[ 336 ] 
difiilled over. On opening the veflels, the fmell was 
again entirely changed, not near fo difagreable as be- 
fore. In the receiver I obtained a fluid, which 
turned the fyrup of violets green, effervefced very 
finartly with the very fame fpirit of vitriol I had 
ufed before j gave the fmell of a volatile alcali, on 
adding to this the fixed alcali j praecipitated the calces 
of metals diflblved in acids, and fhewed itfelf by 
all proofs a true volatile alcali. In the retort re- 
mained a yellowifh matter, almofl; without any fmell. 
I put to it fome water ; and after 24 honrs, it gave 
the herbaceous fmell, but fliewed no figns of any 
alcali. I let it ffand four days longer; the her- 
baceous fmell continued ; but there was no alcali to 
be difeovered. 1 diftilled it with a gentle fire: but 
neither then did there appear an alcali [^] ; and by 
applying a flronger fire, I got nothing but a kind of 
empyreumatic oil. 
i had poured, the 3d of Augufi, fome frefla water on 
the putrid matter; its putrid fmell continued; the 
ytli 1 decanted the fluid, filtrated it, and made it 
undergo the fame operation, with exadtly the fame 
elte(fl as before ; which I did again the i ith, with 
the very fame effedt. I did not repeat it oftener, as I 
had oGcafion for this putrid fleflt to fome other pur- 
pofe. 
Thefe experiments fliew, I think, that the volatile- 
alcali is prefent as long, at leafi, as the putrid fmell. 
(’(.’] What this herbaceous fmell drcl depend on, I did not en- 
quire any farther, as not relating to medicine,, fince a Jiving' 
body never was found in fuch a ftate : but very likely it depends, 
•n fome volatile alcali, which is perhaps in fo very final', a quan- 
tity as not to be perceptible by experiments.. 
continues,,. 
