VOI-. LVIT.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 493 



easily obtained: however, a greater quantity of water is necessary for this 

 operation than for the spirit of salt, though the water becomes but slightly 

 acid, yet it is greatly sulphureous, and at the same time acquires no heat. The 

 sulphureous acid obtained by other means, as by distilling the acid of vitriol 

 with mercury, and other substances, is likewise condensible. Further, this 

 sulphureous acid of vitriol may, by 2 or 3 slow rectifications, be deprived of its 

 acid; but it will retain its penetrating sulphureous gas-like smell. 



The vapours which arise in the deflagration of nitre, with charcoal, anti- 

 mony, &c. commonly called clyssus, are very hard to condense; but, by making 

 them pass through water, their condensation is thoroughly effected. See fig. 6. — 

 In the rectification of phosphorus, if water is made use of to condense the 

 vapours, it will become as white as virgin wax, and almost as pliable; which 

 seems to be owing to the water which prevents its burning. — In the distillation 

 and rectification of the vitriolic aether, it is of advantage to make use of spirit 

 of wine to condense the vapours, which otherwise might have been dissipated. — 

 Besides these, a great many other things, too tedious to mention, may be 

 condensed in water, or spirit of wine, to a very great advantage. Mr. W, 

 cannot conclude, without mentioning that this new method of distillation bids 

 fair to discover the mercurial and colouring earths of Beccher; for by this 

 method we can condense the most volatile parts of all substances, far better than 

 by any other means. And he acknowledges that he received the first hint of it 

 from the common apparatus for reviving mercury from cinnabar. 



Explanation of pi. 14. — Fig. 1, a, a glass retort; b, a glass receiver; c, a bottle to receive what 

 distils; F, a glass, or stone vessel with water; The recipient b, has a spout at the bottom, which 

 conveys the liquor which distils into the bottle c; at the end there is a spout d; e, a crooked glass 

 tube -^ and y of an inch bore; o, a cork with a semicircular notch to stop the bottle p. 



Fig. 1, A, a glass retort; b, a glass receiver; c, a bottle to receive the distilled liquor; hh, glass 

 or stone vessels, with glass stoppers, ground and fitted to ll; f, a stone bottle with water; d, a 

 crooked tube, as at e, fig. 1 ; I, another crooked tube; k, a cork, with two semicircular notches 

 to fit the crooked tubes to the vessel h. 



Fig. 3, A, an iron body with a stone head, which has a stopper at b; b, a stand to support the 

 receivers and bottles. 



Fig. 4, A, the furnace, in which is placed the retort; b, a glass tubulated retort, which is to 

 be coated with loam up to b; c, another furnace; n, a tubulated retort, fixed in a vessel with sand; 

 E, a stone vessel, wherein the vapours of b and d are combined together; f, a bottle to receive the 

 liquor which distils ; G, a large tube fitted to f, about ^ inch bore ; h, a crooked pipe about ^ inch 

 bore; 1 and k, glass vessels containing .spirit of wine; L, a crooked glass tube. 



Fig. 5, A, a glass matrass about 4j feet high; b a glass head, with a spout and glass stopper 

 c; H, a glass tube; r, the receiver; e, the bottle to receive the liquor which distils; f andc, glass 

 vessels containing spirit of wine, hh, crooked tubes. 



Fig. 6, A , an iron or earthen retort ; b, the upper part of the retort, with an opening at top, 

 which is to be stopped occasionally; cccc, crooked stone pipes; dddd, glass receivers, containing 

 water; e, a crooked spout, proceeding from the last receivers, to let out the air that is set free in 

 the operation. 



END OF THE FIFTT-SEVENTH VOLUME OF THE ORIGINAL. 



