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The Resource The chemistry of alchemy : from dragon's blood to donkey dung, how chemistry was forged, Cathy Cobb, Monty L. Fetterolf, and Harold Goldwhite

The chemistry of alchemy : from dragon's blood to donkey dung, how chemistry was forged, Cathy Cobb, Monty L. Fetterolf, and Harold Goldwhite

Creator
Contributor
Summary
As the authors show, the writings of medieval alchemists may seem like the ravings of brain-addled fools, but there is more to the story than that. Recent scholarship has shown that some seemingly nonsensical mysticism is, in fact, decipherable code, and Western European alchemists functioned from a firmer theoretical foundation than previously thought. They had a guiding principle, based on experience: separate and purify materials by fire and reconstitute them into products, including, of course, gold and the universal elixir, the Philosophers' stone. Their efforts were not in vain: by trial, by error, by design, and by persistence, the alchemists discovered acids, alkalis, alcohols, salts, and exquisite, powerful, and vibrant reactions--which can be reproduced using common products, minerals, and metals
Language
eng
Work
Publication
Extent
364 pages
Contents
  • X-rated alchemy
  • Setting the scene. Stirring the fires ; The Zosimos effect ; Demonstration 1. Calcination, distillation, transmutation! ; Islamic authors : romancing the stone ; Demonstration 2. The mercury/sulfur makeup of metals
  • Alchemy in the middle. Middle-aged alchemy ; Auld Michael and the fractious friars ; Demonstration 3. The firing and falsifying of gold ; Geber and the sum of perfection ; Demonstration 4. Divine waters ; Aqua vitae! ; Demonstration 5. Burning waters ; Philosophers' stone ; Demonstration 6. Erina's fabulous philosophers' stone ; Rocky romance : miners and magick in the Renaissance ; Demonstration 7. The parting of gold ; Paradigm, paradox : Paracelsus ; Demonstration 8. Diana and the Homunculus
  • Alchemical Renaissance. Paracelsus is dead, long live Paracelsus ; Paracelsian women ; Demonstration 9. Book of secrets ; Paracelsian men ; Demonstration 10. Transmutation revisited ; Charlatans and chicanery ; Demonstration 11. Tricks of the trade ; What can you do with a degree in alchemy? ; Demonstration 12. Practical alchemy ; Renaissance alchemical authors ; Demonstration 13. Lifting the mystical fog ; Sendivogius and Rudolf : fire and salt ; Demonstration 14. The Poo Plan ; Johannes van Helmont : the art of fire ; Demonstration 15. The gas that got away
  • Thoroughly modern alchemy. Full-blown alchemy ; Digby and Drebble : something in the air ; Demonstration 16. Up in the air ; The Society of Jesus and the Fraternity of the Rosy Cross ; Demonstration : The Jesuit workroom ; Glauber's salt and Glauber's gold ; Demonstration 18. Glauber's ghostly golden garden ; The Harvard alchemists
  • and the Honorable Robert Boyle begins ; Demonstration 19. Reduction to the pristine state ; Robert Boyle ends
  • and so do we ; Demonstration 20. The color of alchemy
  • Alabaster and clay
  • Stores and ores
Isbn
9781616149154
Instance
Label
The chemistry of alchemy : from dragon's blood to donkey dung, how chemistry was forged
Title
The chemistry of alchemy
Title remainder
from dragon's blood to donkey dung, how chemistry was forged
Statement of responsibility
Cathy Cobb, Monty L. Fetterolf, and Harold Goldwhite
Creator
Contributor
Subject
Genre
Language
eng
Summary
As the authors show, the writings of medieval alchemists may seem like the ravings of brain-addled fools, but there is more to the story than that. Recent scholarship has shown that some seemingly nonsensical mysticism is, in fact, decipherable code, and Western European alchemists functioned from a firmer theoretical foundation than previously thought. They had a guiding principle, based on experience: separate and purify materials by fire and reconstitute them into products, including, of course, gold and the universal elixir, the Philosophers' stone. Their efforts were not in vain: by trial, by error, by design, and by persistence, the alchemists discovered acids, alkalis, alcohols, salts, and exquisite, powerful, and vibrant reactions--which can be reproduced using common products, minerals, and metals
Cataloging source
DLC
http://library.link/vocab/creatorName
Cobb, Cathy
Illustrations
illustrations
Index
index present
Literary form
non fiction
Nature of contents
bibliography
http://library.link/vocab/relatedWorkOrContributorName
  • Fetterolf, Monty L
  • Goldwhite, Harold
http://library.link/vocab/subjectName
  • Chemistry
  • Chemistry
  • Alchemy
  • Alchemy
  • Alchemy
  • Medicine
  • Alchemy
  • Chemistry
  • History, 16th Century
  • History, 17th Century
  • Chimie
  • Chimie
  • Alchimie
  • Alchimie
  • Alchimie
  • Médecine
  • Médecine
  • alchemy
  • Medicine
  • Alchemy
  • Chemistry
  • Química
  • Alquímia
  • Chemistry
  • Chemistry
