PHYSICAL AND LITERARY. 3^1 



The precipitations of mercury fhew 

 ftill a greater variety, at leaft, as to their 

 effeds, being ufed as medicines. If fea. 

 fait, difTolved in a good quantity of wa- 

 ter, is put into a folution of quick-filver 

 in aqua fori is f it turns the clear and lim- 

 pid folution turbid, opaque, and milky ; 

 at length the white matter fubfides, which 

 being feparated from the fluid, waflied 

 and dried, remains a very white powder, 

 and a little exceeds the weight of the 

 quick filver dilTolved: But it is to be ob- 

 served, that the muria does not precipi- 

 tate all the mercury ; for the liquor, thus 

 Separated from the white powder, is knowa 

 to have the effeils of a cofmetic or deter*- 

 five mercurial water ; befides, if oL tart. 

 p* d. is dropt into this liquor, a fmall 

 quantity of a brown mercurial powder 

 will be precipitated. Phyficiads know 

 that this white precipitate is a pretty ac 

 tive and brilk medicine, and produces 

 greater efFeds, even in a fmaller dofe, 

 than calomel; but is more mild and trac- 

 table than the mere, fublim. corrofiviis -. For, 

 when this laft is fomewhat tempered by 



fpir. 



