CHEMISTRY. 
that compounds have new properties, very different from 
tliofe of either of their component parts. 
Corrofive mercurial muriat is not l'enlibly altered by 
light; heat volatilizes and femi-vitjifies it. If it be 
llrongly heated with accefs of air, it is diflipated in the 
form of a white fume, whofe effedfs on the animal eco¬ 
nomy are very active, and exceedingly dangerous. 
When heated /lowly, and by degrees, it l’ublimes in a 
cryltalline and regular form, into prifms, fo flattened 
that it is impoflible to determine th'e number of their 
faces. They terminate in very acute fummifs, and have 
been very properly compared to the blades of poniards- 
thrown confuiedly among each other. Fire alone is not 
capable of decompofing this fait, neither is it fufceptible 
of alteration from the air. It is i'oluble in nineteen parts 
of water, and cryftallizes by evaporation, in flattened 
prifms, very fliarp, their extremity being flmilar to tliofe 
obtained by fublimation. 
Barytes, magnefia, and lime, decompofe the corrofive 
mercurial muriat, and precipitate the mercurial oxyd. 
The phagedenic water made ufe of as a corrofive by bur¬ 
geons, is made by throwing half a drachm of this fait, 
in powder, into a pound of lime-water; a yellow preci¬ 
pitate is formed, which renders the fluid opake, and it is 
employed before this fublides. Fixed alkalis precipitate 
from corrofive mercurial muriat, an orange coloured 
oxyd, which becomes deeper coloured by keeping. Am¬ 
moniac affords a white precipitate, which after a fliort 
time becomes of a flate colour. 
Acids and neutral alkaline falls, produce no change 
in the corrofive mercurial muriat. This lalt contracts 
an intimate union with muriat of ammoniac without de- 
compofition. This very lingular faline compound, which 
was highly efteemed by the alchemifts, and called by 
them fal alembrotb » fait of art, or of wifloin, See. is form¬ 
ed either by fublimation or cryllallization. The ammo- 
niacal muriat renders the corrofive mercurial muriat very 
I'oluble, lince, according to Bait hie, three ounces of wa¬ 
ter charged with nine drachms of the former, diflblves 
five ounces of the latter fait. This folution is made with 
heat, and affords a folid mafs in cooling. A prepara¬ 
tion, called white mercurial precipitate, is made from 
this fait. A pound of corrofive mercurial muriat in 
powder is thrown into a folution of the fame quantity of 
muriat of ammoniac; when the lalt is perfectly diflblved 
a folution of carbonat of potafli is added, which forms a 
white precipitate, which is walhed and dried in the form 
of finall lozenges. In this operation the potalh difen- 
gages the ammoniac, which precipitates the mercury in a 
white oxyd. Heat, and even light, gives this precipi¬ 
tate a yellow colour. 
Corrofive mercurial muriat is altered by hydrogen gas. 
Sulphur does net change it, but alkaline fulphure de- 
compofes this as well as all the other folutions of mercu¬ 
ry; a black precipitate being produced, Whicharifesfrom 
the combination of the liilphur with the mercury. Moll 
of the metals weliave mentioned are capable of decompo¬ 
fing this fait, and each decompofition exhibits peculiar 
phenomena, which well deferve to he examined. If two 
parts of corrofive mercurial muriat, with one of arlenic, 
be diitilled by a mild heat, a tranlparent fubltance, of 
the confidence of oil, pallets into the receiver, part of 
which foon condenfes into a kind of White jelly, called 
corrofive oil, or butter of arfenic. If the heat be continued 
after the butter has palled over, running mercury is ob¬ 
tained ; fo that the procefs affords a method of deter¬ 
mining accurately the principles of corrofive mercurial 
nuif iat. The muriat of arlenic does not appear capable 
of cryllallization, melts with a gentle heat, and is fo 
cauftic that it inlfantly deftroys the organs of animals. 
It is I'oluble in water, which partly decompofes it; but 
its other properties are unknown. Oxyd of arlenic does 
not afford it, becaufe in this date the metal, being already 
combined with a portion of oxygen, cannot take it from 
Vox.. IV. No. j 9 6. 
