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diff --git a/old/63318-0.txt b/old/63318-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index dd7db3e..0000000 --- a/old/63318-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1257 +0,0 @@ -Project Gutenberg's Some Experiments concerning Mercury, by J. H. Boerhaave - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: Some Experiments concerning Mercury - -Author: J. H. Boerhaave - -Release Date: September 27, 2020 [EBook #63318] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SOME EXPERIMENTS CONCERNING *** - - - - -Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at -https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images -generously made available by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - - - [Illustration] - - SOME - - EXPERIMENTS - - CONCERNING - - _MERCURY_. - - [Illustration] - - [Price One Shilling.] - - - - - SOME - - EXPERIMENTS - - CONCERNING - - _MERCURY_. - - _By J. H. BOERHAAVE, Professor - of Physick at LEYDEN._ - - Translated from the _Latin_, communicated by the - Author to the ROYAL SOCIETY. - - [Illustration] - - _LONDON_: - - Printed for J. ROBERTS, near the _Oxford-Arms_, - in _Warwick-Lane_. MDCCXXXIV. - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -SOME EXPERIMENTS CONCERNING _MERCURY_. - - -They who by Experiments have most diligently enquired into the Origin -of Bodies, and their peculiar Powers and Properties, are the only Men -who have discovered sure Methods of acquiring a true Knowledge of -these Things: And whenever the Lovers of natural Knowledge enumerate -the Instruments of this Science, they universally agree that Chemistry -has done the greatest Service, in most industriously promoting such -Discoveries: And when they come carefully to examine the most celebrated -Writers in this Art, they plainly perceive, that the most ancient -Alchemists far surpassed the rest in their Accounts of the Nature of -Things. Of this _Geber_ is an Instance, and the Writers nearest to him; -for they are content to describe, in the plainest manner, such Things -only as they had discovered by their Art; to improve which was their -great Application, having no other Design in view. And indeed no other -Men whatever have so strictly and obstinately labour’d in the Search -after natural Things, or have taken such great Pains to turn Matter, -thro’ all the various Modes of Enquiry, as the Alchemists. This is what -will be readily granted by all those who read the Hermetic Writers, -when they openly relate common Discoveries: But, on the contrary, when -these Writers treat of the Grand _Arcanum_ (or Secret of the Wise) they -are accused of making a bad Use of their Knowledge, out of a Desire to -conceal it, as if they intended, on that Occasion, not to be understood. -They are said to deal in Paradoxes, to write in a strange manner, -perfectly foreign to all that is known, and their Style is swell’d with -hyperbolical and sublime Expressions; which makes them be exploded as -Men out of their Senses, fabulous, false, and Liars: For whilst they -affect to write in the gravest Terms, and are rich in Promises, they so -cover the Thing they are treating of in Obscurity and Darkness, that -they seem unwilling the Secret should be reveal’d. And on this account -it is, that very many wise Men are of Opinion, that what the Alchemists -promise, is a Thing impossible both to Nature and Art, and therefore -count them unworthy the Perusal of Philosophers, as well as undeserving -of the Name. But it is a Maxim, That it is safer to credit an Artist in -his own Art, than one that is an utter Stranger to it; and consequently -it is rash to condemn what the Alchemists have defined to be possible; -especially, since these Chemists openly declare, that their Writings -are to be weighed in the Balance of the most certain Laws of Nature, -which have been discovered with the greatest Evidence by the Events of -Things; (that is, by exact and repeated Experiments) and they desire not -to be credited, whenever they produce any Thing contrary to the Powers -of Nature truly known by Experiments. Moreover they alledge, that they -express themselves in such an obscure manner, only to keep profane -Persons away from their Mysteries, which are unfolded to such as are -initiated in them; and so that it was necessary that Things strange, -obscure, and often false, should be mixed and interpolated with what is -sincere, clear, and true in their Writings. - -For my part, upon