THE COMPLETE DISTILLER TEXT

Take of Rue, Rosemary, Baum, Carduus Benedictus, Scordium, Marigold-flowers, Dragons, Goat’s-rue, and Mint, of each ten Handfuls; Roots of Masterwort, Angelica, Butter-burr, and Peony, of each one Pound and a Quarter; and of Viper-grass ten Ounces; digest in twelve Gallons of Spirit, _&c._ as before. Or, Take of the Roots of Masterwort, Gentian, and Snake-root, of each seven Ounces; green Walnuts bruised eighty; Venice-treacle and Mithridate of each three Ounces; Camphire six Drams; of the Roots of Rue and Elecampane, of each three Ounces; Horehound six Ounces; Saffron six Drams; Proof Spirit twelve Gallons; digest, _&c._ as before. Or, Take Dragons, Rosemary, Wormwood, Sage, Scordium, Mugwort, Scabious, Baum, Carduus, Angelica, Marigold-flowers, Centory, Betony, Pimpernel, Celadine, Rue, and Agrimony, of each three Pounds; of the Roots of Gentian, Zedoary, Liquorice, and Elecampane, of each twelve Ounces; twelve Gallons of Spirits; digest, _&c._ as before. Or, Take of green Walnuts, five Pounds; of Angelica-root two Pounds; of the Leaves of Angelica, Rue, Sage, and Scordium, of each ten Handfuls; of Nutmegs, Long Pepper, Ginger, Camphire, and Gentian-root, of each five Ounces; of Snake-root, Contrayerva, Elecampane, Zedoary, and Viper’s Flesh, of each thirteen Ounces; Venice Treacle and Mithridate of each thirteen Ounces; White-wine Vinegar seven Pounds; Proof Spirits twelve Gallons; digest, _&c._ as before. You may either dulcify your Plague-water, or not, as you see occasion. All the above Receipts for making Plague Water are in use; but the first the most elegant, containing nothing but what is proper in the Intention, and at the same time adapted to give its Virtues by Distillation; which cannot be said of any of the rest, several of the Ingredients adding no Virtue at all to the Water. Of this Kind are the Celandine, Carduus, Centory, Gentian, Walnuts, _&c._ Plague Water is a noble Alexipharmic, and a high Carminative Cordial in malignant Cases, and of great Use in Lowness of Spirits, and Depressions. CHAP. XVI. _Of Dr._ Stephens’s _Water_. This Water has its Name from its Inventor, a Physician of great Learning and Practice. _Recipe for ten Gallons of Dr._ Stephens’_s Water_. Take of Cinnamon, Ginger, Galangal, Cloves, Nutmegs, Grains of Paradise, the Seeds of Anise, sweet Fennel, and Caraway, of each one Ounce; of the Leaves of Thyme, Mother of Thyme, Mint, Sage, Penniroyal, Rosemary, Flowers of red Roses, Camomile, Origanum, and Lavender, of each eight Handfuls; of clean Proof Spirit twelve Gallons, Water two Gallons; digest all twenty-four Hours, and then draw off ten Gallons, or till the Faints begin to rise. Dulcify with fine Sugar to your Palate. This is a noble Cephalic Cordial and Carminative; and also in some Degree an Hysteric; good in all cholic Pains in the Stomach and Bowels, and Diseases of the Nerves. CHAP. XVII. _Of Surfeit Water._ There are two Kinds of Surfeit-water, one made by Distillation, and the other by Infusion, the former is generally called white _Surfeit Water_, and latter red _Surfeit Water_. _Recipe for ten Gallons of white Surfeit Water._ Take Marigold-flowers, Mint, Centory, Rosemary, Scordium, Mugwort, Carduus, Rue, St. John’s-wort, Baum, and Dragons, of each seven Handfuls; of the Roots of Peony, Viper-grass, Butter-burr, and Angelica, of each one Pound and a Half; of Galangal, Calamus Aromaticus, and of the Seeds of Angelica and Caraway, of each four Ounces; of the Flowers of red Poppies ten Handfuls; Proof Spirit twelve Gallons, Water two Gallons; digest for twenty-four Hours, and then draw off ten Gallons, or till the Faints begin to rise; and dulcify with fine Sugar. This is a good Cordial, but would not be the worse, if the Carduus, Mugwort, Rue