A History of Inventions, Discoveries, and Origins, Volume I (of 2)

What Hippocrates calls ἔλαιον ὑὸς Erotian explains by τὸ ὕειον στέαρ.

1583

Suhm, in the eighth vol. of the Transactions of the Copenhagen Society, where a reference is made, p. 53, respecting the above-mentioned circumstance, to Torfæi Histor. Norveg. pars. i. vi. sect. iii. cap. 2, p. 319.

1584

[That this and other similar chemical phænomena may be of more advantage than as affording merely subjects for speculation to the philosopher, although not immediately applicable to any useful purpose, may be inferred from the valuable application of fulminating mercury, a somewhat similar compound to that under consideration. This, at first, as with fulminating gold at present, was a mere curiosity; it has recently caused the almost complete substitution of percussion for flint locks in fire-arms, which in addition to the greater certainty caused by the increased rapidity of the discharge, œconomises the quantity of powder requisite.

Fulminating mercury is made by dissolving mercury in nitric acid and pouring the solution into warm alcohol. Effervescence ensues. When this has ceased, the mixture is poured upon a filter, and well-washed with water; after draining, the filter is expanded upon plated copper or stone-ware, heated to 212° by steam or hot water. Dr. Ure recommends that the powder be mixed with a solution of mastic in spirits of turpentine, to cause attachment. Its extensive use in making percussion-caps is well-known. It is however a very dangerous substance to experiment with, owing to the readiness with which it explodes, and has caused many very serious accidents.]

1585

Spielmann, Institut. Chem. p. 288.

1586

See Preface of B. N. Petræus to the Works of Valentin, Hamb. 1717, 8vo.

1587

Fr. Basilii Valentini Letztes Testament; Von G. P. Nenter. Strasb. 1712, 8vo, p. 223.

1588

See Bergmann on Pulvis fulminans, in his Opuscula Physica et Chemica, 1780, 8vo, ii. p. 133.

1589

O. Crollii Basilica Chymica. Franc. (1609), 4to, p. 211.

1590

J. Beguini Tyrocinium Chymicum was printed for the first time at Paris, in 1608, 12mo. In the French translation, Les élémens de chymie, revues, expliquez, etc., par J. L. de Roy; Paris, 1626, 8vo, the receipt for making or fulminant may be found p. 314.

1591

Kircheri Magnes. Coloniæ, 1643, 4to, p. 548. The author says that he found the receipt for preparing it in Liber insignis de incendio Vesuvii. That I might know whether this work contained anything respecting the history of aurum fulminans, I inquired after it. Kircher undoubtedly meant Incendio del Monte Vesuvio, di Pietro Castelli; in Roma 1632, 4to: but the directions given there, p. 46, for making oro fulminante, are taken from Crollius. Nothing further is to be found in Kircher’s Mundus Subterraneus.

1592

Hagæ, 1599, fol.

1593

Miller’s Gardener’s Dictionary.

1594

Haller, Histor. Stirpium, i. p. 272, n. 612.

1595

Spectacle de la Nature, ii. p. 49.

1596

Des Blumisten vol. i. Erfurt, 1783, 8vo, p. 5.

1597

[It also occurs wild in the eastern and southern parts of England.]

1598

Clusii Hist. Plant. ii. p. 154.

1599

Ibid. i. p. 128. Dodonæi Pempt. p. 202.

1600

Clusii Hist. Plant. i. p. 130.

1601

Dodonæi Florum Hist. p. 62. Bauhini Hist. Plant. iii. p. 98.

1602

Hist. Plantar. i. p. 157.

1603

Abhandl. der Schwed. Akad. iv.

1604

Hortus Cliffort. p. 135.

1605

Beobacht. v. einigen Blumen, 1769, 8vo.

1606

Barrere, Hist. Nat. de la France Equinoxiale. Traité de la Culture du Nopal, par T. de Menonville, 1787, 8vo.