OF SEA-WATER. 211 



products equivalent to 1.7 grains of carbonate of magnesia, and 

 1.2 grain of carbonate of lime. 



The solution (B) obtained by the action of the stronger al- 

 cohol, ought to have contained, according to the results of La- 

 voisier's analysis, muriate of magnesia and muriate of lime. 

 A small portion of it was diluted with distilled water, and a 

 few drops of a solution of oxalate of ammonia were added, but 

 caused no precipitation, nor even any opacity. The liquor, 

 therefore, contained no muriate of lime. It was distilled to 

 dryness. The dry matter deliquesced on exposure to the air ; 

 being lixiviated with alcohol, a small portion of muriate of so- 

 da remained undissolved, which was added to the solution D. 

 The liquor being evaporated so far as to be of an oily consist- 

 ence, afforded, on cooling, muriate of magnesia in prisms. This, 

 dried until it had no appearance of moisture, weighed 145 

 grains. Decomposed by sulphuric acid, it afforded 105.9 grains 

 of dry sulphate of magnesia, equivalent to 88.5 of real mu- 

 riate. 



The solution D had a strong saline taste, and, in cooling, 

 had deposited muriate of soda in cubes on the sides of the 

 bottle. A little of it being diluted with distilled water, oxalate 

 of ammonia did not impair the transparency. Carbonate of 

 potash, and muriate of barytes, produced a turbid appearance. 

 The entire liquor was submitted to distillation, until the alcohol 

 was abstracted, and was then evaporated in an open bason, un- 

 til crystals formed in it while hot. These were cubes of mu- 

 riate of soda, and this salt continued to be afforded by succes- 

 sive evaporations. The last product deliquesced a little on 

 exposure to the air, indicating the presence of muriate of mag- 

 nesia ; and the remaining liquor afforded by evaporation a deli- 

 quescent saline mass : both these were washed with repeated 

 portions of alcohol ; muriate of magnesia was thus obtained, 



D d 2 which 



