358 Dr. Davy’s observations 
of calomel formed ; whilst in the two latter no change took 
place. 
Some oil of turpentine was poured on corrosive sublimate, 
and exposed to sunshine for a week. The fluidity of the oil 
was slightly impaired, but the corrosive sublimate was un- 
altered. 
To a saturated aqueous solution of corrosive sublimate, a 
few drops of muriatic acid were added, and to another satu- 
rated solution, a small quantity of muriate of ammonia. No 
change was produced in these solutions by the action of light 
during exposure for three weeks. 
From these experiments it may be deduced, that light alone 
has not the power of decomposing corrosive sublimate, and 
that it does not produce the effect, excepting when aided by 
affinities of a complicated nature. 
In confirmation of this conclusion, I beg leave to relate some 
other experiments made with a view to illustrate it, and which, 
I trust, will not prove uninteresting in themselves. 
The solubility of corrosive sublimate in water and alcohol 
is differently stated by authors. In one experiment, made 
with as much accuracy as was in my power, 37 grains of dis- 
tilled water were required to dissolve 2 grains of corrosive 
sublimate at the temperature 57 0 Fahrenheit, which is in 
the proportion of about 5.4 per cent. Its degree of solubility 
increases greatly with the temperature, but in what ratio, it 
is not easy to ascertain with precision, owing to the trivial 
circumstances by which the crystallization of the salt is 
affected. 
Alcohol, of specific gravity .816, at 6 o°, dissolves, I find, 
half its weight of corrosive sublimate : thus 10 grains of it 