2&5 
the oxyd of the mercury, nor difengage the mercury from 
its muriatic combination. 
The efi'edts of cobalt, nickel, and manganefe, on cor¬ 
rofive mercurial muriat, have not been yet examined. 
Bifmuth, antimony, and zink, decompofe this lad lalt 
with great facility. When two parts of corrofive mercu¬ 
rial muriat, and one part of bilhiuth, are diddled toge¬ 
ther, a thick fluid fubltance is obtained, which congeals 
into a mat's of a greafy appearance, fufible by heat, and 
precipitable by wafning with much water; and ina word, 
a true folid: muriat of bifmuth. Poli, who fil'd deferibed 
this experiment, in the Hiltory of the Royal Academy 
for 1713, affirms, that, when this butter of bifmuth is 
l'ublime.d fcveral times, there remains in the vefl'el a pow¬ 
der of the colour of oriental pearls, very i'oft to the 
touch, and as it were glutinous ; he propofes this pow¬ 
der to be employed as a pigment. 
If twelve ounces of antimony, and thirty-two ounces 
of corrofive mercurial muriat, be accurately mixed toge¬ 
ther, heat is excited, which /hews that there is a rapid 
action between them. If the mixture be diddled by a 
gentle heat, a thick liquor is obtained, which becomes 
fixed in the receiver, and often in the neck of the retort, 
in the form of a white mafs, called butter of antimony. 
This fublimed muriat of antimony ufually weighs fixteen 
ounces and a few drachms. ■ The relidue is compofed of 
mercury, and a grey powder of antimony, which floats 
on the metallic fluid. If the diddlation be continued 
after the muriat of antimony has palled over, a new re¬ 
ceiver being adapted, running mercury is obtained, foil¬ 
ed by a (mail quantity of the muriat of antimony, which 
it is impoflible to clear entirely out of the neck of the 
retort. Baume, who has accurately delci-ibed this ope¬ 
ration, affirms, that by this procels two ounces of run¬ 
ning mercury may be obtained, one ounce of antimony 
in powder, mixed with the mercury, and fix drachms 
twenty-four grains of antimony melted in the retort. 
The latter is partly oxydated, it affords a red oxyd and 
a white, in part fublimed. In this experiment the anti¬ 
mony is oxydated by the oxygen which is leparated from 
the oxyd of mercury, and unites to the muriatic acid, 
with which it forms the muriat of antimony. The fame 
decompofition takes place equally well with fulphure of 
antimony; one part of that mineral in powder being dif- 
tilledwith two parts of corrofive mercurial muriat, af¬ 
fording a fublimed muriat of antimony. But the refidue, 
inltead of containing running mercury, exhibits a com¬ 
bination of fulphur with that metal. Tins combination 
may be fublimed by a ftronger fire into red needles, im¬ 
properly called cinnabar of antimony. 
This fublimed muriat of antimony, or the combina¬ 
tion of the muriatic acid with antimony, does not take 
place but in proportion as the muriat takes the oxygen 
from the mercury,' as we have already obferved of ar¬ 
lenic. This compound is in a (olid form; it cry/lallizes 
in thick parailelopipeds; its caulticity is fufficiently ltrong 
to deltroy both animal and vegetable matters in a very 
fliort time. The action of light changes it: by a low 
heat it is melted, and becomes fixed by cooling; for 
which reafon it has been called butter of antimony. It 
is eafily deprived of its white colour; and it may be rec¬ 
tified by diitillation. When expoled to the air it attracts 
moillure, and is diflblved into a thick fluid, apparently 
oleaginous : it does not completely clifl'olve in water, the 
greater part being decompoled by that fluid. When 
lublimated muriat of antimony is thrown into diitilled 
water, a very abundant precipitate is immediately form¬ 
ed, which is known by the name of emetic powder, or 
powder of Algaroth, from the name of an Italian phyfician 
who firlt uled it. It has been improperly called mercurius 
wita. This precipitate is an oxyd of antimony, which 
is violently purgative and emetic. The lublimated mu¬ 
riat of antimony diflblves with heat and etfervelcence in 
the nitric acid ; a large quantity of nitrous gas being at 
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