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III. Col clujion of the Experiments and Obfervations concerning the 
Attractive Powers of the Mineral Acids. B y Richard Kir- 
wan, Efj. F. R. S. 
AVI NG found, as exactly as I was able, the quantity of 
. each of the mineral acids taken up at the point of fatu- 
ration by alkalies and earths, and all'o that taken up by phlo- 
gidon, when thefe acids are by it converted into an aerial form 
I next endeavoured to find how much of thefe acids was taken 
up at the point of faturation bv each of the metallic fubftances, 
and for this purpofe procured the mod: faturated folution podi- 
ble of each metallic fubdance foluble in any of thefe acids. 
Thefe folutions did not. indeed, immediately anfwer my pur- 
pofe, as they condantly retained an excefs of acid ; yet as they 
were the foundation of my fublequent oblervations, and as the 
experiments themfelves are in many relpeds ufeful to be known, 
I fhall here briefly relate their relult, and confine mvfelf to 
thofe circumdances lingly that relate to my future invediga- 
tions, or that have not heretofore been fatisfa&orily explained. 
The acids I ufed were dephlogidicated lo far as to be colourlefs ; 
the metals were for the mod part very fine filings, or reduced 
in a mortar to a fine powder. They were added little by little 
to their refpedtive mendruums, much more being thus difiolved 
than if the whole was thrown in at once ; and the folution 
was performed in glafs phials with bent tubes. 
Read Dec. 12, 1782. 
Solution 
