Pseudo-Geber
As Pseudo-Geber call today historians medieval authors of the 13th century who wrote alchemical texts and their works long the Arab scholar Jabir ibn Hayyān (lat. donors ) were attributed to the 8th century. The texts were probably therefore foisted by their authors Jabir, since under this pseudonym, the high authority of the scholar should perform their own views more weight. The authors benefited from the then general belief in an original comprehensive knowledge ( Golden Age ), resulting in a high veracity (if possible ) of ancient texts follows. Therefore, the key for the development of chemistry texts are not a translation, but new texts of the Middle Ages.
The important Summa perfectionis magisterii ( The highest perfection of the masterpiece ), was probably written by an Italian Franciscan named Paul of Taranto. Content in the plant by the Persian writers Al- Razi ( 9th century ) and Jabir ibn just Hayyān is affected. In later printed editions of the Summa, the text was supplemented by four additional plants. The texts De investigatione perfectionis, De investing tio perfectionis, De fornacibus construendis and Testamentum are other (later) sub- thrusts, probably by other authors.
Summa describes a first clear only Mercurius - teaching, in which the ability of materials to be metallic due to mercury. This differs from the former shows where sulfur should also have a significant role for the metallic properties of a substance. In the Summa of sulfur occurs only as an impurity. Mercury plays the fundamental role for the representation of the philosopher's stone ( lapis philosophorum ) or the transmutation ( gold synthesis) and is therefore particularly at odds with the historical sources from the Arab region. The first part of Summa does not deal with the important for alchemy and chemistry discovery of the mineral acids, nor with the preparation of pure ethanol by distillation. The writing is not a continuous text, but diffusely arranged deliberately and serves to disguise the knowledge. In contrast, practice various supplements, listed below, work techniques are described. The Pseudo-Geber 's writings were very important for the development of science and worked up into the 17th century.
Techniques:
- Distillation as a technique in which one thing can drip down. For the distillation included techniques such as
- Sublimation and calcination,
- Purification process for gold