Page:Cyclopaedia, Chambers - Volume 2.djvu/182

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drop out, and they are feized with Pains all over> especially in their Bones, which the Mercury penetrates, and thus die.

In Spaing the melting or exhalation of the Mineral is performed with more Care, and with an Engine contrived tor thatpurpofe. As to the earthy Matter wherewith the Mercury is mixed, that of Spain is red, and fpeckled with black and white ; and fo hard, that 'tis not to be broken Up with Gun-powder. In Hkngary" tis frequently a hard Stone, but ordinarily a reddi/h Earth. In JrrtuU there is a foft Earth where the Virgin Quick-Silver is found, and a, hard Stone which yields the common Mercury. The Mine of idica, one of thofe belonging to fna/i, is fo rich, that it yields always half Quick-Silver, fometimes two thirds. The "Mine of Juan Cabelaca, or Guan Cabihca in iFeru, is (till more considerable, the Earth is of a whitifli red, like Bricks half burnt j 'tis firft broke, then expofed to the Fire, by Threading it on a Lay of common Earth, wherewith the Grate of an Earthen-Furnace is cover'd j under which is lighted a little Fire of an Herb call'd by the Spaniards, Icho: which is of that neceflity in thefe Works, that the cutting it is prohibited for the fpace of 20 Leagues round. In proportion as the Mineral heats, the Mercury rifes vela-tiliz'd into Smoke $ which Smoke rinding no vent thro' the Capital of the Furnace, which is ex- actly luted, efcapesthro' a Hole made for the purpofe, communicating with feveral Earthen Cucurbites fitted within one another. The Water at the bottom of each Cucurbite condenfing it to Smoke, the Quick-Silver pre- cipitates, and is taken up, when the Operation is over. In this Procefe, there are three things remarkable. The firlt, That the further the Cucurbites are from the Fur- nace, the more they are fill'd with Quick-Silver. The fecond, That at Iatt they all grow fo hot, that they would break, were they not fprinkled from time to time with Water. Thirdly, It is obferved that the Workmen em- ploy 'd in the Preparation of Mercury, never hold it long, but become paralytic, and die hectic. A Precaution they uie, is to hold a piece of Gold in the Mouth, to imbibe the Effluvia, and intercept their Paffage into the Body. Dr. Fope tells us of one he faw in the Mines of Friuli, who in half a Year's time was fo impregnated with the Metal, that putting a piece of Brafs in his Mouth, or even rubbing it in his Fingers, it would turn white as Silver*

The Method of purifying Mercury, is, by warning it feveral times in Vinegar, wherein common Salt has been diffolved ; or by pacing, and repaffing it frequently over a Chamois Skin. Am. Tardus tells us, that the bell way is to make a Dog fwatlow a Pound at a time, and afterwards to feparate it from the Excrements, and wafli it in Vinegar.

The Ufes of Mercury are very considerable in Gil- ding, making Looking-GlaiTes, in refining Gold, ££c. See each under its head, Gilding, Refining, Mir- ror, Look 1 ng-Glass, &c.

But cfpecially in Medicine, and particularly for the Cure of the Venereal-Difeafe, raifing Salivations, and on other Occafions. See Venereal-Disease and Salivation. See alfo Mercurials*

The Preparations of Mercury are very various; this Metal making one of the mod considerable Articles in the Chymical Pharmacy. The moll common Preparations are.

Sweet- Treci f hate of 'MfcRCV&Y, or Mercuri-js Dulcet, is compounded of crude Mercury drove over from Sea -Salt in a Retort, or revived from common Cinnabar, and diffol- ved in Aqua fort is, then a Brine prepared of Spring- Water and Sea-Salt is tlltrcd thro' a Cap-Paper, and the Solution otMercury drop'd gradually into this Brine, whence there is a white Powder precipitated, which is to be walVd from all its Acrimony with fome fimplediilill'd Water, or warm Spring-Water, and the whole dried.

This is the common Precipitate of the Shops, ufually call'd White Precipitate. Its Operation is mollly by Stool, fometimes by Vomit, and will falivate, if ordered accor- dingly. It is frequently mix'd with Pomatums for the Itch, and other Foulneffes of the Skin ; for which pur- pofe, 'tis heceffary to keep the Body laxative, and to take fomerhing inwardly to take hold of the Mercurial Prin- ciples, and prevent their raifing a Salivation, which they may otherwifedo. See Precipitate.

Corrofipe Sublimate of Mercury, is a Composition of Vitriol calcined to a rednefs, common Salt, and purify'd Nitre, with crude Mercury, cleans'd by (training thro* a Leather, all rubb'd together in a Mortar, till the Salts are reduced into Powder, and not the leaf! Globule of Mer- cury appears. The Mixture is then put into a Matrafs, and that fet in a Furnace with a Sand-heat, under which a Fire being kept to its greateft height for 12 or 15 Hours, the Mercury will be Sublimed, and (lick to the Top of the Yeffer.

