SS On a new fulminating Mercury, 



of mercury, I digefted them in nitrat of lime, and found my 

 fufpicion juft. The mercury of the oxalat united to the nitrifc 

 acid, and the oxalic acid to the lime. A new infoluble com- 

 pound was formed ; it weighed, when wadied and d y, 48,5 

 grains, Carbonat of potaQi feparated the lime, and formed 

 oxalat of potafli, capable of precipitating lime-water and mu- 

 riat of lime ; although it had been depurated from excefs of 

 alkali, and from carbonic acid, by a previous addition of 

 acetous acid. That the mercury of the oxalat in the 84 

 grains, had united to the nitric acid of the nitrat of lime, was 

 proved by dropping muriatic acid into the liquor from which 

 the fubftance demonftrated to be oxalat of lime had been 

 fepn rated} for a copious precipitation of calomel inftantly 

 enfued. 



The fulphuric liquor, decanted from the oxalat of mer- 

 cury, was now added to that with which it was edulcorated, 

 and the whole faturated with carbonat of potafh. As effer- 

 vefcence ceafed, a cloudinefs and precipitation followed ; and 

 the precipitate, being collefted, waflied, and dried, weighed 

 3,4 grains : it appeared to be a carbonat of mercury. Upon 

 evaporating a portion of the faturated fulphuric liquor, I 

 found nothing but fulphat of potafh ; nor had it any metallic 

 tafte. There then remains, without allowing for the weight 

 of the carbonic acid united to the 3,4 grains, a deficit from 

 the 100 grains of mercurial powder, of 12,6 grains, which I 

 afcribe to the gas feparated by the aftion of the fulphuric 

 acid. To afcertain the quantity, and examine the nature, of 

 the gas fo feparated, I introduced, into a very fmall tubulated 

 retort, 50 grains of the mercurial powder, and poured upon 

 it three drams, by meafure, of fulphuric acid, diluted with an 

 equal quantity of water, and extricated the gas with the aflift- 

 ance of a gentle heat. 1 firft received it over quickfilver, th^ 

 furface of which, during the operation, partially covered itfelf 

 with a little black powder *. 



The gas, by different trials, amounted from 28 to 31 cu- 

 bical inches; it at firft appeared to be nothing but carbonic 

 acid, as it precipitated barytes water, and extinguifhed a 

 taper, without being itfelf inflamed, or becoming red. But^, 

 * i cannot account for this appearance. 



upon 



