The Philosopher’s Stone: Spiritual Alchemy, Psychology, and Ritual Magic - Israel Regardie 2013
Appendix Two Practical Alchemy: Some Basic Safety Rules
Book Five Resources
As we stated in the Introduction to the Third Edition, no one, absolutely no one, should begin any work of practical alchemy under any circumstances without fully knowing and fully utilizing all possible safety precautions. This includes a comprehensive knowledge of the safe use of laboratory equipment as well as safety equipment, and a thorough and complete knowledge of the properties of all substances to be worked on. It is imperative that anyone contemplating the practice of Practical Alchemy heed the advice of practicing alchemists such as Mark Stavish and Sam Scarborough, who have provided the safety tips below. If readers cannot follow these basic rules, they have no business attempting Practical Alchemy at all and should stick solely to Spiritual Alchemy—meditation and ritual.
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Mark Stavish
While there are many sources of alchemical information available these days, it is interesting to note that most them did not come into existence until the advent of widespread use of the Internet, and the appearance of the Spagyric and Mineral Alchemy Courses of The Philosophers of Nature. While it is difficult to review every course in existence, it is well known that many of them are taken directly from the Philosophers of Nature material, without authorization. As such, it is strongly recommended that anyone serious about advanced work should obtain these lessons and use them as a benchmark from which to judge other sources of practical, laboratory information. The Philosophers of Nature ceased operations in 2000, but the body of information that was produced by it can be obtained in French and English, in printed or electronic format, from Triad Publishing, at: www.triad-publishing.com; Post: P.O. Box 116, Winfield, Il 60190; Email: info@triad-publishing.com; Telephone: 630.682.3938; Fax: 630.665.2364.
Concerning Laboratory Safety: It is important to learn about the chemicals you will be using and how they behave in reaction before you begin any alchemical process with minerals or metals. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are available on the Internet for most common chemicals. A list of Websites offering MSDSs is at http://www.ilpi.com/msds#Internet. It is also recommended that you purchase or otherwise obtain access to copies of the Merck Index and CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. If purchased new, each of these books is expensive, but they can be acquired used for a fraction of their original cover price. When performing any laboratory procedure that could potentially result in the release of toxic vapors or dust, always use splash-resistant safety goggles and an industrial grade, twin cartridge respirator.
Goggles and respirators are inexpensive insurance and can be purchased through your local hardware store or home improvement center. MSA Safety Works (http://www.msasafetyworks.com) makes an industrial grade respirator advertised as protecting against: paint, pesticides, organic vapors, lacquers, dust, fiberglass, ammonia, formaldehyde, muriatic acid, hydrogen sulfide (escape only), hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride, methylamines, chlorine, chlorine dioxide, asbestos, lead fumes, and hantavirus.
Finally, make sure you read the Laboratory Safety Procedures outlined in The Philosophers of Nature Spagyric Course, Lesson 4. These lessons are available through Triad Publishing.
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Samuel Scarborough
When working with anything that may have some dangerous aspects to it, common-sense safety rules must always be followed to prevent any sort of accident from happening. Here are some basic safety rules or points to follow when working with practical alchemy.
• Choice of plant—know what sort of plant you are using for basic spagyrical work. Since the goal of producing an alchemical tincture is to ingest the tincture, always be sure that the plant that is used to produce the tincture is NOT toxic.
• Always use clean and dry tools such as mortar and pestle, flasks, grinders, stoppers, tongs, etc.
• Make sure that your work area is clean and uncluttered.
• Make sure that there is nothing to trip on—that no loose or hanging power cords, hoses, or loose rugs are in the work area. Tape down any hoses and power cords to prevent trip hazards. (Use duct tape for this.)
• Make sure that the tools such as tongs, crucibles, and any other equipment used are in good working order (not broken or damaged). For electric or gas heating devices, always follow the safety requirements specified by the manufacturer.
• When grinding plant material, wear the appropriate safety equipment; in this case a surgical mask to keep from breathing in the finely powdered plant product. You also may want to wear safety goggles to keep any loose airborne plant matter from getting into the eyes.
• You may want to wear rubber gloves when grinding plant materials, particularly any that have high oil content.
• Have eye wash on hand should you get something in your eyes.
• If you spill anything on your hands or clothing, wash immediately with water. If the spill is on your clothing, remove clothing.
• Have a basic, well-stocked first aid kit on hand for minor accidents and know how to use it.
• Wear the appropriate clothing, especially when calcining the caput mortem and the other plant material. This includes a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, and close-toed shoes. Wear the appropriate heat resistant gloves for this operation (welder’s gloves are appropriate).
• When calcining, you may want to wear suitable breathing protection as during the early stages of the process there will be a lot of foul-smelling smoke produced.
• ALWAYS calcine material outside or in a properly ventilated area as there will be a lot of smoke.
• When operating any heating source, ALWAYS maintain the proper fire safety. Make sure that nothing flammable is close to the heat source. Have an appropriately graded fire extinguisher on hand should a fire start.
• Should anything be spilled or broken, clean up the mess immediately! Wear the appropriate clothing and safety equipment. For broken glass, be sure to wear gloves that will not allow you to be cut by the broken glass. For some spills or broken material, you may need to wear safety goggles and surgical mask. Use the correct materials and tools to dispose of any breakage or spillage.
• Should there be any major accident such as a fire or bad burn, immediately get in contact with any and all local emergency services. Go to the doctor or hospital immediately.
By following these basic safety protocols and using common sense, the likelihood of accidents are greatly reduced. Always be aware of what you are doing and what is around you. Make sure you have plenty of space to work in safely.