This Sublimate is a violent Efcharotic, and eats away

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proud Fle/h 5 half a Dram of it diffolved in a Pound of Lime-Water, turns it yellow, which is then call'd Pha- jaifcB.t: Water; it is ufed to walh Ulcers, and tetterou s Eruptions. See Sublimate.

Sweet Sublimate 0/ Mercury, is a Compoiition of the preceding corrofive Sublimate with crude Mercury; ground together till no Mercury appear, and then put into' a Bolt- head, well Uop'd, and fet jn a Sand-heat, with a gentle Fire, for the Space of two Hours ; which Heat is to be then jncreas'd for three Hours longer, and, laftly, made very iirong, for as much more. When this is cold, the Glafs is broke, and the Sublimate feparated from the light Flowers at top, and the Dull at bottom. This is then powder'd a-fre/h, and the Operation repeated in the fame manner three times. If it be further repeated a fixth time, itis call'd Calomel. See Calomel.

Fixing of Mercury. See Fixation and Philoso- pher 'sirowe.

Mercury in Chymiflry, or Mercury of Bodies, is the third of the Principles, or Elements of natural Bodies; call'd alfo Spirit. See Principle.

In this Senfe, Mercury is defined the mod fubtle, light, volatile, penetrating, and active part of all Bodies. See Spirit.

Mercury of Metals, or of the Philofophers, is a pure, fluid Subtlance in form of common running Mercury, fai'd to be found in all Metals, and capable of being extracted from the fame. See Metal;

The Notion of Mercury of Metals, is founded on the common Syilem of the Chyrriifts, That Mercury, or Quick* Silver, is the Balis; or Matter of all Metals ; and that Metals are only Mercury fiVd by a certain Sulphur. See Sulphur, lye.

Mr. Boyle affures us, he had a way of drawing a ttue,. running Mercury, or Quick-Silver from Antimony. See Antimony.

Mercury alfo ferves as a general Title for Books, and Papers of News; fo call'd from' the Heathen Deity Mer- cury, fuppofed the Meffenger of the Gods. See Jour- nal.

Thus we have Mercuries Galant, Monthly Mercuries &C. See Galant, &c.

In this Senfe, Mercury is alfo figuratively apply'd to Per- fons who make ir their Bufinefs to collect Mews, or to run about and diltributeit.

Mercury, in Heraldry, is fometimes the Term, or. Blazon for the Purple Colour in the Coats of Sovereign Princes. See Purple.

Mercury is fometimes ufed for the Torricellian Expe- riment, or Barometer. See Barometer.

Tho' Mercury is not ordinarily fulfain'd in a Tube above the diflance of 28 or 29 Inches, yet M. Huygens has found, that Mercury well purged, and in a clofe ftill Place, will be fuftain'd to the height of 72 Inches 5 which is a Pheno- menon the Philofophers are all at a lofs to account for. See Torricellian Experiment.

Mercurial, fomething that confifls of, or bears rela- tion to Mercury, of one kind or another. See Mercury.

Thus we fay a Mercurial Perfon, to denote a Perfon of a brisk, volatile Complexion ; fuch Perfons being fuppofed by the Aftrologers to be under the more immediate Do- minion of the Planet Mercury.

So, alfo, we fay Mercurial Fumes, Mercurial Spirits, &c. with reference to the Mineral Mercury.

Mercurial Phofphorus, fee Phosphorus. Mercurial Unguents, Billions, &c. fee Salivation. Mercurial Medicines, fee Mercurials. MERCURIALS, Medicines compofed, or prepared of Mei-cnry or Quick-Siiver. See Mercury.

The principal of the Clafs of Mercurials, are Mercttrius dulcis, or zuhite Precipitate of Mercury ; f-aieet and corrofive Sublimate of Mercury ; Calomel 5 Artificial Cinnabar ; Turbith Mineral ; Prince's Poader ; JEthiofs Mineral, &c. See each under its proper Article, Sublimate of Mercury, 'Precipitate of Mercury, Cinnabar, Turbith, Ca- lomel, &c.

The Medicinal Efficacy of Mercury depends on its ex- treme Divilibility, and Finenefs of its Particles, and on their Gravity or Weight : by means of the firft, it finds a Paffige into the inmoft Receffes of the Animal Sttudture, and, when properly guarded, does not exert itfelf till it comes in the remoteil Scenes of Action; where moll other Medicines either don't arrive, or at leaf! not till their Force is rebated. This Property it has in common with Camphor. See Camphor. By the latter, it is enabled to make ftill more confiderable Alterations in the Animal OEcono- my, by rendering the Fluids thinner, and breaking open the fecretory Paffages : But this Effect ir has in common with Chalybeats. See Chalybeats. It may be here added, that the fame Property whereby it becomes fo powerful a Deobftruenr, indicates, that 'tis to he avoided in Heclics, and all Cafes where the Conflitution is drawn

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