Metals

Figure I

Antimony.

Calcination, sublimation, distillation, Combustion, Fusion, Maceration, Extraction, Dissolution & Filtration.

Waters, Flowers, Lime, Liver, Glass, Extract, Spelter & Auric Sulphur.

Explanation.

The Number 1. On the right side of the Chimney, represents a half-lamp on which is seated a conforming terrine; and on this an Aludel in the form of a low dome, & open at its bottom as with the flowers of Sulphur, and still over it an Alembic with its Container, being at the bottom of the same Aludel, joining the edge of the said Terrine, a small opening of the length of a finger, and the height of a thumb, to carry & stir the Antimony with its spatula, & the whole mobile, to in time & place separate the Water, the flowers, & the lime from the same , without addition, & by a single furnace.

The Number 2. On the left side of the Chimney depicts a great mortar full of flame, with a high & coarse smoke, covered however in a manner of an open dome, to prevent the matter from dissipating too much outside; & to show the Calcination of the same Antimony by addition called liver, and hence its fixation to be sudorific.

The Number 3. On the middle of this Chimney, shows a Servant ready to throw small parcels with his left hand, into a Pot or Crucible of earth, applied to an open fire stove; & holding on the right with tweezers, the lid, to mark the fiery purification of the Antimony which is called Spelter.

The Number 4. In the middle of the Laboratory shows the other Servant, who throws the molten Antimony into a flat pan at its bottom, holding the fiery Crucible, with tongs in his right hand, & stirring the same pan with his left, joining the stove lit for the glass of the same.

The Number 5. On the right end of the Table, contains the liver of Antimony in large pieces on the one hand, and a mortar with its pestle on the other, together a large bottle half full, to show the wine Emetic or vomitive of the same liver of Antimony, and of it the extract.

The Number 6. In the middle of the Table, shows Hermes who, having broken the bottom of the Crucible, which contained the Spelter, holding it in his left hand, tries to break it with a hammer which he holds in his right, finding himself on one side the Creuset, lying, and broken at its bottom, and on the other a terrine half-full of common water, with a cloth, serving to wipe the same Spelter, having been washed of its faeces.

The Number 7. On the left end of the same Table expresses a cauldron full of Water on a Stove, & at the bottom the faeces or marc of the Spelter in pieces, on one side, and a Hermetic Funnel with its small bench, & Receptacle below, on the other, to show the Dissolution of the same faeces, which is called Auric Sulfur of Antimony.

Summary.

In this manner the Calcination, Sublimation, & Distillation of Antimony, without addition, & by one furnace being arranged: together the first deflagration by addition. The first Servant operates to make the purification of the same with a melting fire named Regulates; and the second works at its Vitrification: From there Hermes having shown how to prepare Wine, or Hermetic Water, that is to say Emetic, from the powder of the same liver, or glass; and its extract; he breaks said Spelter in his hand, to reveal its Interior, & proceed with the Dissolution, Precipitation, Filtration, & Desiccation of its Mark, called sulfur Auré.

Chapter I

Calcination, Glass, Liver,
Saffron, Water,

Description.


I _ Take very good Antimony crud, the quantity you want; spray it subtly; & put it in a Terrine, or other flat-bottomed earthenware vase, unglazed, which resists fire, and better in a cast-iron skillet well smoothed inside, know on the hot coals, always stirring it with a rod or iron spatula, to prevent it from sticking to it, or crumbling; in which case, being cooled, it will be necessary to repile it well, to continue the Calcination until it comes in Color of Ashes, always preventing it from coming together, grinding it until the end.

II_ What is done, put this grayish powder back in a Crucible: and on four ounces of it, add if you want half an ounce of fine Borax, or Salt Armoniac, melt everything little by little, & from time to time dip in it a wire of Archal presenting to the air, what will be held there of the matter, to test if it will be cooked enough & transparent; that if it was also too yellowish you could add the size of half a pea of ​​Antimony crud; and being very well melted and lively, you will empty the top of the Crucible, which is the most impure, into some vessel apart; and the rest on a porphyry, marble or on a plate of well polished steel, and similarly dry, and a little warm, extending it also the thickness, of the back of a small knife, to see more easily through it. .

III_ This is why it must be remelted as often as it pleases, skimming it, if necessary, with a spatula, always separating what will be vitrified, for having done it instead, and remelting it together, in a new Crucible, observing to give on the end the very hot fusion to purify it well and to separate it from its viscous earthiness which floats. And this quickly because of the sublimation which thickens and diminishes it, in which it must be granted, that small operations never succeed like large ones, particularly if a great fire and a long cooking are required.

