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A compleat history of druggs divided into three classes, vegetable, animal and mineral : with their use in physick, chymistry, pharmacy, and several other arts, illustrated ... / written by Monsieur Pomet ; to which is added what is further observable on the same subject from Messrs. Lemery, and Tournefort ... Done into English from the originals [by Joseph Browne].

  • Pomet, Pierre, 1658-1699.
Date:
1712
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A compleat history of druggs divided into three classes, vegetable, animal and mineral : with their use in physick, chymistry, pharmacy, and several other arts, illustrated ... / written by Monsieur Pomet ; to which is added what is further observable on the same subject from Messrs. Lemery, and Tournefort ... Done into English from the originals [by Joseph Browne]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    621/658 (page 403)
    6. Of Lapis Lazuli, or thekzutQ Stone. Fomet. 'T H E A:{tire Stone^ which is ^ moft commonly call’d Lapis La:(uli, and by feme Lapis Cyantus^ and La^ pisSteliatus^ is a heavy Stone of a Sky Blue, fometimes full of Rock Stone, and moft fre¬ quently ftreak’d with Veins of Copper, which the Ancients, and fome Moderns, be¬ liev’d to be Gold : The greateft Part of the Stone that we have comes from Ferfia and the Eafl-lndies ; and fome affirm that it is ufually found in Gold Mines, and that it is the Marchajite of that Metal : However it is certain that this Stone is got out if a Quar¬ ry as other Stones are here, which is the Reafdn we have it of all Sizes ; the Lapis La:{uli to be perfeâ: and fit for Making the Ultra-marine^ which is the chief Ule it is put to, except the fine Works made of it ; ought to be heavy, of a deep Blue, like fine Indi¬ go, with as few Copper or Sulphureous Veins as poflible, and take Care it be not rub’d with Oil Olive, in order to make it appear of a deeper Blue ; but the Cheat is not hard to difeover, becaufe it ought to be of as fine a Blue within as without ; likewife refufe fuch as is full of Stones, and the pre¬ tended Veins of Gold ; fo that when it is burnt to make Vhra^marine it will ftink ex- treamly, having a fulphureous Smell, which (hows that it proceeds from Copper, and not from Gold. There is an Error fome People are guilty of in believing, as fome have pretended, that this Stone, when fine, will encreafe its Weight in the Fire : This is certain, that the finer this Stone is it will lofe the lefs in the Fire ; and that there is fome of it that lofes fo little that ’tis not worth fpeaking of ; but let it be never fo good it will always lofe foraething 5 fo far is it from being encreas’d in Weight : You ought to put the 5tone into the Fire to fee if it be good, for if fo k will not change its Colour for being heated hot. The Choice of this Stone is quite otherwife than has been deferibed by others, who fay that that which is full of yellowifli or golden Veins ought to be moft valued, which I maintain to be falfe, fince the more it is fo, the lefs it is efteemM, efpecially by thofe who know what Ufe they defignitfor namely, \.o Ultra-marine^ wherein you muft beware of the greenifli Stone, very common in France^ which is found about Foulon, or that it be not a counterfeit Stone, made up of Tin and Saphre, as has been obferv’d. This Stone is of fome fmall Ufe in Medicine, becaufe it is put into feveral galenical Compofitions, as Confedlion of Alk^ermes, See. There are Authors who at¬ tribute great Virtues to this Stone, and amongft others Monfieur Demeuve, to whom the Reader may have Recourfe ; and there are feveral others who fay that Lapis Lazuli, and the Armenian Stone, are almoft alike, which will be found to be falfe, as you will fee in the next Chapter. Lapis Lai^uli, Lapis Cyaneus, La* pis C<£ruleus, or the A:(ure Stone, is Lemery, of different Sizes and Figures, be¬ ing opaque, heavy, and of a blue Colour, intermix’d with Streaks of Gold and Cop¬ per ; it is found in Quarries in the Eafi-In-- dies, and in Perjia, and fome fay in the Gold Mines ; its Ufe is chiefly to make Vhra- marine of, for which Purpofe chufe the cleaneft, weightieft, of the higheft Colour, and beft Blue 5 it contains a great deal of Sul¬ phur and Sait. To make Ultra-marine, they calcine this Stone, and grind it fine on a Porphyry, and mix it up in a Pafte made of fat Pitch, Wax, and Oil • then they wafli this Pafte well to feparate the blue Parc which precipitates to the Bottom in a very beautiful Powder ; they pour off the Water leafurely, and dry this Powder, which is for the Painters Ufe. Lapis La^^uli prepar’d purges melancholy Humours, fortifies the Heart, and is us’d in the Confetftion of Al- kermes : The Dofe from half a Scruple to a Dram. There is found near Toulon in France, Germany, and feveral other Parts of Europe, a falfe or baftard Lapis Las^uli, that is green- iHi and thicker, which is imploy’d for com¬ mon Ufes. Of Ultra-marine. Ultra-marine is, properly fpeak¬ ing, a Precipitate made from Lapis Pomet. La:(uli j f as you have it deferib’d by Lemery above ] and fome fay it took its Name of Ultra-marine, from being made A a 2 be-