igS Prof, Berzelius's Experiments 



experiment in particular shewed clearly that the substance in 

 question contains carbonic acid. 



The existence of three acids united in this compound, being 

 thus ascertained, their respective proportions remained to be 

 determined. It was by an experiment similar to the last de- 

 scribed, that this object was obtained. The outline of this 

 analysis, a minute detail of which would unnecessarily prolong 

 this communication, was as follows: 



A portion of the compound, after being weighed with great 

 accuracy, was sublimed through a tube containing some very 

 fine spiral iron wire in a state of ignition, the weight of which 

 was three times that of the compound submitted to analysis. 

 A decomposition twok place, the products of which were, as 

 in the experiment above related, muriate of iron, sulphuret of 

 oxyd of iron, and a mixture of the carbonic oxyd and acid gases. 

 These bting carefully examined by appropriate reagents,* so 

 as to form an estimate of the quantities of the muriatic, sul- 

 phureous, and carbonic acids contained in the peculiar com- 

 pound, the following ultimate result, respecting the nature 

 and proportions of its constituent parts, was obtained, viz. 

 Muriatic acid - - 48,74 



Sulphureous acid - sPi^S 

 Carbonic acid ( and loss ) 21 ,63 



^ 100,00 



• The proportion of muriatic acid was estimated by dissolving the muriate of iron 

 in water, and precipitating the acid by nitrate of silver ; that of the sulphureous acid 

 was ascertained by treating the sulphuret of iron with nitro-muriatic acid, and pre* 

 cipitating the sulphuric acid formed by muriate of barytes : from the known relation 

 between the sulphureous and sulphuric acid, the quantity of the former was easib 

 deduced. And, lastly, the proportion of carbonic acid was gained by reducing the 

 gaseous mixture to the state of carbonic acid, and absorbing this by caustic potash. 



