Image: Chinese woodcut; Alchemical refining furnace Wellcome L0038814

Description: Woodblock illustration fromWaike tushuo(Pictorial Manual of External Medicine), published in 1856 (6th year of the Xianfeng reign period of the Qing dynasty). It shows implements for creating and refiningbagua da jiangdan(Eight-Trigram Grand Descending Elixir), with special attention given to the internal structure of the alchemical furnace. Eight-Trigram Grand Descending Elixir is a type of Hydrargyrum chloratum compositum - jiangdan or bai jiangdan -- obtained through the mixed crystallization of mercuric chloride (HgCl2) and mercurous chloride (Hg2Cl2), by heating mercury together with various minerals in the furnace. It was used to treat ulcers, fistulas,luoli(scrofula),xirou(polyps),wanxuan(chronic itchy skin condition), etc. Wellcome Images Keywords: Medical instrument; Medicine, Chinese Traditional; Alchemy; Elixir
Title: Chinese woodcut: Alchemical refining furnace
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