1820.] a>id Examlnatioti of the Chemical PropcrtiesoflJthia. 349 



lithia. By evaporation, small transparent granular crystals of 

 hinoxtilnlc of liihia were obtained. They appeared to dissolve 

 with facihty in water, though not to be so soluble as the neutral 

 salt. 



Neutral tartrate of lithia dissolves with facility in water, but 

 does not ciystaUize, forming a white opaque mass, which does 

 not deliquesce when exposed to the air. When tartaric acid is 

 added to the solution of the neutral tartrate, no ciystallizable 

 bitartrate is formed ; but perhaps we may deduce the existence 

 of such a salt from the fact that when the solution is evaporated 

 no crystals of tartaric acid make their appearance. 



When the solution is evaporated to dryness, we obtain a w^hite 

 opaque mass, which exhibits no appearance of crystallization, 

 and which dissolves with facility in water. 



Acetate of Lithia, when evaporated, forms a syrupy mass, 

 which cracks on cooling ; so that the glass looks as if it had burst. 

 This matter deliquesces in the air, and sometimes^ while attract- 

 ing moisture, crystalline plates appear in it. 



Gallate of Lithia. — GalUc acid* decomposes the carbonate 

 of lithia with great facility. It forms a dark-green solution, 

 which possesses a strong colouring power. The concentrated 

 solution, even when air is excluded, assumes a brownish, and at 

 last almost a blood-red colour. When evaporated in the air, 

 gallate of lithia remains in the state of a black matter which 

 does not crystallize. A very dilute solution of gallate of lithia, 

 when left exposed to the air, becomes gradually darker and 

 darker, and a brownish powder separates from it. 



Benzoate of Lithia. — Benzoic acid readily decomposes carbo- 

 nate of lithia, and forms a salt, very soluble in water, which does 

 not crystallize, but constitutes a white opaque mass, which does 

 not dehquesce. When heated to redness, it is converted into 

 carbonate of lithia, and it leaves behind it a veiy bulky charcoal. 



Saclactate of Lithia. — Saclactic acid f readily decomposes 

 carbonate of lithia when assisted by heat. W^hen the solution 

 is slowly evaporated, it deposits white, brilliant needles, which 

 are rather deliquescent, and dissolve readily in water. 



Malate of Lithia. — Malic acid J decomposes the carbonate of 

 lithia with great faci'ity ; but I was neither able to obtain a 

 malate nor bimalate of hthia. Both form a syrupy mass, which 

 did not become dry when heated. Indeed it was not in my 

 power to obtain malic acid in the state of crystals. 



But when carbonate of potash was added to the same acid, so 

 that there was still an excess of acid in the solution, it was easy 

 to obtain crystals of bimalate of potash. They consisted of 



• It was prepared bv Hie new process of Bracoiinnt. — (See Atin. de Cliirti. e( de 

 l'h)9. ix. ISl.) 



+ It na"! prepared from sugar of milk by means of nitric acid. 



J It n ;i« prepared by (le<'i>iiipo>iii» pure sorbate of lead by means of sulpliuret- 

 ted !iydroj;eii gas. 



