334 MEMOlRSofthe 
That this volatile ialt arifes from an acid, its acid vinous tafte, 
which is not dila^ereeable, plainly fliews 5 and this pleafant tart- 
nefs of the volatile fait of amber comes the nearell to the philo- 
ibphic fpirit of vitriol ; it is pungent, but not corroding ^ it neither 
ferments nor bubbles upon pouring fpirit of vitriol upon it, nor does 
it wade, when mixed with Sp. Sal. Artnon. it railes little bubbles 
with a hiifing noife, and is ablbrbed by it j M. Hart man afcribes 
the very fubtile and agreeable volatile acor in fait of amber 
to bituminous exhalations, as fpirits of wine mixed with fpirits 
of nitre or Ialt temper them fo, as to be denominated fweetj for 
whilft the fubterraneous heat unites the difperfed particles of 
bitumen, it happens that thefe in their paflage thro' the beds of 
vitriol, by means of the fame heat fublimate and carry along with 
them the moft fubtile effluvia of vitriol, and that in a greater or 
lels quantity, fo that, by their coalition in the woody matrix, 
amber is produced. 
The procefs of reducing amber to a fine powder is eafy , for it 
matters not, whether you grind or beat it fmall, both ways it is 
of fervice, as appears from the inftance of beafts before -mentioned, 
that greedily Iwallow down little bits of amber, and by being 
made fmall, it is difpofed to mix the more readily with the 
native juices of the animal, on which account this operation may 
be of great lervice in phyfick: When amber is boiled in wine, it 
imparts its virtue to it, which it likewife does when infufed and 
digefted therein; fpirits of wine poured upon amber produce the 
eflence or tindlure thereof, which is not tinged yellow, from the 
pure white fort; whether it is better to ule the fpirits of wine 
reflified or diluted is a queftion, the oily parts require the for- 
mer, and the laline the latter, yet amber yields to both, and 
becaufe whatever time the digeftion takes, the fpirits muft be 
diluted at lall, therefore uie 'the highly re6tified ; the tinflure 
is extrafted the more readily, if you put filings to the fpirits j 
others add the oil of tartar fer deliquium^ or of fixed nitre, to 
fliarpen the fpirits, that the greater virtue may the more quickly 
be communicated to them, which might do very well, if no 
foreign particles were thereby added to the tinfture ; the amber 
diflbives the more readily if put to digefl: in a glals with a long 
neck, and it foon imparts its virtue to the fpirits, which are 
entirely faturated therewith, and this is obtained only by digeft- 
Jng It for fome time. 
M. Hartman having pounded fome pieces of the foffile wood, 
and macerating it in hot water, the lee tafted fvveetifh like allum 
or iron, but very little of vitriol; but thickening it m order to 
collca 
