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Bismutum
Metals minerals and metallic preparations · A Chymical Dictionary
At a Glance
The word. A material classified by the dictionary among kinds of lead.
A place to read. The historical definition below, 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 11; facsimile PDF page 339.
Historical Definition
Bismutum is the lightest, whitest and basest kind of lead.
Meaning
The definition uses a comparison within the author’s metal classification. Lightness, whiteness and baseness distinguish the material from other members of that stated class. “Basest” is an evaluation, not a supplied measurement. Preserve the classification as historical evidence rather than silently treating it as a complete modern account of the material.
The dictionary also includes Wismodt, another name in this vocabulary. Cross-referencing it helps locate a passage whose spelling differs, but the text’s own descriptions should decide whether the material is being discussed in its natural or prepared condition.
Places to Read
Wismodt. Tin described as impure and resistant to working.
Historical source: 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 11; facsimile PDF page 339 — Facsimile
Sources. A Chymicall Dictionary (1650), s.v. Bismutum ; compare Wismodt
See also. Wismodt