrass in a Furnace of Sand, till the Aqua-fortis have dissolved all the Silver; which is known when the matter sends forth [Page 59] no more red fumes, and the Gold lies in the bottom of the Matrass in a black powder. Then pour off the Liquor (which contains in it all the Silver) into an earthen Vessel full of common water; and upon the black powder of Gold pour a little new Aqua-fortis, and re­place the Matrass upon the hot Sand, to the end that if any Silver yet remain, it may be dissolv'd and separated this second time. Pour this second Dissolution to the first, and keep them. In the mean time edulcorate the Calx of Gold with water, then dry it, and make it red gently in a Crucible. You shall have a pow­der of a very high colour, which you may re­duce into an Ingot b [...] melting it with a little Borax. The Silver dissolv'd in the Aqua-fortis, and poured into the Vessel of water, precipi­tates, and separates it self from its Dissolvent, by putting a plate of Copper into it; the Spi­rits of the Aqua-fortis immediately leaving the Silver to fasten on the Copper, which they dissolve; and during the Dissolution, the Silver precipitates it self. The reason of this is, be­cause the Copper being less compact, and more earthy than the Silver, is easily penetrated by that corrosive Spirit, which impetuously falling upon this morsel, as agreeable to its appetite, it quits its first hold, and takes up to the Cop­per which it last met with, and devours as much of it as it can retain. This blue water impregnated with Copper, must be pour'd off by inclination, and kept in an earthen Vessel; 'tis called the second water, and Chirurgeons use [Page 60] it for Cancers, and other outward Ʋlcers. The Silver is found in the bottom. It must be wash'd, dry'd, and kept (if you please) in form of a Calx, or else reduc'd into an Ingot in a Crucible, with a little Salt of Tartar. But if into this second water, which is properly a So­lution of Copper, you put a body more earthy and porous than Copper, as Iron is, the Copper precipitates, and the Corrosive Spirits of the Aqua-fortis fasten to the substance of Iron; which may likewise be precipitated by some Mineral more earthy and porous than Iron, as Lapis Calaminaris and Zink. Lastly, if you pour into this Liquor charg'd with these Sub­stances some of the Liquor of fix'd Nitre, drop by drop, this latter will destroy the aci­dity of the Aqua-fortis, and precipitate those Minerals. Note, that if you evaporate and crystallize the Liquor, you will draw from it very good Saltpeter, reincorporated with its fixt Salt, from which those Spirits at first were distilled.

These last Experiments might seem imper­tinent to this Chapter of Gold. But our de­sire to instruct the Curious, made us take oc­casion to mention them from the Purifying of that Metal by Aqua-fortis. And they are not unuseful to open the way to others more con­siderable.

4. The Purification of Gold by Antimony.

THis is the best way of all; for Lead car­ries away only the imperfect Metals, but leaves Silver join'd with Gold. Cement often­times leaves the Gold impure, and consumes some part of it. Aqua-fortis is not always a certain trial of the pureness of Gold: for sometimes it happens that Gold having been mixt with some sulphureous matters, their odour involves some of the Silver which had been put to the Gold, to cleanse it by Aqua-fortis, which Silver falls down, and is precipi­tated with the Gold at the parting, thereby giving surprising and short joys to the unskil­ful, who are apt to think presently they have found out the way to encrease Gold: but upon further examination they find their expecta­tion deceived. On the other side, you may be certain, that Gold which hath past the trial by Antimony is throughly purged, and freed from all mixture. For nothing but Gold is able to resist that devouring Wolf.

Take therefore an ounce of Gold, such as the Goldsmiths use; put it into a Crucible amongst burning-coals in a wind-Furnace, and when it is very red, put to it by little and little four ounces of good Antimony in powder, which will melt immediately, and at the same [Page 62] time devour the Gold, (which otherwise is of very difficult Fusion, by reason of its most ex­act composition:) when the whole is melted like water, and the matter sparkles, 'tis a sign that the Antimony is at work upon the impurities of the Gold. Wherefore leave it a little upon the fire; then cast it nimbly into an Iron-Crucible, which has been to that end before heated, and smear'd with a little Oil. When the matter is pour'd in, strike the Crucible with the Tongs, to make the Re­gulus descend to the bottom. After 'tis a little cool'd, separate the Regulus from the dross. Weigh it, and put it to melt in a good large Crucible, adding to it by little and little double its weight of Saltpeter: then cover the Cru­cible; so that the coals get not into it, and gi­ving a quick fire, the Saltpeter consumes all that remain'd of the Antimony with the Gold; and the Gold settles at the bottom of a most beautiful colour, and pure. You may put it into a Crucible hot at it is, or else let the Cru­cible cool, and then break it to separate the Ingot from the Salts. This manner of purify­ing the Regulus of Gold is not common and or­dinary, but preferable before the rest, because done speedily: but 'tis practised only in a small quantity. The common fashion is, to put the Gold in a flat Crucible upon a melting fire, and blow continually till the Antimonial part be exhaled. This not only requires time, but ex­poses you to the hurtful exhalations of the An­timony, which 'tis always good to avoid.

Aurum Fulminans.

REduce into thin plates a dram of fine Gold; put these plates into a Matrass, and pour on them three drams of good Aqua-regia, then set the Matrass upon hot Sand, till the Gold be dissolv'd. Pour the Solution into a Ves­sel wherein there is three or four ounces or more of Fountain-water; then pour to it drop by drop some Oil of Tartar made by Deli­quation till the Ebullition ceases; which is a sign that the Corrosion of the Aqua-Regia is destroyed by the Liquor of the Salt Alkali of Tartar, which, as other Alkalies, breaks the force of Corrosive Spirits, so that they are constrained to let fall to the bottom the body which they held in form of Liquor. The same happens here to the Gold: for if you let it set­tle a-while, it will precipitate it self to the bottom of the water; which will swim above as clear as Crystal, and is to be pour'd off by inclination. You must pour warm water upon the powder, to take away all the Acrimony of the Salts; and when 'tis setled, pour that wa­ter off, and put more upon it. This do so often, till the powder of Gold be well edulcorated; which is known by its being insipid. Lastly, put it into a Tunnel with filtring paper, through which the Liquor passes, and leaves behind it [Page 64] the powder of Gold, which must be dried care­fully by a slow heat: for it easily takes fire, and bouncing like a Gun, flies away.

This impetuous action proceeds from the mixture of the Salts and Spirits which enter into the Dissolvent and the Precipitant of the Gold, and which reduce it into atoms. Of which Salts and Spirits, the Gold by its reaction and its fixity, retains some portion, though im­perfectly; for when the fire acts upon this mixture, it drives out the spirituous parts, which the Gold and the Corpuscles of Salt of Tartar desire to retain; from which conflict the great noise ensues.

This Fulmination may be hindred several ways, all which tend only either to break the force of the nitrous Spirits, or to separate them from the Salt of Tartar, a good quantity whereof always remains with the fulminating Gold. For after all the Lotions that can be made of it, it will be commonly found a fourth, or almost a third part heavier than the simple Gold which was dissolved and precipitated. Wherefore to destroy the activity of this Salt, beat the fulminating Gold together with three times as much of flower of Sulphur, and put this mixture upon a small fire in a Crucible: the Sulphur will burn and exhale, during which its saline acid parts fasten to the saline and spi­rituous parts which involv'd the Gold, and car­ries them away; and the Gold will remain in the bottom of the Crucible, of the same weight as at first. You may reduce it into a Metallick [Page 65] body, with the addition of a little Borax by a fire of fusion; or else you may mix the fulminating Gold with Oyl of Vitriol or Sulphur, or with the Spirit of Sea-Salt, and put them boldly in a Crucible upon the fire without fearing any thing; for their acid Spirits change the nature of the Salt of Tartar.

Some employ this Powder in diseases pro­ceeding from corruption of the Blood; for by sweat and insensible transpiration it drives the venom from the Center. The Dose is from 2 to 8 Grains, in some Conserve, or in the Extract of Juniper Berries.

The Calcination of Gold by Mercury.

TAke a Dram of Gold purged by Antimo­ny; reduce it into very thin Plates, which cut with Cizars into small pieces: Then take two little Crucibles, which place upon burning Coals; and put your Gold into the one, and six Drams of good Mercury into the other. When the Gold is all red, and the Mercury begins to smoke, mix them together in one of the Crucibles, and stir them with a little Stick; they will presently unite, and make a soft and tractable Amalgama, which you must wash to take away the blackness; then dry it and pass it through a piece of Shammoy Leather: The overpluss of Mercury [Page 66] will remain in the Leather, weighing ordi­narily about four Drams; the Gold retain­ing three times its weight of Mercury. Now to reduce this Gold into a subtle and impal­pable Calx, you must mix this with twice the weight of Sulphur, in a Marble-Mortar for the space of two or three hours, and put this mixture into a Crucible, on which put a covering with a hole in the middle. Place the same in a moderate Fire, for fear of reducing the Gold into a solid body and loosing all your pains. The Sulphur and the Mercury will exhale; but the Gold will re­main in the bottom of the Crucible in a spongy and impalpable Powder. You may likewise reverberate it under a muffle, and so you shall have a Calx of Gold well o­pened and fit for curious operations.

Another Calcination of Gold.

DIssolve a Dram of Gold in Aqua Regia; poure the solution into a Gourd, where­in there is a quart of Spring Water and a­bout six Drams of Mercury. Place the Gourd in a hot Sand four and twenty hours, during which the Spirits of the Aqua Regia will act upon a part of the Mercury, and let the Gold fall in a red light Powder to the bottom of the Vessel; and the Water which [Page 67] before was yellow by reason of the Gold which it contained, will become clear as Cry­stal. Pour it off by inclination and dry the powder of Gold and the Mercury (which could not be dissolved in this little quantity of Aqua Regia, necessary to the dissolution of a Dram of Gold, and having lost a great part of its virtue by the mixture of the Spring Water in the Gourd) I say, dry your Gold and Mercury in a Spoon with a gentle heat; then pass the Mercury through Leather, the Powder of Gold will remain in the Leather; beat it and Calcine it with double its weight of Flower of Sulphur, as is said above of Aurum Fulminans; and you shall have a very subtil and well opened Calx of Gold.

A Diaphoretick Powder of Gold.

DIssolve in three Drams of good Aqua Regia one Dram of fine Gold, and when it is dissolved add to it one Dram of well refined Salt-peter, which dissolve also in it. In this Liquor moisten some small pieces of very fine Linnen, and till all the Liquor be imbibed by them. Dry them with the gentle heat of Sand; then set them on fire with a little spark of fire, which they take as easily as Tinder; and they will be reduced into [Page 68] Ashes of a dark red; which being cold, sweep up carefully with a Hare's Foot or a Feather, and keep it for use.

This Gold cleanseth the Mass of Blood by Sweat and insensible Transpiration. It also cures continual and intermitting Feavers, ta­ken in the beginning of the Fits. The Dose is from four to twelve Grains, in some con­serve, in form of a Bolus, or in a little Wine, or a spoonful of Broth.

This Powder hath been in some hands as a great secret; and they have told wonders of it to the credulous, who are easily taken with the least things. If you rub Silver with this Powder moistned with a little Water, it guilds it very well and this guilding is of long continuance.

The Purification of Silver by the Cupple.

THis operation differs not from the pu­rifying of Gold by the Cupple. For the Lead carries away all other Metals, reducing [Page 70] them either into Dross or Smoak; only Gold and Silver resist it. Place a good Cupple with its Muffle in a little Furnace made for this purpose, the Figure of which is in the third Table. In defect of such a Furnace, place the Muffle in a Wind-Furnace: put fire round about, and over it; which must be gentle in the beginning, that the Cupple may heat by degrees, otherwise it will crack. When it is all red by encreasing the Fire by little and little; put first into it an equal quantity of Lead, and let it melt and boil, to the end the Cupple may begin to imbibe it. Then put in also the Silver, which easily melts in the Lead. Continue the Fire till the Lead be exhaled and have carried away with it the impure Metals wherewith the Silver was mixed before: Then the Silver will be seen coagulated, and remaining alone very pure upon the Cupple

Vitriol of Luna.

TAke an ounce of Cuppled Silver reduced into little grains, or thin Plates and three ounces of Spirit of Nitre. Put them together into a Matrace upon hot Sand, and leave then so till the Silver be dissolved; pour the warm Solution into a little Gourd or Cupping-Glass, warm'd a little before, lest [Page 71] the heat of the Solution break it. Leave it to cool some hours, and the Liquor will turn almost all into Crystals, but some will remain not Crystallized this first time. Therefore evaporate half away upon Sand in a Glass vessel, amd leave it to Crystallize in the cold. Or if you be contented with the first Crystals, pour the floating Liquor into an earthen Pan, wherein there is water and a piece of Cop­per; so all the Silver contained in the Li­quor will fall down in Powder, which you may wash and dry, and then melt with a little Saltpeter, and Tartar in a little Crucible, to restore it its first Body. Those first Crystals must be dried by a gentle Fire, and kept very carefully in a Glass Vessel well stop'd. They are called the Salt or Vitriol of Luna, and are of a very bitter tast. They are used chiefly for diseases of the Brain, or for Dropsies: They purge kindly enough. The Dose is from three to eight Grains in a Glass of Liquor proper to the Disease, for such as can bear their bitterness; or else in some Conserve, drinking after it some appro­priated Liquor, to temper the Acrimony lest in these Crystals by the Spirit of Nitre.

A Tincture of Luna.

REduce an ounce of Cuppled Silver into smal Grains, Plates, or Filings, which dissolve in three ounces of good Aqua Fortis, made of Saltpeter and Vitriol. The Solution pour into Salt-water or Sea-water well filtred and clear; and the Silver will immediately be precipitated in a white Powder, which you must let settle together in the bottom. Then pour off the Liquor by inclination, and instead thereof pour on some very clear Spring-water warm; stir the Silver about in it; then let it settle again, and pour off this Water likewise by inclination. Repeat this washing till the Powder of Silver be free from all Acrimony. Then dry it gently, and put it into a fit Ma­trace, adding to it half an ounce of the vola­tile Salt of Ʋrine, and twelve ounces of Spi­rit of Wine well Tartarized, i. e. well rectified upon Salt of Tartar. Put upon this Matrace another Matrace, whose mouth must enter in­to that which contains the matter to make a Vessel called Bocia centra bociam, or Double bolts head; lute the joynts exactly with a wet Bladder. Digest the matter in a very gentle heat of a vaporous Bath of Horse-dung for ten days; in which time the Menstruum will extract the Tincture of Silver [Page 73] and become of a Sky-colour. Pour off the Tincture by inclination, filtre it, and put it into a little Glass-Gourd with its head; which Lute well together, and place in a vaporous Bath; and having drawn off three parts by Distillation, the Tincture will remain in the bottom, which you must keep carefully in a Viol well stopt.

This Tincture is used with good success in Epilepsies, Apoplexies, Frenzies, and other Diseases of the Brain, in some convenient Liquor. The Dose is from four to fifteen drops.

After you have drawn this Tincture, you find in the bottom of the Matrace a Calx of Silver, which may be reduced into a body by the following mixture. Take an ounce of powdered Pibbles, an ounce of Tartar, two drams of powdered Charcoal, and four ounces of good Saltpeter. Put this mixture by little and little into a Crusible heated red hot in the Fire, and it will soon melt with great agitation; which being over, pour this melted Salt into a hot Mortar and there let it cool; you shall have a hard mass, of which take a weight equal to your Calx of Silver; pow­der them together, and melt them in a good Crusible, and the Calx will be reduced into a body, being otherwise hardly reducible, by reason of the Sea-Salt wherewith it was precipitated, and of the volatile Salt of Ʋrine, with which it was digested. For the [...]e two Salts make the Silver very volatile. And if [Page 74] you should go about to melt the said Calx, without this mixture of fixt Salt, which destroys the impression of the volatile Salts, it would fly almost all away through the vio­lence of the fire of Fusion.

Lapis Infernalis, or a Perpetual Caustic.

TAke two ounces of Cuppled Silver; re­duced either into Granules, Plates, or Filings; dissolve it in a Matrace with its double or triple of good Aqua-fortis; pour the Solution into a Gourd covered with its Alimbeck, or rather into a little Porrenger of strong earth not vernisht, and open; eva­porate it in in Sand till it come to a yellow Salt, and place it in a fire of Sand, and draw off about half the Aqua-fortis. The Water which comes off will be very weak because the Silver retains the stronger Spirits of the Aqua-fortis. Leave the Vessel some hours to cool, and you shall find the matter remaining in the bottom of the Gourd in form of a Salt, which put into a good German Crusible somewhat large, because the matter swells at first in boiling, and would be apt to run over and be lost. Set the Crusible upon a little fire, till the Ebullitions be passed, and the matter be fallen to the bottom; about which time augment the fire a little, and you shall see [Page 75] the matter like Oil in the bottom of the Crusible. Pour it into a very clean Casting-mould a little heated before, and you shall find it as hard as Stone; keep it in a Box for use. But for greater convenience, to the end the Surgeon may have pieces of several sizes to employ in hollow Ulcers, of the bigness of the Tag of a Point, or other Figure ac­cording to occasion cut the matter before it be quite cold, and leave it in such figures as you think fit.

It may be used for Cancers, and to eat and consume the superfluous spongy Flesh of Ʋl­cers only by touching them. And if a Gan­green be not deep this Medicine will reach to the sound parts; after which you need only leave Nature to her self, employing ordina­ry Remedies to produce new flesh, and Cica­trise the diseased part.

The daily use of the said Remedy will disco­ver, will shew its excellency in sundry other Diseases. 'Tis prudence in a Surgeon to use oftentimes the same Medicament for different Maladies, when the Indications concur. This Stone is very commodious and lasts very long. 'Tis called Infernalis, partly from its black colour, and partly from its Caustic burning quality.

Observe, that the virtue of this Stone pro­ceeds from the Corrosive Salts of the Aqua-fortis which the Silver congeals and retains. You may make the like Stone of Copper or Iron the same way, saving that Iron and Cop­per [Page 76] reduced into this condition attract the Air more powerfully, and dissolve into Liquor: which happens not to this of Silver? for it preserves it self always in a solid form, and may be carried about in a Box; for which reason Surgeons prefer it before others, and make use of it.

Many Authors fill their Books with seve­ral Tinctures and other preparations of Gold and Silver; which we omit as either useless or hurtful, persisting in our first design, to set down nothing superfluous, or that may fruit­lesly puzzle the Reader, but to communicate to the publick all that is profitable, and that may be understood and easily performed by Artists, yea even by such as have no skill but what they derive from their Writings.

The Purification of Lead.

BEfore you can imploy Lead, 'tis necessary first to purify it as much as its imper­fection admits, in order to extract out of it what is profitable. Melt it in a great Iron-spoon, then put to it by degrees some small pieces of Wax or Soot, which pieces presently flame and leave a little Scum upon the Lead, which must be taken off with an Iron Spatula. [Page 78] Cast new little pieces of Soot or Wax and take away the Scum in this manner, till the Lead remain as bright as a Looking-glass; then pour it into a Basin, and let it cool.

The Calcination of Lead.

PUT Lead thus purified into a Glass not Vernisht, and set the same in a Wind-Fur­nace amidst the burning Coals. Yet the Fire must not be violent; but 'tis enough that the Pot be red, and the Lead melted. Stir it continually with an Iron rod till it be turned into Powder, or a grayish Calx, in­clining to green; which let cool, and then by sifting separate its impurities.

Another Calcination of Lead.

LAY some purified Lead upon a Tile that resists the Fire, and hath edges to keep the melted Lead from running into the Fire. Place the Tile in a Reverberatory Fire, so that the flame may beat continually upon the Lead. But the Fire must not be too violent; for then it will remain always melted, or else Vitrifie; to prevent which, the Fire must [Page 79] be moderate, and the Lead must be stirred continually with an Iron-rod; so the Lead will first turn to a gray Powder somewhat greenish, and by continuing the motion it will become yellow, and at last red, at which time 'tis called Minium. The Calx of a Pound of Lead will be found encreased above two ounces, by reason of the Particles of Fire incorporated with it, and by their activity re­ducing it into very subtle parts. This aug­mentation is also observed in the Calcination of Tin and other imperfect Metals.

Lead is reduced into Dross, which is a sort of Calcination, in great Cupples, near the Mines, or in Mint-houses, when they purifie Gold and Silver by Lead, which destroys the im­perfect Metals mixt with the perfect, and reduces them into Dross; which is called Li­tharge of Gold when it is drawn from the Cuppling of Gold, and Litharge of Silver when it is so drawn from Silver; and imploy'd for the purifying of these Metals.

Another Calcination of Lead.

