200 Analyjis of the Air. 
care to wipe the infide of the receiver very 
dry with a warm cloth. 
The Mercury made a great ebullition* and 
came fomc of it over into the receiver* as 
foon as the retort had a red heat given it* 
which was increafed to a white and almoft 
melting heat, in which ftate it continued 
for half an hour. During which time* I 
frequently cohobated fome part of the Mer~ 
cury 7 which condenfed, and was lodged on 
an horizontal level, about the middle of 
the neck of the retort : And which upon 
railing the receiver, flowed down into the 
bottom of the retor t 3 and there made a frefh 
ebullition* which had ceaftd, when all the 
Mercury was diftillcd from the bottom of 
the retort. When all was cool* I found 
about two drams of Mercury in the retort* 
and loft in the whole 43 grains, but there 
was not the leaft moifture in the receiver. 
Whence it is to be fufpedted that Mr. 
Boyle and others were deceived by fome 
unheeded circumftance, when they thought 
they obtained a water from Mercury in the 
diftillation of it 3 which he fays he did once* 
but could not make the like Experiment 
afterwards fucceed. Boyle 7 VoL HI. p. 41 6 » 
