ON PULVIS ALGAROTHI 163 



partially calcined, in order to be soluble either in the 

 muriatic acid, or by cream of tartar ; for in its metallic 

 form it is entirely insoluble ; and the bezoar mineral proves 

 that this is also the case if the metal be entirely dephlo- 

 gisticated ; consequently, if regulus of antimony, partially 

 dephlogisticated, be digested in muriatic acid, this acid is 

 not able to dissolve more of it than what has already under- 

 gone that degree of calcination, or what has lost so much 

 phlogiston as the regulus of antimony generally loses when 

 it is distilled with corrosive sublimate. 



It is a known fact that emetic tartar may be prepared 

 from liver of antimony and cream of tartar ; and that when 

 this emetic tartar is dissolved in muriatic acid, and the 

 solution distilled, the causticum antimoniale is generated ; 

 there must therefore be contained in the liver of antimony 

 a regulus so far calcined as to be fit for this purpose ; and 

 we should gain our end completely if the half - calcined 

 regulus contained in the hepar could be entirely freed from 

 the hepar. This is the more requisite, as the solution by 

 the cream of tartar in the other case is not only very slow, 

 but likewise contains (if the emetic tartar, which is thus 

 prepared, be not contaminated with superfluous cream of 

 tartar) vitriolated tartar, which, though it be lixiviated with 

 boiling water, cannot be extracted from the vitrified regulus 

 with which it has been united by fusion. The most proper 

 menstruum for extracting the half-dephlogisticated regulus 

 is muriatic acid, which afterwards quits the antimony if the 

 butter be diluted with boiling water. If this solution be 

 distilled, butter of antimony is likewise obtained ; as, how- 

 ever, the hepar prepared with equal parts of antimony and 

 nitre contains not only antimony still undecomposed, but 

 likewise hepar sulphuris, as easily appears when this hepar 

 is digested with muriatic acid, not only from the hepatic 



