47 
usually existing in the stomachs of animals. 
allowed to settle, were divided into four equal portions. 
1 . The first of these portions was evaporated to dryness in 
its natural state, and the residuum burnt in a platinum vessel ; 
the saline matter left was then dissolved in distilled water, 
and the quantity of muriatic acid present determined by 
nitrate of silver in the usual manner ; the proportion of mu- 
riatic acid, in union with a fixed alkali, was thus determined. 
2. Another portion of the original fluid was super-saturated 
with potash, then evaporated to dryness, and burnt, and the 
muriatic acid contained in the saline residuum determined as 
before. In this manner the total quantity of muriatic acid 
present in the fluid was ascertained. 3. A third portion was 
exactly neutralised with a solution of potash of known 
strength, and the quantity required for that purpose accu- 
rately noticed. This gave the proportion of free acid present ; 
and by adding this to the quantity in union with a fixed 
alkali, as determined above, and subtracting the sum from 
the total quantity of muriatic acid present, the proportion of 
acid in union with ammonia, was estimated. But as a check 
to this result, the third neutralised portion abovementioned 
was evaporated to dryness, and the muriate of ammonia ex- 
pelled by heat, and collected. The quantity of muriatic acid 
this contained was then determined as before, and was 
always found to represent nearly the quantity of muriate of 
ammonia as before estimated ; thus proving the general ac- 
curacy of the whole experiments beyond a doubt. 4- The 
remaining fourth portion of the original fluid was reserved 
for miscellaneous experiments, and particularly for the pur- 
pose of ascertaining whether it contained any other acid 
besides the muriatic. The experiments abovementioned 
