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Vitriol is the name that alchemists gave to sulfuric acid. The name was also used for various sulfate salts:
- copper(II) sulfate (blue vitriol, or rarely Roman vitriol)
- zinc sulfate (white vitriol)
- iron(II) sulfate, or ferrous sulfate (green vitriol)
- iron(III) sulfate, or ferric sulfate (vitriol of Mars)
- cobalt(II) sulfate (red vitriol)
Oil of vitriol is concentrated sulfuric acid so named due to its oily appearance.
Vitriol is also a quality of abusive or malicious forms of speech or feelings.
Extraction
In antiquity, the vitriol salts were extracted from the runoff that collected inside mines of sulfide ores; the sulfates were formed naturally by the action of air on the wet sulfide minerals, and washed down by percolating water.
Historical Significance
Vitriol was the most important alchemical substance, intended to be used as a philosopher's stone. Highly purified vitriol was used as a medium to react substances in. This was largely because the acid does not react with gold, often the final aim of alchemical processes.
The word vitriol derives from the Latin vitreus, 'glass', for the glassy appearance of the salts. The alchemical motto Visita Interiora Terrae Rectificando Invenies Occultum Lapidem ('Visit the interior of the earth and rectifying (i.e. purifying) you will find the hidden/secret stone'), found in L'Azoth des Philosophes by the 15th Century alchemist Basilius Valentinus, is a backronym.
The Muslim alchemist Jabir Ibn Hayyan (Gaber) discovered hydrochloric acid by mixing table salt with vitriol.
Green vitriol was much used in the middle ages to make iron-gall nut ink for use in writing.
The act of splashing someone with acid intentionally is vitriolage.
See also
External links
"Vitriol"