looking into chemical Matters, and perusing the -Writings of the Alchemists, I have found them all of the same Mind and -Meaning as to the following Particulars: That Metals are naturally -generated in their Veins, are nourished, grow, and multiply like other -natural Things, each in their proper Place: That the Aliments or -Nourishment of Metals, which before are of a foreign Nature to them, -are, by the genital Power of the Metallic Seed, converted into a truly -Metallic Nature; so that by this seminal Power alone they lose their -former, and receive a new Property by the sole cherishing of the -pregnant Warmth; for they will have all these Things to be effected -entirely by the same Means: That as the Seeds of Animals and Plants -change the Aliments they receive into their own Nourishment, so the -vivificating Seed of growing Gold, having got a proper Food, in a fit -Matrix, by the Help of a suitable and convenient Heat, digests the same -into its own particular Nature: Therefore by that Means, according to a -Law prescribed to subterraneous Things, they determine that true Gold -is always produced by Length of Time out of a Matter of a different -Nature from Gold: For having subdued its Aliment by its own Force, it -grows, by vital Increase, into a Matter like to it, so long as those four -Conditions that are absolutely required attend it. Upon pursuing their -Researches into Nature with more Accuracy, they discovered that the -Metals which are produced, and especially Gold, are very closely confined -within a very solid and pure Stone, which is on every Side so very -carefully closed up, that no Passage leading to or from the Metal can be -discerned. The Matrix of the growing Metal is thick, hard, impenetrable, -without Mixture, closed up on all Parts, and resembles Glass. There is -nothing more hard to understand, than to discern the Manner how the -solid Substance of the Metal could penetrate or force itself thro’ the -ponderous Mass of the hard Stone, into the Veins that are found pregnant -with Metal and loaded with it. Nor is it less difficult to conceive by -what Way the same Metal secretly passes into those concealed Places, if -it was liquid in its first Origin, as it is highly probable that it was. -And thus the genuine Matrix of Metal is known; the Heat of the Metallic -Mines is also known: It seldom equals the Warmth of a Man in Health, -but often sinks below the 66ᵗʰ Degree in the Scale of _Farenheitius_’s -Thermometer. Hence they who are versed in these Mysteries direct, That -the breeding Matter of the _Arcanum_ should be inclosed in a pure Glass -Vessel, and cherish’d with a _Majal Heat_; which we find, by Experience, -to be of 50 Degrees. And this has been found out to be at a Medium -throughout the Year, by the most exact Observations; which we owe to the -industrious Care of _Cruquius_. The Food of the Metal remains yet more -obscure as to what is that seminal, proliferous and genital Matter. Most -of these Philosophers say, That Quicksilver is the common Matter of all -Metals: That this being changed by the Power of the vital Seed, gives a -Metal which is defined or determined according to the peculiar Property -of the seminal Efficacy: That every Metal, when the Quicksilver and -this Metallific Power (which they call Sulphur) are maturely and, as it -were, thoroughly boil’d and concocted, is brought to a perfect Species of -each such Metal. And from hence, That every Metal is again resolved into -these two Principles, Mercury and Sulphur. But that there is an original -Flaw or Blemish inherent in Quicksilver from its first Production, that -wonderfully grows up with it, and is intimately concreted to it, and -therefore not without the greatest Difficulty to be separated from it; -and consequently the Quicksilver wou’d not be very simple, nor free, -but is by that strange Matter inherent in it, of a definite Nature, and -therefore wou’d hardly suffer itself to be obsequious to the particular -Virtue of the Metallic Seed, and be drawn into the single Nature of one -Metal: But if by a most difficult Art, the Quicksilver be thoroughly -purged of that foreign Blemish or Foulness, then it would become liquid, -metallic, most weighty, and most simple; neither by any Art or Nature -divisible into different Things; and in which the vivified Seed of every -dissolved Metal wou’d most perfectly multiply itself; in which the Gold -itself dissolving, being cherish’d and maturated, wou’d be the last so -much sought for, and so much