HISTORY OF THE ATOMIC THEORY. 153 



100 parts of Bismuth with the aerated miueral alkali gave 130 of dry precipitate. 



,, ,, caustic 126 „ 



,, ,, phlogisticated 180 „ 



,, ,, pure water 113 „ 



,, Nickel ,, aerated mineral alkali 13d „ 



,, ,, caustic 128 „ 



,, ,, phlogisticated 200 „ 



,, Arsenic ,, phlogisticated 180 „ 



,, Cobalt ,, aerated mineral alkali .... 160 „ 



,, ,, caustic 140 „ 



,, ,, phlogisticated 142 „ 



,. Zinc ,, aerated mineral alkali 193 „ 



,, M caustic 161 „ 



,, ,, phlogisticated 495 „ 



,, Antimony aerated mineral alkali 140 ,, 



,, ,, caustic 138 „ 



,, ,, phlogisticated 138 „ 



,, Manganese aerated mineral alkali 180 „ 



„ ,, caustic 108 „ 



,, ,, phlogisticated 150 „ 



" Having compared the weights now produced, it is neces- 

 sary, first, to inquire into the cause of such differences." 



***** Is it not then the matter of heat that is 

 attached to the calx, and which is always united to the caustic 

 alkali, for does it not excite heat when dissolved in the simple 

 acids ? 



** This forms a triumphant foundation for assaying minerals 

 and metals in the humid way, the mere weight of the precipi- 

 tates being known. ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ jf th^ game mode of 

 operating be used, the results of the experiments will be 

 always the same. Let us say that a quantity of metal a in 

 certain circumstances makes a precipitate of the weight of h ; 

 if the same method be used, it is obvious that nh may safely 

 be allowed to correspond to na of the perfect metal, although 

 in the fundamental experiment, the dissolved metal may not 

 have been completely precipitated, or its weight may have 

 been increased by foreign matter, still the same circumstances 

 will produce always the same gain or loss, and the conclusion 



X 



