various dropsical Fluids, and the Scrum of I he Blood. 67 



pints of distilled acetic acid afforded, by evaporation of the 

 clear liquid separated from the coagulated matter, a soft ex- 

 tract. This extract deliquesced, j)artially, on exposure for 

 a few days to ilie air; but it manifested no properties of 

 alkali. By exsiccation, ignition, and fusion of a little of 

 this deliquesced matter, it afforded an a(]ueoas solution 

 which precipitated abundantly super- tartrate of potash on 

 adding tartaric acid ; and a reddish precipitate fell on the 

 addition of platina solution. Almost the whole of this extract 

 being exsiccated was digested in rectified spirit of wine, af- 

 fording a blackish tincture after evaporation to dryness, 

 which became liquid by 24 hours exposure to th'»air. It 

 was almost entirely acetate of potash. I believe acetate ot" 

 soda neither dissolves in alcohol nor deliquesces: but, 

 independently of these properties, the alkali united was 

 proved to be potash. 



I shall call no other evidence fro'?i a great mass which 

 remains in my published papers. If I were to toUow the 

 example of my adversaries, I should also not trouble my- 

 self to examine their evidence; but as the question cannot 

 be decided without such an examination, I beg permission 

 to perform this duty. 



I. Of the Fluid of the Sp'iua hifida. 



In the ten printed pages of experiments on this fluid by 

 Dr. Marcetjl can only perceive that there is evidence for 

 the existence of an alkaline subcarbonalej yet it is said, 

 *•' Soda may be inferred from the effervescence with acids." 

 The alkaline matter was treated with alcohol; and thus it 

 was separated from the muriate. The alcoholic solution be- 

 ing decanted and evaporated to dryness, a residue supposed 

 to consist of acetate of soda was obtained, which weighed 

 between 17 and 18 per cent, of the mass." Oxymuriate 

 of platina produced no precipitate. 



I remark, that the first result only shows the presence 

 of charcoal acid. -2. The acetate of soda is not, I believe, 

 dissoluble in alcohol, but it is well known that acetate of 

 potash is so. However, if there be the authority of experi- 

 ment for the dissolubility of acetate of soda in this men- 

 struum, still the experiment is equivocal. It was eaay for 

 the adverse party to have decided this question by the test 

 of tartaric acid, provided there was an adequate quantity of 

 matter for the trial. 



3. I remark, that there beinj; no precipitation with the 



platina solution seems to me to prove nothing ; as the 



whole quantity of matter treated could not reasonably be 



E 2 supposed 



