element
Sulfur
A yellow combustible mineral. Later alchemy names sulfur as a principle of matter; that “sulfur” is a craft term as well as a rock.
Also known as brimstone
Alchemy
Sulfur is used in Alchemy.
Later alchemy names sulfur as a principle of combustible matter. Kitchen brimstone and the craft-term share a word, not always a substance.
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Sulfur is connected to Salt.
Later alchemical schemes pair sulfur and salt among the principles of matter. The pair is a craft diagram.
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Alchemical sulfur represents Sulfur.
Ruland’s Lexicon seats Sulphur beside Mercury and Salt as one of the three principles, and names sulphur among chemist metals and arcana. A named alchemical-sulfur sign in that triad speech, not brimstone sermon alone, and not mercury or salt of the triad.
from Martin Ruland the Elder · Lexicon Alchemiae, 1612
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Sulfur is associated with Fire.
Sulfur burns. The mineral’s job in a furnace is not a theology.
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Sulfur is historically related to Honey.
In Buchan’s Domestic Medicine, flour of sulphur is made into an electuary with honey and taken in such quantity as to purge — sulphur is compounded into that honey electuary.
from William Buchan · Domestic Medicine, 1791 (12th ed.; Gutenberg #74359)
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Sulfur is historically related to Mercury.
In Dunglison’s Medical Lexicon, plaster of ammoniac with mercury is made by rubbing the mercury with oil to which sublimed sulphur has been added until the globules disappear — sulphur is rubbed into that mercury.
from Robley Dunglison · Medical Lexicon, 1874 (and earlier PD eds.)
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Sulfur is historically related to Treacle.
In Buchan’s Domestic Medicine, flower of brimstone and cream of tartar are taken every night and morning in a little treacle or new milk — sulphur (brimstone) is taken in that treacle.
from William Buchan · Domestic Medicine, 1791 (12th ed.; Gutenberg #74359)
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Sulfur is historically related to Milk.
In Buchan’s Domestic Medicine, flower of brimstone and cream of tartar are taken every night and morning in a little treacle or new milk — sulphur (brimstone) is taken in that milk.
from William Buchan · Domestic Medicine, 1791 (12th ed.; Gutenberg #74359)
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Sulfur is historically related to Charcoal.
In Agricola’s De Re Metallica, pyrites rich in sulphur is thrown on an iron plate full of holes and roasted with charcoal placed on top so the sulphurous vapour may descend into pots of water — sulfur is roasted under that charcoal.
from Georgius Agricola; Herbert Clark Hoover and Lou Henry Hoover (translation) · De Re Metallica, 1556 Latin; Hoover English 1912
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Sulfur is historically related to Lead.
In Agricola’s De Re Metallica, lead ash for flux is made by throwing sulphur into lead melted in a crucible, removing the scum, and repeating until all the lead is turned into powder.
from Georgius Agricola; Herbert Clark Hoover and Lou Henry Hoover (translation) · De Re Metallica, 1556 Latin; Hoover English 1912
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Sulfur is used in Medicine.
Pliny’s Natural History lists live sulfur among mineral remedies: compounded into plasters and poultices, used for skin afflictions, and taken as an electuary. A Roman-era pharmacological use of the mineral, not alchemical “sulfur” as a principle of combustible matter and not kitchen fire alone.
from Pliny the Elder · Natural History, c. 77 CE
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Nitre is historically related to Sulfur.
In Ure’s Dictionary of Arts, sulphur thrown into melted nitre deflagrates, and gunpowder’s three prime materials are nitre, sulphur, and charcoal — nitre is compounded with that sulphur in the powder.
from Andrew Ure · Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures, and Mines, 1839 (and later PD editions)
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Zinc is historically related to Sulfur.
In Ure’s Dictionary of Arts, blende (black jack) is sulphuret of zinc worked into metallic zinc or sulphate of zinc (white vitriol), consisting of zinc with sulphur nearly two to one by weight — zinc is combined with that sulphur in the ore.
from Andrew Ure · Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures, and Mines, 1839 (and later PD editions)
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Oil is historically related to Sulfur.
In Dunglison’s Medical Lexicon, balsam of sulphur is a solution of sulphur in oil — oil dissolves that sulphur.
from Robley Dunglison · Medical Lexicon, 1874 (and earlier PD eds.)
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Antimony is historically related to Sulfur.
