278 ESSAY XXV. 



the smallest quantity. In these experiments, it is necessary 

 to employ nitrous acid and fixed alkali, without any admixture 

 of marine acid ; otherwise the observer will be led into 

 mistakes. 



(13) By distilling vitriolic acid from off' manganese, an 

 acid is obtained which is alone capable of dissolving gold, 

 silver, and mercury very readily. 



The analysis of camphor has been entered upon. By 

 several distillations with red bole, a substance like an 

 ethereal oil is obtained. It has all the properties of such 

 an oil, being soluble in spirit of wine, and separable again 

 on the affusion of water. 



On distilling dephlogisticated nitrous acid eight times with 

 camphor, a salt is obtained in the form of a parallelepiped, 

 having an acid and bitter taste, and changing the juice of 

 violets and turnsol to reel. This salt, when combined with 

 vegetable alkali, assumes an hexagonal form, yields regular 

 crystals with fossil alkali ; and. with volatile alkali, 

 constitutes partly crystalline masses and partly acicular 

 and prismatic crystals ; with magnesia, it forms a white 

 powder, which dissolves in water. It dissolves copper and 

 iron. The latter solution yields, upon evaporation, a yellowish 

 white powder, which is insoluble. It likewise dissolves zinc, 

 bismuth, arsenic, and cobalt. ' With manganese, it forms 

 crystals of which the planes are parallel, and which in some 

 measure resemble basalts. It does not precipitate lime 

 from the marine acid, a circumstance which, together with 

 its effects on iron and magnesia, distinguishes it from acid 

 of sugar. 



According to Mr. Westrumb's analysis, a resin may be 

 obtained from the residuum of vitriolic ether, which contains 

 vitriolic acid, vinegar, Glauber's salt, selenite, calcareous 

 earth, silex, iron, and phosphoric acid. 



