Appendix to Mr. Stapletoris Paper, Sal- Ammoniac : a Study in Primitive Chemistry. 



Translations of Passages quoted in Latin and French. 



As the Editorial Committee of the " Memoirs " feel that there will naturally be members of an Indian 

 society to whom the passages quoted by Mr. Stapleton in Latin and French will be unintelligible, and as the 

 author of the paper is not at present in Calcutta, I have added translations (for which Mr. Stapleton is in no 

 way responsible) of these passages in an appendix to be issued with the paper. 



N. Annandale, 

 Anthropological Secretary of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 



I. pp. 25-26 (from Pliny, Hist. Nat., Book xxxi, Chapter 39). 



" King Ptolemy discovered [native salt] near Pelusium while preparing a camp. Then, following this 

 example, men began to find it by digging in the sand in the waste places between Egypt and Arabia; likewise 

 in dry localities throughout Africa as far as the Oracle of Ammon. (This substance grows with the phases 

 of the moon by night.) The country about Cyrene is famous for its " Ammoniac," so called because it mav 

 be found beneath the sand ( Greek amnios). In colour it resembles the aluminum called "split aluminum," 

 growing in long pieces, not being transparent, having an unpleasant taste, but being efficacious in medicine. 

 The quality considered best is very clear and has a straight cleavage. A notable thing is told of it, namely, 

 that while it remains in the cavities in which it originates it is extremely light, but that when brought out 

 into the glare of day it immediately increases in weight to an almost incredible extent. The reason why is 

 obvious — the damp exhalations of the mines buoy it up as water would do. It is commonly adulterated, 

 with the Sicilian salt we have called Cocanic ; also with that of Cyprus, which is extraordinarily like it. Salt 

 is also dug in Spain beyond Egelasta, being found in lumps which are barely translucent. Nowadays most 

 doctors give this kind the palm over all others. Wherever salt is found the soil is barren and produces 

 nothing. So much for salt which appears spontaneously." 



II. pp. 28-29 (from the ' De Investigation Perfectionis 1 ). 



Thi preparation of sal-ammoniac. — Sal-ammoniac is made of five parts (or two) of human urine, one 

 part of human sweat, one of common salt, and one-and-a-half parts of the soot from logs or from sticks heated 

 to dryness with all that appertains to them. Sublime therefrom the true and efficacious sal-ammoniac, 

 dissolve again in sweat, congeal, and sublime once more from common salt : the preparation is then complete. 

 Or let it be first triturated with a preparation of purified common salt, then sublimed in a tall aludel until 

 it is entirely extracted pure ; then let it melt in a porphyry vessel (?) in the open air, if this can be done with 

 its natural water. Otherwise, preserve it sufficiently sublimed and pure. 



III. p. 29 (from Leclerc's French translations, Vol. iii, p. 380). 



Ibnu-t-TilmIdh. — There are two kinds of it, a natural and an artificial salt. The natural kind comes 

 from hot springs in the mountains of Khorassan, which are said to have a very intense ebullation. The 



natural salt is the better of the two and is as clear as crystal. El-Ghafeky. — It is a kind of salt It 



is so strongly saline that it bites the tongue sharply. There is also a kind which is produced from the 



soot of baths, especially of baths heated by means of dung fires It is efficacious against spots on the eyes, 



prevents the falling forward of the uvula on the gullet, and is useful in the case of sore throats. Dissolved in 

 water and poured out within a dwelling, it scares away reptiles ; poured into their lair, it kills them. Triturated 

 with rice water and taken into the throat, it kills blood-suckers. SHERrFF el-Edrissv. — Prepared with oil- 