TAke a Pound of Lead purified as above; melt it in an Earthen Pot not Vernisht, that resists the Fire, Then cast into it half a pound of Sulphur grosly powdered, and stir it all together with an Iron-rod, till the [Page 80] Sulphur cease to flame and be consumed; and then you shall find the Lead in the bottom of the Pot in a black powder which is called Plumbum Ʋstum, or Burnt Lead.

Another Calcination of Lead.

LEad is also calcined by acid vapors, and by this means reduced into a white Calx. The process is as follows. Hang Plates of Lead in a covered Vessel, into the bottom of which there is some Vinegar; place the Vessel upon some gentle heat, or in Horse-dung; and the steams of the Vinegar will corrode the Lead-plates, and cause to come out of them a white Powder, like Flower, which gather off with a Hare's-Foot; and put the Plates again into the Vessel till they be all re­duced into Ceruse. You may make use of any of these Calx's for the preparations which are to be made upon Lead; but the grayish pow­der mentioned first is the most convenient of all.

Salt or Sugar of Saturn.

TAke a pound of grayish powder of Lead, put it into a great Matrace, and pour upon it three pounds of distilled Vinegar. Set the Matrace in digestion in a Sand-Furnace during the space of twenty four hours, in which you must shake the Matrace now and then; otherwise the Calx will harden in the bottom of the Vessel and endanger to break it. Then pour off the distilled Vinegar by inclination into another Vessel; you will find it charged with the substance of the Lead, and its acidity turned to a great sweetness. Put new distilled Vinegar upon the Lead, and proceed as before, mixing and keeping all the Solutions. Continue to put new Vinegar, to digest, and to pour off by inclination, till the distilled Vinegar dissolve no more Lead, nor become sweet, or till all the Lead be dissol­ved, which it will not fail to be, provided the Calx of Lead be well made. Then filtre all the Solutions through gray Paper, and put them into a Gourd with its Alembick, and Recipient in Balneo Mariae; and you shall first draw off an insipid Water, the dissolved Lead retaining all the acid Spirits of the Vinegar, which incorporate with it and make a very white Cristalline Salt like Needles, resembling [Page 82] Saltpeter refined. This Liquor must not be distilled to siccity; but you must observe this proportion, that if you have dissolved a pound of Lead there must remain about four pounds of Liquor in the Gourd, to the end the Salt may Christallize. For when the Liquor is too clear, the Salt is too much diffused in it, and will not Christallize; and being too much de­prived of moisture, the whole turns to a con­fused Mass.

Wherefore then take the Gourd out of the Bath, and set it in a cool place, during three or four days, at the end of which you shall find a good part of the Liquor turned into Salt. Separate the floating Liquor, and dry the Salt between two Papers. Afterwards put the Liquor which you had poured off by inclination, into a less Gourd, and distill off a­bout a third part; then set the Gourd a day or two in a cool place, and you shall again find Crystallized Salt, which you shall dry as the first. Evaporate and Cristalize again the remaining Liquor, and reiterate the same o­peration, till you have reduced into Cristals all that is so reducible. And in case your Salt be not white enough the first time, dis­solve it with the Phlegm of Vinegar, which filtre through gray Paper, and Cristallize as before; you shall thereby have a very fair Salt of Saturn. This Salt is a very good Medicine in the Asthma, and other diseases of the Breast, being given in some Pecto­ral Decoction. The Dose is from five [Page 83] to fifteen grains. 'Tis also used outwardly with good success in Wounds, and Ulcers; for it kills and destroys the corroding Salts of them; it is likewise excellent for Inflam­mations, being dissolved in Night-shade water, or some other appropriate Water, and then applied. Moreover it serves well in Lotions for Inflammations and Itchings of the Eyes. But it is suspected inwardly for those that have weakness in the Kidnies, and parts ne­cessary to Generation. And therefore in this case it must be used discreetly, and with great circumspection.

The Magistery of Lead.

DIssolve the Calx of Lead in Vinegar, Di­stilled as is taught in in the preceding Chapter. Pour off the Solution by Inclina­tion, and pass it through gray Paper. Then put upon it some Oil of Tartar, per deliquium, and you will instantly see the Liquor as white as curdled Milk, whereon pour a good deal of common Water very clean; and let it set­tle, and the Lead will precipitate to the bottom in a white powder; and this is by reason of the Oyl of Tartar, which being an Alkali Salt dissolved, breaks the force of the distilled Vinegar, which had reduced the Lead into Liquor, and constrains it to let go [Page 84] its former hold. Pour off the floating Li­quor by inclination, and put som [...] common Water upon the Powder, to Dulcify it, which pour away when it is well settled. Repeat this washing so often till the Powder be wholly freed from the Acrimony of the Salts. Then dry it and keep it for use.

This Magistery is exceeding white, and good for Pomatums. But 'tis also used in Ʋnguents and Eye-Waters as a good Disic­cative.

If out of curiosity you desire to reduce the Salt, or Magistery of Saturn into Lead as it was before; melt a little Salt of Tartar in a Crusible, then put thereto a little of this Salt or Magistery, and you shall see it presently return to Lead; for the acid Spirit of Vinegar, which kept the Lead in the form of a Salt or white Powder, is destroyed by the Salt of Tartar, by which it is at the same time both melted and reduced back to Metal.

A burning Spirit of Saturn, (as it is called) but rather, A Spirit of the Volatile Salt of Vinegar.

TAke two pound of Salt of Saturn, well purified by several Solutions and Crystal­lizations with distilled Vinegar. Put it into [Page 85] a Retort, so as to fill the same but half way, and place it in a Furnace of Sand, fitting thereunto a large Receiver. Lute the joyn­ings well, and make the Fire gentle at first. There will come forth in the first place a phlegmatick Water and afterwards the Spirit, which will cause the resemblance of Veins in the Receiver, as when you distill Aqua-vitae: for this Spirit is almost of the same nature, proceeding from the Volatile Salt of the distilled Vinegar, which the Lead fixt and retained in its dissolution. But when this Spirit is urged by the Fire, it forsakes the body whereunto it adhered. Encrease the Fire by little and little and continue it to make the Retort red. There will come forth a red earthy Oil towards the end, but in very little quantity; which Oil some account the true Red Oil of Saturn, but erroneously, it being nothing else but the more heavy and earthy part of the distilled Vinegar. The Di­stillation being ended leave the Vessels to cool: then unlute the Receiver, wherein are the Phlegm, the Spirit and the Oil confu­sedly together, and there remains a black earth in the Retort. You must rectify what is in the Receiver, in a little Gourd in Balneo Mariae: The Spirit will come forth first, which is inflammable like that of Wine, but it will smell like the Spirit of Lavendar or Rosemary: The Phlegm and the thick Oily Liquor will remain in the bottom of the Gourd. This Spirit is an excellent Remedy [Page 86] against the Plague, Putrid Feavors, and Hy­pochondriacal Melancholy. The Dose from 4 to 12 drops in some convenient Liquor. The Phlegm may serve to wash Wounds and fetid Ʋlcers. The Earth left in the Retort, is very black whilst inclosed; but as soon as you have broken the Retort, and it takes Air, it grows hot of it self and turns from black to yellow, and at the same time is ra­rified to the eye. If you put it into a Cru­sible to melt, it returns easily to Lead.

The Purification of Tin.

FIne Tin is purified after the same manner as Lead, in a great Iron Dish, by being melted on the Fire, and adding to it some little pieces of Soot or Wax, and taking off with a Rod or Spatula of Iron, the black Scum that rises upon it, and pouring the Tin thus depurated into a very clean Bason.

The Calcination of Tin.

TIN is Calcined in a Reverberatory Fire upon an edged Tile, as Lead is in the foregoing Chapter. Continual agitation will reduce it by little and little into a powder of an Isabella colour, provided the Tin be fine and not mixed with Lead; if there be Lead amongst it, the Calx will be white: and 'tis this last that the makers of fine Earthen Pots make use of for their Vernish. It may also be Calcin'd by the addition of Sulphur, as we have said in the foregoing Chapter.

The Salt of Jupiter.

MAny Chymists refume to affirm in their writings that the preparation of the Salt of Tin differs nothing from that of Lead, and that they are to be made after the same man­ner. We easily understand from hence, and from several other things contained in their Books, that they borrow one from another, and choose rather to offer to the publick un­warranted preparations, than to make expe­rience thereof themselves. For 'tis impossible to dissolve the Calx of Tin, though very well Reverberated, in Distilled Vinegar, which ne­vertheless easily dissolves Lead. 'Tis true, the most corrosive Acids as Aqua-fortis, Spirit of Nitre, &c. dissolve it. But in as much as a great quantity of them is necessary for a little Tin; the Remedies drawn from it by help of those Corrosives, cannot but be very hurtful, But if you reduce Tin into Flowers by Sublimation, then it is so opened, that Di­stilled Vinegar can easily dissolve it.

Take a pound of fine Tin, either in Calx or Filings, and two pounds of well refined Saltpeter, and put them into a Gourd made of good earth that is able to resist the fire. Place the Gourd in a Reverberatory Furnace, stop well and lute the upper part of the Fur­nace [Page 89] round about the Gourd, all but the four Registers, by which the fire is to be govern­ed. Fit upon the Gourd one over another three or four good Earthen Pots, pierced in the bottom, all but the uppermost which is to close all; that which is next the Gourd must besides have a little opening on one side for putting the matter in. Lute the joynings of the Vessels exactly, and put fire to the Furnace to heat the Gourd by de­grees, till it become all red; then with a little Iron Ladle put in about an ounce of the Powder, and stop the hole immediately with a piece of Earth or Brick fit to it, which may be easily removed. It will make a great rumbling noise, in which the Vola­tile Spirits of Saltpeter carry away with them part of the Tin, which is sublim'd and sticks to the Pots like white Flower. When the noise is over, put in another ounce of the mixture, stopping the hole speedily, and let the noise pass. Continue this till all the Pow­der be spent, and then let the Vessels cool. After which, unlute them and you will find the Pots filled with the Flowers of Tin, like Meal. Gather off these Flowers with a Fea­ther, and wash them well with warm water, to take away the Acrimony of the Saltpeter; continue these washings till the Flowers be well edulcorated, and then dry them by a gentle fire.

These Flowers thus dry'd put into a Ma­trace, pouring thereupon distiiled Vinegar three [Page 90] fingers higher than the matter. Set this Ma­trace on hot Sand to digest for three days, then pour off the Solution by inclinarion in­to another Vessel, and put new distilled Vi­negar upon the remaining matter in the Ma­trace, and set the same again to digest as be­fore; then pour off the Menstruum by incli­nation. Repeat these Digestions with new Vinegar till the Flowers be all dissolved; then filtre all the Solutions together, and evaporate them with a gentle heate to siccity, and in the bottom of the Vessel you shall find the Salt of Jupiter: which in the next place must be freed from the acidity of the Vinegar it retains, by means of the Spirit of Wine in the manner following.

Put the Salt into a little Glass-Gourd, pour­ing thereupon good Spirit of Wine two fin­gers high; fit an Alembick to the Gourd, and a little Receiver to the Alembick, and set it to distil with a slow fire; the Spirit will carry off with it part of the acid Salt of the distilled Vinegar. Repeat this Distillation five or six times, always with new Spirit of Wine; and you shall have a Salt of Jupi­ter deprived of all Acrimony, and endued with very great virtues in all Hysterical Dis­eases. The Dose is from 6 to 20 grains in some convenient liquor.

The Magistery of Jupiter.

DIssolve four ounces of very fine Tin with thrice as much good Spirit of Nitre in a Matrace upon a fire of Sand. Pour the Solution into a great Glased Earthen Pan full of very clean Water, which by its quantity will weaken the Spirit of Nitre, and make it forsake the Tin which it had dissolved, and which will precipitate to the bottom of the Vessel in a very white Powder. Edulcorate this Powder by frequent washings with Wa­ter, and dry it in the shade; 'tis a very fair white, and serves for Pomatums for the Face.

The Purification of Iron.

IRon is purified and becomes Steel by means of the Horns and Hoofs of Animals, either cut small or grosly Powdered and mixt with Charcoal of some light Wood, as Willow or Tegle powdered and stratified with small I­ron Rods, in Pots or Furnaces made on pur­pose. And being the Hoofs and Horns of Animals contain much Volatile Salt in them, this Salt by the help of the Fire penetrates the substance of Iron by its subtlety and re­duces it into Steel.

The Calcination of Mars, and reduction into an astringent Crocus or Safron.

TAke the filings of polisht Steel, or those of fine Needles; put the same upon a large flat Tile, which place in a Glass Furnace, or else in a Reverberatory Furnace, during seven or eight days, so that the Flame may touch [Page 93] it continually; and the filings will be turned into an impalpable Powder, Spungeous and of a brownish red. Wash the same five or six times with warm water, to take away what might remain of its aperitive virtue: then dry it and keep it for use. This Powder, called Crocus Martis astringens, is used for Dysenteries, Lienteries, Spitting of Blood, Go­norrhea's, and other Diseases that need bind­ing. The Dose is from 10 to 30 Grains, in Conserve of Roses, or Syrup of Quinces, or in some proper Water or Decoction. Note that the Chymists give the name of Crocus, or Safron, to Metals or Minerals, which by Fire either Actual or Potential are reduced into a red or reddish Powder.

Another Astringent Safron of Mars

TAke three ounces of Filings of Steel, put it into a Glass-Gourd, and pour thereto by little and little twelve ounces of Spirit of Nitre, or of good Aqua-fortis. I say by little and little, by reason of the great Ebul­lition which arises, and when this is passed, clap an Alembick upon the Gourd, and draw off all the Humidity, which will be as insipid as Water, by reason that the Steel retains all the acid Spirits. There will remain in the bottom of the Gourd a reddish Mass, which [Page 94] you must put into a Crusible upon a mode­rate fire, so as to make it red for three hours; and you shall have a very red Pow­der, to be employed outwardly for stoppage of Bleedings, and for drying of Wounds and Ulcers. This Crocus is also used in Astrin­gent Plaisters, Ʋnguents, and Liniments. But if you put but one ounce of Filings of Steel to six ounces of Aqua-fortis, and in the Ma­trace evaporate the same to siccity in a fire of Sand, you shall have a Crocus dissolvable in a Cellar into a red Liquor. 'Tis a very good Remedy for Mundifying any Ʋlcer, ren­dering the same capable of cicatrisation, which it procures by the Astringent faculty derived to it from its Vitriolick Earth.

Another Aperitive Safron of Mars.

HEat a square piece of Steel in a Smith's Forge till it become very white and sparkle; have ready a large Earthen Pan full of Water, and take the Steel out of the Fire, holding it firm with the Tongs over the said Water, and apply to it the end of a roll of Brimston, and they will both melt drop by drop into the Water; but the Steel will cease when it begins to lose its whiteness; and then you must put it again into the Forge and repeat the application of the Sulphur till [Page 95] all the Steel be melted and fallen drop by drop into the Pan of water. Pour the water out of the same by inclination, and put the Steel and Sulphur thus melted into a Crusible, which which being made red hot upon the Fire, the Sulphur will exhale and the Steel will remain, which you must beat to Powder and sift through a Hair Sive. Afterwards reverberate this Pow­der with a flaming Fire four and twenty hours, and you shall have an Aperitive Safron of Mars, of a red colour, and a great Remedy in Cronick diseases, the Cachexie, Obstructi­ons of the Liver, Spleen, and Mesentery. The Dose is from 8 to 24 Grains, in the Conserve of Marigold, Tamarise, &c. Many use with good success the Filings alone finely pow­dered.

Vitriol of Mars.

TAke three pounds of good corrosive Spi­rit of Vitriol, called improperly Oil, and nine pounds of Rain-water. Mix them together; then put a pound of Filings of Steel in a great Matrace, and pour thereon by little and little the three quarters of the mixture of Water and Spirit. Set the Ves­sel upon hot Sand for two days, during which, most of the Filings will be dissolved, which [Page 96] would not be without the addition of the Water, which hinders the Oil of Vitriol from being suckt up and congeal'd by the Filings of Steel; and the Liquor will become green. Pour it off by inclination into another Ves­sel; and if any Filings remain undissolved, put thereupon that which you reserved of the Dissolvent, and digest the same as before upon hot Sand. Then pour off what is clear by inclination into the first Solution, and throw away what remains in the bottom of the Ma­trace, as useless Earth, being but little. Filtre all the Solutions, and Evaporate them in an Earthen Pan upon hot Sand to the half. Then place it in a Cellar or other cool place for three days, in which time most of the Li­qu [...]r will be Christallized like Vitriol. Pour off the floating Liquor into another Vessel, and having evaporated part of it, Christallize the rest as before. Repeat this Crystalliza­tion till all the humidity be evaporated, and all the solid substance be reduced into Vitriol. Then dry all the Crystals and keep them in a Glass, or Earthen Pot well stopt. One pound of Mars affords usually four pounds of Vi­triol; which increase proceeds from Recor­porification of the Spirit of Vitriol, joyning it self easily with the Mars, which is very apt to congeal and detain acids by its styp­tick virtue. The Vitriol of Mars is good a­gainst the Cachexie, and the obstructions of the Liver, Spleen, Pancreas, and Mesentery. But the use of it must be continued for some [Page 97] time, as of other Remedies extracted from Mars; whereof the Dose likewise must be encreased in the continuance, and that by little and little till the Stomach rises against in, and then it must be diminisht. The Dose is from 3 to 15 Grains in Broth, or in some Conserve in form of a Bolus. With this Vitriol may be made also Mineral-waters, strong or weak, according to the intention. But commonly a Dram of Vitriol serves for two quarts of Water.

Another Aperitive Safron of Mars.

REduce a square piece of fine Steel i [...]to small Plates, which strow upon an Earthen Dish well Glased, and expose the same early in the morning to the Dew in the Month of May, taking care to turn it now and then till the Dew be passed that day, and till the Plates in the Bason be dried by the Sun, or otherwise; then with a Hare's Foot carefully sweep together the little Powder which will be upon the Plates like rust. Continue the same Operation with like care the whole Month of May, or as long as the Dew lasts, daily gathering off the Powder, and keeping it for use. This Operation is sufficiently long and Tedious; but this Safron yields not to the first in its opening virtue, which is much encreased by the subtle and penetrating Spi­rit [Page 98] of the Dew, which unites it self with the Steel, and insensibly reduces the same into an impalpable Powder. The Dose of this Crocus is from 4 to 15 Grains in Obstructi­ons, as the other Remedies extracted from Mars, to which it is not inferior in vir­tue.

Another Aperitive Safron of Mars.

TAke a pound (or as much as you please) of Vitriol of Mars made with Spirit of Vitriol, as we have taught before: put the same into a Crusible amongst burning Coals for half an hour, or till it be quite red; then let the Vessel cool, and you shall find a reddish brown Powder, weighing about half the Vitriol put to Calcine; for the lighter and better Spirits exhale by the action of the Fire, which 'tis good to preserve; as you shall do by putting the Vitriol of Mars into a Glass-Retort well luted in a Reverberatory Fire, joyning thereto a great receiver, and proceeding in the same manner as we shall in the Chapter of Vitriol teach the Distilla­tion of its Spirit. By this means you shall have a very excellent Spirit of Vitriol of Mars, which may be used with very good success where there is occasion for acids. In the bottom of the Retort there will remain a [Page 99] Safron of Mars very fair and excellent, ha­ving all the virtues attributed above to the preparations of Aperitive Safrons of Mars.

An Aperitive Tincture of Mars by means of Tartar.

TThe preparation of this Remedy is very simple and easy. 'Tis improperly called a Tincture, being nothing but a Solution of the intire substance of Iron made with Tartar, which is a matter much abounding in Acid Salt. Take half a pound of Filings of Steel, well washed, and two pounds of good Tar­tar of Montpellier, or Germany, (which is best for this Operation) though either may serve, provided it be clean and Crystalline. Pow­der the Tartar, and mix it with the Filings, and put all together into a great Iron-Pot. Pour thereon ten or twelve quarts of Rain-water or River-water. The Pot must be so great that a third part may be empty. Set it to boil on a good Fire, till it dissolve the Tartar, and make the Acid part thereof act upon the Steel, which you may observe by the swelling of the matter; for which reason the Pot must be very large and only half full; for otherwise it would run over. Continue the Fire a whole day together, and keep a Ves­sel full of boiling Water near the Pot to recruit [Page 100] the consuming Water. In the mean time stir the Water continnually, which will appear as white as Broth; and after ten or twelve hours boiling, leave it to settle; that which is thick will go to the bottom, and the thinner part will float above, being blackish and of a sweetish tast. Pour the clear off by inclina­tion, and filtre it through a gray Paper. Then evaporate it in an Earthen Vessel with a gentle Fire to the consistence of Syrup, and keep it in a Phial for use, as a very good and sure Remedy against all obstructions of the Liver, Spleen, Pancreas, and Mesentery, and against Cachexies, Dropsies, Stopping of the Courses, and generally against all Diseases which require opening and strengthening; 'tis also very good against the Worms and putri­faction of the Stomach and Bowels. The Dose is from fifteen drops to half a Spoonful in in Broth, or in some proper Water or De­coction.

