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  • Human saliva displaying ferning. During the fertile phase of a woman's menstrual cycle an oestrogen surge causes salt crystals to appear in the saliva. When viewed under the microscope the crystalline salt structure resembles fern leaves and can be used as an indication of a woman's increased chances of conceiving at this time.
  • Human saliva displaying ferning. During the fertile phase of a woman's menstrual cycle an oestrogen surge causes salt crystals to appear in the saliva. When viewed under the microscope the crystalline salt structure resembles fern leaves and can be used as an indication of a woman's increased chances of conceiving at this time.
  • Basil Valentine contemplates a chemical jar containing homunculi of a man and woman holding hands, and a child emanating from them (alchemical symbol of conception); he is suddenly visited by Sabine Stuart de Chevalier, who reveals that she has the key to his works and crowns him as the king of alchemists. Etching by J. Le Roy, ca. 1781, after Hostoul after Sabine Stuart de Chevalier.
  • Human saliva displaying ferning. During the fertile phase of a woman's menstrual cycle an oestrogen surge causes salt crystals to appear in the saliva. When viewed under the microscope the crystalline salt structure resembles fern leaves and can be used as an indication of a woman's increased chances of conceiving at this time.