The Archidoxes and Medico-Chemical Works of Paracelsus

are to be distilled through ash, with such heat, and for so long, until they no longer wish to ascend, and water and air have ascended, earth remained at the bottom: afterwards, through fire, fire will ascend. Death's head. It is to be noted in this place, that although the four elements are separated, yet in the earth four elements still remain hidden, as if fixed: just as from vitriol a caput mortuum death's head/residue remains, sublimate this same thing with sal ammoniac ammonium chloride, thus oil will come forth, in which are water and fire, and the earth itself remains substantially: separate what ascended upward, and water will ascend again, and fire will remain at the bottom. Thus, it is also to be understood concerning tartar and also concerning salts. And although there exist many separations of liquors, we will declare them more broadly concerning transmutations. For it is to be noted that in corrosive earth there are more elements present than in ash. Separation, therefore, must be made through sublimation, as we will demonstrate.

How glassy things are to be separated.

Just as we posit above concerning the resolutions of marcasites, in this place it is to be understood in the same way concerning glasses, and it is to be considered most highly, namely, that they are to be calcined with sulfur just as stones, afterwards washed, and with saltpetre potassium nitrate and aqua fortis, etc., as we declared before, etc. Their elements are also known through the colors in distillations, not as they exhibit themselves to the eyes, by which we wish these to be concluded.

How fixed things are to be separated.

The separation of the elements of fixed things is made through sublimation, as we teach concerning salts and liquors, with this difference, however, that these must be calcined with saltpetre, and afterwards sublimated. And although there are many other things which are not posited in this place, nevertheless it is to be understood that the separations of all things must be done by these ten ways already declared. More broadly, concerning the separations of the four elements, it is to be noted that each can again be separated, namely, fire as fire, air as air, water as water, and earth as earth, as follows concerning the separations of each of them.

How separated elements are to be separated anew. Fire, etc.

It is also to be known that from the element of fire four elements can be separated, in this way. When fire is burned or ascends most violently, catch it with the receptacle or reservoir excellently closed, and place it in horse dung for a month, and in one you will find four elements, which, when the vessel is opened, having been put into the receiver, thus vapor and air will ascend into the receiving vessel. Afterwards, distill what remains through the bath; thus, water will ascend: then through the ashes fire will ascend, and the earth will remain at the bottom.