As for Common Sulphur, although it be exalted into Flores, and those exceeding subtile too, such as are at this day in use, yet shews it no wonderfull matters; for there is not as yet made any separation of the pure part from the impure, neither is it thoroughly opened by Sublimation, or rendered subtile or fit, to operate upon the Body of Man; for as it was taken in, so it passeth out with the Excrements: For the Acidity of the Stomach cannot dissolve it; so far is it from yielding to the Stomach any efficacy, for a strong Aq. Fortis cannot dissolve it.
As for Vitriol, it yields the Workmen an austere or sowr Oil, and a sharp Spirit, little availing to Medicinal uses, this onely excepted, viz. the mixing it with cooling Syrups and Conserves, gives them a gratefull sowrishness; the which Spirit of Salt well rectified, would perform much better. Hence it comes to pass, that these four Minerals, according as they are at this day used, and sold by the Apothecaries, cannot be accounted for the four Pillars of the whole Body of Medicine, and possess that title, which Paracelsus exalteth them by, unless they are prepared after another manner than they have hitherto been.
As for Sulphur, I bring it to the highest purity by a due washing, and do by suitable and proper Salts turn the same, together with Gold, into a clear water, that so our Nature may assume it to it self, as is to be seen in my Aurum Potabile.
I draw from Antimony its purer part, and I implant it in exceedingly well prepared Gold, that it may make the Gold efficacious, witness my Purging Gold.
Instead of the common Vitriol, I use the Vitriol made of Gold, the which is wont to perform such effects in Medicine as the common Vitriol never will, as shall be taught by and by.
Instead of the common and poysonous Mercury, I make use of a Mercury prepared out of a good Metal, or artificially extracted by a certain Magnet from the beams of Sol and Lune, as shall be taught anon. And this Mercury is rightly called the Universal Mercury of the Philosophers, because being as yet an invisible thing, is extracted out of the Air, and made visible and palpable, and is the effector of wonderfull things in Medicine and Alchymy, as we shall hear anon.
But before I proceed to Vitriol and Mercury, I count it fit, first to set down a good Medicine prepared out of Silver by the help of Antimony, that so every body may know, that even Gold and Silver (how thick and compact soever they be) may, by the addition of other Medicinal Subjects, be quickned and stirred up, and be brought to such a pass as to emit their Vertues, as we have afore mentioned more at large. The preparation of this Medicine out of Silver and Antimony is as followeth.
CHAP. IX.
The manner of preparing a good Medicament out of Silver and Antimony.
In the first place prepare out of the Mineral or Oar of Antimony an Acetum by distillation, according to Art: Then take one part of the best Antimony, and two parts of the Calx of Silver; which being well washed, mix it with the Antimony, by grinding them very well together, that they may be changed into a grayish or somewhat a blackish Powder. Put this Powder into a small Glass, Cucurbit or little Retort, and pour thereupon so much of the Antimonial Vinegar as may serve to bring the said Powder into a thin Pultis or Pap. Put the Glass in Sand, and distill off the said Vinegar, this pouring on, and drawing off let be so often repeated untill the Antimony shall have lost its blackness, and the Silver its whiteness, and be both of them turned into a red Stone, like to Cinaber, which is usually done in the third or fourth Cohobation.