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Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · English Edition

Gerhard Dorn and John French

A Chymical Dictionary

An Expanded Diotimos Lexicon of Paracelsian and Alchemical Language

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A Chymical DictionarySal practicum

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English Edition · Branch 282 of 740

Sal practicum

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A Chymical Dictionary

p. 282

Sal practicum

Salts solvents and liquid preparations · A Chymical Dictionary

At a Glance

The word. A named mixture of saltpetre and sal ammoniac.

In the book. The salt sequence distinguishes mixtures from materials identified through their place of growth or source of extraction.

A place to read. The historical definition below, 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 41; facsimile PDF page 369.

Historical Definition

Sal practicum is a mixture of equal parts of saltpetre and sal ammoniac.

Meaning

The name identifies a compound preparation rather than one naturally occurring salt. Equal parts is the specific relation supplied by the historical definition and belongs to its meaning.

Use in the Book

The salt sequence distinguishes mixtures from materials identified through their place of growth or source of extraction. Compare Sal petre and Sal nitrum for those other forms of explanation.

Places to Read

Sal petre. A salt described through cold air and growth on stone.

Sal nitrum. A salt obtained from earth associated with organic deposits.

In This Edition

Saltpetre and sal ammoniac modernise the historical English spellings. The entry is presented as a historical identification; no further preparation or use has been inferred.

Historical source: 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 41; facsimile PDF page 369 — Facsimile

Sources. A Chymicall Dictionary (1650), s.v. Sal practicum; 1650 facsimile PDF p. 369; compare Sal petre, Sal nitrum

See also. Sal petre; Sal nitrum

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About This Reading Edition

The complete 706 historical definitions of the 1650 English dictionary, modernised and accompanied by expanded Diotimos commentary, reading routes, 15 textual notes and complete linked indexes.

Historical Text

A Chymicall Dictionary, London 1650, English version associated with John French, based on Gerhard Dorn’s Dictionarium Theophrasti Paracelsi. The containing volume also prints Sendivogius and Paracelsus; neither neighboring work changes this dictionary’s attribution.

About This Edition

Complete 706 definition paragraphs with new introduction, commentary, reading guides and indexes; Diotimos Editions, 2026.

Rights

The historical 1650 English text is in the public domain. New introduction, commentary, reading guides and indexes are © 2026 Diotimos Editions and published with the site owner’s authorization.