On Vegetable and Animal Analysis . &JL 
collected over mercury with the oxygen gas issuing by 
the smali lateral tube. 
In order to execute this operation easily, we may con- 
ceive that it is necessary that the matter be detached 
entirely from the cavity and fall to the bottom of the 
tube. For this purpose it is made up into small balls, 
as will be mentioned presently : we may also conceive 
that it is necessary to inquire what is the proper quanti- 
ty of hyper-oxygenated muriate for burning completely 
vegetable substance. We must even take the precau- 
tion to employ at least one half more than this substance 
requires, in order that the combustion may be com- 
plete. 
But of all the inquiries which ought to precede the 
operation, the most important is the analysis of the hy- 
per-oxygenated muriate employed ; for upon this all the 
calculations of the experiments are in a great measure 
founded. 
All this being well understood, it will be easy to ana- 
lyse a vegetable substance with the hyper-oxygenated mu- 
riate. The substanee is to be ground on a porphyry slab 
with the greatest care, as also the hyper oxygenated muri 
ate; quantities of both are to be weighed in very accurate 
scales ; they are to be well mixed, moistened, and rolled 
into cylinders; these are to be divided into small balls, 
which are to be exposed to a boiling heat in order to ren- 
der them as dry as the original materials were. If the 
substance to be analysed is a vegetable acid, it is to be 
combined with lime or barytes before mixing it with the 
hyper- oxygenated muriate : the salt which results is to be 
analysed, and an account is to be taken of the carbonic 
acid which remains united to the base after the experi- 
ment : lastly, if the substance to be analysed contains 
some bodies which are foreign to its nature, they are also 
to be taken account of. 
