Scientific News, /tceaunis of Boohy Ufe, 523 



Upon trial of the above before fome philofophical gentleman at my houfe, the fumes 

 which arofe upon the addition of the water did not indeed fmell of ammonia, but they 

 formed a white cloud round the ftopper of a bottle which was wetted with ftrong muriatic 

 acid. The indication was not fo manifeft as to remove all doubts in the minds of the 

 affiftants ; but Mr. Accum has fince informed me that he has found it much ftronger and 

 more conftant when paper, wetted with muriatic acid, was ufed. 



Difcovery of a new Alkali. 



Dr. Hahneman *, at Altona, in Germany, has difcovered a new fpecies of alkali, whic& 

 he diflinguiflics from the others by the name of pneum-alkaliy on account of the fingular 

 property it pofleffes, of increafing in bulk to twenty times its fize when heated. This 

 alkali differs greatly from any of the others, by the following properties. 



Its cryftals are hexaedral prifms, terminated by two inclined faces,, one of which appears^ 

 to be trihedral, the other pentahedrali 



It is not volatile by heat. 



It neither attrafts moifture, nor efflorefces by expofure to the air. 



Two parts of diftllled water diflblve one of this alkali at f 300° F. Five hundred parts 

 of water diffolve one hundred and forty parts at 60° F. At a lower temperature water afts 

 upon it very flightly : it is, therefore, feparated from its former folutlon by mere cold : it 

 may thus likewife be feparated when combined with any of the other alkalies. 



It effervefces but flightly with concentrated acids ; but it is not yet determined if the 

 difengaged aeriform fluid is carbonic acid, or any other gafeous fluid. 



The fulphate of pneum-alkali is totally infoluble in ardent fplrit. Water diflolves only 

 a fmall quantity. 



The nitric, muriatic, phofphoric, and acetous acid, readily combine with it, and the 

 neutral falts refulting from thefe combinations are totally foluble in water and ardent, 

 fpirit. The phofphate and acetite of pneum-alkali are in confiderable quantity evem 

 foluble by cold in fpirit of wine. 



The phofphate of pneum-alkali has a bitter tafte.. , 



The muriate cryftallifes in plumofe cryftals^ 



All the preceding combinations of this alkali with acids (the phofphate excepted) are- 

 decompofable by mere heat alone. They all part with their acids, and leave the pneum*- 

 alkali behind in a pure ftate. The inventor of this alkali employed for this purpofe a red: 

 beat. If a lefs heat will do, I do not know. 



• Scherer'j Cbera, Journal, III. +; QuereJ' 



aX2: The; 



