Take of pure Salt-peter, and such as is free from all common Salt one pound, put it into a strong and well burned Pot or Crucible, with a Cover to it, put it into a Wind Furnace, urge it so long with Coals till it be a bright red hot, and all the Niter flow; which being molten and in flux, cast in a little Powder of good Char-coals, that so it swimming at top of the Salt-peter may burn up. This Coal Powder being consumed, throw in some more of the same, and proceed on thus with casting on Coal Powder so long till the Coal Powder you cast in will not take Fire any more, and the Salt-peter appear of a greenish and sky-colour. Then pour it out thus molten into a warmed Mortar or Bason, (for if you throw it into a cold Vessel, it will leap up into your Face) and there let it lie till it be cold. If you touch your tongue with some of this Salt, you shall find it fiery like the Salt of Tartar. Beat this Salt into a Powder and put it into a Glass, or else set it in some moist or cold Cellar, and in few days, nay, or hours, it will be dissolved into a clear and fiery liquor, which strain through Cap Paper or a Filter (as they call it) and set it up for use.
The use thereof in the preparation of such Medicaments as are made out of Animals, and also Vegetables.
Forasmuch as the use of this Menstruum is already demonstrated in my first Apology against Farnerus, and in the first part of this Spagyrical Pharmacopœa, wherein the Essences of Herbs are taught. But in this Treatise shall mention be made onely of such Medicaments as are preparable out of Animals. I will here set down the way and manner of operation, whereby not onely Animals, but also Vegetables my be corrected and transmuted into safe Medicaments. And here it is to be noted, that the use of this Menstruum, takes place onely in correcting such Herbs and Animals as are strongly operative and as it were venemous, whose malice is to be necessarily removed. For those Herbs that are good, and used in the Kitchin, and without any hurt in them, need not any correction, except one will make out of them, an extract by Spirit of Wine, or make of them a burning Spirit, and Oil, as also a fixed Salt, and conjoin them by the benefit of Art, and make them into sweet Essences, which labour is accurately described in the first part of my Spagyrical Pharmacopœa. In this place we treat onely of turning Animals, Vegetables, and Minerals into sweet Medicaments, by the benefit of Salt-peter: And in other places of my Writings is sufficiently enough taught by what other ways, and those various ones too, several Medicaments may be prepared, and that without the help of this universal dissolvent, whereto I refer the well minded Reader, and proceed on here to teach the preparation of the said Medicaments by that hitherto often named fiery dissolvent, which (without any additions) is of notable effect.
The Preparation of Animals and Vegetables by the fiery Liquor of Niter, their Dissolution, Correction, and Transmutation into wholsome Medicines.
Take any Animal or Herb, what you please, if it be new, cut it small; if the Animal or Herb be dry, beat it into Powder, and pour thereto the liquor of fixt Niter, that it may well moisten the Animal or the Herb, and may cover it all over; set the Glass in a B. and digest the venemous Animal or Herb for one day and night, in which time the liquor of Niter will ripen the venemous Animal or Herb, and transmute it, and make a Medicine of the Poison. After the Cucurbit is cooled in the Balneo, take it out and pour forth the liquor, together with the corrected Animal or Herb into another Glass having a long Neck, and pour thereon the best Spirit of Wine, or burning Spirit of Corn, and such as is well purged from all Phlegm, that it may swim on the solution the height of two fingers. Note well, that the liquor of Niter, and likewise the burning Spirit, must be well freed from all Phlegm, so that the Spirit may not conjoin it self with the Niter, but swim on the top of it. For if both of them be watery or phlegmy, there would be a conjunction or commixion of them both, and your labour would miss the event hoped for, and this is well to be observed. Therefore seeing that such a commixtion, is prevented by removing of the aquosity, the burning Spirit will attract to it self, the true and corrected Essence of the Herb or Animal, and leave the fixt liquor together with the unprofitable Fæces of the Herb or Animal. Separate the burning Spirit thus impregnated with the Essence, and so much that it can attract no more, by pouring it off from the liquor, and pour more Spirit thereupon, repeating this labour so long and so often, untill all the Essence shall be extracted out of the liquor of the Niter. Then take all these extractions which contain the transmuted or corrected venome of the Herb or Animal, and put them together in a Cucurbit, in a B. M. and draw off the burning Spirit with a gentle heat, that so at length the remaining liquor, may be of a thick and dark coloured reddishness. Note well that the best part of the burning Spirit may be also separated in a B. and reserved for farther use, but its remaining and weaker part may be taken out with the extract, out of the B. M. and be evaporated in a Glass Vessel, over a vaporous B. to the thickness of Honey. For in so doing, there’s no fear of burning the extract in the Cucurbit, if the B. should be over hot; and this you are to have an especial regard unto. But if the evaporation cannot be done in Glass Vessels, by a vaporous B. then when the Essence is brought to such a pass in a little Cucurbit, pour thereto some of that burning Spirit, that came first over, and presently shake it well about, and mix it well, and this will again forthwith extract the purest part of the Essence, and leave behind a few Fæces, with a little of the fixt Niter Liquor, from the which, the burning Spirit together with the Essence, is to be forthwith separated, by pouring it off, lest it should (by any longer stay on the Fæces) draw also to it self the Salt, and so not get the sweet Savour and Odour of the Essence. But if any one doth yet desire to make the Essence more pure and more sweet, he may extract it yet a third time after the aforesaid manner, and after this third labour there will remain again some more Salt, and the Essence will become sweeter. If a diligent regard be not had hereunto, there will (for the most part) some of the fixed Salt abide with the Essence, and render it of an unpleasant savour: this admonition therefore is not to be neglected, but such a one that covets the obtaining of any good must bestow his labour with all kind of diligence.
