He makes known the method of dissolving most of the metals in muriatic acid, and the resulting chlorides, which he denominates oils of the respective metals, constitute in his opinion valuable medicines. He mentions particularly the chloride of gold, and from the mode of preparing it, the solution must have been strong. Yet he recommends it as an internal medicine, which he says may be taken with safety, and is a sovereign remedy in old ulcers of the mouth, tongue, and throat, arising from the French pox, leprosy, scorbute, &c. Thus we see the use of gold as a remedy for the venereal disease did not originate with M. Chretiens, of Montpelier. This chloride of gold is so violent a poison that it is remarkable that Glauber does not specify the dose that patients labouring under the diseases for which he recommends it ought to take.—The sesqui-chloride of iron he recommends as a most excellent application to ill-conditioned ulcers and cancers. We see from this that the use of iron in cancers, lately recommended, is not so new a remedy as has been supposed.
He mentions the violent action of chloride of mercury (obviously corrosive sublimate), and says that he saw a woman suddenly killed by it, being administered internally by a surgeon. Butter of antimony he first recognised as nothing else than a combination of chlorine and antimony; before his time it had been always supposed to contain mercury.
He describes the method of obtaining sulphuric acid by distilling sulphate of iron; gives an account of the mode of obtaining sulphate of iron and sulphate of copper, in crystals: the method of obtaining nitric acid from nitre by means of alum, was much improved by him. He gives a particular detail of the way of obtaining fulminating gold. This fulminating gold he says is of little use in medicine; but he gives a method of preparing from it a red tincture of gold, which he considers as one of the most useful and efficacious of all medicines: this tincture is nothing else than chloride of gold. It would take up too much space to attempt an analysis of all the curious facts and preparations described in this treatise on philosophical furnaces; but it will repay the perusal of any person who will take the trouble to look into it. All the different pharmacopœias of the seventeenth century borrowed from it largely. The third part of this treatise is peculiarly interesting. It will be seen that Glauber had already thought of the peculiar efficacy of applying solutions of sulphur, &c. to the skin, and had anticipated the various vapour and gaseous baths which have been introduced in Vienna and other places, during the course of the present century, and considered as new, and as constituting an important era in the healing art. In the fourth part he not only treats of the docimastic processes, so well described by Agricola and Erckern, but gives us the method of making glass, and of imitating the precious stones by means of coloured glasses. The fifth part is peculiarly valuable; in it he treats of the methods of preparing lutes for glass vessels, of the construction and qualities of crucibles, and of the vitrification of earthen vessels.
Another of his tracts is called “The Mineral Work;” the object of which is to show the method of separating gold from flints, sand, clay, and other minerals, by the spirit of salt (muriatic acid), which otherwise cannot be purged; also a panacea, or universal antimonial medicine. This panacea was a solution of deutoxide of antimony in pyrotartaric acid; Glauber gives a most flattering account of its efficacy in removing the most virulent diseases, particularly all kinds of cutaneous eruptions. The second and third parts of The Mineral Work are entirely alchymistical. In the treatise called “Miraculum Mundi,” his chief object is to write a panegyric on sulphate of soda, of which he was the discoverer, and to which he gave the name of sal mirabile. The high terms in which he speaks of this innocent salt are highly amusing, and serve well to show the spirit of the age, and the dreams which still continued to haunt the most laborious and sober-minded chemists. The sal mirabile was not merely a purgative, a virtue which it certainly possesses in a high degree, being as mild a purgative, perhaps the very best, of all the saline preparations yet tried; but it was a universal medicine, a panacea, a cure for all diseases: nor was Glauber contented with this, but pointed out many uses in the various arts and manufactures for which in his opinion it was admirably fitted. But by far the fullest account of this sal mirabile is given by him in his treatise on the nature of salts.
I shall satisfy myself with giving the titles of his other tracts. Every one of them contains facts of considerable importance, not to be found in any chemical writings that preceded him; but to attempt to connect these facts into one point of view would be needless, because they are not such as would be likely to interest the general reader.
1. The Consolation of Navigators. This gives an account of a method by which sailors may carry with them a great deal of nourishment in very small bulk. The method consists in evaporating the wort of malt to dryness, and carrying the dry extract to sea. This method has been had recourse to in modern times, and has been found to furnish an effectual remedy against the scurvy. He recommends also the use of muriatic acid as a remedy for thirst, and a cure for the scurvy.
2. A true and perfect Description of the extracting good Tartar from the Lees of Wine.
3. The first part of the Prosperity of Germany; in which is treated of the concentration of wine, corn, and wood, and the more profitable use of them than has hitherto been.
4. The second part of the Prosperity of Germany; wherein is shown by what means minerals may be concentrated by nitre, and turned into metallic and better bodies.
5. The third part of the Prosperity of Germany; in which is delivered the way of most easily and plentifully extracting saltpetre out of various subjects, every where obvious and at hand. Together with a succinct explanation of Paracelsus’s prophecy; that is to say, in what manner it is to be understood the northern lion will institute or plant his political or civil monarchy; and that Paracelsus himself will not abide in his grave; and that a vast quantity of riches will offer itself. Likewise who the artist Elias is, of whose coming in the last days, and his disclosing abundance of secrets, Paracelsus and others have predicted.