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

by Johann Rudolf Glauber

It hath been the custom a long time to turn aromatical oyls into Balsams, where always one hath been willing to excel another in this Art, which nevertheless was nothing hitherto, but for a washing and cleansing; for they could not be used inwardly, but only outwardly for their odour to comfort the heart and brain. Now the aforesaid oyls are coagulated many ways, and are made portable in Tin, Silver, and ivory boxes.

Some have mixed the fat of a lamb with them by help of heat, and have turned them into a liniment, which they have coloured with divers colours; as for example, they have corrupted the oyls of green hearbs; as rosemary, marjoram, lavender, rue, sage, with a green colour, by the admixtion of verdigrease (which is noxious to the head and heart) where one corroborates and refresheth, another destroys. They have tinged the Balsam of Cinnamon, and lignum Rhodium with a red colour by the help of a poysonous Cinnabar. Others that are more industrious, have tinged their Oyls with extracted colours of vegetables, which balsams are more safely taken inward: But they are not durable, acquiring a sliminess and stink; wherefore they have mixed white wax to coagulate them: By which means they are become more durable without stinking; but yet in length of time so tenacious, that being smeared or rubbed upon the skin, they stick fast by reason of the wax that is mixed with them: at last others have found out a better way of coagulating aromatical oyls, and other things, viz. by the addition of the oyl of Nutmeg made by expression, having lost its odour and colour by spirit of wine; which they called the Mother of Balsames. And this way hath been a long time concealed by Apothecaries as a great secret, until at length it is become common, so that balsames prepared after this manner are sold almost in all shops: But although that be the best way, yet they are not durable balsames that are made that way, because they lack salt. I do not contemn and disapprove of Balsames made after this way, for if a better way had been known, better had been made, for no man is obliged beyond his power. Wherefore they are not only to be excused, that have used Lambs fat, Wax, and the oyl of Nutmegs in the making of their Balsames, but also to be honoured for their communication. Now seeing the aforesaid Balsames cannot be taken inwardly, nor be so well outwardly administred by reason of their unctuosity, others have consulted to congeal the Oyls by the admixtion of their own proper fix-salts: And Balsames prepared after this manner are made free from clamminess, or tenaciousness, and may be dissolved in wine, beer, or any liquor.

Wherefore they may be not only conveniently taken inward, but also more fitly than those old, be rubed outwardly for the odours sake, because they are easily washed off again with water. They do not only give a most sweet odour being rubbed, but also by reason of the admixtion of the fixed salt, having the nature of salt of Tartar, do beautify the skin. Wherefore they are to be commended, being dissolved in fair warm water for a lotion for the head, and face; not only because they beautify, but corroborate with their excellent odour; which those fat Balsames cannot do. Wherefore this way is to be preferred far before the other.

Let him therefore that will, receive what I have said, for rare and new things are not alwayes accepted, especially being obscure: but I hope for the approbation of the age to come.

The manner of preparing follows.

Take the remains of the burning spirit, and being put into a sack, press it hard: reduce the water pressed out into vinegar, and of roses thou shalt have a rose vinegar, and of other things another, being the best in a Family for to season meats: then take the remains out of the sack, and reduce it to white ashes in a potters furnace, upon which pour the flegm of its own burning spirit (being separated) to extract the salt, from which evaporate again all the humidity in a glazed earthen pot: calcine the coagulated salt gently in a clean crucible, and it will be white and be like to salt of tartar in tast; from which abstract, sometimes its own proper burning spirit, calcining the salt first every time; and the spirit will be so exalted by its proper salt, that it will presently assume its proper oyl, and will, being poured upon it, associate it to it self so as to be perceived no more in the spirit, which will remain very clear: Which being done, calcine the salt yet once more very well in a crucible, and dissolve so much of it in its proper flegm, as sufficeth for the coagulation of the oyl, then mix this solution with the burning spirit, mixed with its oyl, and set it in a vial of a long neck well stopt, in Balneo, that the spirit may not exhale, in the coction of it, and in the space of a few hours there will be an union of the mixture which will be as white as milk. Which being done, let the glass cool, for there is a conjunction of the spirit, oyl, and salt, so that neither can be discerned from another, which is to be poured into a vessel of a wide mouth, and it will be congealed in the cold like a white ointment, not only to be anointed withal, but also to be dissolved in any liquor, being of an excellent odour, which may also be given inwardly very conveniently, and being used outwardly it makes the skin beautiful and sweet; wherefore this is that most desired balsame of Princes and Ladies. And by this way the three principles of vegetables, being separated, and purified, are again reunited, in which union there is found the whole vertue, tast, and odour of the vegetable.

Note well, That he that will colour balsames, must draw the colour out of vegetables with spirit of wine, which he must make to be coagulated together with it. After this aforesaid manner, therefore you may draw out of any vegetable that hath in it salt, spirit and oyl, soluble and well smelling balsomes without the addition of any other strange thing, which are not to be contemned.

And because here also is taught that most odoriferous balsame of roses, for roses yield but a little oyl, without which that cannot be done, know that not only roses or rose leaves also are to be taken for the making the aforesaid balsome, but also together with the leaves those whole knots; for that yellow that is in them yields that oyl, not the rose leaves, &c. And let what hath been said suffice concerning our preparation of balsames, which if they be rightly made, are not I suppose, to be contemned, neither do I reject those that are made without salt: Let him that hath better communicate them, and not carp at ours. And so I would that all and each process should be comprehended under some one general, viz. of distilling burning spirits, and oyls, by the help of a wooden distilling vessel, and their conjunction by the help of their proper fixed salt, I could here add more things concerning the use, and vertues of spirits of wine, and of those most sweet vegetable oyls; but because they are clearly enough spoken of by others, I account it a superfluous thing to repeat the sayings of others, being contented with the description of one only general process, which you may imitate in other particulars.

There follows now the use of the second wooden vessel, which is to be used instead of those of copper or lead, serving for distillations, digestions, extractions, and fixations.

The vessel being made ready according to the prescription set down before, there is nothing else to do, than to fit the furnace with the globe, and at your pleasure to heat water in it, with a government of the fire in the furnace. Now all things may here be done, which otherwise are done in a common Balneo; where there is no other difference but of vessels; here is used a wooden vessel, there a copper, leaden, or iron, &c. In this operation also is used the same furnace with the same globe, which was used above in the distillation, wherefore you need add nothing else beside, for nothing is more common than a Balneum in distillation; let the demonstration therefore of the use of the copper globe suffice. Now I thought it worth while to set down some Chymical medicinal extracts, not common, which may be made by the help of this Balneum, which being rightly prepared do many things in many diseases.