The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-08-08
Old Gold Workers.

There IS a papyrus which gives receipts
for various alloys used In the manufac-
ture Of cups and vases; for making gold
and silver ink; for gliding and silyering,
and for testing the purity Of precious
metals. other receipts teach the method
OF classifying them by adding baser metals
an operation called the dplosis, or
doubling. for the mass Of the gold and
silver was doubled, while their color re-
malned unchanged; and as the compiler
OF the manual remarks. skilled work.
man would find Il difficult, or even I'M
possible, 10 detect the fraud.
The receipts which recur most fire.
quently describe various modes Of pre-
pairing Assem-. a word which originally
meant a natural alloy OF gold and silver.
known 10 the Greeks as electrum. IL was
at first looked upon as a distinct metal
was considered sacred to Jupiter, and
was designated by the sign Of that planet;
but at a later period the name was APP
piled to all alloys. and NJ. Berthelot re-
marks that in this fact seems to lie the ex-
PLANTATION OF the origin OF alchemy. Both
gold and silver could be extracted from
genuine asem, and IL seemed as though
II could be changed al the Will OF the
operator into either one or the other;
It could also be made artihcially by
mingiing gold and silver. or closely imi-
tated by some Of the numerous alloys,
eleven or twelve varieties of which are
described in the papyrus ot'Leyden. 1t
would seem, therefore, that from this
fact there arose some vague notion that
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
receipts is very different from the OBJ
scure and mystical jargon Of the al
chemists. The following. for instance
occurs three times. with slight varia-
lions: ITO make asem-Tin, twelve
drachmas: mercury. four drachmas;
Chan earth. two drachmas. Melt the tin.
add the earth In powder, then the mer-
curry; stir with piece Of iron" With
regard TO another receipt nearly similar,
NJ. Bertheiot remarks that the result
would be an amalgam OF tin for the pur-
pose OF whitening copper. Another runs:
Take four parts Of tin four times re-
fined three parts OF white copper, and
one part OF asem. Melt them and refine
them several times; then make what
ever you wish; II will be asem OF the
first quality, which will deceive even the
workman"
The white copper just mentioned is
prepared, as another receipt shows. by
mixing II with n sulphide OF arsenic.
According 10 the receipt which teaches
how 10 give ring the appearance OF
gold so that II will stand the test OF the
toucb-stone. two parts OF lead and one
OF gold must be reduced to fine powder
mixed with gum and rubbed on the ring.
which is then heated. This must be re-
peate1 several times. till the ring Is well
coiored. It will be hard TO discover the
fraud. for the ring II rubbed. WIN give
a trace OF gold. and heat will destroy the
lead"
This receipt Is remarkable as represent
ing a very early method OF gliding by
means OF lead. anterior probably TO the
discovery OF quicksilver. which Is not
mentioned It'll the fifth century. B. c.
The Edinburgh Review.