celebrated Reward of the Labour. - -When I found that the chief Persons of the Art agreed in these Principles -for a long Time, I have endeavour’d to learn by Experience, by what -Artifice a pure unmix’d Mercury might be obtained? Whether it cou’d be -extracted out of Metals? What is that other Part of the Metal that is apt -to force under its Yoak the free Quicksilver, or Mercury? I am glad to -give an Account of what I have discovered; not that I pretend to teach -the Art, which I am as far from as any one; but I will faithfully relate -some laborious Experiments, and which are so very certain, that they -may justly pass for true. Others will not need to repeat them, but may -safely make use of these as true upon Occasion. And a diligent Artist, -by assuming (or supposing) these Experiments, may apply his Mind farther -to others, in order to promote the Study of Chemistry the more. It were -to be wish’d, that every Man directed his private Labours to the public -Good. Let the first Experiment be this: - - - - -EXPERIMENT I. - - _Pure Quicksilver contain’d in a dry Glass Vessel that is - very clean, being agitated only by a mechanical Shaking or - Concussion, gives a soft, black, and very fine Powder._ - - -_The Operation._ - -Having bought 16 Ounces of Quicksilver of the Company at _Amsterdam_, I -strain’d it thro’ a Leather Bag; there remain’d no Dregs: I pounded it a -long while with fair Water: The Quicksilver remained pure after pounding: -It was then a long time pounded with Sea-Salt, but the Colour of the -Salt was not fouled: after having poured Water to this Salt, and to the -Mercury, the pounding was repeated; but neither did this change the -Colour. In all this Work there appeared nothing black, nothing foreign or -foul. Then the Quicksilver was washed and dried, and was bright. I poured -it into a clean dry Glass Bottle, made of the dark-green _German_ Glass. -At the same Time I plac’d it in a Sand Furnace, with a Fire that almost -made the Mercury rise; and to be sure that all the Water was forced out, -which is often secretly present in the Mercury, I kept it thus for three -Days: Then having thrust a clean dry strong Cork into the Mouth of the -Vessel whilst it was yet warm, I fasten’d it up as close as possible. The -Head of the Bottle thus closed with a Cork, I dipt into a liquid Cement -of Pitch, Rosin, Tallow, and Brimstone, and covered it over with a Linnen -Cloth, which I tied fast with Packthread. When the Glass was thus made -ready, I put it in a small Wooden Box, which was so fitted to the Bottle, -that it touched the Sides of it; and the empty Spaces between the Bottle -and the Box, were well filled with Bran. Then I put on a Cover, with a -Hole bored in the Middle, for the Top of the Neck of the Bottle to stand -a little out. The Glass was immoveable in the Box; and it being thus -prepared, I had it fastened to the Hammering Block of a Fulling-Mill, -which always moves Night and Day when there is any Wind. Being thus -fixed, it was rais’d up and let down by a perpendicular Motion, from the -1st of _March_, 1732. _N. S._ to the 13ᵗʰ of _November_ of the same Year. - - -_The Effect._ - -The Bottle being opened, there was the same Weight of Mercury, which was -covered on all Sides with a very soft, black, copious and fine Powder. I -squeez’d it thro’ a clean Leather Bag; the liquid and pure Mercury pass’d -thro’. The Powder remained in the Bag of a sharp metallic Taste, somewhat -resembling the Taste of Copper or Brass. - - -COROLLARIES. - -1. Quicksilver, in itself very insipid, by meer shaking, acquires a -metallic Taste of Copper. - -2. From being very mild, it becomes sharp and penetrating. - -3. From a very bright Silver Colour, it turns very black. - -4. From a Fluid, it becomes Solid in the Form of Powder. - -5. It may therefore be concealed under the Appearance of such a Powder, -and deceive the Ignorant. - - - - -EXPERIMENT II. - - _Quicksilver exceedingly well purified, and treated as - aforesaid (EXPER. 