DURING THE MIDDLE AGE. 



merly the only one known, many other acids 

 have been added. The method of extracting 

 an acid from vitriol of iron is dcfcribcd by Baf. 

 Valcntinus, \vlio calls it oleum vitrhli\ and Mill 

 better by Dorna:us, who occasionally makes 

 mention of oleum fulphuris per campanam. R. 

 Lullius obtained an acid from nitre ; and B. Va- 

 lcntinus, when about to difl.il the aquam nitri, as 

 he calls it, put a triple proportion of the pulve- 

 rifed fragments of unbaken earthen veflcls with 

 the nitre into the retort, and half a proportion of 

 water into the receiver. But Glauber was the 

 firft who employed the flronger vitriolic acid for 

 this purpofe ; and by means of which he pro- 

 cured the acidum nitri finnans. With the fame 

 agent he extraclcd the acidum muriaticumfu- 

 mans from fca fait. B. Valentinus in diililling 

 vitriol with common fait, obtained what he calls, 

 aquafortis. Aqua rcgis, or as Valentinus chufes 

 to name it, liquor ftkm fohcns, was prepared by 

 Jlollandius, by diililling nitre with brine. And 

 menftrua were generally called, aqua; "jalentcs> 

 nut fortes ; and various fubitanccs were propofed 

 as neceilary to their preparation. Beccher 

 throws out fomc obfcure hints on the nature of 

 the Sedative Salt, which combines like an acid 

 with Borax. Lullius fpcaks of the didillation of 

 Tartar. 



They appear to have been no lefs acquaint- 

 ed with Alkaline Salts likewifc. Gcberus dc- 

 K 3 icribe* 



