Am,  Jour.  Pharm.  I 
Nov.  1875.  / 
Lead  in  Muriatic  Acid. 
485 
LEAD  IN  MURIATIC  ACID. 
BY  E.  SCHEFFER. 
For  making  solution  of  perchloride  of  iron  I  noticed,  on  cooling  of 
the  hot  solution,  the  formation  of  a  large  quantity  of  glistening  scaly 
crystals.  These  crystals,  after  being  separated  from  the  iron  solution, 
and  after  beino-  washed  at  first  with  a  little  water  and  afterwards  with 
o 
alcohol,  were  entirely  white  and  showed  a  pearly  lustre  ;  they  proved 
to  be  chloride  of  lead. 
Of  course,  my  suspicion  was  directed  immediately  to  the  commercial 
muriatic  acid,  which  I  had  used  and  which  was  manufactured  by  the 
Star  Glass  Works  of  New  Albany,  Ind. 
By  mixing  this  acid  with  an  equal  bulk  of  distilled  water,  after  a 
short  time  flakes  were  seen  forming  and  precipitating  from  the  clear 
liquid,  which  flakes  settled  down  in  white  heavy  crystals.  After  being 
washed  with  a  little  water  and  afterwards  with  alcohol,  they  dissolved 
entirely  in  water.    The  solution  gave  with 
Sulphuric  Acid — a  wh!t2  precipitate  ; 
Chromate  Potassium — a  yellow  precipitate  ,• 
Iodide  Potassium — a  deep  yellow  precipitate  5 
Caustic  Potash- -a  white  precipitate  5 
Soluble  in  excess,  and  by  means  of  the  blow  pipe  metallic  lead  was  ob- 
tained. 
One  part  of  the  acid  from  which  the  crystals  of  chloride  of  lead  had 
precipitated  was  mixed  with  two  parts  of  water,  so  that  in  the  mixture 
one  part  of  the  commercial  acid  was  diluted  with  five  parts  of  water ; 
from  this  no  more  chloride  of  lead  was  precipitated  ;  the  solution  gave 
with 
Sulphuric  Acid — no  precipitate  5 
Nitrate  of  Barium — white  precipitate  5 
Sulphuretted  Hydrogen— black  precipitate  5 
and  by  evaporation  of  this  dilute  acid  more  crystals  of  chloride  of  lead 
were  obtained. 
From  the  commercial  acid,  evaporated  on  a  water  bath,  crystals 
commenced  to  deposit  before  10  per  cent,  had  volatilized  ;  their  quantity 
increased  by  further  evaporation,  which  was  continued  until  from  two 
ounces  of  acid,  about  one  drachm  of  liquid  was  left  ;  after  cooling,  the 
liquid  acid  was  poured  off  from  the  crystals,  diluted  with  water,  and 
then  tested  with  nitrate  of  barium,  which  gave  a  copious  precipitate  of 
sulphate  of  barium.  The  crystals,  after  being  washed  with  water  and 
alcohol,  proved  to  be  pure  chloride  of  lead. 
