Book III. Of MIN

Choofe the Glafs of Antimony that is flat,of a bright Red, and tranfparent, having as fewfmall, thick, black and grey Pieces in it aspoffible. I am told the Hollanders mix halfbroken Glafs in melcing it, to difcharge itsblack Colour the better, and to make it lbfine colour'd as we fee ir, but the Truthof the Fact I know not. Inftead ofthrowing it upon Marble, one may put itin a Founder's Mould, and fo make the Gob-lets or Cups; but this is a Work only forthe Curious, there being no Demand forthem.

This Vitrum of Antimony ferves for a Vo-mit, taken from two to lix Grains. Apothe-caries make a Syrup and the emetick Winewith it.

Of the Liver of Antimony.

The Liver of Antimony, improperly call'dCrocus Metallorum, is made of Antimony andcommon Saltpeter, mix'd and incorporatedwell together, and by Means of lightedCharcoal reduc'd into a Stone, after theManner as we have it.

This Liver of Antimony ought to bechofen in fine fhining Pieces, ftarr'd, fmootb,brittle, and when bruis'd or pulveris'd, of areddifh Saffron Colour, which is the Reafonof its being call'd the Crocus or Saffron ofMetals; but in Pieces it ought to be Liver-colour'd, from whence alio comes the Nameof H-par, or Liver of Antimony.

This Liver is a Sort of Catholicon forHorfes; more efpecially to purge and putthem in Cafe, if taken from one Ounce totwo in wet Bran, as Mr. Soylefel direifb, inhis Book call'd The Compleat Farrier : 'Tis offome Ufe in Medicine, but fo little it is hard-ly worth fpeaking of; but on the contrary'tis much us'd for Horfes. as well under theNames above, as under that of ImperialPowder.

This Operation, which feems the eafieftin the World, is notwithstanding very dif-ficult to be perform'd with Succefs, moreefpecially if one hasnoc good Antimony ar,dSaltpeter, or if it be fili'd with Sale, whichbut too frequently happens: Thofe thereforethat undertake this Operation muft dry theSaltpeter and make Choice of the Antimony oiL'oitou, not ot that oiAuvergne, as well becaufe

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it is very full of Sulphur, as becaufe it is notfo well cleans'd as the Former; and after it hasbeen expos'd fome Time, being mix'd to-gether, to the open Air, put a fufficient Quan-tity thereof into a Mortar, or Iron Per,plac'd in a Chimney; and upon Applicationof the Fire, a great Noife, which the Chy-mifts call a Detonation, will happen; andwhen that is over, and the Vefiel cold, itmuft be feparated from its Drofs or Scumwhich is white, and the Bottom will bea Stone, fuch as I have defcrib'd. fiot?.You had not beft make ufe or a call Mor-tar for fear of breaking, which fomenmeshappens, or be apprehenfive of the Fire there-upon. On the contrary, this Operation isthe beft Thing imaginable for Sweeping aChimney ; but obferve to put a Cloth be-fore the Chimney, and to get far enough offfor fear of the Vapours, and that you don'cperform it in any publick Place. It is anOperation of a very capricious and uncer-tain Nature; for I have feen a great Quanti-ty of Saltpeter and Antimony mix'd andprepar'd together, that has made a verycharming Compofition : And again, whenone has proceeded after the fame Manner,in all Particulars, the Refult has been lefsbeautiful, and fometimes it has altogethermifcarried. Thofe therefore that have Oc-cafion for it in Powder will rake Care that itbe of a fine Red, not fuch as fticks to theTop or Sides of the Veffel, which is in fmall.,thin, brown Scales, or fuch as has beenfpoilt, which is the Reafon fome fell it fomuch cheaper than others, which muft betaken Notice of.

Thofe that wou'd have a Saffron of Me-tals, or the Crocus Metallorum, fit to be takeninwardly, muft make it with equal Partsof Antimony, -and refin'd Saltpeter, and rhenreduce it to a fubtil Powder, which is to bewafh'd often in warm Water, as well to freeit from any remaining Saltpeter, as to makeit a little more emetick. The more emetickyou'd have it, the more Saltpeter muft beus'd; but it confiderably diminilhes the Quan-tity, and makes it a great deal the dearer,tho' this ought to be no Confideration, iince,in fucii faull Quantities it is fold at fuch aRate that it amply rewards the Labour andExpence.

Vol. II.

One

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