AN APPENDIX TO A COURSE OF Chemistry. BEING Additional REMARKS To the former OPERATIONS. TOGETHER WITH The Process of the Volatile salt of Tartar, and some other Useful Preparations.  
Writ in FRENCH by Monsieur NICHOLAS LEMERY.  
Translated by WALTER HARRIS Doctor of PHYSIC.  
LONDON, Printed for Walter Kettilby at the Bishop's Head in St. Paul's Churchyard, 1680.   

THE PREFACE.  
READER,  
THE Course of Chemistry, to which this is an Appendix, was received so well, that I shall forbear using many reasons, why I now cause this to be Published. I am sure all such as have more in them of the Physician than Chemist, and whose designs are Truly and Methodically to Cure, by having laid a Solid Foundation for Physic by good Principles, and who do not expect as many Miracles from a Spirit, or Salt, as some Women boast of from a simple Receipt for the Ague, or the like; such Rational Physicians, I dare say, will gladly enough receive some hints of this Appendix. The Gentleman, though a Chemist to the purpose, and one that has spared no manner of pains to find out the Mysteries of this Art, yet is so extremely Candid, as to speak of Chemical Remedies, like a third person unconcerned, any further than real truth lies at stake. He makes few Panegyrics of the Remedies herein, or before mentioned, and discourses of them so, as to search out their nature by nothing but matter of fact, and rejecting all Notions that his hand cannot touch, or his eye see. This present Supplement is the effect of his working Brain, since the first Edition of his Book, of which the Translation was made, the Author having since sent me two other Editions, out of which I have collected these Additions, for your further Curiosity. One thing particularly is here taken notice of, which I can never repent the reading, nor the being an instrument in making it better known; it is, that divers things do by Calcination and Distillation not only receive an impression of fire, but even fiery parts into their composition to a very great quantity, nay to a considerable augmentation of their weight and substance.  
If you Calcine Lead in a Crucible, although you see a great many Vapours arise out of the matter during the Calcination, yet the Calx being at last weighed, will be found considerably heavier than the Lead was at first, which the wit of man can never explicate, but by admitting the reception of fiery parts into the Calx, see p. 33, 34.  
Calcine four ounces of the common Regulus of Antimony, stirring it all the while with a Spatule; there will rise up a vapour for an hour and halfs time, or thereabouts, and when it fumes no longer, weigh it, and there will be two drachms and a half more than the Regulus weighed at first, see p. 60.  
Distil in a Retort the Burning Spirit of Saturn out of Salt of Saturn, and let the Salt you distil be six ounces, you'll thence draw an ounce and six drachms of liquor, and there will remain in the Retort six ounces and six drachms of matter. Now nothing in nature can here make this Addition of two ounces and a half, but the entrance of Fire, fire embodied into the matter, see p. 35. of this Appendix.  
The instances here mentioned may suffice to prove, how that subtle, dangerous, and too active Principle, Fire, does predominate in abundance of Remedies, that are commonly used. I shall add one word concerning the manner of the Distillation of Acid Spirits, by which we may the better guess at their Nature and Capacity. A Retort is placed so in a Furnace, that the Fire may Reverberate, or beat back again upon the vessel, great fires are kindled, and continued for 2, 3, 4 days together, they are made as exceeding violent as Art can make them, the Retort and the Ingredients in it, if you look into the Furnace, do all appear of a live coal, they turn into as true a fire as the Wood itself, and there seems to be not the least difference but in the Figure, and thus by the violent force of this most active, vigorous, searching, but destructive Principle, Fire, the acid Spirits are driven out into a large Receiver, in White or Red clouds, and there having room to play a while, they at last condense into fiery Spirits, or a spirituous fire. These Spirits, when the vessels are cold, are taken out, and stopped up carefully (hardly any thing but glass stopples will serve the turn) and though they are fixed Spirits, the fire contained in them will needs tend upwards, and afterwards, as occasion serves, these nimble Spirits are not only used for Dissolution of Metals (which they do well for) but are given Christians inwardly, too too often, nay, by some Chemical Practisers, especially such as love Chemistry so dearly, that they are in continual hopes of the Philosopher's stone, these same Spirits shall be given with as much freedom, and as little regret of Conscience as a draught of Small beer.  
Now does it not deserve serious consideration what these Spirits are made of, what is the nature of fire taken inwardly, and what miraculous effects must needs happen from these elaborate, and so powerful remedies! Nature is a tender thing, and must be used very gently if you would help her, she's a composition of flesh and blood, and uses wonderful moderation in every thing she does; offer her any thing injurious or distasteful, and she's never quiet till she has thrown it off; a draught of Milk and water will do her good to the very heart, when her functions are disturbed; and she pants for burning heat. I know you may force her to be conpented with Acid, cooling, (and yet fiery) Spirits given in Juleps, or the like, but whether they are really agreeable and beneficial to Nature, we may have no small reason to doubt.  
I know the common universal practice of the world now-a days will plead more for Acids than any thing I can say against them. Yet this is plain to my understanding, that all Big-worded Remedies, and such as are most popular, have their certain Fate, they have their beginning, their time of flourishing, and their Period. Once Spirit of Salt was all in all, every body must be dropping it into their drink. Now 'tis almost forgot; other Master pieces in Quackery have come in its place. Who would have thought lately, that Rabels' drops (supposed to be Oil of Vitriol sweetened) should so soon be no more talked of? One would have thought at first, that this wonderful Monsieur would have spoiled utterly every Physician's practice, and that they would have had no more to do, he so Monopolised the whole Art by his Remedy. And yet we see he's returned long since for France, and Physicians are just where they were before his coming.  
I would not be understood, by what I have said, to condemn the use of Natural Acids, the Acid Ferment of the stomach speaks their excellency sufficiently, and want of Appetite is immediately assisted by them; and besides all, Natural salts, of which Aliments are full, are known to be Acid, and there is no other salt in nature, but the Acid, as is at large proved in the following Treatise. So that Acids have their use, and benefit beyond question. But it is the frequent and continual use of Artificial Acids, such as are drawn by fire, and become of a fiery nature, that I presume to tax and question. A Citron in a Fever may be of greater help and comfort, and allay the boiling Heat, and resist the prevailing malignity, more than can be thought. The Juice of Lemons, not that crude Juice, which is commonly vended, and of which the Syrup is too too often made, but the Juice of good Lemons; and so of Oranges, might be put into Juleps to give them an Acidity, instead of Spirit of Vitriol, and no harm done. But a few drops, forsooth, of that suspected Spirit are more gentile, and neat, and, for the great honour of Chemistry, are grown into common use, almost as much as salt for our meat.  
Natural Remedies will prevail, when we have tried as many pretty conceits as we please. Nature will provide us Herbs and Roots, when Chemists, and Chemistry, as to great part of it, are dead and buried, and have undergone the same Fate that all particular Remedies of Hector's, and great Boasters have hitherto done, by the wise disposal of allseeing Providence. They die commonly with their Masters, or if they do outlive their thread of time, they soon decline more and more, till they come to lose all their Esteem.  
Nevertheless upon urgent occasions, when Symptoms are exceeding violent, and are not to be conquered with ordinary means, Acid Spirits may, and perhaps aught to be used. As in a Pox or Gonorrhoea, when Defluxions are violent, and Symptoms accidentally high, when the Patient is almost in despair, and frighted with unusual Symptoms, we must have recourse to Mercury, let us say what we will, and exhibit that quantity which otherwise we should not, if the person had been rightly treated at first; as we are forced to use Actual Cauteries, to prevent Gangrenes, and burn to the purpose, when there's a necessity for it: So in cases of the like nature, the disguised fire in Acids may be given inwardly, with safety enough. Pestilential Fevers, where the Blood is wholly fluid, and the Fibres that gave it consistence, and made it condense, when grown cold, are destroyed by the Subtle Malignity, may perhaps require better or stronger Acids than Vinegar can give.  
Having spoken thus much in reference to Acid fiery Spirits, it may well be enquired, whether or no in the Distillation of such Spirits, there is any addition of weight, as there is most sensibly in the instances forenamed. To which I Answer, that Acid Spirits come forth with such Heat and Violence, that it is almost Impossible to lute the Junctures so exactly well, as not to lose some of them, they are so exceeding fiery, and of so piercing a nature, that some of them will break out, do what you can. How will a room smell of Nitrous Spirits, while they are a Distilling! they'll try what Lungs you are made of, let the Receiver be never so big or thick. And this is the reason, that the Ingredients weigh no more than when they were first put in; for as fast as the fire comes in through the Retort, some Spirits break out at the Junctures.  
To prove the nature of these Spirits to be as Hot as I say, I could here instance an Experiment of this Author. 'Twas in short this: he Distilled Vitriol three days and three nights together, and there came forth an Acid Spirit, as it uses to do; when the vessels were cold, he found in the Receiver nothing but a Mass of salt, or Oil of Vitriol congealed. This salt was so exceeding Caustick, that if he offered to touch the least part of it, it burned like fire, and he was fain immediately to put his hand in water; and when he threw a little of it into the water, it made just such a hissing noise as burning coals do; it likewise made the water very hot, hotter than common Oil of Vitriol will do. See p. 94, 95.  
And now I have done with Acids, it will be expedient to speak something of Alkali's. Knife and Sheath go together. Alkali salts, whether they be made by burning Plants into Ashes, or by Calcination in a Retort or Crucible, and so making of them a Lixivium, etc. they all lose the nature they were endowed with at first, and from Natural Acid Salts become Porous; the fire by opening them drives out the Acid part, and leaves them full of Pores, ready to receive, and make an Ebullition with any Acids they shall afterwards meet with; they are partly the remaining terrestrious, and fixed part of what they were, and partly an additional supplement of fire.  
Now there are Natural Alkalis (though not Alkali. salts) which perform the good effect of Alkalis, such as Pearl, Coral, Crabs-eyes, etc. and these may be used to answer the Indication of sweetening Acids, without any need of having recourse to those productions of fire, to wit, Alkali salts, unless there be extraordinary occasion; as I said before concerning the use of Natural Acids, unless the greatness of Symptoms required the Artificial.  
Speaking to this purpose to a most Ingenious Physician, he was pleased to ask me, whether I did not Roast, and Boil the meat that I eat, or whether that did terrify me from eating my meat. But I think there's a great deal of difference between a warmer sort of Infusion, as Boiling is, and heat at a distance, which in aleasure tract of time dries, and prepares meat to be fit for the Stomach, which insinuates gently, and which loses the destructive quality of fire, by reason of the distance, as is the manner of Roasting; there's a vast difference, I say, between these Heats, and turning Ingredients into a Coal fire, as is done both in Retorts and Crucibles in the making of Artificial acids and alkalis. And as for meat, I cannot much approve; and few Physicians, I think, do, that which is Broiled on the Coals, and so nearly partakes of the Impression of fire; it digests ill, I am sure, and breeds Melancholic unwholesome nourishment.  
Chemical Digestions are of most excellent use, to draw out the True and Natural virtue of things; they are made in a Sand-heat, or else in a Balneum, mild and tender ways of opening bodies; and the Remedies lay no such force upon Nature, as upon the Disease. Remedies were at first ordered by Nature so well, as to need but little of our help, they were intended to help those poor harmless souls, who knew no better than to make an ordinary fire to keep themselves warm by, and these could gather a proper Herb to heat, or boil in a little water, and there often came rare feats of it too.  
Volatile Spirits and Salts do rise with a gentler fire, and may for that good reason claim preference to all Fixed Alkalis, whether Spirits or Salts. Upon great occasions they will seem to work Miracles, raise Dead to Life, and when the mild flame of the Blood, (in which Life is said to consist) seems to be quite extinguished, these Volatile Spirits shall light it again afresh, and add new vigour to the languishing efforts of Nature.  
But these Volatiles too must be given with great caution, either the humours must be Prepared, or the Spirits very low,, or else they may Translate the humours to the Brain, from the parts below, and give the Disease a Nobler Seat than it had before.  
The Spirit of Sal Armoniac is an excellent thing, and though it is derived from Urinous, and seeming uncleanly Principles, yet if well drawn and rectified from Phlegm, has oftentimes great effects, and especially if Cohobated upon Castor and Amber, will yield to few Volatiles, unless that most Noble nay Royal Preparation of Goddard's drops, Prepared by that Ingenious and Learned Physician, Dr. Goodall; who upon enquiry into the nature of those Medicines, has been so free as to acquaint me, that they are separated with that moderate and gentle degree of fire, that the Balneum, in which the Glass bodies are placed, are never to exceed the heat of humane blood circulating in the vessels, or that of an Egg, upon Incubation: by which means there is a most exact, and even Natural separation of the Volatile and Spirituous parts, from the fixed and Phlegmatic. Whereas if this mild degree of heat were not observed, he says the Principles would be confounded together. After this, the several Principles, with which this Noble Preparation is endowed, are by much labour, and proper degrees of heat, both in their repeated Sublimations, Rectifications, and Circulations, made all with a gentle fire, advanced to that degree of Volatility, that I have reason to esteem it one of the best Nervous, Cephalick, and Hysterick Medicines, that is used in Chemistry, and much more effectual than others to answer all those Indications in our Art, where Volatiles, or Diaphoreticks are thought to be useful. Of this Preparation there are several sorts, differing secundum magis & minus, being Impregnated with one or more of the Original constituent Principles, in a higher or lower degree; so that they may be the better suited to variety of Constitutions, and answer very different Indications.  
Perhaps some will say, I Prevaricate with my Design, in Prefacing such Cautions to a Book of Chemistry, and making great part of Chemistry a little too much suspected; and especially considering what I said in praise of this Art before the COURSE OF CHEMISTRY. But I would have it considered, that I never thought this sort of Remedies of much use in Fevers, and that Chronical distempers might possibly find some greater relief from those Active Medicines, especially after the trial of others, by virtue of that Maxim, à mitioribus ad fortiora progrediendum. These things may require some longer Discourse, and perhaps I may urge them further hereafter, when I may speak more at large concerning Remedies, and give some Practical Observations upon them. What I have now said, is not intended to discourage from using them upon very great occasions; only if plain things will do, what need we puzzle? where we can use safe, and innocent Remedies, such as are Natural, and in the way of Nature, easily Prepared, why should we Neglect them, for sake of such as are, or may prove dangerous? For my part, I shall never so pin my Practice to the Authority of any one, no nor many Great Names, that I must forfeit the use of my own Reason, and Observation. What does good, I'll follow, though a silly Ignorant should teach me; what does bad, I'll avoid, though never so Magisterial.   

THE OPERATIONS Added in this APPENDIX.  

OTher Precipitates of Mercury, Page 56  
Remarks. Page 57  
Chap. 13. Of the Stone Haematites, Page 68  
Sublimation of the Stone Haematites, Page 69  
Remarks. Page 70  
Valatile Salt of Amber, Page 99  
Remarks. Page 100  
Soluble Tartar, Page 108  
Remarks. Page 109  
Chalybeated, or Martial Cryftals of Tartar, ib.  
Remarks. Page 110  
Soluble Tartar Chalybeated, Page 111  
Remarks. ib.  
Volatile Salt of Tartar, Page 122  
Remarks. Page 124  
Chap. Of Myrrh, Page 132  
Tincture of Myrrh, Page 133  
Remarks. ib.  
Oil of Myrrh per Deliquium. Page 134  
Remarks. ib.    

AN APPENDIX TO A COURSE of CHEMISTRY, CONTAINING The easiest manner of performing those Operations that are in use in Physic.  

ADD to Page 6. Line 26. In the Remarks upon the Principles of Chemistry. Nothing but the Oil, can properly be said to be Inflammable, and the Oil is so much the more so, as the Salts, with which it is closely united, have been more or less spiritualised. For that which I call Spirit in the Oil, is nothing but an Essential or Volatile Salt; this Salt is not of itself Inflammable, but serves to Rarify and Exalt the parts of the Oil to render them the more susceptible of Motion, and consequently of Flagration; after the same manner as when Salt-peter is put to mix with some Oily substance, this Oily matter fires much more easily than when it is alone; though Saltpetre of itself is not at all Inflammable, as I shall prove hereafter. We have Examples of the truth of what I say in Spirit of Wine, Oil of Turpentine, and all other Inflammable Liquors; for they are only Oils subtilised and refined by the Volatile Salts they contain. Sticks, and other parts of Vegetables have a great deal of Salt much like to Saltpetre; this Salt being straight united with their Oil makes them the more apt to flame, than if it had not been a part. The Fat of Animals is full of a Volatile Acid fault; Wax, Rosine, and all other matters that are inflammable, are impregnated with an Acid Salt, Essential or Volatile.  
I say the Salt which causes the flagration of Oils, must be either Volatile or Essential, for if it were a fixed Salt, 'twould have a contrary effect, it would allay in some measure the quick motion of the parts of an Inflammable body; and this we see happens when Sea-salt is fling into the fire, it serves to put it out. Common Sulphur yields us another instance of the same kind: consisting of one part Sulphurous or Oily, and another Saline or fixed Acid, which plainly appears in the opening of it, the Oily part fires, and would soon rise like other Oils into a great White Flame, but that the Acid part being a load to its activity hinders it from rising, and so forces it to cast but only a small Blue Flame; and a proof of what I affirm may be had from mixing Saltpetre with Sulphur; for the Volatile Salt of Salt peter does Volatilize the Salts of Sulphur, and causes a White flame to burn violently, as I shall show hereafter in the Operation of Salt Polychrest.   

Add to Pag. 7. Lin. 22. Is it not likely enough that the bottom of the Sea, or its shores, may be much like the surface of the Earth we inhabit, and that there may be Mountains, Rocks, different sorts of earth, and consequently inexhaustible Mountains of Salt in a Million of places at the bottom of the Sea, whence it receives its Brackishness?  
And it may be there are Waters, which after taking Salt from several earths, do at last discharge themselves into the sea through an infinite number of subterranean channels, which do much contribute likewise to making Sea-water salt.  
That which confirms me in this opinion is, because there are Lakes in Italy, Germany, Egypt, the Indies, and many other places, which are as Salt as the Sea, and can have no other cause but that their waters have happened to run through Mines of Salt.  
I doubt not but many will be apt to object against my Opinion, that the Sea being of so prodigious boundless an extent, all the Salt I have spoken of, would not be able to salt it as it is; but if they please to consider, that this great extent of the Ocean may meet with Mines of Salt in abundance of places, and what is once dissolved can never be separated from it, I am persuaded their doubt will soon vanish. Add to what is said, that Sea-water does not contain so great a quantity of Salt as is commonly imagined: and this is easily proved, if you take the pains to evaporate some of it over the fire, or dissolve salt in that water; for it will receive a considerable quantity into it, which is a certain sign, that the water was not so salted before, as it might have been, for if it had been impregnated with as much as it could, 'twould have dissolved no more.  
Therefore we have good reason to believe, that the Sea, which may be called a large Lake, becomes Salt through the Mines that are therein, and the Salt Currents that in several places empty into it.   

Add to Pag. 7. Lin. 30. It may be objected that Saltpetre is found in places where no Acid liquor can be thought to come; but no body can doubt but that there is an Acid in the Air; which though a very insensible body, is able enough to enter into Stones and Earth's, the truth whereof is seen every day in Earth's that have lost their Salt as much as could be drawn by Art, which upon being exposed some time to the open air get new additions of Salt, and increase their weight considerably. Now the liquor that I speak of, which runs in some places of the earth, receives its Acidity from this Acid Spirit of the Air, which condenses in some places better than in others, by reason of the coolness, or some other disposition it finds there.  
I conceive therefore that Saltpetre is formed in Stones and Earth's by the Acid Spirit of the Air, after the same manner as Sal Gem in Mines by an Acid liquor, and that this Aerial Acid entering insensibly into the body of Stones produces a Salt at first much like Sal Gem; but afterwards new Acid Spirits still coming and mixing with it makes it of a middle nature between Volatile and Fixed. And it is for this reason that a great deal of Saltpetre is taken from old ruined buildings, for the Stones there continuing a long time exposed to the Air, receive greater quantity of Spirits than other stones; it is likewise to be found in Cellars and other places where the Sun casts no heat, because the Spirit of the Air does there easily condense by reason of the coolness and moisture.   