and St. John’s-wort, were omitted, as little of their Virtues can be obtained by Distillation. It is, however, a good Alexipharmic, Carminative, and Stomachic; and therefore good in all flatulent Pains in the Stomach and Bowels, in Nauseas and Surfeits, from whence it had its Name. _Recipe for making ten Gallons of red Surfeit Water._ Take of the Flowers of red Poppies, two Bushels, eleven Gallons of clean Proof Spirit, and digest them with a gentle Heat for three Days, or till the Spirit has extracted all the Colour of the Flowers: Then press out the Liquor from the Flowers, and add to the Tincture of the Seeds of Caraway and Coriander, and Liquorice-root sliced, of each ten Ounces; of Cardamoms and Cubebs of each four Ounces; of Raisins stoned five Pounds; of Cinnamon five Ounces; of Nutmegs, Mace, and Ginger, of each three Ounces; of Cloves two Drams; of Juniper-berries three Ounces; let the whole be digested three Days, then press out the Liquor adding to it a Gallon of Rose-water; and then strain or filter the whole through a Flannel Bag. This Water is much Superior to the preceding, as all the Ingredients will give their Virtues to the Tincture, tho’ they will not rise in Distillation. It is a noble Alexipharmic, it strengthens the Stomach, and greatly assists Digestion; it is also an excellent Carminative and good against the Cholic and Gripes: Its Cordial Virtues renders it serviceable in all Tremblings of the Nerves, and Depressions of the Spirits. CHAP. XVIII. _Of Wormwood Water._ There are two Sorts of Wormwood Water, distinguished by the Epithets of _greater_ and _lesser_. _Recipe for making ten Gallons of the lesser Composition of Wormwood Water._ Take of the Leaves of dried Wormwood five Pounds; of the lesser Cardamom-seeds five Ounces; of Coriander seeds one Pound; of clean Proof Spirit eleven Gallons; Water one Gallon; draw off ten Gallons, or till the Faints begin to rise, with a gentle Fire. It may be dulcified with Sugar, or not, at pleasure. This is a good Stomachic and Carminative; and on that Account often called for. _Recipe for ten Gallons of the greater Composition of Wormwood Water._ Take of the common and Sea Wormwood, dried, of each ten Pounds; of Sage, Mint, and Baum dried, of each twenty Handfuls; of the Roots of Galangal, Ginger, Calamus Aromaticus, and Elecampane; of the Seed of sweet Fennel and Coriander, of each three Ounces; of Cinnamon, Cloves, and Nutmegs, the lesser Cardamoms and Cubebs, of each two Ounces. Cut and bruise the Ingredients as they require; digest them twenty-four Hours, in eleven Gallons of fine Proof Spirit, and two Gallons of Water, and draw off ten Gallons, or till the Faints begin to rise, with a pretty brisk Fire. This is an excellent Composition, and good in all Diseases of the Stomach arising either from Wind or a bad Digestion. It is greatly in use in some Parts of _England_, but comes too dear for the common Sort of People; on which account a Cordial Water is often sold under the Title of _the greater Composition of Wormwood Water_; drawn from the Leaves of Wormwood, Orange and Lemon-peel, Calamus Aromaticus, Pimento, and the Seeds of Anise and Caraway; which being all cheap Ingredients, the Composition may be sold at a moderate Price. A Water drawn in this manner is a good Carminative; but far inferior to that made by the above Recipe. CHAP. XIX. _Of Antiscorbutic Water._ The Scurvy being a Disease very common in _England_, this Antiscorbutic Water will be of great use. _Recipe for making ten Gallons of Antiscorbutic Water._ Take of the Leaves of Water-cresses, Garden and Sea Scurvy-grass, and Brook-lime of each twenty Handfuls; of Pine-tops, Germander, Horehound, and the lesser Centory, of each sixteen Handfuls; of the Roots of Briony