In Ure’s Dictionary of Arts, the common ore is sulphuret of antimony (about three-quarters metal with sulphur), treated to separate the gangue and obtain the metal — antimony is combined with that sulphur in the ore.
from Andrew Ure · Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures, and Mines, 1839 (and later PD editions)
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Crucible is historically related to Sulfur.
In Agricola’s De Re Metallica, sulphur is thrown into lead melted in a crucible so that a scum forms and is removed, and the throwing is repeated until the lead turns to powder — sulphur is worked in that crucible.
from Georgius Agricola; Herbert Clark Hoover and Lou Henry Hoover (translation) · De Re Metallica, 1556 Latin; Hoover English 1912
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Litharge is historically related to Sulfur.
In Agricola’s De Re Metallica, when furnace fumes are yellow, litharge and sulphur should be added together — litharge is charged with that sulphur.
from Georgius Agricola; Herbert Clark Hoover and Lou Henry Hoover (translation) · De Re Metallica, 1556 Latin; Hoover English 1912
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Iron is historically related to Sulfur.
In Ure’s Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures, and Mines, alum schists change sulphur and iron into acid and oxide when air and moisture penetrate, and heated pyrites yields a black sulphuret of iron — iron is worked with that sulphur.
from Andrew Ure · Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures, and Mines, 1839 (and later PD editions)
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Clay is historically related to Sulfur.
In Ure’s Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures, and Mines, good alum schists under clay beds are a triple mixture of coaly substance, clay, and pyrites that operates toward sulphate of alumina — clay sits with that sulphur-bearing pyrites.
from Andrew Ure · Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures, and Mines, 1839 (and later PD editions)
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Alum is historically related to Sulfur.
In Ure’s Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures, and Mines, alum schists contain clay and sulphur convertible into sulphate of alumina before the alkaline ingredient is added to make alum — alum manufacture works that sulphur with the clay.
from Andrew Ure · Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures, and Mines, 1839 (and later PD editions)
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Camphor is historically related to Sulfur.
In Agricola’s De Re Metallica, an uncia of camphor is combined with sulphur and ground into powder as part of a powerful flux mixed with ore and lead in the scorifier.
from Georgius Agricola; Herbert Clark Hoover and Lou Henry Hoover (translation) · De Re Metallica, 1556 Latin; Hoover English 1912
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Copper is historically related to Sulfur.
In Theophilus’s Divers Arts, niello service takes the kept black with copper and lead added before burning and mixed with sulphur according to the measure already given.
from Theophilus Presbyter · On Divers Arts, c. early 12th century
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Cream of tartar is historically related to Sulfur.
In Dunglison’s Medical Lexicon, Chelsea Pensioner electuary for rheumatism and gout takes gum guaiac, powdered rhubarb, cream of tartar, flowers of sulphur, and powdered nutmeg, made into an electuary with clarified honey.
from Robley Dunglison · Medical Lexicon, 1874 (and earlier PD eds.)
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Niello is historically related to Sulfur.
In Theophilus’s Divers Arts, niello work mixes the kept black with copper and lead and sulphur before burning; notes likewise give niello from silver, copper, sulphur, and lead.
from Theophilus Presbyter · On Divers Arts, c. early 12th century
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Roman religion
Sulfur appears in Roman religion.
Pliny’s Natural History treats sulfur among mineral and volcanic materials of Roman craft and pharmacy neighborhoods. A named sulfur in that encyclopedia, not alchemy-principle sulfur already walked and not a brimstone sermon dump.
from Pliny the Elder · Natural History, c. 77 CE
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sources
- Natural History · Pliny the Elder
Pliny, Naturalis Historia.
- Domestic Medicine · William Buchan
William Buchan, Domestic Medicine (12th ed., 1791).
- Medical Lexicon · Robley Dunglison
Robley Dunglison, Medical Lexicon (Dictionary of Medical Science).
- De Re Metallica · Georgius Agricola; Herbert Clark Hoover and Lou Henry Hoover (translation)
Georgius Agricola, De Re Metallica, trans. Herbert Clark Hoover and Lou Henry Hoover (1912).
- Lexicon Alchemiae · Martin Ruland the Elder
Martin Ruland, Lexicon Alchemiae (1612).
- Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures, and Mines · Andrew Ure
Andrew Ure, A Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures, and Mines.
- On Divers Arts · Theophilus Presbyter
Theophilus, On Divers Arts (De diversis artibus / Schedula diversarum artium).