This section is from the book "A Library Of Wonders And Curiosities Found In Nature And Art, Science And Literature", by I. Platt. Also available from Amazon: A library of wonders and curiosities.
Take a strong solution of quicksilver, made with spirit of nitre; dilute it with water, and pour it into a hot glass, rinsed in strong spirit of sea-salt, and it will instantly become coloured. Or, if a solution of silver, made with spirit of nitre, considerably diluted, be poured into a glass, prepared in the manner above-mentioned, it will produce the same effect. And if you pour hot water upon new-made crocus metallorum, and put it into a clean glass, rinsed with any acid, it will produce an orange colour.
 
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