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

by Johann Rudolf Glauber

2. A yellow and red Spirit, and both indeed very efficacious. Yet each of these should be received apart.

3. Lastly toward the end (after all the moisture is ascended, and the Fire is a little somewhat encreased) a strong scented red cleaginous alkalisate Liquor; which is such as serves instead of a Balsam, most excellent, presently helping or very salutary in all green Wounds and fistulous Ulcers. The subtile Spirit should be administred inwardly, for comforting or suppling the Body with all its internal Members, and for preserving the same magistrally from all vitious affects. Such a most present Remedy is earnestly desired, by the aged and weak. The Ingredients are of a Balsamick Disposition, and the preparation of them is artificial and subtil, so as a famous Medicine cannot choose but be made of them. For our Salmiack is of such a Nature, as by it all Vertues of Vegetables, Animals and Minerals are exalted, amplified and meliorated, and that by reason of the Exaltation by it inferred on the Subjects in elaborating; as may more exactly be learned, when any one goes about to prepare the same, and shall as it were with his hand, palpably touch the vertue, and discern the verity thereof. Therefore here is instituted a Process of preparing Saffron, Aloes and Myrrh, by which you may know how to work with other Vegetable and Animal Subjects, so as we have no necessity of prescribing a peculiar Process for every Medicine. Here onely it is to be noted, that an accurate Regard is to be had of weight and measure in mixing the Subjects with the Liquor Alcahest. For if less of the Armoniack Liquor than is fit be added to a dry matter, all the Liquor so includes it self in the dry matter, as little of the Spirit can ascend in distilling. But if more of the Liquor be poured on than is fit, the ascending spirit will not be efficacious enough, because the vertue of that Subject diffuseth it self too largely into that aboundance of Spirit. Wherefore in all things measure and weight are to be observed. Dry Species, such are Herbs, Roots, Seeds and Flowers, drink up much Water; but Woods not so much, Stones and their like, much less than they. Therefore, if any one, in labours of this kind would do something to purpose, he had need to be wary, that he do neither too much, nor too little, but in all things observe a mean: so doing, he shall suffer no loss, nor ever labour in vain. For it is almost impossible to describe all Arcanums so evidently, as every Clown may comprehend the same without any search.

I have here laid Foundations with reason sufficient, every one may build, or not build upon them as he pleaseth. Also he may read Helmont, who did indeed of this matter write largely enough, yet he is not always to be understood according to the Letter; for in most places of his Books, he concealed his manual Operations, especially in his Book of the Tree of Life, where he treats of the Cedar Wood. The preparation of the same requires no tedious long space of time, but it may be performed in a few hours. Indeed it would be the part of good Physicians to introduce this Preparation of more noble Medicines into their Apothecaries shops, and thence to exclude some part of their corrupted Remedies. For this being done, so many men would not be basely neglected, nor untimely hurried out of this Life, by the use of unprofitable Medicaments, as too often now are.

It is not enough for you to have a Name from Galen, and in the mean while not at all tread the Footsteps of Galen’s vertues. Galen was an honest Heathen, and whatsoever he had gathered with much and long study, he left to us accurately written before his Death.

How experienced a man in Medicine Hippocrates was, his Writings do clearly shew.

Also that Avicen was an industrious Physician, by his remaining Litterary Monuments, is very manifest, and especially by that Epistle, which he writ to his Son Aboali; for in that he commands him first to furnish himself with sixty Pound of most pure Mercurial Water (whence he should make the universal Medicine) before he presumed to proceed to Coagulation of the Stone.

These indeed were men adorned with high Experience and a good Conscience, who gloried not in the bare Name of Chief Physicians, but proved themselves such indeed, shewing, that they were not idle Adorers of the Goddess Vacua, but men most laborious, as becomes every conscientious Physician to be.

Touching that Mercurial Water, which Avicen commended so much to his Son, for making (of it) the Universal Medicine, we shall here following (Jehovah assisting) somewhat more largely speak, viz. how it, by our Salmiack may be extracted from Metals, and then be coagulated into an Universal Medicine.

Indeed, particular Medicaments are not to be contemned but to be esteemed as good things, to them that make a good use of them. But Universals are sought by Physicians, being such, as by which they can get more Honour and Riches, than by Particulars, because they are known even to every old Woman. Universals are not to be used after the manner of Particulars, particularly to serve for this or that Member of the Body, or to resist and heal this or that Disease onely: but they seek out every Chachexy (which lies privily dispersed through all parts of the Body, impairing Health) and having sought it out, cast it forth of the Body, as well visibly as invisibly through all Emunctories, as shall seem good to Nature, and will be most conducent to health. Universals consume occult Diseases hidden in the Body of man, as Fire consumes Wood. Also Universals tinge every vitious Habit of the Body (which otherwise can be expelled by no particular Medicine) and transmute it into a better State, so as the Evil of the Distemper is inverted and converted into good, in the place where it is hospited, no further expulsion being required. Of like Universals, we will afterwards (God giving leave) speak more at large. Now the time admonisheth us to return to our Sal Armoniack, to contemplate what farther fruit of Utility it is able to effect in Medicine.

Helmont, in his Treatise of the Stone makes mention of a certain Medicine, which by his Alcahest he prepared of Paracelsus his Ludus, which would resolve the Stone in the Bladder, and expel it in fourteen Days. Paracelsus ascribes to his Ludus wonderfull Vertues, which it exerciseth in breaking and expelling the Stone of the Reins and Bladder. In which Helmont posits his Foundation, shewing where such a Ludus may be found, and how by his Alcahest it may be prepared into a Medicine so admirable, as it becomes the supream Remedy against the Stone.