The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1897-07-03
GOLD MAKING In INDIA.
The Process Used by the Native
Alchemieto.
Some Strange Substances Enter IAt0
the Formula and . Task Of
Great Intricaoy II Per-
...-. formed.

For . long time in India the appar-
cnt transmutation of tin, zinc, copper
and mercury into precious metals has
been practiced. We have seen there
with our own eyes metal like gold is
suing from the crucible of the Indian
alchemist-a metal that could not be
told from real gold by means of the
touchstone. We may say, however, that
in old India, as we'll as in young Amer
lea, they have not yet succeeded in CIV
ing to the metal thus obtained the
chemical properties of gold. On this
point they are not more advanced in
the one country than in the other, and
the problem seems to us not to be near
solution. The metal obtained can, in
feet, be decomposed into its constituent
elements. Nevertheless it may be in
teresting to present to public notice the
Indian alchemists and to describe their
methods. Around these personages
many legends have sprung up. The
people assert that they never come into
a city except by divine inspiration, in
order to cure illness and to enrich GER
tain persons. There is belief among
the Hindus, very widespread, but pure
ly fabulous, that they disappear at GER
tain hours to rejoin the cittars, divine
naturalists of the early ages of India,
who, according to Hindu tradition,
meet with their divinity, Hari Ishari.
on the SUBMITS of the Himalayas, to
learn the secrets of nature.
The following is the method en-
ployed by these Indian alchemists to
make their gold: We give literally,
conforming to the weights and meas
ures in use in India, the list of SUBJ
stances necessary for this delicate oper-
alton. These are, according to our
documents:
Sulfur of Nelli-Kai (phylanthus
lemblica), "a rupees weight q ounses).
White seeds Of Abra precatorius, 9
rupees weight (21a ounces).
One whole garlic.
Cinnabar, 6 rupees weight q ounces).
English orpiment, 6 rupees weight.
Sal ammoniac, rupees weight.
These are powdered separately, and
then paste is made Of the whole. with
three quarts of paddy" made Of the
milky juice of asclepias gigantea. The
whole is ground up with this milk.
Then little hard balls are made of the
mixture, and finally two sattis are
taken, of fine, hard earthenware, of
such size that the material to be dis
titled occupies only one-third or one
fourth of the vessel On the lower ves-
sci another satti is soldered with pot
ter's earth, after an opening has been
made in the end of this second vase.
Over this hole is fitted bottle whose
end is pierced, and it is carefully sealed
to the vase. Into the lower vase are
put the little balls described above, and
the whole is then sealed up.
The powder, when vaporized, rises
along the sides of the bottle and con-
denses around the hole. It is collected
with a feather. Then zinc is taken;
for each rupees weight of zinc is al
lowed a quantity of the powder as large
as two or three rice grains. The zinc
and the powder are wrapped up to-
gether in bit of paper or linen or a
leaf. The whole is put into q crucible,
which is then sealed with a paste COM
posed of one part of cowdung, one of
charcoal and one of potter's earth.
This is placed in fire of wood char
coal and heated white hot, after which
it is allowed to cool. Open the crucible
you are rich man!-Paris Cosmos.