goo Dr. Marcet’s Analysis of the Water of 
5- ii. 
Preliminary Experiments to ascertain the Composition of the Salts 
concerned in this Analysis. 
Having satisfied myself by these preliminary experiments 
that the Dead Sea contained muriat of lime, muriat of mag- 
nesia, and selenite, and having no doubt both from the taste of 
the water, and from Lavoisier's statement,* that it contained 
also common salt, I proceeded to the comparative experiments 
above mentioned. 
The first indispensable step was to ascertain with accuracy 
the proportions of acid, and base, in the three muriats just 
named. This I had already done in the course of a more ge- 
neral inquiry which I began some time ago in conjunction 
with Mr. Tennant, and which has been of great use to me 
on the present occasion. But as the particulars of that series of 
experiments may probably be published at some future period, 
I shall now confine myself to such general statements as im- 
mediately belong to my subject. 
1. The composition of muriat of lime was ascertained by 
pouring a known measure of muriatic acid on a piece of pure 
marble of known weight, and more than sufficient to saturate 
the acid. The remaining portion of marble being then weighed, 
and the solution evaporated and heated to redness, the pro- 
portions of acid and earth were easily deduced. But in order 
to draw such an inference, it was necessary to ascertain with 
precision the quantity of pure lime in a given weight of marble, 
* Macqjjer, Lavoisier, and Sage, discovered the three muriats, but overlooked 
the small quantity of selenite. 
