THE FIRST TREATISE

...[se]parated and dried up from the superfluous In this context, "superfluous" refers to excess or "accidental" moisture that hinders the perfection of the work, as opposed to the "radical" moisture which is essential to life. moisture that is destructive.

Even as the food is being absorbed on entering an animal's stomach, so that it may be digested and changed and afterwards supply the feeding force feeding force The virtus nutritiva—the inherent power within a substance to provide nourishment and promote growth. and moisture necessary to the existence and augmentation of nature The natural process of growth and physical development within a living or mineral body., and be separated of its superfluous parts. How then everything has to be fed in its way according to its nature will be shown in the aforesaid Philosopher's Stone The legendary "living" substance of the alchemists, which they believed needed to be "fed" and "matured" just like a biological organism..