H, Wurtz’ Contributions to Analytical Chemistry. 373 
dilute conditions, The acid chiefly operated with was chemically 
pure and of specific gravity =1:29, but in some cases a fuming 
acid which had been rectified and of spec. grav. =1-43 was made 
f. 
use of. 
I. The Alkali-metals, Potassium, Sodium and Lathium.—Dr. J. 
Lawrence Smith, in the memoir of November, 1853, before allu- 
to, mentions his having obtained the complete decomposition 
of the chlorids of sodium and potassium by nitric acid. It is 
Process, one evaporation is enough. These facts are of evident 
2 lrg in any proposed analytical applications. — 
+ ure chlorid of lithium* behaves with nitric acid precisely 
like the chlorids of potassium and sodium, 
ture crystals of chlorid of sodium being heated gradually 
With an excess of nitric acid of spec. grav. =1:29, (by immers- 
‘ng the beaker in water and applying heat to the latter), the fol- 
lowing appearances were observed. 
At about 75° C., small bubbles of gas were evolved, the evo- 
ution becoming very copious at 100° C., and the salt rapidly 
dissolving to a clear yellow liquid. On cooling, the evolution 
Ceased again at 75° é. and on further cooling small granular 
‘rystals separated plentifully, which were washed with strong 
alcohol, and found to contain but a trace of chlorine, and to 
deflagrate with charcoal, being in fact nitrate of soda. A further 
= a 
gether wit ine, his chloronitrous an 
acids, NO*CL a nOLGee sepacially when we take into consid- 
_* Two parati ted u made from specimens of the carbonate 
Presented Ne me by ons: thant snd Bread; one of which was found to be pure, 
and the other contained only a little carbonate of ammonia. 
+ Handbuch der Chemie: ii 
