WITH TtfE MARINE ACID. 33$ 



With the afMancc of heat, the vitriolic acid 

 is capable of diflblving corroiive mercury ; but 

 cannot retain it after the folution is become 

 cold. It is an obfervation of Pott, that the vi- 

 triolic acid occafions a precipitate in the form 

 of powder from a folution of corrofivc mercury, 

 .which is afterwards rc-dillolvcd on being heated. 

 Allowing this to be fact, it implies neither a de- 

 compofitionof the fair, nor a greater affinity to 

 mercury in the vitriolic than in the muriatic acid, 

 which P. A. Marherr apprehended to be the 

 cafe*. When warm water was poured upon the 

 precipitate, it was immediately diilolved, leav- 

 ing behind no turpeth mineral. There is no 

 precipitation therefore of vitriolated mercury, 

 but of corroiive or muriutcd, which had been 

 deprived of part of its water by the vitriolic acid. 

 But Pott himfelf found, that common fait occa- 

 iioned a precipitate from the vitriolic folution of 

 mercury, which could not happen unlcfs from 

 a combination of the metal and the muriatic 

 acid. 



Corrofive mercury, prepared in the ordinary 

 way with vitriol and nitre, gives a yellow colour 

 to dillilled vinegar. A red powder is obtained 

 from the folution by evaporation, which is con- 

 ceived by many to be a mercurial fulphur. 

 The opinion of Junker, however, that it is a 

 martial earth fublimed by the violence of the 

 Y 2 fire, 



* DiiT, Uc affimiatc corporum Vicnn. 1762. 



