Of Mercury Growing Hot With Gold Communicated in the Transactions of February 21, 1675/6 Robert Boyle

- From The Works of the Honourable Robert Boyle Epitomized By Richard Boulton London, 1699 Volume III Book IV, Chapter 13

Having obtaind a Mercury fine and clean, and even purged by Sublimations and Distillations, and incorporated a multitude of heterogeneous Particles with it, so that they could not be discovered, and much less separated, except by a skilful Artist; I mixed sometimes half and sometimes an equal quantity of Calx of Gold with this Mercury, in the Palm of my Hand, stirring and pressing it with the Finger of my other Hand, by which means the Ingredients being mixed, they grew sensibly hot in a Minute; and I observd, that when they were mixed in equal quantities, they would produce a much greater degree of Heat, than if their Proportion was not exact. And the like success ensued, when the Mixture was preserved from being contiguous to the Skin, by being contained in a piece of Paper, laid betwixt my Hand and it; and

the same succeeded in the Hands of other Persons. But with Silver, it would not produce an Incalescence. But tho this Mercury grows hot with Gold, yet I much question, whether, as Chymists call them, Mercurii Corporum, made by extraction from Minerals and metals, will grow hot with Gold, as I found Antimonial Mercury did. And I am far from affirming, that that which is called Philosophick Mercury, or even those obtaind from Gold and Silver are fitter for such uses, than common Mercury skillfully purged and impregnated with the subtle and active Particles of congruous Metals and Minerals. To what hath been said of this Mercury, I shall add, that it preserves its quality of growing hot with Gold two or three Years, and tho it be distilld from Gold again and again. And whereas its usual to take eight or ten parts of Quick-silver to make an Amalgama with Gold; this Mercury would do it, being used in an equal Proportion. As for the manner of preparing this Mercury, I dont think it convenient to publish it, only this I shall say, that it may be made more ways than one, and without employing Antimony, or such solid

Metals as Mars. But that of ours, I observd, succeeded best, in the production of Heat, by being mixed with Quercetanuss Calx of Gold, viz. by melting Gold with three or four parts of Silver; for by putting this into Aq. fortis the Silver will be dissolvd, and the Gold remain in the form of a Calx. But lest an Incalescence, producd by such a Calx, should be supposed to proceed from saline Particles of the Aq. fortis working on the Quicksilver, I shall add, that it will not produce such an effect on common Quick-silver; but ours will cause an Incalescence even with pure Leaf-Gold.

Isaac Newton