The dictionary of merchandize, and nomenclature in all languages, for the use of counting houses. Containing the history, places of growth, culture, use, and marks of excellency, of such natural productions as form articles of commerce; with their names in all European languages / By C. H. Kauffman.

  • Kauffman, C. H. (Calvin Henry), 1869-1931.
Date:
1805
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The dictionary of merchandize, and nomenclature in all languages, for the use of counting houses. Containing the history, places of growth, culture, use, and marks of excellency, of such natural productions as form articles of commerce; with their names in all European languages / By C. H. Kauffman. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    • volatile. Alum analysed in this manner, was found to contain thirty-eight parts of vitriolic acid, eighteen of clay, and forty-four of water. Our,Alum was certainly not known to the Greeks or Romans, and what the latter called alumen, was an impure vitriol. The Alum used at present, was fir.t discovered in the oriental parts of the world. Though the period of the invention cannot he exactly fixed, it seems certain, that it was later than the twelfth cen- tury. One of the most ancient Alum works, of which we have any account, was that of the Roccha, now Edessa, a city of Syria; and from this city was de- rived the appellation of Roch-alum; an expression so little understood bv the generality, that it has been sup- posed to signify Rock-alum. At present every fine kind of Alum, and particularly the purest Roman Alum goes under the denomination of Roch Alum. From this, and from works in the neighborhood of Constantinople, as well as at Phocaea nova, now Foya Nova, near Smyrna, the Italians were supplied till the middle of the fifteenth century, when they began to set up works of a similar kind in theirown country. The first Italian Alum-work is said to have been established in the island of Ischia about 1482, by Bartholomew Perdix, or Pernix, a Genoese merchant, who had discovered the proper matrix, or ore of Alum. But some affirm, that as early as the year 1458, the Alum-work at Volterra, in the district of Pisa, had been erected by a Genoese, named Antonius. Soon after, viz. about the year 1460 or 1465, Alum ore was discovered at Tolfa, in the territories of the church, by John de Castro, who had visited the Alum manufactories at Constantinople. Having observed the Ilex aquifo- lium to grow in Lhe neighborhood of the Turkish manufactories, and finding the same near Tolfa, he concluded that the materials for Alum, were to be found there also; and was quickly confirmed in his suspicion, by the taste of the stones in the neighbor- hood. These Alum-works prospered exceedingly, and their