The Sal Enixum of Paracelsus, or my fixed Salt, which dissolveth all things, is endowed with that virtue and efficacy, that it dissolveth all things by Fire; at a certain time I had dissolved Gold with it by the dry way, and would make trial whether Spirit of Wine would take a Tincture from it or not: The dissolution being made, I would have poured upon it a burning Spirit of Wine, but by chance I poured upon it in the Glass Spirit of Juniper; afterwards perceiving my errour, I set the Glass aside, and half a year after, I found the Spirit tinged with a bloody colour, which I filtred through a brown Paper, and put the clear Tincture into a Glass, to separate the Spirit from it by the Fire. But seeing that I obtained not a Spirit, but an insipid Phlegm by evaporation, I found that that Red Salt, in a long process of time, had rendered the Spirit fixed, and by a wonderful change had coagulated it into a fixed Salt. The same Salt afforded me another Experiment, and indeed yet worthy of greater admiration: A certain Friend gave me a glass of Oil of Citrons, prepared from mouldy or decaying Oranges and Citrons, by destillation, which Oil smelt mustily, to take away which ill smell, I would have poured upon it Spirit of Salt, but by chance put to it my Sal Enixum dissolved, and destilled it by fire, which indeed rendered me a clear Oil, but in small quantity, and scarce the one half; Therefore continuing a stronger fire, when nothing more would destil, I let the fire out, the Glass being cold, and taken out of the sand, I found all the residue of the matter turned into a black Coal, and when I had taken it out of the Glass, I put it upon a burning Coal, to see whether or no any Oil yet remained; but the matter being consumed by the fire, left many Ashes, and discovered the fixing nature of my Salt. And searching more accurately into the operation, I found many wonderful things, which afterwards gave me occasion to call that Salt by the Name of Sal Mirabile. Let others search into the matter, by more exact Meditations, that they may be able to penetrate into it with a deeper sight. He that cannot see the virtues of this Salt, is destitute of Eagles eyes, beholding the Rays of the Sun with an unmoved aspect, and hath the eyes of an Owl, which can see somewhat in the dark, but is blind at Noon-day. Truly, it is a thing to be admired, that an Oil so combustible, in the space of a few hours, should be reduced to that state, that it should glow and burn in the fire like a Coal. Therefore let it not seem strange to any man, that any Wood abounding with much combustible Oil, should in a long progress of time, by the help of this Salt, be transmuted into a Stone. The knowledge of these things happened to me by chance; But who doubteth, but that the studious of Art may, by a sedulous and accurate search, find out many more? These are enough to the wise.
Now followeth the Praxis, demonstrating the Theory, by what means this Salt is to be prepared, and to what uses it is to be adhibited, and what wonderful and incredible things may be performed by its help, as well in Alchymy as in Medicine.
I. Of the Preparation of Sal Mirabilis.
This my Sal Mirabile is prepared and separated from all vulgar Salts, by the help of Art, nevertheless more easily from one than from another: For it may be elicited not only from the Salt of the Kitchin, but also from other salts, as Salt-petre, Vitriol, and Alum: Alum and Vitriol abound with many sulphureous and mineral qualities, and therefore occasion much difficulty and labour in their separation; and Salt-petre possesseth a fugacious and burning nature. Therefore setting those Salts aside, we prepare our Sal Mirabile of that common salt which is used in Kitchins, separating from it, by the help of fire and Water, whatsoever is earthy and terrene; and the same being prepared, as much as in us lies, we use it to the Honour of God, and the profit of our Neighbor.
Of the external Figure, Colour, Taste, and Smell of Sal Mirabilis.
This Sal Mirabilis being rightly prepared, looketh like Water congealed or frozen into Ice; it appeareth like the Crystals of Salt-petre, which shoot into a long Figure; also it is clear and transparent, and being put to the Tongue, melts like Ice. It tasteth neither sharp, nor very salt, but leaveth a little astringency upon the Tongue. Being put upon burning Coals, it doth not leap and crackle after the manner of common salt, neither conceiveth flame like Salt-petre, nor being red hot, sends forth any smell; which gifts or endowments no other salt possesseth.
II. Of the External and Internal Use of my Sal Mirabilis.
In the first place it is to be known, that my Sal Mirabilis containeth many great and hidden Virtues, inasmuch as it is not so sharp and acute as other salts, and therefore its internal as well as external use, is easily admitted in Medicine. Externally adhibited, it cleanseth all fresh wounds, and open Ulcers, and healeth them; neither doth it corrode or excite pain, as other salts are wont to do. Within the body it exerciseth admirable Virtues, especially being associated with such things whole Virtues it encreaseth, and which it conduced to those places to which it is necessary they should arrive: For Salt is the Conducter and Rector both of good and evil Powers or Virtues, and carrieth them along with it self, according as they shall be joined with it. As the nourishment of Vegetables and Minerals consisteth only in Salt, so also the nourishment of Animals dependeth upon the same. For if the Herbs, Bread, Flesh, and all other things which we eat, should be destitute of salt, they could in no wise sustain, nourish, and encrease the Bodies of Animals, for by such it would forthwith come to pass, that they should consume and die: Therefore Food also nourisheth, as it is well and in due manner seasoned with salt, for a thing that hath no relish, is unfit for nourishment, according to the common Proverb, Quod sapit, nutrit; And that which hath no taste, doth also not nourish. Therefore the Omnipotent GOD hath given salt to all His Creatures, by which they are nourished and sustained; so that there would have been no need of salting of Foods with salt, appointed for the use of Man, had not Sin and the Curse debilitated and corrupted all things, seeing that they were endowed with their own Salt by Nature: Therefore for the succouring of Nature, those things which contain little salt, are to be salted with common and vulgar Salt, which is appointed by God for this end, that it might afford nourishment to the humane Body, corroborate and strengthen it, as we see that Bread, Flesh, and all Herbs or Sallets, may be indeed eaten without salt, but not to afford so much nourishment: For it is commonly known, that Flesh, Fish, and Sallets being salted, do far better satisfie and nourish, than if those Foods should be received into the stomach wholly destitute of Salt. For this reason men that undergo hard labours eat Flesh, Fish, Herbs, and other Foods, plentifully seasoned with salt, whereby their Bodies are preserved in their due strength; but those who are not exercised with Such labours, feed upon Foods not so salt, but of a more easie digestion. Salt therefore is the only nutriment not only of Vegetables and Animals, but also of Minerals; yea, it universally nourisheth and encreaseth whatsoever existed in the World.