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

by Johann Rudolf Glauber

Gold the most constant of all Metallick Bodies, and as it were invincible, feareth not the violent assaults of any other Element, and subsisteth in the fire it self with so great constancy, as not to lose any thing of its weight, although for many years it should be kept in a continual torture of Fire. Nevertheless, salt draweth from it its Anima, and taketh away that fair red colour, and that constancy, whereby it was wont to resist the fire, so that it obtaineth the colour of Lead, and the brittleness and fugacity of Antimony. A thing exceeding the credit and belief of the unskilful, although experience it self witnesseth it to be true. Hence it appeareth, that there is a greater power in Salt than in all the Elements and Elementary things, and therefore we deem it to be justly called the Center of the Elements concentrated. Gold eludeth the most potent and subtil powers of the fire, which nothing can resist, and yet is overcome by Salt, which by a stupendious Miracle of Art, attracteth its most Noble Part, viz. its Anima being separated from its more gross and earthy parts. How noble a thing the Anima of Gold is, any Man may easily imagine, and without doubt may see, that it hath the chief place in Medicine. This is like to what Sendivogius hath written concerning his Chalybs spoiling Gold of its Anima, but although such an extraction hath divers times succeeded to me according to my wish, that the Anima being extracted, the body of the Gold hath been left brittle, fugacious, and black; yet I confess, that the same Operation hath not always answered my desire; as if God would not permit such a secret to be commonly known. Therefore I am well content with lesser things, and have shewed these things only to the end that I might manifest the Powers of Salt, and teach them to others: Nevertheless, I would not have any Man perswade himself, that this Royal Medicine may be extorted from Gold, by the help of common Culinary salt; for to this matter another Salt is required, to be prepared by Fire and Art. But of this Artificial Concentration of Gold, the [fourth part of the Prosperity of Germany], which God willing, shall shortly be published, will shew more at large. More indeed might be said concerning Salt, which we leave for another time and place, seeing that those things which have hitherto been spoken, seem to me to be sufficient.

Therefore I conclude, and affirm Salt to be a help to all things, and on the contrary, to want the help of nothing.

Here some Man may ask me and say, Of what Salt dost thou speak, for there are many sorts of Salt? I speak of the Universal Salt, known to all Men, which is boiled up from Sea water, or Salt Springs, or digged out of Pits in Mountains or other places, and put to common and familiar uses. This known Salt, I here call (and not injuriously) the Universal Treasure, and general Riches: For it administreth Nourishment to the whole World, that not only the Beasts of the Earth, Fishes in the Waters, and Birds in the Air, but also all Metals in the Bowels of the Earth may subsist for the use of Man, to say nothing of the great and Universal Medicine, which may be obtained by its benefit. Of right therefore it meriteth the Title of the Universal Treasure of the World, seeing that nothing can be found, which doth not owe its Original to Salt. But that one salt is purer, better, and more precious than another, I do not deny, that the Original and beginning of all salts, is one and the same, and that their difference happeneth only from Accidents. For so long as salt is pure, and mixed with nothing, as it is made by the Sun in the water, it is one and the same, and possesseth one and the same Taste, and the same Virtues: But as soon as it is mixed with other things, or changed by the fire, its first nature being laid aside, it becometh either better or worse. This is taught by Wood and Stones, reduced by the fire into Coals or Ashes, in which part of the salt flieth away with the smoak, the rest remaineth in the Ashes, shewing a far other nature from that which it had before it was destroyed by the violence of fire. Indeed, by the Operation of the fire, all salts obtain a fiery and sulphureous nature, and therefore necessarily assume another Property, which being well known needs no dispute. The most known, most simple and void of all mixture is that salt which is elicited from Sea-water, or salt Fountains, or Mountainous Caverns. Vitriol and Alum, are indeed also salts, but infected with an Earthy and Mineral Property, and therefore unworthy of the name of simple salts.