Add to Pag. 8. line 3. All Earth's being impregnated with an Acid Salt, as I have said, 'tis not hard to conceive how that the Salt of Vegetables is communicated to them from the earth wherein they grew. Their Growth must needs have proceeded from a Salt juice of the Earth they grew in, which having opened the Seed through the Fermentation it caused, insinuates and filters itself into the Fibers that constitute the Plant; and the leaving grounds Fallow some years, is in order to preserve and retain the Salt that is continually increased in them by the Acid Spirit of the Air. Likewise Dung, and other matters, which are said to fatten and fructify Lands, do so by nothing else but their Salt. Neither need we wonder at the barrenness of Sandy and stony soils, for that the Acid of the Air cannot unite and fix with them in sufficient quantity to render them fertile. Nevertheless 'tis worth observation, that there are Lands which remain barren too through too great an abundance of Salt they contain, and for this reason in Egypt they are forced to temper their grounds with Sand after the Ebbing of the River Nile, to make them Fertile; because the Earth, till that is done, is so full of Salt, that its pores are quite choked up with it. So that instead of causing any Fermentation in the Seed, the Salt fixes and depresses it, that it can't have its motion free enough to rarify, and raise a stalk; but now when Sand is mingled with it, it is able to divide and extend the Salt, which not having then such power of fixing the Seed, it Ferments and rises into a Plant. Whence it may be seen, that too much Salt is as Offensive to the Earth's fertility, as too little, and that it is the same thing with other Fermentable matters as it is with Earth's, they come to ferment by means of a moderate quantity of Salt mixed with them, for if you add too much, the Fermentation will be spoiled.  
Again, every kind of Salt is not fit to fertilise lands, it must be a Volatile Salt, or approaching to the nature of Saltpetre, to serve for Vegetation; a Salt too fixed would rather spoil it, and it has been observed that places which should fructify, have brought forth nothing, when Sea-salt has been sprinkled upon them; the reason of which is for that this Fixed Salt hinders the Fermentation that was necessary to produce fertility.  
Nevertheless it sometimes happens, that the Ashes of Vegetables, though full of a fixed salt, do serve to fertilise; and this Country men are well acquainted with, who in some places where they find their Lands too lean and barren to yield any thing without assistance of Art, do use at certain seasons of the year to burn Fern and Turfs upon them, and spread about the Ashes. Now it is by reason of a Lixivious salt in the Ashes, that the Lands are hereby improved.  
But this happens for the same reason as I said before, for the fixed salt of Vegetables that lies in the Ashes is very Porous, as I shall prove hereafter; and so does very well mix with the Spirits or Acid Salts of the Air, and turns easily into Saltpetre, as when the Spirit of Saltpetre mixed with an Alkali salt, makes a good Saltpetre.  
As for sea-salt, possibly it might happen, that if it were left in the Earth for some considerable time, 'twould impregnate with the Spirit of the Air, and so being at length Volatilised would render a place fertile. But because it is a very compact body, and its parts closely united, the Volatilizing of it would be a tedious business, and so the present requisite Fermentation failing, the place would remain barren too long to gratify our expectations.  
'Tis very likely that the Volatile or Nitrous salt meets in the Earth with some Sulphurous or fat matter, that is continually raised by the Subterranean heat toward the Surface of the Earth, and unites with it. This mixture of a Volatile salt and Sulphur together may much contribute towards explicating the manner of Vegetation; for just as the mixture of Sulphur and Salt-peter does excellently dispose to an Exaltation by heat, which will not happen while they are separated; so the Bituminous or fat part of the earth mixing with Saltpetre, which all Earth's have, the subterranean heat exalts them much more easily, than if the Salt were alone. And now let us see what happens from this Exaltation to the production of Plants.  
Some part of this Sulphurous salt, meeting with seed in the earth proper to grow, does enter into the seed, and cause a Fermentation, that is to say, suppling the parts of the seed, disposes it to open itself. Now 'tis very certain, and what has been sensibly demonstrated by Microscopes, that each grain of seed contains in little the whole Plant with all its parts. Wherefore this opening the body of the seed is by reason that the sulphurous salts entering at the pores of the Root of this small Plant, and by their Volatile quality insinuating all along the Fibres which constitute the Plant, do orderly display before us what was before but very confused in respect of us.  
These salts do never enter at the head of the Plant, and so descend to the Root, though often the Root of the Seed lies uppermost, and the head or stalk downwards, because the Pores of the stalk are not of such a Figure as is proper to receive them, whereas those of the Root have a proper contexture.  
The Volatility of these Salts does also cause the stalk, though seated downwards, to rise upwards, and follow their tendency, which is always up; and this is that which by extending and enlarging the Fibres of the Plant, makes it grow to that height which their nature requires.  
'Tis probable that this fat part of earth insinuating with the salt, as I have said, does make the Oil of a mixed body; for we find that those matters which help best to fertilise, are full of Volatile salt and Oil, as Dung, Urine, and Plants corrupted.  
'Tis fit to observe here, that the salt does act after another-guise manner than the Oil in hindering the Fermentation or corruption of the matter 'tis mixed with; for it does not only stop the pores, and hinder the air from entering, but fixes it likewise by its hooked parts, that it can neither have motion nor rarefaction, for which reason 'tis that Meat is salted in order to keep it sweet, and does thereby remain firm and compact for some time.  
Three kinds of salt are drawn from Vegetables, an Acid salt called Essential, a Volatile, and a Fixed salt. The first is like Saltpetre, and sometimes like Tartar, according as it contains more or less earth; this salt is drawn from the juice of the Plant, as I said before; for after expression and purifying this juice, 'tis set in a vessel in some cool place a few days without stirring, and the salt shoots into Crystals all about. This Acid salt may be said to be the true salt that was in the Plant, because the means that are used in drawing it are Natural, and such as cannot change its nature; but this can't be said of those others, because the violent fires that are used about them make impressions of another nature, and their effects are very different, so that the fire seems to alter and disguise them, as I shall show in the following discourse.  
The second salt, or the Volatile salt of Plants is usually drawn from seeds or fruits Fermenting. While it remains in the Vegetable, it differs from the Essential salt only in this, that being driven up higher by Spirits, it becomes more Volatile. The Fermentation that is caused in fruits by beating and bruising them, does very much assist in Volatilizing the salt; for it sets the particles at work, and disposes them for an easier separation; but it happens that in the great circulation, or continual motion this salt is in, it unites so strongly with the Oil that Fruits and Seeds are full of, that they can't be separated by Crystallizing the juice, as they can in drawing them from other parts of the Plant. We must therefore have recourse to the help of fire. The Fruit or seed which contains the Volatile salt, as I shall prove in its proper place, is Distilled by a Retort, and Water comes forth in the first place, than an Oil, and lastly a most keen ill scented Salt (that easily flies away) upon increasing the fire to purpose, is driven into the Receiver. Now 'tis plain that fire has changed, or else added some thing to this salt; for when 'twas in the Plant, it had no manner of smell like that it gets by distillation. But to show there's a strange Alteration in this salt, as soon as 'tis mixed with an Acid, there presently appears an Ebullition, or Effervescency, which remains until the Acid has throughly entered into the salt. Which circumstance does not happen to it in its Natural being, 'tis this Ebullition that gave it the name of a Volatile Alkali, to distinguish it from a Fixed Alkali, of which I shall speak hereafter. The Chemists will needs have this Volatile Alkali to be in the Plant, just the same as when it is drawn; that is to say, they make this a different species of salt, lying hid under the Acid, until it is laid open by the force of fire. But this opinion is founded on no credible experience, for Anatomize the Plant how you think fit, without using fire, and you shall never find any other but an Acid salt. Doubtless 'twill be said, that all other ways of diffecting Plants even into their salts, prove too weak without the assistance of this grand dissolvent fire. But if we consider impartially how fire acts, we shall be forced to acknowledge that it rather destroys, and confounds the greatest part of the bodies it opens, and does not leave them in the natural state they were in before, and especially when 'tis driven with that force which is necessary to draw this salt. So that I see no reason why the Species of things should be multiplied without necessity, by admitting many kinds of salts in Plants, and I conceive with much more probability, that the Volatile Alkali salt is a part of the Acid Essential salt I spoke of, which having been first disposed to a Volatile nature, and afterwards driven by the force of fire, draws along with it a portion of Empyreumatical Oil, that gives it such a disagreeable smell, and some terrestrious calcined matter, with which it is so strongly united, and which changes its nature, by breaking the Saline points, and rendering them Porous, so that any Acid liquor being cast upon it, enters into the Pores and violently divides the parts, whence follows the Effervescency. Perchance likewise this Calx or Calcined earth may have retained igneous particles, and so the edges of the Acid beginning to open the Pores of Salt, these little igneous bodies being in a violent motion do strike about, and break open all their small prisons, and from thence it may be, the violent Ebullition happens. Such as are prejudiced with the Sentiments of ancient Chemists, will relish very hardly this new Opinion of mine; but I am persuaded if any one will take the pains to examine the matter near at hand, and make some Experiments on the salts of Plants, he shall find my Discourse come near enough to truth.  
The last salt or the fixed salt of Plants remains united with the earthy part after Distillation of the other substances; the matter is taken out of the Retort, and calcined in an open fire, for to free it from the soot that blackens it; afterwards the salt is drawn by a Lixivium as I have shown before. This salt is called fixed, in comparison with others, because this can't sublime.  
The Chemists do assure us, but with little foundation for it, that in Terrestrial bodies, in Metals, Corals, Pearls, and generally in all bodies that Ferment with Acids, there is an hidden Alkali in them, which is one of the Principles of Fermentation, wherefore they give them the name of Alkalis; but because no manner of Salt can be drawn from them, to prove their Opinion, and they have no other rational Argument to persuade me, they must give me leave to think otherwise than they have done, and I conceive that the contrary to what they have established will serve me better to explicate the truth.  
Following therefore the Principle I have laid, I believe that those Terrestrial bodies are themselves Alkalis, rather than that the Ebullition of Acid and Alkali proceeds from a salt supposed to be contained in them; and further that the salts are never Alkalis till they have undergone the force of fire, and been reduced into a Calx. I have proved, speaking of the nature of Volatile salt, that the fire did very much change the substances of things; and as I have shown there is good reason to think there is but only one species of salt in Plants, and the Volatile salt is but a change wrought by fire, I shall proceed upon the same Principle, and affirm that there is no fixed Alkali salt in Plants, but that by Calcination the fire has fixed a part of the Acid Essential salt with the earthy part that has served to break the keenest of its points, and rendered them Porous, like a Calx. 'Tis by reason of these Pores that this kind of salt grows humid and melts so easily when exposed to the Air; and the Terrestrious parts do turn it into an Alkali, for if they were not mixed with it, 'twould continue still an Acid salt, and opposed to Alkali. But to clear up this point the better, we must consider as nicely as may be the nature of an Acid and an Alkali.  
Whenas the nature of a thing so obscure as that of salt, can't better be explicated, than by admitting to its parts such figures as are answerable to the effects it produces; I shall affirm, that the Acidity of any liquor does consist in keen particles of salts, in motion; and I hope no body will offer to dispute whether an Acid has points or no, seeing every one's experience does demonstrate it, they need but taste an Acid to be satisfied of it, for it pricks the tongue like any thing keen and finely cut; but a demonstrative and convincing proof that an Acid does consist of pointed parts is, that not only all Acid salts do Crystallize into edges, but all Dissolutions of different things, caused by acid liquors, do assume this figure in their Crystallization; these crystals consist of points differing both in length and bigness one from another, and this diversity must be attributed to the keener or blunter edges of the different sorts of Acids; and so likewise this difference of the points in subtlety is the cause that one acid can penetrate and dissolve well one sort of mixed, that another can't rarify at all: thus Vinegar dissolves Led, which aqua fortis can't: Aqua fortis dissolves Quicksilver, which Vinegar will not touch; Aqua Regalis dissolves Gold, whenas Aqua fortis can't meddle with it; on the contrary Aqua fortis dissolves Silver, but can do nothing with Gold, and so the rest.  
As for Alkalis, they are soon known by pouring an Acid upon them, for presently, or soon after, there rises a violent Ebullition, which remains until the Acid finds no more bodies to rarify. This effect may make us reasonably conjecture that an Alkali is a terrestrial and solid matter, whose pores are figured after such a manner that the Acid points entering into them do strike at and divide whatsoever opposes their motion, and according as the parts of which the Alkali is compounded, are more or less solid, the Acids finding more or less resistance, do cause a stronger or weaker Ebullition. So we see the Effervescency that happens in the dissolution of Coral is very much milder than that in the dissolution of Silver.  
There are as many different Alkalis, as there are bodies that have different pores, and this is the reason why an Acid will Ferment one strongly, and another not at all; for there must be a due proportion between the Acid points, and the Pores of the Alkali.  
The nature of Alkali's being thus established, there will be no need of flying to an imaginary salt in Plants for explication of the Effervescency; and 'twill be easily conceived that if an Alkali salt is full of a terrestrial matter that renders it porous like other Alkalis, it must cause an Ebullition. That which I said, speaking of Volatile salts, may here be added, that the Igneous particles breaking out through the Pores of the Alkali salt, where they became imprisoned in the Calcination, do much contribute to the raising this Effervescency. And really when the Acid Spirit of Vitriol, or Aquafortis is cast upon an Alkali salt, there happens as strong an Ebullition, as when this liquor is fling into the fire.  
The Fermentation that happens to Dow, to New Wine, and such like things differs from that I now spoke of, in that it is more gentle, and slow; this is caused by the Acid Natural salt contained in them, which expanding and exalting itself by its motion, does rarify and raise up the grosser and sulphurous part that endeavours to allay its motion, from whence it comes that the matter swells up.  
The reason why an Acid does not make Sulphurous things Ferment, with so much noise and suddenness as Alkalis, is, because that Oils consist of pliant parts that yield and make no resistance to the points of Acids, as a piece of Wool or Cotton will yield and give way to needles that are thrust into it. Thus methinks two sorts of Fermentations may be admitted of, the one of an Acid with an Alkali, which may be called Ebullition, and the other, when an Acid does by little and little rarify some softish matter, as Dow, or clear and Sulphurous, as Must, Cider, and all other juices of Plants. This last sort may rather be called Fermentation.  
'Tis further remarkable that the Acid and Alkali do so destroy one another in their conflict, that when as much Acid has been by degrees poured as is necessary to penetrate the Alkali in all its parts, it is then no more an Alkali, nor can it be so again, though you wash it to carry off the Acid, because it has no longer that disposition of Pores which is requisite in an alkali; and the Acid breaks and loses its points in the contest especially when the alkali is pretty compact and solid; so that if you would recover your Acid again, you'll find it has in a manner lost all its acidity, and retains only a sharpness. But the Sulphur or Oil consisting of supple yielding parts does only receive some Acid impression, and no such close union, so that it can be drawn from Sulphureous bodies much the same as when it was mixed.  
The Salt of Animals does differ but little from the Volatile salt of Seeds and Fruits, both which are drawn in a Retort; they have the same kind of smell, taste, and other virtues. The Volatile salt of animals keeps dry a longer time than the others, because it carries away with it more fixed salt than those others. As for fixed salt, animals do yield but a very little of it, and in some animals you shall find none at all; it is drawn as the fixed salt of Plants; they are both alkalis.  
There is no salt that can be called alkali, to be found in the parts, or humours of animals, until they have passed the fire; a Saline serosity may be observed in them, but that salt is acid; and it proceeds doubtless from the Aliments that are taken for nourishment. Now as I have shown that there is only an acid salt in Earth's and Vegetables, so I may say the same of Animals, and the rather because no other kind of salt can be found in them in their Natural state; the alkali salts that are drawn from them, are only several mutations of an Acid salt, made by fire, which mingles with them earthy particles after the manner I have spoken of treating of the Alkalis of Plants. But it is observable, that whereas there is a greater proportion of Spirits in Animals than Seeds, these Spirits do serve to exalt all the Salt; which is the reason that less fixed salt is to be found in Animals than Plants.  
As for what many do say that Choler causes an Effervescency like an alkali, when an acid is cast upon it, 'tis a mistake through want of right Observation, for no Ebullition at all happens for some time. Nevertheless I will not say, that an Acid produces no Fermentation in Choler, Blood, and other parts of the body, for it does very often really do that; but that is no more than uses to be done in New Wine, Beer, and other liquors of the like nature. I have already explicated this sort of Fermentation.  
We should not omit speaking of the Coagulation that's made in Milk after a Fermentation caused either by Heat, or some Acid put into it.  
Methinks here is no need at all of supposing an Alkali salt, that ferments with the Acid of this liquor, as many suppose for explicating this Effect, since if we consider but the natural composition of Milk, we shall find nothing but a Creamy substance swimming on the Serum, and mixed only superficially with it, by the intermixture of some salt; so that it is in a fitting state of separation, as soon as the salt gains a little more motion than it had, whether it be by Fermentation, or by increasing its activity by an acid of its own nature. Thus when the Heat of the Summer, or fire has stirred up the acid that is in the Milk, or else some acid is poured into it, the edges of the acid do cut and divide the Creamy part, to gain a free motion in the Serum, and separate into Curd all the Butter and Cheese. Now there's no strangeness in the Precipitation of the Curd, especially when an acid has been poured upon the Milk, for besides the weight it gains by thickening, some part of the acids do mix with it, and increase its weight; for according as the acid that was mingled is stronger or weaker, the Curd does Precipitate more or less.  
Perhaps some will say, for as much as acid is always the cause of Coagulation in Milk, there's no great likelihood that a salt of the same nature should be the instrument of uniting the several parts of Milk.  
But it must be considered, that although there is an acid in Milk (as no body can doubt, seeing it sours of itself, when stolen) this acid is as it were tied up in the ramous parts of the Oil, so that there it loses all its motion and can't come to action but by rarifying the Oil, and making it fit to mix with the serous part; 'tis the due proportion of this salt, Oil, and serum, that makes the Butter and Cheesy part of Milk.  
Now I hope I have said enough to establish what I have affirmed, that there's no salt in nature besides the acid, out of which all other salts are made, and that the Alkali salt has no Natural existence in mixed bodies. My discourse will be the better conceived of, speaking of the Operations of Chemistry, and you'll find that by this Principle, which I may call the most Natural and disengaged of all that have been laid till now, I shall be able to give account of many Phaenomena's that have never been explicated by common Principles.   

Add to Pag. 19 lin. 1. Of Minerals.  
Whatsoever is found Petrified in the Earth, or on its surface, is called Mineral.  
Petrification is made by a Coagulation of acid or salt spirits, that are found in the pores of the Earth.  
This Petrification differs according to the divers dispositions, or different nature of the Earth, and according to the time that Nature uses in its perfection.  
The growth of Minerals proceeds from an accumulation, or from several veins of congealed Waters, that do as it were glue together, and these veins are the cause that all the adjacent parts have their Sinus, and meetings a travers one another, and not running directly downwards.  
These Sinus, like so many joints, are of great help to Labourers to cut in the Quarries; for by those cavities the stones are in great measure separated beforehand, whereas 'twould be extreme hard working them out, if nature had not so concurred.  
The growth of Minerals is very different from that of Vegetables, and Animals; for whereas the former does happen through an agglutination of congealed waters, as I have said; the latter is performed by means of juices that insinuate and spread in the vessels and fibres, that Animals and Plants do consist of.  
Metals do differ from Minerals in being malleable, which the others are not.  
They are counted seven, Gold, Sylver, Iron, Tinn, Copper, Led, and Quicksylver, this last is not malleable of itself, but is so mingled with the others; but because this is thought to be the Seed of Metals, 'tis numbered with the rest.  
Astrologers have conceited that there was so great an affinity and correspondence between the Seven Metals before named, and the seven Planets, that nothing happened to the one, but the other shared in it; they made this correspondence to happen through an infinite number of little bodies that passed to and from each of them; and they suppose these corpuscles to be so figured that they can easily pass through the pores of the Planet and Metal they represent, but cannot enter into other bodies because their pores are not figured properly to receive them; or else if they do chance to get admittance into other bodies, they can't fix and stay there to contribute any nourishment; for they do imagine that the Metal is nourished and perfected by the Influence that comes from its Planet, and so the Planet again the same from the Metal.  
For these reasons they have given these seven Metals the name of the seven Planets, each accordingly as they are governed: and so have called Gold the Sun, Sylver the Moon, Iron Mars, Quicksylver Mercury, Tinn Jupiter, Copper Venus, and Led Saturn.  
They have likewise fancied that each of these Planets has his day apart to distribute liberally his Influence on our Hemisphere; and so they tell us that if we work upon Sylver on Monday, Iron on Tuesday, and so of the rest, we shall attain our end much better than on other days.  
Again they have taught us that the seven Planets do every one govern some particular principal part of our bodies; and because the Metals do represent the Planets, they must needs be mighty specific in curing the distempers of those parts, and keeping them in good plight. Thus they have assigned the Heart to Gold, the Head to Sylver, the Liver to Iron, the Lungs to Tinn, the Reins to Copper, and the Spleen to Led.  
Thus you see in short what some of the soberest Astrologers do fancy concerning Metals, and they draw consequences from hence, which 'twould be too long here to relate. I have told you what the soberest among them say; for nothing can be so absurd as what some of them would have us believe.  
'Tis no hard matter to disprove these conceits, and show how groundless they are; for no body ever yet got near enough to the Planets, to satisfy himself whether they are really of the same nature with Metals, or whether any Effluviums of bodies do fall from them to us.  
Nevertheless some can conceit that these things are proved by Experience; but in truth there's nothing to confirm their Opinion, and we find it every day plain enough, that the Faculties and Virtues are utterly false, which they do attribute to the Planets and Metals; the Metals indeed are of good use in Physic, and excellent Remedies may be drawn from them; but their effects may better be explicated by Causes near at hand than the Stars.   

Add to Pag. 19 Lin. 10. Gold is found in Mines in several places, both in Europe, and other parts of the World; it is usually attended with Water and very hard stones, such as are extreme hard to dig; there are likewise several stones that contain particles of Gold, such as are called Golden Marcassites, the Lapis Lazuli, and Lapis Armenus.  
Covetousness that has always prevailed on the minds of men, has not forborn to possess the Chemists in hopes to make Gold; they have conceited that the production of Gold was the End that Nature always aims at in all her Mines, and that she's hindered in her design, as oft as she produces other Metals which are called Imperfect.  
And upon this fancy they have spared no time, nor pains, nor cost, in exalting and perfecting these other Metals, and turning them into Gold; this is that which they call the Grand Operation of all, or the search after the Pholosphers stone.  
Some of them to compass their End do make a mixture of Gold with such other matters as serve to purify them from their grosser parts, and work their Preparations with great fires, others do put them a Digesting in Spirituous liquors, in imitation of Nature that always uses a gentle Heat in her Operations, and so do reduce them into a state of Corruption, to draw thereby their Mercury, which they think to have the aptest disposition to turn into Gold. Others again do search after the seed of Gold, in Gold itself, and these make no doubt to find it there, as the seed of a Vegetable is more likely to be found in the Vegetable itself than otherwhere; in order to this they open the body of Gold by proper Dissolvents, than set it a digesting either by a Lamp-fire, or the heat of the Sun, or that of Dung, or some other degree of Fire, to be kept all along at an equal height, and such as is nearest to a Natural heat, and this to draw out the Mercury of Gold; for they are persuaded that if they could once obtain this same Mercury, sowing it in the Earth, it would bring forth Gold, as certainly as a seed does a Plant.  
Another sort of these men do take wonderful pains to find out the seed of Gold in Minerals, as in Antimony for example, thinking there's a sulphur and Mercury in it as like to those in Gold as can be. Others hope to find it out in Vegetables, and things that come from them, as in Honey, Manna, Sugar, Wine, Rosa solis, Rosemary, spleenwort. And others are hot after it in Animals, and in their Gums, Blood, Urin. But the most Curious and delicate of all, who think all the rest but Fools in comparison with them, do hunt after the seed of Gold in the Sun, and in the Dew; for the wisdom of Astrologers has found out that the Sun is a Body all of Gold melted in the Centre of the World, and Coppeled by the fire of the stars that environ it about, nay they dare affirm that this same Gold when it was a purifying did sparkle as Gold does in the Coppel.  
I should never make an end of this subject, if I should speak of the labours, and pains, watch, vexations and frettings, and especially the cost these unfortunate men do plunge themselves into, in following their several fancies; they are so extremely prepossessed with the conceit of becoming Rich all of a sudden, that they are altogether uncapable of any sober admonition, and they shut their ears to any thing than can be said to disabuse them; so that all other Philosophers, that are not besotted with their fantastical opinions, are by them thought and called Profane, reserving to themselves the name of the only True Philosophers, or Philosopher's paramount.  
But the saddest consideration of all is, to see a great many of them, who have spent all the flower of their years, in this desperate concern, in which nevertheless they pertinaciously run on, and consume all they have, at last instead of recompense for their miserable fatigues, reduced to the lowest degree of Poverty. Penotus will serve us for an instance of this nature, among thousands of others, he died a hundred years old wanting but two, in the Hospital of Yverdon in Switzerland, and he used to say before he died, having spent his whole life in vainly searching after the Philosopher's stone, that if he had a mortal Enemy he did not dare to encounter openly, he would advise him above all things to give up himself to the Study and Practice of Alchemy.  
Though I deny not absolutely, that some certain Artist, by a particular method, might have got the way of making Gold heretofore, nor that some body may be as lucky in time to come; yet there is more appearance of Impossibility than Possibility in the case, because of the small knowledge that any of us have of the Natural Composition of this Mixed; for seeing that Gold as well as Sylver is drawn from Mines environed with Waters, it is very probable that these Waters do bring along with them some Saline Principles that congeal and incorporate in Earth's of a particular composition, and whose Pores are disposed in such a manner as 'tis impossible for Art to imitate. Nevertheless in order to make Gold, a perfect knowledge of the Salts that the Waters of the Mines do convey, is very requisite, as well as the disposition of the Matrices or Earth's in which they do congeal. Thus we see that working after Gold is working in the dark, and Alchemy seems very well defined by one thus: Ars sine arte, cujus principium mentiri, medium laborare, & finis mendicare, an Art without any Art, whose beginning is Lying, middle is nothing but Labour, and whose end is Beggary.  
Gold taken inwardly is thought to be a most potent Cordial, because Astrologers tell us it receives its Influence from the Sun, which is as it were the Heart of the World, and by the communication of those Influences to the Heart, it serves to fortify and cleanse it from all impurities; upon which ground a great many Operations have been invented in order to open this Metal, and separate its Sulphur from its Salt. Moreover this Operation by way of bravery is called Aurum Potabile, because this Salt or this Sulphur dissolving in a Liquor, can be taken by way of Potion: And because this Aurum Potabile can be thought to be distributed into all parts of the body, they fancy it can drive out every thing that interrupts the Functions of Nature, that it can free him that takes it from all fear of any Diseases for a long time, and can prolong life.  
But this Opinion is built upon a weak foundation, and Experience does not confirm any of these great effects; for what assurance can one have or what Evidence is there, that the Sun is such a great friend of Gold, or that it bestows more Influences on it, than other mixed bodies; 'tis a thing that can never be proved, and we see that the Sun casts it light and heat in general upon all bodies, without making any difference. Who can understand, that the Pores of Gold are so disposed, as to have a greater facility of retaining the Sun's Influences, than other Metals or things? This will be full as hard to prove as the other.  
But though we should grant the Astrologers this supposition concerning the Sun's Influence on Gold, the consequence they draw from it, that therefore it Fortifies the Heart, would be ne'er a whit the truer; for all that we are able to apprehend in Gold is, that it is a most compact and weighty body, the union of whose Principles is extraordinary close; which is proved from hence, that no Art can instruct us to dissolve it Radically, so as to separate its salt, and its sulphur. This Gold being beaten into the thinnest Leaves that can be imagined, and taken inwardly receives not the least change in our bodies, and is voided the very same it was before, excepting when Quicksylver has been taken beforehand, for it unites with that, as I have said.  
Wherefore we must conclude, that if Gold has received more Influence from the Sun than other Metals, yet it is never the fit to dissolve in our Bodies, nor to produce those rare effects that are talked of.  
I know that stories are told to prove, that Gold does communicate virtue to the bodies of those who have taken it, and that it loses in the body some of its quantity; and among other stories 'tis said, that several persons, who had fed upon Capons, nourished with a Paste made of a mixture of Vipers and Gold together, have been cured that way of several Diseases; but there's a great deal more reason to attribute this effect rather to the Vipers than Gold; for we know by experience that Vipers taken inwardly without any thing else, do use to produce divers sensible effects, whereas we observe none at all in Gold, when 'tis given alone.  
As for the Loss of Gold in bodies, they prove it by their gathering together all the Excrements of those Capons, and Calcining them, for they could obtain again but the fourth part of the Gold that was used in the Paste the Capons had fed upon. But this proof is as weak as the former; for the Excrements of the Capons being full of a Volatile Salt, that Salt may have Volatilised and carried away the greatest part of the Gold during the Calcination, after the same manner as we see several Volatile liquors to sublime Gold. I know well enough by my own Experience, that there are such Volatiles as are able to carry away Gold; for having one day mixed three ounces of Gold with about three pounds of matter consisting of divers Volatile Ingredients; I put the mixture about a month afterwards into the Coppell, and the Gold appeared very resplendent in the middle of the mixture; but blowing, as we use to do, in its purification, I was astonished to see it Exalt away by little and little into the air, until there was not a grain of it left.  
Thus no body can be assured that Gold did nourish those Capons; but besides, though some of it should be dissolved in the body, as it does in Aqua Regalis, which is very hard to conceive; though some of it should exalt, nay though some should plainly glitter in the Chyle, here's no proof nevertheless that it produces such wonderful effects.  
Now although I have asserted that Gold taken alone does not receive any change as for health, yet I value very much several preparations of Gold made with Spirits; for 'tis these Spirits that give certain determinations to Gold according to their nature, and make it operate as it does. When I speak of Aurum Fulminans, I shall give an instance of what I now say.   

