[ 2 4° ] 



prized me ; for, the marine acid being reckoned the 

 weakefl of the three mineral acids, 1 did not think 

 that it had been capable. of diflodging the oil of 

 vitriol from this fubftance; but I found that it had 

 the very fame effect both upon alum and nitre ; the 

 vitriolic acid in the former cafe, and the nitrous in 

 the latter, giving place to the ftronger vapour of 

 fpirit of fait. 



The run: of iron, and the precipitate of nitrous air 

 made from copper, alfo imbibed this vapour very 

 faft, and the little that remained of it was inflam- 

 mable air $ which proves, that thefe calces con- 

 tain phlogifton. It feems alfo to be pretty evi- 

 dent, from this experiment, that the precipitate 

 above-mentioned is a real calx of the metal, by the 

 folution of which the nitrous air is generated. 



As fome remarkable circumftances attend the ab- 

 sorption of this vapour of fpirit of fait, by the fub- 

 ftances above-mentioned, I fhall briefly mention 

 them. 



Spirit of wine abforbs this vapour as readily as 

 water itfelf, and is increafed in bulk by that means. 

 Alfo, when it is faturated, it diilblves iron with as 

 much rapidity, and ftill continues inflammable. 



Oil of olives abforbs this vapour very flowly, and, 

 at the fame time, it turns almoft black, and becomes 

 glutinous. It is alfo lefs miicible with water, and 

 acquires a very difagreeable fmelh By continuing 

 upon the furface of the water, it became white, and 

 its offenfive fmell went off in a few days. 



Oil of turpentine abforbed this vapour very faft, 

 turning brown, and almoft black. No inflammable 

 .air was formed, till I raifed more of the vapour than 



the 



