PHYSIOLOGICAL REMAINS. 2 1 1 



8. Dissolution. All metals without exception 

 may be dissolved. 



(1.) Iron may be dissolved by any tart, salt, or 

 vitriolated water ; yea, by common water, if it be 

 first calcined with sulphur. It dissolves in aqua 

 fortis, with great ebullition and heat, into a red 

 liquor, so red as blood. 



(2.) Lead is fittest dissolved in vinegar, into a 

 pale yellow, making the vinegar very sweet. 



(3.) Tin is best dissolved with distilled salt water. 

 It retains the colour of the menstruum. 



(4.) Copper dissolves as iron doth, in the same 

 liquor, into a blue. 



(5.) Silver hath its proper menstruum, which is 

 aqua fortis. The colour is green, with great heat 

 and ebullition. 



(6.) Gold is dissolved with aqua regia, into a 

 yellow liquor, with little heat or ebullition. 



(7.) Mercury is dissolved with much heat and 

 boiling, into the same liquors which gold and silver 

 are. It alters not the colour of the menstruum. 



Note. Strong waters may be charged with half 

 their weight of fixed metals, and equal of mercury ; 

 if the workman be skilful. 



9. Sprouting. This is an accident of dissolu 

 tion. For if the menstruum be overcharged, then 

 within short time the metals will shoot into certain 

 crystals. 



10. For induration, or mollification, they depend 

 upon the quantity of fixed mercury and sulphur, I 