This is an exact description of the manner of preparing most efficacious Medicines, out of the most venemous Herbs and Animals. Furthermore this is to be noted, that when the Essence is extracted by the burning Spirit, out of the Alkalizated Herb or Animal, the remainder is to be boiled in an earthen or glazed Pot even to driness, and afterwards to be made red hot, that all the impurity may be consumed by calcination, and the pure fixt Niter may remain alone, which if you set in a Cellar, and do again let it dissolve into a liquor, it will be of the same virtues as before, and thus will it be many a time, and so may the Spirit of the Wine be used for the like operation.
Now although this fixed Niter doth change as well venemous Minerals, as Animals and Vegetables, and reduce their venenosity into wholsome Medicine: yet is it more fit for the sulphureous Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals, than for mercurial ones; and for such the Acid Spirit of Niter is more fit, though it doth also dissolve, correct, and transmute Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals; the which is chiefly observable in the Minerals, for therein may be learned the wonderfull property, and the all-things-changing efficacy of this Fire. For Niter crude as it is in its body, being mixed with combustible Animals and Vegetables, and enkindled, burns up all things, and drives them with the flame up into the Air, insomuch that nothing save the fixt Salt onely is left remaining: And therefore this crude Niter is altogether unfit for Vegetables and Animals, if you would have any good from them. But in the venemous Minerals it performeth its office better than the fixt Niter, or than the volatile corrosive or Acid Spirit, as shall be afterwards shown where we treat of Minerals. This I thought expedient to advise you of, and have thus done to this end, that those that are desirous of the Art may learn the divers operations of Niter. The crude Niter doth (by its flame) display its virtues upon the venemous Animals, and changeth them in few hours space into safe Medicaments). Being reduced into a fixt liquor, it dissolveth all sulphureous Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals, the which thing the common or crude Niter, as also the acid and corrosive Spirit will never do: As this fixt liquor of Niter also dissolveth wholly the sulphureous Minerals, and leaves nothing behind save the onely Fæces. So the acid Spirit of Niter dissolveth all mercurial Minerals, that nothing remains undissolved. From whence ’tis evident, that every nature doth lovingly embrace its like, and is willingly conjoyned therewithall, and especially if such natures are pure and clean, and not mixed with any other things. But that you may yet better understand these things, hearken a little farther. There is no Herb, no Animal, no Mineral, that consisteth not of its three first principles, viz. Salt, Sulphur, and Mercury, but yet are these very unequal: for in one subject, the Salt is most powerfull, in another, the Sulphur, in a third, the Mercury: But when in such subjects consisting of the three principles, there is not too much inequality, and that no principle bears sway over another, then either the acid Spirit, or the fixed Salt of the Niter will alike dissolve them, as is evident in many Vegetables, Minerals, and Animals, which being compounded of well tempered Principles, do admit of Solution and Correction, both by the fixt Liquor, as also by the volatile acid Spirit: For example. I take some Herb, be it Napellus, or Mandragora, or Opium, or some Animal, as a Spider, Scorpion, or Golden Scarabæus, I deal on this Subject now with fixt Niter (as I afore taught) and the whole will be dissolved, changed, and become a safe Medicament, (for they consist of well tempered Principles.) If now I pour upon either Subject the acid Spirit of Niter, it will be dissolved therein, changed, and corrected, and put on the nature of an wholsome Medicine, as well as when dissolved in the aforesaid Liquor. Now though both Liquors, viz. the fixt Liquor and the acid Spirit do arise out of one Root, yet do they exceedingly differ in their nature, and do prosecute as it were each the other with a deadly hatred: And that because the fixt Liquor, as well as the acid Spirit, are in some sort as yet adversaries, and do not absolutely bear such sway as if they were in one Nature. For they are from one subject, and are by the fire drawn out of common Salt-peter, and reduced into two contrary parts and into Enemies opposing each other. But they are again conjoined, that they may mutually set upon each other, with that enmity they have received from the fire, and may overcome and kill each other, then neither the fiery Liquor, nor the acid Spirit is any more discerned, but they return unto that which they were before, and from which they were born, viz. unto Niter or common Salt-peter. Excellently well therefore say the Philosophers, make the fixt Volatile, and the Volatile fixt. Hermes also saith, that our Dragon dieth not without his Brother and Sister, many things might be spoken of this matter, but they