Add to Pag. 29. The last line of the Remarks upon Aurum Fulminans.  
We need not fear lest Aurum Fulminans taken inwardly, and heated by the stomach, should cause such a Detonation there, as it does when set over the fire in a spoon; for so much the more moisture as comes to it, so much the less noise does it make. Now it can't be questioned, but there is liquidity enough in the stomach, besides the liquid vehicle 'tis usually given in. There is no need then of calling in the acids of the stomach, as some do, to unite with the salts of Aurum Fulminans, and drive them out of the body of this Metal: for besides that the most clear and disinterested Explications and such as fall most under our sense, ought always to be preferred, 'twould be too hard a matter to maintain that; 'tis true if you wet Aurum Fulminans with the spirit of Vitriol, or Salt, or Sulphur, the Fulmination is thereby hindered, but this happens from the acids fixing by their weight the Volatility of those Salts that remain in the Pores of the Gold.  
In the Chapter of Gold I could reckon up several other Preparations that have been invented, but because they are out of use, I shall not swell this Book with an account of them.   

Add to pag. 51. Remarks upon the Magistery of Bismuth.  
You must use a large Bolt-head to dissolve the Bismuth in, because the great Ebullition that happens, as soon as Spirit of Niter is cast upon it, requires room to move in. You must likewise have a care, as much as you can, of receiving the Vapours at your Nose or Mouth, for they are very offensive to the breast.  
This quick and violent Ebullition proceeds from the acids quick penetration of the large pores of Bismuth as soon as thrown upon it, and the acid violently divides all that opposes its motion. It happens also that the Bolt-head grows so hot, that one can't endure one's hand upon it, because the points of the Menstruum do chafe against the solid body of Bismuth with such force, that you may observe from thence much the same heat, as when two solid bodies are rubbed against one another. Add to this, that the great store of igneous particles contained in Spirit of Niter, may much increase this heat.  
If the Dissolution becomes turbid through some impurities in the Bismuth, you must pour into it about twice as much Water and filter it; for if you should go to filter it without Water, it would coagulate like salt in the Filter, and not pass through. This Coagulation proceeds from the acid spirits of Niter that are included in the particles, of Bismuth, which finding too little liquor to swim in and disperse, do gather together into Crystals, when the dissolution is cold.  
This Magistery may be made by pouring in great quantity of Fountain water without any salt, into the dissolution, but it is made the quicker, when you use salt, and the Precipitation is the better because salt does encounter and break some of the acids that water alone was not able to weaken sufficiently.  
Now some difficulty appears here in conceiving how plain water alone comes to precipitate Bismuth, Led, Antimony, which the acid had dissolved, and yet can do nothing at all to the Precipitating Gold, Sylver, or Mercury, without the assistance of some salt or other body; I do imagine that the former having large Pores, Acids can stick so close in them that water may force them out; but Gold, Silver, and Mercury, having finer Pores in comparison than the other, do retain acids so very closely that the weak impulses of water alone can make no separation; some more active body is requisite to do it.  
The Augmentation which happens to Bismuth when made into a Magistery, does come from some part of Spirit of Niter that remains still in it, notwithstanding the Precipitation and Lotion.   

Add to pag. 52. Chap. Of Lead.  
Lead serves to Purify Gold and Sylver, and may be said to act in the Coppell, much after the same manner as the white of an Egg does in Clarifying a Syrup; that's boiled in a Basin; for as the gross and terrestrious impurities of a Syrup do stick to the white of an Egg by reason of its glutinous nature, and are driven to the sides of the Basin in the stirring, so do the Hetèrogeneous parts that were mixed with Gold and Sylver, stick unto the Lead, and by the fire are driven to the sides of the Coppell like unto a Scum.  

Add to pag. 53. Remarks upon Calcination of Lead.  
There happens an observation in the Calcination of Lead, as well as several other things, which very well deserves some reflection. 'Tis that although the Sulphurous or Volatile parts of Lead fly away in the Calcination, which loss should indeed make it weigh the less, nevertheless after a long Calcining 'tis found, that instead of losing it increases in weight.  
Some trying to explicate this Phaenomenon do say, that as long as the violence of the flame does open and divide the parts of the Calx of Lead, the acid of the Wood or other matter that burns, does insinuate into the pores of this Calx, where 'tis stopped or fixed by the Alkali; but this reason will not hold, when 'tis considered that this Augmentation comes to pass as well when Lead is Calcined with Coals as Wood, for Coals contain only a fixed Salt that rises not at all.  
'Tis better therefore to refer this effect to the disposition of the pores of Lead in such a manner, that part of the fire insinuating into them does there remain embodied, and can't get forth again, whence the weight comes to be increased.  
If you would revive this Calx of Lead by way of Fusion, its parts do squeeze and express the igneous particles that were enclosed, and the Lead does thereby weigh less than it did when reduced into a Calx, for by this means the Sulphureous parts are separated and lost.   

Add to pag. 60. Remarks upon the Burning Spirit of Saturn.  
If you use six ounces of Salt of Saturn in your Distillation, you'll draw an Ounce and six drachms of liquor, and there will remain in the Retort six ounces and six drachms of a blackish and yellow matter; and if you put this matter into a Crucible, setting it in the fire, 'twill melt, and you'll regain four ounces of Lead, and half an ounce, or it may be six drachms of a yellow earth coloured like lethargy of Gold.  
'Tis evident from this Operation that an ounce and six drachms of the more Acid parts of Vinegar are sufficient to impregnate four ounces and two drachms of Lead, to reduce it into Salt; but the strangest thing that happens to it, is the great change that Acids do give it, insomuch that 'tis not to be known again in the least.  
The Augmentation that the Led in the Retort does here receive, is as plain as may be; for six drachms are taken out of it at last, more than were put in of Salt of Saturn, besides an ounce and six drachms of liquor that were drawn out. So that we must necessarily conclude, that the four ounces and two drachms of Lead are grown increased two ounces and an half.  
'Tis probable enough that the more rarified the Lead becomes, the more capable 'twill be of igneous particles; for although the Salt of Saturn is not suffered to remain long in the fire, yet the Lead increases apace. Possibly it may be that as fast as the Acids go out of it, igneous bodies enter in their place, and open likewise the Pores of Lead by their nimble motion; but these Pores must needs be so disposed as to shut again like valvules, and hinder the return back of those fiery parts.  
When this Calx is Calcined in an open fire in a Crucible, without stirring it, the parts of Lead close together and expel the fiery particles, so that the Lead revives as it was before, and recovers its Natural gravity.  
The matter when shut up in the Retort would never be able to revive, let the fire be made never so strong, because the igneous particles would find no liberty to get out.  
The Yellow earth that's found in the Crucible seems to be of a Golden colour, 'tis a terrestrious and bituminous impurity that the Lead is separated from. There should be indeed but two drachms of it, because four ounces of Lead are drawn off, wherefore the Augmentation must needs be from the fiery parts that remained in it as in a Calx.    

Add to pag. 61. Chap. 6. lin. 7. Of Copper.  
Because Copper contains in it a Corrosive quality, I would advise no body to use it inwardly.  
Copper takes Rust very easily, for if you leave but a drop of Water some hours upon a piece of it, it creates a Verdegrease. Have a care of drinking water, that has lain in Copper vessels, for it always dissolves some portion of it, which appears easily from the taste it leaves in it.  
'Twill not be altogether amiss to make mention here of an effect that is no less strange than usual. 'Tis that Water or any other liquor that's heated or boiled in a Copper vessel for a whole day together, savours not at all, or not so much of the Copper, provided 'tis not removed off the fire all the time, as other Water warmed in a like vessel, and put from the fire but an hour; for whereas water alone can dissolve something of the Copper, it would seem that being aided with the heat of the fire, it should partake of its nature the more easily. Now in my opinion this is the most rational explication that can be given of this matter.  
Every body may perceive that when the water gins to heat in a Basin or other Copper vessel, that's set over the fire, little Atoms do rise at bottom like the stirring of a powder, and these Atoms do increase according as the water receives more heat, so that at length they make it boil a high; these little Atoms can have no other cause than the fiery particles, which passing through the Basin, do drive the water upwards apace, and rarify its parts; for this reason 'tis that the water is not able to dissolve any of the Copper, for being continually raised upwards, it can make no impression upon the bottom of the Basin.  
Perhaps some will tell me, the liquor might take the impression of the Copper, at the sides of the Basin; but it is easy to imagine that though there don't pass through the sides so many fiery particles as do at the bottom, there do pass nevertheless enough to hinder the liquor from sticking to or dissolving any particles of the vessel.  
But now on the contrary the Basin being removed from off the fire, and the motion of the igneous particles being quite ceased, the liquor impregnates of the Coppery nature with ease, nay and so much the more easily as the fire has rarified the metal, and rendered it the more proper for dissolution.  
Every thing seems to confirm this Opinion, for if any liquor is put boiling over a strong fire in a Copper vessel, 'twill not impregnate in the least, but if you place it upon a small fire, and leave it so for some time, then because there will not pass enough fiery particles, to cover all the surface of the vessel, and raise up the liquor, 'twill take some taste of Copper; but this taste will not be so strong as if you had left it the same length of time in such a vessel off the fire, after it had been warmed.  
Liquors that are full of Salts do take the impression of Copper much more easily than those that are not. Thus Confectioners do take notice of what I have mentioned; for though they boil their Confections in vessels of Copper for a considerable time, they find 'em taste nothing of the Copper, but they know that if they should leave them but half an hour in the vessel taken off the fire, they would be tainted with a most loathsome Copper taste.  
We may learn from this Discourse, not to use a Copper vessel, when we have a mind to boil or heat a liquor gently, and when we do think fit to use it, to be sure to keep a good brisk fire underneath, and not to let what we have boiled, cool afterwards in a vessel of this nature.  
Another difficulty does here offer itself on this subject, and it is to know why a Kettle that has been taken off the fire, is not so hot at bottom as at the sides, so that assoon as 'tis removed from off the fire, one may touch it at bottom without burning one's finger, which can't the done at the sides without present scalding.  
The reason of which is, that the fiery particles tending upwards through the bottom of the kettle, which is flat, in a direct line, don't make any stop in passing through, having but a little distance to conquer before they come into the liquor; but those that rise on the sides, finding a longer space to make upon the kettle, do many of them stop in the pores of the Copper.  
'Tis not the same thing in Kettles that are made in another form, whose bottom is Globular, because the fiery particles rising up in an indirect line, do find more to do to pass it through, than in a flat bottom, and so by consequence more of them do stop in the vessel itself.  
Yellow Copper is a mixture of Lapis Calaminaris and Copper, and vessels that are made of it give less impression to liquors than the others.   

Add to pag. 68 lin. 6. Chap. Of Iron.  
Iron is found in many Mines in Europe, in form of a Stone or Marcassite, which much resembles the Loadstone, but this last is more heavy and brittle than Iron. The Loadstone is also found in Mines of Iron, and may be reduced into Iron by a strong fire. Iron for its part does easily acquire the virtue of the Loadstone, as every body knows, so that these bodies do seem to differ only in the figure of their Pores, as has been very well observed by our Modern Philosophers.  
Iron in the stone is melted in large Furnaces made on purpose, both to purify it from some earth, and to bring it into the Form we desire. Having continued some time in Fusion, it Vitrifies as it were, and much resembles an Email of several colours; and it enters indeed into the composition of ordinary Emails, with Lead, Tinn, Antimony, Sand, the Saphire, the Stone of Perigord, (a Province in France) Gravelled ashes, and the ashes of a Plant called Kali. Although Mars does contain an Acid Vitriolic Salt, yet it ceases not being an Alkali, for it ferments with Acids; and no body needs wonder at this effect, when they consider there is more Earth than Salt in this Metal, and this Earth confining this Salt within it, retains Pores enough to receive the Points of Acids when thrown upon it, and so do the office of an Alkali; for as I have said speaking of the Principles, it is sufficient for a body to be called an Alkali, if it has its Pores so disposed as that the Acids may be able through their motion violently to divide whatsoever stands in their way.  
Mars is almost always Astringent by Stool, by reason of its Terrestrious parts, and Aperitive by Urine, not only by reason of its piercing Salt, but also because when the body is bound, the humidities do more easily filter by way of Urine.   

Add to pag. 70. The last line of the Remarks upon Opening Saffron of Mars.  
Seeing some persons have pleased to contradict the Remarks I have made upon the Effects of Mars, and particularly concerning the preference I have given Iron to Steel for Physical uses, I have thought it not convenient to end this Chapter, before I have laid down and Answered all their Objections.  
First then they say, that because the different substances of Mars cannot be separated, as those of Animals and Vegetables can, 'tis in vain an Aperitive virtue is attributed to its Salt.  
Answer. I grant all the substances of Mars can't be separated so easily as those of Animals and Vegetables; but because we find Salts to be Aperitive, and commonly Remedies that are so, are full of Salts, and that water in which Rust of Iron has steeped for some time, is proper to open by way of Urine, it seems to me rational enough to attribute this effect of Mars principally to its Salt; for if the water has carried off any taste or penetrating quality from Iron, there's nothing at all in Mars that is able to contribute such a virtue to it, besides the Salt therein dissolved.  
Secondly, they say, the Earth and Salt of Mars being united and in a manner inseparable, cannot act but by consent of both, and receive together jointly the good or bad impressions, that may happen to them.  
I Answer, there's no reason to think the Salt of Mars absolutely inseparable from the Earth, for the water in which this Metal has steeped or boiled, after Filtration does contain a Vitriolic taste, and Aperitive quality. Now 'tis the effect of Salt to dissolve imperceptibly in Water and drive by Urine, as I have said; but if any body would take the pains to steep and boil gently the rust of Iron a good while in water, than Filter it, and so Evaporate the liquor over a small fire to a Pellicule, he'll by Crystallization or by an entire evaporation of the humidity, gain a small quantity of Salt; and 'tis probable enough there was much more in the water, as may be collected from the strong taste it had of Mars, but it being of a pretty Volatile nature, if fumed away in the Evaporation. I do not say nevertheless that the close connexion of Earth with the Salt of Mars is altogether unuseful for this effect; on the contrary, I do conceive that this Earth rendering the Salt more heavy than otherwise it would be, does help to drive it forwards, and causes the Mars sometimes to penetrate as much by its gravity as by its Salt; but we must attribute the principal virtue to the Vehicle which is Salt, since without that, the Earth would be a dead matter, and would have no more action than other Earth's bereft of their Salts.  
Thirdly, They object, we must not think the hardness of the parts of Steel above Iron, whose Pores are more open, does render it less proper for all sorts of Preparations, seeing Spirit of Vitriol, and many other Acids are found to dissolve with the same ease both Iron and Steel.  
I Answer, that if Corrosive Spirits do dissolve Steel, they can dissolve Iron more easily; and whereas a smaller quantity of them can operate upon Iron than Steel, a better effect does thence follow.  
Fourthly, 'Tis objected that the solidity of Steel may be an advantageous circumstance to it, for the better fixing the dissolving Juices that are in the stomach, and that for Metals the pure are to be chosen before those that are not so.  
I Answer, that instead of the solidity of Steels being helpful to the stomach, 'tis certainly of great prejudice to it, as well as to those other parts 'tis distributed into; for the juices that are found in the stomach being but weak dissolvents, are not able to penetrate nor rarify this metal, if it is too hard; so that they leave it crude and indigest, heavy and incommodious to this part: Wherefore it passes away by Stool, without any good effect, as often happens. But now if a little of this Steel does happen to pass along with the Chyle, it rather causes than takes away Obstructions, for by insinuating into small vessels, it stops in the narrow passages, and causes grievous pains.  
For what is said concerning the Purity of metals, it is of great use to Tradesmen, for they by Purifying metals from their more rarified and Volatile parts, do make them the less Porous, and so the less liable to suffer prejudice from the Air or time. Thus Steel is much fit for Utensils than Iron, because its Pores are closer laid together, and it takes not rust so soon as Iron; but in Remedies 'tis not the same thing, for those metals that are more Rarified, and are easilier dissolved in the Body, are such as we find best effects from, for the reason I have given. So that what Workmen call Purity, is often but an impurity in Remedies.  
Fifthly, They say, if one would hope to find a distinct Salt in Mars, 'twould be more likely to find it in that which is Purified, than in the Faeces which are separated from it, and which are indeed but the Impurities of Iron, that Steel is made of.  
I Answer, there would be some reason to think that Salt might be more easily found in Steel than Iron, if in the making of Steel, Iron were simply Calcined, without adding Nails and Horns of Animals in the Calcination; for than it might be said that the Sulphur of Iron being in part evaporated, its salt would be the more Soluble: but we must consider that the Volatile Salts which come from these parts of Animals, being piercing Alkalis, do destroy the Acid salts of Iron, and do thereby render the Steel more compact, and unfit to take rust, because the salts which by their motion did rarify the metal, are fixed, and as it were mortified, and have not the capaciay of acting as they did. This is the reason why a Plate of Steel that has infused in Water will not give so great Impression to it, as a Plate of Iron Calcined, of the same weight, infusing the same time, will do.  
Another thing remarkable in the Calcination of Iron to turn it into Steel, is that it is thereby deprived of its more Volatile salt, which should have most effect with it, in hopes to free it from Impurities, and that which is called the Scories, is the better part of Iron that has been rarified by its salt. Thus for the same reason that some are pleased to call the rust of Iron its dross, the whole metal may deserve the same appellation, all of it being capable of rusting, if it is but laid in the open air.   

Add to pag. 92. To the end of the Remarks upon Reviving Cinnabar into Quicksylver.  
I could attribute the invention of this discourse to myself, being the very first that thus treated of this matter in France, and maintained it in public meetings; but I am not possessed with that vanity of Authors, I leave it to those that love it: I had no affectation to make a Book on purpose concerning it, but have only mentioned it as a thing incident to the Subject I treated of. I shall only say by the by, that those who make pretence of first finding it out, have happened to make their complaints a little too late, having Printed their Book a year after mine, and three years after I held a Public Discourse of it at Monsieur Launay's, not to speak of what I taught a long time before in the first Courses of Chemistry that I shown.  
Those who desire to be further instructed upon this Subject may read Monsieur Blegny's Book Treating of Venereal distempers. 'Twas Translated into English 3 or 4 years ago, and Printed for Mr. Burrel the Bookseller under S. Dunstan's Church.  
Some thinking to invalidate what I established in the first Edition of my Book, do say that mercury cannot be absolutely called an alkali, because the alkali that is in mercury is but one part of its Composition, and is not to be separated from its other parts.  
To Answer this difficulty you need but only read in the Remarks that I have made upon the Principles, how it is I do explicate the nature of an Alkali, and you'll find that although the name Alkali comes from the Salt of a Plant called Kali, that is, soapwort, yet all bodies that cause a sudden Effervescency with Acids are called Alkalis, without any need of their containing any Alkali salt within. So that I have no occasion to enlarge this Book without reason, by Answering all the little Objections that have been made to me upon the supposition of Mercury's being a pure Alkali. 'Tis likely enough that those who have raised them, have not read with Attention what I have said in my Remarks upon Mercury. For there are Solutions enough. I shall speak nevertheless to some of the Principal ones.  
First, It is Objected that if Mercury is an Alkali, and the Venereal venom an Acid, this same Acid should certainly fix it, whereas the Dissolutions of it that are made by the Juices, do only serve to increase its Volatility, and render it Corrosive, instead of being at all sweetened by it.  
I Answer, it is as false to say, that Mercury is Volatilised by the Acid Juices of the Venereal venom, as it is that Mercury mixed with Acid Spirits to render it Corrosive, should be Volatilised by the same Spirits. On the contrary, Mercury alone does easily Volatilize by the heat of the body, and nothing but Acids are able to fix it at all. I thought I had sufficiently explicated myself as to this when I said that sometimes Mercury, finding not in the body enough Acid Spirits to fix it, does pass by Transpiration.  
As for the Corrosive nature that Mercury receives, we must attribute it to the Disposition of its Pores, and the abundance of Acid points it impregnates with, and seeing it will not sweeten the Acidity of Salt and Vitriol, with which it is mixed to make a Sublimate Corrosive, why should we expect it to sweeten the Acid juices of the body? I do not pretend nevertheless that it never Dulcifies at all; for I do conceive it may destroy much of their force by dividing and breaking their points, when the Acids are but few, as does happen in Mercurius dubois.  
Secondly. 'Tis Objected that if the venom of the Pox were an Acid, it might then be Cured by the use of Alkali Salts, either fixed or Volatile, as by Crabs-Eyes, Pearls, Corals, and such like bodies as are wont to kill and sweeten Acid humours.  
I Answer, we often find that Volatile salts do give some ease to those that are troubled with the Venereal distemper, whether it be by opening the Pores, and so making the subtler part of it perspire away, or that by being Alkalis, they do absorbe some part of it. For this reason some do use to give their Patients the Volatile Salt of Viper's several mornings together, but these Alkalis are in truth of too weak a nature to carry off such an Acidity, after they are impregnated with it, as Mercury is able to do without losing its nature. They are Nets of too fine a make, to catch such keen and active bodies; if these Salts do destroy some part of the Acidity, they destroy themselves likewise in the conflict, that they can have no further operation, wherefore there's need of a more powerful Volatile Alkali than these Salts are, to eradicate the Acidity of Venereal Poison.  
As for Fixed Salts and Alkali bodies, as Pearl, Coral, Crabs-eyes, whereas they have no Volatile quality in them, and their tendency is wholly downwards, 'tis very uncertain whether ever they reach to Venereal tumours which commonly rise in the Joints, by reason of the long way they have to pass thither, and the Juices they have to encounter in their passage, which may in all likelihood change their nature; but suppose they were carried to those Tumours with the same qualifications they were taken with, they would only serve to weaken a little this Acidity, without being able to carry it off, and so they would only give a little ease, without removing Radically the Ferment of the Distemper, as Mercury is able to do.  
It may be further asked why Sublimate does not fill the substance of the Brain with Ulcers, as well as it does the Mouth.  
I Answer that this Sublimate being in the Brain, finds itself so clogged with a Mucilaginous moisture, that it is fain to lose there some parts of its Acidity; so that it can do nothing else but cause a Fermentation, which makes the Phlegm purge away through the Salivating vessels, and this it is that causes the Spittle of those who have a Flux, to be so sharp and stinking.  
This sharp Phlegm may also, as it passes in the Mouth, increase the number of Ulcers, for the mouth is as it were the sink of the whole body upon this occasion.   

