t 



HISTORY OP THE ATOMIC THEORY. 151 



nitric acid, are reduced by 31 of copper, but if united to vitriolic 

 acid, they want only 30 of copper. In the same way 100 

 parts of copper, in a vitriolic solution, are restored to a metallic 

 form by 146 pounds of zinc, but in a nitric acid solution, 164 

 lbs. of zinc are wanted. Therefore nitric acid dephlogisticates 

 the metals most, vitriolic acid less, and muriatic acid still 

 less. 



*•*• B. Since we added the solutions in a saturated state, it is 

 clear that the mutual quantities of phlogiston in the precipitate 

 and the precipitant are in inverse proportion to the weights. 

 Let the quantity of the phlogiston in a hundredweight of 

 silver be 100, and the amount in a hundredweight of mercury 

 will be 74, in lead 43, in copper 323, in iron 342, in tin 1 14, 

 in bismuth 57, in nickel 156, in arsenic 109, in cobalt 270, in 

 zinc 182, in antimony 120, in manganese 196. * • ♦ • 



" D. Let us see then how those principles before-mentioned 

 may be applied. With respect to silver, which answers to J5, 

 there is no precipitant or A^ which acts so as to make w = 1 . 

 If mercury or lead is used, then w 7 1 , but if copper, iron, 

 tin, bismuth, nickel, arsenic, cobalt, zinc, antimony, or 

 manganese is used, the case is w Z 1. In the zinc precipi- 

 tates « = 1 is also wanting. Gold, platinum, iron, and 

 antimony, make n 7 1, all the rest » Z 1. 



" Page 155. According to the experiments produced, the 

 metals richest in phlogiston, are platina, then gold, iron, copper, 

 cobalt, manganese, zinc, nickel, antimony, tin, arsenic, silver, 

 mercury, bismuth, and lead, so that, in some order, it 

 approaches nearer to the first metal. The relative numbers 

 designating the amount found in each, are to be sought by 

 other methods. A trial of each of the metals, so as to obtain 

 the attractions sought for, would be a great labour, if done 

 with sufficient care and sufficiently repeated, but if the work 

 were divided it would be easier. If one would choose for 

 examination mercury, another lead, a third copper, and so on, 

 so as to see their relation with respect to the others, then we 



