N. B. Hither belongs also the process of the spirit of lead, Virgins-milk and Dragons blood.
Of the spirit of urine and of the volatile spirit of salt Armoniack.
Out of urine or salt Armoniack, a powerful and penetrating spirit may be made several wayes, which not only is to be used in phisick for many diseases, but is also found very useful in mechanical and chymical operations, as followeth.
Take of the urine of sound men living chast, gather a good quantity together in a wooden vessel, let it stand for its time to putrefy, and distil a spirit thereof, which afterward in a great glass retort with a wide neck must be rectified from calcined tartar, and still that which cometh over first, may be saved by it self, and so the second and third also, the strongest may be used for the preparing of metallical medicines, and the weaker for a medicine alone by its self, or else mingled with fit vehicles: The salt which in the rectification cometh over with the strongest spirit; may be put to the weakest, to make it the stronger, or else it may be saved by it self in a good strong glass.
But because the spirit of urine is tedious to make, therefore I will shew, how to get it easier out of salt Armoniack. The preparation is thus.
Take of salt armoniack, and lapis calaminaris, and make each by it self into powder, and then mix them together, and cast of it into the red hot vessel at once no more than ℥ ss. or ℥ i. Unto the vessel there must be applyed a great receiver: for this spirit goeth with such a force and power, that it were impossible to distil it in a retort without danger or loss, for I broke more than one receiver with it, before I did invent this instrument. The spirits being well setled in the receiver, cast in more of your mixture; this continue so long till all your matter is cast in; then take off the receiver, and pour the spirit into a strong glass, which must be well closed at the top, but not with wax and a bladder, because it softeneth the wax, and doth penetrate through the bladder; but first stop it with paper, then melt Lacca or sulphur, and pour it upon it, so that it come to be very well closed, and then it will not be able to exhale, or thou mayst get such glasses made, as in the fifth part shall be taught, for to keep all the subtle spirits in them, for more security sake. And this spirit, if no water have been mixt with it in the receiver, needeth no rectifying: but he that will have it stronger yet, may rectify it by a glass retort, and so keep it for use.
And this is the best way to make a strong spirit out of salt armoniack: the same may be done also, by taking of filed Zinck, instead of lapis calaminaris: also by adding of salt of tartar, salt made of the Lee of wood ashes, unquencht lime, and the like: but the spirit is nothing near so strong (although all those things may be done with it, that are done with the former) as that which is made with lapis calaminaris or Zinck.
The process or the manner of making it, is this:
Take ℔ i. of salt armoniack made into powder, and as much of salt of tartar, mix both together by the help of a lye made of tartar, or only with common water, so that all come to be like a pap, and cast in one spoonful thereof at once, into the distilling vessel, then cast in more till you have spirit enough.
N. B. The salt of tartar may also be mixed dry with the salt Armoniack without any lye or water, and so distilled: but it is not so good, as when the mixture is tempered with lye or water: for if it be cast in dry, the spirit will come over in the form of a volatile salt: but if the mixture have been moistened, then most part thereof will come over like a fiery burning spirit: In like manner also the mixture of Lyme and salt Armoniack may be tempered moist, and it will yield more spirit than if it be distilled dry.