An Aperitive Extract of Mars.

TAke one pound of very fine Filings of Steel, put it into a great Bottle, and pour to it eight quarts of Must or juice of Grapes newly pressed out; stop the Bottle and expose it to the Sun, and in fair weather forty days and nights, shaking the matter in [Page 101] it sometimes, the better to draw out the A­peritive substance of the Steel. At the end of which time filtre the Liquor through gray Paper, which you will find to have the co­lour and tast of Iron. Evaporate it to the Consistence a Rob, if you will have it in a liquid form, or to the consistence of an Ex­tract; if you will mix it with Electuaries, Lozenges, or Pills. Let this be done with a gentle Fire in a Glass Vessel in Balneo Ma­riae, or warm Ashes, to the end the Extract may not savour of burning, and you shall have a Medicine of great virtue, and not at all unpleasant. If you keep it in the consistence of a Rob, the Dose may be the same with the Tincture of Mars newly described. If you reduce it into an Extract, the Dose may be from six Grains to a Scruple, in some proper Syrup, Trosk, a rosted Apple, or the like you may also incorporate it with an equal quantity of Aloes Succatrine, dissolved, depu­rated and boiled with Syrup of Damask-Roses, and according to art make a Mass of it, whereof you may form Pills, each weighing eight Grains, of good use for all sorts of Ob­structions both of Men and Women. 'Tis e­nough to take one Pill before Supper for fif­teen days, or three weeks. Some reinforce this Mass with Gum Armoniac or Sagape­num, and even with Scammony and other Laxa­tives; which I will not disaprove, being glad that every day something were invented to im­prove the excellent Medicines which Chymi­stry affords us.

An Astringent Extract of Mars.

THough this Preparation be very simple and the easiest in all the Book, yet it deserves to be mentioned for the good effects which it produces, and for the sake of those that are ignorant of both sort of Pharmacy. Take four ounces of Filings of Steel, put it into a Glased Earthen Pot, pouring thereto a quart of good deep red Wine, that which Wine-Merchants use to give a colour to their White-wine, set it to boil, and stir it about with an Iron Spatula till above three parts of the Wine be consumed; Filtre the remainder whilst it is hot and swims above the Steel; and then evaporate it to the Consistence of an Extract; Or if you will not be at the trou­ble, you may use this filtred Liquor, giving an ounce of it in Broth, fasting, for some mornings together, as a great Remedy for Diarrheas, Dysenteries, old Hepatical Fluxes, and other such Diseases. Being reduced in­to the form of an Extract; The Dose is from twelve Grains to half a Dram, in some Broth or other Astringent Liquor.

Salt of Mars.

TAke half a pound of Filings of Steel, put it into a Glased Earthen Pan and sprinkle it with good Distilled Vinegar till it be like Past. Then set the Vessel in a Batb of Ashes till the Past be dried; then powder it, and moisten it again with Distilled Vinegar and dry it as before. Repeat this operation a Dozen times, to open the Steel well; Lastly, powder the Steel, and put it in a Gourd, in Balneo Mariae, pouring thereto twelve pound of distilled Vinegar, and continue it in the Bath boiling till a third part of the Menstruum be consumed; then decrease the Fire, and when the Vessel is cold pour off the Solution by inclination into some Bottle, and having put new Menstruum to the Steel set the same in Balneo as before, stirring the matter now and then, till a third part of the Menstruum be consumed as before; pour off the remainder by inclination. Repeat this Operation thrice; and the Vessel being cooled mix all the Solu­tions together, and filtre them very exactly. Evaporate in Balneo Mariae till there remain in the bottom but about an eighth part; then set the Vessel in a cool place for a day or two, in which time the Salt will partly be Crystallized. Pour off by inclination the Li­quor [Page 104] floating above the Crystals into another glased Vessel, and Evaporate again. Repeat this Operation till you have drawn out all the Salt, which you must dry gently and keep for use. This Salt is improperly called so, as well as that of Saturn, being nothing but Solutions made with the Acid Spirit of Vinegar which coagulates with the matter dissolved into the form of Salt; but this uni­on may be easily dissolved by Fire, which drives the light Spirits of the Vinegar into the Air, the Metallick bodies remaining in form of an Earthy Calx, till by the extreme violence of a melting Fire the same be re­duced into Metal.

Yet this hinders not but that whilst in the form of Salt they have their use in Physick; since the Acids wherewith they are prepared carry them into the most remote and difficult places; and these very Acids being corrected in some sort by the bodies which they re­tain, cannot act with so much violence as they would do being alone. This Salt may be used where ever there is occasion for the other Aperitive Remedies of Mars. The Dose is from 3 to 15 Grains in some Vehicle.

The Purification of Copper.

TAke thin Copper Plates, and cut them in­to pieces proportionable to the Crusible, then make a course Powder of three parts of Pumice-stone, and one part of Sandiver, or Salt of Glass: Stratify your Plates in a very strong Crusible, beginning and ending with the Pow­der, and set the Crusible in a very hot melt­ing Fire. The Copper will be found melted in the bottom of the Crusible, and the Pu­mice-stone will be above it, having suckt up a good part of its earthly and impure Sul­phur. This operation may be repeated twice or thrice, to purify the Copper the more and render it fitter for Chymical Operation.

The Calcination of Copper.

COpper may be Calcined into a Crocus in the same manner as Mars, by reducing it into Filings, and placing the same upon an edged Tile in a Reverberatory Fire during seven or eight days. It may also be Calcin'd by Stratifying the Plates with powder of Brimstone in a Pot that can endure the fire, covered with its covering, in the middle of which there is a hole to let the Sulphur ex­hale. Copper thus burnt is called Aes ustum. It may also be Calcin'd and reduced into Ver­digrease by Stratifying the Plates in a covered Pot with the Husks, or Mother of the pres­ssng of Grapes which have fermented with the Wine in the Fat; in the bottom of which Pot there must be a little Wine, over which little sticks are to be placed crosswise to keep the Plates from touching the Wine. The said Mother is also to be moistened a little be­fore you Stratify the Plates with it; which render their Verdigrease after that the Mo­ther being Fermented and heated, the Vinous Tartar remaining in the Mother being excited by the vapours of the Wine, become volati­lized into Spirit, and as it ascends penetrates and corrodes the the Plates, and reduces them into Verdigrease. This preparation can­not [Page 108] be made in all places where Wine grows; because all Wines have not Tartar enough for this purpose. But Montpelier and other adjacent places afford much of it, because the Wines thereof abound with very pure pene­trating Tartar proper for this effect.

Vitriol of Venus.

TAke a pound of the Filings of Copper, put the same into a Matrace, and pour thereon three pounds of good Distilled Vine­gar. Place it in digestion upon hot Sand for three or four days; then pour off the distil­led Vinegar by inclination, and put some fresh upon the Copper, which digest as before. Re­peat this by pouring off the Solutions by in­clination till all the Filings be reduced into a green Liquor. Filtre it, and Evaporate the Humidity till there remain but about four pounds of Liquor. Then take the Vessel from the Fire, and let it stand two or three days in a cool place, and part of the Liquor will be Crystallized. Pour off as much as is not Crystallized, and having Evaporated the half, set it again to Crystallize as before. Continue this till all the dissolved substance be reduced into green Crystals, which you must dry and keep carefully. This Operation is made more easily with Verdigrease, because the distilled [Page 109] Vinegar finds the same more open and fit for Dissolution than crude Copper.

Another Vitriol of Venus.

A Vitriol of Venus of a sky colour may be prepared by means of the Acid Spi­rit of Vitriol, in the same manner as the Vi­triol of Mars is made.

Spirit of Venus.

TAke a pound of the green Crystals of Cop­per or Verdigrease made with distilled Vinegar, put the same into a Glass-Retort, which place in a Furnace of Sand, fitting a a great Receiver thereto. Lute the joints well, and make a moderate fire in the be­ginning. There will come forth first a Phleg­matick Water, next a Spirit, appearing in the Receiver in the form of Veins, as Aqua vitae also doth; then you must encrease the fire, to drive out the white Spirits which will ascend in Clouds: at last a yellowish Liquor will come forth. The Distillation being ended, leave the Vessels to cool; and when they are unluted you will find in the Retort a black [Page 110] Earth like Coal-dust, which you may keep in Powder, being very Styptick, and good to dry Wounds and Ulcers; it may also be reduced into Copper by a Fire of Fusion, only adding some Salt-peter and Tartar to it. What is in the Receiver must be put in a little Gourd, and set in hot Sand with its Head and Receiver; and all the Liquor di­stilled to driness with a gentle heat. You will have a very clear Spirit, excellent a­gainst all obstructions of the Liver and Spleen; as also against the Epilepsy, Apoplexie, and old pains of the Head; 'tis put into Julips to give them a pleasing Sharpness. It may also serve for the dissolving of Corals, Pearls, &c. but being distilled Vinegar doth the same, I would not advise any body to make use of a Spirit so laboriously made. And though some pretend that this Spirit acts upon Bodies without re-action, and may be drawn off by Distillation with the same strength it had be­fore; yet I know the contrary by experience, having found that this Spirit as well as di­stilled Vinegar leaves the impression of its A­crimony in Bodies dissolved by it, whether Pearls or Corals; for which reason I cannot subscribe to all the commendations which they give to it.

A Volatile Vitriol and Magistery of Venus

TAke four ounces of Filings of Copper, put it into a Matrass, and pour there­on some Acid Spirit of Salt Armoniac pre­pared as is taught hereafter, to the height of three Inches above the C [...]pper; stop the Matrace and set it in digestion upon hot Sand for some days. The Spirit will dissolve part of the Copper, but not with that violence as Aqua-fortis doth, but by little and little; (for Aqua-fortis will do as much in one hour as this Spirit can do in four days.) Pour off the Solution by inclination into another Vessel; and if any Copper remain undissolved, put new Spirit to it till it be all dissolved. Filtre all these Solutions, and evaporate the half in a covered Gourd upon hot Sand; set the re­mainder in a cool place to Crystallize for two days. Pour off the Liquor that swims above the Crystals into another Gourd, and Evapo­rate the half again, and set the rest in a cool place to Crystallize. Continue this till all be crystallized. Dry the Crystals gently and keep them carefully. This Vitriol hath something mysterious in it, and the preparation of it is the first step to come to the knowldg of the sweet Sulphur of Venus which Van Helmont recommends above all other things. If you [Page 112] set this Vitriol in a Crusible upon burning Coals, it all flies away. You may make an excellent Medicine of it by subliming it with Salt Armoniac, as follows. Reduce four ounces of Vitriol and as much of Salt Armoniac into a fine Powder, which put into a Gourd with its Alembick well Luted, and fit to it a Re­ceiver well luted also; and by a fire of Sand sublime by degrees all that will ascend; after which let the Vessel cool, and having dissol­ved that which is sublimated in warm Water, filtre it, then pour upon it some Oil of Tar­tar per deliquium, which will precipitate a greenish Powder, which is the Magistery of Venus, and must be edulcorated by frequent Ablutions, and then dried. 'Tis a Soveraign Remedy for an old Gonorrhea, being taken for some days from 6 to 12 Grains in some Conserve in form of a Bolus. You may keep apart a little Urinous Spirit found in the Re­ceiver, which may be imployed outwardly for Aches proceeding from from cold humours.

A Liquor of Venus.

DIssolve an ounce of Filings of Copper in eight ounces of good Aqua-fortis, and evaporate the Humidity by little and little in a fire of Sand, till there remain in the bottom of the Vessel a green Mass, which [Page 113] being kept in a Sellar for some days will melt into a Liquor, and is useful to cleanse Ulcers and eate off dead flesh, and all Superflui­ties.

The Purification of Mercury.

THere are several Purifications of Mercury. Some are contented only to wash it with good Vinegar and Salt and when it is dry to pass it through Leather. But being it may carry with it Lead or Bismuth, or some o­ther Mineral, wherewith possibly 'tis mixt, this way of purifying is not sufficient. Others put the Mercury into a Retort and distill it into a Receiver half full of Water; and if it has been encreased by Lead or Bismuth, these Metals will remain in the bottom of the Retort whilst the Mercury goes pure into the Receiver. But the best way of purifying Mercury, and the fittest for all Chymical Ope­rations, is to revive Cinabar into fluid Morcury; by which means you are sure to have pure Mercury as it comes from the first hand; because all Cinabar is made near the Mines of Mercury, and is put into that form for more easy transportation. Moreover the mixture of the Mercury with Sulphur, by means of which Cinabar is made, and its sub­limination doth in some sort graduate and per­fect it. Lastly the the Reviving of Cinabar into fluid Mercury by Filings of Iron delivers it from all impurity. But since we resolve to use the fluid Mercury revived from Ci­nabar, [Page 116] 'tis requisite first to shew the prepa­ration of Artificial Cinabar.

The Sublimation of Mercury into Cinabar, and the reviving of Cinabar into fluid Mer­cury.

MElt a pound of common Sulphur in a wide Earthen Pan; then put three pounds of Mercury into a Shamoy skin, and gently squeez the same through it, so that it come out by little and little like small Rain, and fall immediately into the Pan which contains the melted Sulphur. In the mean time continue stirring the Sulphur and keep it in Fusion till the Mercury be insensibly incorporated with it, then let the matter cool, which will be black; powder it grosly and sublime it in an Aludel, or Earthen Subliming Pot with a close Fire; and you shall have a very fair Cinabar. If the Mercury were so­phisticated with Lead, Bismuth, or any thing else, you will find the same in the bottom of the Subliming Vessel▪ so that you may be assured of the goodness and pureness of this Mercury converted into Cinabar. The ordi­dinary use of Cinabar is for Painting, as also in Fumigations to provoke Salivation in the POX; 'tis likewise used in Ointmemts for the Itch, and other faults of the Skin.

Now to revive Cinabar into fluid Mercu­ry; Take a pound of this Cinabar, or of that which is sold in the Shops, and as much of Filings of Iron, beat them together, and put the mixture into a Retort of Glass or or Earth well Luted; place this Retort in a Furnace, and put Coals round about it till it be quite covered; then put lighted Coals a­bove, so that the Fire may kindle by de­grees; fit a Receiver to the Retort half full of Water. And when the Retort begins to be red, the Mercury will come into the Re­ceiver drop by drop. Encrease the Fire, and continue it till there come no more forth. Having poured away the Water, dry the Mercury and keep it for use. The Filings of Iron remaining in the Retort will be much Rarified, and black and encreased in weight, because it retains all the Sulphur which was in composition of the Cinabar; which Sulphur leaves the Mercury to adhere to the Iron, by reason of the Acid Spirits contained in the Sulphur which are united to the Iron.

Red Precipitate,

PUT four ounces of this Mercury revived from Cinabar into a Matrace, and pour thereunto six ounces of good Aqua-fortis. Place the Matrace in warm Sand till all the [Page 118] Mercury be dissolved; which is usually done in a quarter of an hour; then pour off the Solution into a Retort, and distill in a fire of Sand all that will come forth. Cohobate the Distillation twice, and at the end of the se­cond Cohobation encrease the fire till the Re­tort be red hot; then leave the Vessel to cool, and breaking it you shall find in it a red shining Mass, which you must powder in a Marble Mortar. This Precipitate is of use for Venereal Diseases; some take it at the Mouth from 4 to 8 Grains in Pills, or in some Conserve in form of a Bolus. 'Tis also used with success in Pomatums for the Itch, Tetters, and other faults of the Skin; in which case you must take notice that the Aqua-fortis be not made but of Salt-peter and Alum, because that with Vitriol is too violent and corrosive. It also serves for Ʋlcers and Can­cers as well to mundify as to consume their proud flesh and other superfluities. But as for the internal use, you must lessen its corrosive­ness▪ by putting it into an Earthen Dish, and pouring on it good Spirit of Wine, and burning the same; which must be repeated thrice; and then you may use it inwardly with more safety.

Here I must admonish the Surgeons and others who buy Precipitate of certain vagrant persons, that they try it by putting a little upon burning Coals; for if any of it revive into fluid Mercury as soon as it feels the Fire, 'tis a sign it is mixt and sophisticated [Page 119] with Minium, which is nothing else but Cal­cin'd Lead which retains the Spirit of Aqua-fortis which before kept the Mercury in form of a red Powder; so that the Mercury re-assumes its first form; which, true red Pre­cipitate doth not; for being put upon a burn­ing Coal, it all exhales presently; the corro­sive Spirits and the Mercury being strictly united and having no such body as Lead to divide them, they exhale together in the Fire.

Turbith Mineral.

TAke four ounces of Mercury revived from Cinabar, and sixteen ounces of Oil of Sulphur or Vitriol; put them together into a Glass-Retort, which set in hot Sand for twenty four hours; after which, fit a Receiver to it and encrease the Fire by degrees; much Phlegm will come forth first, because the body of the Mercury retains back the acid Spirits of the Vitriol or Sulphur; continue the Fire till there come forth at last a little of Acid Spirit which the Mercury could not withold. Then let the Vessels cool, and you will find in the bottom of the Retort a white Mass, which beat in a Glass Mortar, and pour on it a good deal of hot Water, upon which it will instantly turn yellow. Edulcorate it [Page 120] well with warm Water, and then dry it and keep it. This Powder purges powerfully up­wards or downwards, being mixt with pur­gative Pills or Electuaries. 'Tis employed for the cure of Venereal Diseases. The Dose is from 3 to 6 Grains.

The violence of this Powder may be mo­derated by burning Spirit of Wine upon it and stirring it in the mean time; and this for six times together. Which done, you may use it with more safety, and augment the Dose to 8 or 9 Grains.

White Precipitate.

DIssolve eight ounces of the same Mercu­ry in a great Matrace with ten or twelve ounces of good Aqua-fortis, upon hot Sand: and being dissolved pour upon it four or five times as much warm Water to break the strength of the corrosive Spirits; add to it afterwards about eight ounces of Sea-Salt well purified, and you shall see the Mercury fall to the bottom in a white Powder. Let it settle well, and pour the Liquor into ano­ther Vessel. Then wash and Edulcorate the Precipitate with warm water till all the A­crimony of the Salts and the Spirits be taken from it; then dry it in the Shadow. Drop gently some Oil of Tartar per deliquium upon [Page 121] the first Lotion kept apart, and it will Preci­pitate part of the Mercury which the com­mon Salt could not, and you will find in the bottom of the Vessel a red Powder which also wash and Edulcorate, as the white. You may also reserve the first Lotion, and drop into it gently Spirit of Urin, which will Precipitate some of the Mercury in a grayish Powder. Thus you may have from one sort of Solu­tion three sorts of Precipitate, which may be indifferently used in Pomatums for the Itch, Morphew, Tetters, &c. Where 'tis to be noted that you must never use it for the Face, at least not long, because it will spoil the Teeth and weaken the Brain, the Nerves, and Mem­branes in their source and Original, and it has been observed to cause Deafness in some persons, of which no other cause could be conjectured but the applying such Remedies to the Face, but the first Precipitate made with common Salt may be taken at the Mouth for Venereal Diseases, it purges both upwards and downwards. The Dose is from 4 to 8 Grains. If you put this white Preci­pitate into a Matrace and sublime it without any addition in Sand, you shall have an excel­lent sweet Sublimate, of which you may give from 20 to 30 Grains in some Mass of Pills, without fear of Vomiting; for the Sublima­tion alone corrects its violent quality.

Corosive Sublimate.

DIssolve in a Matrace a pound of Mercury with a pound of good Aqua-fortis u­pon a moderate Fire of Sand. Pour off the Solution into an Alembick, and Distill off a­bout half the Humidity, which you may throw away. Let the rest cool, and it will coagulate into a Salt or Vitriol. Mix this Vitriol of Mercury with one pound of decrepi­tated Salt, and as much of dephlegm'd Vitriol, both powdered; put this mixture into a Glass Gourd with its Head, and place it in a Fur­nace of Sand, adapting to it a Receiver. Di­still with a very gentle Fire all the Phlegm that will come out; then encrease the Fire one degree, to make the Mercury ascend by little and little; it will unite with so much of the Spirit of Salt or Vitriol as is neces­sary for Crystallization and Coagulation; and you will see it stick to the sides of the Gourd. Continue the Fire twelve or fifteen hours, always in a moderate Degree. For if the heat be not sufficient, there will be no Sublimination; but if it be too great, either the Vessels will fly, or the Sublimate will melt and fall back upon the Faeces. Let the Vessels cool afterwards, and you will find the Mercury Sublim'd to the top of the Gourd, [Page 123] which must be broken, to separate that which is fair and Crystallin from the Caput Mor­tuum in the bottom, and from that which is in the Head.