Add to pag. 94. the beginning of the Remarks upon Sublimate Corrosive.  
Not half the Spirit of Niter is requisite to dissolve a pound of Mercury, as is for the same weight of Bismuth, though the Pores of this last are larger, and its parts more disposed for division; the reason of which is, that Mercury being a Volatile, and the parts very little united together, it divides almost of itself, and is much more easily born up by Acids, than would a body that has union in its parts, and whose tendency is downwards, such as Bismuth.  
This Operation may be done if one will, by only mixing crude Mercury with Salt and Vitriol, without the trouble of dissolving it with Spirit of Niter; but there's a great deal of time requisite to incorporate them together, for to make the Quicksylver quite disappear. Again there's a fume that rises up to the Nose that is very unwholesome. Now that which is aimed at in dissolving it, and reducing it into a white Mass, is only to fit it the better for mixture.   

Add to pag. 96. the end of the same Remarks.  
Those who have thought fit to Criticise upon what I have said about the effects of Mercury, would methinks, have spoken more to the purpose than they have done, if they had objected to me a difficulty that I have made to myself since the first Edition of my Book. 'Tis this, If the Mercury that is given in order to raise a Flux, does join with the Acid salt of the humours, and so makes a Sublimate Corrosive, after the same manner as 'tis made in the Matrass, when 'tis mixed with Salt and Vitriol; this Sublimate of the body can't be perfected, as long as there is any watery humour in the part, wherein Mercury is mixed with Acids; just as none of it can be made in a Matrass, until all the Phlegm that's in it, is evaporated away. Now it is not to be conceived, that there should ever happen such a Desiccation to the body, for it would be Corroded by Mercury loaded with Acids, before it could Sublime.  
To answer this Objection I say, That although I have made a comparison between the sublimation of mercury that's made in the body, and that which is done in a Matrass; nevertheless there is this difference between them, that the first is not only made with Salts extremely Volatile, but is likewise assisted or carried on by the motion of the humours with all their humidity up to the Head, whereas this other is made with Fixed Salts, whose Acidity is so strongly rooted in the Earthy part, that it can't be separated from it, without a very considerable fire.  
Nor must we think that the Mercury in the body is loaded with as many and as strong Acids, as that in the Matrass; for if it were so, it would carry destruction, and cause a Gangrene, wheresoever it came; but it is enough, that its Pores are in part impregnated with them, sufficient to diminish a little of its Volatility, and cause those prickings and pains which do happen during the Salivation.   

Add to pag. 97. The Remarks upon Mercurius Dulcis.  
The sweet Sublimate that is made in a Matrass, loses half an ounce each sublimation; so that an ounce and a half is lost in 3 times when the Operation is done.  
Six drachms of Scories and light earth are found at bottom and consequently there is but two drachms of matter carried off each Sublimation. But if you would try this Operation in Viols, and sublimate would lose half an ounce more, as having a larger aperture to fly out at, than in a Matrass.   

Add to pag. 101. The Remarks on White Precipitate.  
The Dose of White Precipitate must be less than that of sweet sublimate, because it contains more Acid Spirits; but if you would Sublime this Precipitate all alone in a Matrass, over a gentle fire, you'd obtain a Sublimate quite as sweet as the other; because the fire having acted upon it breaks most of its points, and then it may be given in as great a Dose as ordinary Mercurius Dulcis.  
The Volatile Spirit of Sal Armoniac containing an Alkali Salt, does much help the Precipitation, for its agility carries it into every recess of the liquor, where the Sea-salt, whose parts are not of so active a nature, was not able to go: which is proved from hence, that if you make use only of Sea-salt dissolved in water to make this Precipitation with, it will then happen that if after pouring off the clear liquor, which swims upon the Precipitate, into another vessel, you drop the Spirit of Sal Armoniac into the liquor, there falls a considerable quantity of Mercurial Precipitate, which may serve like the other. If instead of the Volatile Spirit of Sal Armoniac you'd use the Oil of Tartar made per Deliqium, the Precipitate would then be Reddish.   

Add to pag. 102. The Remarks upon Red Precipitate.  
Many Authors have thought they could increase mainly the Redness of this Precipitate, by Cohobating it, or distilling Spirit of Niter three times upon the white mass; but I have found by experience in both these ways of Operation that these Circumstances are to no purpose.  
The white Mass which remains after Evaporation of the humidity is a mixture of Mercury with a great many Acid Spirits, for it weighs three ounces more than the Mercury did which was dissolved; it is extreme Corrosive, and fiery, if applied to the flesh, but according as it is Calcined in order to make it Red, the edges of the Spirit of Niter which caused the Corrosion do pass off, and fly into the Air; whence it comes to pass, that the more we desire to increase the Redness in the Calcination, the less it weighs, and the less it corrodes. Some Surgeons observing this effect do choose the Precipitate that is not so Red as usual, when they would make a quick Eschar.  
If you still continue the fire some hours under the Red mass, it will sublime, and still retain its colour; this sublimate is not so Corrosive as the other; which makes me think that the points of Spirit of Salt are necessary to make a sublimate very Corrosive. The reason why it will sublime, is because the Mercury being discharged of a great many Acid Spirits, that held it fixed, has power to rise with those that remain. But because these remaining Spirits do moderate a little its Volatility, it makes a stop in the middle of the Viol.  
Some do put Red Precipitate into an Earthen Pot, and pour upon it Spirit of Wine well Rectified, than fire it, and when the Spirit is consumed, they add more, and burn it as before; they repeat Spirit of Wine, and burn it six times together, and then they call this Preparation Arcanum Corallinum. The Spirit of Wine by burning does carry off some edges of the Precipitate and joins itself to the rest, so that this Precipitate is sweetened and rendered fit to be taken inwardly.  
If by way of curiosity you pour Spirit of Vitriol upon common Red Precipitate, such as I have described, a Dissolution will soon follow, because Spirit of Vitriol joining with the Spirit of Niter that remained in the Precipitate, an Aqua Fortis must happen from their union, which is able to dissolve imperceptibly the parts of Mercury; but this Dissolution will happen without any Ebullition, because the Mercury has been already rarified by an acid, so that the Spirit of Vitriol does only dissolve them without making any commotion. The Dissolution is clear like other Dissolutions of Mercury, without any manner of appearance of Redness, and the same Preparations may be made with it as are used to be done by the Dissolution of Quicksylver in Aqua fortis.  
If instead of Spirit of Vitriol you pour Spirit of Salt upon the Red Precipitate, it turns presently into a curious white, because the Spirit of salt breaks the force of the Spirit of Niter that was in the Red Precipitate; and the same thing must happen here as when Spirit of salt is poured upon the Dissolution of Quicksylver; for although Red Precipitate is a Dry body, yet it is nothing else but a mixture of Quicksylver, and Spirit of Niter.  
As for the sudden change of Colour, it is indeed somewhat strange, that a matter which is grown Red by Calcination, should in a minute's time turn so exceeding white.  
This Effect can be attributed only to the dislocation which the Acid Spirit of salt does cause in the parts of Red Precipitate, and to the disposition it puts them anew into, so that their Superficies is put into a capacity of Reflecting the Light in a right line to our eyes, to give the appearance of a white colour; for if by means of another sort of liquor or else by fire and some Alkali body, the Disposition of the parts of your Precipitate is again changed, it will obtain some other Colour, or else it will return and revive into Quicksylver.  
If you pour the Volatile spirit of Sal Armoniac upon Red Precipitate, it turns into a grey powder, but if you throw a great deal of water upon it, it becomes a milk, though none of the whitest. The same thing happens, when you drop Spirit of Sal Armoniac into the dissolution of Quicksylver made with Spirit of Niter; for soon after the Effervescency is over, a grey powder is seen to Precipitate, and if you add to it water, it becomes a milk of the same whiteness as the other.  
Common Red Precipitate therefore is subject to the same alterations as the Dissolution of Mercury, the Red colour giving no particular impression to it; which truly is a good proof that Colour is no real thing, but wholly depends upon the modification of the parts.   

Other Precipitates of Mercury.  
Mix 7 or 8 ounces of Sublimate Corrosive powdered, in a glass or marble Mortar with 16 or 18 ounces of warm water, stir them about for half an hour, then let the liquor settle, and pour it off by Inclination, filter it, and divide it into 3 parts to be put into so many Viols.  
Pour into one of these Viols some drops of the Oil of Tartar made per Deliquium, there falls immediately a Red Precipitate.  
Drop into another of these Viols some Volatile spirit of Sal Armoniac, and you have a white Precipitate.  
Pour into the last of these Viols about a spoonful of Limewater, you have a Yellow-water that is called Phagaedenick-water, or a water for Ulcers, because it is good to cleanse and heal Ulcers, the Surgeons do very frequently use it, especially in Hospitals; if you let the liquor settle, 'twill let fall a Yellow precipitate.  
To obtain these three Precipitates, you have only to pour off the water by Inclination, wash them, and dry them apart.  
Red precipitate may be used like that I described before, but it is not so strong; 'tis the truest Red precipitate of any.  
White precipitate has the same virtues as the other.  
Yellow precipitate may be used in Pomatums for the Itch, half a drachm or a drachm of it is mixed with an ounce of pomatum.  
The Sublimate which remains at the bottom of the Mortar, being dried may be used in pomatums for the Itch like Yellow precipitate.   

Remarks.  
Sublimate being mercury loaded with Acids, common water is able to dissolve some of it, because these Acids do rarify it, and make a kind of salt of it; but because there are not Acids enough in it to dissolve all the mercury, the most compact part of it remains at bottom, the liquor is filtered to clear and purify it the more, it is as clear and transparent as Fountain water.  
If by further way of Curiosity, you should drop into the Viol of Red precipitate, that I now described, some spirit of Sal Armoniac, and would shake the liquor a little, it would presently turn white, and your precipitate would be white; but if instead of Spirit of Sal Armoniac you would use spirit of Vitriol, an Ebullition would rise in it, and the Red liquor would become clear and transparent as common water.  
Because the Oil of Tartar is an Alkali salt dissolved, it breaks the edges of the Acid which held up the mercury imperceptible, and served as Swimmers to it in the Water, so that this mercury having nothing left to bear it up, must needs precipitate by its own weight. The same thing happens when the Spirit of Sal Armoniac is thrown upon the other part of the Dissolution of sublimate Corrosive. For this spirit being in like manner an Alkali, produces the same effect as the Oil of Tartar.  
But although Alkalis do all agree in this that they all break and destroy Acids, nevertheless there is always some difference in their action.  
And this evidently appears in those differently coloured precipitates, for this diversity can be attributed only to this, that they having in several manners wrought upon Acids, do dispose and modify the parts of the precipitated body, so as they may be capable of making different Refractions of Light.  
These precipitates are no longer poisons, though they come from sublimate Corrosive, and there's the same reason for it as there is for the precipitations; for seeing that which gave the Corrosion was an Acid, when this Acid is destroyed by such powerful Alkalis as are the spirit of Sal Armoniac, and Oil of Tartar, that which remains must become sweet.  
When spirit of Vitriol is thrown upon the liquor of Red precipitate, there rises an Ebullition, because the Acid does penetrate the Alkali salt of the Oil of Tartar, and this Alkali being destroyed, the Acid dissolves what was precipitated before, whence it comes that the liquor clears up, and turns into poison as it was before.  
If you would again pour Oil of Tartar, than spirit of sal armoniac upon it, there would happen new Red and White precipitates, which might again be dissolved, and the liquor made clear again, by adding to it spirit of Vitriol, but a greater quantity of Spirit must be used than before.   

Add to Chap. 9 Of Antimony.  
Although nothing but a Metallick substance mixed with Sulphur can be perceived in the analyzing of Antimony; nevertheless considering its Figure, somewhat like that of salt-peter, and its Emetic quality, which can proceed from nothing but some punction of the stomach, there's reason to think it contains an Acid salt; but because the edges of this Salt are sheathed in a great deal of sulphur, it cannot exert its activity, without opening a way for it, either by salts which divide the sulphur, or by Calcination which carries off its grosser part. Notwithstanding it is not to be understood that the Emetic faculty of Antimony does consist in this salt alone; for if it were alone, it would no more produce this Effect than other Acid salts do, but it is assisted by the sulphur, which serves for a Vehicle to exalt it towards the upper Orifice of the stomach. Thus Antimony may be said to Vomit, by reason of the Saline sulphur it contains.   

Add to pag. 109. The Remarks upon Common Regule of Antimony.  
If by way of curiosity you would Calcine four ounces of Regule of Antimony powdered, in an Earthen cup unglazed, stirring it all the while with a Spatule, there will rise up a vapour for an hour and a halfs time, or thereabouts, and when the matter fumes no longer, it turns into a grey powder, that weighs two drachms and a half more than the Regule did at first.  
This Augmentation of quantity is the stranger, for that the fume which ascended from it during the Calcination, should seem rather to have diminished its weight. It must be therefore, that a great many fiery particles have entered into it, in the room of that which fumed away.  
This Fume proceeds from some grosser sulphur, that remained in the Regulus, and indeed it smells strong of the sulphur.   

Add to pag. 112. to the Remarks upon Regulus of Antimony with Mars.  
After the first Purification, ten ounces of Regulus, and thirteen ounces of scories do remain; after the second Purification, nine ounces and a half of Regulus do remain; after the third, eight ounces and two drachms of Regulus; and after the fourth you'll have seven ounces, and six drachms of Regulus.  
The Star which appears upon the Martial Regulus of Antimony when it is well Purified, has given occasion to the Chemists to reason upon the matter; and the greatest part of these men being strongly persuaded of the Planetary Influences, and a supposed correspondence between each of the Planets, and the Metal that bears its name, they have not wanted to assert, that this same Star proceeded from the impression which certain little bodies flowing from the Planet Mars do bestow upon Antimony for sake of the remaining Iron that was mixed with it; and for this reason, they wonderfully recommend the making this Preparation upon Tuesday rather than another day, between 7 and 8 a clock in the morning, or else between 2 and 3 in the afternoon, provided the weather be clear and fair, thinking that day which is denominated from Mars to be the time that it lets fall its Influences most plentiful of any. They have likewise conceited a thousand things of the like nature, which 'twould be too much trouble to relate here.  
But all opinions of this kind have no manner of probability, for no bodies Experience did ever evince, that the Metals have any such correspondence with the Planets, as I have maintained otherwhere; much less can they prove that the Influences of the Planets do imprint such and such Figures to Metals, as these men do determine. It would be no hard matter for me here to show how little reason or foundation there is in discourses of that nature, and how very weak and uncertain are the Principles of Judicial Astrology; but this would be too long a Digression for this place, and serve only to swell this Book with things that may be found treated of at large elsewhere, and particularly in the Epitome of Gassendus made by Monsieur Bernier.  
My fancy therefore shall not soar so high as these men's do; and though I may seem dull and mean in their eyes, I shall not search in the Celestial Bodies for an explication of the Star we now contend about; seeing that I can find it out in causes near at hand. There have been who gazing too earnestly upon the Stars above, have not perceived the stone at their feet, that causes them to stumble.  
I say then that the Star which appears upon the Martial Regulus of Antimony, does proceed from the Antimony itself; for this Mineral runs all into Needles; but because before it is Purified, it is loaded with sulphureous and impure parts, which make it softish, these Needles do not appear but confusedly. Now when it is Purified with Mars, not only a great many of the more sulphureous parts of Antimony, and such as are fittest to hinder its Crystallization, are carried away, but also there remains the hardest and most compact part of the Iron, which makes the Antimony firmer than it was. So that the Purification does serve to lay open the Natural Crystals of Antimony in form of a star, and the Iron by its hardness does expatiate these Crystals, from whence it comes that the Martial Regulus of Antimony is harder than the other Regulus.  
The Crystals than do appear in form of a star in the Martial Regulus of Antimony, because they were so Naturally in the Antimony before. This star does not appear exactly the same in the common Regulus of Antimony, let it be Purified never so much, because its parts have not the same tension as those of the other.   

Add to pag. 116. lin. 28. in the Remarks upon Crocus Metallorum.  
The strong Detonation which happens when the matter is fired, is not caused from the accension of Saltpetre, as people generally do imagine, for want of due reflection. I shall prove in its proper place that it can't flame at all, and that by its Volatile parts it serves instead of a Bellows or Vehicle to rarify and exalt the sulphurs of Antimony.  
A Liver of Antimony is prepared with equal quantities of Antimony, Niter, and Sea-salt decrepitated; and because these salts do give it a Red colour like unto the Opal, this Preparation has been called Magnesia Opalina; it is less Emetic than the other, by reason of the addition of sea-salt, which fixes the saline sulphur of antimony.  
Several other ways of preparing the Liver of antimony have been invented; but I am well enough satisfied in having given you the best of all, and the easiest to prepare.  
If you use ordinary salt-peter in this Operation, you'll obtain eight ounces and two drachms of Liver of antimony; but if you use Purified salt-peter, you'll get but six ounces and a half.  
This difference of quantity proceeds from the nature of salt-peter, for the more Volatile parts this Mineral salt contains, the more apt it is to carry off some parts of the antimony. Now Purified salt-peter is much more Volatile than the common sort, wherefore the Liver of antimony, where it is used, is in lesser quantity.  
The Liver of antimony that's made with common salt-peter is the Redder, and comes nearer to the colour of an Animals Liver, than that which is made with Purified salt-peter; this happens through the fixt-salt which is in this Preparation more than in the other; for common salt-peter contains much fixed salt, as I shall show in its proper place; this salt does likewise make the matter the heavier.  
As for the virtues of, these Livers of antimony, the difference is not very great, but only that which is made with Purified salt-peter is a little more Emetic than the other.  
I cannot pass by here the false imagination of some men, who think that Preparation of the Liver of antimony, of which half a drachm, or two scruples may be given, is much better than that whereof 3 or 4 grains perform the same effect; for there's no doubt but the taking so great a quantity of antimony will give an impression to the stomach, that a lesser quantity is not able to do. Furthermore, seeing these Preparations do commonly open the antimony but little, or half fix the saline sulphurs, it is to be feared lest some salt they may meet with in the Stomach, should open them too much, or Volatilize them, and so produce unhappy consequences.   

Add to pag. 141. Chap. 11. Of Quicklime.  
When the stone, that Quicklime is made of, is grown red hot in the Furnaces, the Workmen have a special care to keep up the fire at an equal height, until the stone is quite Calcined; for if the flame which has begun to burn among the stones, should be suffered to lessen for a while, and so the heat be checked before the end of the work, they would never afterwards be able to make Quicklime with those stones any more, though they should be at the charge of burning fifty times as much Wood as is commonly required; and this, because in that interval of heat the Pores of the stone, which were begun to be opened, do close and shut, and the matter sinks down in a lump to the destruction of the whole. And then again the Flame can't rise in it any more, for it finds none of those interstices, or spaces between, which were frequent before, for it to pass through. The matter therefore is rendered uncapable of receiving the fire any more, because all the small cells that were useful for it, are shut up and destroyed in this confusion.  
'Tis Objected, that if igneous bodies were they that caused the Corrosion of Quicklime, Tiles, Bricks, and all Stones that are not of the nature of Limestone, and Iron, Copper, Silver, Gold, and many other bodies should be as Caustick as Quicklime, after having endured the fire as long if not longer than it.  
But this does not follow, for Tiles, and other Calcined stones have not the Pores disposed like those of Quicklime, to retain fiery particles; and if some metals are found to impregnate with them during their Calcination, they are known to retain them so well by the solidity of their parts, that neither the heat nor moisture of the flesh are able to draw them out of the places they are fixed in, to cause a Corrosion upon the part. It is easy here to give you an example; for if you take the Calx of Lead that increased its weight in the Calcination, as I have said before, and steep it in water, the water will not act at all upon it, and the Calx may be taken from the water in the same weight it was put in; you must melt it by fire, if you would separate the igneous bodies: but now as for common Quicklime, a small matter of moisture is able to separate the tender parts of the stone, and drive out the fiery particles in abundance.  
'Tis said likewise that the boiling of the water which happens when fling upon quicklime, must not be imputed to fiery bodies, seeing neither spirit of Wine, nor Oil, when thrown upon it, do hear or sti● as all, although they are both of them Inflammable bodies, nay on the contrary they are observed to quench the hear that uses to happen to quicklime when water comes to it.  
I Answer that these effects do proceed from this, that Oil, spirit of wine, and other Sulphureous liquors of the same nature, instead of separating the parts of quick lime, as water does, do rather hinder any separation from being made, by stopping up the Pores.  
That which withdrew me from the Sentiment of those who will have all the effects of quicklime derived from its salt, was, that I could never find any of it, though I sought after it with care enough, for some through a mistake do take a certain Bituminous scum, which often swims upon the Limewater, for a Salt.  
Neither can I be of the opinion of those who will needs have an Acid to be in quicklime, which being drawn out by the water, and meeting an Alkali, does cause the Effervescency which is observed, when water is poured upon quicklime; for although according to appearance an acid does enter into the Natural composition of the stone that quicklime is made of, this acid has lost its nature, no● only by breaking its poi●●● in its strict union with earth at the Petrification, but also in the violent Calcination that is given to this stone to reduce it to a Calx. So that we may here say, the same thing happens to the acid which enters into the composition of the stone, as I have said did happen to the salt of Vegetables and other mixed bodies, which though naturally an acid salt, changes into an alkali by means of its union with earth, and the fiery particles in time of the Calcination; there is only this difference between them both, the acid of the stone is mixed with more earth than the salt of Vegetables.   

Add to pag. 152. chap. 13. Of the stone Haematites.  
The stone Haematites is called the Bloodstone; either from its stopping blood, or from its red colour. It is commonly found in iron Mines, and it contains something of that metal, the best is that which is clearest, and has blackish rays. It is prepared by grinding it on a marble with a little Plantain water, it is Desiccative, and astringent; it is used for spitting of blood, and other Hemorrhages, the dose is from fifteen grains to two scruples, it is also used outwardly in Unguents.  
A little acid spirit that partakes of the nature of Iron may be drawn from this stone, by distilling it like Vitriol in a Retort; this spirit is a very good Aperitive for all Obstructions, the dose is to an agreeable acidity.  