and sharp-pointed Dock, of each six Pounds; of Mustard-seed one Pound and a Half. Digest the whole in ten Gallons of Proof Spirit, and two Gallons of Water, and draw off by a gentle Fire. This is a good Water for the Purposes expressed in the Title, _viz._ against Scorbutic Disorders. It is also good in Tremblings and Disorders of the Nerves. CHAP. XX. _Of compound Horse-radish Water._ There are several Methods of making this compound Water; but the three following Recipes are the best that has hitherto appeared. _Recipe for making ten Gallons of compound Horse-radish Water._ Take of the Leaves of fresh Garden Scurvy-grass sixteen Pounds; of fresh Horse-radish Root, and the yellow Part of Seville Orange-peel of each eight Pounds; of Nutmegs two Pounds. Cut and bruise these Ingredients, and digest them twenty-four Hours in ten Gallons of Proof Spirit and two Gallons of Water; after which draw off ten Gallons with a gentle Fire. Or, Take of the fresh Roots of Horse-radish nine Pounds; of the Leaves of Water-cresses and of Garden Scurvy-grass, of each six Pounds; of the outward, or yellow Peel of Oranges and Lemons, of each nine Ounces; of _Winter_’s Bark twelve Ounces; of Nutmegs three Ounces. Cut, bruise and digest the Ingredients in ten Gallons of Proof Spirit, and two Gallons of Water, and draw off ten Gallons as before. Or, Take of the Leaves of Garden and Sea Scurvy-grass fresh gathered in the Spring, of each seven Pounds; Brook-lime, Water-cresses, and Horse-radish-root of each ten Pounds; of _Winter_’s Bark and Nutmegs of each ten Ounces; of the outer Peel of Lemons one Pound; of Arum-root fresh gathered two Pounds; Proof Spirit ten Gallons, Water two Gallons. Bruise and slice the Ingredients; digest the whole, and draw off ten Gallons as before. Either of the above Recipes will produce an excellent Water, against all Obstructions of the Kidnies and other Viscera. It is also of great Service in the Jaundice, Cachexies and Dropsies; and in all Scorbutic Cases, it is equal to any Medicine; as it opens the minute Passages, promotes Transpiration, and cleanses the Skin, and other small Glands, which are filled with gross Particles to the Detriment of their proper Offices. CHAP. XXI. _Of Treacle Water._ This Water is made in a very different Manner, by different Persons; but the following Recipes are the best for this Purpose. _Recipe for making ten Gallons of Treacle Water._ Take of the fresh and green Husks of Walnuts four Pounds and a Half; of the Roots of Butter-burr, three Pounds; of Angelica and Masterwort, of each one Pound and a Half; of Zedoary twelve Ounces; of the Leaves of Rue and Scordium of each eighteen Ounces; of Venice Treacle three Pounds; digest them together four Days in twelve Gallons of Proof Spirit, and two Gallons of Water; after which draw off ten Gallons; to which add a Gallon and a Half of distilled Vinegar. Or, Take of the Rind of green Walnuts five Pounds; of Rue four Pounds; of Carduus, Marigold, and Balm, of each three Pounds; of fresh gathered Butter-burr-roots two Pounds and a Half; of Burdock-root one Pound and a Half; of green Scordium twelve Handfuls; of Venice Treacle and Mithridate of each two Pounds and a Half; Proof Spirit twelve Gallons; and Water two Gallons. Digest, and draw off ten Gallons, as before; to which add a Gallon and a Half of distilled Vinegar. Some instead of distilled Vinegar unadvisedly add a proportional Quantity of Spirit of Vitriol, or other Mineral Acid, to their Treacle Water; but this Practice is very pernicious; and intirely alters the Nature of the Medicine. Vinegar is an Acid made by a double Fermentation, and therefore of a different Nature from the acid Juices of Vegetables, whether Oranges, Lemons, Citrons, Limes, Crabs, Barberies, _&c._ as