WITH THE MARINE ACID. 345 



gcthcr united with the acid of fait alone, of 

 which the metal can take only a limited quan- 

 tity. From the experiments of Rouelle, it is ma- 

 nileft, that, neither by a greater proportion of 

 common fait, re-iterated fublimations with it, or 

 repeated folution of corrofivc mercury in the 

 muriatic acid, it is poffible to combine an ex- 

 traordinary quantity of the acid with the metal*. 

 As to the account given by Homberg, of the 

 liquefaction of corrofivc fublimate, charged with 

 a fupcrabundance of acid, and its refemblance 

 in confidence to the butter of antimony, we 

 conceive it is to be explained by the folution of 

 the fait in the cxccfs of acid. 



The acid in corrofive mercury is fo faturatcd 

 as to become quite taftcicfs. Monf. Rouclle 

 writes, that a folution of corrofivc mercury 

 changes the fyrup of violets to a green, but that 

 it docs not in the leall ailed the tincture of tur- 

 ncfol. As often however as I have made the 

 experiment, cither with the fait that 1 purchaf- 

 cd, or with fome of it prepared by myfclf, wafii- 

 ed even in the purcit water, I have always feen 

 it redden the tindure of the turnefol, but it 

 produces no figns of an acid with the blue ve- 

 getable colours -J-. 



It is not yet fufliciently afccrtaincd what is the 

 proportion of acid and mercury in the compo- 



fition, 



* Mem. dcl'Acad. clcs Sc. dc Par's, 1754. 



t Baumc affcrta the contrary in his Manuri dc Chymjr. 



