From the book
A Chymical Dictionary
Gerhard Dorn and John French · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordA medicinal Mercury preparation named through its intended use.
- A place to readThe historical definition below, 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 14; facsimile PDF page 342.
Historical definition
Ceniotemium is Mercury prepared for venereal disease.
Meaning
The definition identifies a prepared material and the condition it was intended to address. It does not describe how the Mercury was treated or what precise preparation resulted. That missing distinction is important because the dictionary separately names many Mercury forms. A purpose-based name does not establish their interchangeability.
The therapeutic relationship belongs to the historical account. It does not demonstrate success or safety, and the short gloss provides no basis for reconstructing a treatment. For reading, keep the three elements separate: Mercury as source material, preparation as an unstated process, and the disease as the intended object of treatment.
Places to read
- CeniotemiumRead the complete historical definition and its commentary.
- Mercurius CrudusMercury described before separation from its mineral source.
- Calx MercuriiMercury identified in a precipitated condition.
Source note
Historical source. 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 14; facsimile PDF page 342 — Facsimile
Sources. A Chymicall Dictionary (1650), s.v. Ceniotemium ; compare Mercurius Crudus, Calx Mercurii