IV_ As for the liver of Antimony, put for three parts of it two of refined Saltpetre, or similar quantity, if it is not, as less active, and mixed with other Salts, pound it in a mortar of iron, or bronze, and ignite the whole thing together in the same mortar, with a lighted coal, under a chimney only, because of the smoke, which it is necessary to avoid, if one is not accustomed to it, without stirring it in any way, to separate more easily the mineral matter from the fixed salts, which on this subject is not necessary to soften; since the fixed Salt is of itself separated from it, and is called liver of Antimony as long as it is in mass, because of its color, and then saffron, when it is powdered, becoming yellowish by trituration , more or less calcined.

V_ Tincture can be obtained, both from ice and glass, put into a very subtle powder, by white wine, Muscat wine, Spanish wine, and other very good ones, which are evaporated into an extract. This same powder infused in white wine with some Aromatic for Corrective, or Corroborative, is commonly called the Holy Water of Rulland, one of its first Authors, which must always be filtered, through gray paper, before administer it. Not being necessary to worry about the weight of the powder, as for the infusion, since the liquor takes only what it can carry, and therefore in order not to submerge it, it is good to put less of liquor. One must however take care that the wine does not sour, and that in this way, it does not harm the stomach,

VI_ Similarly above the infusion, and to expedite rather, we can boil the same Saffron in the said vehicles, the space of half an hour, and being cooled proceed as above. In short to have the Oil of the same, it is only necessary to add to the said preparations, or dry and subtle powders, some unctuous Menstrue, to incorporate them well together; then distill them, by the retort, with a half-reverberant, or with a suppression fire, cohobating a few times, or remelting the same distillation, until the Marc, or the said powders, no longer corporize. In this way.

Physical sense.

VII_ By this Description, we first learn that Antimony, or Entremine, that is to say Medium Mineral, is a solid, or compact, and Volatile or vaporable Body, Composed of a large quantity of combustible Sulphur, of many Sooty or indigestible Metallic Mercury. Enough Armoniac, and a strong earthly stony Salt, united together in Common principles, but still imperfectly for its feeble coction, or ripeness. Solidity is well known by its hardness, and volatility by its fusion. The Sulfur manifests itself to our eyes, and to smell, by its own color, and smell, in the simple Calcination of it, particularly if it is done in a dark place, or at night, which is very admirable; however, the bottom of the vase must be red with fire, so that it melts and ignites.

VIII_ Mercury appears; but in viscous and adherent soot, its very subtle elevation being retained as in any other sublimation, with however particular industry. The Armoniac rises with the same Mercury in white flowers, which the Sulfur reddens by the force of fire; and the stony Salt is known, by the vitrification, which is made of it, by means of the said Calcination, aided by another subtle Salt, like common glass, according to the plus, and the minus of which, it is opaque, or transparent, solid, and colorful.

IX_ In the second place, we recognize the same Sulfur too evident, in the greatest brightness of the day, and of the Sun, by the powerful, and prompt ignition of it, which is called Detonation, being joined with the Saltpetre, which from itself does not burn, or with great difficulty if it is not well purified, that is to say separated from the others, both fixed and volatile. As also by Cinnabar, which it produces accompanied by vulgar Mercury or Argent-vive. The same Mercury is evident, that is to say the Internal only, since without it no fusion is made of any metal. In what are greatly mistaken our so-called Hermetics, who confuse with the Mineral quite contrary to it, although all true Philosophers cry with a common voice, Our Mercury is not the one that is sold in shops. And the Salt is discovered by the liquors in which, according to its Nature, it dissolves, and slips very easily, as experience testifies; but it is not yet the Salt that one finds in the Kitchens, and elsewhere, it is much more universal, more excellent, and necessary, since without it, there would be nothing solid, continuous, and sensitive.

X_ Moreover, it is very clear that all its parts are united, and as if vivified, only by the common Spirit, which determines its movement in it, according to their particular habit and proportion, pure, or impure, constricted or no, of which the various effects assure us every day. For the said Antimony being open, and separated from itself, if it is administered within, it easily insinuates itself into its Spirit, along the fibrous pores guided by the Innate Heat of the Animal. And therefore, as this substance is extraordinary and unaccustomed to its Nature, it excites itself, recalls it, or its Spirit to its Center, which is the stomach, and from there drives it out of itself by all its more free exit from the body, and with the same Antimony all that previously overloaded it; what she doesn't do,

XI_ And all in imitation of the good father, who having surprised his foreign enemy, and discovered to have entered his home without his knowledge, to dispossess him of it, and to bruise him, with a bold, warm and generous heart , pursued him briskly from all sides, through doors and windows, and with him his occult and domestic enemies. True is that if by misfortune he finds himself weaker than them, as opposites, and of diverse nation, for then he must perish, no more no less, only if the said Antimony is too abundant, or too impure; it quenches our heat, and causes us to die like any other remedy given inappropriately.

