158 Dr, Elliot’s Obfer vat ions on the Affinities 
there is confiderable danger, not only of the fjpirit taking fire 
from the careleflhefs of the workmen, but likewife from the 
frequent explofions that happen during the decompofition of the 
metallic foap. 
As in the experiment with calcareous earth and mild alkali, 
fo in this, I found that the -decompofition would not take place 
when water was ufed, nor by fufion. la the latter cafe, 1 
found that the fait was fo ftrongly attracted, that it quitted 
its water of cryftallifation to unite to the metallic foap. If 
lpirit of wine was added to this mafs, a double decompofition 
took place, as already defcribed. 
Inftead of fea fait, I added to diachylum Glauber’s fait, freed 
from its water of cryftallifation by heat. I expected that it 
would have acted on the metallic foap more fpeedily than the 
fea fait ; but the contrary appeared on trial. On adding a 
fmall quantity of fal fodae, the decompofition went on better^ 
and fufficiently to fhew that the ingredients were capable of 
acting on each other. And I fuppofe, from your table, that 
other neutral and earthy falts will have a fimilar effet, efpe- 
cially if deprived of any fuperfluous acid by the addition of a 
little alkali or earth ; though I have not made the trials. 
ProfeiTor Bergman has divided his table into two parts ; 
the affinities as they take place in the moijl , and in the dry way. 
But thefe experiments fhew, that in the moijl way the affinities 
take place differently, according as water, or fpirit of wine, is 
ufed. Perhaps a like difference would be found on ufing other 
liquids, each of which would probably afford a different table : 
for much depends oil the attraction which the ingredients 
themfelves have to the liquid employed, as I have endeavoured 
to (hew in the work before referred to ; for the liquid is to be 
corfidered as one of the ingredients. 
I beg 
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