Dr. Blagdeh’s Report 
fore, always taken by weight. A phial being provided of fuch a 
fise as that it Should be nearly full with the mixture, was made 
perfeaiy clean and dry, and being counterpoised, as much of the 
pure fpirit as appeared necefl’ary was poured into ir. The weight 
of this fpirit was then afcertained, and tne weight ot dil'tilhd 
water, required to make a tnixture of the intended propoition®, 
was calculated. .This quantity of water was then added, with 
all the neceffary care, the laft portions being put in by menus 
of a well known inftrument, which is compofed ot a lmall 
dilh terminating in a tube drawn to a fine point : the top of 
the difh being covered with the thumb, the liquor in it is 
prevented from running out through .the tube by the preiluie 
of the atmofphere, but inftantly begins to iffue by drops, or a 
very fmall ftream, upon railing the thumb. Water being thus 
introduced into the phial, till it exatfly counterpoised the 
weight, which, having been previoufly computed, was put into 
the oppolite fcale, the phial was fhaken, and then well flopped 
w ith its glafs flop pie, over which leather was tied very tight, 
to prevent evaporation. No mixture was ufed till it had re- 
mained in the phial at leaf!: a month, for the full penetration 
to have taken place ; and it was always well fhaken before it 
was poured out to have its fpecific gravity tried. 
2. There are two common methods of taking the fpecific 
gravity of fluids ; one by finding the weight which a folid body 
lofes by being immerfed in them ; the other by filling a con- 
venient vefl'el with them, and afcertaining the increafe of 
weight it acquires. In both cafes a Standard muft have been 
previoufly taken, which is ufually diftilled water ; namely, m 
the firft method by finding the weight loft by tjie folid body 
in the water, and in tne Second method, the weight of the 