FACULTIES.

XII_ All the operations of Antimony have almost the same virtues, except the tincture, and the Oil, which are not ordinarily so much emetic on account of their additions. And generally it is a remedy, which never fails, or very rarely, for any disease whatsoever, being administered with prudence, and knowledge of the fact. Not to blame the remedy, which in itself is very innocent and beneficial, especially for diseases of the brain, fevers, dropsies, and the like.

XIII_ The dose of the glass, which can also be infused, is four to six grains in substance. That of Saffron the same. That of the tincture, and the Oil of half a spoonful. And water, or two or three ounces of wine. Having previously given some food to the sick; such as broth, soft-boiled egg, etc. ; so that at first the stomach would not be so agitated. Being one thing certain, that after six hours, nothing remains in the body of the aforesaid Antimony, if there is no breach.

Antimony

Description


I_ Take liver of Antimony, or Saffron, the quantity that you like; and very fine saltpeter, lest the powder become earthy, each of equal parts. Mix the pulverized whole, and kindle it for the second time in an iron or bronze mortar. Then take this cold material again, and fold it up with as much saltpeter, pheasants as above. But because it will no longer ignite, the Sulfur of the Antimony being already consumed, and that nevertheless the matter is not entirely calcined or whitened, put it all back in a good crucible, over a melting fire, in order to let it ignite, and let the rest of the Fuel evaporate, always stirring it lest it stick to said Crucible.

II_ And as it will no longer vaporize, take it out of it, all inflamed, let it cool, pulverize it, and spread it on gray paper in some cold and damp place; so that the Salt fixes the Saltpeter coming to be resolved, the paper drinks it, loading it in proportion, that it will be wet, and until the powder remains dry, not being necessary to dulcify it, or soften it otherwise, if the Saltpeter is refined as required.

III_ However you will proceed, with more contentment and utility, if you take the same liver in Mineral mass of the first Detonation, or Inflammation, adding to it the double, and somewhat more, of the same very fine saltpetre. And the whole thing, powdered and mixed, you will throw it little by little into the same Crucible previously on fire. And after having cooked it long enough, and always stirring it with a spatula, or a long iron stick, you will throw it all hot into cold water, to soften it, filter it, and dry it, very white.

IV_ In the absence of the liver of Antimony, you will take the crud, and add to it the triple, or quadruple of the same Saltpeter proceeding as is said, and after having continued the Calcination, the space of two hours or so, always stirring it, it will be necessary to cease the fire little by little, continuing the agitation of the matter, until the Crucible remains cold, without any other softening, than that of the gray paper, of which above.

V_ As for Regule, or purification of Antimony, having taken of it, Saltpeter and raw Tartar, equal parts, or not, what you will. And for example according to our method, eight ounces of Antimony, six ounces of Saltpeter, and four ounces of good Tartar, put the whole in subtle powder, and having applied to the fire of melting, a good Crucible proportioned to the quantity of the matter , or a good unglazed pot of earth, which has a narrow and long bottom, so that the Spelter can be better picked up in body; throw the said powder into it, one spoonful after another, either in small packets, or paper envelopes, covering it immediately, or with a fire shovel, or some lid, which is heavy because of the Detonation.

VI_ The Ignition finished, put another spoonful, or small packet, as the first time, as long as the material lasts, and that the capacity of the Crucible, or Pot will allow it, taking care that the fire is not too strong, or too low, and that the smoke does not harm. Therefore it is necessary to operate under the same chimney, as has been said of the liver, and of the glass. What being expedited yawn the melting fire, or strong fusion, until the material is entirely liquefied, shake at intervals over the same coal, Crucible or Pot, and until you judge, that the Regulus will be detached from its faeces, or marc, and picked up at the bottom. Then cease fire, pull the Crucible apart. And having left it to cool at ease, break it right down to the bottom, or it may be, that you will keep for its use.

VII_ Touching the Sulfur Auré, dissolve in boiling water the marc d'icelui Régule, in a glazed earthen pot, which you will filter warmly through a double cloth, and to the liqueur pour in drop by drop good distilled vinegar for the to precipitate, and to dry up, on the dry Ash; being to notice, that it is required great quantity of Water for the viscosity of the matter, and its long dyeing, because of which the last precipitations are always the most beautiful. Otherwise and better pound it coarsely, while it is dry, and put it to dissolve in a very fine yellow oil, to precipitate it as above. In which case if the materials of the said Purification, or Calcination, have been equal, it will be more beautiful and more copious.