  • Alchemy
  • Alchemy
Label
The chemistry of alchemy : from dragon's blood to donkey dung, how chemistry was forged, Cathy Cobb, Monty L. Fetterolf, and Harold Goldwhite
Instantiates
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references (pages 345-348) and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
X-rated alchemy -- Setting the scene. Stirring the fires ; The Zosimos effect ; Demonstration 1. Calcination, distillation, transmutation! ; Islamic authors : romancing the stone ; Demonstration 2. The mercury/sulfur makeup of metals -- Alchemy in the middle. Middle-aged alchemy ; Auld Michael and the fractious friars ; Demonstration 3. The firing and falsifying of gold ; Geber and the sum of perfection ; Demonstration 4. Divine waters ; Aqua vitae! ; Demonstration 5. Burning waters ; Philosophers' stone ; Demonstration 6. Erina's fabulous philosophers' stone ; Rocky romance : miners and magick in the Renaissance ; Demonstration 7. The parting of gold ; Paradigm, paradox : Paracelsus ; Demonstration 8. Diana and the Homunculus -- Alchemical Renaissance. Paracelsus is dead, long live Paracelsus ; Paracelsian women ; Demonstration 9. Book of secrets ; Paracelsian men ; Demonstration 10. Transmutation revisited ; Charlatans and chicanery ; Demonstration 11. Tricks of the trade ; What can you do with a degree in alchemy? ; Demonstration 12. Practical alchemy ; Renaissance alchemical authors ; Demonstration 13. Lifting the mystical fog ; Sendivogius and Rudolf : fire and salt ; Demonstration 14. The Poo Plan ; Johannes van Helmont : the art of fire ; Demonstration 15. The gas that got away -- Thoroughly modern alchemy. Full-blown alchemy ; Digby and Drebble : something in the air ; Demonstration 16. Up in the air ; The Society of Jesus and the Fraternity of the Rosy Cross ; Demonstration : The Jesuit workroom ; Glauber's salt and Glauber's gold ; Demonstration 18. Glauber's ghostly golden garden ; The Harvard alchemists -- and the Honorable Robert Boyle begins ; Demonstration 19. Reduction to the pristine state ; Robert Boyle ends -- and so do we ; Demonstration 20. The color of alchemy -- Alabaster and clay -- Stores and ores
Control code
860395117
Dimensions
24 cm
Extent
364 pages
Isbn
9781616149154
Lccn
2014003742
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Note
WorldCat record variable field(s) change: 650
Other physical details
illustrations (some color)
System control number
(OCoLC)860395117
Label
The chemistry of alchemy : from dragon's blood to donkey dung, how chemistry was forged, Cathy Cobb, Monty L. Fetterolf, and Harold Goldwhite
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references (pages 345-348) and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
X-rated alchemy -- Setting the scene. Stirring the fires ; The Zosimos effect ; Demonstration 1. Calcination, distillation, transmutation! ; Islamic authors : romancing the stone ; Demonstration 2. The mercury/sulfur makeup of metals -- Alchemy in the middle. Middle-aged alchemy ; Auld Michael and the fractious friars ; Demonstration 3. The firing and falsifying of gold ; Geber and the sum of perfection ; Demonstration 4. Divine waters ; Aqua vitae! ; Demonstration 5. Burning waters ; Philosophers' stone ; Demonstration 6. Erina's fabulous philosophers' stone ; Rocky romance : miners and magick in the Renaissance ; Demonstration 7. The parting of gold ; Paradigm, paradox : Paracelsus ; Demonstration 8. Diana and the Homunculus -- Alchemical Renaissance. Paracelsus is dead, long live Paracelsus ; Paracelsian women ; Demonstration 9. Book of secrets ; Paracelsian men ; Demonstration 10. Transmutation revisited ; Charlatans and chicanery ; Demonstration 11. Tricks of the trade ; What can you do with a degree in alchemy? ; Demonstration 12. Practical alchemy ; Renaissance alchemical authors ; Demonstration 13. Lifting the mystical fog ; Sendivogius and Rudolf : fire and salt ; Demonstration 14. The Poo Plan ; Johannes van Helmont : the art of fire ; Demonstration 15. The gas that got away -- Thoroughly modern alchemy. Full-blown alchemy ; Digby and Drebble : something in the air ; Demonstration 16. Up in the air ; The Society of Jesus and the Fraternity of the Rosy Cross ; Demonstration : The Jesuit workroom ; Glauber's salt and Glauber's gold ; Demonstration 18. Glauber's ghostly golden garden ; The Harvard alchemists -- and the Honorable Robert Boyle begins ; Demonstration 19. Reduction to the pristine state ; Robert Boyle ends -- and so do we ; Demonstration 20. The color of alchemy -- Alabaster and clay -- Stores and ores
Control code
860395117
Dimensions
24 cm
Extent
364 pages
Isbn
9781616149154
Lccn
2014003742
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Note
WorldCat record variable field(s) change: 650
Other physical details
illustrations (some color)
System control number
(OCoLC)860395117

Subject

Genre

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