The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-01
From the Popular Science News.


The theory that gold could be pro-
duced artificially from other metals
was first recorded In the NTH century
after Christ: beginning at that time
the problem Of finding the Philosophers
Stone-that Is, a substance by which
base metals could be turned into gold
began to excite public interest. Most
alchemists trace the origin Of their art
back to Egypt, and recognize as tine
first to practice 1t a certain Hermes
Trismegistus.
Though many Of his supposed writ
ings are still In existence, nothing defi-
mite IL known about his life. Alchemy
was largely developed and practiced
from about A. D. 400 to the year 6i2.
From the Egyptians 1t passed over to the
conquering Arabs. 1t was not long be-
fore they began to acquaint themselves
with the sciences. by contact with the
conquered people, producing celebrated
scholars in mathematics, natural sci
ences, and, above all. in medicine.
Quite a number Of Arabians turned
their attention to chemistry, and here
II received the new name Alchemy:
they added to the formerly employed
word "chemie" their article al" In
the Arabian school at Seville the cele-
brated Arabian philosopher and al
chemist, Gebir. made a great reputa-
tion, and at this time 1t Is particularly
interesting to trace the progress Of al
chemy from the Arabs in Spain to the
remaining countries Of Europe, es-
pecially France, Germany and England.
The high schools of the Arabians In
Cordova, Seville and Toledo were fire.
quented by men from all lands desir-
Gus of acquiring knowledge, and chief.
ly after the pattern of these institu-
tions were the universities of France,
Italy, and later those of Germany,
shaped. AS early as the thirteenth
century alchemy was spread over the
entire northwest Of Europe and was
practiced by Albertus Magnus in Ger
many, Roger Bacon in England, and
others.
Albertus Magnus (von Bollstadt). the
most eminent scholasticist Of his time,
was then equally prominent as philos-
opher and alchemist. Although the
pope assumed at first an opposing att!-
tude toward alchemy, there We're, new
ertheless, numerous ecclesiastics who
were the first to master the art. and
mainly In the monasteries did 1t find
a home. But the thought to produces
the Philosophers Stone, and by means
Of 1t to procure infinite riches. was too
alluring for 1t to remain hidden in the
narrow sphere Of cloister life.
With the beginning OF the seven
teenth century, after the failure Of sew
eral experiments had become known,
societies sprung into existence whose
purpose 1t was to discover the produc-
tion of the Philoso. hers Stone. The
most celebrated of these was the "Ros-
icrucians." Another was the "Nurn-
berg Alchem!cal Society,"" which was
founded in 1854 and is noteworthy on
account of its having had for its sec
retary the eminent philosopher and
statesman, Leibnitz.
Even long after the science of chem
istry had branched out into the medical
direction the search for the Philoso-
piers Stone was continued, and ex-
tended into the Phlogistic epoch. yes,
even into the age Of modern chemistry,
as 1t is well known that Goethe prac-
ticed alchemy with great zeal in his
youth. Even a book printed as late as
1882. relating to the history of alchemy,
Is concluded with the following words
There exists chemical preparation
by means Of which other metals may he
changed into gold Consequently "a
Philosophers Stone"
But the star of alchemy was no longer
at its height. With the triumphs of a
COpernicus, a Keppler and Calico In
the sphere of astronomy, and Newton
In that Of mathematical physics, n doc
trine like that Of the Philosophers
Stone could not stand, so It gradually