VIII_ Finally the flowers of the same Antimony are made like that of Sulphur, and in the same sublimation, except that they do not extend so far out to sea, but upwards that the material is always melted, or throw it little by little by the hole that will have been made at the neck of the Pot, which contains it, as we have said above, and closing it immediately afterwards. You have to wait until you melt them again, until no more steam comes out of the last hole of the Calcinatory, continuing as long as you need to soften them. In short, from the first flowers, which are white, the red ones are formed by repeated sublimation and greater fire.

Physical sense.

IX_ As for the Physics of this second Description following the first. We will say that the Extension, or Malleability of Cold Metals, depends only on the incombustible Sulfur joined to its fixed Mercury, in the solidity of permanent salt, which binds them into a single body vivified by the common Spirit which moves all things. ; and nourished by the external Elements, from which each constituent part of it takes what it needs to enlarge it, and maintain it in the manner of the other Mixed.

X_ Being manifest as for the Metallic, that the Mercury colder inside, and less outside makes the Freezing; the Sulfur on the contrary, less hot inside and more outside causes the Extension. The first tempers the second, and the last helps the fusion of the first. And the two are inseparably united by the continuity of the Fixed Salt, which continues the solid with them, by means of the same qualities.

XI_ This is why, as Antimony is only a beginning of Metallic Nature, and heap of the said Elements, for its entire Coagulation, with some required Circumstances, all its qualities are still only crudities, which are very small Germ , and feeble, as it is in all the beginnings of the Mixed, could not yet digest and appropriate them, as it appears by all its silvery fibers separated in itself, and mixed with their food, which must unite very perfectly in the time of Nature, and of the Climate, to be true Metal.

XII_ Not being marvelous if the said Antimony, has such variable effects in our Bodies, since it is still too disunited in itself, and its Metallic germ only requires to be extended in its subject, to be aided by Heat, as it does in our Bodies; but in his Spirit only so much, being separated from his own womb and nurse, which art can imitate only with great difficulty, and not being able to cease to be what he is, he joins his fellow man, namely ours. that it strengthens if it is mediocre, to strip itself of the Excrements which overload it, and overwhelm it, or which it destroys by the too much abundance and particular difference, which it has already contracted with the Metallic.

XIII_ Truth very well recognized by the Hermetics, saying that by identity of substance the fixed unites easily with the fixed, and all the same of the Volatile, and of the Spirit. So the combustible Sulfur of the said Antimony being evaporated by the fire, there remains only a dry and heated earth, for which reason it can be aperitif; but far less than any other of that Nature, being destitute of the greater part of his Spirits.

XIV_ Which is true, principally when the Calcination is made of it by the company of some similarly Combustible matter, like Nitre, or Saltpetre, which not only consumes the said sulphur, but also its fuliginous Mercury, and very crude, unless it is preserved and separated from it by some fixed object of contrary Nature, such as Tartar, which by mingling with the others, and weakening them by its presence, gives it passage to purge itself of most of its impurities, and to appear white, clear and brilliant, without extension however, or Malleability, for lack of incombustible Sulfur by the same crudity, as we have said, with habit, nevertheless to be able to acquire it by Nature, and Circumstances required.

XV_ Because of which he is called by the same Hermétiques Régule, or petit Roy, like the First Child of the Royal Metallic Blood, who is truly a son, but not a perfect man, that is to say true metal, who cannot being only with time and proper food, which lacking he always remains in his fickle childhood, cold and suffocated from the abundance of his filth, which can only engender stench, by diversity of their Nature, as it appears , to know by some contrary Menstrue, which awakens it, and excites it, such as is the distilled vinegar, poured on the infusion of the Marc of the said Spelter, and what is called Sulfur Auré.

FACULTIES.

XVI_ The fixed Antimony called Diaphoretic, or Sudorific, expels several serious illnesses by sweating, such as plague, fever of Access, melancholia, dropsy, etc. from one scruple to two. Spelter has the same virtues as Saffron put in Infusion, or boiled, as has been said, and at the same Dose. Sulfur Aure is a good diaphoretic too, with Blessed Coal Water, Scabies and the like. It is used for fevers and plague, from six grains to one scruple. The flowers perform the same, but with more vigor and less Dose, because they are the more detached and rarefied parts of the antimony.