Concerning Lizards.
As we have prescribed in the case of stelliones, so do we also write concerning common lizards. The virtue of these animals should be carefully noted.
To Cut Iron with Iron.
Take a leek, a radish, and some earth-worms. Distil the water from them, in which dissolve a small knife as long as may be necessary.
An Opinion on the Fixation of Spirits.
We have an opinion that the fixation of mercury can in no way be better effected than in the following: Take the white of eggs and purify it with vitriol, alum, salt of nitre, and colcothar. Distil it again and again. Then distil with calcined tartar and the ashes of eggs from three to six times. Then imbibe the mercury from the colcothar and calcined tartar with the aforesaid oil until it remains on red-hot iron. Place that mercury in a glass vessel and dissolve it in water. That water dissolves Luna. When it has been dissolved, put it again to digest until it is altogether turned to water. Coagulate this with water and project this stone, whereupon it is dissolved and converted into Luna. It will last for ever. But if you desire to turn it to a red colour, take gold instead of Luna, and it is coloured red with water of the crocus of Mars. Investigate concerning the calx of Luna and fixed arsenic.
The Preparation of Tuthia for Perpetual Redness.
Take some green tuthia and pound it. Mix it with salt, and place it on a fire, in a well luted crucible, for a day and a night. Afterwards open crucible and sweeten the compound. Repeat this process; then scatter Luna upon it, and it will be reddened for ever.
For Fixing all Spirits.
Take of the salt of tartar, vitriol, and saltpetre 1 lb. each, of common salt, wood ashes, oak ashes, vine-wood, and aminon 5 lb. or 6 lb. each, with 1 lb. of calcined tartar, quicklime, and alum. Pour acetum over this, and let it stand for three days. Constantly shake it, and afterwards set it to boil for an hour. Then let it be luted and leave it to stand for fifteen days, it being shaken five times in each day. Then distil it by means of a filter, and keep it. You can pour in fresh acetum upon it until the virtue is thoroughly extracted. Then place spirit in that water, congeal and dissolve it, and it will be congealed.
The Fixation of Spirits.
Take of prepared common salt, sweet water, prepared salt of alcali, sal ammoniac, oil of urine, and tartar, 1 lb. each, and of honey 5 lb. Place these in a glass vessel in horse-dung for a period of eight days. Afterwards take them out and let them boil gradually in succession. Then you will find a clear white stone. Project this in acetum, and it is turned into water. With this water imbibe the spirits and the calcined bodies; thus mercury is converted into Luna.
