How the Spirit of Salt is to be distilled

The reason why I enter upon the spirit of salt, before I say any thing of the spirits of vegetables, is this, viz. because it is even the chiefest, which can be made in this furnace: for few exceed this in strength and vertues; wherefore I also have given it the preeminency. Neither is there any of the acid spirits, about which the Chymists hitherto have been more busied, than this, wherefore also it is of all, of greatest price, &c. for some have mixed salt with potters clay, and have made this mixture into little balls, which they have to get the spirit, forced by retort in a very strong fire: some have mixed salt with bole, some with the powder of tyles, others with burnt Allume, &c.

Others using a more compendious way have made salt to flow in a retort, which hath a pipe both in the upper, and hinder part; by the uper pipe of which they have dropped in cold water, to elevate the ponderous spirits of the salt, but by the hinder they have blown with Bellows, to force the spirits into the retort: and this way is not altogether to be slighted, yet it hath this inconveniency, that in process of time the retorts are broken that they can no longer retain the salt, and so the distillation is intercepted. Some have attempted it with Iron retorts, but by this means the spirits have been deaded, because they easily set upon the Iron, whence instead of spirit they have had flegme. And such, and other tedious wayes of distilling they have invented; and by the best of them indeed they could scarce distill one pound in 25. or 30. hours space with 50. 60. or 100 pound of coals; this being the reason, because the salt is very little wrought upon, and therefore it is that few ever had the spirit right and good, whence also the vertues thereof have been unknown.

And this therefore I was willing to make known, that it might appear, what price this spirit hath hitherto been of, and how easie, and abundantly, and with what little cost, it may after my new invented way be made.

It is said above, that the materials may in this way of distilling be immediately cast into the fire; yet this must be wisely understood. For although some of the species may without any preparation be immediately cast into the fire, yet it doth not follow that all and every one of them must: for in some of them we must use our discretion, as in the distilling of salt. For if the salt be immediately cast into the fire, it will not only yield no spirits, but will leap so long upon the coals, until it find a descent to the lowest part of the furnace: Now this may be prevented divers wayes; and first indeed after this manner: Dissolve salt in common water, then quench burning coals with this water, that they may be impregnated with the salt, which afterwards set on fire in the furnace: but you must first cast in other burning coals, upon which you must cast those that are impregnated with salt untill the furnace be full, as is above said: and while the coals burn, the salt is resolved by the force of the fire into spirit.

Now you must observe that he that distils spirit of salt after this manner, must make choice of glass receivers, because the spirit whilest it is hot, penetrates by reason of its wonderful subtilty, those that are earthen. And this spirit is of a most grateful taste. But in defect of glass receivers, I shall shew you another way wherein you may use those that be of earth.

Mix salt, and vitriol or allome together, grinding them very well in a Morter (for by how much the better they are ground, the more Spirit they yield.) Then cast this mixture into the fire with an Iron Ladle, viz. so much of it as will be sufficient to cover the coals, and then with a great fire the spirits come forth into the receivers, where being coagulated, they distill down into the dish, and thence into another receiver. And if thou knowest how to work aright, the spirits will like water continually run out thorow the pipe, the thickness of a straw; and thou mayest easily every hour make a pound of the spirit. Now the reason why thou shalt by this way have more spirits than by the other, is this, viz. because the vitriol and allome, which is mixed with the salt, makes it flow quickly, by which means it is prevented from falling down through the coals to the lower part of the furnace, but sticking to the coals is almost all of it turned into spirits. The Caput Mortuum, which is reddish, easily falls with the ashes through the grate, and can no more be distilled, but yields by excoction a white fixed salt, which serves for the flowing of metals; and being dissolved in warm water serves also for a glyster against the Worms, which it kills, and purgeth also the Bowels.

Thou wilt object, that the spirit made after this manner, is not the true spirit of salt by reason of the mixture of vitriol and allome, but mixed, and compounded. I answer; There can by this way distil no spirit of vitriol, or allome, being that which I often tryed, casting vitriol or allome into the furnace, where I received no spirit at all; the reason of this is, because these spirits are far more heavy than the spirit of salt, neither can they ascend so great a heighth, viz. of three spans, but are burnt, whence unless the flegme, nothing distils. Wherefore the spirit of salt that is made after this manner is not mixed, but pure and meer spirit of salt, of the same tast and vertue as that is of, that is made by it self; because in this furnace the spirit of allome and vitriol, cannot be made unless a pipe go out of the furnace neer the grate, as you may see by the delineation of the furnace, for otherwise it cannot be made; besides, these spirit are better, and more truly taught in the second part. And if it be granted that somewhat together with the spirit of salt comes forth (which is yet impossible) what hurt I pray you comes from thence either in the solution of metals, or medicine? wherefore the spirit made after this way is not to be suspected. Yet I will satisfie the incredulous, and will shew him another way without the addition of allome or vitriol, for the distilling of that spirit, but that will be in the second part of this Book, where I will teach you the furnace, by which is made spirit of Nitre, Aquafortis, and amongst combustibles, the Oyles of vegetables, and Fats of animals and other things which cannot be made by this: and by this way I will satisfie those, who are not pleased with the former.

