152 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [JUNE 6, 
‘in the face,’’ fistulas, ete And he alludes to a preparation of gold 
in honey which “ doth gently loose the belly if the navel be anointed 
therewith.”? And in conclusion Pliny quotes Marcus Varro, who 
‘saith that gold wil cause warts to fal off. (Holland’s translation.) 
Varro was a friend of Cicero, which carries back this belief in the 
efficacy of gold to the first century before Christ. 
The Arabian physicians, who for hundred of years possessed 
almost exclusive knowledge of chemistry, often record the virtues 
of gold as a remedial agent in disease. Geber, who lived in the 
eighth century, wrote: ‘ Gold is a medicine rejoycing and conserv- 
ing the Body in Youth.” (Russell’s transl., London, 1678, p. 76.) 
Avicenna is said to have written in its praise; also Arnold de 
Villanova (1235-1312). 
The preparation of gold in a potable innocuous form occupied 
the attention of the alchemists during several centuries; they com- 
monly called it aurum potabile, and ascribed to it not only remedial 
virtues, but the power of prolonging life. The quotation from Geber 
shows he shared this opinion. 
To this elixir of life they gave many fanciful names; Elias Ash- 
mole, in his “ Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum,’’ says Saint Dun- 
stan calls it the ‘‘Food of Angels,’ and others the ‘‘ Heavenly 
Viaticum.”’ Ashmole himself adds: ‘It is undoubtedly the true 
Alchochodon or giver of years, for by it man’s body is preserved 
from corruption, being thereby enabled to live a long time without 
food; nay, ’tis made a question whether any man can die that uses 
it.” (Written in 1652.) 
The alchemists argued that this golden elixir is not to be made of 
vulgar gold, but only from philosophical gold prepared by hermetic 
art. Recipes for manufacturing this panacea abound in ‘alchemical 
works; they are mostly very tedious, requiring endless repetitions 
and much faith on the part of the operator. One of the simplest 
methods of preparing aurum potabile is given by Samuel Bolton 
in his curious little 16mo. ‘Medicina magica tamen physica,” 
published at London in 1650. ‘Put foliated gold into a vessel 
well sealed with Hermes’ seal; put it into our fire till it be 
calcined to ashes; then sublime it into flores, having his caput 
mortuum or black terra damnata in the bottom. Then let that 
which is sublimed be with the same degree of fire united to the 
same caput mortuum that it may be revived by it, so that all may 
be reduced into an Oyle, which is called Olewm Solis. The dose 
hereof is two or three grains.”’ 
This description leaves much to the imagination, and in this 
respect differs little from others that we might quote. To non- 
chemists, we may add that few of the recipes yield a product con- 
taining gold, the metal often remaining in the part thrown away. 
Roger Bacon, the Franciscan Friar of the 138th century, to whom 
so many wonderful discoveries and inventions have been ascribed, 
had deep faith in the virtues of potable gold. Bacon in a commu- 
nication to Pope Nicholas IV, informs his Holiness of an old man 
