Of a degradation of gold made by an anti-elixir : a strange chymical narrative / [Anon].

  • Robert Boyle
Date:
1678
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Of a degradation of gold made by an anti-elixir : a strange chymical narrative / [Anon]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    almoft to the very kft the fumes copioufiy afcended, which fufficiently argu’d the operation to have been well carried on j and when at laft it was quite ended, we found the Cupel very fmooth. and intire, but ting'd with a fine Pur- plifh Red, (which did fomewhat furprize us) and befides, the refinedGold^ there lay upon the cavity or the Cupel tome dark-coloured recrements, which we concluded to have proceeded from the deteriorated Metal, not from the Lead. But when we came to put our Gold again into the Balance, we found it to weigh only about fifty three Crains, and confequently to have loft [even -, which yet we found to be fully made up by that little quantity of recrements that I. have lately mention’d, whofe Weight and Fixity, compared with their unpromifing Colour, did not a little puzzle us, efpecially becaufe we had not enough either of Them, or of leifure to examine their nature. To all which circumftan- ces, I ’(hall fubjoin this, that to prevent any fcruples that might arife touching the Cold we imploy’d, I caufed a dram and a half that had been purpofely referv’d out of the fame portion with that that had been debafed^I caufed this (l fay) to be in my Affiftants prefence melted by it felf, and found it (as I doubted not but Ifhoulddo) fine and well-coloured ^°I hope you will pardon my curiofity, faith Arrift under to the Gentleman that fpokelaft, ifl ask why you take no no¬ tice of the effeft of Aquafortis upon your imbafed Metal? Your Queftion, replies ryrofhilus, I confefs to be very rea- fonable, and I am fomewhat troubled that I can anfwer it but by telling you that we had not at hand any Aqua fortis we durft relie on 5 which yet I was the lefs troubled at, be¬ caufe heretofore fome tryals purpofely made had inform’d me, that in fome Metalline Mixtures the Gold if it were much predominant in quantity,may proteft another Metal^for in- ii&nce Silver') from being difjolved by that Alevjlruuni) though aot from being at all invaded by it. There
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