In 1783, James Price, a chemist and self-proclaimed alchemist, found himself in such a predicament.
Trapped in a web of his own making, he chose a tragic end over the humiliation of exposure.
James Price was born James Higginbotham in London in 1752.
Just three years later, in 1781, he was elected a member of the prestigious Royal Society.
In 1782, he embarked on an ambitious projectone that would ultimately unravel both his career and his life.
Unlike his many predecessors, however, Price appeared to have achieved success.
It was these mysterious powders, Price insisted, that made his remarkable results possible.
The heat was gradually increased, and an iron rod was dipped into the crucible.
To the astonishment of the onlookers, small globules of a whitish-coloured metal appeared.
Price noted that this material could not be mercury, as it remained stable even under intense heat.
He explained that it was an intermediate substance in the transmutation process.
The fire was then raised further, and more borax was added.
The metal was carefully collected and weighed, amounting to ten grams.
The sample was sealed in a vial and sent away for testing.
Yet, to those present who had witnessed the experiment, there was little doubt.
Sure enough, the following day Price’s assertions were confirmed: he had produced gold.
For the latter, he used a different powderthis one white in colour.
Central to this shift was Robert Boyle, often considered the father of modern chemistry.
This methodical approach laid the groundwork for modern chemistry as it emerged in the 18th and 19th centuries.
By the early 18th century, a clear distinction had been established betweenalchemyandchemistry.
Alchemy became synonymous with the quest for gold-making, a pursuit now widely dismissed as fraudulent.
Consequently, alchemists were increasingly viewed as charlatans, and their work as little more than elaborate deception.
However, the Society was adamant.
But the Royal Society would have none of it.
The pressure proved inescapable.
However, laurel water also contains hydrogen cyanide, an extremely toxic compound.
During this time, Price also took the sombre step of writing his will.
On August 3, 1783, members of the Royal Society arrived in Stoke to witness the long-anticipated demonstration.
The initial excitement surrounding Prices experiments had waned considerably due to the repeated delays and his begrudging conduct.
As a result, only three representatives appeared at the laboratory on the appointed day.
Suddenly, he stepped aside and drank the laurel water he had prepared from a flask.
No one knows for certain what led Price to his terrible end.
It is likely that he initially deceived himself, genuinely believing in the efficacy of his powders.
Then by natural sequence, attempted either wilfully or in ignorance to deceive others.
He was just thirty-one years old.