1.) gives the same Powder in much greater - Plenty._ - - -_The Operation._ - -I suspecting that something of a foreign Nature to it might remain in -the Quicksilver, and be separated from it, by Motion, under the Form -of that Powder, I brought over all the Mercury in a Glass Retort with a -Sand-Heat. When it was all over, I pour’d it again into the same Retort, -and forc’d it by Fire, as before. This Method I repeated 60 times. The -Mercury was thus distilled 61 times. In the Bottom of the Vessel there -were five Drachms of Red Powder; of which hereafter. But this Mercury was -very fluid and shining. I got 2 Ounces of this Mercury to be shaken by a -Fulling-Mill in the same Manner, and by the same Operation, and for the -same Space of Time as in the first Operation. - - -_The Effect._ - -The Weight was the same: There was a Powder made, soft, black, of a sharp -metallic Taste, like Copper or Brass, to the Quantity of 2 Drachms and 26 -Grains: So it was above an eighth Part; whereas of the Mercury, as they -sell it, scarce ¹⁄₁₂₈ Part was turn’d into Powder by the same Operations; -that is, by the shaking of the Mill. - - -COROLLARIES. - -1. The Mercury, which after being distilled 61 times, yet remained very -tasteless and insipid, acquires a metallic Taste. - -2. From being very mild, grows sharp and penetrating. - -3. From having a bright Silver Colour, and shining like a Looking-Glass, -becomes very black. - -4. From being more fluid than it was naturally, comes to a consistent -Powder. - -5. Tho’ forced by a long and strong Fire, so often repeated, the Mercury -still retains this Property (of Fluidity). - -6. Which therefore does not depend on any Feces or Dregs foreign to the -Mercury, and that may be separated from it by Fire. - -7. The Matter which, after the Distillation of the Mercury, remain’d -in the Bottom of the Retort, red, shining, and sharp, is no more like -the black Powder proceeding from the Shaking, than that Part is of the -Mercury, which remained volatile. - -8. Mercury is changed by Fire and Shaking; by Fire into red, by Shaking -into black: Therefore Mercury changes Colour. - -9. Whether Mercury shaken in a smaller Quantity, gives more of the black? -(Powder) - - - - -EXPERIMENT III. - - _The very black Powder (by EXPERIM. 2.) if it is forced out of - a Glass Retort by a strong Fire, returns to pure Quicksilver._ - - -_The Operation._ - -The 2 Drachms and 26 Grains of the black Powder (by _Operat. 2._) I -heated by a strong Fire, and forced out of a pure Glass Retort, insomuch, -that at last the Retort was red hot for 2 Hours. - - -_The Effect._ - -There were in the Receiver 2 Drachms and 2 Grains of the purest -Quicksilver, insipid and shining. There stuck to the Sides of the Glass, -which being join’d to the Retort, is luted to a Receiver full of Water, -a little Quicksilver here and there, which I could not entirely gather -together. In the Bottom of the Retort was a fix’d Spot, small, very thin -and fine, and but just visible. - - -COROLLARIES. - -1. Mercury, that has been 61 times distilled and shaken, and turned into -the afore described Powder, returns by Fire alone into its first Form. - -2. Of sharp and penetrating, it becomes very mild. - -3. Of very black, it comes to resemble pure Looking-Glass, with a Silver -Brightness. - -4. Of a consistent Powder, it becomes very fluid. - -5. In these three Operations it remains the same in itself; in the mean -time it alters its Appearance under various Disguises. - -6. The Taste and sharp Power are wonderfully changed in the Mercury, by -Motion alone, by Fire alone. - -7. In the mean time there arises, from these Operations, out of the -Quicksilver, a small Quantity of fix’d Mercury. - -8. The black (Spot) was no Dreg, or any Thing foreign, and so separated -from the Mercury. - - -SCHOLIUM. - -I exposed to a Fire of 180 Degrees, for several Months, some Quicksilver -in Glass Conic Vessels, with flat Bottoms, that were stopt with a -chemical inverted Phial: The Quicksilver became black, and gave a black -Powder, in all respects alike; from which I learnt, that a Fire in this -Degree, produced the same Effect in the Quicksilver as the shaking. - - - - -EXPERIMENT IV. - - _Quicksilver is changed by simple Distillation._ - - -_The Operation._ - -18 Ounces of Quicksilver, Weight of _Amsterdam_, I forced by a -Sand-Heat, out of a pure Glass Retort, into the Receiver that was filled -with the purest Water, 4 Inches high from the Bottom: This I continued -to do till there was no more running Mercury left in the Belly of the -Vessel. I dried and cleaned the Mercury with clean dry blotting Paper, -till it was perfectly dry, cleaned from any Dirt that might have fallen -in, and from the Black which in distilling is raised every time with -the Mercury as it distills: Then I poured this Mercury into another -Retort, and forced it again as before. This I repeated in the same manner -52 times. In each Distillation there was produced in the Retort a red -shining Powder. - - -_The Effect._ - -There was then four Drams and a half after 52 Distillations of a sharp, -red, shining Powder, purging upwards and downwards: There remained 16 -Ounces and 5 Drachms of Quicksilver; so 6½ Drachms were lost. This could -not be help’d. Some part expires thro’ the Glew; something black, with a -little Quicksilver, sticks to the Blotting-Paper every time the Mercury -is dried. This is but very little at one time; but when the Work comes -to be often repeated, it comes by Degrees to be a considerable part. The -Powder produced was heavy, of a red shining Colour, very brittle, of a -very sharp, metallic Taste, nauseous, penetrating, hardly to be taken out -of the Mouth, disordering the Human Body very much, and for a long time, -and disposing to Excretions. The Mercury which had been thus treated, -appeared more fluid than common Mercury. - - -COROLLARIES. - -1. Quicksilver thus forced by Fire, is turned from a Fluid into Powder, -in about the ¹⁄₂₈ part of its whole Weight. - -2. From a Silver Brightness, like Looking-Glass, into a shining red -Colour. - -3. From very insipid Taste, into one very sharp, rough, metallic, and -penetrating. - -4. From very mild, into sharp, virulent, venomous, disordering the Body, -and exciting Pains. - -5. From volatile into more fixed; which is no longer volatile by the same -Degree of Fire as it flew up with before. - -6. As to its other part, it changes into more fluid, in other respects -like what it was before. - -7. When the Vessel is stopt close, a mechanic Motion, and a small Fire, -give Quicksilver a black Colour; a greater Fire gives it a red Colour. - - - - -EXPERIMENT V. - - _I was desirous to know what would happen to the Mercury, if it - was still forced by a Fire requisite to Distillation._ - - -_The Operation._ - -I took care to distill, as before, the 16 Ounces and 5 Drachms of Mercury -remaining from the former Operation: I distill’d it so long, ’till -there remained none in the Bottom. What was came over, being cleaned and -dried, I always poured again into the same Retort. This Work I repeated -448 distinct times. Now this Mercury had been forced by Distillation -compleatly 500 times: It had risen always more fluid and pure. The last -time I heated the Fire more, but then the red Powder seem’d rather to be -lessened than increased, perhaps being in part revived. - - -_The Effect._ - -The Powder in the bottom of the Retort, weigh’d 1 Ounce, 5 Drams, and 21 -Grains. The Mercury remaining after 500 Distillations, weighed 9 Ounces -and 5 Drachms: But it happen’d, in so often distilling, that sometimes -the Retorts broke, and so some of the Mercury got away, besides what was -lost by so often cleaning and drying. - - -COROLLARIES. - -1. The Corollaries of the second and fourth Operations, are likewise true -in this Operation. - -2. The Mercury is very unchangeable in one part, - -3. Yet continually changeable in the other part. - -4. Out of the altered Form, perhaps it returns into its former Shape. - -5. And perhaps after Regeneration by a new Action of Fire, it is carried -back again into the altered Shape. - - - - -EXPERIMENT VI. - - _That Property of Quicksilver, by which it is turned into this - Powder by Fire, is hardly taken from it by Distillation._ - - -_The Operation._ - -The very fluid and very pure Mercury (out of which I had made by 501 -Distillations, 2 Ounces, 1 Drachm, and 51 Grains of Powder, by the 2ᵈ, -4ᵗʰ, and 5ᵗʰ Operations) which remained to the Quantity of 10 Ounces, 5 -Drachms, and one half, I distilled out of a pure Glass Retort, till the -Mercury was all passed thro’ into the Receiver. The Bottom of the Retort -was as clean as if it had been just taken out of the Furnace at the -Glass-House: But at the Edge of the Surface, where it had stood before -the Distillation in the Belly of the Retort, there was a shining Ring, -of a beautiful red, fine and fair to the Eye. The Mercury that came out, -being purified and dried, I poured again into the same Retort, and forced -it into the Receiver. This was repeated ten times: Every time more of the -red Powder was made, and in no less Quantity then from the crude Mercury. - - -_The Effect._ - -The Mercury very vivid and very bright; the fix’d Powder of a beautiful -red, but (as in 2ᵈ, 4ᵗʰ, 5ᵗʰ Operations) to the Quantity of seven Grains. - - -COROLLARIES. - -1. The Mutability of Mercury into this Powder by Fire, still remains in -the Mercury, after an eighth part of it has been changed into the Powder. - -2. After 511 Distillations, each of