452 ANALYSIS OF THE 



Being agitated with about half an ounce of distilled water, 

 the greater part was dissolved. The portion which remained 

 undissolved, after being washed with small quantities of distil- 

 led water, and dried, weighed 2.4 grains. To this matter a 

 little diluted nitric acid being added, a slight effervescence was 

 excited : a thin crust, too, adhered to the sides of the small 

 glass globe in which the last stage of the evaporation had 

 been performed, which was dissolved with effervescence by a 

 weak acid. The quantity of carbonate of lime thus indicated, 

 may be estimated at 0.5 grain. The remainder of the undis- 

 solved residue being washed and dried, was heated with two 

 or three drops of sulphuric acid, and was thus rendered soluble 

 in water. When neutralized by ammonia, the solution became 

 milky : but its transparency was restored by adding more wa- 

 ter; it became quite turbid on adding oxalate of potash, and a 

 precipitate was thrown down by alkohol. It was therefore 

 sulphate of lime. Its quantity may be stated at 2 grains. 



The solution had a taste purely saline. The test of oxalate 

 of ammonia, however, shewed the presence in it of a small 

 quantity of lime ; the addition of the oxalate was therefore 

 continued as long as any precipitation took place, and the pre- 

 cipitate was collected and dried. It weighed 1.3 grains. This 

 production of oxalate of lime evidently arose from the pre- 

 sence of a small portion of muriate of lime, which, notwith- 

 standing the precautions that had been employed, had adhe- 

 red to the muriate of soda. Supposing that this had not esca- 

 ped the action of the alkohol, but had been dissolved by it, 

 and in the subsequent stage of the experiment, been convert- 

 ed into sulphate of lime, it would have increased the quantity 

 of this sulphate about 1.2 grains, making it therefore 21.7, 

 equivalent to 17.6 grains of dry muriate of lime which the pint 

 of water contains. 



The 



