Lectures on chemistry; including its applications in the arts; and the analysis of organic and inorganic compounds / [Henry Minchin Noad].

  • Henry Minchin Noad
Date:
1843
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Lectures on chemistry; including its applications in the arts; and the analysis of organic and inorganic compounds / [Henry Minchin Noad]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    lord, to procure him a man acquainted with Italian, to accom- pany him through the town, and point out those things which deserved to be examined. De Luc was acquainted with M. Gros, at that time about twenty years of age, and a student in Geneva, and knowing his proficiency in the Italian language, requested him to accompany the stranger. To this proposi- tion he willingly acceded, and attended the Italian everywhere for the space of a fortnight. The stranger now began to com- plain of want of money, which alarmed M. Gros not a little, for at that time he was very poor, and he became apprehensive, from the tenour of the stranger’s conversation, that he in- tended to ask the loan of money from him. But instead of this, the Italian asked him if he was acquainted with any goldsmith whose bellows and other utensils they might be permitted to use, and who would not refuse to supply them with the different articles requisite for a particular process which he wanted to perform. M. Gros named a M. Bureau, to whom the Italian immediately repaired. He readily fur- nished crucibles, pure tin, and quicksilver, and the other drugs required by the Italian. The goldsmith left his workshop that the Italian might be under less restraint, leaving M. Gros with one of his own workmen as an attendant. The Italian put a quantity of tin into one crucible and a quantity of quicksilver into another. The tin was melted in the fire and the mercury heated. It was then poured into the melted tin, and at the same time a red powder enclosed in wax was projected into the amalgam. An agitation took place and a great deal of smoke was exhaled from the crucible, but this speedily subsi- ded, and the whole being poured out formed six heavy ingots having the colour of gold. The goldsmith was called in and requested by the Italian to make a rigid examination of the smallest of the ingots. The goldsmith not content with the touchstone and the application of aquafortis, exposed the metal on the cupel with lead and fused it with antimony, but it sus- tained no loss. He found it possessed of the ductility and
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