LITERATURE OF THE ARABS. 103 



were discovered ; the vegetable and mineral alka- 

 lies were distinguished from each other; and the 

 preparation of alcohol made known. Rhazes is 

 generally allowed to be the first regular practi- 

 tioner that made use of chemical remedies ; and 

 from his mentioning corrosive sublimate and mer- 

 curial ointment, various preparations of arsenic, the 

 sulphates of copper and iron, saltpetre, and borax, 

 it is evident that the science had already passed its 

 infancy. 



But the true patriarch of Arabian chemistry 

 was the famous Geber, a native of Harran in Meso- 

 potamia, who lived in the eighth century. Little is 

 known of this writer except his works, which con- 

 tain many and important chemical facts. Besides 

 the metals, sulphur, and salt, with which the 

 Greeks and Romans were familiar, he knew the 

 method of preparing sulphuric acid, nitric acid, and 

 aqua regia. He was familiar with the art of dissolv- 

 ing the metals by means of these acids, and actually 

 prepared nitrate of silver and corrosive sublimate. 

 He was acquainted with potash and soda, both in 

 the state of carbonates and caustic. He was aware 

 that these alkalies dissolve sulphur, and he employ- 

 ed the process to obtain it in a state of purity. 



Of Geber's works, so far as they have appeared 

 in Latin or English, we possess only four tracts; 

 though D'Herbelot states that he wrote 500 volumes 

 on chemistry. The greater number of chemical pro- 

 cesses, such as they were almost to the end of the 

 eighteenth century, were perfectly known to him ; 

 and if we compare his writings with those of Dio- 

 scorides and Pliny, we shall perceive the vast pro- 

 gress which chemistry, or rather pharmacy, had 



