Glass of antimony, or vitrum antimonii, gives warm yellow or red hues. As Sb2O3, its use in alchemy is largely medicinal, one of many purgatives of Renaissance Europe. Antimony is discovered c. 1600 BCE. Its compounds are known in the ancient world.
Glass of antimony is characterized by translucent, yellow, orange or red hues. Antimony is a metalloid known for its diverse chemical applications and hazards. An ingested dose of antimony causes, among other things, vomiting and diarrhea, making it useful as a purgative.
At this time antimony is already used for glass production in some European churches. One of the first literary references to its medicinal use is from Basil Valentine (Basilus Valentinus) in 1678. Valentine himself is a mystery. He may be one person or a group of writers.
Either way, Basil Valentine has extensive knowledge of chemistry. He produces ammonia by reacting alkali with sal ammoniac (ammonium chloride), creates hydrochloric acid by acidifying a brine of common salt (sodium chloride), and synthesizes ethyl chloride and oil of vitriol (sulfuric acid), among other accomplishments.
Antimony and its compounds are used historically for a variety of applications from copper alloys to glass and glazes. In particular, they're used to decolor or opacify glass. Until recently Sb2O3 glass can be made only with inclusion of a small percent of a second oxide.
Also called antimony trioxide, Sb2O3 is found in nature as the mineral valentinite.
Deposits of valentinite are first discovered in a mine in France in the 19th century, and immediately thereafter in Bohemia. Today most valentinite comes from Algeria, where it's found to contain up to 83% antimony.
Historical Context and Discovery
Antimony is known to ancient civilizations, but glass of antimony is notably studied during the medieval period. Alchemists from the Alexandrians of antiquity to the early modern practitioners in Europe experiment with antimony, its medicinal and cosmetic properties.
Records of emetics used in medicine first appear in the 1st century AD. Of course sticking a finger down one's throat to trigger the gag reflex also works. Specific references to glass of antimony's formulation appear in later writings.
Preparation of Glass of Antimony
Creating glass of antimony requires specialized skills and a good understanding of chemical reactions. The fumes are toxic and preparation involves blazing high heat and molten glass.
The process consists of several key steps:
Starting Material: The practitioner acquires crude antimony ore, which contains impurities such as sulfur. In tests the addition of a small amount of powdered quartz is necessary as a silicate. Antimony ores can also contain quartz or other minerals.
Calcination: The ore is finely ground and put in a graphite or earthen crucible, where it's subjected to high heat. This drives off sulfur and other volatile components, creating antimony trioxide. Once the preparation stops fuming, it's ready to get vitrified.
Vitrification: The antimony trioxide is then subjected to even hotter temperatures in a wind furnace. This heat transforms the solid material into a molten glassy state.
Stirring and Transformation: During this phase, the practitioner stirs the molten matter with an iron rod. Stirring keeps the material homogenized, creating glass of antimony. This part of the process can take several hours. The intensity of hue depends on amount of Sb2O3 in the brew.
Chemical Properties of Antimony Trioxide
Antimony trioxide is recognized for its complex interactions within biological systems. The substance is sparingly soluble in water but dissolves in alkaline solutions and acids like nitric acid and hydrochloric acid.
A potent compound and emetic, antimony trioxide is the strongest of all antimony preparations. Emetics induce vomiting as part of the overall purging trends of the Renaissance.
If antimony trioxide is dissolved in spirit of urine (ammonium carbonate), its attributes shift dramatically. The resulting mixture lacks the emetic or cathartic properties typically associated with the medication.
Uses in History: The Role of Emetics
Historically, antimony trioxide is primarily employed as an emetic especially in cases of poison ingestion. Induction of vomiting is viewed as necessary to eliminate harmful substances from the gastrointestinal tract. It's long used in traditional medicine.
Purging for health is based on the Four Humors system which dominates medicine for almost two thousand years. Vomiting, bloodletting, use of laxatives, sweat inducers, diuretics and more are applied due to the notion of humor imbalance causing health issues.
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