Liquor Hepatis

Liquor Hepatis was the name given to a sulfurous liquid used by the
alchemists. Considered the arcanum of the soul, Liquor Hepatis was
prepared by distilling a solution of sulfur, lime, and sal ammoniac.
The early alchemists secured lime (calcium oxide) by heating
limestone and made sal ammoniac (ammonium chloride) by gently
heating camel dung in sealed containers. The distillation for Liquor
Hepatis produced a combination of hydrogen sulfide and ammonia
gases. Since no solids precipitated, alchemists considered this an
ascending reaction only. That was a significant fact to the
Egyptians, who associated the Liquor with the soul. They believed
the soul resided in the liver, and the reddish-brown color of Liquor
Hepatis convinced them they had isolated the soul's essence. The
name comes from "hepar," the Greek word for liver. The Liquor exuded
an unnatural, pungent odor that the alchemists found quite
mysterious. They assumed it was due to an ethereal presence
concealed in the sulfur and activated by the fertile principle in
ammonia. To the Egyptians, the odor symbolized a soul or a
spiritized presence hidden within the liquid. They solidified that
presence by adding wax and fat to Liquor Hepatis and turning it into
a thick paste. The emulsion became known as the Balsam of the
Alchemists or Balsam of the Soul. The possibility of coagulating an
invisible potential into a second body, like a balsam, became a
basic tenet of alchemy.