170 Preparation of Howard's Fulminating Mercury. 



which escapes during the process, which I have done frc- 

 onently; but the last time I had occasion to repeat it with 

 more exactness than before. Should you think the result 

 worthy a place in your very valuable and interesting Jour- 

 nal, it is at your service. 

 Fltet-srveer, I am, dear sir, &c. 



Nov. i6, iSoj. A. S. BURKITT. 



I took three ounces of mercury, which I dissolved in \\ 

 pound of nitrous acid. When the. solution was complete, 

 I poured it into a six-gallon retort, in which I had previously 

 put 1 J i"KJund of rectified spirits of wine heated to about SO 

 degrees. I then introduced the neck of the retort into a 

 ten-oallon carboy which had by accident a hole broken in 

 its side* : the mouth of the latter was inverted in an earthen 

 vessel containing four pints of water (see fig. 4. Plate III.). 

 In the sp.ice of^thrce minutes the usual effervescence took 

 place ; when a considerable quantity of gas was disengaged, 

 and condensed in the carboy. In about twenty minutes 

 the process was complete, and the precipitate formed. I 

 moved tlie apparatus, and poured the liquor from the 

 precipitate in the retort, washed it well, and dried it upon 

 liltering paper. The produce was three ounces and one 

 dram of the fulminating mercury. 



I then moved the carboy, and obtained upon the surface 

 of the water, in the earthen vessel, four ouijces of nitric 

 ether. 



Not being in the habit of throwing any thing away un- 

 til I am satisfied it cannot be turned to account, 1 added 

 one pound of spirit of wine to the water that had washed 

 the ether, and, by distillation in a common sand-bath, ob" 

 iained from it one pint of sweet spirit of nitre. 



The preparation of the fulminating mercury is generally 

 conceived to be a dangerous process, but is not at all so in 

 my opinion, as the precipitate will not fulminate until it 

 has been well washed. I have prepared it very often : once 

 I made nine ounces at one operation ; but I never employ 

 }ieat, as 1 add the mercury in the acid as soon as the solu- 

 tion is complete, which is sufficiently heated by ihe action 

 of the acid upon the mercury, to the spirits previously 

 warmed to about eighty degrees. 



■■" The fitting WaS completed by applying a wet r.ig round the nctk 

 pf the retort. 



XXIX. Tenth 



