264 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [ANNOl7g8. 



animal oxide, were introduced into a tube -± of an inch wide, which was sealed at 

 one end by fusion, and which also was fitly bent for collecting sublimate, and ob- 

 taining gaz. The sealed end was coated and exposed to fire, first to a low tempe- 

 rature, and gradually to a very elevated one. 1. Gaz was discharged, which had 

 the smell of burning bone. 2. Water appeared boiling immediately over the 

 charge, which seemed to be burning, and was turned black. 3. Gaz was dis- 

 charged, of the smell of empyreumatic liquor cornu cervi, and about 4- a drachm 

 of this liquor was in the upper part of the tube. 4. A brown sublimate of carbo- 

 nate of ammonia appeared in the cold part of the tube; but in the hotter part, 

 near the charge, was tar-like matter, and the gaz discharged had a very offensive 

 smell of empyreumatic animal oil, with which was mixed that of prussic acid. 

 The coated part of the tube was kept red-hot, for some time after gaz ceased to 

 come over. The quantity of gaz amounted to 24 oz., by measure: it consisted 

 of nearly 1 6 oz. of carbonic acid gaz, and the rest was air, with a larger propor- 

 tion of nitrogen gaz than is contained in atmospheric air. 



5. There was a residue of 30 grs., almost pure carbon; and lOgrs. of heavy 

 black and brown matter, a little above the coated part of the tube. In this last- 

 mentioned matter were many small white spicula. At about ± an inch above the 

 carbonaceous residue, dark grey matter had been raised, which weighed 1 5 grs. 

 This sublimed grey matter did not contain any ammonia, nor throw down any 

 prussiate of iron, with sulphate of iron. It reddened turnsole paper and tincture. 

 It dissolved in caustic soda; from which solution muriatic acid precipitated nothing; 

 for, though on dropping it into the solution milkiness appeared, the liquid soon 

 became clear again. 



10 grs. of this sublimate dissolved in 4 oz. of boiling water; which being evapo- 

 rated to 4- an oz., there was, on cooling, a copious deposit of white spicula.* 

 The sublimate had a sharp, but not sour taste. Being boiled in muriatic acid, 

 and also in nitric, it did not dissolve at all; but remained, on evaporation to dry- 

 ness, in the same state as before; and it must be particularly observed, that it left 

 no red or pink matter, on evaporating the nitric acid from it. Sulphuric acid did 

 not act on it in the cold; but, when heated, it dissolved it, without effervescence, 

 from which solution nothing was precipitated by caustic soda; on evaporating it to 

 dryness, black fumes arose, leaving behind only a black stain. This sublimed 

 matter did not render lime water turbid. Boiled in muriatic acid, so as to carry off 

 all but a very little free acid, on the addition of lime water there was no turbid 

 appearance, but milkiness ensued on adding oxalic acid. The spicula, in the 10 

 grs. of sublimate above-mentioned, seemed to be of the same nature as the matter 

 just described. The whole of this sublimate amounted, by estimation, to 18 

 grs.; and I apprehend it is the acid sublimate of Scheele. The sublimate of car- 



* From the deposition of these spicula by cooling, and from many of the following properties, they 

 appear to be analogous to benzoic acid. — Orig. 



