To Make Eggs Of Pharaoh's Serpents

Take Mercury and dissolve it in

moderately diluted Nitric Acid by means of heat, take care, however,

that there be always an excess of Metallic Mercury remaining. Decant

the solution and pour it in a solution of Sulphocyanide of Ammonia or

Potassium, which may be bought at a good drug store or of a dealer in

chemicals. Equal weights of both will answer. A precipitate will fall

to the bottom of the beaker or jar, which s to be collected on a

filter, and washed two or three times with water, when it is put in a

warm place to dry. Take for every pound of this material one ounce of

Gum Tragacanth, which has been soaked in hot water. When the gum is

completely softened, it is to be transferred to a mortar, and then

pulverized and dried precipitate gradually mixed with it, by means of a

little water, so as to present a somewhat dried pill mass, from which,

by hand, pellets of the desired size are formed, put on a piece of

glass, and dried again. They are then ready for use.