1892 The flowing bowl when and what to drink (1892, c1891)

ALCOHOL.

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made over and over again. Raimundus Lullus, born at Mallorca in the year 1234, suggested that the phi- losopher's stone, that would change all metals into real gold, might be won from the three natural king- doms. To have it from plants, one had to begin with alcohol. His theory of the preparation of the substance that was to become the philosopher's stone follows: " Accipe nigrum nigrius nigro et ex eo paries octo- decim destilla in vase argenteo, aureo vel vitreo. Et in prima destillatione solum recipe partem prints cum dimidia, et hanc partem iterum pone ad destillandum. Et hujus iterum quartam partem et tertio destilla et hujus recipe duas, et in quarta destillatione pauco mi- nus quam totum. Et sic destilla illam partem usque ad octo vel novem vices, vel decies" This distillate is afterward once more rectified over a very slow fire, during from twenty to twenty-two days: " quanta destillatio ejus fuerit leviori igne, tanto subtilior erit in spiritu et fortitudine " It is hardly worth while to state that Lullus did not find " the philosopher's stone." We know "Work is the true philosopher's stone that changes all metals into gold." The notes of Lullus are, in many points, indistinct; much clearer are the remarks of Basilius Valentinus fourteenth century. He recommends the use of car- bonate of potassium; yet this was accepted much later. Pure alcohol was first manufactured according to this