On Sal Nttrum and JSfitro- Aerial Spirit 27 



the fire compose the oil of vitriol very much in the 

 same way as we showed above that the spirit of 

 sulphur is produced when sulphur is burned. And 

 indeed it is probable that the distillation of vitriol 

 will go on as long as any of the saline particles of the 

 colcothar remain, these being brought into the fluid 

 state under the action of heat in the manner afore- 

 said. 



Further, I do not know but that acid spirits distilled 

 from heavy woods, such as Guaiacum wood and the 

 like, are formed in a similar way by the action of fire 

 during distillation. Indeed, Guaiacum wood before 

 distillation does not seem to be endowed with an acid 

 but rather with a fixed salt. For its powder or decoc- 

 tion effervesces when spirit of vitriol (but not when 

 fixed salt) is poured on it. It corroborates this view 

 that the saline particles of that wood are in close 

 combination with the sulphureous particles, as will 

 be shown below, whence it is that the nitro-aerial 

 particles of the fire, encountering the sulphureous 

 particles of the wood in the course of distillation, rub 

 the saline particles and bring them into a fluid state 

 in the manner aforesaid. We observe also in passing 

 that acid spirits distilled from sugar and honey appear 

 to be produced in a not very dissimilar way by the 

 action of the nitro-aerial spirit of fire. For such 

 plants as have no acid taste and yet jdeld an acid 

 spirit on distillation are composed of sulphureous in 

 intimate union with saline particles, and are therefore 

 suited for yielding an acid liquid in the manner 

 aforesaid. 



As the nitro-aerial spirit of fire, encountering saline- 

 sulphureous particles with very brisk motion and 

 fiery effervescence, rubs down in a moment and 

 reduces to a fluid state the saline particles which are 