You may Sublime Mercury without dissol­ving it first in Aqua-fortis, by beating it with double its weight of dry'd Vitriol and as much Decrepitated Salt. But being there needs much time to beat the Mercury before it be incorporated with the Powders, and the Atoms or Steems issuing from it are hurt­full to the Brain, we prefer the manner al­ready described.

The Sublimation of Mercurius dulcis.

BEat a pound of Corrosive Sublimate pre­pared as above in a Mortar of Marble or Glass, with a Wooden Pestle, and mix it with eight or ten ounces of Mercury revived from Cinabar, stirring it so long till the Mer­cury appear not at all, and the mixture be­come gray; put this Powder into a Vial so as to fill it half; place this Vial in a Sand-Furnace, and give Fire by degrees for se­ven or eight hours. Afterwards let the Sand cool, take out the Vial and break it, and you shall find in the bottom a little quantity of light Earth, but above and in the middle the sweet Sublimed Mercury, and towards [Page 124] the neck of the Vial some little of Corrosive Mercury, which you must separate. The Sub­limate of the middle will be compact and sweet enough, but it must be beaten again in a Marble Mortar, and resublim'd alone twice more, separating the Earth from it each time, and that which is Sublimed in the top of the Vial. Keep the Sublimate which you fine in the middle, which will be well dul­cified and fit for all uses. The Dose of this Mercurius dulcis is from 6 Grains to 30. 'Tis to be mixt with some Purgatives in a Bolus or Pills; but is never given alone, to avoid Salivation. Its use is chiefly against Venereal Diseases and Worms.

Observe that all the preparations of Mer­cury may be revived in like manner as Cina­bar with Filings of Iron or Quick Lime, which attract to themselves and retain all the Spirits which fixed the Mercury and gave it several shapes. Also that in the prepara­tions of Mercury as well Corrosive as sweet, you must beware of touching any Metal, least the Corrosive Salts attract the colour, and take away its whiteness.

The Ordinary Regulus of Antimony.

TAke a pound of good Antimony, twelve ounces of Tartar of Montpelier, and five ounces of Nitre; put them together in powder; then set a great Crusible in a Wind-Furnace upon a little Tile, that it touch not the Grate, and that it may receive more heat; make it red hot amongst the burning Coals, and get a Cover fit to the Crusible. Take about an ounce of the said mixture with an Iron Spoon, put the same into the Crusible; and cover it at the same time with its Cover. The Antimony will be presently Calcin'd with a great noise, which they call detonation; which being passed, put more mat­ter into the Crusible, covering it as before. Continue this till all the Matter be in the Crusible; Then give a good Fire of Fusion; and the Matter being melted put it into an Iron Cornet or Cone greased within, and at the same time strike the Cone with the Tongs to make the Regulus fall to the bottom; when 'tis throughly cold turn up the Cone, and you shall find a lump of Regulus in the bottom and the Faeces on the top of it. Se­parate the Regulus with the stroke of a Hammer, and keep it by it self; as also the Faeces, of which you may make the Golden [Page 127] Sulphtr of Antimony, by boiling the same in common Water, and filtring the Decoction, upon which pouring a little distilled Vinegar by degrees, you shall see a red Sulphur of Antimony Precipitate, which you must Edul­corate by several Lotions, and then dry it. Many call this Powder Sulphur Aureum Di­aphoreticum; but improperly; for 'tis a strong Vomitive. The Dose is in substance from 2 to 6 Grains. It may be also infusdd in Wine, as Crocus Metallorum is, to make an Emetic Wine.

Regulus of Antimony with Mars.

TAke half a pound of the points of Hors-nails, put them into a good Crusible; in a Wind-Furnace, and cover the Crusible; give a Fire of Fusion, as soon as the Nails are very red, put to them a pound of good Antimony grosly powdered, and clap on the Cover, laying Coals above it, that the Fire may be very violent, and the Antimony pre­sently melted so as to act upon the Iron and reduce it into Dross, with which the impure Sulphureous part of the Antimony unites at the same time that the Mercurial and pure part separates from it. You must have an Iron Cornet, or Cone upon the Fire, and rub it with Wax and Oil; and when you see [Page 128] the matter well melted, throw into it by little and little three or four ounces of Salt-peter: I say by little and little, lest the Nitre make the Matter boil out of the Crusible. When the Matter has done sparkling, put it into the heated Cone, which strike with the Tongs to make the Regulus fall to the bot­tom. When it is cold, take it out of the Re­tort and separate it from the Faeces with the blow of an Hammer. These Faeces are nothing but the Sulphureous and Earthy part of the Antimony mixt with the Nitre and some part of Mars, making a Mass together; which at first is very compact; but in a few days it rarifies it self into a very light Powder resembling the Dross of Iron. The Regulus will not be pure enough at the first fusion, add therefore it must be melted in a new Crusible, and being melted put to it three ounces of crude Antimony in Powder, and make them flow together with a quick Fire. This addition of Antimony consumes the remaining impressions of Mars by its Sul­phur. The matter being well in Fusion, cast in by little and little two o [...] three ounces of Nitre; and the Ebullition being ceased, pour it all into a hot and Oil'd Cone or Cor­net. and proceed as before, and you shall find the Regulus much purer than at the first melting. Melt it once more, and add to it a little Salt-peter; and when the Ebullition is over, put It into a Retort, proceeding as before; and the Faeces will be grayish. Reite­rate [Page 129] the Fusion the fourth time; adding to it some more Salt-peter; and you will see that the said Salt-peter finding no more im­purity in the Regulus, the Faeces lying at the top will be white or yellowish; and besides the Regulus will have upon its Surface the figure of a Star, which is the true sign of its perfection.

You may use either Regulus to make Cups and Bullets, or Pills which they call Per­petual Pills, because their virtue is never exhausted. For Wine put into a Cup made of Regulus, and changed every day, will always Purge and Vomit; and a little Bullet of Regulus may be swallowed against the Colick and the Iliack Passion; and when 'tis passed with the excrements, it may be washed and serve again a thousand times, never losing its quality, substance, or weight, but always working by the same irradiative quality.

The Flowers of Antimony.

PLace an Aludel or other Earthen Pot re­sisting the Fire in a Wind-Furnace, and fit above it four or five of the same earthen Pots proportionate to the said Aludel, and open both at the top and bottom, except the uppermost which must serve for a Head. [Page 130] Lute the joynings well, and let the Pot placed upon the Aludel, have a hole on the side with a stopple of the same Earth, to be put to and removed easily. Give Fire by little and little, and encrease it till the Alu­del be all red. Then throw into the hole a­bout two or three Drams of good Antimony in powder, stopping the hole immediately; open the same again about half a quarter of an hour after to put in the like quantity of powder of Antimony. Continue this Ope­ration till you have put enough in. In the mean time maintain the Fire so that the Alu­del may remain always red hot; and when you have employ'd Antimony enough, let the Vessels cool and unlute them: gather off the Flowers sticking to the sides of the upper Vessels, which will be of several colours, ac­cording as your Fire has been more or less violent. In the Aludel you will find some part of the Antimony; though some affirm that all the Antimony ascends up in Flowers; but experience shews the contrary; and the total Sublimation thereof can only be made in open, not in close, Vessels.

Another preparation of Flowers of Antimony with Salt-peter.

REduce into fine pouder one pound of Antimony and three pownds of refined Salt-peter; mix them together: then take an Aludel, or an Earthen Subliming-pot, having an hole in the middle of the side, and a stop­ple of good Earth; place it in a little Fur­nace in a naked Fire, fit a Glass head upon it, and a Receiver to the Head. Lute well all the joynings, and give Fire by little and little till the Aludel begin to be red at the bot­tom. Then open the hole, and throw in about half an ounce of the mixture of Antimony and Salt-peter; stop the hole immediately, and the Spirits of the Salt-peter will ascend with great impetuosity, and carry up with them some part of the Antimony, which will stick to the Alembick like Flowers. The noise being ceased, continue to throw into the A­ludel new powder, stopping the hole and let­ting the Detonation pass. Continue this till all be spent. Then cease the Fire, and the Vessels being cold unlute them. In the Re­ceiver you will find a Spirit of Nitre im­pregnated with the Sulphur of Antimony; and in the Head or Alembick the white Flowers of Antimony: but in the Pot you will have [Page 132] a white fixt Mass consisting of the heavier parts of the Antimony and the Salt Alkeli which is in the Nitre; Edulcorate the same by several Lotions, and free it from all im­pression of the Salt-peter. Afterwards dry the powder and you shall have a Diaphoretick Antimony, or Ceruse of Antimony well pre­pared. It may be made also of the Regu­lus of Antimony, as we shall shew hereaf­ter.

The Flowers in the Alembick must be E­dulcorated with Water, to take away the aci­dity of the Spirits of the Salt-peter, then dry'd and kept. They vomit strongly, and are used in inveterate Diseases, and especially against Melancholy, Agues, and all sorts of Obstructions.

The Dose is from 3 to 6 Grains in some Conserve. These Flowers thus prepared may be used more safely than those made with­out Nitre, which in some sort digests and corrects them. The acid Spirit is excellent against the Cholick and obstructions; it also provokes Urine. The Dose Is from ten to thirty Drops in some convenient Liquor.

The Ceruse of Antimony drives out by in­sensible transpiration all putrefaction and su­perfluity in the Body. 'Tis used with happy success to consume Serosities, and against Scabs, Pox, &c. The Dose is from 10 to 30 Grains in Broth, or some convenient Liquor.

Another Preparation of Flowers of Anti­mony.

PUT a pound of Regulus of Antimony into an Aludel, and fit some Pots over it, as is before taught; place the Vessels in a Furnace and give fire by degrees at first; but as soon as the Aludel is very hot, give a violent Fire and consume it for the space of twenty four hours, or till all the Regulus be ascended in very white and light Flowers, which gather off with a Hare's Foot for use. The virtue of these Flowers differs not from the others, and they may serve in all Dis­eases requiring a powerful evacuation.

Diaphoretick Antimony.

IN the making of the Flowers of Antimony with Salt-peter we have already shewed the way to make Diaphoretick Antimony, or the Ceruse of Antimony: but the operation being a little troublesome, we shall shew one more easy.

Take a pound of good Antimony, and three pounds of refined Salt-peter being pow­dered [Page 134] apart; mix them together: then take an Earthen Pot not glased proportionate to the quantity of the Powder, make it red hot in the Fire in a Wind-Furnace, and put into it about an ounce of the said mixture which will be Calcin'd immediately with a great noise. The Detonation being ceased put ano­ther ounce of matter in; and do so till all be spent. There will remain in the bottom of the Pot a Mass as white as Snow, con­taining in it the Salt Alkeli of the Salt-peter, and the more fixt parts of the Antimony; for the Volatile Nitrous Spirit unites with the Volatile Sulphureous parts of the Anti­mony, and they exhale together. The Pot being cool'd, break it, and pour a good quan­tity of warm fair Water upon the white Mass to take away the Saline parts; stir the Liquor often, then let it settle, and pour it off by inclination. Put new warm Water u­pon the Matter, stir it and leave it to settle; and repeat this Lotion so often till the white Powder remaining in the bottom be wholly freed from the Acrimony given it by the Salt-peter. Dry this Powder by rowling it to and fro in Cap-paper, and then expose it to the Air or Sun, and you shall have a Ceruse of An­timony well prepared.

This preparation may be made with the Regulus well purified, adding thrice the weight of good Salt-peter, and Calcining and Edul­corating as above; it will be whiter and purer than that made with crude Antimony. [Page 135] But observe also that the Regulus makes no Detonation, because its superficial Sulphur is separated from it, this being partly the cause of the noise, when it is agitated by the Ni­trous Spirits. The virtues of these two pre­parations of Diaphoretick Antimony are like those attributed to it in the preparation of the Flowers of Antimony with Salt-peter. Observe also that when it hath been kept many years, it returns to its first nature, and loses the qualities acquired by its pre­paration. Whence it comes to pass, that the Patient is frustrated of the benefit of the Me­dicine and the Physician of the credit he ex­pected from it.

Crocus Metallorum, or, the Safron of Metals.

TAke a pound of good Antimony, and as much purified Salt-peter, each powdered grosly a part, and mix them together; then make an earthen Pot red hot amongst burn­ing Coals, and put into it two or three ounces of the mixture, covering the Pot im­mediately with a Cover or Tile. It will make a great noise, and cast forth a great Smoak, which you must avoid. Continue to put the mixture in, till all be spent. Then encrease the Fire till the matter melt; which done take the Pot from the Fire, leave it [Page 136] to cool, and break it. You shall find in the bottom a Mass of the colour of Liver of Antimony, and white Faeces upon it, which take away, and keep if you please to re­duce any Calx of Metals into a Body. You may powder the Liver of Antimony, and you shall have a Safron of Metals well prepared, from which you may by several Lotions se­parate some Nitrous Particles remaining in it: but many use it without washing or E­dulcorating.

If you wash it with warm Water, the first Lotion will carry off the greatest part of the Nitrous Salt with some portion of the lighter parts of the Antimony; so that if the same be filtred through gray Paper, it will be a very clear Liquor; but by putting some Acid to it, it will precipitate a very subtle reddish Powder, which you must let settle, Edulco­rate and dry: It hath near the same virtues as are attributed to the Flowers of Anti­mony,

An Extract of Antimony.

TAke four ounces of Crocus Metallorum prepared as above, and eight pounds of M [...]st, put them together into a Glass-bottle, and proceed as is taught in the preparation of Extract of Mars made with Must, or [Page 137] juyce of Grapes; and you shall have a vo­miting Extract, of which the Dose is to be increased or diminished according as it has been more or less Evaporated. The Dose is usually from 6 to 24 Grains.

Butter or Oil of Antimony, and its Cina­bar.

PUlverize and mix a pound of Sublimate Corosive, and as much Antimony; put them together into a Retort which place in a Fire of Sand, fitting a Glass-Receiver to the said Retort; give Fire gently, and when you see a Gummy Liquor come forth, continue a moderate Fire till no more issue out. Towards the latter end encrease the Fire, and when no more drops will out, take away the Re­ceiver, and encrease the Fire till the retort be red hot, to make Cinabar of Antimony ascend, as it will do to the neck of the Re­tort, which break when it is cold, and gather off the Cinabar.

Note that in this preparation the Acid Spirits of the Salt and Vitriol, which kept the Mercury in Crystallin form, or Corosive Sub­limate, leave the Mercury to fasten to the Reguline part of the Antimony, which they carry with them through the Retort in form of a thick Liquor; but the Mercury joyns [Page 138] with the Sulphur of Antimony, and is subli­med with it in form of Cinabar. The Butter of Antimony is a good Caustic being applied with a Feather; it eats and consumes proud Flesh, and cleanses Ʋlcers. It must be recti­fied once more in another Retort to sepa­rate the impurities adhering to it. After which it is also more proper to make Mer­curius Vitae, or the Powder of Algaroth.

The Cinabar of Antimony is a Specifick against the Epilepsy, and is mixt with the Magistery of Coral and Pearl. The Dose is from 8 to 15 Grains. If you put this Ci­nabar with an equal quantity of Salt of Tar­tar into a Retort, you may draw off the Mercury alive in a graduated Fire; and the Antimony will remain with the Salt of Tar­tar; which may afterwards be dissolved with Water, which filtre and Precipitate the Sul­phur of Antimony with distilled Vinegar or some other Acid; then Edulcorate it by washing, and you shall have the true Sulphur of Antimony; from which you may draw the Balsom of Sulphur which is distilled Oil of Anise-Seed, as we shall shew in the Chap­ter of Sulphur, and much better than that which is drawn from common Sulphur.

Another Butter of Antimony.

TAke four ounces of Regulus of Antimony well purified, and one pound of Subli­mate Corosive, powder them apart, then put them together into a Glass-Retort; which place in a Fire of Sand, and give Fire at first gently; having Luted slightly a little Receiver to the Retort. There will come forth a Gummy Liquor which easily congeals and sticks to the neck of the Retort, which be­coming stopt at length, and the Fire continu­ing, is apt to break for want of Air. To avoid which accident, hold a burning Coal to the neck of the Retort, which immediate­ly melts the Butter and makes it drop into the Receiver. When no more comes forth, take away the Receiver, and substitute a­nother half full of Water. Then encrease the Fire till the Sand be red hot, and there will drop out about thirteen ounces of fluid Mercury which was before in the Corosive Sublimate, which being changed by the ad­dition of the Regulus, and the privation of the Corosive Spirits which forsake the Mercury to fasten on the Regulus, resumes its first form. If it had been mixed with common Antimony, which is very Sulphure­ous, it would by virtue of the said Sulphur [Page 140] be converted into Cinabar, as we have ob­served in the preparation of the Butter of Antimony with common Antimony.

This Butter has the same virtues as the former, and differs nothing from it, saving that the Emetic Powder or Algaroth is whi­ter.

Powder of Algaroth.

TAke about half of your Butter of An­timony, depurated by rectification; put it into an Earthen Pan with a quart of warm Water, and you shall see it precipitate presently in a Powder as white as Snow; the Water having weakened the Corosive Spi­rits which kept the Reguline part of the An­timony in dissolution, and constrained them to to quit the Body. The Precipitation being finisht, stir it again, and then let it settle, and pour off the Liquor by inclination, which is to be kept a part; for this first Lotion con­tains in it all the Saline Spirits which adhe­red to the Antimony. It hath a very plea­sant Acidity and is therefore the Philosophical Spirit of Vitriol. Having washed and Edul­corated the Powder, dry it and keep it.

The Dose of this Powder is from 2 to 6 Grains. 'Tis employed to cleanse the visco­sities and impurities of the Stomach; it pur­ges [Page 141] both upwards and downwards. 'Tis good against the Dropsy, being mixt with other Purgatives to divert its Vomitive power down­wards.

The first Lotion is used in Julips for Fe­vers, rendering the same tart and agreeable.

Observe that all Vomiting Medicaments, especially those of Antimony, must be taken with great caution. I advise those that use them to keep in Bed or near a Fire, and to fortify their Breast well; with which caution these Medicines are of great use. The Vo­miting must be furthered either by putting the Finger down the Throat, or with fat Broths or warm Beer. But be sure not to drink any thing cold that day; for it would hurt the Somach much, and consequently all the parts that draw their nourishment from it. Nor must you sleep during the vomiting, but keep your self awake and in action. Lastly, These Remedies are not fit for those that have a long Neck, a weak and narrow Breast, ill Teeth and a weak Head.

Mineral Bezoar.

TAke the other half of the Butter of Antimony, weigh it, and put it in a good large Matrace; pour upon it by drops an equal weight of good Spirit of Nitre. Avoid [Page 142] the hurtful vapours issuing from it, and when you have poured in all the Spirit, and the dissolution is done, pour it into a little Alem­bick, and distil it to Siccity on a Fire of Sand. Pour again the like quantity of Spirit of Nitre upon what remains in the Body of the Alembick; the Spirit of Nitre will work no more; however Evaporate it by distilla­tion to Sccity. Put on new Spirit of Nitre the third time, and Evaporate it as before. The matter in the bottom of the Gourd will be white, dry, and friable. Reduce it into fine Powder, and keep it carefully. This Powder is good against Poison, which it ex­pels from the Center by Sweat. It is used also in all diseases caused by Serosities. The Dose is from 5 to 20 Grains, in Broths or other convenient Liquors.

Observe, that all these Powders are no­thing but the Particles of Regulus of Anti­mony disguised, and that they act differently according to the nature of the Salts or Co­rosive Spirits wherewith they are involved: and they may be easily reduced into Regulus by means of some reductive Salt, which takes away their covering, so that they return to Regulus, which you may again prepare indif­ferently as before.

Glass of Antimony.

TAke Antimony in powder as much as you please, Calcine it with a gentle Fire in an earthen Dish not glased but resisting the fire; make the Calcination under a Chimney in an Airy place, and avoid the Sulphu­reous exhalations of the Antimony which are very hurtful, to the Breast especially. Stir the Powder during the Calcination, to keep it from clotting; which happening, powder it again in a Mortar and re-calcine it, and con­tinue the Calcination till the Antimony smoak no more, and be reduced into Powder of the colour of Ashes, and deprived of its super­ficial Sulphur, which would hinder its Vitrifi­cation, or at least render it Opaque Glass. Then put this Calx into a Fire of Fusion in a very good Crusible, placed upon a little Earthen Plate. Give a violent Fire, and keep it so that the matter be in continual Fusion till it become very Diaphanous; which you shall know by putting into it the end of a little 'Iron-rod, to which some little mat­ter will stick, which you may knock off with a little Hammer; and when the matter is very transparent, pour it into a flat Copper Dish, and you shall have a very fair Glass of Antimony, yellowish, drawing towards [Page 144] red, prepared without addition of any thing.