belong not to this place, but to the [fourth part of the Prosperity of Germany], in which is treated of the Concentration of Gold and Silver into Tinctures, but if so be that one of the aforenamed Principles, whether it be Sulphur or Mercury (for the Salt is not to be here considered) do bear overmuch sway in any subject, then both the dissolvents cannot alike dissolve that body, but that dissolvent onely which is appropriated to the nature of that Subject: As for example. The seed of any Herb (though it hath a mercurial Salt) yet the Sulphur hath the predominancy, and therefore admits of dissolution by the fixt Liquor rather than by the acid Spirit. But if the Oil be separated from the mercurial Salt, either by expressing it or distilling it out of the Seed, then the fixt Liquor hath a greater efficacy of operation upon its like, and dissolves all the Oil, without leaving any part thereof behind. But contrariwise, the Oil being severed from its mercurial Salt, which admitteth of the acid Spirit onely, the acid Spirit hath no power at all to dissolve it, though he be arisen from the very same Subject, as his brother the fixt Liquor is. So then the Sister answers not the brother in the like operation, and ’tis impossible for the Sister to accomplish those things that the Brother doth. But when both brother and sister are mixed together, they do again beget Children like to their Parents, viz. Hermaphrodites, from whence themselves had their Original, returning to simple and crude Niter, out of which there do again proceed the like Procreations and Generations of the masculine and feminine Sex. And so one birth transmutes it self into another, augmenteth and bettereth each other and that even to infinity, if it do but get its own conjugal bed, and be dealt withal in a Philosophical manner. And what we have said of the vegetable Sulphur, the same may likewise be understood of the Animal and Mineral. For such a Sulphur as is severed from its Salt and Mercury, the acid Spirit of Niter will not dissolve, but its sulphureous Liquor doth readily perform it, and this doth wholly dissolve the common mineral Sulphur, whereas the acid Spirit leaves it untouched. But such a Subject as participates of both Natures, viz. of the sulphureous and mercurial one, doth admit of dissolution both by the fixt Liquor, and by the acid Spirit, whether it be a Vegetable, Animal, or Mineral. Therefore the extreams, viz. the beginning and the end, the first Ens and last Essentiality, the volatile and combustible, and the fixt and incombustible, are to be compared with each other, (as thus.) Let the common combustible Sulphur and which adheres to Minerals and Veins of Metals be accompted of as the beginning, and let Gold be accompted the end. The fixt Liquor now dissolves the Sulphur wholly, but cannot do so with the ripe Gold; but the acid Spirit dissolves that, and cannot at all dissolve the Sulphur. But now such as are middle Subjects and do partake of both natures, viz. of a sulphureous and a mercurial, such as are Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Mercury, Lune; for they are dissolveable by both, viz. by the fixt Liquor, and also by the acid Spirit. But by how much the more either of them partake of combustible Sulphur, by so much the easier doth it admit Solution by the fixt Liquor. So this Liquor doth easily dissolve these Minerals, viz. Antimony, Auripigment, common Sulphur, red Arsenick, &c. and of metals these, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, difficultly; Lune more difficultly; Mercury most difficultly; but for Sol, which is the last and best of all, it doth in no wise dissolve, because it is plainly freed by nature from its superfluous, extraneous, and burning Sulphur, and is washed, purified, and maturated into a most pure mercurial Substance. Contrariwise the acid Spirit (if it be strong enough) doth dissolve all, even from the supreamest metal, to the lowest Mineral, Sulphur onely excepted, which it can’t dissolve. Yet doth it more easily dissolve one Subject than another according as it is of more affinity with, or remote, from its own Nature. And therefore every Chymist may easily know the Nature and Properties of every metal and mineral by the dissolving them, with these two, viz. Liquor and acid Spirit. Note well, I have (by this means) found out what Metals and Minerals are of nearest Affinity with Gold, and this kind of enquiry is far more certain and safer than the reading of many Books; nor will it be hurtfull to him if he did understand the signature of metals and minerals, and thereby know how to learn their Nature and Property; but my intent is not to treat of that, in this place, but will refer my labour to the second part of my Treatise of the Prosperity of Germany, where we will speak of the Concentration of Metals and Minerals. But that I may trifle out no more time in the discoursing of the difference of metals and minerals, I will go on and describe how the venemous Subjects of Animals and Vegetables are to be dissolved by the acid Spirit of Niter, to be transmuted and ripened thereby, and converted into safe Medicaments.
