277 



tity of acid in luna cornea having been previously determined to be 

 19-05 per cent, by means of the weight of luna cornea, produced by 

 a given quantity of acid. 



The method found most successful for analysing the artificial com- 

 pound solution, consisted in dividing it into two portions, from one 

 of which the acid was precipitated by nitrate of silver, and its weight 

 ascertained. From the other the lime was precipitated by oxalate of 

 ammonia, and the magnesia by caustic potash. The respective quan- 

 tities of acid, combined with each, being thence deduced by assistance 

 of the preceding experiments, the quantity of muriate of soda could 

 be inferred from the remaining quantity of acid. 



By this method a compound solution known to contain 



8-17 muriate of lime 1 . , f 8.14 



26-10 muriate of magnesia l a PP eared -?7 tnal 

 25 muriate of soda / to contain 



After this series of preliminary experiments, Dr. Marcet proceeded 

 to the analysis of the water itself, of which 100 parts by evaporation, 

 at a temperature of 180, left a residuum of 41, and at 212, 38|. 



When 100 grains of the water were treated by muriate of barytes, 

 they gave a precipitate of one-tenth of a grain of sulphate of barytes. 



Another portion, weighing 250 grains, by addition of nitrate of 

 silver yielded a precipitate of 163-2, a quantity equivalent to 31- 09 

 acid. Oxalate of ammonia being then added, occasioned a precipitate 

 containing 4'814 pure lime; and hence the quantity of muriate of 

 lime is computed to be 9 '48. 



The clear solution, containing the nitrates of magnesia and of soda, 

 with oxalate of ammonia, having then been concentrated by evapo- 

 ration, subcarbonate of ammonia occasioned a precipitate containing 

 IT! of pure magnesia, which are equivalent to 25*25 muriate of 

 magnesia. 



After deducting the quantities of acid contained in these muriates 

 from the quantity estimated by luna cornea, there remained 12-28 

 for acid in the muriate of soda, which, by estimation from preceding 

 experiments, was thus found to be 26' 69. 



These results being brought into one view, the water of the Dead 

 Sea appears to contain, in every 100 parts, 



Muriate of lime 3'792 



Muriate of magnesia 10" 100 



Muriate of soda 10*676 



Sulphate of lime 0'054 



24*632 

 being the total amount of saline matter when perfectly dry. 



The same chemical reagents as were used to discover the general 

 properties of the water of the Dead Sea being applied to that of the 

 river Jordan, were found to produce analogous effects. But the quan- 

 tity of saline matter was so small, that on evaporation of 500 grains 

 at about 200, the residuum weighed only eight tenths of a grain* 



