Page:Transactions of the Geological Society, 1st series, vol. 2.djvu/114

104 purple hue throughout. It now weighed 339.63 grs. which is equal to 64.7 grs. of acid, taking the composition of muriate of silver to be 19.05 acid and 80.95 base, according to the determination of Dr. Marcet, and which, from its close coincidence with that of Gay Lussac, appears most entitled to confidence.

a. Three ounce measures of the brine, weighing 1628.4 grs. were evaporated to dryness in a heat not exceeding 200°, and which was reduced to 180° towards the close of the operation. The residuum was reduced to powder, and again exposed to a heat of about 180° until no farther moisture was given off. It now weighed 431.86 grs.

b. This residuum finely powdered, I put into a flask, and poured on it two ounce measures of alcohol nearly boiling. It stood forty eight hours, during which time it was frequently shaken. It was then filtered, and the salt left on the filter was washed with two ounces of fresh hot alcohol.

c. The filtered liquor was evaporated to dryness in a very gentle heat, and a small quantity of fresh alcohol was added to the residuum, to separate the earthy muriates from the muriate of soda taken up by the alcohol in the process b. This was filtered, and the liquor being evaporated to dryness yielded 0.32 gr. of residuum.