Mineral Stone, or the Highest Medicine

to be helpful in other ways in this matter, I did not wish to fail—after having already contributed my utmost toward the Animal Stone original: ad Lapidem Animalem. Alchemists categorized their work based on the source material; the "Animal Stone" involved substances derived from living creatures, such as hair, blood, or urine. three months ago—to now further produce in print some select treatises and excerpts original: Excerpta of the most proven philosophers original: Philosophorum. In alchemical literature, "philosophers" almost always refers to practitioners of the hermetic arts or "Philosophers by Fire." as a guidance original: Hand-leitung toward the Mineral Stone original: ad Mineralem. The Mineral Stone refers to the Alchemical Work performed using metals and minerals rather than organic matter..

Indeed, as far as the Work of Mercury original: Opus Mercurii. A central alchemical process focusing on the purification and "animation" of mercury to create the universal solvent or the Stone itself. is concerned, I could have also included—or even placed at the very front—John of Rupescissa’s Johannes de Rupescissa (c. 1310–1366) was a French Franciscan friar and influential alchemist who pioneered the use of "quintessence" (distilled alcohol) in medicine. Little Book on the Preparation of the True Stone original: Libellum de Confect. Veri Lap.; but because it is already found in its entirety in the Latin language in the Chemical Theater original: Theatro Chim. Referring to the Theatrum Chemicum, the largest and most famous collection of alchemical texts published in the 17th century. Vol. 3, page 191 & following, likewise on page 297 & following, and was also published in German by Theophilus Neander in the Alchemical Heptad original: Heptade Alchimica. A "heptad" is a collection of seven; Neander published a famous collection of seven alchemical tracts in 1621. at Halle in the year 1621, I preferred to refer the reader there rather than enlarge this little handbook with it.

The same applies to Samuel Norton’s An English alchemist (1548–1621) who wrote extensively on the "revival" of chemical principles. Mercury Revived original: Mercurio Redivivo, Vitriolated Venus original: Venere Vitriolata. "Venus" is the alchemical name for copper; "vitriolated" refers to its transformation into a sulfate., Saturated Saturn original: Saturno Saturato. "Saturn" is the alchemical name for lead., and the fourth book of Bernard, Count of Trevisan A famous, possibly legendary, 15th-century alchemist whose writings emphasized the slow, natural growth of the Stone.. For the rest, the wet way original: nasse Weg. Also known as the Via Humida, this method involves dissolving substances in liquids or acids and using gentle heat (like a water bath), as opposed to the "dry way" involving high heat and crucibles., insofar as this little treatise...