CHAP. XXVII.
What is to be judged of the Tincture of Corals.
When Paracelsus writ of the admirable Virtues of Tincture of Corals, which it manifests in the Expulsion of all grievous Diseases, he said, that very many famous Men endeavoured to perfect that Tincture; but an happy event or prosperous success of the same happened to few. Even so hath it hapned unto me, who have been a searcher of that Tincture above forty years. As to the external face, I could indeed variously extract a Tincture of Corals, but in Medicine it proved not as it seemed. Hence I conjectured that was not the true Tincture of Corals, but that Tincture came from the Menstruum. Yet at length GOD shewed me some particular Feathers of Birds, which might be adapted to fixed Tinctures latent in Stones and stony Subjects, and by help of them the same be extracted from their gross Bodies, and exposed to publick view; yet among them all, three sorts of Feathers onely hold the Principal place.
I.
The black Feathers of Crows,
which are endued with power to elevate such Tinctures as love to ascend.
II.
The white Feathers of Pidgeons,
which, in a sort, contain in themselves the purest, and before (by their natural virtue) lightly volatile Tinctures, invade and carry them upwards with them.
III.
Eagles Feathers,
which rowse even the most fixed and heaviest Bodies, and thence extract the inmost or noblest part of them, and carry it upwards with themselves.
Yet these Eagle-Feathers are most commodiously used for extracting of fixed Tinctures from fixed Metals and Stones. For if they be applied to other very Volatile Subjects, they will carry up with themselves the whole mortified Body together with the Tincture. Therefore, whosoever would by the benefit of the Salt of these Feathers, or of the Salts of other Volatiles, perform some excellent Work, let him exactly learn the difference between one and the other. But since here I onely intend the Extraction of the Tincture from Red Corals, there is no need of any other Feathers for that purpose, but of Pidgeons Feathers onely, because they will be sufficient for this Operation.
The Feathers or Wings are thus found and acquired.
Dissolve one pound of pure Silver in Aqua Fortis. If to this Solution you pour good Spirit of Salt, in which Common Salt is dissolved, all the Luna will be precipitated from the Aq. Fortis in the form of a white Calx. In which Precipitation the Silver acquires the aforesaid white Pidgeons Feathers from the Salt-water, and submergeth them, together with it self, in the bottom of the Vessel. In this Precipitation also the Aqua Fortis perisheth not, but passeth into good Aqua Regia. This white Calx of Lune, which I have otherwise called Mercury of Lune, if it be diligently edulcorated and dried; then are the Feathers prepared, by help of which I here teach how the Tincture of Corals is to be extracted.
Recipe one pound of Red Corals, grind them upon a Stone to a most subtile Powder; to which add as much of this white Silver Calx also pulverized. Put these together into a Glass-Retort, administring Fire by degrees, untill the Retort be red, whence (before it is red-hot) will ascend a reddish Water pleasantly sweet; out of one pound of Corals, about four or five ounces. Let this Water be dephlegmated in a small Glass-body, by gentle heat of Balneo, and the unprofitable Water separated from the Tincture; which every Man may safely use in Medicine according to his capacity and skill; because by virtue of it the Bloud is egregiously purged. Almost after the same manner, by help of these Feathers, a most efficacious Water of Pearls may be distilled from fragments of Pearls, or in defect of them from Mother of Pearls.
Likewise, by their help, from a certain peculiar kind of white Talk, may be extracted a famous Cosmetick for whitening the black Skin.
Also otherwise by the help of these, from Vegetable and Animal, as well as from Mineral Subjects, many famous Medicaments may be extracted; all the Preparations of which, if any Man should take upon him to describe, he would above measure encrease the Volume of his Book: which is not my purpose now to do. Therefore with these already commemorated every well-meaning Man will hold himself content. Hereafter (if GOD please) we may discover more.
That which remains in the Retort take out, mix it with an equal weight of burned Tartar, and then by strong fire melt the Mixture. Then the Lune will precipitate it self into a Regulus, and the Corals, Pearls, or whatsoever you distilled by the help of that, will pass into Scorias. If you rightly know how to operate this, you will lose none of the Silver. But if you granulate the same, dissolve it in Aquafortis, and again precipitate it with Spirit of Salt, edulcorate and dry the Calx, you will have new Feathers, by the benefit of which you may sublime subtile Tinctures from Bodies. The reason why these Tinctures ascend so sweet, is, because the sharp Spirits of Salt, which the Lune detains with it self, adhere to the Corals and Pearls, and mortifie themselves with them, and upwards onely drive a sweet Essence.
Since I have said something of White Pidgeons Feathers, and also made mention, that many other such Feathers may be had, by which heavy Subjects may in like manner be elevated, and carried upward with them; among which the Dark-coloured Feathers of the Eagle do easily obtain the priority; I thought it would be worth while to shew the way of Acquiring them here also; which thus take.