104 DR. R. ANGUS SMITH ON THE 



might be taken from tlie name of tlie country, one promi- 

 nent art for example. This is fair ; but where was chemistry- 

 such a prominent art or branch of thought or practice 

 that it should be so honoured as to receive the name of 

 this wonderful country ? 



Whilst, then, we are driven by the earlier arguments to 

 look to Egypt as a source of the art, we are repelled from 

 the belief that the name of the art came from the name 

 given to Egypt as a whole ; and we are prevented also from 

 believing that any word signifying "^ black earth ^^ has turned 

 itself round to mean the science of chemistry, although 

 transformations as great are by no means uncommon, or 

 we might rather say are the rule, in all languages. 



I lately came upon a new line of thought, which pleased 

 me much. The Hebrew word n^pn [Hema or Khema) means 

 "heat ;" and in one dictionary the meaning of " poison" 

 is also given. This seemed to suit perfectly. But Pro- 

 fessor Theodores tells me that when the word is used in 

 the Bible in connexion with serpents it means, more 

 correctly, their violence than their poison ; and this is con- 

 nected with heat and glow. Now, if there is any natural 

 action more connected with chemistry than another, it is 

 that which arises from heat ; and it is especially the case 

 whenever metals are extracted from their ores or much 

 manipulated. In all probability the first use of chemistry 

 was for obtaining metals from their ores. But we do not 

 require to keep to the furnace-work only, in order to 

 obtain a good idea of the early chemistry. The Egyptians 

 were chemists in the practice of pharmacy to a very large 

 extent; that is, we know that they made preparations 

 from plants for the cure of diseases and wounds, aud that 

 they made very effective preparations for disinfection. 

 They divided gold finely enough for stufl&ng teeth ; but 

 I suppose it must have been used as leaf; at least they 