Some use this Glass of Antimony in sub­stance powdered, and mixed with some Con­serve, Trosch, or other solid form. 'Tis a po­tent vomit. The Dose is from 3 to 6 Grains. You may also make an Emetic Wine with it by infusion, as with Crocus Metallorum.

The Correction of the Glass of Antimony.

POwder finely two ounces of Glass of An­timony, prepared as above, and three ounces and half of Nitre well refined; mix them together; then set an Earthen Pot not glased, and resisting the Fire, in a Furnace amongst burning Coals, and having made it red hot, put into it a spoonful of the Pow­der; which being red hot also, put another in; and so continue by little and little, till all the Powder be heated red in the Fire. After which take the Pot from the Fire, and when it is cool, powder the matter finely, and Edulcorate it with two quarts of warm Water, which being poured on stir it nimbly and pour off the thick Water into another Vessel, leaving the courser Powder in the bot­tom of the first; and as soon as it is settled pour off the Water by inclination, and dry the Powder for use, being a very good and [Page 145] commodious Vomit for all ages. The Dose is from 3 Grains to 20, in infusion of White-wine, or some other Liquor. You may like­wise make a Syrup of it by infusing two ounces of this Powder in three quarts of juice of Apples, or Quinces well depurated, or White-wine in Bainco Mariae, during 24 hours, filtring the Infusion afterwards through gray Paper, and boiling it gently with three pounds of fine Sugar in a Vessel of Silver, or Earth well glased, to the consistence of a a Syrup. The Dose is from 2 Drams to 6, tempered with two or three ounces of Spring Water. 'Tis a very good vomit, and oftentimes gives two or three Stools very gently.

Laxative Emetive Tartar.

TAke four ounces of good Cream of Tar­tar, powder it finely, and pour upon it in a Gourd covered with its Head, as much Spirit of Salt Armoniac as to cover it two fingers high; set it in a Cellar twenty four hours. After which, set this matter in a little glased Pot in a Furnace of Sand, ad­ding an ounce of Glass of Antimony finely powdered. Then pouring to it a sufficient quantity of Water, make it boil for six or eight hours, filling the Pot from time to [Page 146] time. Afterwards filtre and evaporate upon hot Sand till it come to have a little skin on the top; then set it to cool in a Cellar, that it may the better Crystallize. 'Tis a very excellent Medicine. The Dose for aged persons is from 10 to 15 Grains; and for the younger, from 1 to 6.

The Reviving of Mercury from natural Cina­bar, and the separation of the Sulphur there­of at the same time.

TAke a pound of good natural Cinabar, powder it finely, and mix it with a pound of good Salt of Tartar; put this mixture into a strong and well luted Earthen Retort, and placing in a Furnace with a naked Fire, fit a Receiver to it wherein put some cold Water. Give a gentle fire at first, which encrease by little and little to make the Re­tort red gently. Then you shall see drop forth about eight ounces of fluid Mercury, and sometimes eleven, according to the good­ness and pureness of the Cinabar. Let the Vessels cool, and break the Retort, in which you shall find a reddish Mass, which you must boil in a Vessel of Glass, or good Earth, with four quarts of Water to the consumption of a third part. Then Filtre the Liquor, which will be red; and the coarse unprofitable ear­thiness will remain in the Filtre. Into this red filtred Liquor distill drop by drop some good distilled Vinegar, or other Acid: and [Page 148] the Sulphur will be precipitated in a very fine Powder, which you must Edulcorate by several Lotions with warm Water. When it is dry, you shall have the true Sulphur of Natural Cinabar, to be used as an excellent Remedy in diseases of the Lungs and Breast. The Dose is from 6 to 15 Grains in some Conserve, or other convenient Vehicle.

The Precipitation of the Mercury of natural Cinabar without addition.

TAke several good Glass Matraces of half a pint, with long necks, which Lute well with good Lute capable to resist the Fire: put into each four ounces of Mercury revived from Cinabar, and place them in a Sand-Furnace. Stop the Orifices of the Ma­traces slightly to hinder any thing from falling into them. Give a fire of the first degree for three weeks, at the end of which en­crease the Fire another degree, and continue the same during three whole Months, en­creasing the Fire from three weeks to three weeks, so that in the last three weeks the Sand may be red hot. The Mercury will be turned to a very red and shining Powder, which serves with good success against the POX, and other accidents. Two or three Grains made up into Pills with some Conserve [Page 149] is a very good Sudorifick, and you may en­crease the Dose to six Grains. It not only causes Sweat, but Purges by all the Emuncto­ries, and corrects the corruption of the hu­mours. 'Tis a very excellent Remedy, which in many cases gives satisfaction both to the Sick and to the Physician.

The Magistery of Bismuth.

POwder two ounces of Bismuth, and put­ting them into a Matrace, pour thereon six ounces of good Spirit of Nitre. Place the [Page 150] Matrace upon hot Sand till the Bismuth be all dissolved, as it will be in about half an hour. Pour the Solution hot into a great Earthen Pan containing eight or ten quarts of Spring Water, and the mixture will become like Milk, till growing clearer, the Bismuth forsaking the Spirits of Nitre which held it dissolved will be precipitated to the bottom in a white Powder. Which being setled, pour the Water off by inclination, and put fresh to it; repeat the Lotion so often till the Pow­der be well Edulcorated; then dry it in the Shade and keep it for use. 'Tis a very good Cosmetick, serving to beautify the Face by being mixt in Pomatum, or in the Waters of Nymphea, Wild-Tansy, and others. 'Tis also used for the Itch, and all maladies of the skin.

The Flowers of Bismuth.

BIsmuth as well as Zink may be sublim'd with the addition of Salt-peter, or with­out addition, in the same manner as Anti­mony, to which we refer the Reader for a­voiding of vain Repetition. The Flowers of Bismuth and Zink work great effects in Plai­sters, to sweeten the Acrimony of the cor­roding humour of Ʋlcers, and to consume their superfluous Serosity. The Flowers pre­pared [Page 151] with the addition of Salt-peter may be turned into Liquor by melting in a Cellar like Salt of Tartar.

The Purification of Salt.

DIssolve what quantity you please of Sea-Salt in six times as much Rain Water, and set it in a Vessel of Pewter, Copper, or glased Earth upon a little Fire; Filtre the Solution through gray Paper, and having Eva­porated all the Humidity, you shall have a very white and well purified Salt.

The Calcination of Common-Salt.

PUT what quantity you please of Sea-Salt into an Earthen Pot which resists the Fire, cover the same with its covering and put Fire round about it (which they call Ignis rotae) and when the Salt begins to be hot, it will crackle and be reduced into Powder; con­tinue the Fire, (but moderately) till the Salt make no more noise. Then let the Pot cool, and you shall find the Salt calcined and deprived of all superfluous hu­midity. This is called Decrepitated Salt; The Chymists use it to Regalise Aqua-fortis, as we shall shew in the following Chapter of Nitre.

The Spirit of Salt.

ARtists have tried divers ways to extract the Spirit of Salt with ease. Some di­still Calcin'd, or Decrepitated Salt alone, and without addition with a strong Fire; but besides that Salts being in Fusion penetrate and break all vessels, they pertinaciously with­hold the Spirits. Others attempt to reduce Salts into Spirits, and afterwards into sweet Crystals by means of an Earthen Retort with a hole in the top, by which they pu [...] s [...]me drops of Water upon the Salt whi [...] [...] melted in the said Retort with a [...]▪ and then they stop the hole till th [...] [...] of the Water put into the hole be pass [...]d into the Receiver; and thus they continue till according to their opinion all the Salt be con­verted into Spirit. But as we have shewn that the Vessels containing Salts melted in a very violent Fire, cannot resist long; and since Salts retain their Spirits whilst they are in Fusion, I conceive no body should amuse themselves with such preparations. The true way to Extract this Spirit with ease is, to mix Salt with some Body that may hinder its Fusion, but it must be such a Body as may communicate nothing of its own, as Potters Clay, or Bole.

Take therefore two pounds of Common-Salt not decrepitated (because in this Calci­nation it loses part of its Volatile Spirits, especially being decrepitated with a gentle Fire without Fusion) dry it in a Bason with a gentle fire in order to be finely powdered, and mix it with eight pounds of Potters Earth, or Bole pulverised in like manner; put this mixture to a Glased Retort, so that the third part be void, and place it in a close Reverberatory Fire. Fit a great Glass-Receiver to the Re­tort, luting well the joynts, and give a very small Fire the first six hours, during which the Phlegm will come forth; then encrease it a little during other six hours, and the Volatile Spirits will begin to come forth and appear in the Receiver like white Clouds. Continue to encrease the Fire from six hours to six hours to the utmost violence. The whole operation will be finisht in twenty four hours. After which leave the Vessels to cool, unlute them, and keep the Spirit in a very strong Vial. The Odour of it is suffi­ciently sweet, its savour agreeably Acid, and its colour yellow as Gold.

This Spirit may be rectified by an Alem­bick in Balneo Mariae, and about three quar­ters drawn off by distillation, which will be Phlegm and some Spirits mixt confusedly to­gether; the other quarter left in the Gourd will be a more corrosive Spirit, improperly called Oil, which keep apart from the o­ther. But note that the corrosive Spirit must [Page 155] be put into a very strong Vial of very good Glass; otherwise it will corrode the same.

The Volatile Spirit is an excellent Reme­dy against the Stone and Gravel, it power­fully dissolves the Tartar and Viscosities of the Body, it opens the obstructions of the Liver and Spleen; it gives great help to the Dropsy by quenching thirst; it cures the Jaundies, and hinders a Gangrene; and being mixt with Oil of Sope it asswages the pains of the Gout and dissipates the Nodosities.

The Dose of this Spirit is from 10 to 30 drops, or else to a gratefull acidity in con­venient Liquors. The Corrosive Spirit may be employ'd for dissolving of Metals.

The purification of Nitre.

PUT what quantity of Nitre you please in­to a Copper Bason, and pour upon it three or four times as much Rain-Water. Make it boil upon a little Fire till the Nitre be dissolved, then strain it through a woollen Cloath into an Earthen pan, which expose in a cold place twenty four hours. At the end of which you shall find the Nitre re­duced into fair transparent Crystals. Pour off the Water into a Bason, and Evaporate a third part of it, and set the rest to Caystal­lize as before. Continue this till all the Salt-peter be turned into Crystals; but the first Crystals contain the purest of the Salt-peter, and therefore must be dried and kept apart, [Page 157] for preparations to be used at the Mouth. The other Crystals may serve to make A­qua-fortis, or other things of less consequence.

Mineral Crystal, or Sal Prunellae.

MElt a pound of well purified Salt-peter in a Crusible that resists the Fire and penetration of Salts, and when it is very fluid, throw into it by little and little an ounce of flowers of Sulphur; which being exhaled, cast the Salt-peter into a very clean Bason, and spread it abroad; then breake it and keep it dry in some vessel well stopt. 'Tis an ex­cellent Remedy against the putrid malignant Fevers called Prunellae or Burning, from whence 'tis termed Lapis Prunellae. The Dose is from twelve Grains to one Dram in ordinary Pti­sane, or some other convenient Liquor.

Some make use of purified Salt-peter with­out preparing it with Sulphur; which I dis­approve not, because the Sulphur carries away with it part of the Sulphureous Volatile Salt of the Salt-peter, and so deprives it of the purest part of it self.

An Antifebril Salt, or a Salt against Fevers.

TAke two ounces of purified Salt-peter, and two ounces of Flowers of Sulphur, powder them, and put them into a good large Retort; pour thereon six ounces of the Wa­ter of distilled Urine, and place it in a Sand-Furnace, so that the Sand be not higher than the matter, and that two thirds of the Re­tort be out of the Sand in the Air. Fit to it a great Receiver, but Lute it not, because the Spirits issue out of these matters with such violence, that if there be no air, the Vessels break. Begin to distill with a very small Fire, and when no more humidity comes forth, encrease the Fire by little and little, but not too hastily; for as soon as the Sulphur and the Salt-peter begin to melt, they will flame, and drive out their Spirits impetuously in red fumes into the Receiver; which being all come forth, let the Vessels cool, and you shall find in the bottom of the Retort, being broken, a fixt Salt of a bitterish tast, which you must put into a little earthen Gourd, and pour upon it the Spirit contained in the Receiver, to unite it to its proper body. Reject as useless the Flowers of Sulphur sublimed in the Receiver, and cover the Gourd with another Vessel, and set it u­pon [Page 159] hot Sand for three or four hours, du­ring which the fixt Salt will be dissolved in its proper Spirit. Filtre the Solution and E­vaporate it gently to siccity; you shall have a Salt white as Snow, of a very agreeable Acid tast, which you must keep in a Vial well stopt. 'Tis a very excellent Remedy in continual and intermitting Fevers. It power­fully resists putrifaction, and opens all the ob­structions of the body. 'Tis given in the be­ginning of fits, in some convenient Liquor. The Dose is from 8 to 30 Grains.

Sal Polycrestes, or of many uses.

THis Preparation comes in place, because Nitre is the Base of it. Take a pound of purified Salt-peter, and a pound of Sul­phur; reduce them together into powder; then take a good Earthen Pot that resists the Fire and has a flat bottom. Set it in a Wind-Furnace with Coals round about, which kindle by degrees to preserve the Pot; and when the Pot is red hot, put in about two ounces of the mixture and stir it: the matter will flame presently, and the Volatile parts of the Nitre will exhale with part of the Sulphur. When the Flame is ceased, put two ounces more in, stirring the same continually. Do thus till all the mixture be employ'd. Then Cal­cine [Page 160] it by stirring it six hours more, during which the matter must be always red hot without melting; which would retain the burnt odour of the Sulphur, and the Salt would be grayish: but with these cautions you shall have a Salt of a Rose colour with­out smell, and of a bitterish tast. It may be used without more preparation; or if you desire it yet purer, dissolve it in a good quantity of warm Water, and having Filtred it, Evaporate it gently in some glased Earthen Vessel till it have a scum upon it; then set it in a Cellar, and it will Crystallize at the bottom and sides of the Vessel. The Figure of this Salt is square, much like that of com­mon Salt. 'Tis used against obstructions of the Liver, Spleen, Pancreas, and Mesentery; it unloosens Viscous matter and Purges gently downwards. The Dose is from two Drams to six. 'Tis usually dissolved overnight with Spring Water, and taken the next morning. Persons whose Nervous parts are weak and delicate, must wholly abstain from all sorts of preparations of Nitre, as Crystal Mineral, and Sal Polycrestes; which are not to be put into other compositions but to sharpen them and make them more penetrating, or to tem­per their heat; in which case the dose must be less than that of the other Medicaments; as for example, with the weight of two or three ounces of Sena it suffices to put half a Dram or two Scruples of Mineral Crystal, or twice as much of Sal Polycrestes.

Spirit of Nitre.

TAke two pounds of Salt-peter refined in Powder, and eight pounds of common Bole or of Potters Earth dry'd and powdered; mix them together, and put them into a great Retort so that the third part thereof be empty; place the same in a close Rever­beratory Fire, fitting to it a great Receiver, and Luting the joynts very well. Let the Fire be gentle at first, and encrease it from six hours to six hours to the utmost violence. A Phlegmatic Water first comes out, then a Spirit, which during the distillation ap­pears as red as Fire; which redness pro­ceeds from the internal Sulphur of the Salt-peter, and has given occasion to some Authors to term this Spirit the Blood of the Salamander. The distillation is usually finisht in twenty four hours; which ended, let the Vessels cool, then unlute the Receiver, molli­fying the Lute with wet Linnen; and keep the Spirit in a strong Vial.

'Tis a good Remedy against the Colick, and against all obstructions, Fevers, and the Pestilence. The Dose is from 6 to 20 drops in some convenient Liquor.

Aqua-fortis.

THough Aqua-fortis is made several ways, and somtimes with the addition of A­lum, Vitriol, Verdigrease, and other things, yet we shall insert the preparation of it in this Chapter of Salt-peter, because tis this which gives it its principal dissolving virtue. It has its name from its force of dissolving almost all Metals, and Minerals, even Gold too if it be Regalised by the addition of Salt Armo­niac or common Salt. Now, to make good Aqua-fortis, take three Pounds of Salt-peter and as much of Vitriol, or green Copperas; mix and powder them grosly, and put them into a Luted Retort in a close Reverberatory Furnace; fit a large Receiver to the Retort, and having Luted the joynts exactly well, give a very gentle Fire for eight hours to make the Phlegm come forth; then increase the fire one degree, and you shall cause red­dish Spirits to stream out; keep the Fire in that condition four or five hours; then en­crease it by little and little to the utmost violence, quite opening the covering of the Furnace and that of the Ash-hole. Continue the Fire till the heat of the Receiver abate, and wait not till it become clear; for though you should continue the Fire many days, the [Page 163] Spirits would be in continual agitation by the heat. But as soon as the Furnace and Vessels begin to lose their heat, the Spirits settle to the bottom and the Receiver grows clear. This operation is usually finisht in twenty hours. The Vessels being cool, unlute the Receiver, and keep the Water in a strong Bottle well stopt with Wax.

You may also make Aqua-fortis with Roche Alum and Salt-peter, and sometimes with ad­dition of other ingredients; but being the pre­paration of these Waters is not different from this, I will not enlarge this Book with them, I will only give notice to the Reader, that the Aqua-fortis made with Roche Alum and Salt-peter is to be preferred before that made with Vitriol for preparing red or white Pre­cipitate, which is to be employ'd for diseases of the skin. Which is also to be observed in the preparations of the Precipitates above described, according to the different intention of usinng the said Remedies.

Aqua Regia, or, Water to Dissolve Gold.

THis Water takes its name from its vir­tue of dissolving Gold, the King of Me­tals. Its Base is Spirit of Nitre or Aqua-fortis, which becomes Regal by the addition of Salt Armoniac, or Common Salt, in manner following.

Take four ounces of Salt Armoniac unpuri­fied and pulverised, put it into a great Matrace, and pour upon it a pound of good Aqua-fortis; place the Matrace upon Sand mode­rately hot, that the Aqua-fortis may gently dissolve the Salt Armoniac. Stop not the Matrace lest it should break, and avoid the vapors which rise when the Aqua-fortis be­gins to act upon the Salt Armoniac; for they are fierce Spirits which cannot be condensed any more, and are very hurtful. As soon as you shall see the Salt Armoniac dissolved, re­move the Matrace from the Sand, and when it is cold put the Water into a Vial, and stop the same with a Bladder and Wax.

Another Regal Water.

PUT into a Retort half a pound of Sea Salt or Sal Gemmae in Powder, and pour there­on a pound of good Spirit of Nitre, or good Aqua-fortis; then distil in a Sand Fire into a Receiver till the Salt remain dry in the bottom of the Retort, and keep the water in a Vial well stopt.

Another Regal Water.

TAke a pound of Sea-Salt, or Sal Gemmae, and as much of good Salt-peter; powder them finely, and mix them with eight pounds of common Bole powdered; then distil them with a Retort in a Reverberatory Fire, in the same manner as we have directed the distil­lation of Spirit of Nitre, and you shall have a Regal Water which will easily dissolve Gold. These three sorts of Regal Water are equally good.

The Purification of Salt Armoniac.

POwder a pound of Salt Armoniac, and dis­solve it in a Gourd upon hot Sand with three pounds of Rain-water; filtre the Solution through gray Paper, and Evaporate it to Sicci­ty, and you shall have a very pure Salt as white as Snow. This Salt provokes Sweat and Urine, and resists putrifaction. 'Tis used [Page 167] in Quartan Agues, and outwardly against Gan­grenes, and in Eye-waters. The Dose is from 8 to 24 Grains in some Broth or other con­venient Liquor.

The Flowers of Salt Armoniac.

PUlverize together a pound of Salt Armo­niac and as much of Common Salt, and put them into a Gourd covered with its head, and place the same in a Sand-Furnace; give a gentle Fire at first, encreasing it by little and little till you see the Salt Armoniac ascend into the Head like Meal; then con­tinue the Fire in the same degree for five or six hours. After which let the Vessels cool, and gather off what is ascended into the Head, and mix it with new Salt, and sublime as be­fore; Repeat this thrice, and you shall have Flowers well purified.

