Page 263 - The Grotesque Children's Book

Exhibit D

Alchemical Process Turning Lead into Gold

Exhibit D. Zaccario’s Alchemical Process Turning Lead into Gold. Submitted as
evidence in the case of Doctor Ludovico Valerius in the poisoning of the Duchess de’ Medici on
October 19, 1587 at Villa Medici in Poggio a Caiano.

1. Take 8 Loth calcined Alum, 8 Loth calcined Salpetre, and 4 Loth
calcined Table Salt, and triturate with 20 Loth Corrosive Sublimate, and
sublimate in a proper Subliming Vessel.

2. Carefully take out the Sublimate and resublimate it with 20 Loth fresh
Salts. During this Operation it will not be wholesome, on account of the
poisonous fumes, so much care must be taken.

3. Put the Sublimate in a Glass Retort, and cover it with Alcohol, and distil
over in water bath until half the fluid remains as an oil behind. The Alcohol
distilled over is cohobated on the residue in the retort, until it is covered about a
finger’s breadth.

4. This Distillation repeat three times, and the whole of the Sublimate will
pass over into the Recipient. This is the Mercury of the Philosophers, the
Mercurial Water, the hydrargyre of cinnabar turned liquid then caused to ignite
into lit fire, as it were the “Hellish Fire in Water.” This Mercurial Water fumes
always, and must be kept in a closed Phial, or Glass stoppered bottle.

5. Take fine Gold, in leaf or thin beaten, put it in a glass retort, just cover
it with the Mercurial Water, and put the retort on gentle heat, when the Water will
begin to act upon the Gold, and dissolve it, but it will not be reduced to a liquid
entirely, and only remain at the bottom like a greasy chewy spittle, then pour off
the Mercurial Water, which can be used again.

6. The Gold sediment divide into two parts. Take one half and pour
thereon Alcohol, and let the mixture putrefy on gentle heat 15 days, and it will
become blood red; this is the “Lion’s Blood.”

7. This Lion’s Blood pour into another glass retort, or Phial, which seal
hermetically, and give it the heat of the Dog Days, and it will at first turn black,
then variegated, then light grey when heat is increased it will turn yellow and at
last deep red.

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