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

by Johann Rudolf Glauber

This being done, there yet remains another Remedy whereby the Body may be relieved, and refreshed in extremity of Thirst, when drink is wanting; and this is done by Water concentrated, which is of so great virtue, that it giveth such a refrigeration to a thirsty Palate, that in the whole World there is not the like. Seeing therefore that in long Voyages Water is often wanting, and putrefieth and stinketh, it will be very necessary here to declare and shew, how Thirst may be restrained and rendered tolerable in time of necessity. Then also how common Water may be preserved from corruption; moreover, that one Tun may effect as much for the quenching of Thirst, as otherwise 2 or 3 Tuns of common Water can. Which is not only my saying, but the Truth it self; as I will here prove by manifest testimonies: And this is to be done as I have said, by Water concentrated and coagulated. But what that is, I will first shew, and then by what means it is to be prepared and used.

To explain the genuine Property of concentrated Water to many, may seem unnecessary, in regard that Seamen are not skilled in such discourses, nor careful about them; and that they rather belong to Philosophers, and the Contemplators of Nature, that they may render the knowledge of them familiar to themselves: But this Treatise without doubt will come into the hands of wise and experienced men, as well as into those who use the Seas, and therefore perhaps I shall not lose my labour, if I somewhat more exactly describe the nature of that water.

It is sufficiently evident to all those who have saluted but the Thresholds of Nature, that the Omnipotent God, in the first Creation of the World, hath separated the Elements from the rude Chaos, as also the Elements from one another, placing the Earth in the bottom or foundation of the Center, and over that the Water, over the Water the Air, and over the Air the Fire; so that every of them holdeth its own receptacle and seat, from whence, without the will of God, it cannot recede. Nevertheless, we find that one alwaies participates of the other, and none is found without another, although one be predominant and visible; but the rest exist in it invisibly, and by the skill of an Artist, may visibly be deduced from it. So from the Earth we elicite Air, Water, and Fire; from the visible Water, natural Earth, Air, and Fire; again, from the Air, Earth, Water, and Fire; and from the Fire, Air, Water, and Earth. Hence the Elements are continually circulated from one species into another, which indeed we do not observe or perceive, and no Element can want an Element, but draweth its life and nutriment from another. The Fire cannot burn without Air; the Fire operateth upon the Water, and of it maketh Air; the Water resteth in the Earth, and moisteneth the same; the Fire impregnateth the Air; the Air insinuateth the Seed into the Earth; the Earth nourisheth and cherisheth the Seed unto perfection, and afterwards bringeth to light what it hath conceived, and carried in its belly.

These things are only hinted at by the way, and not without cause.

But to return to our concentrated water, that we may explain its nature, know, that water is the principium or beginning of all the Elements; which thing is sufficiently manifest, and may be seen daily, especially in the subterranean Mines of Metals, whose inward bowels are so penetrated, that there is not only water, but we also see it to be quickly transmuted into various forms of Mineral Bodies, the which without is familiar; and the more limpid or clear the water is, the brighter Stones and purer Minerals it generateth: Of which you may read more in that Treatise, [[The Second Part of the Mineral Work]] where I have described the generation of Minerals; also that Flints and Sand, in the Earth, Rivers, and Seas, receive their encrease from water, is sufficiently manifest; for all sand was primitively water only, and hath passed out of water into hard sand or stones, and into which it may again be changed. But this is not to be used as a Remedy against Thirst, because it is now too hard, and difficultly returneth to its first matter, viz. Water, except by the benefit of another subject, which is a medium between Sand, Flints, Crystal, and common water, viz. Salt, which hath an agreement with the nature both of common water and that of stones, and may be easily changed into either of them; as you shall hereafter hear. But this concentrated water, which I here propose for the vanquishing of Thirst, and refreshing of the body, is salt prepared and concentrated, either of the waters of Mountains, or of the Sea, which are of the same goodness: Of which afterwards is prepared by Art a water so excellent, that for repressing of Thirst and refreshing a languid body, there is no Remedy in the world may be compared to it.