These Flowers being purer than Salt Ar­moniac simply purifyed by Solution, Filtration, and Coagulation, act with more efficacy; so that the Dose is but from 4 to 12 and 15 Grains. Their use is for Cronical Diseases.

They may be also prepared with Filings of Steel, mixing an equal quantity thereof with Salt Armoniac; and the Flowers have the more force and virtue, in that they are [Page 168] impregnated with a portion of Mars which encrease their aperitive virtue.

The Ʋrincus Volatile Spirit of Salt Armoniac.

WE have shewed in the beginning of this Chapter that Salt Armoniac is compounded of the Salt of Urine and that of the Soot of Chimneys (which are very subtle and Volatile Salts) and of Sea-Salt, which is an Acid Salt and more fixt than the other two. These three Salts mixt together make but one, which holds a mean between the Volatility of the two former, and the fixedness of the latter. and though this mixture seems perfect, and the conjuncti­on of these Salts of several families insepa­rable; yet when you well understand their qualities and properties, you will separate them very easily. The ensuing operation will instruct you. Powder and mix together a pound of Salt Armoniac and as much of Salt of Tartar; make them into a Past with four or five ounces of Water, which put into a Glass Gourd, whereunto fit an Alembick with a Receiver, and having luted the joynts ex­actly, place the Gourd in a Sand-Furnace. Be­gin the distillation with a moderate heat, which encrease by little and little. As soon as the the matter begins to heat the Salts [Page 169] will act upon one another, and the Sea-Salt will joyn with the Salt of Tartar, and they will both remain in the bottom of the Gourd. But the Urinous and Fuliginous Volatile Spi­rits will be loosned from their Fetters, and ascend through the Alembick into the Recei­ver. Continue a moderate Fire till all the Spirits are gone out, then encrease in by little and little to make the Flowers ascend, which will stick to the Head and the upper part of the Gourd. The whole oderation requires eight or ten hours. Let the Vessels being cool be unluted, and you shall find the Uri­nous Volatile Spirit in the Receiver, and the Flowers in the Head and upper part of the Gourd, and in the bottom thereof, a fixt Mass containing the Acid Sea-Salt with the Salt of Tartar. These three substances must be kept apart. The Volatile Spirit is one of the most excellent Remedies that can be in­vented; for it opens all obstructions in gene­ral, and acts powerfully by Sweat and Urine. [...]Tis very good in Fevers, especially the pu­ [...]rid, in Palsies, Epilepsies, Hysterical fits, and the Plague, resisting all corruption. It like­wise asswages the pains of the Gout, applied externally. It may be Sublimed into a Vo­latile Salt, by putting it into a long-neck'd Matrace with a suitable Alembick having a large Betty, and placing the same in a very moderate Sand-fire. For this fiery Salt upon the least heat leaves its Phlegmatick Water which kept it in a liquid form. But 'tis bet­ter [Page 170] to leave it in a liquid form than to sub­lime it into Salt, which is hard to be kept; whereas the Phlegm restrains it and hinders its activity; for which reason it may be given from 8 to 30 drops, but the Dose of the Salt is but from 3 to 8 or 9 Grains.

The Flowers in the Alembick are nothing but part of the Salt Armoniac which was not closely mixt with the Salt of Tartar. They are of the same use as Salt Armoniac well puri­fied. But the Mass remaining in the bottom of the Gourd affords an Acid Corrosive Spi­rit, as follows.

The Acid Spirit of Salt Armoniac.

REduce into fine Powder the Mass re­maining in the bottom of the Gourd af­ter the foregoing distillation, and mix it with four times as much Bole in Powder. Put the mixture into a Retort of Glass or Earth well Luted, and distil it in a close Reverbe­ratory Fire, observing exactly in this distilla­tion all the circumstances described in the distillation of common Salt. You may rectify this Spirit in an Alembick in Balneo Mariae and it will ascend easily.

This Spirit is one of the greatest Dissol­vents that we know; for it dissolves Gdd, Copper, Iron, &c. and Volatilizes them in an [Page 171] Alembick by means of reiterated Cohobation. Besides which, 'tis the most a [...]reeable Acid that Chymistry hath invented. S [...]me drops being given in Broth to those that have Fe­vers, for it tempers the inward heat by its subtlety and sharpness. It is also more Diu­retical than other Corrosive Spirits. The Dose is from 6 to 30 drops, or to an agreeable Acidity.

The fixation of Salt Armoniac.

THis fixation is made by mixing Salt Ar­moniac with some body that may hinder its exhaling in a violent Fire. To which pur­pose serve the Alkali Salts of Plants, of the Calx of Egg-shels, and other Shels, of quick Lime, and of the Calx of divers Minerals, and amongst others of Zink, Lapis Calami­naris, and Haemmatites. Yet these Bodies can­not totally fix the whole body of Salt Ar­moniac, but retain only a part of it, namely the Sea-Salt, letting go the Fuliginous and Urinous part which flies into the Air. The most usual way is to take equal quantity of of quick Lime and Salt Armoniac, and to put them powdered together into a good Cru­sible amongst burning Coals. You s [...]all pre­sently see the Urinous Spirits dis [...]tangle them­selves and fly away, but the common Salt [Page 172] which entered into the composition stays be­hind with the quick Lime, and being melted therewith runs in the Crusible like Oil. Cast this melted matter into a Bason or Mortar heated, and let it cool. You shall have a transparent Mass like Crystal, which may be reduced into little parcels whilst it is a little warm, and kept in a Vial well stopt with Wax. 'Tis a very good Caustic, and serves com­modiously for Cauteries. If this Salt be left to the Air, it dissolves in a few dayes into Liquor, which you must Filtre. It serves for the Resuscitation of Metals into fluid Mer­cury, as some think.

The Purification of Alum,

POwder and dissolve of Roche Alum in six­teen pounds of Rain-Water; Filtre the Solution, and Evaporate and Crystallize it in a cool place, as you would proceed with any other Salt; and by this means you shall have it pure and fit for all preparations.

The Distillation and Calcination of Alum.

PUT into a great Glased Retort two pounds of Alum purified, so that three quarters of the Retort be empty, to leave room for the Ebullitions of the Alum. Place the Retort in a close Reverberatory Fire, and fit a large Receiver to it. Make the Phlegm come forth with a little Fire, which encrease by degrees till the Spirits begin to stream forth in white Clouds. Then open the Registers by little and little, and continue the Fire to the ut­most violence, after which let the Vessels cool. You shall find in the Receiver an Acid Spirit mixt with a good quantity of Phlegm, And having broken the Retort, you shall find the Alum there Calcin'd into a very white and light Mass. Rectify and separate the Spirit from its Phlegm, putting into a Glass Retort all that was in the Receiver, and pla­cing the same in a Sand-Furnace; as you di­stil with a little Fire, the Phlegm will come forth first, and as soon as you tast the drops Acid, change the Receiver, and continue the Fire till all the Spirits be ascended and there remain nothing in the Retort but a little Earth which the Spirits had brought away with them in the first distillation, This Spirit is good in Fevers being taken in ordinary drink; [Page 175] 'tis very Diuretick and opening, and is very proper for Cancers in the Mouth. But being unpleasant in tast, Spirit of Vitriol may serve in its place upon all occasions. The Phlegm is very good in Eye-waters, for inflammations of the Eyes; it is also good for the Erysipelus and to wash Sores and Ulcers. The Calcin'd Alum is employed outwardly to dry and consume superfluous flesh in old Ʋlcers, and Sores. It may be likewise Calcined in a Crusible, or upon a Plate, but we have taught the way to make benefit of all its parts.

Observe that neither Roche Alum nor Vi­triol need any mixture of Bole, or other far Earth powdered, when you distil them, as Common Salt, Sal Gemmae, Salt-peter, and o­thers have to hinder their melting; because Vitriolick and Aluminous Salts contain a suf­ficient quantity of Mineral Earth of difficult fusion.

A Febrifugous Salt of Alum.

POwder half a pound of Calcin'd Alum, and put it into a Glass-Gourd, and pour upon it two pounds of good distilled Vinegar. Di­gest them in hot Sand till the Alum be dis­solved; Filtre the Solution and after Evapo­ration of the third part, set the rest to Cry­stallize in a Cellar. Pour off by inclination [Page 176] the Water above the Crystals, and Evaporate and Crystallize again till you have drawn out all the Crystals; which dry and mix with a like quantity of Nutmegs and Mineral Cry­stal; of which being finely powdered you may with happy success give a Dram in intermit­ting Fevers, especially such as proceed from corruption and abundance of Humours. This Powder is taken in Wine or some other pro­per Liquor in the beginning of the fit.

The Purification of Vitriol.

DIssolve in Rain-Water what quantity of Vitriol you please; put the Solution into Pitchers or Bottles, and set it to digest in [Page 178] Horse-dung, or Balneo Mariae for eight or ten days; during which, much earthyness will separate to the bottom; Filtre the Li­quor, and having Evaporated about the half, Crystallize the remainder; Evaporate again the Water above the Crystals; and so continue to Evaporate and Crystallize till all be turned into Crystals.

Vomitive Vitriol called Gilla.

DIssolve in Rain-water, or May-Dew, half a pound of white Vitriol, and reduce it into Crystals, as is shewn in the Purification of Vitriol; reiterating the Dissolution, Filtra­tion, and Crystallization four times. You shall have a Vitriol well prepared, fit to be used in Tertian or other Fevers proceeding from corruption of humours in the first Regi­on; for it evacuates gently by Vomit. It like­wise kills Worms, and resists putrifaction. The Dose is from 20 Grains to half a Dram in Broth, Cordial-waters, or some other Li­quor. Yet some go as high as a whole Dram; but this Dose is a little too strong for our Climate.

The Calcination of Vitriol.

TThat which is commonly called the Cal­cination of Vitriol is nothing but an ex­siccation and deprivation of its superfluous humidity, which is effected either by ordinary Fire or the Rays of the Sun. The former is thus, Put twelve pounds of Vitriol into an earthen Pot not Glased, which place amongst burn­ing Coals; and the Vitriol will soon be reduced into Water. Boil it to the consumption of the humidity, and till it become a hard compact Mass of a whitish gray colour. If you continue the Fire longer, till the Pot be red hot, the Mass will become yellow and at length of a reddish brown, which is that which they call Colcothar, wherewith Blood is stanch­ed; it is also used in Lethargies, being put up the Nose, to awaken the stupid senses by sneezing. 'Tis also a great Deficcative for Sores and Ulcers.

The second Calcination is made by expo­sing it thinly spread to the Beams of the Sun in July, stirring it often that it may be better penetrated by the Sun, and reduced into a Powder as white as Snow, very light, and less weighty than the Vitriol by a third part. This is that which they call the Sympathetick Pow­der, which they pretend cures Wounds after [Page 180] and admirable manner, being applyed upon Linnen dipt in the Blood of the Wound. But note that Roman Vitriol is required to the making of this Powder.

The Distillation of Vitriol.

TAke eight pounds of Vitriol dryed in the Sun, which is to be preferred before any other, as well by reason of the impressions it may receive from him, as because it is more open, Spongy, and apt to part with its Spirits. But in defect thereof, take Vitriol dried in the Fire to whiteness and no more: put it into an Earthen Retort, and place the same in a close Reverberatory Furnace, and fit to it a large Receiver, Luting the joynts thereof ex­actly. Let the Fire be small during ten or twelve hours, in which time all the Phlegm will come forth; then open a little the hole of the top of the Furnace, and the Ash-hole, to encrease the heat a little, and drive the Volatile Spirit into the Receiver. But govern the fire well; for if the first Spirits be ne­ver so little overstirred, they issue so impetu­ously that they break the Receiver. Encrease the Fire at the end of other twelve hours by opening the hole above, and the Ash-hole a little more than before; and continue to augment it by little and little to the utmost [Page 181] violence; which continue during three or four days, and you will see the Receiver continu­ally full of white fumes; but when the red drops begin to appear, cease the Distillation and let the Vessels cool; for 'tis a sign that the Vitriol begins to be deprived of all the Spirit it had, these red drops being the Caustic part of it.

Note that if you continue the Fire twelve days and nights, the Receiver will be found continually full of a white mist: you must also observe that Vitriol throughly dried in the Sun will yield its Spirits sooner because it is finer and more Spongy, than that which is dryed at the Fire, which is more compact and retains its Spirits more obstinately; when your Vessels are cold, unlute your Receiver with wet Linnen, and pour out all that it con­tains into a body, unto which you must pre­sently adapt an Alembick with a Receiver, Luting all the joynts exactly, that the Vola­tile Spirit may not fly away; set your Body in Balneo Mariae, and distil with a very gentle heat the Volatile, Sulphureous and sweet Spi­rit, and when you have separated three or four ounces, change the receiver, that no Phlegm may come over into it; preserve this Spirit in a good Viol very exactly stop­ped. Fit too another Receiver, and augment the Fire till the Balneum do boyl; by this means the Phlegm will rise, and you must continue the fire till no more come; so the Acid Spirit will remain in the Body, which [Page 182] cannot rise with the heat of the boiling Bath. Pour that which remains into a Retort, and set it in a Sand-Furnace, and fit a Receiver thereto, and distill about half of this Acid Spirit, which will be clear as Rock-water. You may either reserve and keep apart that which remains in the Retort, or changing the Receiver push on and encrease the Fire, and make it all distil over and keep these two Spirits severally.

The Volatile Spirit, the sweet Sulphur which rises first is very penitrant, and esteemed very effectual againgst the falling Evil. Its Dose is from 12 drops to one Dram, in any appro­priate Liquor. The Phlegm is proper for inflammations of the Eyes, and to temper the Acrimony of Erisipela's, and to cleanse Wounds and Ulcers.

The first Spirit that ascends next after the Phlegm, is very Diuretick and incisive, and much used in hot and malignant Fevers; it restores the Appetite, and opens all obstructi­ons, the Dose is augmented or decreased ac­cording as its acidity is more or less agree­able with compliance to the Patients tast.

The last Spirit is improperly called the Oil of Vitriol, and is no other than the weigh­tier and more Caustique part of the Acid Spi­rit; it is principally used for dissolving Metals and Minerals.

The fixed Salt of Vitriol.

PUT that which remains in the Retort after your distillation, which will be a Mass as black as a Coal, into an Earthen Vessel, and pour Rain-water thereon by little and little, for if this Mass be not a while exposed to the Air, it will when it comes out of the Retort do the same thing as quick Lime: continue so to pour Water thereon, till it rise four or five fingers height above it, after set it in an earthen Pot to digest in hot Sand for seven or eight hours, stirring the matter often to promote the Solution of the Salt, after Filtre and Evaporate the Solution till a film rise thereon, and let it shoot into Cry­stals; pour off and Crystallize the Water al­so which swims on the first Crystals, and con­tinue to Evaporate and Crystallize it till it be all crystallized. These Crystals are reddish at first, but being dried and brought into Pow­der, they are as white as Snow. This Salt is nigh in its effect to Vomitive Vitriol, but its Dose is less, only from 8 to 20 Grains.

You may after all proceed to sweeten the Earth which remains in the Filtration, and make use thereof with assurance for to stay the immoderate Fluxes of the Belly, and spitting of Blood, and to dry and heal up [Page 184] Wounds and Ulcers, and in like manner to mix with Stiptique-Ointments and Plasters.

Sulphur of Vitriol.

PUT into a Glass-Body two pounds of pu­rified Vitriol, and one pound of the Filings of Steel mingled together, pour upon them distilled Vinegar to the full of one Fingers height, set an Head on the Body, and place it in hot Sand, and fitting a Receiver thereto, give it a small Fire at the beginning to make all the moisture rise by little and little; af­ter augment the Fire from degree to degree, till you have made the Sand red hot; when your Vessels are cold take out, and powder what remains in the bottom of the Body, and digest it in a Matrace with fresh distil­led Vinegar: surmounting the matter three or four Fingers height, in Balneo Mariae for three days; then you will find the Men­struum coloured, which decant off, and put a­gain new Vinegar upon your matter, and di­gest it a new, and decant and reiterate the same operation until your Vinegar be tinged no more; then Filtre all the decanted Li­quor, and pour thereon good Oil of Tartar, a sufficient quantity to precipitate all the Sul­phur of Vitriol to the bottom, which you must afterwards sweeten with warm Water, and [Page 185] then dry it. This is a good Remedy for the Asthma, and for the diseases of the Breast. Its Dose is from five to twelve Grains in any Pectoral Conserve or Confection.

There are some who pretend to make thereof a Laudanum without Opium, and pre­fer this Remedy above it, but experience hath given us to know the difference be­twixt this Sulphur and its effects, and those of Opium duly prepared.

The Tincture of Crystal.

MAke your Crystal red hot in burning Coals, and quench it in a Bason full of Water, in which it will fall to pieces, so that it may easily be brought into impal­pable Powder; of which take four ounces, and of Salt of Tartar purified one pound, and put them well mingled into a great Cru­sible, which being empty to two third parts, cover it with its cover; place it in a Wind-Furnace, and give it a small Fire at the be­ginning, lest the matter should rise and run over the Crusible, but when it begins to fall again, augment your Fire by little and little to the highest violence, and so continue till the matter dissolve, and become clear as Oil, and transparent as Glass; which you may know by putting into the matter a little Rod of Iron, unto which some small part thereof cleaving will serve you for a proof; and when it is very transparent cast it into an hot Mortar, and it will congeal immediately: beat it into Powder whilst it is yet hot, and divide it into two parts, and put one half thereof quite hot in a clean, dry, and hot Body, and put thereon good rectified Spirit of Wine by little and little to the height of four fingers, then put upon this another [Page 187] Bolts-head so to make up a circulating Vessel; Lute well the joynts, and set it in hot Sand, and digest it so that the Spirit of Wine may boil for three or four days and nights continually: your Spirit of Wine will fill it self with the Tincture, and having decanted that off from the matter, put new to it, and proceed as before, and continue to put to new, digest, and decant, till the Spirit draw no more colour: then Filtre all the Tinctures and distill them with a Glass-Body and Head in Balneo Mariae, and draw off three fourth parts, and it shall be as good Spirit of Wine as before, and the red Tincture will remain in the Body, which you must put in a Viol, and close it well.

Note that this Tincture is made better, if you take River-Pibbles, which are colour­ed within with red, green, and blew veins; both these tinctures open all Obstructions of the Body: They are serviceable in Me­lancolick and Hypocondriac diseases, for the Dropsy, and Scurvy. The Dose is from ten to twenty drops, in White-wine, or some o­ther Liquor, using them continually.

The Liquor of Crystal.

PUT your other half of your dissolvable Glass of Crystal which you reserved in a Glass Plate, and expose it in a Cellar or other moist place, and in a few days it will be dissolved into a Liquor, which being Filtred through Cap-Paper, will be clear as Rock-water; this Liquor is very Diuretic, given from 20 to 30 drops in any agreeable Water or Decoction.

Note that if you put upon this Liquor any Acid Corrosive Spirits, they will both together in a moment be converted into a dry, and sufficiently hard Mass.

Magistery of Crystal.

TTake one pound of the aforesaid Liquor, and put it into a Body with five or six pounds of Distilled Rain-water, after pour thereon good Spirit of Nitre drop by drop: this Spirit will cause a great Ebullition, be­it works upon the saline part contained in this Liquor, and the Salt at the same time by a certain counterworking joyns it self with [Page 189] the Spirit, and takes from it its Corrosiveness; so that the substance of the Crystal is precipi­tated to the bottom in a fine and Snow-white Powder, which you must sweeten well and dry.

This Magistery is very proper to strengthen the Stomach, having a virtue to destroy the acidity of humours, and to sweeten them, and hinder their fervour which causeth an ap­petite, you may take a Dram in Wine after food.

Note, that if you Evaporate and Crystallize the first and second Lotions of this Powder, you may extract thence very fair and good Salt-peter, which proceeds from the incorpora­ting of its Spirit with Salt-Alkali of Tartar.

Salt of Coral.

COral being a body softer than Crystal needs neither be Calcined nor quenched as Pibbles, for so soon as you put it in the Fire it becomes white and loses its fair Tincture, which is very Volatile, and where­in consists a part of its good properties, and virtues. We must therefore be contented to reduce it into an Althool, or impalpable Pow­der, and to put four ounces thereof into a pretty large Bolts-head, and to pour thereon very good distilled Vinegar, to four fingers height; a great Ebullition will arise presently by the working of the distilled Vinegar, and counter-working of the Coral, for which cause it is necessary that the Bolts-head be large, that nothing may be lost. The working being over, place the Bolts-head upon hot Sand for [Page 191] twenty four hours, at the end whereof you shall find the Vinegar changed in an almost Insipid Liquor. Its Acidity being destroyed by its working upon the Coral; decant this Liquor into some Vessel, and pour fresh di­stilled Vinegar on the Coral, and repeat the same Operation as before until the Coral be almost all dissolved, and there remain in the bottom an undissolvable earthiness in a small quantity: Filtre the Solutions first mingled to­gether, through Cap-Paper, and Evaporate them to driness in a Glass-Body in Balneo Mariae.

