D. The internal form of the vessel.
E. Another distilling vessel, which is not fastned to a furnace, but only standeth upon Coals.
The way or manner to perform the Distillation.
When you intend to distil, then first make a fire in the Furnace, that the distilling vessel come to be very hot. But if it be not fastned to the Furnace, then set it upon a grate, and lay stones about it, and coals between, and so let it grow hot, and lay melted lead in the space between the two edges or brims, to the end, that the lid, when it is put on, may close exactly, so that no spirit can get through. This done, take a little of the matter you intend to distil, and cast it in, and presently put on the lid, and there will be no other passage left but through the pipe, to which there must be applyed and luted a very big receiver. As soon as the species cast in come to be warm, they let go their spirit, which doth come forth into the receiver: and because there was but little of the matter cast in, it hath no power to force through the lute, or to break the receiver, but must settle it self. This done, cast in a little more of your matter, cover it and let it go till the spirit be settled: continue this proceeding so long, until you have spirits enough: but take heed, that you cast in no more at once, than the receiver is able to bear, else it will break. And when your vessel is full, the distillation not being ended, then take off the lid, and with an iron ladle take out the Caput Mortuum; and so begin again to cast in, and still but a little at a time, and continue this as long as you please.
Thus in one day you may distil more in a small vessel, than otherways you could do in a great retort; and you need not fear the least loss of the subtile spirit, nor the breaking of the receiver by the abundance of the spirits: and you may cease or leave off your distilling, and begin it again when you list: also the fire cannot be made too strong, so that it might cause any hurt or damage; but by this way you may make the most subtile spirits, which is impossible to be done by any Retort. But if you will distil a subtil spirit by a Retort, as of Tartar, Harts-horn, Salarmoniack, or the like, you cannot do it without prejudice (though there were but half a pound of the matter in it) the subtlest spirits coming forth with force, seek to penetrate through the lute, if that be not good, but if that be good, so that the spirits cannot pass through it, then they break the receiver, because it cannot possibly hold such a quantity of subtle spirits at once. For when they are coming, they come so plentifully, and with such a force, that the receiver cannot contain them, and so of necessity must flye asunder, or must pass through the lutum; All which is not to be feared here, because there is but a little cast in at once, which cannot yield such a quantity of spirits, as to force the receiver to break: And when there comes forth no more spirits, and the former is settled, then more of the matter is to be cast in; and this is to be continued so long, until you have spirits enough. Afterward take off the receiver, and put the spirit into such a Glass (as in the fifth part of this book, amongst the Manuals, shall be discovered) wherein it may be kept safely without wasting or evaporating.
In this manner all things, Vegetable, Animal, or Mineral, may be distilled in this Furnace, and much better, than by means of a Retort: especially such subtile spirits (as by the other way of distilling cannot be saved, but pass through the lutum) are got by this our way; and they are much better than those heavy oyles, which commonly are taken for spirits, but are none, being only corrosive waters. For the nature and condition of a spirit is to be volatile, penetrating and subtile, and such are not those spirits of salt, Vitriol, Allome and Nitre, which are used in Apothecary shops, they being but heavy oyles, which even in a warm place do not evaporate or exhale.
But a true spirit, fit for Medicinal use, must rise or ascend before the phlegm, and not after; for whatsoever is heavier than phlegm, is no volatile spirit, but a heavy spirit or (rather called) a sowre heavy oyl. And it is seen by experience, that the Apothecaries spirit of vitriol will cure no falling sickness, which vertue is ascribed to that spirit, and indeed justly: for the true spirit of vitriol performeth that cure out of hand. Likewise their spirit of Tartar (as they call it) is no spirit, but only a stinking phlegm or vinegar.
The way to make such true spirits, I will now shew, because much good may be done by them in all manner of Diseases. And this way of distilling serveth only for those which seek after good Medicines: but others which care not whether their medicines be well prepared or no, need not take so much pains as to build such a furnace, and to make their spirits themselves, for at any time they can buy for a small matter, a good quantity of dead and fruitless spirits at the common sellers and Apothecaries.
Hence it is no marvel, that now adaies so little good is done by Chymical medicaments, which of right should far out-strip all the Galenical in goodness and vertue. But alas! it is come to that pass now, that a true Chymist, and honest Son of Hermes, is forced almost to blush, when he heareth men talk of Chymical medicines, because they do no such miracles, as are ascribed unto them. Which infamy is occasion’d by none more, than by careless Physicians, which though they make use of Chymical medicines, (because they would fain be esteemed to know more than others) yet they do take greater care for their kitchen, than for the welfare of their Patients; and so buying ill-prepared Medicines of unskilful stillers, and withal using them undiscreetly (whereby they many times do more hurt than good to the sick) they lay such foul aspertions upon the noble Art of Chymistry.
But an industrious and accurate Physician is not ashamed to make his Medicines himself, if it be possible, or at least to have them made by good and well-exercis’d Artists: whereupon he may better rely, and get more credit, than one that knoweth not whereof, nor how his Medicine which he doth administer to his patients is prepared. But such wicked and ignorant men will one day fall short of their answer before the Judgment of the righteous Samaritan.