Sublimation of the stone Haematites.  
Powder and mix together equal quantities of the stone Haematites and sal Armoniac, put this mixture into an Earthen Cucurbite, or glass one luted at bottom, set a Head upon it, and fitting to it a small Receiver, and Luting well the Junctures, place it in a Furnace, over a very small fire at first, to warm the vessel, then increase your fire by little and little, until it is very strong, continue it in this condition for some hours, or until the heat of the head lessens, then let the vessels cool, and unlute them; you'll find in the head, and at top of the Cucurbite, Yellow Flowers drawing towards Red, and in the Receiver a Volatile, urinous, Yellowish spirit; keep the spirit, and the Flowers apart in bottles well stopped. They are both of them very good to procure Sweat, and to open Obstructions: they may be used in Malignant Fevers, Apoplexies, Palsies, and in the Scurvy, in Bolus, or in proper liquors; the dose of the Flowers is from six grains to four and twenty, and of the Volatile spirit, from twelve drops to two scruples.  
In the bottom of the Cucurbite is found a mass that may be distilled in a Retort with a gradual fire increased to the highest degree of all, in a Reverberatory Furnace, there will come forth an acid spirit of much the same virtues as the fixed spirit of Sal Armoniac, of which I shall speak hereafter.   

Remarks.  
Sal Armoniac is here mixed that the Volatile parts may carry off the more soluble portion of the stone Haematites; for it would never be able to sublime, if it were not driven by some such like Vehicle. This salt being also incorporated with it serves very much to give it the sudorisick quality, by reason of its Volatility.  
The Cucurbite is set in an open fire, that it may be heated the more, and the Flowers be the more tinctured; for the more heat there is, the sal armoniac does the more easily sublime the parts of the stone; the Volatile spirit is only some portion of the Flowers drawn into liquor.  
The mass that remains in the Cucurbite is a mixture of the more fixed part of the stone, and sal armoniac.  
All that is drawn from the stone Haematites is accounted of some use, and chief so by reason of the Iron it contains.  
Many other Preparations of this stone have been invented, but these are the best, and choicest.    

Add to pag. 154. Remarks upon the Oil of Bricks.  
The ancient Chemists called this Oil, the Oil of Philosophers, and have given the Epithet Philosophical to all Preparations that are made with Bricks. The reason that can be given for it is, that because they call themselves the only True Philosophers, or Philosophers by way of excellence, they thought they were obliged to confer some influences of this mighty name upon Bricks, because they are the materials where with they build their Furnaces, to work at the High and mighty Operation, or the Philosopher's stone; for they pretend it is by this Operation alone that True Philosophy can be obtained.   

Add to pag. 165. chap. 14. Of Common Salt.  
Sea salt is made at Rochel in salt marshes, which are places that must be of a lower situation than the sea, and the ground must be Clayie, for otherwise they would not be able to retain the salt-water that has been let into them. Thus all places near the sea are not alike proper to make salt marshes.  
When the Season of the year gins to grow hot, which commonly happens in May, all the water is emptied that was put into the marshes for better preserving them during the Winter, than the sluices are opened to let in as much salt-water as they think fit, 'tis made to pass through a great many Channels, wherein it purifies and heats, and then is let into places that are made flat, smooth and fit to Cryst allize the salt.  
This salt is made only during the great heats of Summer, the Sun does in the first place evaporate some part of the Water, and because after the great heat, a small Wind does use to blow (as is usual near the sea) the coolness of this Wind does condense and Crystallize the salt.  
But if it happens to rain but two hours during the hot weather, there can no salt be made for a fortnight afterwards, because the marshes must be again emptied of all the water, to let in more in its place, so that if it chances to rain but once again in the next fortnight, they can make no salt.  
Besides the Purification of salt by evaporation, it may be further purified, if instead of Evaporation of the humidity, you set some of it a Crystallizing in a cool place, for very fine pure salt is found at bottom of the vessel, which salt may be separated from the water, and dried, you may then evaporate again some part of the salt liquor, and set it in a Cellar a Crystallizing, and so continue your Evaporations and Crystallizations, but at last you must be fain to evaporate the liquor to the consumption of all the humidity, because at last it will Crystallize no longer, the reason whereof is, that the remaining salt is full of a fat bituminous matter, which is in a manner inseparable from it, and this 'tis that hinders the Crystallizing at last.  
'Tis probable that this fat matter comes from the earth of those marshes that were spoken of.  
The first Crystallized salt being put into Oil of Tantar, or some other Alkali salt dissolved, does mix with it without making any Ebullition, because although sea-salt is Acid, yet its points are too gross, and have too little motion, to separate the parts of the Alkali.  
The last salt being dried over the fire, and mixed with some Alkali salt rendered liquid, such as Oil of Tartar, makes a Coagulation and Precipitation of a substance that appears saline and Oily; this Coagulation does proceed from the mixture and adhesion of Bituminous earth with sea-salt and Tartar; for these salts do easily embrace Oily substances, and in them lose their activity.  
Many Acid Bituminous salts which are drawn by the Evaporation of certain Mineral waters, such as those of Baleruc in Languedoc, and Digne in Provence, do perform the same effects, when they are mixed with Oil of Tartar.  
This Coagulum does not dissolve in water, as well by reason of the different nature of the salts it is compounded of, as the Oily earth that holds them together; but it will dissolve in distilled Vinegar, and several other Acid liquors, and then an Effervescency rises, because the Acid does penetrate the salt of Tartar, whose parts sea-salt had no power to separate.   

Add to pag. 169. lin. 30. Remarks upon Spirit of Salt.  
Since I writ of Monsieur Seignett's particular way of drawing spirit of salt, some have Printed, that if common salt well decrepitated, and kept a good while over the fire, were exposed to the Air for some days, and distilled without addition of any thing to it, it would yield a spirit much like that I have spoken of, and in full as great a quantity.  
But if we examine the sharp liquor which is drawn this way, we shall find it of so weak a nature, that it may more reasonably be called Phlegm, than spirit, and the salt remains entire in the Retort; whereas M. Seignett's spirit of salt is full as strong as common spirit of salt, & has the very same qualities, nay I conceive it somewhat better, as not having so great an Impression from fire as the other.  
Again some say, it does not deserve the name of spirit of sea-salt, nor ought this Preparation to be looked upon as any great mystery, because the same incorporation and augmentation happens to divers other salts exposed to the Air, after drawing off their spirit.  
I grant this augmentation proceeds from the spirit of the air, and I conceive it is the same spirit which produces all manner of things according to the Matrices or different pores of the earth it uses to meet with, as I have explicated in my Remarks upon the Principles. But because this spirit of the air has met with Pores in our matter, ready disposed to make a salt much like unto common salt, and a spirit is drawn from it much like unto that which is drawn from common salt, I see no reason to doubt why this spirit should not be a true spirit of salt; all the difference is this, the salt I now speak of is not so throughly united to its earthy part, as common salt is, and therefore its spirits do separate with more ease; for they are drawn without Addition of any thing else, and with a gentle fire, whereas those of common salt are so fixed, that they can't be driven out, without mixing a great deal of earth in order to separate all its parts, and without a very great fire.  
As for the Augmentation which happens to many other bodies exposed to the Air, after their spirits are drawn off, I don't question the matter of fact, nor that these same substances do return into what they were before, by impregnating again with spirits of the Air in considerable time; but it is rarely found that any of them do yield as strong spirits, and as easily as our salt, and herein lies the mystery.   

Add to pag. 170. lin. 12. in the same Remarks.  
Some have written, that the Precipitation, which is made by spirit of salt, of any matter held up by Aqua fortis, must not be imputed to the gravity, nor force of spirit of salt, nor to any conflict or jog that this spirit gives to Aqua fortis, or the matters dissolved; but rather to the conjunction of the Acidity of this spirit with the Volatile and Sulphureous Alkali of Aqua fortis, or spirit of Niter, which Acid hereby forces this last to abandon the metal it had dissolved.  
But this is the same as to explicate an obscure matter by another more obscure; for what likelihood is there that the Volatile spirit of Aqua fortis is an alkali? and how comes it to continue in so great a motion with the fixed Acid spirit of this water without being destroyed? this can't easily be understood. Again, suppose this spirit were an alkali, we must come to explicate mechanically, by what reason this Alkali does leave the body of the metal to betake itself unto the spirit of salt; for to say simply that by the conjunction of these two spirits, the Aqua fortis is compelled to abandon the metal it held dissolved, does give no light at all to the question, unless we had power enough to bestow intelligence upon these spirits; wherefore we must needs at last have recourse to joggs and conflicts.   

Add to pag. 171. lin. 16. Chap. 15. Of Niter or Salt-peter.  
The great and violent flame which happens as soon as Saltpetre is fling upon the Coals, and the red vapours which it uses to yield when reduced into a spirit, have induced the Chemists generally to believe that this salt is inflammable, and consequently full loaded with Sulphur, because sulphur is the only Principle that flames; but if they had suspended their judgements herein, until they had got more experience on this Subject, they would not only have known that Saltpetre is not at all Inflammable by nature, but they would even have doubted whether or no any sulphur does enter into the natural composition of this salt; for if Salt-peter were Inflammable of itself like sulphur, it would burn in places where there is no sulphur, for example in a Crucible heated red hot in the fire; but it will never flame therein, use what quantity of it you please, and let the fire be never so great. It is true indeed, if you throw Saltpetre upon kindled coals, it makes a great flame, but this is only through the Sulphureous Fuliginosities of the coals, which are violently raised and rarified by the Volatile nature of Niter; as I shall prove in the Operation upon fixed Niter.  
As for any sulphur that is thought to be contained in Saltpetre, it can't be demonstrated by any Operation whatever, for the red vapours that come from it are no more Inflammable than the Niter, when they are not mixed with some Sulphureous matter; and it is far more probable, that this salt contains no Sulphur, if we consider its cleanness, transparency, acidity, and cooling quality, which have no manner of affinity with the effects of Sulphur, which are commonly to make a body opace, to join with its acidity, and to heat it.   

Add to pag. 177. l. 26. Remarks upon Sal Polychrestum.  
Sal Polychrestum must by no means be used until it is made very white, and very pure; for when there remains any gross portion of Sulphur, Vertigoes are to be feared, and stupefaction of the Nerves, and nauseonsness of the stomach.  
If you used sixteen ounces of purified Saltpetre, and so much sulphur in this Operation, you'll have at last but three ounces and a half of Sal Polychrestum very fine; but if you use common Saltpetre instead of purified, you'll have five ounces of Polychrestum as white as the other.  
This difference of weight proceeds from common Salt-peters containing more fixed salt than purified salt-peter.  
Sal Polychrestum may be Crystallized like salt-peter and other salts. Its Crystals are very small, and much like those of sea salt, but only they are keener.   

Add 10 pag. 179. Remarks on Salt of Sulphur.  
Some have presumed to write, that when spirit of sulphur is poured upon Sal Polychrestum dissolved in Water, there rises an Effervescency as great as when the same Acid spirit is cast upon salt-peter; but doubtless they took but little care in what they maintained, for there happens no manner of Effervescency, neither with Sal polychrestum, nor with salt-peter, for both of them are Acid salts. Nor do I see any reason to believe, that if the mixture of salt-peter and spirit of Sulphur is drawn in a Retort, the spirit of Niter will come forth and leave the spirit of Sulphur in union with the fixed part of salt-peter; for although red vapours are seen to come forth of the Retort, this does not prove that they are purely Nitrous, those of the spirit of Sulphur are mixed with them, but they are hid in the redness like Water in Wine.   

Add to pag. 182. after Spirit of Niter. Spirit of Niter Dulcified.  
Put into a large Boulthead eight ounces of good spirit of Niter, and so much spirit of Wine well dephlegmated; set your Boulthead in the Chimney upon a Round of Straw, the liquor will grow hot without coming near the fire, and half an hour or an hour afterwards, it will boil very much; have a care of the red vapours that come out apace at the neck of the Boulthead, and when the Ebullition is over, you'll find your liquor clear at bottom, and to have lost half what it was; pour it into a Viol and keep it, this is the sweet spirit of Niter.  
It is good for the Wind Colic and the Nephritick, for Hysterical distempers, and for all Obstractions; its Doses is from four to eight drops in Broth or some other convenient liquor.  

Remarks.  
You must leave the Boulthead open; for the Vapours would either carry away the Stopple; if there were one, or else they would break the vessel; the Boulthead is so hot during the Ebullition, that one can't endure one's hand upon't.  
The Heat and Ebullition begin sooner or later; according as the Spirits that are used have been more or less dephlegmated.  
This Effect is very strange; for spirit of Niter being a strong Acid, and Spirit of Wine a sulphur, it can't be said that there's here any alkali, to cause the Ebullition with Acid, according to the common maxim. And this Operation shows us that every thing can't be explicated by the sole Principles of Acid and alkali, as some do pretend.  
This Operation has much resemblance with that which happens when Oil of Turpentine is put into a bottle with Oil of Vitriol; for the mixture of these liquors does heat and boil much alike. I shall say something of this last mixture hereafter. There is this difference notwithstanding, that spirit of Niter being more Volatile than Oil of Vitriol, causes a greater Effervescency.  
In order therefore to explicate this Ebullition, two things must be considered. First, that spirit of Niter contains a great many fiery parts locked up in its Acidity, but which still retain some motion, for 'tis they that make spirit of Niter to Fume as it does.  
The second is, that spirit of Niter is more Inflammable than salt-peter, when mixed with any sulphureous body, and the reason thereof is, that it is more rarified than salt-peter.  
Thus when this Acid spirit is mixed with spirit of Wine, which is a sulphur very much exalted, and very susceptible of motion, the Volatile part of the spirit of Niter joins its self to this sulphur, and the mixture becomes ready to take flame; likewise after this mixture the fiery bodies that were in Spirit of Niter, do by striving to mount upwards put the liquor into so great a motion, that it even almost flames, and would without all question quite flame, if there were not some Phlegm always mixed with these spirits, let 'em be drawn never so pure, which serves to allay the activity of the fiery particles; so that there must needs follow a very great Ebullition.  
This Effervescency therefore proceeds from this, that spirit of wine, and spirit of Niter, which are as it were a salt-peter, and highly exalted sulphur, have been almost kindled into a flame by the fiery bodies that were in spirit of Niter; and that which further proves this conception is, a noise or kind of Detonation, during the Effervescency, which is much like that which happens, when sulphur and salt-peter are burnt together.  
The great diminution of the liquor proceeds from the Evaporation of the more Volatile parts of the Spirits of wine and Niter, through the neck of the Boulthead during the Ebullition.  
That which remains is a well sweetened spirit of Niter, for not only its points are sound blunted in the Ebullition, but the spirit of wine being a sulphur unites and embodies with those that remain, so that they have no longer any Corrosive quality.    

Add to pag. 182. Remarks upon Aqua Fortis.  
The mixture of Vitriol and salt-peter has quickly some smell of Aqua fortis, because Vitriol contains a great deal of sulphur, which easily insinuates into the Volatile part of salt-peter, and exalts some little of it, which causes the smell; it is this sulphur in Vitriol which by volatilizing the Red spirit of Niter, makes it come forth faster, and with a less fire, than when salt-peter is distilled with Clay.   

Add to pag. 184. Remarks upon the Fixation of Saltpetre into an Alkali Salt.  
The Crucible must be but half full of salt-peter, because the Detonation is so great, that the matter would be driven out of the Crucible, if too much be put in. When the Crucible is not very strong, it breaks in pieces about the middle of the Operation, and some part of the matter is lost by it.  
This Detonation is more violent than that which is made with a mixture of salt-peter and common sulphur, because the sulphur of Coals is more Rarified than common sulphur.  
Niter will never be able to flame, when set over the fire alone in a Crucible, though you make your fire never so strong, and coals though loaded with fuliginous or Oily parts, do send forth but only a small blue flame; but when these two bodies come to be mixed together, the Volatile parts of Niter joining with the Coals, which are Oily, do rarify and exalt the Coals with such a violence, that they produce a very great flame. Now this Operation confirms my Opinion that salt-peter does only serve here to Rarify the flame of sulphur, but cannot send forth the least flame of its self; seeing that as soon as ever the coals, you put into the Crucible, are burnt, the flame goes out, and appears no more until you throw in more Coals, with which a convenient proportion of the Volatile parts of salt-peter, that still remained, does join, and Rarify them into a flame. Thus new Coals are successively thrown into the Crucible, until it flames no longer; but toward the end of the Operation, because there remain but few Volatile parts of Niter, the Detonation is much the less, and so is the flame, until at last the Coals finding nothing more in salt-peter for it to raise, do burn only just as they use to do all alone.  
If you make use of common salt-peter for this Operation, you'll have occasion to use but three ounces and a half of Coals, and you'll get twelve ounces of Purified salt, but if you use fine salt-peter, you must spend seven ounces of Coals, and will get but three ounces of purified salt.  
This difference of weight proceeds from the fine salt-peters containing more Volatile parts than the other; likewise a great deal more Coals is required to raise them, and there remains the less fixed salt for the same reason.  
The fixed Niter being prepared as I have showed, it is a little grey coloured; now to make it white you must Calcine it in a great fire, stirring it in the Crucible all the while with a spatule; when it shall have continued Red hot for above an hour, it will become exceeding white. You must then dissolve it in water, filter the dissolution, and evaporate the water, and thus you have a very pure and white salt.  
This salt is an Alkali, being a mixture of the salt of Coals, which is an Alkali, and fixed salt-peter; these two salts are so strictly united and mixed together in the Calcination, that they make a Porous salt, and such as is much like unto the fixed salt of Plants.  
Not that there is an Alkali salt in salt-peter, as Chemists will have it; for give what Calcination, or other Preparation you please to this Mineral salt, without adding any thing to it, not the least Alkali can be drawn from it, and all that ever we can see in it is Acid.  
It is further Observable, that the liquor of fixed Niter, which has been made with common salt-peter, being kept a year, or a year and a half, loses most of its activity as an Alkali, so that it is no longer able to cause any such Ebullition with Acids, as it could before it was so stolen.  
This accident can have no other cause, than that the Pores of salt contained in the liquor do close up by little and little, and the Acid salt of Niter does absorbe and destroy the Alkali, which kept the Pores open.  
But the same thing does not happen, where the liquor of fixed Niter was made with Purified salt-peter, because whereas a great deal of Coals was used in the fixing it, and but little salt of Niter remained in it, the Alkali must there predominate so powerfully, that the Acid is not able to regain its strength.  
This Experiment seems plainly to demonstrate, that fixed Niter is only an Acid salt rendered Porous by the Alkali of Coals.  
Some Chemists have thought fit to call the liquor of fixed Niter, Alkahest, that is, an Universal dissolvent, thinking it is capable to draw out the sulphureous substance of all mixed bodies.   

Add to pag. 185. Chap. 16. Of Sal Armoniac.  
The Artificial sal Armoniac is made at Venice, and divers other places with five parts of Urine, one part of sea-salt, and half a part of Chimney soot; these three are boiled together, and reduced into a Mass, which being put into subliming Pots, over a gradual fire, it sublimes into a salt in the form we commonly see sal Armoniac. Now in this sublimation the Volatile Alkali salts of Soot and Urine do carry up as much sea-salt as they are able, and do join so strictly together with this Acid salt, that the mixture seems to be fixed. The reason of this close union is, that sea-salt being in form of points, does insinuate into the Alkali salts; and because it has not motion enough to separate the parts of these salts; it gets within 'em, and fills their Pores.   

Add to pag. 190. the end of the Remarks upon Aqua Regalis.  
It is Objected, that if there is any heavy matter as it were intercepted between the Pores of Gold, it must needs Precipitate of its self, after the action of Aqua Regalis upon this metal, which is a thing that does not happen.  
I Answer that if the parts of Gold are heavy, the Dissolvent is a gross body, and very well proportioned to hold up those heavy parts, and hinder them from Precipitating.  
Others have opposed this Explication, and have writ, that if Aqua Regalis dissolves Gold, and can't dissolve Sylver, the reason of it is, that the gross points of spirit of Niter, or Aqua fortis are subtilised by the mixture of sal Armoniac, and are rendered fit to enter into the small pores of Gold, whereas the delicate Fabric of these same points does not leave the necessary force nor motion to divide the parts of Sylver, whose pores are a great deal bigger.  
But this way of arguing does not agree with Experience; for what likelihood is there that the points of spirit of Niter are so subtilised by the penetration and division of the parts of sal Armoniac? or where shall we find any Example, that after a considerable Effervescency of two salts met together in conflict, the Acidity grows sharper than it was before? this is a thing that can never be proved. On the contrary, every body knows well enough that no Effervescency happens but the acid is partly blunted or broken thereby. Moreover the Argument supposes that spirit of Niter does break its subtlest points in violently contending with the sal Armoniac, whereas in sal armoniac there are Alkali salts whose property it is to destroy acids. I could further add here, that the conjunction of salt with spirit of Niter should of necessity render its points more gross than they were, and that the Crystals which are drawn by the use of aqua Regalis have their shape not so sharp as those that are drawn by aqua Fortis. But that which I have said is so probable in its self, and so easy to be convinced of, if one takes never so little pains to consider it, that I should but amuse the Reader to little purpose, if I should offer to give any more proofs of it.  
Neither do I find it convenient to make a long discourse in Explicating how Sylver, which has lesser Pores, is more susceptible of the impressions of Air and Fire, than Gold which has larger, seeing I have already supposed that the matter intercepted between the Pores of Gold is more compact, and consequently more hard to separate than that of Sylver.   

Add to pag. 194. Remarks upon another Preparation of the Volatile Spirit of Sal Armoniac, together with its Flowers, and Fixed Salt against Fevers.  
You see by this Operation that eight ounces of Sal armoniac do contain at least four ounces and a half of Volatile salt.  
The Volatile Spirit of Sal armoniac is only a dissolution of Volatile salt in water, and if there is not Phlegm sufficient to dissolve all the Volatile salt, there remains some part of it at bottom of the Receiver, and that may likewise be turned into Spirit, by only adding enough water to dissolve it. Thus the Spirit becomes as strong as it can be made, for the Pores of the water being filled with as much salt as they can contain, it can receive no more. But if there happens more water than the proportion of Volatile salt requires, than the Spirit proves weak, and must be given in a larger Doses.  
This Spirit is Sudorific, but you may perceive more sensibly the effect of Sal armoniac to cause Sweat, by dissolving six or eight grains of this Salt, and the same quantity of Salt of Tartar, each separately in two small Doses of some proper liquor, and giving them to a Patiented one presently after the other; for the salt of Tartar working upon the Shall armoniac in the stomach, after the same manner as it does when they are mixed together in a Mortar, the Spirits do separate from the latter with more force, and act more powerfully, than when they have been separated, before they were given, by a preceding mixture; for the small violence that the Volatile Spirits do use in their separation from sea-salt, does leave them the more activity, and disposes them the better to pass through the Pores. Again, it is not incredible, that in the former Effort which these Spirits made in their separation from the fixed part, when Sal armoniac was mixed with salt of Tartar in a Mortar, the more subtle part flies away first, and is lost; now 'tis this subtle portion that is most proper to Rarify the humours, and to drive them out by Transpiration.  
If you mix in a Viol equal quantities of Volatile spirit of Sal armoniac, and Spirit of Wine, and shake them a little together, they'll cause a Coagulum.  
This Coagulation proceeds from that the Spirit of Wine, which is a Rarified Oil, does unite with the Spirit of Sal armoniac which is a salt liquor, and 'tis but the same thing as happens from stirring Oil and some salt liquor in a Mortar, in order to make an Unguent, called Nutritum.  
By this incorporation together, the salt is shut up in the ramous parts of the sulphur, and these same sulphureous parts are checked, or as it were fixed by the salt, so that neither of them have any more freedom of motion; and from this repose of these parts results the Coagulum.   