Salt-peter is also numbred among salt, but it cannot be said to be a simple salt, such as the Sun operateth. For it is either digged out of the Earth, being generated of the Urine of Men and Beasts, and elicited by water, and by decoction shooteth into Christals, and separateth from other Salts; or it is taken from the Mortar of old walls made with Lime, or it is taken out of Mountains and Limy or Chalky Hills, by the help of water; or it is made by Art of common Salt, Wood, or Lime-stones. But which way soever it cometh, it is of one and the same nature, and burneth with a flame, as my Treatise of the Prosperity of Germany, describeth more at large. Salts extracted from the Ashes of burnt wood, do again possess another nature and other Properties, and are called by the Name of Alkalies. Also there is another Salt prepared from Urine, common salt, Soot, and Bulls blood, known by the Name of Sal Armoniack, and is used instead of another Sal Armoniack, which was digged up in certain Mountains, and brought to us, which now ceaseth to come.

These are the most noted salts, and serve for very many uses, as Sea salt, Fountain salt, Mountain salt, which is also called Sal Gem, which are used in the Kitchin for seasoning of food, for the salting of Flesh and Fish to preserve them some time from Corruption. The use of Vitriol is chiefly in Dye-houses, for dying Silks and Cloth black, as also in Apothecaries shops, where it serveth for the preparing of Medicines: Concerning these things, see more in the first part of my Furnaces.

Alum is profitable for Dyers, Physicians, and other Artificers. Of Salt-petre is made that devilish thing call’d Gun-powder. Besides this it is profitable for the making of many excellent Medicines, and for the Chymical Emendation of Metals, and the inventing and utility of many Mechanical Arts, as appears by the second part of my Chymical Furnaces, and the second part of my Pharmacopœia Spagyrica, also Miraculum Mundi, its Defence, and Continuation, as also the four parts of the Prosperity of Germany.

Of fixed salts, those which Wood Ashes afford, have their use in Medicine and Alchymy, but they are more frequently used in Dying of Cloth, and making Soap. Sal Armoniack is used in Medicine, Alchymy, and other Arts, but all those salts are so well known, that we shall supersede any farther Declaration of them. Those therefore which we have here mentioned, are Salts, which hitherto, by a long Progress of time, and continual experience, have made manifest their own Virtues and Powers. Among those, the Culinary or Kitchin-salt is most eminent in nobleness, excellency and necessity, inasmuch as it is that from which all the rest do arise, as also by the help of Art may be made, as my Writings every where teach; and is the Basis of all other Salts, whether known or unknown; which thing is most true, and will alwaies remain to be true: For by a very easie business, by fire and the addition of any metallick sulphur, it is turned into Alum or Vitriol; by the help of Sulphur, Fire and Air into a burning Salt-petre; and by the help of a certain peculiar strong fire, it passeth into an alkalisate salt, and being deprived of its sharpness, becometh very profitable for the dunging and fattening of Fields, and sandy and barren Land.

Moreover, the common Kitchin-salt suffereth it self to be purged and cleansed by its own spirit, and by that purgation and cleansing acquireth a clearer and whiter colour, pleasanter taste, and more excellent powers and virtues for the seasoning of Food, and salting of Flesh and Fish, for it becomes sweet, clear, and pellucid like Crystal, and shooteth into square Crystals like Dice, reduced into Figures so perfect, that they cannot be more perfectly formed by any Instrument.

Hence no man will deny, but that such a cleansed salt is more conducible to health than that which is gross and impure.

I admire at our supine negligence, who are so little sollicitous about our own health. We daily see with our eyes, that no man can want the use of salt, that it is subservient to the health of man, and also necessary for Cattel. And if when gross, as it comes from the pans, and as yet loaded with many fæces, it doth much good; without doubt it would do much more, if it were cleansed and prepared by an artificial preparation. It is the interest of great men (if not of others) who have the government of many Subjects, to preserve a firm health of Body, and to cause such salt to be prepared for the use of their Tables. The Cost required for the doing this is small, by which the salt is made so sweet, that by its pleasantness it will invite every one to covet it. It doth not provoke thirst after the manner of common salt, inasmuch as it wanteth those earthy fæces which yet adhere to common salt, but quencheth it, allayeth hunger corroborateth the heart, as also the stomach, brain, and all the members of the body, admitteth no putrefaction in the body, preserveth it against all Diseases, and excelleth with wonderful Virtues, to which that gross salt is in no wise to be compared. Truly it is a great Treasure and high Gift of God, by which Mankind is sustained, nourished, corroborated, and encreased, for which great thanks are to be given to God.