216 THE REVIVAL OF ALCHEMY. 



August Strindberg has devoted much study to such correspondence, 

 and points out the ibllowing: 



K2Mn04=197 = Au 



OujCln^ 196 = Au 



Fe3S = ]97 = Au 



C2H5I + ^ Br =. 197 = Au 



He uses both 196 and 197 as the atomic weight of gold to suit his 

 purposes, and seems to be very weak in arithmetic, for the hypothetical 

 body FcsS has a molecular weight of 200. 



The ammonium-ferrous-sulphate crystallized with six molecules of 

 water, which chances to have a molecular weight equal to that of gold, 

 is used by Striudberg as basis of the following experiment, which 

 serves to show his method of reasoning and of oiDcratiiig. 



Ammoiiiacal sulphate of iron = 392 = Au is perhaps the solution of 

 the enigma. Sulphate of iron (green copperas) precipitates solutions 

 of gold. To precipitate, according to monist-chemistry, is to enter as 

 a factor into the reconstitution of the body of a compound. Soak a 

 strip of paper in a solution of sulphate of iron, and expose to the fumes 

 of ammonia, tlie paper will assume a bluish-green color, like that of the 

 protoxide of gold. Dry the strip of paper over a lighted cigar and the 

 pa])er will acquire a chestnut-brown color, like that of the deutoxideof 

 gold. Little by little metallic flakes of a golden-yellow color appear, 

 forming a nonsolid (non-fixe) gold, when the sulphate of iron produces 

 an auto-fecondation by self-precipitation. However, the golden flakes 

 amalgamate with mercury, which property is not shared by iron. After 

 showing by api)ropriate tests that iron is still present, the hermetic 

 chemist proceeds to explain the reaction by assuming the formation of 

 the hypothetical FcsS = 196 = Au, or of the imaginary compound 



re,03+ 2H2O =: 196 = Au, 



or of the ferrous- ammonium-sulphate = 392 = Au2 ; and he adds : " The 

 chloride of gold is reduced by the nicotine of the cigar." Since, how- 

 ever, no reagent containing chlorine in any form was used in the experi- 

 ment, this element must have been created at the same time with the 

 gold, which, however, is "incomplete" gold, soluble in unmixed acids. 

 A preacher should never be judged by a single sermon, and to do 

 justice to these nineteenth century alchemists one more "recipe for 

 gold " may be transcribed: "Put into a crucible layers of sheet iron 

 and of powdered vitriol; place over it another crucible pierced with a 

 hole for respiration. Heat in an intense fire. But a flux must be added 

 to the crucible to prevent melting, viz, 1 kilo litharge, 1 kilo clean 

 white sand, mix and add to the crucible at a red heat. Eemove with 

 an iron spoon the yellow oil and put it aside. The two compounds 

 have not lost weight. This oil is dry water, a fire, a salamander. * * * 

 You obtain a metal of a golden yellow, having a density of 24, not 