Add to pag. 197. Chap. Of Vitriol.  
If you dissolve a little white, or green Vitriol in water, and write with the Dissolution, the writing will not be seen, but if you rub the Paper with a little Cotton dipped in the Decoction of Galls, it will appear legible; then if you wet a little more Cotton in Spirit of Vitriol, and pass it gently over the Paper, the Ink will disappear again; and yet at last if you rub the place with a little more Cotton dipped in Oil of Tartar made per Deliquium, it will again appear legible, but of a Yellowish colour.  
The reason that I can give for these Effects is this, the Spirit of Vitriol dissolves a certain Coagulum which is made of Vitriol and Galls, but the Oil of Tartar breaking the force of this Acid Spirit, the Coagulum resumes itself, and appears again, but because it now contains Oil of Tartar too, it acquires a new colour.  
If you should throw the dissolution of Vitriol, or Vitriol only powdered into a strong Decoction of dried Roses, it will turn as black as common Ink; if you pour some drops of spirit of Vitriol into it, this Ink will turn red; and if you add to it a little Volatile spirit of Sal Armoniac, 'twill turn grey.  
These changes of colour do proceed from the spirit of Vitriols dissolving the Coagulum which the Vitriol itself had made, and rendering it invisible; the liquor recovers a fresher Red colour than it had, before the Vitriol was put into it, because the same Spirit does separate the parts of the Rose which were dissolved in the liquor, and renders them more Visible.  
The Volatile spirit of Sal Armoniac, which is an Alkali, does partly break the Acid edges of the spirit of Vitriol, so that the parts of the Rose having nothing more to hold them Rarified, do close together, and consequently the liquor changes colour.  
By this Experiment may be seen, that the dried Rose may serve to make Ink with, as well as Galls; Indian Wood, and divers other things will do the same.   

Add to pag. 199. the end of the Remarks upon Galcination of Vitriol.  
If one should resolve to dry as exactly as one can, sixteen pounds of green Vitriol, there would remain but seven pounds of white Vitriol.  
But in order to do this exactly, you must powder the white Mass of Calcined Vitriol, after you have broke the Pot, and stir it for a long time in an Earthen Pan, over a little fire, until there rises no more Fume from it, or until there remains in it no more Phlegm.  
If you should Calcine this white Vitriol to a Redness, you'd have five pounds and a half of Cholcothar.  
Some have affirmed in writing that the Red colour which appears after a long Calcination of English Vitriol, was an undoubted proof that that there was Copper in it, after the same manner as the Red colour which happens to Verdigrease calcined is a certain proof that it contains in it some particles of Copper.  
But that which is here said to pass for a thing undeniable, is no proof at all; for first of all those Vitriols which are thought most to partake of Copper, do give no greater Redness in their Calcination, that the others which partake least of it. Secondly let Copper be Prepared which way you please, you can never make it Redder than the Cholcothar of. English Vitriol, whose Redness must be thought to proceed from some particles of this Metal contained in it. And thirdly, we see plainly, that Iron, Led, Mercury, and divers Mineral bodies do acquire a Red colour in their Calcining, without granting they contain any Copper.   

Add to pag. 201. the bottom of the Page, Remarks upon Spirit of Vitriol.  
If you Distil eight pounds of white Vitriol, at sixteen ounces to the pound, you'll draw off seventeen ounces of Phlegm, and two and twenty ounces and a half, both of the Sulphureous, and the Acid spirit of Vitriol. Of these two and twenty ounces and a half, there will be five ounces of Sulphureous spirit.  
You'll find in the Retort five pounds, five ounces of Cholcothar.  
Use all the care you can possible to preserve all the liquors which come from Vitriol, and yet it will be impossible for you to hinder it from losing some through the Junctures, during the Distillation.  
If you should use Germane instead of English Vitriol, you'd draw off a little more spirit than the quantity I named, but it would have some smell of Aqua Fortis, and the matter which remains in the Retort would be of a brown colour drawing towards black. This Colour proceeds from sulphureous Fuliginosities which rise more from this Vitriol than the other, because it partakes of Copper; for this Sooty vapour finding no vent to get out at, falls down again upon the matter and blackens it.  
There's one thing happens about the Oil of Vitriol, when 'tis very strong, which is very strange indeed; it is, that if you mix it with its Acid Spirit, or with water, or else with an Ethereal Oil, such as the Oil of Turpentine, this mixture grows hot to that degree, that sometimes it breaks the Viol 'twas put into, and often it produces a considerable Ebullition.  
I should quickly give account of this heat and Ebullition, if I would suppose an Alkali in the Oil of Vitriol, as those do who pretend to explicate every thing that happens by the notions of Acid and Alkali; but not comprehending how an Alkali should be able to remain so long a time with so strong an Acid as is the Oil of Vitriol without being destroyed, I had rather give a reason that seems to me abundance more probable.  
I conveive therefore that if water, or Spirit of Vitriol, or the Ethereal Oil of Turpentine do heat the Oil of Vitriol, it is by setting in motion a great many fiery particles which the Oil of Vitriol had drawn with it in the Distillation; for these little fiery bodies being environed with salts that are exceeding heavy, and hard to Rarify, they drive about vehemently whatsoever stands in their way, and when they have caused an Ebullition, and find they can't get out atop of the Viol, they break it to pieces with the bustle they make at bottom, and on the sides.  
Perhaps it will be said, I do here suppose gratis that the Oil of Vitriol does contain fiery particles; but if we consider the great violence of fire, and the time that is spent in drawing this Acid, 'twill be no such hard matter to grant me this supposition. Besides it will be hard to explicate the great and burning Corrosion of Oil of Vitriol without admitting these fiery parts, for the Vitriol contains nothing in itself of this Caustick nature; 'tis true indeed that it contains Phlegm, Sulphur, and Earth, but it is a thing impossible but this Acid should discover itself more than it does, if it were as Corrosive in the Vitriol, as it is in the Oil.  
Once it happened to me, that putting into my Furnace a Retort whose two thirds were filled with Germane Vitriol dried, in order to draw off its Spirits, I Distilled first of all the Phlegm, and sulphureous spirit, which I took out of the Receiver; I then fitted it again to the Retort, and by a great fire continued for three days and three nights, I distilled off the Acid Spirit as we are used to do. When the Vessels were grown cold, I admired to find in my Receiver nothing but a Mass of Salt, or Congealed Oil of Vitriol: This Salt was so exceeding Caustick and burning, that if I offered to touch the smallest part of it with my finger, I presently felt an insufferable scalding, and was fain to put my hand immediately into water, it continued to fume still, and when a little of it was thrown into water, it made the same hissing noise, as a fire-coal put into water would do. Besides it heated the water very much, and much more than common Oil of Vitriol could.  
If you fill a Glass Viol with the Decoction of Nephritick Wood clarified, and observe it, turning toward the Light, it will appear Yellow; but if you turn your back to the Light, it will appear Blue; if you mix with it some dregs of Spirit of Vitriol, it will appear Yellow on every side, but if you again and about as much more Oil of Tartar, it will return unto its first colour.  
If you take a Blue, or Violet tincture made in water, such as is drawn out of the Sun-Flower, or Violet Flowers, and pour upon it some drops of Spirit of Vitriol, it will presently turn Red; but if you throw into it some Alkali salt, it will recover again its former colour.  
On the contrary if you pour an Alkali liquor, such as Volatile Spirit of Sal Armoniac, upon the Blue tincture, it will presently turn Green; and if you again pour upon it a little Spirit of Vitriol, it will change this colour into an obscure Red.  
The Decoction of Indian Wood is very Red: if you drop into it a little Spirit of Vitriol it will turn Yellow; and if you still add some Volatile Spirit of Sal Armoniac it will become black.  
All these changes of colour, which the Spirit of Vitriol, or other Acids, and Alkalis do make, proceed only from the different position of bodies dissolved in the liquor, and from its disposition to modify the Light different ways.   

Add to pag. 208. Remarks upon Distillation of Alom.  
Some have written that Alom yields but very little Acid, yet if they'll but take the pains to keep up a strong fire under it for three days together, they'll find that this Spirit does not give place in strength, or quantity to that of Vitriol.  
Nor are we at all obliged to distinguish, as they would have us, the Acrimonious, Corrosive salt of Alom from its Acid, seeing that there is nothing either Acrimonious or Corrosive in this Mineral salt, which will not turn into an Acid Spirit, when it is driven forcibly by fire.   

Add to pag. 211. Remarks upon Flowers of Sulphur.  
If you mix one part of Sal Polychrestum with two pounds of Sulphur, and sublime them together, as those I have described, you'll have white Flowers of Sulphur, which are thought to be better for distempers of the Breast than those others; they are given in the same Dose. This Whiteness proceeds from a very exact Attenuation which Shall Polychrestum gives to the Sulphur; the Sal Polychrestum which remains at bottom of the Cucurbite, may be Calcined, and if you afterwards Purify it by Dissolution, Evaporation, and Filtration, it will be full as good as before.   

Add to pag. 216. Chap. Of Amber.  
Amber is to be found near the Baltick-sea, in the Duchy of Prussia, and no where else.  
Some do think Petroleum, or Oil of Peter, to be nothing but a liquor drawn from Amber by the means of subterranean fires, which make a distillation of it, and that Jet and Coals are the remainders of this distillation.  
This Opinion would have some resemblance of truth, if the places where this Oil is found were not so far distant the one from the other; for Petroleum is usually found only in Italy, as in Sicily, and in Provence, this Oil Distils through the clefts of rocks, and it is very probable to be the Oil of some Bituminous matter, which the subterranean fires had raised.  

Tincture of Amber.  
Powder finely five or six ounces of Yellow Amber, and put it into a Bolt head, pour upon it spirit of wine four singers height, stop this Boult-head with another to make a Circulatory vessel, and luting exactly the Juncture with a wet Bladder, set it in Digestion in warm Sand, and leave it so for five or six days, or until the Spirit of Wine is well impregnated with an Amber colour; pour off this Tincture by inclination, and add more Spirit of Wine to the remaining matter, you must digest it as before, afterwards separating the impregnation, mix it with the other, filter them, and then distil in a Limbeck with a small fire, about half the Spirit of Wine, which may serve for the same use as before: keep the Tincture that you find at bottom of the Limbeck, in a Viol well stopped.  
It is good for the Apoplexy, Palsy, Epilepsy, and Hysterick distempers; the Dose is from Ten drops to a drachm in some proper liquor.   

Remarks.  
You must powder the Amber very finely, that the Menstruum may open it the more easily; this Tincture is only the sulphureous or Oily part of Amber, with which the Spirit of Wine, which is a sulphur, is impregnated; some other liquor that is not sulphureous would perhaps be able to dissolve the Amber, but than that which it did dissolve would be but impure. And for this reason you must always use a dissolvent that is of the same nature with the substance you desire to dissolve.   

The Volatile Salt of Amber.  
Put two pounds of Amber powdered, into a large glass or earthen Cucurbite, let it be filled but the fourth part full, set this Cucurbite in Sand, and after you have fitted a head to it, and a small Receiver, lute well the Junctures, and light a little fire under it for about an hour; then when the Cucurbite is grown warm, increase it by little and little to the third degree; and there will distil first of all a Phlegm and Spirit, than the Volatile Salt will rise, and stick to the head in little Crystals; afterwards there distils an Oil first white and then red, but clear: when you see the Vapours rise no longer, you must put out the fire, and when the Vessels are cold unlute them. Gather the Volatile Salt with a Feather, and because it will be but impure as yet, by reason of a little Oil that's mixed with it, you must put it into a pretty large Viol big enough that the salt may fill only the fourth part of it, place the Viol in Sand, after you have stopped it with plain Paper, and by means of a little fire, you'll sublime the pure salt in fair Crystals atop of the Viol. When you perceive the Oil begin to rise too, you must then take your Viol off the fire, and letting it cool, break it, to separate the salt, keep it in a Viol well stopped, you'll have half an ounce.  
This salt has the same virtues as the other I mentioned before, that is, you may give it from Eight grains to Sixteen in some Opening liquor, for the Jaundice, for Ischuries, Ulcers in the Bladder, the Scurvy, Fits of the Mother, and upon all occasions where there is any need of removing Obstructions, and opening by way of Urine.  
The Spirit and Oil have the same virtues as those I have spoke of. If you would Distil in a Retort the Mass which remained in the Cucurbite, until there comes away nothing more, you'll have a Black Oil, which might serve Women to smell to in fits.   

Remarks.  
The Cucurbite must be sure to be large enough, for otherwise it will break while the Vapours are a rising.  
A Clear Oil may be drawn from Amber in the first Distillation by mixing the Amber with an equal weight of Sea-salt, and distilling it in a Retort the usual way; there will remain likewise some Volatile salt in the neck of the Retort, which may be Rectified by subliming it in a Viol as I have said.    

Add to pag. 220. chap. Of Ambergriese.  
It is thought to be found no where else but in the Oriental seas, though some of it has been known to be sometimes met with upon the English Coast, and in several other places of Europe; the most of it is found upon the Coast of Melinda, and especially at the Mouth of the River that's called Rio di Sena.   

Add to pag. 233. Remarks upon Distillation of Guaiacum.  
During the Distillation of Spirits, you must not make the fire too strong, for they coming forth with a great deal of violence, would else be apt to break either the Retort or the Receiver.  
Though the Guaiacum that is used is a very dry body, yet abundance of liquor is drawn from it; for if you put into the Retort four pounds of this Wood, at sixteen ounces to the Pound, you'll draw at least a Pound of Spirit and Phlegm, and four ounces of Oil; as for the salt, you'll gain but half an ounce, or six drachms at most.   

Add to pag. 238. Remarks upon Oil of Cloves per Descensum.  
If you use a pound of Cloves, to Distil them per Descensum, according to the Description I have given, you'll draw an ounce and two drachms of White Oil, and an ounce of Spirit; there will remain thirteen ounces and two drachms of matter, from whence might still be drawn a little Red Oil.   

Add to pag. 249. lin. 6. Chap. Of Wine.  
'Tis Objected to this last discourse, that the Tartareous part being in a Natural way separated from the Wine, should in no wise diminish the quantity nor the strength of the Spirituous and Inflammable part.  
But when I asserted that the Spirits of divers Wines are extremely much loaded with Tartar, I did not mean that Tartar which Petrifies at the sides of the vessels, for that same is quiet, and does not hinder the Exaltation of Spirits; but I intended a Tartar that still remains mixed in the Wine after the Fermentation, and which according as it abounds more or less, does render the Wines more or less thick and gross. It is easy to see this Tartar I speak of, if you evaporate the aqueous part of Wine, for it will remain at bottom in form of Lees. Nevertheless there is no need of establishing two sorts of Tartar in one kind of Wine, for the former is only the more soluble part of the latter.  
Divers little Objections have been made me on this subject, for want of duly examining what I have established. Wherefore I have no desire to enlarge myself in the relation of them, for it is my aim, as much as I can, to avoid all Repetitions, as being of no further use but to swell a Book and tyre the Readers patience.   

Add to pag. 256. lin. 32. in the Remarks upon Spirit of Wine.  
Some persons do endeavour to reject the Method that I have described for drawing Spirit of Wine, because, say they, a long time is required to draw a little Spirit, and by reason of the difficulty they conceive in procuring such Vessels well made, at Paris, and much more so in the Country.  
But it is likely these Gentlemen do blame this Method, before ever they tried it; for if they had but taken the pains to make the Experiment of it, they would have found that with two or three of these Vessels, they might have drawn as much Spirit of Wine, as they could be able to do with their great Machine; and that this Spirit is not liable to the Impression which might be communicated to it from Copper or Tin vessels. As for the difficulty that there is pretended of finding these Glass vessels, there is none at all that I know of, but only for such as will not take the pains to visit the Glass-houses, for there they would find enough for their turn; and though I use a great many of them in my Courses of Chemistry, I never was to seek for any yet. But suppose there were none to be found ready made, methinks they might as easily bespeak 'em, and have 'em made at the Glass-houses, as well as bespeak those grand Copper or Tin Machine's, that are commonly used. I know those that are better pleased with making a Fair show, than with the effects of things, and who measure the goodness of an Operation by the trouble it gives one, and by the greatness of Vessels and Furnaces, will find here but little to their satisfaction. But I am very little concerned at such men's exceptions, I never at all endeavoured to follow their Road way. My design is simply to facilitate the means of working in Chemistry, and to despoil it, as much as lies in my power, of those things which render it mysterious and dark.   

Add to pag. 258. Remarks upon Spirit of Wine Tartarized.  
A sign, that the Spirit of Wine has carried along with it some of the Salt of Tartar, is this: if you dry gently the Salt of Tartar that remains in the Cucurbite, and weigh it, you'll find it diminished an ounce and a half.  
You may again put this Spirit of Wine Tartarized to half a pound of more Salt of Tartar, in a Limbeck, and distil it as before, but I have found that it is ne'er a-whit the better for it.  
This way of Tartarizing Spirit of Wine is the very best and shortest of all that have been invented, whether you desire to make it Pure, or to impregnate it with salt of Tartar; and I may venture to say, that all the many long and tedious descriptions that have been given of this Operation, have been only invented to cast a dust into the eyes of Novices; for it is easy for any to observe, who give themselves a little to examine things, that after all their long turn and wind, and circumstances to no purpose, the Spirit of Wine is not so well Tartarized, as by the plain Method that I have described.   

Add to pag. 259. Remarks on the Queen of Hungary's Water.  
The Oil or Essence of Rosemary may be made as the Oil of Cinnamon, and some drops may be put into Spirit of Wine, and thus we have a Queen of Hungaries Water presently made upon the spot. The Water of the Queen of Hungary sometimes gives ease to the Toothache, being snuffed at the Nose, or applied to the Gums with a little Cotton.  
Some endeavouring to Criticise to little purpose, do say, it is altogether useless to digest Rosemary Flowers with Spirit of Wine, because their substance being of a very Volatile nature, it easily dissolves without any Digestion.  
But this Circumstance is very necessary, if we desire to have a Water well impregnated with the Essence of the Flowers, for although there is a Volatile substance in Rosemary, yet good part of the Oil, in which consists principally the Smell, is involved in the other Principles, and it cannot be well Rarified, mixed, and Exalted, but only by a Digestion: and thus we find a very good Effect from it.   

Add to pag. 260. last line, Chap. Of Vinegar.  
Perhaps it will be Objected that Wine separated from Tartar and Lees grows sour, when kept a long time in a vessel, without any dissolution of Tartar.  
But we must consider that Wine, let it be as clear and pure as may be, does always retain the more salt and subtle part of Tartar, which exalts and easily smells, when by the Fermentation it gets the predominancy of the Sulphureous Spirits, which held it as it were involved: and thus clear wine sours when alone, but it does not sour so fast, and the Vinegar is not so strong, as when it is made upon Tartar.  
Furthermore if we consider the Principles that Wine consists of, we shall find, that neither the Oil, nor Earth, nor Water, are capable of yielding any Acidity, and that nothing but the Salt is able to give it. Now it can't be doubted but that the Salt of Wine is in the Tartar.  
It may be added here, that the Air to which Wines are exposed, by leaving the vessel open, when they would have them turn into Vinegar, does likewise communicate a little of its Acidity to the Wines, in the stirring up, and rarifying the Acid of Tartar.   

Add to pag. 262. Remarks on Distillation of Vinegar.  
Some having dried and calcined the sweet extract that remains at the bottom of the Cucurbite, after the Distillation of vinegar, and having by Dissolution, Filtration, and Coagulation, separated an Alkali fixed salt, much like unto that which is drawn from Tartar, they do mix it with Spirit of vinegar, and Distil and Cohobate it divers times, until, say they, the spirit has carried off all the Salt, and then will needs have it called Spirit of vinegar Alkalized, or Radical spirit of vinegar, and they assert that this being much more pure, and entirely united with its proper salt, is much more powerful in dissolving Metals. But far from the Distilled vinegars' becoming the stronger through this Preparation, I can demonstrate that it breaks and loses the greatest part of its points in contending with the Alkali salt, with which it is mixed, for 'tis the property of this salt to sween Acids.  
Neither is it necessary to believe that by Distillations is drawn the Alkali salt of Vinegar, for it remains fixed at bottom of the Retort with the Acids it is impregnated with; so that this same Spirit of Vinegar to which so many great names and uses have been appropriated, is properly the more Phlegmatic part of distilled vinegar.   

Add to pag. 264. Remarks on Crystals of Tartar.  
I see no reason so much to wonder as some do, why Tartar will not dissolve in cold water; for although it does contain a great deal of Salt, this salt is involved in Earth, and Oil, which must needs hinder this dissolution, and there's no need of having recourse, for an explication of this, to a proportionate Union of Volatile salts and Acids.   

Add to pag. 264. Soluble Tartar.  
Powder and mix together eight ounces of Crystals of Tartar, and four ounces of the fixed salt of Tartar, put this mixture into a glazed earthen Pot, and pouring upon it three pints of common water, boil the matter gently for half an hour, then letting it cool, filter and evaporate the liquor until it is dry, and there will remain at bottom, eleven ounces six drachms of a white salt; keep it in a Viol, 'tis both a good Aperitive, and Laxative, it is good for Cachexies, Dropsies, and all Diseases that proceed from Obstructions: the Dose is from ten grains to two scruples in Broth, or some proper liquor.  

Remarks.  
This Operation is nothing but a Dissolution that the Salt of Tartar has made of Cream of Tartar, so that it can dissolve in cold water, which it could not do being alone; the Cream of Tartar also being an Acid insinuates into the Pores of the Alkali salt, and sweetens it.  
If you Boil Cream of Tartar in water, and put into it some salt of Tartar, there will happen an Effervescency between 'em, but if you mix these two Ingredients together in cold water, there will be no Effervescency; the reason of which is, that the Acid Spirits of Cream of Tartar being involved in other Principles, can have no active power to penetrate the Alkali, unless they be actuated by fire.  
I use to filter the Dissolution, in order to separate some terrestrious part of the Cream of Tartar, which could not dissolve: this salt comes near to Tartar vitriolated for virtues, some do call it Vegetable salt.   

Chalybeated or Martial Crystals of Tartar.  
Powder and mix a pound of good white Tartar, and three ounces of Rust of Iron, boil this mixture in an Iron Kettle with five or six quarts of water, for half an hour, or so much time as is requisite to dissolve the Tartar, pass the liquor hot through a warm cloth, then let it alone to settle in an Iron or Earthen Pot ten or twelve hours, it will shoot into brown Crystals, at the sides and bottom of the Pot, pour off the liquor by Inclination, and gather the Crystals; then evaporate over the fire about half the liquor in the same Pot, then let the remainder settle, and take out the Crystals as before; continue these Evaporations and Crystallizations, until you have drawn out all your Tartar, dry the Crystals in the Sun, and so keep them.  
It is a good remedy for Obstructions of the Liver, Mesentery, Spleen; it is given in Cachexies, and for Melancholy, and the Quartan Ague; the Dose is from fifteen grains to two Scruples in Broth or some other liquor proper to the Distemper.   

Remarks.  
This Preparation is boiled but little, that the Tartar may dissolve only the more Saline part of Iron; the liquor is made to pass through a cloth, to free it from the Impurities of the Tartar and Iron that could not dissolve; but you must pass it very hot, for if it were a little cool, the Tartar would Coagulate in the Cloth, and so none of the liquor would pass.  
Instead of Crystallizing the dissolved Tartar, you may evaporate all the liquor, and so obtain a brown powder, which has the same virtues as the Crystals.  
When you would exhibit this Chalybeated Crystal of Tartar, you must make it just boil in the liquor you give it in, for otherwise it will not dissolve, and you must be sure to give it as hot as they can take it, for fear it should Crystallize at the bottom of the Poringer or Cup.   

