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

by Johann Rudolf Glauber

And whereas it cannot be denyed, that by the use of the Baths most grievous diseases which cannot be cured by Physitians, are happily cured; I was willing for the sake of my neighbour to publish this instrument together with the preparation of mineral waters; which publishing will not without doubt be without profit, and advantage. Wherefore I will in brief shew you the preparation of mineral, and sweet waters, and their use, and first,

Of a Bath of sweet or common water.

There is no art to make a Bath of sweet water, for you have nothing else to do, then to fill your vessel with river or rain water, and to make a fire, which by the help of the copper globe will heat the water, which being sufficiently heated, you may sit in it, and cover the Tub, that the hot vapors evaporate not, nor the cold air enter in, and cool the exteriour parts of the body: Wherefore also you must apply a clean linnen cloth about your neck, lest the warm vapors evaporate there: which being rightly observed, you may sit the space of 1. 2. 3. hours, or as long as you please or your sickness require. You must keep a continual heat as much as is necessary, which may be done by the help of that globe. If you be thirsty in the mean time you may drink some proper distilled drink according to the nature of your disease, of which thing nothing now, because I am resolved to write a peculiar book de Balneis, and here only to shew the use of that copper globe in heating of Baths. And although there be not a perfect instruction of all, yet of some Baths, and their uses there shall a short instruction be given in this place.

Of the nature, and property of natural Baths.

Know that the greatest part of medicinal waters in Germany, and other countries as well hot as cold carry with them from the earth a certain sulphureous acidity more or less: in which acidity consists that medicinal faculty and vertue of this or that water. And if those waters lose their odour and tast by the exhaling of their subtile spirits, then also they loose their vertues; although also there be found some waters, which have not only a spiritual sulphur, but also are impregnated with a certain mineral, or metallick body mixed with Allome, or Vitriol, which comes not elsewhere then from the common water running through the mines. There are found also other baths, the power and vertue whereof consists not in any spiritual sulphur, nor in any metallick body mixed with salt, but only in a certain spiritual salt mixed with a certain subtil fixed earth, which waters do not run through metallick mines as others do, but rather stones of the mountaines calcined with a subterraneal fire, whence also they borrow their subtil acidity with their insipid earth. And this no man will deny that hath the knowledge of volatile and fixed salts of minerals, and metals: the which I am able to demonstrate with very many, and most evident reasons, if time and occasion would permit; but it shall be done sometime or other as hath been said in a peculiar treatise. Now therefore I will only teach how by salts, minerals, and metals, artificial Baths may be made, which are not only not inferiour to the natural in vertue, but also oftentimes far better, and that without much cost or labour, which any one may use at home in stead of the natural for the expelling of diseases, and recovering of health. And although I am resolved to set forth a book that shall treat largely of the nature, and original of Baths, and of their use; yet I am willing now also to say something in brief concerning it, and that from the foundation, seeing that there are so many different opinions of learned men, and those for the most part uncertain.

As concerning therefore the original of the acidity as well volatile, as corporeal, as also the heat of Baths, know that is not one, and the same; for else each would have the same properties, but daily experience testifies the contrary: For it is manifest that some Baths help some diseases, and others are hurtful for them, which comes from nothing else but from the difference of the properties of the mineral waters proceeding from a diversity of mines impregnating those waters. In a word, sweet waters attract their powers, and vertues in the caverns of mountains from some metal and minerals of divers kinds, that have naturally a most acid spirit of salt, as are divers kinde of marcasites containing copper and iron, and sometimes gold and silver; also kinds of vitriol and Allome called by the ancients Misii, Rarii, Chalcitis, Melanteria, and Pyritis, whereof some are found white like metals, but others dispersed in a fat earth, of a round figure in greater or lesser pieces: which sulphureous salt mines whilest the water run through, and humectates, that spirit of salt is stirred up, having got a vehiculum, and falls upon the mines by dissolving them, in which solution the water waxeth warm, as if it had been poured on quick lime, or like spirit of vitriol, or salt mixed with water, and poured on iron, and other metals; where continually and daily that water running through the mines whose nature and properties it imitates, carrys something with it: wherefore there are so many, and such various kinds of Baths as are the mines by which the water is heated. Let him that will not believe take any mineral of the aforesaid quality, and wrap it up in a wet linen cloth for a little while, and he will see it experimentally that the mineral stone will be heated by the water, and so heated, as if it were in the fire, so as thou canst scarce hold it in thy hand, which at length also by a longer action will cleave in sunder and be consumed like quick lime.

I will publish some time or other (God willing) more fully, and clearly in a peculiar treatise this my opinion, which I have now delivered in very few words. Although to the sick it be all one, and it matters not them, from what cause the baths come, and whence they borrow their vertues, if so be they may use them; this controversie being left to natural Philosophers that will controvert it, which none of them can better decide than a skilful Chymist, that hath the knowledg of minerals, metals, and salts.

And first of sulphureous Baths that have a subtil acidity.

In the second Treatise I have demonstrated the manner of distilling subtil, volatile, sulphureous spirits, viz. of common salt, vitriol, allome, nitre, sulphur, antimony, and other salts of minerals, and metals, and their vertues, and intrinsecal properties, now also I will shew their extrinsecal use, as they are to be mixed with waters for Baths. The vertues therefore of Baths proceed not from insipid water, but from those most subtile, volatile, sulphureous, and salt spirits; but these being of themselves not mixed with water unfit for Baths, to be used for recovering of health, by reason of their too great heat, and subtilty; the most high God hath revealed to us unworthy and ungrateful men his fatherly providence shewing to us by nature the use of them, and the manner of using of them for the taking away of diseases; which (nature) being never idle, works uncessantly, and like a handmaid executes the will of God, by shewing to us the various kinds of distillations, transmutations, and generations. From which teacher we must learn all arts and sciences, seeking a certain, and infallible information, as it were out of a book writ with a divine hand, and filled with innumerable wonders, and secrets. And this is a far certainer knowledg then that empty, and imaginary Philosophy of those vulgar disputing Philosophers. Dost thou think that that true Philosophy can be sold for a hundred Royals? How can any one judge of things hid in the earth, who is willfully blind in things exposed to the light of the Sun, hating knowledge? I wish knowledge were sutable to the name: how can any one that is ignorant of the nature of fire, know how to work by fire? fire discovers many things, in which you may as in a glass see things that are hid; The fire shews to us how every thing, waters, salt, minerals, and metals, together with other innumerable things are generated in the bowels of the earth by the reflexion of that central, and astral fire: for without the knowledge of fire all nature remains vailed, and occult. Fire (always had in great esteem by Philosophers) is the key for the unlocking of the greatest secrets, and to speak in a word, he that is ignorant of fire is ignorant of nature with her fruits, and he hath nothing, but what he hath read, or heard, which oftentimes is false, according to that; He easily speaks untruths that speaks what he hath heard.

He that is ignorant knows not how to discern betwixt the truth and falshood, but takes the one for the other. I pray thee, thou that art so credulous, dost thou think that thy teacher writ his books from experience, or from reading other Authors? May they not be corrupted and sophisticated by antiquity, and frequent description? Also dost thou understand the true, and genuine sense of them? It is better to know, than to think; for many are seduced by opinions, and many are deceived by faith that is without knowledge.