PROGRESS OF PHARMACY IN GREAT BRITAIN. 
271 
a stone, but a certain compound having the power of multi- 
plying gold, and to which they almost always attributed a 
red colour,) to make the elixir of the sages, take the mer- 
cury of philosophers y (lead,) calcine.it'until itis transformed 
'mXo 3. green (massicot;) after it has undergone this 
change, calcine it again until it becomes a (minium.) 
Digest in a sand bath this red lion with acid spirit of 
grapes, (vinegar.) Evaporate this product, and the mer- 
cury will be converted into a kind gum (acetate of lead) 
which may be cut with a knife ; put this gummy matter into 
a luted curcubitand distil it with heat. You will obtain an 
insipid phlegm, then spirit, and red drops. Cymmerian 
shades will cover the curcubit with their sombre veil, and 
you will find in the interior a true dragon, for he eats his 
tail (i. e. the distilled liquor dissolves the residuum.) Take 
this black dragon, break him on a stone, and touch him with 
red charcoal ; he will burn, and assuming a glorious yellow 
colour, he will re-produce the green lion. Make him swal- 
low his tail, and distil this product again. Lastly, rectify 
carefully, and you will see appear burning water and hu- 
man blood, (a reddish-brown oil obtained in the process 
which has the property of precipitating gold from its solu- 
tions.)'' 
The Apothecaries' Society, founded as before stated in 
1617, continued to flourish, and in 1671 they established a 
chemical laboratory in conjunction with the dispensary. In 
16S2 they became a trading body, and supplied the navy. 
In 1694 apothecaries were exempted from serving as con- 
stable, scavenger, and other parochial duties, and from 
juries. By this time their number had increased from 114, 
at the origin of the act of incorporation, to 1000. " They 
had become an influential body ; and by practising medicine 
as well as pharmacy, they excited the jealousy of the phy- 
sicians, who suffered materially from this encroachment, 
and endeavoured to reduce their rivals to their original con- 
dition of grocers and venders of drugs. The contest rose to 
