Of the soot, which is taken from Chimneys, where nothing is burnt but wood, there may be distilled a sharp volatile salt and a hot oyl. The salt is in vertue not unlike unto that which is made of harts-horn or ambar, and it quencheth inflammation, from what cause so ever it do proceed: The oyl may without rectification externally be used very successfully for all loathsome scabs, and for a scald head, &c. But if it be rectified, as hath been taught to be done with the oyl of Tartar, of Ambar, and of Hartshorn; then it may safely be used inwardly, as the above written oyls are used; for it doth as well as these, yea better in some special cases.
How to make a good oyl out of soot without distilling.
Boyl the soot in common watter, till the water turn blood red (urin is better than water) and set this solution (being in an earthen pot) in winter time into the greatest frost so long till all in the pot be frozen into one piece and turned white: then break the pot and the ice, and in the midst thereof you will find the hot oyl unfrozen and liquid in colour like blood, which is not much inferior in vertue unto that which is distilled, yet afterward it may be rectified, and so exalted in its vertue, when you please, and it is to be noted, that this separation doeth only succeed in the greatest frost and cold, and not else.
Of the spirit and oyl of honey.
Of honey there may be made a subtle spirit and a sowre vinegar, if it be mingled with twice as much of pure calcined sand and so distilled; and it falleth much better yet if it be made with the flores of Antimony, which were taught to be made in the first part, whereby the spirit is increased in its vertue, and its running over hindred thereby; and so distilling it, there will come over a pleasant spirit, a sharp vinegar and some red oyl also, which must be seperated: the spirit after the rectification inwardly used is good in all diseases of the lungs. It openeth and inlargeth the Breast, strengthneth the Heart, takes away all obstructions of the Liver and Spleen; it dissolveth and expelleth the Stone, resisteth all putrefaction of the Blood; preserveth from, and cureth the Plague; all Agues, Dropsies, and many other diseases, daily used from ℈ j. to ʒ j. taken with distilled water proper for the diseases: the sower vinegar coloureth hair and nails as yellow as gold: it cureth the itch and scabs of the skin; it cleanseth and healeth old and new wounds, they being bathed and washed therewith.
The red oyl is too strong to be used of it self, it may be mingled with the subtle spirit which came over first and so used, and the spirit will be exalted thereby in its vertue.
Of the oyl and spirit of sugar.
In the same manner as hath been taught of honey, there is also made a spirit and oyl of sugar, viz. adding pure sand to it; or (which is better) of the flores of Antimony, and then according to the rules of Art one spoonful after the other of this mixture cast in, it will yeild a yellow spirit, and a little red oyl, which after the distillation must be digested in Balneo so long together, till the spirit have assumed the oyl and be turned thereby very red in colour; it needeth not to be rectified, but may daily be used either by it self, or with such vehicles as are proper for your purpose; in all it is like in virtue unto that which was made of honey; yet this of sugar is more pleasant than the other; it reneweth and restoreth all the blood in man, in regard that it received great vertue from the diaphoretical flores of Antimony; and this spirit may fitly be used in all diseases, it can do no hurt, neither in cold nor hot diseases; it doth help nature mightily, and doth so much good, that it is almost beyond belief. Especially if for a time it be used daily from ℈ j. to ʒ j. The residue of it is black, and may be kept for the same use again, viz. for an addition to other honey or sugar, or else you may sublime it again into flores in the furnace described in the first part, or in the furnace described in the fourth part of this book, with an addition of iron or tartar, or salt nitre, reduces it into a Regulas, &c.
To distil an excellent spirit and a blood red tincture of corals and sugar.
If you mix sugar with red corals made into powder and distil it, there will besides the spirit come over a blood-red tincture like a heavy oyl, which is to be joyned with the spirit by digestion in Balneo, and it will be as vertuous as that which was made with Antimony diaphoreticum. It doth perfectly and lastingly cure the epilepsie in young and old; it cleanseth the blood from all filth, so that the Leprosie together with its several species may be cured thereby, &c. Its use is the same as was taught above of the Antimonized spirit of sugar.