so» 'Oa a nm fulminating Merenry, 



SECTION XI. 



■ The principal re-agents which decompofe the mercurial powder, are the nitric, the ful- 

 phuric, and the muriatic acids. The nitric changes the whole into nitrous gas, carbonic 

 acid gas, acetous acid, and nitrate of mercury. I refolved it into thefe different principles, 

 by diftilling it pneumatically with nitric acid : this acid, upon the application of heat, foon 

 diflblved the powder, and extricated a quantity of gas, which was found, by well known 

 tefts, to be nitrous gas mixed with carbonic acid gas. The diftillatlon was carried on until 

 gas no longer came over. The liquor of the retort was then mixed with the liquor col- 

 lefled in the receiver, and the whole faturated with pot-afh ; which precipitated the mer- 

 cury in a yellowifli-brown powder, nearly as it would have done from a folution of nitrate 

 of mercury. This precipitate was feparated by a filter, and the filtrated liquor evaporated 

 to a dry fait, which was wafhed with alcohol. A portion of the fait being refufed by this 

 mendruum, it was feparated by filtration, and recognized, by all its properties, to be 

 nitrate of pot-afh. The alcoholic liquor was likewife evaporated to a dry fait, which, 

 upon the aifufion of a little concentrate fulphuric acid, emitted acetous acid, contaminated 

 with a feeble fmell of nitrous acid, owing to the folubility of a fmall portion of the nitre 

 In the alcohol. 



SECTION XII. 



The fulphuric acid afts upon the powder in a remarkable manner, as already has been 

 noticed. A very concentrate acid produces an explofion nearly at the inftant of contaft, 

 on account, I prefume, of the fudden and copious difengagement of caloric from a portion 

 of the powder which is decompofed by the acid. An acid fomewhat lefs concentrate like- 

 wife extricates a confiderable quantity of caloric, with a good deal of gas ; but, as it efFe£l;s 

 a complete decompofition, it caufes no explofion. An acid diluted with an equal quantity 

 of water, by the aid of a little heat, feparates the gas fo much lefs rapidly, that it may 

 with fafety be coUedled in a pneumatic apparatus. But, whatever be the denfity of the 

 acid, (provided no explofion be produced,) there remains in the fulphuric liquor, after the 

 reparation of the gas, a white uninflammable and uncryftalized powder, mixed with fome 

 minute globules of quickfilver. 



To eftitnate the quantity, and obferve the nature, of this uninflammable fubftance, I 

 treated loo grains of the fulminating mercury with fulphuric acid a little diluted. The 

 gas being feparated, I decanted off the liquor as it became clear, and freed the iiifoluble 

 powder from acid, by edulcoration withdiftilled water ; after which, I dried it, and found 

 it weighed only 84 grains; confequently had loft 16 grains of its original weight. Suf- 

 pefting, from the operation of the nitric acid in the former experiment, that thefe 84 

 grains (with the exception of the quickfilver globules) were oxalate of mercury, I digefled 

 them in nitrate of lime, and found my fufpicion juft. The mercury of the oxalate united 

 to the nitric acid, *nd the oxalic acid to the lime. A new infoluble compound was formed ; 



a k 



