From the book
A Chymical Dictionary
Gerhard Dorn and John French · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordMercury identified in a precipitated condition.
- A place to readThe historical definition below, 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 13; facsimile PDF page 341.
Historical definition
Calx Mercurii is precipitated Mercury.
Meaning
The operation is part of the material description. The entry does not equate all Mercury with this calx; it specifies a precipitated form. A historical account may distinguish the starting Mercury, its treatment and the product, and those stages should remain visible in modern English.
Mercurius metallorum præcipitatus offers a related qualified name, while Aquila records a use involving Mercury precipitated with gold. The present definition does not mention gold, so that qualification should not be imported without evidence from the actual passage.
Places to read
- Calx MercuriiRead the complete historical definition and its commentary.
- Mercurius metallorum præcipitatusA preparation specified by metallic extraction followed by precipitation.
- AquilaAn eagle-name with more than one stated material meaning.
- Mercurius CrudusMercury described before separation from its mineral source.
Source note
Historical source. 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 13; facsimile PDF page 341 — Facsimile