Soluble Tartar Chalybeated.  
Put into an Earthen Pan, or Glass vessel four ounces of soluble Tartar, and sixteen ounces of Tincture of Mars prepared according to the description that I have given, set the vessel in sand, and with a small fire evaporate the humidity of the liquor, until there remains a black powder, shut it in a viol well stopped, and keep it, you'll have eight ounces of it.  
This Martial Tartar has the same virtues as the Tincture of Tartar, it is good to remove all Obstructions, wherefore 'tis very properly used in Cachexies, Dropsies, retention of the Menstrua, in Nephritick Colicks, and difficulties of Urine: the Dose is from ten grains to half a drachm, in some proper liquor, or else made into Lozenges.   

Remarks.  
This Preparation of Chalybeate, or Martial Tartar is not only more convenient for use than the former, (in that it dissolves, or mixes in a cold liquor) but has much more virtue in it, for the Tincture of Mars contains only the more salt part of Tartar.    

Add to pag. 265. Remarks on Soluble Emetic Tartar.  
Volatile Spirit of Sal Armoniac may be used instead of that of Urine; but then there will appear no sensible Ebullition, the reason of which is, because the salt of this Spirit is not so open as the Spirit of Urine, by reason of some impression it has of the Acid sal Armoniac, with which it was mixed; insomuch that the Crystals of Tartar whose Acid is not separated from the Earth, has points too gross and too unactive to insinuate into the Pores of this salt, and divide its parts so easily as those of the salt that's contained in Spirit of Urine, whose Pores are bigger.  
Another sort of Soluble Emetic Tartar may be made by boiling in Water an ounce of the Glass of Antimony in Powder, with four ounces of Soluble Tartar, for seven or eight hours, then upon Filtering and evaporating the liquor, there will remain a grey Powder of the same virtues as the other, and to be given in the same Dose.   

Add to pag. 268. Remarks upon the Fixed Salt of Tartar, and its Oil.  
I commonly use to draw this way four ounces of very white, and well Purified salt of Tartar, from each pound of Red Tartar; a little more may be drawn from white Tartar, but it is no better than the other.  
I have observed that when water is thrown upon the Mass of Tartar newly Calcined, it heats, much like unslacked Lime, when wetted; the reason of which is the same that I have given, to explicate the Ebullition of Quicklime in water: all the difference is this, that Tartar Calcined containing a great deal of Salt, does more easily imbibe water than Quicklime.  
Some do Calcine salt of Tartar with a little sulphur, to hinder it from dissolving so easily by the Air, and to whiten it the more; but this is no good practice, because the Acid Spirit of sulphur destroys some part of the Alkali; and this does come to happen, by reason that the Pores of this Salt by being thus Calcined are not so open as they were, and the Air therefore cannot so easily melt it. If you would desire to make Salt of Tartar, and other Alkali fixed salts very white indeed, you must Calcine them all alone in a great fire, until they become white, and then Purify them by Dissolation, Filtration, and Coagulation. As for their proneness to dissolve, this accident is Natural to Alkali salts, and it cannot be taken from them, but by destroying their nature.  
Nor can I approve the addition of some quantity of Niter to the Calcination of Tartar, as some will do, because the Volatile parts of Niter being exalted, the fixed do remain, and by their Acidity do diminish the virtue of Salt of Tartar.  
Alkali salts are Aperitive, in that they dissolve those slimy humours which caused Obstructions; and it is for the same reason that Salt of Tartar does correct Senna, and hinders it from griping, for the substance of Senna being Viscous, this does Rarify it, and make it work the quicker; it may also serve to dissolve some viscous Phlegm that sticks to the Intestines, which as it is going off, causes gripping pains.   

Add to pag. 272. the last line in Remarks upon Magistery of Tartar, or Tartar Vitriolated.  
If you use two ounces of Salt of Tartar in this Operation, you'll draw two ounces and a half of Tartarum Vitriolatum. This Augmentation comes from the more heavy and strong part of the Vitriol, for the humidity that is Evaporated is very Phlegmatic.  
You may here use the Rectified Oil of Vitriol instead of the Spirit, and then the less is required, because it is a stronger Acid, but the Tartarum Vitriolatum will not be so white, as when Spirit of Vitriol is used, by reason of some Tincture that always remains with Oil of Vitriol, Rectify it as much as you please.  
Though some have written, that if Tartarum Vitriolatum should be put into a Retort, and actuated by fire, one might draw Spirit of Vitriol as good as it was at first, nevertheless 'tis certain 'twill not be so strong a Spirit; for it has lost the most subtle part of its Acidity, by encountering with the Alkali, which may be easily judged both by the Taste, and the Effects.  
If by way of Curiosity you would search a little narrowly into this Operation, and observe what happens during the Ebullition of Acid and Alkali, you'll find, that a great many little dashes of water do fly about, especially if the vessel is not placed too low, and you hold a lighted Candle near it, for they will be apt to put it out. This Effect can have no other cause than the violent separation of the parts of Alkali by Acid, which makes the watery part of this liquor sprinkle itself upwards, it being on all sides furiously driven.  
If you use Oil of Vitriol, the Ebullition is the greater, and the heat the more considerable, because its Acid being stronger, it separates the parts of the Alkali body with more ease.  
Now considering the Ebullition which happens between Acid and Alkali, I have the less opinion of a Method that some follow, which is to bathe a little the bodies that are to be Embalmed, with Spirit of salt, and then to put Salt of Tartar into the Embalming Powder; for it is very likely, that this Spirit of Salt, which is an Acid, by mixing with the Alkali salt of Tartar, produces a Fermentation which may stir up the remaining humidity of the Carcase, and make it enter into the Ingredients of the Powder, and so instead of Preserving the dead body entire, we may have reason to fear lest this Fermentation should rather hasten the dissolution of its parts.   

Add to pag. 274. lin. 27. in the same Remarks.  
Leaven does increase the Fermentation in Doughty, as being a Paste itself, whose salts are made free by a long Fermentation; these salts do join with those of the other Paste, and assist them both to rarify and dissolve.  
The same thing may be said of divers other Acids which do cause a Fermentation.  
But when the Acids have rarified the matter as much as they can, they there lose their motion, and then there happens a kind of Coagulation, that is to say, the matter returns into its first dimensions.  
Again there is one effect of Acids, which seems different from those I mentioned before, and it is that they can preserve certain bodies that are put into them, as salt preserves meat. Thus when young Cucumbers, Saxifrage, Capers, etc. are set a steeping in Vinegar, there happens no Fermentation at all, and consequently no Corruption.  
The reason of which is, that the parts of Cucumbers, and other things I mentioned, being of a viscous nature, the Acids do insinuate into them for to dissolve them, but they have not motion there free enough to make their attacks, and separate the parts, so that the Acid of Vinegar does only fix itself in the Pores of these bodies, and there Coagulate.  
It is this Coagulation that hinders the Cucumbers from corrupting, for these Acids do stop up their Pores and serve as so many little Pegs, to keep the parts firm and quiet. Sea-salt which is an Acid does preserve meat, and several other things for the same reason; but I have spoken something of that in the Remarks upon the Principles.   

Add to pag. 276. the end of the same Remarks.  
Another Objection may be made to what I have said touching Digestion; it is, that whereas I maintained that Acids do Dissolve when they abound, and Coagulate when there are but few in a great deal of matter, it should happen that Spittle should then be apt to Coagulate the Aliments in the stomach, and cause indigestion, than would a greater quantity of Acids, for it seems, according to my Discourse, the more acids are found in a matter, the more liable it must be to dissolve.  
To resolve this difficulty, which seems to be very considerable, we must observe, that the natural acids of Aliments taken into the stomach, are sufficient to rarify and dissolve those bodies which hinder their motion, when they have been stirred up by Mastication, or by some salt of the spittle, which serves as a Leaven to them, much after the same manner as the salts of Meal do rarify the Paste, when they are actuated by means of Trituration and Leaven together; but now if there happens to be too much acid in the Aliments that are taken into the stomach, they will have the same effect as Cucumbers and those other things I mentioned, which preserve in Vinegar. The acids will indeed endeavour to cut in pieces what stands in their way, but having to do with parts too viscous and heavy, they will soon lose all their motion, and fix by their quantity, and by their gravity the natural salt of these aliments, as Vinegar fixes that of Cucumbers; for whereas the acids do shut the Pores of the matter, and keep them firm and quiet, the natural salt can't be able to exalt so as to cause Fermentation or Digestion.  
The reason then why a small portion of acids will cause Digestion in the stomach, and a greater quantity will hinder it, is that the small quantity will join with the natural salt of aliments, and have its operation without stopping the Pores of the matter, whereas a great store of acids will quite stop up the Pores of this same matter, and hinder the motion of the natural salt; for it is not enough that there are a great many acids, to cause a dissolution, these acids must have room to move in, and make their attacks.  
Thus these Effects make nothing against what I asserted concerning acids, for a greater quantity of them will always have more disposition, and tendency to a dissolution; but if this great quantity does Coagulate divers things, it is only by accident, and by reason of the disposition of the matter into which the acid points do use to enter.  
What I have established concerning acids may serve very much towards the explicating of Fevers, and their principal symptoms.  
First of all every body must grant, that when there are Obstructions in our Bodies, the obstructed matter does Ferment and sour, as Doughty, Wine, and several other things grow sour by being stolen.  
This matter by Fermenting sends salt or acid vapours into the Mass of Blood, which do cause divers Alterations in it, according to their quantity, and quality, for these acids are commonly mixed with sulphurs, which are a kind of Vehicle to the acids, and are more or less corrupted, according as the matter whence they are derived have sojourned more or less in the Obstructed part.  
Now if these acid vapours are carried into the Vessels, but only in such a quantity as is fit to make a kind of Leaven in the Blood, they will then rarify the Blood too much, and whereas they by consequence increase its motion and heat, they do cause that which we call a Fever; this Fever must remain as long as the Ferment continues in the Blood, and according as there comes a new supply of matter in place of what nature has thrown off.  
But if a greater quantity of acids rises all of a sudden from out of the Obstructions, than there must needs happen a kind of Coagulation, for these acids thus abounding, and fixing the grosser part of the Blood, do partly lose their motion, and quiet the Ebullition of the Blood by fixing its parts.  
It is this kind of Congelation which causes those Cold Shivering, which are felt, before the Hot Fit gins; for as the Heat is derived from the motion of the Spirits, the Cold is produced from the cessation of their motion.  
The Cold fit continues until the Spirits have by their activity rarified this Congelation; for the Spirits being continually supplied with additional forces do violently assault the passage till they have broke it open, and made their way free.  
The Coagulum being dissolved, the Blood should seem to Circulate as it did before, but because the matter of the Coagulum is converted into a Leaven, this Leaven makes the Blood to Boil, and so causes a Fever; this Fever continues until the Blood is freed from all this Ferment, either by Transpiration, or by way of Urine.  
Now to conceive how this Coagulum may be converted into a Leaven, we must consider that the Spirits of the Blood have lost most of their acidity in dissolving this Coagulum, and that there remains but only acidity enough to produce a Fermentation.  
Nevertheless you must not think I mean by this Congelation now spoken of, a Coagulum altogether like unto that in Milk, or to that which happens, when an acid liquor is syinged into the Veins of an Animal, for these Congelations are too strong, and there would then happen to us the same thing, or very near the same as does to the animal, who soon afterwards falls into Convulsions, and dies, because the course of the Spirits and Blood would be entirely stopped, and they would never be able to break through so great an obstacle: but I understand here that the Blood is made thicker than it was, and has not so free a motion as it had before, which is enough to cause such cold Fits.  
Now there remains for me to explicate how it comes to pass that Fevers have their abatements and returns regularly by Fits.  
The matter that makes the Obstructions which I have laid down for the Fundamental Cause of Fevers, gins not to send out its vapours, nor disperses its acid salt into the Blood in order to cause a Fever, until it has got together a certain quantity in the obstructed vessels, and then it is probable there is a kind of Eruption of the matter.  
This Eruption of Feverish matter must happen at set times, so long as the Obstruction lasts, because the humours which Circulate to the obstructed parts, and there stop, are always in an equal quickness and quantity.  
Now seeing that in a Tertian Ague, the vessels wherein the obstruction happens, do acquire in two day's time a sufficient repletion of matter to produce the Eruption and Fermentation I have spoken of, the Fits do come to operate every second day.  
But because in a Quartan Ague the humours are more tenacious and heavy, and flow with expedition, the Fermentation and Eruption must needs be slower and consequently the Fits more distant the one from the other.  
The Quotidian Ague is caused by a Salt Pituita, which is naturally fluid enough to make the matter ferment in less time, wherefore it is that the Fits do return every day.  
We may reason concerning the other kinds of Fevers upon the same Principle, and explicate all the accidents that happen, but I have no design to enlarge myself further upon this subject, I should think it would be too great a Digression, and a Book might rather be made on purpose, to express all the circumstances which might be deduced from it.  

Volatile Salt of Tartar.  
Dry the Lees of Wine in a gentle fire, and fill with them two thirds of a large earthen or glass Retort, place this Retort in a Reverberatory Furnace, and fitting to it a large Receiver, give a small fire under it to heat the Retort by degrees, and to drive out an insipid Phlegm; when vapours begin to rise, you must put out the Phlegm, and luting carefully the Junctures of your vessels, quicken the fire by little and little, until you find the Receiver filled with white Clouds; continue it in this condition, and when you perceive the Receiver to cool, raise the fire to the utmost extremity, and continue it so, until there rise no more Vapours. When the Vessels are grown cold, unlute the Receiver, and shaking it about to make the Volatile salt which sticks to it fall to the bottom, pour it all into a Boulthead with a long neck; fit to it a Head with a small Receiver; lute well the junctures, and placing it in sand, give a little fire under it, and the Volatile salt will rise, and stick to the head, and the top of the Boulthead; take off your head, and set on another in its place: gather your salt, and stop it up quickly, for it easily dissolves into a liquor; continue the fire, and take care to gather up the salt according as you see it appear; but when there will rise no more salt, a liquor will distil, of which you must draw about three ounces, than put out the fire.  
This salt is had in great request to Purify the Blood, by Sweat or Urine: it may be given in the Palsy, Apoplexy, Epilepsy, Quartan and Tertian Agues, to open Obstructions; the Dose is from six grains to fifteen in some proper liquor.  
The Distilled liquor is a Volatile salt that's risen with Phlegm; it is called the Volatile Spirit of Tartar, and has the same virtues as the salt; its Doses is from eight to four and twenty drops.  
After this same manner the Volatile salt of Beans, Soot, and divers Fruits and Seeds may be Prepared.   

Remarks.  
The Lees of Wine being incomparably more Fermented than the Tartar which is found in the sides of Vessels, we need not wonder if its salt is more Volatile.  
This salt is sublimed in a Boulthead with a long neck, to the end the Phlegm, which is too heavy to rise easily so high, may not much mix with it; but it is extraordinary hard to keep this salt dry, it easily humects and dissolves into liquor, wherefore it were much better to draw it in a Spirit, and less of the Volatile part would be lost, being detained by Phlegm.  
Nevertheless because there are several persons who are as well pleased with the sight of things, as their Effects, this liquified salt might be mixed with a sufficient quantity of Calcined Bones powdered, to make thereof a Paste, which might be made into little Pellets, to be put into a Boult-head, and fitting to it a Blind head, this salt may be sublimed or Rectified as before, and this pure salt must be kept in Viols well stopped.  
The difficulty there is in keeping this Volatile salt dry, as well as that of other Vegetables, does proceed from this, that only the more Essential part is Volatilised, for there remains much fixed salt with the earth in the Retort.  
This Volatile salt becomes Alkali by the means of fire, as the other Volatile salts do, whereof I have already spoken in my Remarks upon the Principles; and there is no manner of probability that it should have been of this nature, either in the Plant or in the Lees, for the reasons that I have shown in the same Remarks.  
I shall add here, that if the Alkali salt did exist in the Lees, but is not able to unfold itself, and get the predominancy of Acids but only by a long Fermentation, as the Chemists will have it, who follow the common way of discoursing of these things, it would then necessarily follow that the more Lees do Ferment, the more they must lose of their Acidity, because the Alkali would destroy it. Nevertheless the contrary to this happens; for Lees do sour as they grow stolen, and those who make your Vinegar, do know well enough how to use Lees, and make them Ferment with their Wine, when they would use a quick dispatch in making Vinegar.  
It seems to me from the consideration of this effect, that there is little reason to follow the Sentiments of some, who have writ that the Lees of wine abounding in Volatile salt, and a sulphureous spirit do contain but very little Acid; for it is as plain as may be that this Volatile salt is Acid in the Lees, and is the fame that makes the Acid spirit of Vinegar, as being more Volatile than many other Acids, to Volatilize along with its Phlegm in the distillation. It is true that salt of Tartar drawn by the Retort, does rise more easily than the Spirit of Vinegar, but this is from its being Volatilised by the violent heat of fire.  
Another mark that all the salt of Lees is Acid, is this, that the Tartar does all dissolve in the wine, and turns into Vinegar; for very little or no Lees, or other Tartar, is to be found in the Barrels wherein Vinegar was made, although there was some before as nature made it, or though some other was added to it.  
Perhaps it will be Objected, that Lees are sometimes added to Wines grown ropy and mucilaginous to make them good again, and those Wines are not soured by the Lees.  
But this effect happens, when the former Fermentation becoming imperfect, through the too great quantity of Phlegm for the little proportion of Salt that was in the wines, the salt of the Lees does rarify, exalt, and involve itself in some measure in the Oily parts of the liquor that the wine is made of, as I have said in the Chapter of Wine.  
For the Wine does not sour, so long as the salt finds Oil to act upon, but it does so, when this salt finds nothing to hinder it from separating.  
The Volatile salt of Tartar produces much the same effects, as that of Beans, and other seeds, and though many will needs give it such sublime and extraordinary virtues in comparison with other Volatile salts, I don't see any reason for such high fancies, nor that effects do answer their Pretences.  
Volatile salts have a good use, when they find the Pores and Humours disposed for Transpiration, but they are full as dangerous, when the Humours are not at all Prepared; for by their Volatility they do so stir them up, that oftentimes the Fever is known to be increased by them, and translated to the Brain: wherefore you must be sure to consider well the Temper and present state of your Patient, before you presume to give them.  
That which remains in the Boulthead, after the Volatile salt, and spirit are drawn off, is a black and stinking Oil mixed with the more Phlegmatic part of the liquor; you must separate this Oil in a Funnel lined with brown paper; it is good for the Palsy, Cold pains, and for Hysterick women to smell to.  
A Lee or Calcined Tartar is found in the Retort, out of which you may draw a fixed Alkali salt, as out of common Tartar, but in a lesser quantity, for that the greatest part of the Salt of Lees is Volatilised.    

Add to pag. 278. Extract of Opium called Laudanum.  
Opium does mitigate all pains which proceed from too great a subtlety of the humours, it is good for the Toothache, being applied to the Tooth, or else made into a Plaisser, and applied to the Artery of the Temples; it is used to stop spitting of blood, Dysenteries, Fluxes of the Menstrua, and the Hemorrhoids, for Colicks, defluxions of sharp humours upon the eyes, for Rheumatisms, and to ease all sorts of Griping pains. The Dose, etc. as before.   

Add to pag. 284. Remarks upon Laudanum.  
Some have writ in opposition to what I have established on this subject, and say, that if we have regard to the quantity of Narcotick vapours that may arise from a small Dose of Opium, it ought not to be imagined that those Vapours should be able to shut the channels of the Spirits and humours which make a defluxion upon some part; but that we should rather conclude the mitigation of pains, and stopping of defluxions to proceed from a jus proportion of the salt and sulphur of Opium, and from the secret Ferment they contain.  
But this Objection will give us but little trouble in the answering, when we consider that although the Vapours caused by it are but few, yet the vessels of the Brain, in which the Animal Spirits do move, are exceeding delicate, and easy to be obstructed; and that the too great activity of the Spirits, which often fly into the diseased parts, being thus abated by the viscous nature of Opium, there must needs follow thereupon some ease and comfort, without any need at all of admitting a stoppage of the Vessels. And again we may conceive, that all the Opium that was taken, being capable of being Rarified into vapours by the heat of the body, there must needs be produced good quantity of them.  
As for the proportion of Salt, and Sulphur in Opium, and the secret Ferment they pretend to acquaint us with, in order to Explicate this matter, I know they are high terms indeed, but illustrate very little; for though they say these salts and sulphurs do unite with Homogeneous particles that they meet with, and destroy such as are the cause of the Distemper, we can never by this means receive any clear Idea of that which makes Opium soporiferous.  
Besides the virtue which Opium has to cause sleep, I have observed that it is often Sudorific. I conceive this effect must not be attributed only to the Volatile parts of this mixed, which may be thought to operate this way, after they are disengaged from its viscosity, but rather to this, that during sleep, the inward vessels being as it were obstructed, or in some manner Coagulated, and the Spirits finding resistance in their passage, do reflect, or turn their motion to the outward parts, and draw along with 'em some moisture through the Pores. That which confirms me in this opinion is the consideration, that divers persons do use always to sweat, when they are a sleep, though they have not taken any Opium at all. Now it may happen that in the operation of Opium, the Spirits finding more resistance within than they are wont, may tend outwards with the more force, and consequently incline to sweat more than in natural sleep.  
Some prejudiced Chemist may not relish perhaps this my Explication, because I don't season it with salt enough, and sulphur, and other Principles; but although the five Principles which may be drawn from other Vegetables, may also be drawn from Opium, I never use them but to explicate some Effect; for whensoever I find they are not able to satisfy my reason, nothing shall hinder me from pursuing my thoughts and searching otherwhere for some better explication. In fine the Beauty of Chemistry does not consist in suiting our opinions to those of ordinary Chemists, who resolving to explicate all the Events of nature by their received Principles, which they manage according to their own fashion, do reject as ridiculous whatsoever does not agree with their Sentiments; but it rather consists in examining and imitating what is done Naturally, and so searching for reasons that are most probable, and such as may be said to come nearest to truth, though one is fain to forsake the way that others have trod in.   

Add to pag. 285. Chap. Of Aloes.  
Aloes is not only used inwardly, as I shall say speaking of its Extract, but it is also used outwardly in many Unguents and Plasters that are Detersive, and Resolutive.  
It's Tincture is also drawn with Spirit of wine, by the same Method as I shall describe that of Myrrh; it is resolutive, detersive, good against Gangrenes, and to Incarnate: it is used in Injections to dissolve Gypsous humours, and to cleanse Wounds, and old Ulcers.   

Add to pag. 292. lin. 3. in Remarks on Extractum Panchymagogum.  
Spirit of Wine is commonly used to make this Extract; and it may seem to be so much the purer, being drawn by this dissolvent, rather than by a watery menstruum; for spirit of wine dissolves only the more Balsamic and purer part of mixed bodies: but nevertheless I choose rather to prefer the use of Dew, or else Rain-water, nay and common water before Spirit of wine for several reasons.  
First, because in the Evaporation of the humidity of the Extract, drawn by Spirit of wine, a great many of the more subtle parts are lost, which this dissolvent had Volatilised. And indeed it cannot be denied, but some parts will evaporate, let us use what dissolvent we please; but it is plain there is no such great loss, when watery menstruums are used, as when spirit of wine. Now we should always prefer such menstruums, as are best able to preserve the virtue of the mixed, whose Extract we intent to draw.  
The second is, because Spirit of wine does always leave some impression of heat and acrimony in the Extracts it draws, which the liquors that I use don't do.  
The third is, because spirit of wine is not so convenient a menstruum to dissolve the salts which the Ingredients we use are full of, and it is in this salt, that their greatest virtue does consist.  
Wherefore we ought to choose such dissolvents, as best preserve the virtue of mixed bodies, and such as are familiar to our nature. We must use Spirit of wine to extract Rosines, such as that of Scammony, Jalap, Turbith; but whenever an Extract can be drawn with a watery menstruum, it is better to use that, rather than another, for the reasons I have mentioned.   