which had produced some of that -Powder, this Mutability remains, altho’ no new Mercury has been added. - -3. Therefore that Powder is scarce to be accounted the Dregs or Feces -separable by Distillation from the intimate Substance of the Mercury. - -4. And hence it is certain the Mercury is so changed by this Means; but -it is not certain that it is by this Means defecated. - -5. Fire is not united to Mercury, as some celebrated modern Chemists have -said it was, in their Writings. - -6. Diligence can scarce teach the constant Artists those Bounds beyond -which that Powder is no longer produced. - -7. If that Powder is produced by Fire out of the crude Sulphur of -Mercury, this Distillation does not purge the Mercury from it. - - - - -EXPERIMENT VII. - - _To examine the Powder produced by 2ᵈ, 4ᵗʰ, 5ᵗʰ, 6ᵗʰ - Operations._ - - -_The Operation._ - -Two Ounces, 1 Drachm, and 51 Grains of that Powder, I put into a clean -Glass Retort, covered with a Coat of Clay, mix’d or temper’d with Sand. I -heated it by Degrees, till at last the Retort, the bare Fire being laid -over it, grew almost red with the bright Fire that covered it in the Sand -Furnace, for three Hours together. - - -_The Effect._ - -There came out 1 Ounce, and half a Drachm of pure Mercury revived from -that Powder: There remain’d in the Bottom of the Retort seven Drachms -and a half of the bright red Powder. Something stuck in the Neck of -the Retort, and in the Glass Vessel applied to the Neck of the Retort. -Perhaps some was dissipated by so great and lasting a Fire. - - -COROLLARIES. - -1. The Mercury returns out of the Powder into which it was turned by the -Fire. - -2. Being revived, it recovers all its former Properties, and lays aside -all those that it had acquir’d. Out of the Powder comes the same Mercury -as at first. - -3. The acquired Fixedness does not bear a great Fire. - -4. Yet in that Powder one part is more fixed than another; this still -remains a Powder, that returns to Mercury. - - - - -EXPERIMENT VIII. - - _Further to examine the Powder remaining after the foregoing - Operation._ - - -_The Operation._ - -Seven Drachms and 37 Grains of that Powder in a very clean Glass Retort, -cased over with a Coat of Sand and Clay, I put into the naked Fire, which -was carefully increased by Degrees, ’till the little Retort, which was -entirely covered with the Coals, grew quite red hot. In this Degree of -Heat I kept it for four Hours. - - -_The Effect._ - -In the Receiver was seven Drams of most pure Mercury reviv’d from this -Powder. In the Bottom of the Retort were 15 Grains of a dark, subtle, and -fixed Powder, in so strong and lasting a Fire. There was a broad Spot, -very thin, of a beautiful red, impressed on the Bottom of the Retort, -and, as it were, penetrating into the Glass. - - -COROLLARIES. - -1. Mercury by Fire alone is changed into the Powder above describ’d. (2, -4, 5, 6, 7, 8.) - -2. This Powder, by Fire alone, but a stronger, is changed into Mercury. - -3. Thus the Serpent that has bitten itself dies. - -4. It arises again more glorious from Death. - -5. So much Labour, and so great Fire being so long sustain’d, out of 17 -Ounces of Mercury, only 15 Grains remain’d fix’d in the Glass, which was -so hot, that it was ready to melt. - -6. Silver, Gold, and other Metals fought for by this Art out of -Quicksilver, is scarce any, in Proportion to the Charge and Labour. - -7. Of the Powder so fix’d from Mercury, only the 72ᵈ Part remains fix’d -in this Fire, the rest returns to Mercury. - -8. Twenty-two Grains were lost. Were they dispers’d? or was this Quantity -of Weight first accreted to the Mercury by Fire, thence again separated -by a stronger Fire? - -9. The Nature of Mercury is constant, simple, and cannot be separated -into dissimilar Parts by Distillation; not into fix’d and volatile; not -into pure and impure; not into feces and defecated; not into different -Elements. - - - - -EXPERIMENT IX. - - _I put thirteen Grains of this last fix’d Powder (VIII.) into - a Crucible, and set it over an open Fire before the Bellows: - I increas’d the Heat of the Fire, by blowing till the whole - Crucible was red hot: I kept it so for a Quarter of an Hour. - The Powder remain’d fix’d in the Bottom, but swell’d up like a - Spunge, and of a dark Colour. From hence I learn’d that this - Powder had acquired a considerable Degree of Fixedness by Fire - alone._ - - - - -EXPERIMENT X. - - _Then I added to this fix’d Powder (IX.) some Borax in a - Crucible, and increased the Fire