530 Obftrvatknt on Strontkn. 



It is not the fame with the carbonate of ftrofitian : this was totally Hiflbhrd by muriatie 

 acid, but the difengagement of carbonic acid gas amounted to thirty hundredths, and the 

 fait obtained from this combination was in long needles or very ilender rhombcidal cryllalp, 

 terminated by a pyramid with two faces : the prifms are fometimes hexaheJral. This fait 

 is alfo more folublc than muriate of barytes. I obtained 176 grains of the muriate from 

 ICO grains of the carbonate Dr. Crawford was one of the (irft who obfervcd the great 

 difference which there was in the form of the cryftals of the muriates of barytes and 

 flrontian, as well as their dilferent degrees of folubility in water, and thence fufpeiSled that 

 thcfc two fubftances could not be of the fame nature. 



Jf'ith Jnlfkurii acid. Native carbonate of barytes reduced to powder is dccompofed by 

 fulphuric acid, with difengagement of carbonic acid gas. The refult of this combination 

 is fulphatc of barytes, infoluble in water. 



Carbonate of llrontian is alio deconipofed by fulphuric acid, with difengagement of car- 

 bonic acid gas ; and the compound which is obtained is alfo but little foluble in water. 

 Dr. Hope has obferved that four ounces of diftilled water only diflblved half a grain of it, 

 and that if muriate of barytes be added to this folution, a precipitation of fulphate of ba- 

 rytes takes place : fulphate of flrontian is therefore more foluble than that^f barytes. 



IViih acftoiis add. The acetous acid difengages the carbonic acid from carbonate of 

 barytes. 



The fame acid alfo decompofes carbonate of flrontian. The falls which refult from 

 thefe combinations, viz. the acetites of barytes and flrontian, are obtained in a cryftallinc 

 form, and are not deliquefccnt. 



Red Flame of Alcohol, holding in folution Nitrait or Muriate of Strontian or Lime. 

 AMONGST the charadlers bywhichMefrrs.Hope,Klaproth,andothers have diftinguifhed 

 llrontian from barytes, there is one which they agree in confidering as peculiarly diftin£live. 

 ChemiUs have obferved that alcohol, in which either nitrate or muriate of barytes is dif- 

 foivcd, burns with a flame of a white yellow, whilft alcohol holding in folution nitrate or 

 muriate of flrontian burns with a flame of a carmine red. Dr. Hope relates in his memoir 

 that Dr. Alh had fo long fince as 1787 obferved the particular colour which muriate of 

 flrontian gives to the flame of alcohol. The experiments repeated before the pupils of the 

 polytechnic fchool prefentcd the fame refults ; but as the nitrate and muriate of lime alfo 

 communicate to alcohol the property of burning with a red flame, I thought it right to 

 afcertain whether the nitrate and muriate of flrontian did not contain lime. For this par- 

 pofe I tried the following experiments : 



when ihe one to which the muriate of barytes had been given died without any apparent circumflancc to indi- 

 cate his death : ihc fecond, that which had taken the artificial carbonate of barytes, alfo died fuddenly fome days 

 aftttwards. The two horfes having been opened, all the vifcera were found in a found Rate, and exhibited no 

 indication, either of the cffeft of the barytic preparations, or of the rcpcrcuflion of the difeafc. The expcri- 

 mcnts are continued on other liorfes. 



Since tbij article has been compiled, I have been informed, that a third horfc wMiich was under a courfe of 

 tarbonaicof barvtes, alfo died fuddenly. It fcems, therefore, more and more evident, that the carbonates of 

 kiryics, whether native or artificial, niaj prove mortal when taken internally. P. 



2 £'-r- 



