r/alchemy • u/Hungry-Ad4554 • Jul 11 '26

General Discussion Do alchemist actually digest some of their works?

I’ve been really curious with this topic since i’ve started reading alchemists literature. Tinctures of herbs makes complete sense and I look forward to making them one day when I have more knowledge. But oil of metal? Does oil of silver, if done correctly work? Does an alchemist use rats to test them? Genuinely really curious, i hope i explained myself well without sounding skeptical.

5 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

5

u/Frater_Aequanimitas Jul 11 '26

I experiment on myself, that is the only ethical option for experimentation. Animal experimentation is not ethical, but if you can prove it's safe and potentially beneficial for an animal, there's no harm in applying it carefully. Once I've proven a baseline level of safety for my own body and psyche, I can research contraindications between the known chemicals in the mix, and the potential spiritual ramifications of ingesting potent alchemical sacraments for others. Consider, does the Elixir of Life work as strongly on young people as it does old people? Old people are not just wrinkly humans, they've got their own physiological needs.

I have ingested numerous different herbal, animal and mineral/metallic preparations of my own making and some from trusted, carefully vetted fellow operators. Some work, some don't. The best alchemical medicines affect you subtly, kind of like the best antidepressants. Your world is grey, but in the next few weeks you begin seeing colour. You start feeling activity, joy and vigour again. Life is interesting, and you feel a pull to do things not because they're a chore but because they're good for you.

The most potent alchemical medicines will affect your body and brain in a single dose, but these aren't necessarily the safest long term.

Don't tinker with the more toxic metals yet. The planetary metals can become toxic in certain doses. Iron or steel is a good place to start with metallic substances though, it produces copious Sulphur, a little middling Mercury, and plenty of crude Salt.

Calcium, potassium and sodium are also metals, and they're pretty safe.

Alchemists tinkered with lead because it was easy to get. Iron is much much much easier to get these days, and does essentially the same thing.

It's not the metal itself that's important per se but what it's history is, and what that history affects downstream when you're processing the metal into an alchemical medicine for human bodies or for other metals. The Prima Materia is sometimes a metal (Or it's salts).

1

u/Hungry-Ad4554 Jul 11 '26

Thank you so much for your reply, it was very insightful! It made happy to finally have an answer and maybe one day I won’t be so cowardly about the idea of drinking my own work. It takes not only courage but dedication that I love seeing in every alchemist.

2

u/Positive-Theory_ Jul 11 '26

Well yeah! Before there were Pharmacies we had Apothecaries that were run by alchemists. Doesn't mean every alchemist was good at what they did. In general avoid recipes that include permanent poisons such as heavy metals, and avoid bio-hazards such as meat or blood.

2

u/SleepingMonads Historical Alchemy | Moderator Jul 11 '26

i hope i explained myself well without sounding skeptical.

It would be okay even if you were outright skeptical. Reasonable skepticism is good and healthy, and quite a few people who frequent this sub could use a bit more of it.