34 On a ncuj fuhninct'mg Mercury. 



in the defcription of the procefs for preparing the fulminating^ 

 mercury. 



It has been ftated (in feftion 9,) that 100 grains of quicks 

 filver produce, under different Gircumftiuices, from 120 to 

 132 grains of mercurial powder; and if 100 grains of this 

 powder contain 64,72 grains, 130 grains, or 133 grains 

 mud:, by parity of reafoning, contain 78,06 grains, or 85,47 

 grains; therefore, 13,34 grains, or 20,75 grains, more of the 

 lOO grains are immediately accounted for; becaufe 64,73 

 grains + 13,34 grains = 78,06, and 64,73 grains 4- 20,75 

 grains = 85,47 grains^ The remaining deficiency of 21,94 

 grains, or 14,53 gf^his, which, with the 78,06 grains, or 

 85,47 grains, would complete the original 100, of quick* 

 filver, remains partly in the liquor from which the powder 

 is ftparated, and is partly volatilifcd in the white denfc 

 fumes, which in the beginning of this paper I compared to 

 the liquor fumans of Libavius. The mercury cannot, in 

 either inftance, be obtained in a form immediately indica- 

 tive of its quantity ; and a ferles of experiments to afcertaiii 

 the quantities in which many different fubllances can com- 

 bine with mercury, is not my prefent object. After obferv- 

 ing, that the mercury left in the rcfiduary liquor can be pre- 

 cipitated in a very fubtle dark powder, by carbonat of pot- 

 afh, i fliall content liiyfelf with cxaminirtg the nature of the 

 white fumes. 



Section XV. 



It is clear that thefe white fumes contain mercury: they 

 may be wholly condenfed in a range of Woulfe's apparatus, 

 charged with a folution of muriat of ammoniac. When the 

 operation is over, a white powder is feen floating with ether 

 on the faline liquor, which, if the bottles are ao^itated, is 

 entirely dilVolvcd. After the mixture has been boiled, or for 

 fome tinse cxpofed to the atmofphere, it yields to cauftic 

 ammoniac a precipitate, in all rel'pefts fimilar to that which 

 is feparated by dauftic ammiuiiac from corrofive fublimate. 



I would infer from thefe facts, that the white denfc fumes 



confift of mercury, or perhaps oxyil of mercury, united to 



the nitrous ethorifed gas ; and thai, when the muriat of am- 



luouiae containing them is expofed to the atmofphere, or i^ 



^ boik-d, 