Here some one ignorant of natural things may object, and say, How can it be that Salt should repel Thirst, seeing that when it is eaten, it exciteth and encreaseth the same? To this I answer, That common salt, as it is first extracted or boiled, can in no wise restrain the Appetite of drinking, but rather provoke it, except its pravity be first corrected and depurated; for every salt seems to have laid aside its nature and property, so long as it contains earthy and gross fæces, which nevertheless may be removed from it by solution, filtration, and coagulation; whence also it is bitter, astringent, and hard; but this harshness and terrestreity being removed, the salt remaineth no longer hard, but is reduced into a soft and fluid Liquor, not sweet, but pleasantly acid, tasting like an Apple or the stones of Grapes. And this purification must be made by the force of Fire, viz. when the salt in destilling is sublimed in earthen Vessels, by strong Flames; and then the purest and most noble part only ascendeth, and the more gross and earthy remaineth in the bottom, and is of no use; but the purer part is of great power and virtues, not only against Thirst, but is also very necessary for many other things, as shall hereafter be demonstrated. That otherwise in impure common salt a great Virtue is latent, let no man doubt, seeing that it may be daily observed: Wherefore that excellent Philosopher Plato writeth, That in salt there is somewhat divine; and according to the opinion of other great and wise men, GOD hath openly manifested Himself in Fire and Salt, and the ancient Philosophers were hence taught to prepare their Universal Medicine; which Art of preparing they have called Alchymy, or The melting of Salt; but I speak not this by experience, in regard that I never yet durst attempt so great a Secret, being contented with smaller things; but this I know, and have divers times done, viz. that by a certain Artifice, I have precipitated from common Salt some corporeal Gold, although without profit, and only to see the possibility, which without those precipitations remaineth spiritual, and at length by them obtaineth a corporeal substance.

Indeed the greatest Mystery of the whole World consisteth in Fire and Salt, and with those two (after God) nothing may be compared; for the Flame raiseth Light out of Darkness, which otherwise none but God can do. It is also fit to restore life to the dead, no otherwise than the warm Sun or Oven reviveth Worms, Frogs, Serpents, Flies, and other Insects, which have been killed by the Cold; of which I have made mention in the second part of my Pharmacop. Spagyr. as also in Miraculum Mundi, and its Explication. Many men use Fire, yet know not what they have or use: So also it happeneth with salt, all men use it out of custom, but observe not what they taste. Salt is a thing of great moment; by it we give strength to resist Corruption, both to the living and the dead.

And so it is, that if men had not salt, or at the least those Plants and Fruits, in which it dwells, they would putrefie while yet living. Which would also happen to Cattel, if they did not eat Grass, which contains in it self its own salt, and sufficeth them in feeding; nevertheless if something better were given them with it, it would be very profitable for them; for if to horned Beasts, as also Hogs, some saltness were given with their meat and drink, they would thereby acquire much strength and fatness.

Seeing therefore that Salt, whilst it is yet gross and rude, and defiled with many impurities, performeth such things in living Creatures, and preserveth Flesh and Fish, as also all Herbs and Grass, long from Corruption; What could not such a salt do, which by the help of Art hath received a greater purity than Nature hath bestowed upon it? For the Fire containeth a power of correcting and purifying salt, and converting it into a finer and better substance. The common salts which we daily use, do indeed give a relish to all Edibles, and preserve them from putrefaction; yet nevertheless they dry, astringe, and bind the belly; also excite Thirst; but salt being rectified and depurated, communicateth a sweet and grateful taste, also more powerfully resisteth Corruption than the other, neither doth it bind the belly, but keepeth it soluble, expelleth Urine; nor doth it cause Thirst, but rather taketh it away both from the sick and sound: So great a difference is there between the common and corrected and depurated salt, which Rusticks little understand. The nature and property of common salt is known to every one, as far as concerns the Kitchin, but the rectified is known to few: And the Spirit of Salt, which is in use in Apothecaries shops, and which they also sell, being for the most part not rightly prepared, effecteth little, and therefore not frequently used: But if it were made and rectified as it should be, it would not only have a pleasanter taste, but also a better operation. So many things bear Names which are not agreeable to the thing, and therefore cannot perform what is expected from them.

The Ancients have ascribed great Virtues to Spirit of Salt in Medicine, which it indeed hath, if after its destillation it be well rectified and dephlegmed; but if it be administred so crude as it ascends the first time, it may perhaps do more harm than good, inasmuch as a great deal of terrestreity comes over with it, which in the rectifying remaineth in the bottom of the Glass, as an insipid, bitter, or astringent salt. And although this be well enough known to some, nevertheless they abhor to rectifie their spirit, because the spirit in rectification loseth a great part of its weight, by separating its superfluities.