Sed. 15. Of Metals'.

fmalleft Particles by' the Hammer,

26I

as in the Leaf-Gold, is not digefti-ble in the Stomach, Co as to betranfmitted into the Blood, and tobe there of any Efficacy. But thereare nevertheleis many who are con-fident of its doing extraordinaryMatters, if reduced into a Pouder,by Amalgamation with Mercury,and by evaporating the Mercuryafterwards. Zatutus Lußtanus isone of the fmarteft Pleaders on thisfide the Controverfy, againft Muja,Ficus Mirandula, and Platerus ;who befides many Inftances of itsEfficacy, urges the Authority ofAvicen, Serapion, Geber, and manyot the Arabian Phyficians, withthofe of other Countries, and oflater date. 3>uercetan, Schroder,Zroelfer, and Etmuller, with manyother more modern practical Phy-ficians fell into the fame Opinion.But which fide foever the Truthlies on, the Modern Practice reject-ing all Preparations of it, will be afufficient Juftification for ourretain-ib few of them. When I mentionModern Practice, that only is meantwhich is by regalar bred Phyficians ;for there are ftill fuglers and Jjhtacks,who amufe and impoiê upon weakPeople with their Golden Medica-ments. Its only justifiable ufe is tobeautify fome Medicines to the Eye,and guard the Palate againft theNaufeoufiiefs of ibme others whichare made into Fills.

Monfieur Lemery has been veryhoned, in expoiing the Knavery ofthe Chymifts and Empirics in thisrefpeft; what therefore we find inhim retain'd of the Preparations,for any medicinal Ufe, we mailventure to infert, and no further. Inthe Purification of Gold , there hap-pens nothing of any ufe but to theRefiner and manual Artificer ; andtherefore we ihall begin with,

The Preparation of Gold.

The Amalgamation of Gold withMercury, and its Reduâiw intoan impalpable Pouder.

' Take a Dram of Gold beat into

* thin Piates, which muft be heat in' a Crucible red-hot in a large Fire ¡' then pour upon it an Ounce of' 6)uickfilver. Stir it with an Iron' Rod ; and when it begins to raife

* a Fume, throw it into an earthen' Pan, filled with Water, where it' will coagulate and become tra£ra-' ble. The blacknefi may be waih'i' away with Water ; and a great' deal of the Mercury preiîêd out' thro'a Linen Rag; the reft mull' be evaporated in a Crucible, and« the Gold will remain behind in an' impalpable Pouder. '

This is the furelt way of reducingGold into a form to be taken inSubftance, for thofe who have anopinion of it; but the Gilders maymake a better ufe of it, becaufe itmay be eafily thus extended upontheir Work.

Aurum Fulminans, *r Saffron cf Gold.

' Take any quantity of Gold beat

into thin little Plates ; put it into

a Phial, and pour gradually upon

it three or four times as much

Aqua Regalis : fet it in Sand a

little heated, until the Aqua Re-

galis is fated with as much Gold

as it can take up, which may be

known by the Ebullition ceafing.

Afterwards pour the Solution into

aGlafs Veflcl offive or fix times

as much common Water, and

drop into it by degrees the Oil of

Tartar made per Deliquium, and

the Gold will fall to the bottom :

after which pour oft the clean

Water, and waih it with frcih

S 3 * wajriu