of Subjlances in Spirit of Wine. 159 
I beg leave to add, Sir, that I think I have fince hit upon a 
better method of making foap, and without fpirit of wine ; 
but as I have not yet made all the experiments on this fubject 
that I intended, I cannot at prefent give you an account of 
them. If they fucceed, I will take the liberty to acquaint you 
with the refult. 
I am, Sir, with the greateft refpeft, &c. 
J. ELLIOT. 
Great Marlborough-Street, 
October 31, 17 85. 
P. S. Since writing the above I have found, that if mild 
fixed alkali be added to diachylum in hot water, they unite 
into a gelatinous mafs, which is mifcible with the water. 
This may be confidered as a kind of bepar. If this fubftance 
be put into hot fpirit of wine, the decompofition already de- 
fer ibed takes place. If chalk be fubftituted for alkali, there is 
a fimilar refult. I have found that nitre is decompofed by 
diachylum in fpirit of wine. I have alfo found, that if the 
compound of diachylum and common fait be put into hot fpirit 
of turpentine, the diachylum is diflolved, but the fait remains 
at the bottom of the veflek 