The Process and Preparation is as follows.
Take either Nux Vomica, or venomous party-coloured Toads, Scorpions, Cantharides, or such like venomous Vegetables or Animals. Cut your Vegetables, but take your Animals whole as they are, that so dying (in the Menstruum) they become greater and safer Medicaments, put them in some glass: As for example. Take one Ounce or two Ounces of the Spirit of Niter; put it in a glass with a narrow neck, that so it may be stopped, and put into that Spirit such Vegetables as you would dissolve; which being dissolved into a Liquor, then put yet more Herbs, thus doing so long till the Spirit grows thickish, and can dissolve no more. After the same manner may you proceed with the Animals if dead; but if alive, then to the Spirit add some water before you put the Vermine thereinto; for the too vehement force of the Spirit, is to be so allayed, that the Vermine being put in alive may not presently die, but may kill himself with his own proper Poison. For if the Spirit be too strong, such kind of Animals will die in less than a moment, and not know what hath happened unto them. But now they live longer in the milder Spirit, and when they see that they must needs die, they are extreamly enraged, do prick, and bite, and kill themselves with their own Poison, insomuch that the venome is increased, and the Medicine acquires the greater Virtues. So then those which thou hast put in being dissolved, add more untill the Spirit becoming thick, can dissolve no more; strain this Solution through a thin Linnen Cloath into another glass, and pour thereon by little and little, or drop by drop, the fixt Liquor of Niter, that it may kill the acid Spirit, and they both having lost their strengths return into Salt-peter as they were before, and the corrected Vegetable or Animal may be precipitated to the bottom in the form of a Powder. When you have so done pour on some more fresh Water, or Rain-water, that the Salt-peter may be the better dissolved. Then pour out all the Solution, through a thin Linnen Cloth placed in a glass Funnel, into another glass, that so the Salt-peter, which before was partly an acid Spirit, and partly a fixt Liquor, and is again become Niter, may (being dissolved with the water poured thereon) run through the Cloth, and that corrected Vegetable or Animal may stay behind in the same, the which by pouring on store of fair water, is to be freed of all Saltishness, and afterwards to be put together with the Cloth upon Cap-paper several times doubled. This Paper will drink up all the moisture, and the remaining Animal or Vegetable Powder will stay behind: which being thus dried is to be lay’d up for use, and may afterwards be used either per se in the form of a Powder or be reduced into Pills, which before this preparation could not be safely used, nor without much danger. There is besides, another way of turning Animals and Vegetables by the acid Spirit of Niter, or by the fixt Liquor into wholsome Medicaments: and the manner thereof is thus.
Those Subjects which refuse to be dissolved by the fixt Liquor, are dissolved by the acid Spirit, and precipitated with the fixt Liquor, or contrariwise those which are not dissolveable by the acid Spirit, are dissolved by the fixt Liquor, and precipitated by the acid Spirit. All being precipitated, and the Dissolvent sufficiently slain, let some more of the fixt Liquor be poured thereupon, so that it may much exceed in quantity the acid Spirit. This done, let the Phlegm be drawn off in a vaporous B, and to the remaining Liquor, let be poured as much burning Spirit as is sufficient, that so it may by extraction extract all that is to be extracted. This burning Spirit operates upon, and attracteth to it self, no other thing save the onely Essence of the Herb or Animal alone, and leaves the Dissolvents untoucht. But this Essence is no ways inferiour neither in virtue or efficacy, to that which was prepared after the before described manner. And thus much let suffice to have been said of the preparation of Vegetable and Animal Medicaments. And now we will betake our selves (in God’s Name) to speak likewise of Mineral and Metalline Medicaments, and see what good thing the Omnipotent God bestoweth on us by the benefit of these things.