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

by Johann Rudolf Glauber

I have here inserted this discourse, only for this cause, that I might shew that a whole or intire body is of very little moment, and that that thing whereby any Good is to be effected in Medicine, is to be found only in the most noble part, to wit, the Anima.

And even, as in Minerals, besides a fixed and incombustible Sulphur, there is also found another, combustible and fugacious: so also there is found a twofold Sulphur in Vegetables, in the destilling of which, by a Retort, an Oil is expelled, together with the acid Spirit and Phlegm, which indeed hath its virtues, but can in no wise perform those things which that part remaining in the black Coals is wont to effect. For by how much a Medicine shall be more fixed and constant, by so much the more do they enter and encounter long and fixed diseases; so on the contrary, fugacious medicines are found less efficacious in eradicating the same.

What I have said concerning Vegetables, viz. That there is in them a volatile and fugacious spirit, and a constant fixed Anima; the same is also to be understood of Minerals, which besides a combustible Sulphur, possess also a fixed and constant Anima.

But whosoever knoweth how to conjoin the Anima of Vegetables with the Anima of Minerals, hath obtained a Medicine which is able, after a wonderful manner, to corroborate the Vital Spirit in Man. For the Animæ of Vegetables and Minerals, are the Rays of the Sun coagulated, which necessarily contain a vivifying or enlivening power, seeing that the sun maketh all things partakers of Life.

And a man, if he only beholds the sun, or its Vicar the fire, the earthly sun, although he be in some very deep and cold place under ground, where he cannot feel its warming and enlivening power; yet he shall perceive his Heart to be recreated and strengthened by the bare aspect of it: But how much greater a recreation and corroboration would he perceive, if he should take the Anima of Wine, or of some other Herb conjoined with the Anima of Gold, for the curing of his body, with both which it hath a great familiarity; for like rejoiceth in like, and desireth to be joined to it: And therefore it ought to seem strange to no man, that I assert, the humidum radicale of the humane body may be augmented by the Animæ of Vegetables and of Gold: For the Anima of Vegetables is nothing else but an essential universal salt, which is found in all things.

Seeing therefore that Philosophers confess, that the redness of gold and whiteness of silver may be encreased by its own universal salt, it is reasonable for us to acquiess in the same opinion, and to maintain it against those that erre. A visible and palpable demonstration is to be credited. Nevertheless I easily perswade my self, that this discourse of mine will not be credited by many, which I cannot help. It contenteth me, that I have written the Truth, and lighted a Candle to my Neighbour.

After one and the same manner, of Wood of little or no worth, I have shewed the making of Salt-petre, for Souldiers, Gardeners, Vintners, and Husband-men, fit for the dunging of Orchards, Vineyards, Fields, and Meadows; of commodious Baths, for the Sick; of a good Vinegar for Chymists and Apothecaries, necessary for many extractions. It now remains, that I also offer a Gift to the Owners of Metallick Mines. If they shall humect or moisten the Calx viva, or Lime made of stones, in the Press, as we have taught, with the Acetum or Vinegar of Wood, they shall obtain a cheap Flux, by which those hard and untractable stones digged out of metallick Veins, may easily be melted; for the acid spirit of Wood is fixed by the Lime, and converted into a salt, causing an easie Flux. Nevertheless, this salt will be of greater profit to Husband-men, for the dunging and fattening their Fields (for whose sake I also describe it) than in the melting of Mineral bodies. Physicians may use the noble and efficacious juice of Wood, for the happy cure of many incurable diseases, and to their own honour and profit. This Vinegar of Wood being exposed in Hogsheads to the cold in Winter, that it may be frozen to Ice, the Phlegm only freezeth, but the sharp spirit, with the Oil, is not turned into Ice, but remaineth in the middle of the Hogshead so sharp, that it corrodeth metals like Aqua-fortis. If Princes and Great men would be pleased to take care that the Wood in their Dominions (otherwise rotting in the Woods) might be turned into Salt-Petre, they would do well, and it would not repent them of their labour, seeing there is a time at hand, in which Salt-Petre will be much wanted.

There is yet another secret, which for the sake of Country-men I ought to discover, which will yield them no small profit; which is this: If Hop-poles be burnt at the ends which are to go into the Earth, and those burnt ends dipt in the Oil of Wood, that they may imbibe or suck in that fatness, and afterwards set into the earth, they admit no humidity or moisture, which otherwise they are wont to do, being every year diminished in that part which standeth in the earth. It also cometh to pass, that they communicate their fatness to the vines and stalks of the Hops to which they are joined, and render them more fat and fruitful, by this means affording a twofold profit, first in preserving the Hop-poles from rotting a longer time than they are wont to last. The other is, That the Roots of the Vines and Hops, drawing fatness and nourishment from the bottoms of the poles grow the faster, and are more fruitful. Moreover, those ends of the poles, in length of time growing rotten, yet there is no loss of the Oil, but still the same profit remaineth, seeing that those rotten ends of the poles being taken up and planted again in the earth with the Roots of Hops, they will afford them nourishment for some years, better than if they had been dunged with dung. In like manner, by the help of this Oil of Wood, strong and durable quick-hedges may be made for the fencing in of Vineyards, Orchards, Gardens, and Hop-yards, by which Beasts and Thieves may be kept out. For this purpose the sharp end of the stakes fit for the Hedges, are to be put into the Fire till they grow black, and then whilst they are hot, be dipped into the Oil, that they may well imbibe the same.

With these, being drove into the ground after the usual manner, an Hedge may be made by planting a young shoot or set of Thorn, Crab-tree, &c. all along between the Stakes. Those sets or sprigs, which otherwise, growing but slowly, are many years before they come to a requisite height and thickness, their roots now obtaining fatness and nourishment from this Oil, arrive to maturity in less than half the usual time, and become a thick and strong Quick-hedge before the Stakes are rotten. Moreover, there is no danger of wild Beasts coming into those places where the Hedge stakes are imbrewed with this Oil, seeing that wild Beasts shun all strong odours, and dare not approach them. If you shall imbibe Hempen-Cords, or such as are made of the Bark of Trees twisted together with Grass, with the said Oil, and then bind them about Fruit-trees, it will hinder the creeping up of Spiders, Ants, or Pismires, Palmer or Canker-Worms, and other the like Insects, which are wont to damnifie Fruit; inasmuch as those Insects plainly abhor such hot Oils. By this means also may Rats and Mice be hindered from creeping up Hovel-posts, and devouring the Grain.

There is yet another manner of promoting the dunging of Fields, and the happy growth of Seeds, and not only those Fields which are lean and sandy, to which Cow-dung may be used, but also those which are hard and craggy, in which neither sand nor any dust of Earth is found.