i^pi' FOSSILE ALKALI. 33 



To the Editor of the Bee, 



A Copy of a Letter from the Reverend J. Wilson to the 

 Reverend J. Headrjck. 



Stockport, Aug. 23. 1791. 



Z)£A^ SIR, 



In the 2d Vol. of the Bee, I Submitted to the public a few ob- 

 ferva*ions concerning a method of feparating the foflUe alkali 

 from Glauber's falls. In a letter, which lies before me, you 

 have been fo kind as to fend me an account of fome objedlions, 

 which liave been made to the method which I propofed. 



The objedlions which you have mentioned are contained in 

 the followmg words ; " That your procefs would indeed fepa- 

 *' rate the alkali, but would produce a hepar of lime, foluble 

 ♦' Ki the liquid, from which it would be impoflible to wafh out 

 " the alkali ; and that by expofuretotheair, the fulphur would 

 " again become acid, and re-unite itfelf with the alkali, leav- 

 *' ing tiie procefs where it began." 



That a hepar of lime is not produced by my procefs, will, I 

 hope, be abundantly clear from a few remarks. 1 mix fulphur 

 of foda and charcoal together, put them in a furnace, and af- 

 ter the wateiy fuHon is over, 1 continue the procels till they 

 arc melted by a (Irong heat, and form liver of fulphur. 



I then dlllblve the hepar in a plentiful quantity of water, 

 and allow it to Hand for a few days, till the hepatic fmell is 

 moftly gone ; then I draw it off clear, and evaporate it to dry- 

 nefs. When this is done, I mix it with a fixteenth part of its 

 weight of chalk or quick-liirte, and put it into a furnace ftrong- 

 ly heated, where it is kept till the whole is blended into one 

 mafs. As foon as it is taken out, and cooled, it is fit for ufe. 



That it is not in this ftate a liver of fulphur, is apparent from 

 its having no cffed on fdver, even though kept am.ong it for t 

 confiderable time. 



I have made an experiment upon feparating the alkali from 

 Glauber's falts, fmce I received your letter, v/hich has occafion- 

 cd thefe obfervations ; and the alkali, which I feparated, has 

 Vol. V-. E t 



