Chap. 8. Anomalous

but molt commodioufly and effec-tually by the vitriolic.

The procefs by cryftallization

is lefs troublefome than that byfublimation ; but the fait provesgenerally lefs white, and is aptHkewife to retain a part of theGlauber's fait, efpecially if theevaporation is too long protrafted.

The fedatiVe fait appears to thetafle a neutral fait; but examinedwith alkalies lias the propertiesof r.rs acid,. efferyefcing, uniting,and ci. iillizing with them, anddeftroying their alkaline quality.It difffl.es both in water and infpirit of wine : though not very■readil; either. As to its vir-tues, it i , fuppofed to be a mildanodyne, (whence its name) tocalm the heat of the blood inburning fevers, to prevent orremove delirious fymptoihs, andallay fpafmodic affections, whe-ther hypocondriacal or hyfteri-cal, at leaft for a time. The dofeis from two to eighteen grains,in any proper liquor.

SPIRITUS, SAL, ET OLEUMSUCC'INI.

Spirit, fait, and oil of amber.

Loud.

Diftil amber in a land heat gradu-ally increafed : there will comeover a fpiritj an oil, and a faitfouled with the oil.

The oil diftilled again by itfelf,is divided into A thinner oilwhich arifes ; and a thickerpart that remains behindj calledbalfam of amber.

The fait is to be boiled in thediftilled fpirit, or in commonwater, and fet to cryllallize;by this means it is freed fromits adhering oil. The oftenerthis is repeated; the purer itWill be,

Edintu

Mix powdered white amber with

Salts. 481

thrice its Weight of clean fand,and put them into a glafs retort,of which the mixture may fillone half: then adapt a largereceiver, and diftil in a fand-furnace, with a fire graduallyincreafed. At firft a fpirit willcome over, with fome yellowoil ; then more yellow oil,along with a little fait; andupon railing the heat, more ofthe fait, with a reddifh colouredoil.

When the diftillation is finifhed,empty the liquor out of the re-ceiver; and having collected to-gether the fait which adheres tothe fides, dry it by gentle prcf-fitre between the folds of fomefpongy paper.

The oii may be feparated fromthe fpirit by filtration: andafterwards rectified by diftillir.git from brine of fea fait.The fait is to be rectified inthe following manner. Grindit well with twice its quantityof fea fait, and put the mixtureinto a tall and narrow glafscucurbit: fit on a blind-head,and proceed to fublimation ina fand heat, taking care thatthe oil does not rife; Whenthe vefiels are grown cold,fweep out the fait with afeather.

tn the diftillation of amber,the fire iiiuft for fome time, becontinued gentle, fcarce exceed-ing the degree at which waterboils, till the aqueous phlegm andthin oil have arifen; after whichit is to be llowly increafed. Ifthe fire was urged haftily, theamber, would fwell up, and rifein its whole fubftance into thereceiver, without undergoing therequired decompofition or fepara-tion of its parts. When fand orother like intermedia are mixedI i with