also from those of Minerals, whether Vitriol, Sulphur, _&c._ It is indeed, like them, acid on the Tongue; but then it liquifies the Blood, is antipestilential, suddenly cures Drunkenness, Surfeits, the Plague, and does a thousand Things both as a Menstruum and Medicine, which they will not. This is an admirable and sprightly Alexipharmic and Sudorific, to which the Vinegar added, greatly contributes, and therefore good in Fevers, the Small-pox, Measles, and other pestilential Disorders. CHAP. XXII. _Compound Camomile-flower Water._ The Camomile-flowers generally used are the double Sort, consisting wholly of Petals or Flower Leaves, without any Appearance of Stamina or Pistil, or the other Parts of Fructification, which in the single Flowers shew themselves in the Middle in Form of yellow Threads. But tho’ the double Flowers are the Sort commonly used, they are not the best, or those which ought to be chosen. The single Flowers, or those which consist of only a single Series of Leaves, or Petals, in Form of Rays, surrounding a Cluster of yellow Threads or Stamina, have much more Virtue. It is indeed in these Stamina and their Apices, that great Part of the Virtue of the Flower resides, and these are wanting in the double Flowers. _Recipe for making ten Gallons of compound Camomile-flower Water._ Take of dried Camomile-flowers, five Pounds; of the outer Peel of Oranges, ten Ounces; of the Leaves of common Wormwood, and Penny-royal, of each twenty Handfuls; of the Seeds of Anise, Cummin, and sweet Fennel, the Berries of Bay and Juniper, of each five Ounces. Digest these Ingredients two Days in ten Gallons of Proof Spirit, and three Gallons of Water, and draw off ten Gallons with a gentle Fire. This is a very good Carminative and Stomachic; good in all Cholics and other Disorders of the Bowels from Wind. It also provokes the Appetite and promotes a good Digestion. Its Virtues as a Stomachic will not be less when made from the double Flowers; but if intended as a Carminative it should be made with the single Flowers. CHAP. XXIII. _Imperial Water._ This Cordial Water has its Name from the great Opinion conceived of it by its first Inventors; and tho’ their Opinion was, perhaps, justly founded, yet it is not at present so much in use as formerly. _Recipe for making ten Gallons of Imperial Water._ Take of the dried Peels of Citrons and Oranges, of Nutmegs, Cloves, and Cinnamon, of each one Pound; of the Roots of Cypress, Florintine Orrice, Calamus Aromaticus, of each eight Ounces; of Zedoary, Galangal and Ginger, of each four Ounces; of the Tops of Lavender and Rosemary, of each sixteen Handfuls; of the Leaves of Marjoram, Mint, and Thyme, of each eight Handfuls; of the Leaves of white and damask Roses, of each twelve Handfuls. Digest the whole two Days in ten Gallons of Proof Spirit, and four Gallons of damask Rose Water; after which draw off ten Gallons. All the Ingredients in Composition coincide in one intention, and are such as will give their Virtues by Distillation; Circumstances that cannot be said of many other compound Waters. It is a very good Cephalic, and of great use in all nervous Cases. It is also a very pleasant Dram, especially if dulcified with fine Sugar, and good upon any sudden Sickness of the Stomach. CHAP. XXIV. _Of Compound Piony Water._ The Piony, from whence this Compound Water takes its Name, is a Plant divided into Male and Female; but the former is the Sort intended to be used in this Composition. The Male and Female Plants are distinguished both by their Roots and Leaves. The Male has a shining blackish Leaf, from which the Female differs by being lighter coloured. The Root of the Male kind is more bulbous, shorter, and branched than that of the Female, whose Shoots are much longer and