COMBINATION OF MERCURY 



fition of corrofive fublimate. Tachenius, whom 

 I mentioned above with fome commendation, 

 aflerts, that 280 pounds of mercury will produce 

 360 pounds of corrofive fublimate ; from which, 

 if it is true, it follows, that the metal will be 

 in. the proportion of 3^ to i of the acid. On 

 the other hand, if we are to believe Lemery, 

 who obtained 19 ounces of corrofive fublimate 

 from 1 6 ounces of mercury, the parts of the mix- 

 ture will give a ratio of 5! to i. Maccjuer, how- 

 ever, rightly obferves, that more mercury is loll 

 if the procefs is inilituted with a fmall than with 

 ?i large quantity. Le Mort errs coniiderably in 

 flating the weight of the acid to be triple that 

 of the mercury *. The proper weight of this 

 fait is yet undetermined, as it is varioufly de- 

 fined by different authors. According to Core- 

 far, the fpeciiic gravity of corrofive fublimate is 

 to the fpecific gravity of rain water as 6.325 to 

 JCGO; while, on the contrary, Mufchenbroek 

 eflimatcs their weights in the proportion of 

 8000 to i. Hence, then, it appears, that the 

 bulk of the two ingredients, and efpecially of 

 the mercury, is greater when combined toge- 

 ther, than when taken feparately. 



xvi. 



* Facie* Chcm. pun'f. On a more accurate invi-f- 



tigation, our author afterwards found, that the proportions 

 of acid and qmckfilver in a centenary were as 24,5 : 75,5. S 

 PifTcrt. df miner, tlocimafw huniiJa, Opufc. v. ii p. 42*3. 



