332 ME M O 1 R S of the 
it fmells ftrong, fo that it is better to forbear it and preferve the 
colophony in its full virtue ; preparations of amber may be made 
to give relief almoft in all diftempers. M. Hartman in a regular 
analyfis, where he followed nature, by ieparating with a gentle 
fire the pure from the impure parts, did fo unite all the virtues of 
amber, that preferving its native fragrancy, together with the ef- 
ficacy of its tat and faline particles, it became a medicine proper 
both in internal and external cales^ he calls that the ballam of 
amber, where the (trong Icented parts of earth are feparated, and 
the more volatile and delicate ones cohere fo clofely together that 
they admit of no foreign particles 5 whatever effects can be ex- 
pelled from crude amber, or any artificial preparation thereof, 
the fame may be performed fooner, more fafely, and more agree- 
ably by this balfam 5 the beft way of taking it inwardly is in pills 
or bolus's^ it is applied externally like the apople(5tic ballam, 
which it reiembles m colour; it is uled with luccefs in fainting, 
hyfteric, epileptic, and paralytic dilbrders, by rubbing the pa- 
tients gums, tongue and palate with it ; for prevention it may be 
fafely taken twice or thrice a week to the quantity of five, feven, 
ten, and even fifteen grains ; and in like manner it may be taken 
in Ibme dilbrders of the kidneys, bladder, ^c. if you mix ano- 
dynes with it 'j for a tingling in the ears it is a more infallible 
remedy than the oil, whofe difagrceable Imell, the hazard in 
ufing it, as being of a fiery nature, and its being deflitute of vola- 
tile lalt put M. Hartman on inventing this balfam; and it is not 
without reaibn that Hoffman and EtmuUer mix the agreeable 
fcent of the Peruvian balfam with the oil of amber ; but it proves 
more fuccefsful to mix the Peruvian balfam with that of amber 
by M. Hartman^ efpecially in a Gonorrhoea and Fhwr ^Ibus* 
A retort is the fitteft vefTel for diftilling amber; when you 
would extra61 the fait, white amber is beft, and the yellow fort 
when you would have the oil : M. Hartman had an ounce and a 
half of volatile fait out of a pound of the white, and fcarce a 
drachm out of a pound of yellow : Your diftillation will fuccced 
more lucccflively, if you ule clean and polifhed fragments, and 
of a thin and tranlparent rind, than if you take fuch as are either 
impure, of a coarfe crufl, or the common fhavings; you muft mix 
nothing with the amber, tho* formerly it was ulnal to put flints 
and fand with it ; you mufl not give it a ftrong fire, the heat is 
gradually increafed by the fand ; by due management there pre- 
fently ariftfs with the phlegm the ethereal portion of the oil ; 
when a yellowifli oil comes over with the volatile fait, proceed 
no farther in the diftillation : The amber may be ftill urged till it 
yields 
