68 
Dr. de Crell on the Decomposition 
residuum, /3. of Exp. xxii. c , of Exp. xxiv. and that of the 
following experiments. 
Exp. xxxiv. To obviate the objection, that sedative salt alone 
would perhaps deflagrate with melted nitre, I made that expe- 
riment also, but in vain. Not the smallest deflagration took 
place, even when both were melted together for many hours. 
Exp. xxxv. Another objection may be made, namely, that 
in distilling the muriatic acid from manganese, part of the 
latter had passed over with the acid ; and, in the frequent dis- 
tillations of the sedative salt, had been deposited upon it, and 
thus deflagrated. But, on throwing fresh pulverized or solid 
manganese, either such as is usually sold, or quite pure, heated 
to redness, into melted nitre, not the smallest deflagration took 
place. 
Exp. xxxvi. to l. Instead of the interrupted heat used in the 
foregoing experiments, I now exposed half an ounce of the 
salt, with three ounces of the oxygenated muriatic acid, to a 
continued heat, of between 200° and 300° of Fahrenheit. The 
fluid had nearly evaporated in twenty-four hours. I changed 
the phial, towards the close of the operation, for another, that 
the former might be gently heated, and the fluid by that means 
be poured back, with the greater safety, upon the warm salt, 
through the tube of the retort. In this manner, during an un- 
interrupted fire of fourteen days, the acid was fourteen times 
distilled, and returned upon the salt. On the third day, yellow 
spots appeared. On the fourth, some particles of oil or fat were 
discovered, swimming on the surface of the fluid in the phial; 
which particles, after cooling and emptying die phial, adhered 
to its sides, so as to obscure its transparency. More or less of 
these oily particles were discovered in every successive opera- 
