TRANSMUTATION OF THE METALS 87 



kind, it may be well to remember that something over a 

 hundred years before that time the celebrated Paracelsus 

 had introduced laudanum. 



The following is another history of transmutation, given 

 by Man get us, on the authority of M. Gros, a clergyman of 

 Geneva, "of the most unexceptionable character, and at 

 the same time a skilful physician and expert chemist." 



" About the year 1650 an unknown Italian came to 

 Geneva and took lodgings at the sign of the Green Cross. 

 After remaining there a day or two, he requested De Luc, 

 the landlord, to procure him a man acquainted with Italian, 

 to accompany him through the town and point out those 

 things which deserved to be examined. De Luc was ac- 

 quainted with M. Gros, at that time about twenty years of 

 age, and a student in Geneva, and knowing his proficiency 

 in the Italian language, requested him to accompany the 

 stranger. To this proposition he willingly acceded, and 

 attended the Italian everywhere for the space of a fort- 

 night. The stranger now began to complain of want of 

 money, which alarmed M. Gros not a little, for at that 

 time he was very poor, and he became apprehensive, from 

 the tenor of the stranger's conversation, that he intended 

 to ask the loan of money from him. But instead of this, 

 the Italian asked him if he was acquainted with any gold- 

 smith, whose bellows and other utensils they might be 

 permitted to use, and who would not refuse to supply them 

 with the different articles requisite for a particular process 

 which he wanted to perform. M. Gros named a M. Bureau, 

 to whom the Italian immediately repaired. He readily 

 furnished crucibles, pure tin, quicksilver, and the other 

 things required by the Italian. The goldsmith left his 

 workshop, that the Italian might be under the less restraint, 

 leaving M. Gros, with one of his own workmen as an attend- 

 ant. The Italian put a quantity of tin into one crucible, 

 and a quantity of quicksilver into another. The tin was 

 melted in the fire and the mercury heated. It was then 

 poured into the melted tin, and at the same time a red 

 powder enclosed in wax was projected into the amalgam. 

 An agitation took place and a great deal of smoke was 