thinner. _Recipe for making ten Gallons of compound Piony Water._ Take of the Roots of Male Piony, twelve Ounces; of those wild of Valerian, nine Ounces; and of those of white Dittany six Ounces; of Piony-seed four Ounces and a Half; of the fresh Flowers of Lilly of the Valley, one Pound and a Half; of those of Lavender, Arabian Stæchus, and Rosemary, of each nine Ounces; of the Tops of Betony, Marjoram, Rue and Sage, of each six Ounces; slice and bruise the Ingredients, and digest them four Days in ten Gallons of Proof Spirit and two Gallons of Water; after which draw off ten Gallons. Or, Take of the Flowers of Lillies of the Valley fresh gathered, and Male Piony-root, of each two Pounds; of Cinnamon and Cubebs, of each eight Ounces; of Rosemary and Lavender Flowers, of each two Handfuls; of damask Rose Water two Gallons. Digest these four Days in ten Gallons of Proof Spirit, and draw off ten Gallons as before. This is an excellent Cordial, and can be exceeded by nothing in all Nervous Cases, both in Children and grown Persons. CHAP. XXV. _Of Nutmeg Water._ The Nutmeg is a Kernel of a large Fruit not unlike the Peach, and is separated from that and its investient Coat the Mace, before it is sent over to us; except when the whole Fruit is sent over in Preserve, by way of Sweet-meat, or as a Curiosity. There are two Kinds of Nutmegs, the one called by Authors the Male, and the other the Female. The Female is the Kind in common use, and is of the Shape of an Olive: The Male is long and cylindric, and has less of the fine aromatic Flavour than the other, so that it is much less esteemed, and People who trade largely in Nutmegs will seldom buy it. Besides this oblong kind of Nutmeg we sometimes meet with others of very irregular Figures; but these are mere _Lusus Naturæ_, being produced by the same Tree. The long or Male Nutmeg, as we term it, is, by the _Dutch_, called the wild Nutmeg. It is always distinguishable from the others as well by its want of Fragrancy as by its Shape: It is very subject to be worm-eaten, and is strictly forbid by the _Dutch_ to be packed up among the other, because it will be the means of their being worm-eaten also by the Insects getting from it into them, and breeding in all Parts of the Parcel. The largest, heaviest, and most unctuous of the Nutmegs are to be chosen, such as are of the Shape of an Olive, and of the most fragrant Smell. _Recipe for making ten Gallons of Nutmeg Water._ Take of Nutmegs bruised one Pound; Proof Spirit ten Gallons; Water two Gallons. Digest them two Days, and then draw off ten Gallons with a brisk Fire. You may either dulcify it or not as occasion offers. Or, Take of Nutmegs bruised one Pound; Orange-peel two Ounces; Spirit ten Gallons; Water two Gallons. Digest, and distil as before. This is an excellent Cephalic and Cordial Water; agreeable to the Palate, comfortable to the Stomach, and grateful to the Nerves. It powerfully discusses Wind and Vapours the Stomach and Bowels, and is therefore of great Service in the Cholic, and Griping of the Bowels. CHAP. XXVI. _Of Compound Bryony Water._ The white Bryony-root, from whence this Water takes its Name, is one of the largest Roots we are acquainted with. It is of an oblong Shape, and is frequently met with of the Thickness of a Man’s Arm, sometimes of twice or three times that Bigness. Its Texture is somewhat lax and spungy; considerably heavy, but so soft that the thickest Pieces are easily cut through with one Stroke of a Knife: It is very juicy, and is externally of a brownish or yellowish white Colour, and of a pure white within: It is of a disagreeable Smell, and an acrid and nauseous Taste. _Recipe for ten Gallons of Compound Bryony Water._ Take of the Roots of Bryony four Pounds; wild Valerian-root one