The Use of our Salmiack, by the help of which, from Vegetables may be extracted very efficacious, and indeed incomparable Essences.
How or which way the Ancient and Modern Spagyrists prepared their Essences of Vegetables, is now long since well known throughout the World, viz. by Spirit of Wine. Which way of Extracting is indeed of it self a Work very chargeable; yet Spirit of Wine readily extracts the Essences of Vegetables and Animals, leaving the unprofitable Fæces behind. Also, it is not unknown to us, that Spirit of Wine in extraction so notably changeth the Virtues of things extracted by it, as the Extract is of less force than the Simple whence it was made, and that most manifestly in Catharticks or Purging Simples, insomuch as commonly the Dose of the Extract must be greater than of the Simple it self. The reason is, because all Purgers acquire the greatest part of their Cathartick faculty from that crude and immature Substance, with which they oppose the Stomach, and therefore are not entertained by it, but presently expelled, during which Expulsion the Excrements also are cast out. Therefore the stronger Crudity is predominant in Purging things, the more impetuously do they move the Stomach; and the more strongly the Stomach casts out and expells that, so much the more vehemently also are the noxious Humours of the Body cast up. If a Cathartick be too crude, rough and immature, the Stomach rejects it much more strongly, because the whole of Nature is thereby disturbed, and with all its might endeavours wholly to expell such a rude guest. In which violent expulsion, the Radical Humours are expelled out of the Body, together with the Excrements, that the Body may be totally freed and disburthened of the pernicious filth of them.
The Stomach so abhors some Vegetables, and is so impatient of giving them any time to abide there, that they may by little and little be expelled downward by Seidge, as it (enraged with so great nauseating and loathing) violently casts them up. In which Excretion a tenacious viscous Choler, always hurtfull to the Stomach, is expelled, which would difficultly otherwise be cast out by gentle Purgations, as is seen in Asarabacca and Hellebore. For as often as they are taken by a sick Man, without any previous Preparation, they continually excite Vomiting; but if extracted with Spirit of Wine, they vomit not, but onely work downward.
By all which it appears, that Spirit of Wine, in extracting the Essences of Vegetables (by its natural power) so notably changeth the Virtues of Herbs, as it is not fit to be used for all kinds of Extractions; and that by reason of its Nature varying or altering the property of things. Nor can you, in some Diseases, safely use those Extracts which are made by Spirit of Wine, because Extracts are heightned in their Heat by the Spirit of Wine, and therefore should be avoided in acute or burning Diseases. On the contrary, our Menstruum, viz. our Secret Sal-Armoniack, in Extraction, alters not the Virtues of Species for which it is used, but extracts from them onely what is most pure, and carries over with it by Alembeck, a certain most sweet Essence, which Spirit of Wine can in no wise perform. Therefore we deservedly give Priority to our Liquor Alcahest in extracting the Essences of Vegetables and Animals. Yet we would by no means labour to bring Spirit of Wine into contempt, since it, in some subjects, so excellently exerciseth its power, as it gives place to no other thing. But the Water of our Secret Sal-Armoniack perfects its Extraction in a far differing manner; because, by the help of Art, that conjunct of two sharp penetrating Entities (viz. Acid Oil of Vitriol, and Alcalisate Spirit of Urine) is reduced into one temperate middle Salt, which Salt is almost of the same disposition as common Salmiack, except that in all its Operations it is found to be more sharp, more penetrating and more efficacious than it.
Now let us come to the matter it self, that we may see of how great use our Alcalisate Vitriol, or Vitriolate Alcali, is for preparing some famous Medicine. I suppose it will be worth my while, if I first of all begin with that Medicine which Paracelsus taught to be made of Aloes, Myrrh, and Saffron, and is by venerable Antiquity, and by all Authours of long life highly commended, and named Elixir Proprietatis. And since Paracelsus in describing so noble a Medicine, used few words, but enlarged them much in extolling his Elixir Proprietatis, it will not be amiss for us, in this place, to transcribe his own Words following, thus:
“So also Nature sheweth us an Elixir, is that which of Natural things may be made compleatly perfect in its proper Essence. Such is the Elixir of Myrrh, Saffron, and yellow Epatick-Aloes. But whence they have this power, we have shewed in the generation of them. But we come now to the Process, (omitting their beginning, of which we spake before) which runs thus.
“Recipe of Myrrh, Epatick, Alloes, and Saffron, of each one Part, which digest together in a Pellican placed in Sand, for two Months with gentle heat. Then by Alembeck separate the Oil from the Fæces without Adustion. This Oil digest together with an equal Weight of the Circulate for one Month, afterward keep it.
“In this are all the natural Vertues of a Balsam, and a greater conservative Vertue for those that are aged, than is lawfull for a man to utter: because from it proceeds not one Age onely, but 4, 7 or 10, &c. It is scarcely possible to express the Vertues and Natures of it: But as we judge, enough is discovered by us already, which we think needs no further Interpretation.”
Here Paracelsus describes his Elixir in words so obscure, and likely to cause Errour, as no man untill this day could ever prepare any thing that was excellent, according to the tenour of his Words: Helmont among others complaining, that he concealed the use of the Alcahest in describing the manner of that Preparation. For whosoever useth that, in such a Preparation, he obtains a Medicine of so great vertue, as it is able to do whatsoever Paracelsus ascribes to his Elixir Proprietatis.
But if any man be not satisfied in what is here published by me, let him consult Helmont discoursing thereof more at large.
Now behold here presented to thee my Process for preparing a Medicine of these three Species reduced to Powder, viz. of Myrrh, Alloes and Saffron. I took of that mixture 8 Lotones, 4 Ounces, which I put into a Phial, and upon the same poured one Pound and half of our good Alcahestick Liquor, these I set into a warm Bath to be digested for two or three Days. During this digestion our sharp Liquor dissolved these Species, and very well united it self to them. This being done, I poured the whole mixture out of the Phial into a low Cucurbit of Glass, and well luted the Head to the Receiver, and by gentle heat of Balneo caused whatsoever would ascend, to be gathered apart in several Recipients.
1. A white penetrating Aromatick Spirit, of a most fragrant Odour according to Helmont’s words.