■258 On the Decompoftt'ton of the Acii of Borax^ 



mixed with alkaline earth ; and by Mr Weftrumb near Luneburg. The fcarcity of this 

 acid, and its being found only in the fubftances and fituations above mentionad, occafioned 

 a fuppofition in the minds of thofe who minutely obferve an J examine the courfe of nature, 

 that it is not a fimple fubftance, but is formed afrefli from a variety of other fubftances previ- 

 oufly decompofed by a fmgular coincidence of operative caufes, and confequently that it be- 

 longs to compounds. 



Numerous have been the experiments made bychemifts who fuppofed they had formed 

 this fait by compofition. Some defcribed experiments, which they declared to have fucceeded 

 with them, though they always failed when attempted by others * ; from which Leonhardi 

 concludes, that nothing more can be expected from any limilar attempts to produce fedative 

 fait f. 



I was furprized that thefc chemifts had never (fo far as I knew) examined the fubjefl by tlie 

 way of analyfis, and endeavoured to decompofe the fedative f.Jt already formed by nature. 

 Indeed no great hopes of fuccefs could be entertained ; as daily experience fliows, that though 

 this fait be kept fluid in the hotteft fire for many hours together, till it becomes a vitrified 

 fubftance, yet when it is afterwards diffolved in diftiiled water, the folution is complete 

 without any refiduum, and it then (hoots into cryftals of precifcly the fame fait as before. 

 Notwithftanding all this, when I reflecSled that borax is generated only in certain climates of 

 the eaft, and that its acid is found only in particular fubftances and fituations, as has been 

 already mentioned, I could not but fuppofe the latter to be the produce of a new formation. 

 This being premifed, I confidered maturely in what manner the dccompofition of this new 

 and extraordinary compound might be attempted. Admitting the compofition to be formed 

 by the coalition of a number of different fubftances, it feemed not improbable but that an acid, 

 penetrating into and diffolving the whole mafs, would rather aflbciate with fome than with 

 others of its various component parts, and thus produce a feparation or change of the latter. 

 Befides, as the fedative fal^ ftrong as its operation is (in a high degree of heat) upon almoft 

 all neutral falts, has but a faint tafte of acid, it might be fuppofed that its acid is contained 

 within fome unknown fpecies of earth intimately combined, or within fome fort of inflam- 

 mable matters; or, according to a phrafe ufed in the new fyftem, ,there might be a defici- 

 ency of oxygen ; that therefore fome more powerful acid would probably feparate and 

 diflblve the earthy particles, deftroy or change the inflammable matter, or impart the oxygen 

 it might be fuppofed to want. 



My choice among the difi«rent acids was fixed upon that particular one, which, though 

 not always quick in its operation, never fails to penetrate deep into all foluble fubftances, has 

 a ftrong affinity to all inflammable bodies, and pofl'efles abundance of oxygen ; I mean the 

 oxygenated muriatic acid prepared with mangamfe. In the application of this menftruum, 

 I refolved to follow the praiSice eftabltflied by the conflant experience of both ancient and 



* See Fuchs Gefchichte des Boraxis. 



■J: Macquer's Diftionary traBflatcd by L«onhardi, fecond editicn, vol, V. p; 58S. 



modern 