Add to pag. 304. after the chap. Of Gum Ammoniack. CHAP. Of Myrrh.  
Myrrh is a Gummy juice that distils from a Spinous Tree, of a middle height, by Incisions that are made into it; this Tree grows commonly in Ethiopia, and Arabia, and because the Inhabitants of those countries are thought to feed on Serpents, the Myrrh that is brought thence is called Troglodytick. The Ancients were wont to collect from the same Tree a liquor that fell from it without Incision, which was called Stacten; 'tis only a liquid Gum, but I am apt to think it should have more virtue than common Myrrh, because it was the more spirituous part, which filtrated through the Pores of the Bark of this Tree.  
You must choose such Myrrh as is friable, light, odoriferous, clear, and such as is in small pieces, of a Yellowish colour, and bitter to the Taste; it is aperitive and resolutive; it is much esteemed for obstructions of the Vterus, and to bring the menstrua, and to quicken women's Labour; it also resists malignity of humours, it is used in Corroborative Remedies, and resolvent Plasters.  

Tincture of Myrrh.  
Put what quantity you please of good Myrrh powdered, into a Boulthead, and pour upon it spirit of wine four fingers high; ftir the matter and set it in digestion in warm sand, for two or three days, or until the Spirit of Wine is loaded with the Tincture of Myrrh; then separate the liquors by Inclination, & keep it in a Viol well stopped. It may be used to expedite women's Labour, to bring down the Menstrua, and in the Palsy, Apoplexy, Lethargy, and all diseases that proceed from Corruption of humours; it is Sudorific and Aperitive: the Dose is from six drops to fifteen in some proper liquor: it is commonly used in outward applications, or mixed with the Tincture of Aloes to discuss cold Tumours, and to dissolve Gypsous humours by way of Injection, and for the Gangrene.   

Remarks.  
Though Tinctures of Myrrh are daily drawn in Wine, or Aqua vitae, notwithstanding the best that can be Prepared is with Spirit of wine, because this Menstruum receives the more Oily, or Balsamic part of Myrrh; whereas the Phlegm of Wine, and Aqua vitae, do cause these liquors to dissolve, and impregnate with the more terrestrious part of the Gum, as well as with the Oily.  
Some do use to evaporate this Tincture to the consistence of an Extract, but because thereby they are fain to lose the more Volatile part of the Myrrh with the spirit of wine, I do conceive it better to use the Tincture itself as I have described it.   

Oil of Myrrh per Deliquium.  
Boil Eggs until they are grown hard, then cutting them in two, separate the Yelk, and fill the White with Myrrh powdered, set them on little sticks placed conveniently on purpose, in a plate, or earthen pan, in a Cellar, or some such moist place, and there will distil a liquor to the bottom of the vessel, which you may take out, and keep for use. This is called the Oil of Myrrh: it is good to take away Freckles, and Tetters, applied outwardly.  
Remarks.  
Though this liquor, improperly called Oil, is only the more soluble part of Myrrh humected with the moisture of whites of Eggs, and the Cellar together, yet it is the best of any that have been invented, whether you draw it in Spirit of wine, or distil this Gum in a Retort: for by spirit of wine the more Volatile part of Myrrh is lost, either by Distillation, or Evaporation; and it is so Torrified in a Retort, that it loses its best virtues; whereas per Deliquium what Volatile this Gum contains is preserved in its Natural being, for the humidities that mix with it are no ways capable of destroying or altering its nature.    

Add to pag. 309. l. 11. in the Chap. Of Vipers.  
I am apt to conceive, that the Venom of Vipers is caused by an affluence of Acid salts, violently thrown forth, and which by insinuating into the Veins, do by degrees cause a Coagulum in the Blood, to hinder its Circulation, and the course of the spirits; this opinion is the more probable, in that Coagulated Blood has been found in the Veins of many Animals, which have been bit by the Viper, and besides the most powerful Remedies that cure this Poison, are Volatile Alkali salts, which are proper to dissolve the Coagulum.  
As for what may be said, that if this discourse were true, the Natural acidity of the Blood would Coagulate it sometimes, as it happens to Milk which Curdles of itself; and that this Coagulation would produce the same effects as does the Venom of Vipers; this Objection raises no difficulty at all. For the Blood circulating in its Natural way, the Acidity that is in it is so well united to it, that it cannot separate to make a Coagulum, no more than the acidity that is in milk can separate from it, whilst the milk remains in the Teats, for we see it never uses to Curdle there, unless occasioned by some Distemper.  
And again, who can doubt but certain Pestilential Airs, or divers Diseases that come from the corruption of the humours of the body, may be able to Coagulate the Blood, and have the same effect as the venom of Vipers?   

Add to pag. 314. the bottom of the page in Remarks on Distillation of Vipers.  
There is another way of Rectifying the Volatile salt, which is by mixing it with five or six times as much Bones, or Horns burned white, and putting the mixture into a glass, or earthen Cucurbite, then fitting to it a blind head, or such a one whose Nose has not been opened, after that luting well the junctures, then setting the vessel in sand, and with a gentle fire the Volatile salt will rise, and stick to the head, you must continue the fire until there rises nothing further.  
This salt is hereby purified from a great deal of its Oil, which remains in the powder of Bones, wherefore it is whiter than it was, and pleasanter to the Palate. It may again be mixed with other Calcined Bones, and sublimed as before, to render it the purer still, and take away the more of its unsavoury smell, that's caused partly by the Empyreumatical oil that it draws along with it in the distillation.   

Add to pag. 316. the end of the same Remarks.  
If you distil two and thirty ounces of shave of Hartshorn, you'll draw thirteen ounces of liquor, and Volatile salt, and there will remain in the Retort nineteen ounces of matter as black as any Coal.  
You'll draw from the liquor an ounce and a half of Volatile salt, six ounces of spirit, and two ounces of Black Oil.  
The black matter being grinded on a Marble is good for Painters to use; if you Calcine it, the fuliginous parts which make it black, will fly away, and leave the Hartshorn very white; you'll have sixteen ounces of it, and this is called burnt Hartshorn. It is accounted Cardiack, but indeed has no other virtue than to destroy Acids, as all other Alkali matters do too.  
Some do use to stratify Hartshorn with Bricks, and Calcining it that way, they call it Hartshorn prepared Philosophically, they account it more Cordial than it was before; but they are very strangely mistaken, for the Volatile salt, and Oil, which were the things that should render it Cardiack, were carried away in the Calcination, and there remains only a Terrestrious matter that might be called Caput mortuum. Notwithstanding it is an Alkali, that may serve as Crabs-eyes, Coral, and divers other matters of the like nature, which absorbe Acids; the Bricks bestow no virtue at all on it.   

Add to pag. 323. Remarks on the Distillation of Wax.  
If by way of curiosity you desire to know exactly what quantity of liquor, or spirit, can be drawn from Wax, you must dry your Bolus as much as you can, or else use in its place, broken pots, or Bricks powdered, which are not at all wet: out of three and twenty ounces of Wax, you'll draw in the first Distillation just the same weight of liquor; to wit, twelve ounces of Phlegmatic spirit, and the rest is a Butter; in the second and third Distillation you'll draw fourteen ounces of spirit, and six ounces of clear Oil.  
Spirit of Wax is only a small quantity of Acid Volatile salt dissolved in Phlegm; but you must not believe what some have written, that having Distilled a considerable quantity of Wax, and put that which was drawn into a Bolt head with a long neck, they could sublime the Volatile salt like others of that nature. For this salt, though it is indeed Volatile, yet it is not Volatile enough to rise before the Phlegm; it is an Acid salt much like unto that of Amber, but is not of the nature of Volatile Alkalis, which are known to sublime so easily; it were better therefore to keep this spirit as it is, or else to evaporate about half of it with a very mild heat, that it may be the stronger.  
The Volatile salts of many sulphureous matters are drawn Acid, as they were de facto in the mixed, because being clothed with soft and ramous parts which give way easily to their motion, they do not break their natural keenness in endeavouring to separate, when they are forced by fire, and so they do not receive so much terrestrious and fiery matter, as is requisite to make them Porous, like Volatile Alkalis.  
Methinks this Operation, and the Distillation of Amber which I have described, do much confirm what I said before in my Remarks upon the Principles, that all the salt of mixed bodies is naturally Acid, and that Alkali is nothing else but a mutation made by fire. Besides, all sorts of Experiments do seem to me to confirm and establish this Opinion; but yet I am not so peremptory in the vindication of it, but would gladly give place to another, if I could be showed that it is better than mine, for I seek after nothing else but real Truth.  
Neither would I have it thought, I am so full of Vanity, as to vaunt myself for the first Author of this Opinion, of many other thoughts, and of all the ways of Operation that are to be found in my Book, as if for certain they were never writ before; for although I can assure my Reader, that they are dictates of my own conception, and that I have not searched into any Author whatsoever to find them out; it may have happened nevertheless, and I am willing to think so, that many others besides myself may have thought and written the same things that I have done, and with more order and decorum. All the glory therefore that I am desirous to reserve unto myself, upon this occasion, is, that I have had the fortune to fall into the same reflections, as many Ingenious persons have done before me, without consulting any of them.  
FINIS.    

AN INDEX OF THE MORE Material REMARKS IN THIS APPENDIX.  

A  
ACid and Alkali, their nature discoursed of at large, Page 14, 15. All Bodies that Ferment with Acids are not compounded of an Alkali salt; as Pearl, Coral, etc. but are themselves Alkalis, 13. An Alkali after its conflict with Acids, remains no longer Alkali, 16, 17. No Alkali salt in Animals, 17. Choler no Alkali, 18. The notions of Acid and alkali cannot explicate the Heat and Ebullition, which proceeds from mixing spirit of Niter with spirit of Wine, 80. The Oil of Turpentine with Oil of Vitriol occasions the same difficulty, ib. How these Ebullitions are to be explicated, 81. Why Acids can preserve certain bodies put in them, as Salt preserves meat, 116, 117.  
Alchemy, an excellent definition of it, 27.  
Aloes, its Tincture how drawn, 130.  
Alom, its spirit as good and strong as spirit of Vitriol, 96.  
Amber, where found, 97. its Tincture how made, 98. its Volatile salt how drawn, 99  
Ambergrease, where found, 101.  
Antimony Emetic, by reason of a saline sulphur it contains, 59, 60. its Regulus Calcined, weighs more than it did before, 60. and this Augmentation from the addition of Fire into its body, ib. whence proceeds the Star, that is seen in its Martial Regulus, 61, 62, 63.  
Aqua-Fortis, its spirit no ways alkali, 75.  
Arcanum Corallinum how Prepared, 54.  
Astrological Fancies about the correspondence of Metals, and the Planets, divers of them confuted, 22, 23. Judicial Astrology censured, 62.  
Aurum Fulminans, why it may be taken inwardly, 30.   

B.  
Bismuth, why in making its Magistery the Ebullition is so great, and the Boulthead grows so hot, 31. its Magistery may be made without using Salt in the Water, but the Precipitation is better and quicker with Salt, 32.   

C.  
Colour, proved to be no real thing; but only to depend on the Modification of parts by divers Experiments on Red Precipitate, 55, 56: several Experiments upon Colours, 95, 96.  
Copper, why Water or other liquor that's heated or boiled in Copper vessels a whole day together, if not removed from off the fire, savours not so much of the Copper, as other Water boiled in a like vessel, and removed from the fire but an hour, 36, 37, 38. what liquors take its Impression sooner than others, 38. Cautions in the use of Copper vessels, ib. why a Kettle newly taken off the fire is not so hot at bottom, as on the sides, 39  
Crocus Metallorum, a certain sort, called Magnesia Opalina, 64. in the Preparation of the common sort of it, ordinary Saltpetre being used, yields more Crocus than the Purified Saltpetre; and the reason why, 64. that made with common Saltpetre, is the Redder, and nearer the colour of an Animals Liver, 64. the preparation of it that may be given in a greater Doses, not better than that which is given in a less, 65.   

D.  
Digestion, an Objection concerning it answered, 117, 118.  
Dissolvents to be used of the same nature with the substance you desire to dissolve, 98, 99   

E.  
Emails, what they are made of, 40.  
Extractum Panchymagogum, better drawn with a watery Menstruum, than Spirit of Wine, 131. In what Extracts Spirit of Wine should be used, 132.   

F.  
Fevers, and their principal symptoms explicated by what is spoken concerning acids, 119, 120. How Intermittent Fevers, or Agues, come to return regularly by Fits, 121, 122.   

G.  
Goddards Drops, some account of their Process, in the Preface.  
Gold, thought to be the end that Nature aims at in all her Mines, 23. taken inwardly no real Cordial, 27. nor receives any Influence from the Sun more than other things do, ib. Stories to prove it a Cordial, refuted, 28, 29, 30. That there are Volatiles which can Sublime it away, 29. Gold purified by Lead, as the White of an Egg Clarifies a Syrup, 33. the intercepted heavy matter between its Pores, does not Precipitate of its self, 86. an Objection answered, 86, 87.  
Guaiacum though a dry body, yet yields much liquor, 201.   

H.  
Hartshorn Burnt no Cardiack, but only an alkali, 137. Philosophically prepared, it is but an ill Medicine, ib.  
Haematites, or the Bloodstone how prepared, 68 an Acid Spirit drawn from it, ib. Sublimation of this stone, 69.   

I.  
Ink, how made to appear and disappear several times in Paper, 90. Dried Roses with Vitriol will make as black an Ink, as that made with Galls, 90. and so will divers other things, 91.  
Iron differs from the Loadstone but only in the figure of its Pores, 40. Though it is an Acid Vitriolic Salt, yet it remains an Alkali, ib. Divers objections to prefer Steel before Iron for Physical uses, answered at large, 41, to 45. its Aperitive virtue, partly from its salt, and partly from its gravity, 42.   

L.  
Led, though it loses much by its Calcination, yet weighs heavier at last, by addition of fiery particles into its body, 33, 34. in the distillation of its Burning spirit, called Burning spirit of Saturn, six drachms are taken out of the Retort, more than were put in, besides an ounce and six drachms more of liquor thence distilled, 34, 35. its Calx how revived, 36.   

M.  
Metals, how different from Minerals, 21. seven in number, ib.  
Mercury, the former discourse upon its effects and operations in the Pox, vindicated (modestly) to be the Authors own invention, 45. It is proved to be an Alkali, though it contains no alkali salt, 46. Objections against its being an alkali, and the venom of the Pox an acid, answered, 47, 48.   

K.  
Not half the Spirit of Niter requisite to dissolve it, as is for the same weight of Bismuth, 49. a difficulty about its making a sublimate corrosive in the body, answered, 50, 51. why Mercurius Dulcis, in a Flux, does not fill the Brain with Vloers, as it does the mouth, 49. its White Precipitate by sublimation becomes as sweet as Mercurius Dulcis, and may be then given in as great a Dose, 52. its Red Precipitate the less 'tis Calcined, and the less Red it is, the more Corrosive 'twill prove, 53. why spirit of Vitriol upon its Red Precipitate, makes a clear dissolution without any Ebullition, 54. why spirit of Salt upon its Red Precipitate, makes a curious white, 55. why the Colour turns so soon from Red to White, ib. its Red precipitate will sublime if you continue it on the fire too long, 53, 54. other Precipitates of Mercury, 56. and remarkable Observations upon them, 57, 58, 59 why the Volatile Spirit of Sal Armoniac does so much help the Precipitation of Mercury, 52.  
Milk, whence its Coagulation, 18, 19  
Minerals, how they grow, 20.  
Myrrh, what, 132. its liquid Gum, anciently called Stacten, ib. how chosen, and what it is good for, 133. its Tincture how drawn, ib. why spirit of Wine draws it best, 134. its Tincture better than the Extract, ib. its Oil per Deliquium how made, ib.   

N.  
Niter, not at all inflammable, 76. No Sulphur in Saltpetre, 77. Spirit of Niter how dulcified, 79. in the Fixation of Saltpetre into an alkali salt, why the Crucible must be but half full, 82. The Detonation from Saltpetre and Coals, why greater than from Saltpetre, and common. Sulphur, 82. why more Fixed Salt get by the use of common saltpetre than by that which is Purified, 83. How to make Grey fixed Niter become: exceeding White, 84. Fixed Niter why an Alkali, ib. No Alkali salt in saltpetre, ib. why the liquor of Fixed Niter, that is made with common saltpetre, being kept a year or so, loses its alkali nature; whereas that which is made with purified Saltpetre, never loses being an Alkali, 84, 85. Fixed Niter an Acid salt rendered porous, by the Alkali of Coals, 85. Liquor of Fixed Niter called by some Alkaest, or Universal dissolvent, 85. Niter excellently well proved not to be inflammable, ib.   

O.  
Opium, what it is good for, 127. its Operation proved to proceed from Narcotick Vapours, shutting the channels of the Spirits and Humours, 128. and not from any proportion of salt and sulphur, or secret Ferment, 129. Opium observed to be Sudorific, ib.  
Oil, nothing else properly said to be inflammable, 1. that which caused its Flagration must be a Volatile or Essential salt, ib. this proved from common sulphur; and a mixture of saltpetre with sulphur, 2.  
Oil of Bricks why called by Chemists the Oil of Philosophers, 70, 71.  
Oil of Peter, Jet, and Coals, supposed to be from a distillation in the Earth, but falsely, 97. 98.   

P.  
Petrification, how, 20.  
Philosophers-stone, the several methods of searching after it related, and pleasantly discoursed of, 24, 25. the misery of those men that seek after it, 26. the possibility of the Philosophers-stone granted, but accounted next to an impossibility, and the reason why, ib.   

Q.  
Quicklime, in the making of it, the fire must be kept at an equal height, to the end of the work, 65. its Corrosion caused by Igneous bodies, 66. no Acid in it, to cause its Ebullition in water, 67.   

S.  
Sal Armoniac, how made Artificially at Venice, 85. eight ounces of it do contain at least four ounces and a half of Volatile salt, 88 its Volatile spirit only a dissolution of Volatile salt in Water, ib. its spirit sensibly proved to be Sudorific by a proper instance, 89. whence it is that a Coagulation happens from the mixture of spirit of Wine with the Volatile spirit of Sal Armoniac ib.  
Sal Polychrestum, not fit to be used, until it is made very white, 77. why more of it is made with common Saltpetre than that which is Purified, 78. an Ebullition falsely said to rise, when spirit of Sulphur is cast upon it, or upon Saltpetre, 78.  
Salt, that of Vegetables proceeds from a salt juice of the Earth they grow in, 5. too much salt as bad for Lands as too little; an instance of those near the River Nile, 6. 'tis a Volatile, or at least a saltpetrous salt that fertilizes Lands, ib. yet the Ashes of Vegetables, though full of a fixed salt, do well to this purpose, 7. Three sorts of salt drawn from Vegetables, an Acid or Essential, a Volatile, and a fixed salt, 9 the acid salt the only true salt in nature, 9, 10, 11. Salt decrepitated exposed to the Air to be distilled without addition, yields only a Phlegm, rather than spirit, 74. Monsieur Seignet's Distillation of spirit of Salt without addition of Clay to separate its parts, vindicated to be good, and an admirable Operation, 74, 75. how all alkali Fixed salts are made very white, 113. and why they are Aperitive, 114. its spirit not good to bathe bodies with that are to be Embalmed, 116.  
Salt-water in the Sea, caused by Mines of Salt therein contained, 3, 4.  
Sea-salt, how made at Rochel, 71. when Crystallized, it makes no Ebullition with Oil of Tartar, 72.  
Saltpetre, vide Niter.  
Sulphur, its white Flowers made with Sal Polychrestum, 97.   

T.  
Tartar, why its Crystals will not dissolve in cold water, 108. why its Crystals boiled with its salt do raise an effervescency in hot water, which they cannot do in cold, 109. its soluble Tartar only the Cream of Tartar made soluble in cold water, ib. it's Chalybeated or martial Crystals, ib. soluble Tartar how chalybeated, 111. soluble Emetic Tartar may be made with Volatile Spirit of Sal Armoniac, instead of Spirit of Urine, but then there will be no Ebullition, and why, 112. how this Emetic is prepared another way, ib. why water thrown upon its salt newly Calcined, does come to heat like unslacked Lime, 113. Salt of Tartar not to be Calcined with Sulphur, ib. nor Niter, 114. its Volatile salt why made of Lees of Wine, rather than Tartar, 124. very hard to keep its Volatile salt dry, and yet how that may be done, ib. its Volatile salt made alkali by the fire, but was not of that nature, either in the Plant, or in the Lees, ib. the Salt of its Lees proved to be Acid, 125, 126. this Volatile salt no better than others, 126. some fixed Alkali salt to be found in the Lees remaining in the Retort, 127.  
Tartarum Vitriolatum, distilled in a Retort yields not so strong a spirit of Vitriol, as it was at first, 115. during the Ebullition of Acid and Alkali in this Operation a great many dashes of water fly about, enough to put out a Candle, ib. Tartarum Vitriolatum made with Rectified Oil of Vitriol, is not so white as that made with the Spirit, 114. but when Oil of Vitriol is used, the Ebullition is the greater, 115.   

V  
Vegetation, from a mixture of Volatile salt and Sulphur, 7, 8. the fixed salt that lies in the ashes of Vegetables, does fructify by being Porous, 7.  
Vinegar, it's Alkalized, or Radical spirit, proved to be only the more Phlegmatic part of distilled Vinegar, 107.  
Vipers, their venom caused by Acid salts, 135. the natural acidity of the blood not capable of causing any such Venomous Coagulation, as Vipers do, 135, 136. their Volatile salt how Rectified, and why, 136.  
Vitriol, the Redness of it Calcined, proved not to proceed from any Copper therein contained, 91, 92. some of its Spirit always flies away through the Junctures, use what care you can, 93. German Vitriol yields more, but not so good spirit as the English, 93. its Oil being mixed with its Acid Spirit, or with water, or some Ethereal Oil, as Oil of Turpentine, why it causes so violent a Heat and Ebullition, 93, 94. This not to be explicated by the notions of Acid and Alkali, but by fiery particles contained in the Oil, 94. an excellent Experiment to prove its Oil full of fiery parts, 94, 95.  
Volatile salts when proper to be used, and when not, 126. many of these Volatile salts, drawn Acid, as they were in the mixed, 139.   

W.  
Water, Queen of Hungaries water how readily made upon the spot, 105. the Rosemary Flowers in it, though Volatile in their nature, yet require a Digestion to draw out their virtue, 106. why plain water can Precipitate Bismuth, Led, and Antimony, but can't precipitate Gold, Sylver, or Mercury, 32.  
Wax, its spirit an Acid Volatile salt, like the Salt of Amber, 138. This Distillation, and that of Amber, prove all the Salt of mixed bodies to be naturally Acid, and Alkalis to be nothing but mutations made by fire, 139.  
Wine, that which is clear, and freed from Lees and Tartar, will sour, and turn into a (weak) Vinegar, but this by reason of a Tartar contained in its Principles, 106. and the Air thought to communicate some Acidity to Wine, 107. The Author's way of drawing its Spirit vindicated, 103, 104.   
FINIS.