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 named mixture of saltpetre and sal ammoniac.
- In the bookThe salt sequence distinguishes mixtures from materials identified through their place of growth or source of extraction.
- A place to readThe 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 practicumRead the complete historical definition and its commentary.
- Sal petreA salt described through cold air and growth on stone.
- Sal nitrumA 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.
Source note
Historical source. 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 41; facsimile PDF page 369 — Facsimile