The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1897-06-02
MAKING GOLD.



For long time in India the appar-
ent transnfutation of tin,y zinc, copper
and mercury into precious metals. has
been practiced, We havea seen there
with our own eyes metal like, goidis-
suing from tho cruoiblo of the Indian
alchemists-a metal that could not be
told from real gold by means of 1.-the
touohstone. We may say, however. that
IN old India, as we'll rs in young Amer
lea, they have not yet succeeded In CIV
ing to the metal thus obtained the chem
ical properties of gold. On this point
they are not more advanced in the one
country than in tho other, and the prob.
lem seems to us not TO be near solution.
The metal obtained can, In fact be de-
composed into its constituent elements
Nevertheless, it may DO interesting to
present to public notice the Indian al
chemists and to describe their methods
Around these personages many legends
have sprung up. The people assert that
they never como into city except by
divine inspiration i'll order to cure i'll.
ness and TO enrich certain persons.
There is a belief among the Hindoos,
very widespread, but purely fabulous,
that they disappear at certain hours
to rejoin tho cittars--divine naturalists
of tho early ages of India, who, accord
ing to Hndoo tradition, meet with
their divinity. Hari Ishari, on tho sum
mits of the Himalayas, to learn tho Sc
erets of nature
Tho following is tho method employ
ed by these Indian alchemists to make
their gold. We give literally. conform
ing to tho weights and measures i'll use
III India, the list of substances necessary
for this delicate operation. These are,
according to our documents:
Sulphur of Nelli-Kai (Phylanthus
lemblica), "a rupees weight G. ounces).
White seeds of Abra precatorius, 0 ru-
PEGS weight cav ounces)
One whole garlic.
Cinnabar, @ rupees weight g ouncos).
English orpiment, & rupees weight
Sal ammoniac, o rupees weight.
These are powdered separately, and
then IA paste is made of the whole, with
three quarts of paddy" made of tho
milky juice of Asclepias gigantea The
whole is ground up with this milk.
Then little hard balls aro made of the
mixture, and finally two sattis arc taken
of fine, hard earthenware, of such size
that the material to DO distilled ocou-
pies only one-third or ono fourth Of the
vessel. On the lower vessel another sat
II is soldered with potter's earth, after
an opening has been mado In tho end of
this second vase. Over this hole is fit
ted IA bottle whose end is pierced, and
it is carefully sealed to the vase. Into
the lower vase arc 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 tho hole. 1t is collected
with II feather. Then zinc is taken. For
each rupees weight of zinc is allowed
II quantity of the powder as largo as
two or three rico grains. Tho zinc and
tho powder are wrapped up together in
bit of paper or linen or leaf, Tho
whole Is put into crucible, which Is
then sealed with paste composed Of
ono part of COW dung, ono of charcoal
and one Of potter's earth. This Is
placed ON fire of wood charcoal and
heated white hot, after which 1t ia al.
lowed to cool. Open tho cruoible-you
arc n rich man. Paris Cosmos.