_A philosophical Mushroom._
Among the numerous and surprising phenomenons produced by different
chymical proceedings, one of the most curious is certainly that of the
inflammation of essential oils, by the mixture of nitrous acid. It
is certainly astonishing to see a cold liquor take fire on pouring
another cold liquor on it; such are the means by which one may form in
three minutes the mushroom, called the philosophical mushroom.
In order to make this extraordinary and entertaining experiment, you
must provide yourself with a glass, having a large foot, the basis of
this glass is to terminate in a point, as the annexed figure shews.
[Illustration]
Put in the glass an ounce of spirits of nitre, well rarified; then
pour over it an ounce of essential oil of guaiacum. This mixture will
produce a very considerable ferment, attended with smoak, out of
which there will rise, in the space of three minutes, a spungy body,
resembling perfectly a common mushroom.
This spungy substance, formed by the fat and oily particles of the
guaiacum wood, being drawn up by the air, covers itself with a very
thin coat of the matter that composes the oil of guaiacum.