Volume 17. Philosophical Furnaces by Rudolph Glauber. In Philosophical Furnaces, Rudolph Glauber presents detailed plans for four furnaces, each designed for a different purpose. The primary process described is distillation. The text contains instructions for producing various medicines, and other products such as artificial gems, magnifying glasses, strong porcelain utensils, fertilizer, wine, vinegar, Potable Gold, and much more. Although a few key details may have been left out, they are said to be presented in Glauber's other works. This book covers an incredibly wide range of early chemical experiments. Included are 6 pages of excellent engravings restored from the original printed work produced by Christopher Packe in 1689.