The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-20
OLD GOLD WORKERS.
A1chemists' Recipes Contained in Ancient
NTapuscriDts.

Manuscripts.
There is papyrus which gives re-
celpes for various alloys. used in the
manufacture of cups and vases; for
making gold and silver ink: for gild-
ing and silvering, and for testing the
purity of precious metals. Other rec
ipes teach the method OF fslsifying
them by adding baser metals-an oper-
alton called the diplosis. or dou bling.
for the mass of the gold and silver
was doubled, while their color re-
manned unchanged: and, as the com
piler of the manual remarks, a skilled
workman would find it difficult. or
even impossible. to detect the fraud.
The recipes which recur most fire.
quently describe various modes of pre-
pairing Assem-, word which originally
meant a natural alloy of gold and sill
yer, known to the Greeks as electrum.
1t was atfirst looked upon as distinct
metal, was considered sacred TO Jupi-
ter, and was designated by the sign Of
that planet; but. at later period the
name was applied to all alloys. and VI.
Barthelot remarks that in this fact
seems to lie the explanation of the
origin of alchemy. Both gold and sill
yer could be extracted from genuine
Assem-. and it seemed as though it could
be changed at the viii of the operator
into either one or the other: il
could also be made artifcially
by mingling gold and silver, or
closely initiated by some of the
numerous alloys. eleven OF twelve
varieties of which are described in
the papyrus OF Leyden. 1t would
seem, therefore, that from this fact
there arose some vague notion tina:
perhaps the imitation OF the precious
metals and the reproduction OF their
essential qualities could be brought TO
such perfection that the counterfeit
might become identical with the reality.
The clear and simple language Of
these recipes is very different from the
obscure and mystical jargon OF the
alchemists- The following. for in
stance. occurs three times. with slight
variations: TO make aseu Tin.
twelve drachnas; mercury, four drach-
mas: Chan earth. two drachnss Melt
the mercury; stir with piece of iron -
With regard 70 another recipe nearly
similar. VI. Berthelot remarks that III.
result would be an amalgsm Of tin
FOR the purpose OF whitening cop
per. Another runs: Take four
parts az TN four times refined.
three parts az white copper and
one part OF Assem-. Meit them and re-
fine them several times: then make
whatever you wish; = will b. asern Of
the first quality. which Will deceive
even the workman The white copper
lust mentioned is prepared. "a another
recipe shows. by mixing il with a sui
phi6e q arsenic
According % the recipe which
teaches how 70 give . mig the appear
snce of gold. 20 thai IL viii stand the
test Of the tombstone. two parts 81
lead and one 81 gold mus D. reduced
70 a tne powder, mixed with gum and
-abhed On tee ring. which = then
heated This must u. repeated several
times. tIls Tie ring j. -rell eo1ored- u
Will Re hard 20 discover The frarsd- FOR
the ring. If rabt.esi. viii give trace az
gold. and heat wili Iestrov the lead -
z ai> recipe = r.-Fuars@ ole a. represent
ing very early netkod 81 gliding rs
means - iead- anterior nroha lIg &c TIE
discovery - quicksilver shsch j. not
mentioned IL! the sta centu4y L. c.
Iain Larzl4 Eey4ew.