The works of the highly experienced and famous chymist, John Rudolph Glauber

by Johann Rudolf Glauber

The clear Oyle of Mastick, and Frankincense.

Take of Frankincense or Mastick powdered small, as much as will serve to fill the third part of a Retort (which must be coated) upon which pour a sufficient quantity of spirit of Salt, taking heed that the Retort be not filled too full, or else the spirit when it boyles, flows over it, then place it in sand, and give fire by degrees, and there will first come out some phlegme, after which a clear transparent oyle together with the spirit of salt, which must be kept by it self, after this a certain yellow Oyle which must be received by it self, and last of all there follows a red Oyle, which altho’ it is not to be cast away, yet it is very unlike to the first, serving for outward uses, and to be mixed with Oyntments and Emplasters, for it doth wonderfully consolidate, and therefore good in new and old Wounds. The first being well rectified, is in its subtilty, and penetrating faculty not unlike to spirit of wine, and may profitably be used inwardly and outwardly, viz. in cold affects, but especially in the stiffness of the Nerves, caused by cold humors, upon which follows a contraction; but then you must first rub the member contracted with a linnen cloath, that it may be well warmed, into which then the Oyle must be chafed with a warm hand. For it doth do wonders in such like affects of the Nerves.

After the same manner may Oyles be made out of all gumms. The red, tenacious and stinking Oyles of Tartar, Harts-horn, Amber, &c. distilled after the common way by retort are also rectified with spirit of salt so as to become transparent and to lose the Empyreuma contracted by distillation.

Now the cause of the blackness, and fetidness of these kind of Oyles, is a certain volatile salt which is to be found as well in Vegetables, as certain Animals, which is easily mixed with the Oyle, and makes it of a brown colour. For every volatile salt whether it be of Urine, Tartar, Amber, Harts-horn, and of other Vegetables and Animals, is of this condition and nature, as to exalt, and alter the colours of sulphureous things, and that either for the worse or for the better: but for the most part it makes Oyles thick, black and stinking, as you may see in Amber, Harts-horn, and Tartar. The cause therefore of the blackness, and fetidness of these Oyles being known we may the more easily take heed thereof in distilling, and being contracted, correct them again by the help of spirit of Salt. For all volatile salt hath contrariety to any acid spirit, and on the other side, every acid spirit hath a contrariety with all volatile salts, that have the nature of salt of Tartar. For metals that are dissolved with acid spirits are as well precipitated with spirit of Urine, or any volatile salt as with the liquor of salt of Tartar; which shall be more at large declared in the second part.

The volatile salt therefore is by the mortifying acid spirits, as of Salt, Vitriol, Allom, Vinegar, &c. deprived of its volatility, and is fixed, by which means being debilitated it forsakes its associate which was infected with blackness by it: it is necessary that we should proceed after the same manner with these fetid Oyles, viz. as follows.

Take any fetid Oyle of Tartar, Amber, &c. with which fill the fourth part only of a glass Retort, and upon it pour by drops the spirit of salt; and it will begin to be hot, as it is used to be, when Aqua fortis is poured on salt of Tartar; wherefore the spirit is to be poured on it by little and little, and by drops for fear of breaking the glass: Now the signe of the mortification of the volatile salt is, when it ceaseth to make a noise, and then no more is to be poured on, but set your Retort in sand, & give fire to it by degrees, as is used to be done in the rectifying things of easie elevation: and first of all will go forth a certain stinking water, after which comes a transparent clear, and odoriferous Oyle, and after that a certain yellow, clear, and also well smelling Oyle, but not so as the first, wherefore each must be taken a part by changing the receivers. Now these Oyles become more grateful than those fetid ones of the shops. For these Oyles retain their clearness, and fairness, the cause of their fetidness, and redness being taken away by the spirit of salt. In the bottom of the Retort remains the black volatile salt with the spirit of salt, from whence it may be sublimed into an odoriferous salt resembling salt armoniack in tast. The spirit of salt is also deprived of its acidity, and coagulated by the volatile salt, and is like tartarum vitriolatum, appointed also for its uses, as shall be spoken in the second part, of the spirit of Urine.

After the same manner also are rectified other Oyles, which by length of time have contracted a clamminess, as are Oyle of Cinnamon, Mace, Cloves, &c. with the spirit of Salt, if they be rectified by Retort, for then they acquire again both the same clearness, and goodness, as they had when they were newly distilled.

Here I must make mention of a certain error of Physitians, not only of ignorant Galenists but Spagyricks, committed in the preparations of some Chymical medicaments. For many have perswaded themselves that Oyle of Tartar, Harts-horn, &c. having lost its stink, is a Medicine radically taking away all obstructions; but this must be taken with a grain of salt. For some have rectified these kinds of Oyles by calcined Vitriol, and by that means have somewhat made them lose their Empyreuma, but with all their Vertues; which others observing have conceived that the fetidness thereof is not to be taken away, because the Vertue of them is thereby lost, as if the Vertue consisted in the fetidness thereof; but that is a very great error, because fetidness is an enemy to the heart and brain, and in it is no good. But this is granted, that they that take away the fetidness of those Oyles mortifie the vertues of them. But thou sayst, How then must we proceed in taking away their fetidness without the loss of the vertues? Must they be rectified by the spirit of salt? as even now thou taughtest. R. No, for although I said that Oyles might be clarified with spirit of salt, yet it doth not follow that my meaning was, that that clarification was the mending of them: This is only a way of clarification, whereby they become more grateful; and it is not to be slighted, a better being unknown. But how they are to be rectified from their fetidness and blackness, without the loss of their Vertues, and to be made more noble, doth not belong to this place, because it cannot be done by this Furnace: I shall refer the reader therefore to the second part, where it shall be shewed, how such spirits are to be rectified without the loss of their vertues, which being so prepared may well be accounted for the fourth Pillar of Physick. And these things I was willing at least for information sake to shew you, not to offend you, and that because I was moved with pity, and compassion towards my neighbour.

The Quintessence of all Vegetables.

Pour upon Spices, Seeds, Woods, Roots, Fruits, Flowers, &c. the Spirit of Wine well rectified, place them in digestion to be extracted, untill all the essence be extracted, with the Spirit of Wine; then upon this Spirit of Wine, being impregnated, pour the best Spirit of Salt; and being thus mixed together, place them in Balneo to digest, untill the Oyle be separated, and swim above from the Spirit of Wine, then separate it with a separating glass, or distill off the Spirit of Wine in Balneo, and a clear Oyle will ascend; for if the Spirit of Wine be not abstracted, then that Oyle will be as red as blood; and it is the true quintessence of that vegetable, from whence by the Spirit of Wine it was extracted.