Unto Salt of Coral is attributed a virtue to purify the mass of Blood, and it is given to the Sick in Melancholy cases. The Dose is from 6 to 20 Grains in some convenient Liquor.

Magistery of Coral.

DIssolve the Coral as we have now said, with distilled Vinegar; but instead of E­vaporating away the Solution, instil thereon drop by drop good Oil of Tartar made by Diliquium, and you shall see immediately the Coral precipitated to the bottom of the Water in a very white Powder, which must be dulci­fied by many washings. It is serviceable for the same purposes as the Salt, but for that it work­eth less forcibly. Its Dose is greater, it may be given to the weight of one Dram.

The Tincture of Coral.

MAny have imagined that they knew how to draw the Tincture of Coral, and almost all Authors have given us thereof pre­parations as true as Esop's Fables. For many would draw this Tincture with Spirit of Oak Wood, — of Guiacum, &c. Others with the Spirit of the Crusts of Bread, and such like: and having set the Coral to digest in these Menstruums (which rectified are clear as Wa­ter) because they are exalted by the digestion, by reason of a Salt Volatile Sulphur which they contain, seeing the colour red in the Men­struum, without considering that the digestion had given it this colour, as well alone as without Coral; they took the shadow for the substance, and a forreign Tincture for the Co­ral. Others amuse themselves with a Calci­nation of Coral, either alone or with Nitre: but the Coral remained white, and lost its Tincture with the least heat of the Fire, which they regarded not at all; but this not­withstanding they forbore not to put a good Spirit of Wine upon the Body, which by di­gestion, and the help of a fixed Salt of Nitre, with which the Coral was Calcined, is exal­ted and becomes red, as the Tincture of the Salt of Tartar. By such or such like means [Page 193] some imagine they may obtain a true Tincture of Coral, to which without reason they at­tribute surprising effects. I could yet give the Reader many more examples to keep him from relying on many ridiculus receipts, but I content my self with this one word by the way: And as I pretend not to put any Preparation in this little Treatise, of which I have not made trial with my own hands, I will here give forth my manner of a Tincture of Coral, which seemes to me reasonable and true.

Take four ounces of good red Coral, which make into a subtle Powder and mingle with like quantity of Salt Armoniac, sublimed three times with Decrepitated Salt, as we have taught you in the Chapter of Salt Armo­niac. Put this mixture into a small Body and Head, set it on a small Sand-Furnace, and fit a Receiver to them, Lute well the joynts of the Vessels, and give a small Fire at the be­ginning, augmenting it by little and little, you shall first see a Volatile Urinous Spirit arise, which will separate it self from the fixt Sea-Salt, which Volatile Salt is contained in the Flowers of the Salt Armoniac, and which fix­ed Salt joyns and incorporates it self with the Earthly substance of the Coral; after that this Volatile Spirit, which is small in quantity, shall have ascended and passed into the Re­ceiver, you shall see the Flowers rise and stick to the head of the Alembick, and upper part of the Body, which will be tinged with [Page 194] divers colours as red, green, blew, very plea­sant to behold, and contain in them the true Tincture of Coral; the Earthly part of the Coral white as Snow, remaines in the bottom of the Body with the fixt Sea-Salt, which contained the Flowers of the Salt Armoniac, continue a moderate fire (for a great heat needs not for this operation) untill no more rise: The whole Operation may be done in a few hours: Then let the Vessels cool; and gather diligently what is Sublimed, and put it in a Bolts-head, and pour upon it a good Spirit of Wine to the height of four fingers, digest this some days in Balneo Mariae, and it will be filled with a very red Tincture, and will rob the Flowers of all their pretty co­lours which they had before, for they remain in the bottom of the Bolts-head white like the Flowers of Salt Armoniac. Filtre the Tincture, and draw from it three fourths by an Alembick in Balneo Mariae, and the Tincture will remain perfect in the bottom of the Body, which must be kept in a well stopt Viol.

This is a Sovereign Remedy to strengthen the Bowels, in opening Obstructions, it puri­fies the Blood by Sweat and Urine. Its Dose is from 6 to 24 drops in some convenient Li­quor.

Another Tincture of Coral.

THe Tincture of Coral which we here di­scover is in use among many, and though [...]ledge [...]t be not a true tincture of Coral, but rather [...]ledge [...]n exaltation of the Sulphur contained in the Spirit of Wine which is used for the Menstru­ [...]m, and is exalted rather by the fixed Sal Nitre, wherewith the Coral is Calcined, than by the Tincture in the Coral, we will not forbear to [...]ledge [...]ive you a description thereof.

You must take one pound of Powder of good [...]ledge [...]ed Coral, and two pounds of Salt peter puri­ [...]ledge [...]ed, mingle and grind them together in a Mortar, after put this mixture in an Earthen [...]ledge [...]ot that con endure the Fire, set the Pot a­mongst coals in a Wind-Furnace, which you must kindle gently at first, that the matter be [...]ledge [...]ot by little and little, and that the sudden [...]ledge [...]iolence of the Fire cause not the pot to break [...]ledge [...]at first, but when it is red hot you must con­ [...]nue a pretty violent Fire the space of six [...] eight hours: then let the Vessel cool and [...]ledge [...]reak it, and powder the Snow-white Mass [...]ledge [...]hich you will find therein; put this into a [...]ledge [...]ng-neck Bolts-head, and pour thereon a good [...]ledge [...]pirit of Wine to the height of four fingers, [...]ledge [...]d set the Bolts-head in digestion in Sand for [...]ledge [...]o in days, which time the Spirit of Wine will [Page 194] [...] [Page 195] [...] [Page 196] be filled with a red Tincture, which must be poured off, and new Spirit of Wine put there­on, and the digestion continued in hot Sand, and again pour more off and on, till the Spi­rit of Wine be no more tinged. Then take all the Tinctures together, and put them into a Body of Glass, with and Head and Receiver well Luted, distill off all your Spirit of Wine with a very gentle heat, there will remain in the bottom a yellowish Powder approach­ing towards a red, of a lixiviat tast. The Spi­rit of Wine drawn from it it may be reserved for the same or other uses; but the Salt which remains in the bottom of the Body, must be set in a Cellar with the Body open. The reddish Salt will be dissolved by attract­ing a moisture to it into a reddish Liquor, which must be kept in a Viol for use, which is this; Take two pounds of good Spanish Wine, and an ounce of the said Liquor, and mingle them in a Glass Bottle well stopped, and let them stand together in a cold place for the term of eight days; the Spanish Wine which was white will become red as Blood.

This Tincture is given to purify the Mass of Blood for the Falling-Sickness, for to strengthen the Stomach, and to cleanse away all Viscosities, from half a Spoonful to a good great Spoonful every morning fasting, and con­tinuing the use of it for some time.

The Eating, or Corrosive Water.

TAke two pounds of good Quick-Lime, well Calcined and newly made, put it into a great Earthen Vessel, and pour thereupon by little and little ten pounds of Rain-water, and leave them together for two days, stirring them often, after let the Lime settle, and de­cant the Water which swims above and filtre it, and put it into a large Glass Bottle, and put to it one ounce of Powder of Corrosive Sub­limate, which will change from white to yel­low, and descends to the bottom of the Ves­sel: [Page 198] of this Water being setled, you may make use to mundifie Wounds and Ulcers, to con­sume the superfluities therein, and chiefly for Gangrenes, and in these cases the expert Chi­rurgion may add thereto on occasion, a fourth or a third part of the Spirit of Wine; the same thing may be observed in the diseases of the Eyes, and it may be tempered with ap­propriated Waters, and sometimes with Rain-water, as the Artist thinks fit. The Calx which remains in the Vessel may be sweetened, dried, and kept for all outward diseases which need Desiccation.

The Caustic Stone.

TAke one pounds of Quick-lime, and two pounds of Pot-ashes, beat them together into powder, and Calcine them in a conveni­ent Pot in a Potters Furnace, after make a Lye with them and Fountain, or River-water, which Vapour away till it be dry, and there will re­main a very sharp Salt. This you must put into a good Crusible, and melt it in a Wind-furnace, and when it is well melted, cast it into an [...]redge [...] Earthen Bason, as in the Mineral Crystal, and after break it into little pieces whilst it is ye [...]redge [...] hot, and put it into Vials well stopped with Wax; for otherwise these Stones will dissolv [...]redge [...] by attracting the moisture of the Air. The use of this Caustic Stone is too well known fo [...]redge [...] me to insist upon it.

Regulus of Arsenick, or Orpiment.

BEat into powder one pound of Arsenick (or Orpiment) with six ounces of Pot-ashes, and mix them with one pound of soft Soap, put [Page 200] them into a good large Crusible, covered with another Crusible with an hole pierced through the bottom, through which the venomous Vapours may pass away; set this Crusible in a Wind-Furnace, and give it a little Fire at the beginning, still augmenting it by little and little, till the matter be melted, when the matter is well melted cast it into a deep picked Iron, Cornet, Cone, or Ingot, made hot and a­nointed with Wax and let it cool, you will find a small Regulus in the bottom, grained almost like the Antimonial Regulus.

Oil, or Corrosive Liquor of Arsenick.

BEat into Powder equal parts of Regulus of Arsenick and Corrosive Sublimate, put them into a small Retort, place it in Sand, and give a gradual Fire, and force over a gummy Liquor, which will distil like Butter of Anti­mony; this Liquor hath the same properties with that of Antimony but it is more violent. When the Butter is raised chang your Receiver, and encrease the Fire a little, to make the Mercury come over, which distils into the Re­ceiver alive and running; for the Spirits which held it before in the form of a Crystalline Salt, forsake it and betake them to the Regulus of Arsenick.

Tee Fixt Liquor of Arsenick.

BEat and mingle one pound of Arsenick with two pounds of Salt-peter, melt them in one or more large Crusibles leaving of each one third part empty, by reason of the great Ebullition; and for the same cause the Fire at the beginning, and for two hours must be mo­derate, but when the Ebullition ceases, aug­ment and continue the Fire till the matter smoak no more, and till it be liquid like Oil in the bottom of the Crusible: Then cast it into an hot Mortar, and when it begins to cool beat it to Powder, and expose it to the moist Air that it may dissolve into a Liquor, which Filtre and keep in a Vial. It is used against malignant Ulcers, from the POX, Cank­rous or Fistulate, and it is mixt with proper Waters to diminish its force.

Flowers of Sulphur.

TAke a Body of good Earth, set it in a Fur­nace with an open Fire, yet so that it be encompassed well with Clay and Bricks, so that the Fire may neither appear nor breath out on high, but only through Holes or Re­gisters, and the neck of the Body must be above the Furnace: Make a little Fire at first, that it may heat the bottom of the Body by little and little: afterwards put there­unto half a pound of powdered Sulphur, and immediately fit an Head to your Body with­out Luting it, and encrease your Fire one de­gree; [Page 203] and when you see the Alembick be­gins to fill with Flowers, be careful to con­tinue your Fire in the same degree, for if the Fire be too hot the Sulphur that is al­ready Sublimed will melt and fall down, and if the Fire be not strong enough, the Flowers cannot rise; when the Head is sufficiently full of Flowers, take it away, and at the same time set another in its place, and gathering out the Flowers empty this Head that it may be ready to set in the place of the other when it shall be full; and when you judg that your half pound of Sulphur is almost Subli­med, put another half pound into the Body, and continue your work with a regular Fire, changing your Head from time to time, col­lecting the Flowers, and putting new Sulphur in the Body, till you have a sufficient quan­tity of Flowers; and continue the Fire till there remain in the Body nothing but a very small quantity of light Earth. Note, that all the Sulphur rises in Flowers without any separa­tion of any thing, save a little light Earth in very small quantity; so that this Subli­mation is not properly a Purification but a Rarification only, whereby the Sulphur is di­vided into very small particles, more dissol­vable in their Menstruums and more easy to mingle in Compositions, and more proper to be used in the Maladies of the Breast. The Dose of the Flowers is from 10 to 40 Grains, in a New-laid Egg, or any Confiture, Opiate, Extract or Conserve.

The Acid Spirit of Sulphur.

THE greatest part of these who have at­tempted any thing in Chymical Ope­rations have imagined that they could draw from Sulphur an Acid Spirit, not only in great quantity, but easily, and that by several In­struments which every one invented severally for his own use; but when their pretended Acid Spirit is well examined, it is found to be nothing but Phlegm, or a Spirit of Sul­phur made with Salt-peter. The true and most easy method is this.

Provide a large well baked Vessel of gray Earth, in the midst whereof set a little Ear­then Dish with the bottom upwards, and thereon place another more large, which must be of good Earth, and which will en­dure the Fire well, in which there is a pound of melted Sulphur, put into this Sulphur some burning Stone Coals, such as are those of Liege, to kindle it, and cover the Earthen Ves­sel with a Bell Glass, either hanging on a Cord or supported by three small pieces of Glass, for the brim of the Bell-Glass must not touch immediately the Earthen Vessel, but must have the distance of a Fingers thickness round a­bout, that the Sulphur may burn continually and not go out, and the smoaky fumes of the [Page 205] Salphur may exhale, so that the Spirituous Acid Salt of Sulphur, may be rarified and dissolved into Liquor, and cleaving to the Bell, fall down thereupon drop by drop, into the Earthen Vessel. When the Sulphur is con­sumed put in more, and so continue this work till you have sufficient. Note, that you must moisten your Bell at first, and work this in a moist time, between the two Aequi­noxes, if it may be. The properties of this Spirit differ not from those of the Spirit of Vitriol; some believe them to be more spe­cifick against the Plague it self. It is given in Julips, and other Liquors to the degree of an agreeable sharpness.

Milk, or Magistery of Sulphur.

TAke four ounces of Flower of Sulphur, two ounces of Salt of Tartar, and six pounds of Rain-water, put them all into a Stone-Pot, and boil them in a Sand-Furnace five or six hours; in this time the Sulphur will be dissolved and the Liquor become red; Filtre it warm, and mingle it after it is fil­tred, with Water five or six pounds more, afterwards pour upon it by little and little some good distilled Vinegar, or other Acid in its stead; the Liquor will be immediately turned into Milk, and the Magistery will be [Page 206] precipitated by little and little to the bottom of the Vessel, decant off the Liquor which swims above, and sweeten the Powder by many washings with hot Water, after dry it and keep it.

The use of this Magistery is like that of the Flowers, but the Dose is less, because it is more open; and five Grains of this Pow­der avail more than ten of the Flowers, and ten Grains of the Flowers more than twenty Grains of common Sulphur.

Balsom of Sulphur.

PUT into a Bolts-head two ounces of Flowers of Sulphur, and pour thereon eight oun­ces of Oil of Turpentine well rectified, set your Bolts-head on Sand, and give it a small Fire at the beginning, and encreasing by little and little till your Sulphur be dissolved, which will be done in four or five hours in a suf­ficiently moderate heat: the Oil of Turpen­tine will be tinged with a Ruby colour, and will dissolve all the Sulphur; but whilst the Vessel cools, one part of the Sulphur, which the Oil cannot hold up in its liquid form, re-incorporates or congeals again. You must pour out that which is clear and red into a Viol, and keep it well stopt.

This Oil cures the Ulcers of the Lungs, it is good against the Plague, and against all con­tagious Diseases, both to heal and preserve [Page 207] them. Its Dose is from 5 to 15 drops in some convenient Liquor. An excellent Oil for outward uses may be made with Oil of Lin­seed, instead of Oil of Turpentine, and this Oil is incomparable both for healing Contusions and Ʋlcers, for it is an Anodine and sweetens the Acrimony of humours.

Essence of Ambergreece.

TAke two Drams of good Ambergreece, and one Scruple of good Levant Musk, pow­der them well, and put them into a Bolts-head, and pour on them four ounces of good Spirit of Wine, fit to your Bolts-head another lesser, Lute well the joints, and set it to digest in Horse-dung moderately hot for some days, then whilst it is yet hot pour off the tinged Wine, for this Essence congeals of it self, and melts again with the least warmth of the hand: It augments Seed, and makes man or woman capable for Generation; it is taken from 10 to 15 drops in Spanish Wine, or Meath, or other Liquor.

Distillation of Amber.

TAke three pound of Amber grosly beaten, put it into a large Retort, leaving it half empty, set it in a sand-Furnace, and fit thereto a large Receiver; lute the joynts very exactly, and give it gradual heat: there comes over first a Phlegm, then a Spirit, and after an Oyl and volatile Salt mingled confusedly: Encrease and continue the Fire till nothing more come over, then let all cool, and take away the Receiver; you will find in the Retort a black matter like Asphaltum: poure into your Receiver about two pound of hot wa­ter, and shake it well together with all the sub­stances found in it, to the end that the volatile Salt sticking to the sides of the Receiver or min­gled in the Oyl may be dissolved therein: after pour all out into a glass Viol, and separate the Oyl from the Water, containing in it the volatile Salt and spirit of Amber.

The Rectification of the Oyl of Amber.

MIngle the Oyl separated from the other mat­ters, with so many sifted ashes as will suf­fice to drink it up, and make a pretty dry mass; [Page 210] then put this mass into a Retort, and distill it in a pretty gentle fire: the first Oyl that comes over will be pretty fair and clear, you must keep it apart for internal uses: continue and encrease the fire by little and little to raise your red Oyl; when no more comes over, cease your fire, and keep your Oyls severally. The first is excellent against the Apoplexy, Epilepsie, Palsie, and all the Diseases of the Mother, and against the retenti­on of Urine: its Dose is from three to ten drops, in any proper Liquor: the red Oyl may be used in Unguents and Plaisters; it fortifies the Nerves, and dissipates Swellings; and it is with good success rubbed into Paralytick Members.

The Sublimation and Purification of the Vola­tile Salt of Amber.

TAke the aforesaid Liquor separated from the Oyl, which contains in it the Phlegm, Spi­rit, and volatile Salt of Amber; filtre it, to sepa­rate the oily substance the better from it: and put it into a Bolts head with a long neck, and pour thereon drop by drop good Spirit of Salt, which will cause a great boyling up in the glass, because of the action it hath upon the volatile Salt of Amber; for this Salt is nigh to the na­ture of the volatile Salt of Animals: when the ebullition is over, put the Liquor into a Body, and cover it with an head, and distilling it in a sand-Furnace, draw off the insipid water; for [Page 211] the volatile Salt of Amber hath by re-action kil­led the acidity of the Spirit of Salt, and abides with it in the Stills bottom: after all the insipid water is come over, augment your fire one de­gree, to cause your Salt to sublime, which rises and cleaves partly to the head, and partly to the top of the body of your Still. Let your Vessel cool, and gather carefully the volatile Salt, which will be very subtle and penetrant, and will have the taste of sublimed Sal armoniac. But to make it yet more subtle, you must mingle it with equal quantity of pure Salt of Tartar, and put this mix­ture in a small body and head, and sublime it in a sand-Furnace, and the Salt of Tartar will re­tain with it all the spirit of Salt which was united and incorporated with the Salt of Amber in the first sublimation: and this Salt thus re-sublimed will be very pure and white as Snow, and must be kept in a Viol, very exactly well stopped, for it is so penetrant and volatile, that it cannot be long kept without much trouble.

Both these Salts are used against all Obstructi­ons in the Body, against the Palsie and retention of Urine, and against the Jaundies; it evacuates strongly by Sweat and Urine; The Dose of the former is from 20 grains to a dram, but the second (which is purified to an higher degree) is given on­ly from 4 to 15 grains, in some agreeable Liquor.

We will here finish the Section of Minerals, be­ing assured that those who well understand the process of the Preparations which we have descri­bed, will be capable of an infinite of others which we thought not pertinent to be mentioned.

Another Cinnamon-Water.

THey that desire onely a good Cinnamon-Wa­ter, without regard to the oyl, for which a greater quantity of Cinnamon was needful, must prepare it as follows. Take four ounces of good Cinnamon well bruised, and put it into a Body, and pour thereon Bugloss, Burrage and Balm-water, a. eight ounces, cover the Body with a blind Head, digest in a slow beat 2 dayes, then put in its place a Head and Receiver, and distill till there remain in the bottom of the Still not more than a third of the Waters, which shall be emptied of the Spirituous substance of the Cinna­mon. The use of this Water is the same as the former, but it is more cordial.

The Tincture and Extract of Cinnamon.