by blowing. It became one - Mass, brittle, growing like Glass, and fix’d in this great - Fire._ - - - - -EXPERIMENT XI. - - _I gave 2 Grains of that Powder, which had remained fix’d, to - the Weight of 15 Grains (VIII.) to a sworn and very skilful - Essayer of Metals at AMSTERDAM, to examine it with all possible - Accuracy according to the Rules of Art, with Lead. Nothing - fix’d remain’d: Therefore in that Powder there was not the - least Gold or Silver._ - - - - -EXPERIMENT XII. - - _The thirteen Grains melted down with the Borax into a Mass - growing like Glass (almost vitrified) (X.) I gave to a sworn - and very skilful Essayer of Metals at AMSTERDAM, to examine - this whole little Mass with the greatest Accuracy, according to - the Rules of Art, in Lead. Nothing fix’d remain’d of the whole - Mass; so there was no Gold nor Silver in it._ - - -COROLLARIES. - -1. Quicksilver persists in the Fire, retaining its Nature unalterable. - -2. Simple, and not separable, into different Parts by Distillation. - -3. It is fixed by Fire, and seems changed in its outward Form. - -4. Appearing so, in various Parts, it acquires different Degrees of -Fixedness. - -5. Yet none of these Parts acquired, by so strong and lasting a Fire, the -Fixedness of Gold or Silver. - -6. The fixating Cause is Fire passing thro’ the Glass; thus changing part -of the Mercury, either by its simple Action, or by its uniting itself -with the Quicksilver. - -7. The Fire so acting, by 511 Distillations, by its Action or -Conjunction, could not yet change the smallest Particle of the Mercury -into Gold or Silver. - -8. But from the Mercury so fixed by Fire, a greater Fire restores true -Mercury; or the known Power of Lead makes it vanish out of the Cupell. - -9. Therefore it does not appear, by these Experiments, that from Mercury -and Fire so conspiring, any known Metal is produced. Those 13 Grains did -not run by a Wind-Furnace; they did not persist in the Lead; they were -not dissolved with the Mercury into an Amalgama. - -10. Therefore Fire, by these Experiments, is not demonstrated to be the -Sulphur of the Philosophers that fixes Mercury into Metals. - -11. But it seems probable that the Sulphur of the Philosophers is -something else very near it. - -12. The fixed part is not the Feces of Mercury, nor its crude generating -Sulphur; it returns into Mercury. - -13. The Depuration of Mercury from the earthy Feces, and the watry -Crudeness, seems scarcely to be obtained so easily by Distillation alone; -perhaps by some more secret Work it is obtain’d. - -14. To make Gold or Silver of Mercury, does not proceed. Ignorant Men are -given up to Imagination, easy to Promises, rich in Hope. This Mercury -remained Mercury. - -15. Safe from the fallacious Writings and Prescriptions of the -Philosophers, who promise such Things in a short Time, or a few Months -from Mercury and Fire: Indeed, within the Space of many Years, I have not -discovered the least Marks of a first beginning. - - - - -EXPERIMENT XIII. - - _Mercury kept under boiling Water, is not rais’d from the - Bottom of the Vessel._ - - -_The Operation._ - -I pour’d a Drachm of Mercury twice distilled into a Glass Urinal, which -I fill’d with Rain Water: Then I set the Vessel upon the naked Fire: The -Water boil’d strongly for eight Hours, yet so that there still was some -Water swimming over the Mercury. The Mercury being afterwards weigh’d, -gave a Drachm without any Loss. - -Again; I pour’d a Drachm of Mercury into a clean dry Glass Vessel. This -I so fitted in a Kettle, that it cou’d not fall aside. I filled the -Kettle with Water; I made the Water boil eight Hours. This Vessel was -cylindrical, open, two Inches and one half deep, and placed so that the -Water cou’d not get in. After this was so done, the Mercury weighed one -Drachm without any Loss. - -I put pure Mercury into a Glass Vessel, I poured Water upon it; and -setting the Still over it, I boil’d it for a long while: No Mercury -ascended. I continued boiling, till all the Water being gone out, the -Mercury remained dry in the Bottom of the Vessel. However, I did not then -increase the Fire; but the Mercury presently ascended to the Sides of the -Vessel, and into the Head. The Reason of this appears from what I have -written in my chemical Institutions about Water and Fire. - - - - -EXPERIMENT XIV. - - _Mercury may be chang’d by Art so as that it shall ascend from - the Bottom of the Vessel, by the Heat of Vinegar, before it - boils up._ - - -_The Operation._ - -Having