Now for want of glass receivers, we are forced to use earthen, but these cannot retain the spirit of salt made after the aforesaid wayes, in which case I could indeed discover a certain little manual, by vertue of which the aforesaid spirit may be received even in a great quantity in earthen recipients: but for certain causes I shall here be silent, and shall refer it till the edition of the second part. Let it suffice therefore that I mentioned such a thing, wherefore omitting that, I shall proceed to shew you the vertues, and use of this spirit, as well in Alchymy, as in Medicine, and other Mechanical Arts.

Of the Use of the Spirit of Salt.

It is worth while, to speak of the power, and vertues of this excellent spirit; what other Authors have clearly described, I shall here pass over, and refer the Reader to the Writings of those Authors; touching only on some few of which they said nothing.

The Spirit of salt is by most accounted a most excellent medicine, and safely to be used, as well inwardly as outwardly: It extinguisheth a preternatural thirst in hot diseases, abstergeth and consumeth flegmatick humours in the Stomack, exciteth the Appetite, is good for them that are hydropical, have the Stone, and Gout, &c. It is a menstruum dissolving metals, excelling all other therein: For it dissolveth all metals and minerals (excepting silver) and almost all stones (being rightly prepared) and reduceth them into excellent medicaments. It doth also many excellent things in mechanical arts.

Neither is it to be slighted in the kitchen, for with the help thereof are prepared divers pleasant meats for the sick as well as for those that are in health, yea and better than with Vinegar, and other acid things: and it doth more in a small quantity, than Vinegar in a great. But especially, it serves for those Countries that have no Vinegar. It is used also instead of Verjuice, and the juice of Lymons. For being prepared after this way, it is bought at a cheaper rate than Vinegar or juice of Lymons. Neither is it corruptible as expressed juices are, but is bettered by age. Being mixed with Sugar it is an excellent sauce for roast meat. It preserves also divers kinds of Fruits for many years. It makes also Raisins, and dryed Grapes to swell, so as to acquire their former magnitude again, which are good to refresh a weak Stomach in many diseases, and serves for the preparing of divers kinds of meats of Flesh and Fish; but you must mix some water with the spirit, or else the Raisins will contract too much acidity. This spirit doth especially serve for making meats delightfully acid; for whatsoever things are prepared with it, as Chickens, Pigeons, Veale, &c. are of a more pleasant taste than those which are prepared with Vinegar. Beef being macerated with it, becomes in a few dayes so tender, as if it had been a long time macerated with Vinegar. Such, and many more things can the Spirit of Salt do.

A distillation of Vegetable Oyles, whereby a greater quantity is acquired, than by that common way, by a Vesica.

As many Distillers as hitherto have been, have been ignorant of a better way to distill Oyles of Spices, Woods, and Seeds, than by a vesica or alembick, with a great quantity of water. And altho’ they may also be made by retort, yet there is a great deal of care required, or else they contract an Empyreuma; wherefore that way, by a still, is alwayes accounted the better, which way indeed is not to be slighted, if you distill Vegetables of a low price, and such as be oleaginous; but not so in the distillation of Spices, and of other things that are of a greater value, as are Cinnamon, Mace, Saffron, &c. which cannot be distilled in a gourd still without loss, because then there is required a great quantity of water, and by consequence great, and large vessels, to which something adheres, wherefore we lose almost half, which is not to be so much valued in vegetables that are oleaginous, as in Annisseed, Fennel, and Caryoway-seed, &c. But the loss made in the distilling of dryer and dearer vegetables, as of Cinnamon, Lignum Rhodii, Cassia, is evident enough, and by consequence not to be slighted. Neither can it be, that all things can be distilled that way, for a good quantity by coction acquireth a gummy tenaciousness, which cannot ascend with the water. But that this way for the future may be prevented, I will shew another way to distill the Oyles of Spices, and other precious things, which is done with spirit of salt, whereby all the Oyle is drawn forth without any loss, the process whereof is this, viz. Fill a gourd with Cinnamon or any other Wood, or Seed, upon which pour so much of the spirit of salt, as will be sufficient to cover the wood, then place it with its Alembick in Sand, and give it fire by degrees that the spirit of salt may boyl, and all the Oyle will distill off with a little flegme; for the spirit of salt doth with its acrimony penetrate the wood, and freeth the Oyle that it may distill off the better and easier. And by this way the Oyle is not lost by the addition of that great quantity of water in those great and large vessels, but is drawn in lesser glass vessels with the addition of a little moysture. Distillation being finished the spirit is poured off by inclination from the wood, being again useful for the same work. And if it hath contracted any impurity from the wood, it may be rectified: but the residue of the spirit which remains in the wood ye may recover, if that wood be cast into the aforesaid furnace upon burning coals, by which means it may come forth again pure, and clear: and by this means we lose none of the spirit of Salt. And after this way by help of the spirit of Salt, are drawn forth Oyls of dearer Vegetables together with their Fruit, which cannot be done by a still.

There are made also by means thereof Oyles of Gumms and Rosins, clear, and perspicuous.