37 o COMBINATION OF MERCURY 



ft ill remained the fame. Nor was its nature al- 

 tered by adding a quantity of nitrous acid fuf- 

 ficient for the folution of the quick mercury con- 

 tained in it, feparating that nitrous acid hydilliU 

 hition, and fublimating the reliduum with an e^ual 

 quantity of common fait. But corrofivc mercury 

 was obtained by adding for every part of fweet 

 mercury, one of common fait, and two of vitriol 

 not calcined, and fublimating the mixture. To 

 render the event of the experiments the more 

 certain, a quantity off\veet mercury was pre- 

 pared, from running mercury by the ordinary 

 procefs, and again converted into corrofivc. From 

 thefe fuels it follows, that corrolivc fublimate may 

 be prepared without nitrous acid, and that the 

 fubftances ad upon each oilier with a greater 

 reciprocal force in a humid mixture than in thq 

 dry way. 



xx vi ii. How happens it that the cot t ojhe force 

 d Mercury is not uiionys the fame ? 



AFTER confidering the various combinations 

 of mercury with the acid of fait, we are Jed to 

 enquire to what cuufc thedivcriitiesin their cha- 

 racter can be owing. The ancients imagined 

 that the acrid power of corrolive fublimntc vumJe- 

 lived from the influence of the vitrolic acid; a; 

 ii wns p!?in, that the mercury, cunliiling as ir. 



did, 