made a Mass of a Pound and a half of Mercury, with half a Pound of -Lead (the Chemists call such a Mass an Amalgama) I shook it in a Glass -Vessel. There was produced a very black Powder. This I put into a Glass -Cucurbite 14 Inches high; I pour’d pure distill’d Wine-Vinegar over it. -By a gentle Distillation I took away the Phlegm. I then increased the -Heat a little, but so that the Liquor did not boil. The Mercury ascended -into the Head, together with the Phlegm, and thence into the Receiver. -The same I tried and experienced other Ways. It is a Circumstance worthy -a Chemist’s Speculation; but I shall say no more of it here. By much the -like Artifice, I have seen Quicksilver made so volatile, that it was -rais’d in my Digestory-Furnace with a less Degree of Heat, than that of -a Man in Health, and ascended to the Sides of the Vessel. Do you think -the Mercury was then purer? It was mix’d with Metal, and very dry. But -perhaps I may some other time relate some very laborious Experiments -which I have made for several Years, in examining Mercury and Metals, if -I find that such Things are likely to meet with the Approbation of the -Learned. - - - - -EXPERIMENT XV. - - _GEBER has written, that pure Mercury is heavier than Gold: - For a long time I endeavour’d to learn, Whether Mercury could - be brought to a denser, and consequently a heavier State, - than that it is naturally in? I began to attempt this by a - Separation of the lighter and more changeable Part, from the - more heavy Remainder, but cou’d not do it. I afterwards strove - to defecate it by various Methods: It did not succeed. However, - I discovered some Things that deserve the Contemplation - of curious Observers, which I beg leave to mention, as - follows: Two Ounces of pure Gold in a Mass, by hydrostatical - Examination, in Rain-Water, defecated by gentle Distillation, - I found to weigh in proportion to Water, as 19¹¹⁹⁄₅₀₀ to 1. - Common Mercury, as sold, once distilled from the Retort to the - same Water, weighs as 13⁵⁷⁄₁₀₀ to 1. Mercury amalgamated with - purest Gold, and then distilled some hundred times, as 13⁵⁵⁄₁₀₀ - to 1. Mercury so treated with the purest Silver, was to Water - as 13⁵⁷⁄₁₀₀ to 1. Mercury united with Lead, and with it all - turn’d into Powder, and thence resuscitated by a strong Fire, - was to Water, as 13⁵⁸⁄₁₀₀ to 1. Mercury 511 times distilled, - was as 14¹¹⁄₁₀₀ to 1._ - - -These Statical Weighings were made by Instruments that cou’d not be found -fault with, and with the most prudent Care. I spent some Years to prepare -Mercury for this Purpose; and, for ought I know, no one else has had any -Regard to it. Afterwards, many Things proper for Meditation may be drawn -from thence, by proper Judges in this Matter: But I may be allowed to -make a few Observations. - - -COROLLARIES. - -1. If Mercury, when defecated, becomes lighter, then it is rendred most -defecated by Gold and Lead. By the Art of _Suchtenius_ and _Philalethes_, -it remains the same. - -2. If Mercury, when defecated, becomes heavier, then it is rendred most -defecated by Silver, in proportion to other Metals; but most of all by -simple Distillation, by a Conversion into a Red Præcipitate of itself, -and a Resuscitation thence made. - -3. Mercury may be made thicker (condensated) by Silver and Fire. - -4. Mercury may be thickned by Distillation by Fire most of all. Is this -then the best Way to depurate and perfect it? - -5. Does Mercury deposite its heaviest Part in Gold? Is this deposited -Matter the Seed of Gold? - -6. Does Mercury deposite its heaviest Part in Lead? Is this deposited -Matter the Seed of Gold? - -7. Does Fire, boiling the Mercury 511 times, fixing and resuscitating it, -increase that heaviest Part? Can Mercury, by a continued Work, at length -be thickned into the Weight of Gold? Would it then be live Gold, or the -Mercury of the Philosophers? This let proper Judges examine. - -Let these few Remarks, and yet not made without Trouble and Caution, -concerning the Purification of Quicksilver, suffice at this time. I have -some by me much more operose concerning the extracting of Mercury out of -Metals, of its Action upon Metals, of Metals themselves; perhaps, when I -have Leisure, I may offer them to the Public, that Persons, after being -warned, may spare a fruitless Labour and Expence. _Farewell._ - -[Illustration] - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Some Experiments concerning Mercury, by -J. H. 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