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

by Johann Rudolf Glauber

Of the Structure of the First Furnace.

As for the first Furnace, it may be built greater or lesser as you please, a regard being had of the quantity of the Matter to be distilled, and also either round or square; either of Bricks, or by a Potter with Potters Clay. Now when the Diameter is of one span, viz. withinside, the height must be of four, viz. one from the bottom to the grate, another from the grate to the hole made for putting in of Coals, and two from thence to the top of the Pipe, which must at least go forth out of the Furnace one span, lest the receivers should by the neerness of the Furnace be heated. The Pipe also must have on the fore part a Diameter, answering the third part of the intrinsecal Diameter of the Furnace; also a little larger on the hinder part than the forepart. Let the grate be such an one, as may be taken out at your pleasure and made clean, being stopt by the Matter that is cast in and distilled: for it is easily stopt in distilling of Salts melted with the coals, whereby the aire is kept from coming to the fire, and the distillation by consequence hindred: Or let there be put into the Furnace cross-wise two strong iron bars, upon which lay four or five lesser, distant the one from the other the breadth of a finger, going a little out of the Furnace, by which when they are stopt, you may take them out with a pair of Tongs, and cleanse them from the burnt Matter, and then again put them into their own places: wherefore also the Furnace must on the fore part be open under the grate, that you may the better order the grate.

Also the grate must have above, a covering of Iron or Stone, with a hole in the middle thereof with a certain distinction, which is to be filled with sand, that the cover may the better and more fitly shut the hole, and prevent the exhaling of the spirits which by this means will, being forced, go forth thorow the Pipe into the receivers, after you have cast in the matter which is to be distilled.

Of the Receivers.

Let the Receivers be made of glass, or of strong earth, which may retain the spirits, and such is the Waldburgick, Hassiack, Frechheimensian, Siburgic earth, &c. They are better that are made of glass, if they are to be had, and those especially which are made of strong and firm glass, which may be smoothed about the joints with a Smiris stone, and so fitted that they may the better be joyned together, and then they need not luteing (but how they shall be smoothed with the Smiris stone, and be fitted, shall be taught in the Fifth part, which treats of Manuals) because by this means they are joyned so close, that no spirits can go through the joynts: otherwise you must close the joynts with the best Lute, such as will not let the spirits exhale, which shall be taught in the Book treating of Manuals. The form of the recipient you may see in the delineation thereof. As for the quantity thereof, know that by how much the greater they are, so much the better they are, for then you need the fewer, but the more, by how much the lesser they are. Let the superiour orifice be larger than the inferiour, so that alwaies another receiver may with its inferiour orifice be joyned to it, and let the inferiour orifice have a Diameter of three fingers breadth, or thereabouts; I mean in case the Diameter of the Furnace be of one span. For a greater Furnace requires greater holes, as also orifices of the receivers, by which means a sufficient and due proportion of air may be given to the fire: or if the Diameter of the Furnace be more than a span, it must also have two or three pipes (which being considered together, should have a wideness answering the wideness of the third part of the Furnace, for so great a wideness, and so much air is required, if the fire burn freely and do its office) to which vessels of the aforesaid proportion must be applyed, that the fire be not choaked.

Now, the Figure that is annexed will teach the conjunction of the Receivers, as also their application to the Furnace. And, in the first place, the Receiver stands in a three-foot stool bored thorow in the middle, that the neck of the first Receiver may pass thorow, to which is applyed a dish with a pipe receiving the dropping Spirits: To the first there is joyned a Second, and to that a third, and so consequently (viz. near unto a wall or ladder) so many as you please. Let the upper Receiver, and indeed all the rest, be left open: To the lower as hath been said, is joyned a dish with a pipe, by which the distilled Spirits run down into another certain glass vessel added thereunto, which being filled, is taken away, and another is set in the place of it, because that is set under it without luting, and therefore may easily be changed. And if you please to distil any thing else, you may take away that dish with a pipe, and make it clean, and then joyn it close again (that no spirit may breath forth) to the neck of the lower receiver. And if that dish cannot be so closely joyned, that nothing exhale, pour in a spoonful of Water, for that doth astringe, neither doth it hurt the spirits, because in the rectifying it is separated.

Of the subliming Vessels.

These you need not make of glass, or of such earth as may retain the spirits, as hath been above mentioned; it is sufficient, if so be they be made of good common Potters earth, and be well glazed within, viz. of such a form and figure, as appears by the annexed delineation.

Yet you must chuse good earth that will endure the fire, for the lower pots are so heated by the fire, that they would be broken if they should not be made of good earth.

Now I will shew you in general the manner it self of distilling; as also, the manual necessaries in every distillation.