Sun Without Clothing or Thirty Experiments to Extract the Purple from Gold

As to how I came upon these thoughts of cementing gold with salt, I was moved by this: the dissolution of gold without noise original: "solutio solis sine strepitu." This refers to a method of dissolving gold without the violent bubbling and noxious fumes typically associated with using aqua regia (a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acids). is well enough known; however, I set it down here as

The 7th Experiment,

Since no one has encountered its outcome in the way I shall report, I have no hesitation in sharing it; it proceeds thus:

Take saltpeter, alum, and common salt, equal parts of each. With these, one grinds gold leaf, weighing as much as the species In this context, "species" refers to the dry mixture of salts just mentioned., as finely as possible. Put all of this together into a sugar-glass A conical glass flask, named for its resemblance to a sugar loaf., pour water over it, and let it evaporate with a strong boil. When the salt that remains behind has turned yellow, it is enough; if not, one must pour more water over it and let it evaporate again, and repeat this until the aforementioned sign is present. Then, pour a spirit of wine spirit of wine original: "Spiritum Vini." High-proof distilled alcohol, used here as a solvent. upon it, and it will instantly turn a beautiful yellow. This liquid, if polished iron is dipped into it and dried, can beautifully gild the metal. One then precipitates this spirit of wine with oil of tartar oil of tartar original: "oleo Tartari." A saturated solution of potassium carbonate. In alchemy, "oils" often referred to thick, concentrated liquids rather than fats., and a beautiful saffron of gold saffron of gold original: "Crocus Solis." A yellow or reddish powder (usually a gold oxide or salt) that precipitates out of a solution. It was used both as a pigment and in medicinal preparations. will fall to the bottom. Zwelfer original: "Zwelflerus." Joannes Zwelfer (1618–1668) was an influential German physician and apothecary whose works on the pharmacopoeia were standard texts in the 17th century. discusses this at greater length. Now, as for this calx original: "Calcem." A powder resulting from the chemical "calcination" or breaking down of a metal. or so-called saffron of gold, one of my great patrons and benefactors in Sulz-