15D ON THE x/NCOMBINBD ALKALI IN ANIMAL FLUIDS. 



*' 2; When suffered to evaporate spontaneously in a glass 

 capsule, it left, at the end of 12 hours, a dry efflorescent cry- 

 stalline substance, which consisted principally of feathery 

 crystals, amongst which were discefned groups of rectangular 

 plates, and j few minute cubes. 



" 3. The presence of potash in this crystalline mass was 

 made obvious, both by the tartaric acid, and by oxymuriat of 

 platina, though not so much so by the latter of these tests, 



** The portion b, was saturated with sulphuric acid, and 

 submitted to spontaneous evaporation. The result was a rira 

 of confused crystals, surrounding a group of regular efflorescent 

 prisms of glauber, being (at least some of them) terminated 

 by distinct dihedral summits, and having sufficient magnitude 

 to be identified by the naked eye, even at the distance of a 

 few yards ; they were made to crystallize over and overagainj 

 always with the same result j but in some of these crystalliza- 

 tions, a few crystals of sulphat of potash also appeared, the form 

 pf which was not equivocal. 



The portion c, being treated with nitric acid, yielded by 

 evaporation great numbers of rhomboidal crystals, perfectly- 

 distinct to the naked eye, and amongst which no form, at all 

 resembling that of nitre, could be detected. 



" The portion d, being treated with oxymuriat of platina, 

 the usual crystalline appearance of potash-muriat of platina 

 took place immediately ; but by slow spontaneous evaporation, 

 other and more abundant needle-shaped crystals of soda-muriat 

 t)f platina made their appearance, 



" My conclusion therefore, (which I. hope will now also be 

 your's) is precisely as before -, namely, that the potash which 

 exists in the animal fluids, is in the state of n>uriat, and that the 

 ■whole of the uncombined alkali is soda ; and as il is a known 

 fact, that muriat of potash is in some degree soluble in alcohol,' 

 the circumstance v/hich led you into error is readily explained. 



" 1 have only farther to add, that the fact, which I have en- 

 deavoured to establish by a specific inquiry, ought to have been 

 inferred from principle ; for it is well known that potash has 

 a stronger attraction for the muriatic acid than soda ; and in- 

 deed I understand that it is a common process, in some mana* 



factories 