ALmost all Barks contain in them a Resinous and Sulphureous substance, which consti­tutes their principal Virtue: to separate this in­ternal Substance from its gross Body, we must im­ploy spirituous and sulphureous Menstruums, such as Spirit of Wine, and other Vegetable burning Spirits: we will give an Example in Cinnamon, which will serve for all other Barks. Put four ounces of good well-bruised Cinnamon in a Bolts-head, and pour thereon one pound of good Spi­rit of Wine; fit well another Bolts-head to this, to make a Vessel for Digestion, close well the joynts, and let them digest three or four dayes in a gentle heat; the Spirit of Wine will fill it self with the substance of the Cinnamon, and will tinge it of a fair red; pour off and separate the Tincture, filtre and keep it in a viol well stopt.

If you would reduce this Tincture into the form of an Extract, put it in a small Body, and lute well thereto an Head and Receiver, and distill off the Spirit of Wine, which will be im­pregnate with the volatile substance of the Cin­namon, and the Extract will remain in the bot­tom of the Body in the form of hony.

The Tincture refreshes the Spirits, fortifies the Stomach, thins and dissolves all viscous matter [Page 225] more than the simple Cinnamon Water: its Dose is half a Spoonful in some appropriate Liquor. The Extract strengthens the Stomach more than any other Remedy made out of Cinnamon, be­cause it contains in it a part of the fixed Salt, and of the subtler Earth, which hath a restringent power. The Spirit of Wine drawn from the Extract is impregnate with the Spirit of Cinna­mon, and may be mingled in Liquors for the use of weak Persons, for it is very comfortable, and helps Digestion.

Extract Panchymagogon.

AFter that of Aloes, we will insert here the Extract Panchymagogon, which is common­ly the base of all purgative Extracts, because this Preparation may serve for example to all the other compound Extracts.

Take the pulp of Coloquintida ℥jss, Agaric, Sca­mony, a. ℥j, black Hellebore ℥ij, Powder of Di­arrhodon Abbatis ℥ss, Aloes succatrine ℥x. Bruise the black Hellebore, chop the pulp of Coloquin­tida, put them together into a Bolts-head, and [Page 232] pour upon them good Spirit of Wine, to four fin­gers height, stop well the mouth of the Bolts-head, and in another put the Powder of Diarrho­don Abbatis apart, and pour thereon also Spirit of Wine to the same height; chop also the Aga­ric, and bruise the Scamony, and put on them an excellent Spirit of Wine, which may extract their Rosinous substance; keep the Aloes apart, and put the three Bolts-heads well stopt in digestion on hot ashes for three dayes, during which the Menstruums will fill themselves with the in­ward Virtues of these grosser Substances; decant off the Tinctures each apart in a several Viol, and put new Menstruums on the matters remaining in the Bolts-heads, and set them again to digest, so the Menstruums will draw out whatever of good there is in them: after mingle all your Tinctures of Hellebore, Diarrhodon, and Coloquintida, and put the Aloes thereto which you kept apart, and digest them in a slow heat for eight hours, and your Aloes will be dissolved, save only some earthy part; filtre your Solution through Paper, and the Tinctures of Agaric and Scamony, and set them all together in B. M. in an Alembick well luted with its Receiver, and distill off about 3 fourth parts of the Spirit of Wine, which may serve again for the same use; empty what re­mains in your Alembick into a glazed earthen dish, and proceed to evaporate it in B. M. to a consistence fit to be made into Pills.

This is a very good purgative, and evacuates sweetly what is superfluous in the Body: its Dose is from 5 to 30 grains.

It may be made specifick for Venereous Disea­ses by adding thereto one third part of Mercurius dulcis.

Another Distillation of Lettuces, and other juicy Herbs.

THe great use of distilled Waters hath forced the Artists to invent a sort of tinned Caul­dron, large and flat, whereon they set an head of fine Pewter fitted to the Cauldron, of which, and its Furnace, we will here give you the plain­est description we can possibly.

Cause a brick Furnace to be built, square with­out, and round within, of about two foot Dia­meter above, with four holes and Registers at the four corners, an ash-hole, grate and hearth, and made from the grate up to the top taper like a basket, for the better governing the fire: your Furnace being thus framed, cause a Cauldron to be made of iron plates, of a flat bottom, and of the height of six or seven inches, with a small bordure of a breadth proportionable to the Dia­meter of the Furnace, so that it joyn not wholly to the walls of the Furnace, that the heat may be communicated quite round: place also two iron bars cross the Furnace, about eight or nine inch­es above the grate, to support the iron Cauldron, which you shall set in the Furnace, and lute it round about to the Bordure, so that the top of the Furnace, save the four Registers may be all fast and closed; this being done, prepare also a [Page 239] Cauldron of Copper tinned, flat in the bottom, and proportionable to the wideness of the iron Cauldron, so that it may be set within it with­out touching its sides at the distance of half an inch: this Cauldron needs not be above eight or ten inches high: in this Vessel we put the herbs to be distilled; this Cauldron must have an head of Pewter, of a flattish round top fitted to it, and when you would distill any herb, first put sand to the height of an inch and an half in the iron Cauldron, then set your Copper Cauldron upon the sand, and fill it almost quite up to the top with whole leaves, cover it with its head, fit to its Receiver, and give fire by little and lit­tle, till the Water distill drop by drop, and then keep that degree, till all the moisture of the leaves reduced into vapour be condensed into Water, and that the leaves be so dry that they may be powdered: so you shall draw a Water impregnate with the smell and virtue of the Plant; for the sand interposed hinders the vi­olent action of the Fire, which otherwise would burn the Herbs too much, and cause the Water to taste of burning. This Instrument is not only proper to draw Water off from all juycy Herbs (except the acid) but also from Flowers, as Roses, Lillies, Water-lillies, wild Poppies, and others. The Herbs which remain after the Water is drawn off, may be burnt to ashes, and the Salt extracted; but being that Plants con­tain little Salt, or none at all, till they attain their perfect maturity, that is, in the time be­twixt their Flower and Seed; we advise not to [Page 240] seek for fixed Salt in tender Herbs. This Instru­ment with its Furnace is represented in the third Table.

The Queen of Hungaries Water.

PUT two pounds of Rosemary-Flowers, gather­ed in the morning in a dry season, into a Glass-body, and pour thereon three pounds of good Spirit of Wine; cover the Body with a blind head, lute the joynts well, and set it to di­gest in a vaporous Bath by a very gentle heat for 24 hours, or in the Sun for three dayes, then take away the blind head, and put another with [Page 250] a spout in its place, and lute well the joynts, and distill in B. M. all that will rise, and you shall have a very excellent Water: And though its Virtues are sufficiently known, we will here re­late the principal, which are to fortifie the Brain, either taken by the Mouth or Nose, and rubbing it in by the Temples, and sutures of the Head; to strengthen the Stomach, help digestion, dissi­pate the Cholick-pains, and to preserve from them, by taking half a spoonful in warm broth, continuing the use thereof for some dayes, or twice a Week at least: it helps against Deafness or noise in the Ears, either taken by the Mouth, or drawn up into the Nostrils, or put into the Ears with Cotton; as also for the pains in the Head, for all Contusions external, or deep penetrating internal, taken as above, or chafed in from with­out; it is also very proper for Palsies, Apoplexies, Gouts and cold Pains, and for all Heart-burn­ings, Palpitations and Faintings, either taken in­wardly, or applied outwardly to the Stomach, with a Toast soaked therein; and it is generally proper (on all occasions wherein it is needful) to stir, strengthen, quicken, and preserve natu­ral Heat.

Of the Distillation of Wine.

PUT sixty quarts of Wine into a Copper-body, and cover it with a Refrigerant, or Mores­head, and distill off therefrom about a sixth part, or continue your Distillation till no more Spirit rise, which comes alwayes first over in all Fer­mented and Vinous Liquors; put this Spirit into a Bottle, and stop it well. This first Spirit thus prepared, is called Aqua Vitae, that which remains in the Body may be evaporated to the consistence of Hony, and put in a Retort, and thence may be drawn, first, a phlegmatick Water, secondly, a Spirit, and thirdly, a stinking Oyl: and that remains in the Retort may be calcined, and redu­ced into ashes, from which the fixed Alcalizate Salt may be drawn and separated from the dead Earth, in the same manner as from other Vegeta­bles. I was willing to put down this operation rather for the satisfaction of the curious, than for any profit that may be made of it.

Rectification of the Aqua Vitae into Spirit or Alcool.

THe Aqua Vitae being mingled with store of Phlegm, which it raises with it in the first distillation, we must rectifie it two or three times, till it be reduced to a pure Spirit; it must be put into a Body of glass, and distilled thence to half, in B. M. which half must be rectified again once, twice, or so often till it be wholly freed from its Phlegm, which is thus known; if some of this Spirit being fired in a Spoon, burn all away with­out leaving any moisture behind, or if it burn and reduce unto ashes, a little cotton put therein: but the better tryal is, if when it is consumed it fire a grain of Cannon-powder put in the spoon whereon the Spirit was poured, which is a sign no humidity is left in the Spirit, for it would have hindred the firing of the Powder: But because this rectification of the Spirit is trou­blesome, and besides, great quantities thereof are needful to be had for Chymical Preparations, Artists have invented an Instrument, by which they might rectifie the Spirit of Wine by one single Distillation, and for that we remit the Rea­der to the Figure which we have given in the first part of this Book. We need not much trou­ble our selves to make known the excellency of [Page 254] this Spirit, the use whereof is so frequent, both inwardly and outwardly, that none are ignorant thereof: besides this, it is used in infinite Chy­mical operations, to draw Extracts, or subtle sul­phureous Substances, as well from Vegetables as Animals and Minerals.

Spirit of Wine Tartarized.

THe Spirit of Wine tartarized is no other thing than the Spirit of Wine purified to an high­er degree, and wholly freed from its Phlegm, by means of Salt of Tartar, which retains with it all that phlegm which the Spirit of Wine may yet contain in it; Take one pound of Salt of Tartar well dried, put it into a Body, and pour thereon four pounds of good Spirit of Wine, set to an Head and Recei [...]er, lute well the joynts, distill the Spirit in B. M. which will leave all its phlegm behind in the Salt of Tartar; and therefore it is very proper for all uses internal and external, working with much greater force than the com­mon Spirit of Wine, because of its greater purity; this Spirit is much employed for many brave Ar­cana's prepared with it, and especially in the Ex­traction of Tinctures. This hath also excited many Artists to proceed farther, and to seek out how to reduce this Spirit into a volatile Salt, by a farther separation of its superfluous aquosity, [Page 255] according to what Van Helmont hath delivered in his Treatise intitled Aura Vitalis, where he saith that one pound of Spirit of Wine imbibed in the fixed Salt of Tartar, affords but one half ounce of Salt, and that all the rest is nothing but an in­sipid Water; but whereas many curious Persons have busied themselves to stay this Salt contained in the Spirit of Wine, with the Salt of Tartar; according to the words of this excellent Philoso­pher (who in this and many other things hath spoken obscurely) finding no success therein, have thought it impossible; experience hath made me see the possibility thereof, and having by means of a corrosive Spirit my self many times reduced the Spirit of Wine into a volatile Salt, I shall here very willingly impart the manner there­of as follows. Put a pound of Spirit of Nitre well dephlegmed, into a long-necked large Globe or Ballown-glass, and pour thereon some drops of the Spirit of Wine tartarized, and at the same time set on a Bolts-head fitted to the neck of the Globe or Ballown thereon▪ closing well the joynts; there will arise at the same time an action of those Spirits whereby they will destroy one ano­ther; which when it ceases, pour on some more fresh drops of the Spirit of Wine, and continue this same Work for a whole day, still closing well the mouth of your Glass whensoever you drop on your Spirit of Wine, until such time as the acti­on cease: you will have a Liquor of a middle nature, betwixt a Spirit of Wine and Spirit of Nitre; for it is not corrosive, and its force ex­ceeds not that of distilled Vinegar, and it burns [Page 256] not as the Spirit of Wine: Put this Liquor into a Body with an Head fitted thereto, and distill with a very slow heat of a vaporous Bath what­ever will come over: there will remain in the bot­tom a white and volatile Salt in a small quantity, of an acid and sour taste, which may be subli­med, and deprived of its corrosive and acid part, by the help of some Salt Alkaly, in the same manner as we have taught in the Sublimation and Purification of the volatile Salt of Amber. I thought it worth my pains to add this operation to the rectification of the Spirit of Wine, hoping that many curious Persons will be well pleased to understand it.

Distillation of Vinegar.

PUT five pounds of good Vinegar in a Body of Glass, and fit thereto an Head and Receiver, set it in a Sand-furnace, and distill with a slow fire about two pounds of Liquor, which will have scarce any force, whence we call it phlegm of Vinegar: then change your Receiver, and increase your fire by little and little, and distill all over till there remain onely in the bottom of the Body a matter of the consistence of hony; then slack your fire, that the Distillation taste not of burn­ing, and keep what is distilled; the use thereof is to dissolve calcined Minerals, and to reduce them into the form of Salts. The hony-like consistence which remains in the bottom may be put in a Retort, and forced over by gradu­al fire, it will yield an acid Spirit, and after a stinking Oyl, and a fixed Salt which remains behind in the Retort, which purified by many Solutions and Coagulations resembles the fixed Salt of Tartar.

Distillation of the Spirit and Oyl of Tartar.

PUT six pounds of grosly beaten Tartar in a Retort of gray or well-luted Earth, which you must place in a close Reverberating-furnace, and fit thereto a large Baloon-Receiver, luting the joynts exactly, and then make your Distilla­tion with a gradual fire: a phlegmatick water will first come over, and after that a Spirit and Oyl mingled confusedly; and when nothing more will come over, and the Receiver begins to be clear, cease the fire, and let the Vessels cool, then unlute the Receiver, and separate the Oyl and Spirit by a Tunnel furnished with brown Paper, the Spirit will pass through it, and the Oyl will abide in the Paper, which you may put into a Viol, and keep apart; the Spirit may be rectified upon Coral, in the same manner as we have said in the Chapter of Gum-Ammoniac, teaching the intire rectification of that Spirit. The Spirit of Tartar rectified is an excellent Re­medy for Diseases caused from Obstructions: for it resolves and attenuates by its subtilty gross matters; for this cause it doth marvels in the Scurvy, and arthritick Diseases, in the Palsy and small Pox, provoking Sweat and Urine; its Dose is from one scruple unto four, in broth or some other Liquor. The Oyl strongly re­solves [Page 261] Nodes and other hardnesses, it likewise mortifies all sharp humours, which cause Tet­ters, it heals the Scald Head, helps the Falling Evil, chafing the Nose of those who are troubled therewith.

Fixed Salt, and Oyl or Liquor of Tartar by Deliquation.

TAke the black mass which remains in the Re­tort after the Distillation of the Oyl and Spirit of Tartar, and calcine it in a Reverberatory-furnace, in a flat open pot, till it become white, then let it cool, then pour upon it hot Water, in an earthen Vessel, to the height of six fingers, and stir it from time to time for some hours: the Water will fill it self with the saline substance, which must be decanted, and other hot Water poured on the Remainder, and this repeated so often, till all the salt be thence extracted; then filtre all your Solutions, and evaporate the Moi­sture, till the Salt become dry and white as Snow, in the bottom of the Vessel, which you must keep carefully in a Vessel well-closed, for otherwise it will be resolved into a Liquor by at­tracting to it the Moisture of the Air; but if you would make thereof the Liquor by Deliquation, (which they call improperly the Oyl of Tartar) put some part of it upon a marble, or slate of [Page 262] Glass, and place it in a Cellar or some other moist place, and it vvill in a fevv days be dis­solved into a Liquor; the Salt of Tartar is very diuretick, as all other fixed Salts, or Alkalies of Vegetables; vvherefore they are given vvith suc­cess in Dropsies and Obstructions of the Reins: its Dose is from Ten to Thirty Grains in some convenient Liquor. The Liquor may be used instead of the Salt, for it is no other than the Salt dissolved; but its Dose must be encreased. They vvho seek only for the Salt of Tartar, need not distill it, they may calcine it alone in a reverberating Fire till it be vvhite, and after dravv from it its Salt as vve have taught.

Magistry of Tartar, or Tartar Vitriolate.

TAke eight Ounces of the Liquor of Salt of Tartar made by Deliquation, vvhich must be clear as Fountain-vvater, put it into a great Bolt's head vvith a long Neck, let Oyl of Vitriol fall thereon Drop by Drop, till there be no more E­bullition, vvhich is the Proportion observable, for you must do this till the Oyl of of Vitriol find there nothing that can act against its Acidity, then empty this Mixture into an Earthen Plat­ter, which will be half congealed; if any thing re­main in the Bolt's Head, wash it out vvith distilled [Page 263] rain Water, and mix it vvith the rest in the Plat­ter, place this on a Sand-Furnace, and vapour avvay all the Humidity, there vvill remain a Salt vvhite as Snovv, vvhich you must keep in a Glass vvell stopped; this Salt is a very good Digester for disposing Humours and preparing them for Purgation, it opens the Obstructions in the Body, and especially in the Hypocondria, and it helps also in Dropsies and Quartan Agues, the Dose is from six to thirty six Grains in some Broth or opening Liquor.

Tincture of Salt of Tartar.

PUT half a pound of salt of Tartar perfect­ly purified, into a Crucible with hot Coals, and keep it tvvo hours in a violent Fire, stir­ring it continually vvith an Iron spatula, that it may neither stick to the Crucible nor melt, and vvhen you perceive it to be of a blevv, ap­proaching to a green colour, povvder it in an hot Mortar, and put it yet hot into a Pelican, or in some double digesting Vessel, and pour there­on good spirit of Wine by little and little, till it rise four fingers above it; then close the Vessel vvell, and set it on hot Ashes, until you see the spirit of Wine to boyl, and hold it in that state [Page 264] for twenty four hours, in which time the Spi­rit of Wine will draw to it self a very red Tincture, and of a sweet scent like that of the Vine in flower; then pour off this Tin­cture into some Bottle, and put on another Spirit of Wine upon the Salt, and digest it a­new on a Sand-furnace for twenty four hours as before; and repeat the same operation, till the Spirit of Wine be coloured no more; filtre and mingle all your Tinctures, and draw over thereof two thirds or little more, and the tin­cture of Tartar will remain in the bottom of the Body, which you must keep in a Viol well-closed.

This Tincture is very excellent in all Dis­eases which come from abundance of melan­cholick Humours, in the Scurvy and Dropsie, and it is of great force to purifie all the mass of Blood, the Dose is from ten to thirty drops, continuing the use thereof for some season.

Oyl of Anniseed by Expression.

PUT a pound of Aniseed finely powdered up­on a hair Sieve turned up-side down, and cover it with a Pewter-dish, in such manner that all the Anniseed may be contained in the hollow of the Dish, set the Sieve in a flat Ba­son with two or three pints of water over the fire, and make the water boyl: the vapour there­of will pierce into, and warm the Powder of the Anniseed; have a good Press with two boards, and a little sack of strong Canvas, all hot, and in readiness, and when the plate that covers the Anniseed-powder is so hot that your hand cannot endure the heat of it, put and tye your [Page 269] powder up nimbly in the Sack, and readily in­to the Press, and you will force thence a green and clear Oyl, having the pleasing taste and scent of Anniseed. The fore-alledged Exam­ples will sufficiently direct the curious to the knowledge of Vegetables, whole or in parts; we will here finish this Section, and come to that of Animals.

Another Distillation of Ʋrine, and Sublimation of its Volatile Salt.

PUt a quantity of well conditioned Urine into many Pitchers, or a Barrel well stop­ped, and let it stand fourty days, in which time it will be fermented, and prepared to give forth its Spirits: Put it into many Glass Bodies, and distil off about half the Moisture, and you shall have a clear and spirituous Water; cast away what remains in the Bodies after every distil­lation as of little value, and rectifie the Water yet two or three times by distilling off the half, and casting away what remains, and continue this work till you have collected all the ver­tue, or all the spirits of Urin into a small quan­ti [...]y; which you shall put into a Bolt's head with a long neck, to which you must fit a large head, and cause the spirituous Volatile Salt to rise with a very gentle heat of Sand, which will easily separate it self from the superfluous phlegmatick Water, leaving it behind in the bottom of the Bolt's head. This Preparation is more Tedious and Laborious than the [Page 280] former; but it produces a more pure subtle and penetrating, and consequently a more efficacious Salt. These preparations may suffice as I conceive, for examining and preparing all matters contain­ed in the Animal Family: wherefore conclu­ding this Section we will content our selves only to add some Preparations of Matters that are after a sort distinct from Animals, Vegeta­bles and Minerals.