The Spirit of Nitre extracted by this method is as strong, and smokes as much, as that obtained by calcined Vitriol, provided the Oil of Vitriol made use of be well concentrated; but it is generally tainted by the admixture of a small portion of the Vitriolic Acid, which, having no basis of its own to restrain it, is carried up by the heat before it can lay hold of the basis of the Nitre.
There are several experiments in Chymistry that succeed equally well whether the Nitrous Acid be or be not thus adulterated with a mixture of the Vitriolic Acid; but there are some, as we shall see, that will not succeed without a Spirit of Nitre so mixed. If the Acid be distilled with a view to such experiments, it must be kept as it is. But most experiments require the Spirit of Nitre to be absolutely pure; and if it be intended for such, it must be perfectly cleansed from the Vitriolic taint.
This is easily effected by mixing your Spirit with very pure Nitre, and distilling it a second time. The Vitriolic Acid, with which this Spirit of Nitre is adulterated, coming in contact with a great quantity of undecomposed Nitre, unites with its Alkaline basis, and expels a proportionable quantity of the Nitrous Acid.
In the retort made use of to distil the Nitrous Acid, by means of the pure Vitriolic Acid, is found a Caput mortuum, differing from that left after the distillation of the same Acid by the interposition of Vitriol, in as much as it contains no red ferruginous earth. This is a very white saline mass, moulded in the bottom of the retort: if you pound it, dissolve it in boiling water, and evaporate the solution, it will shoot into crystals of Vitriolated Tartar: sometimes also it contains a portion of undecomposed Nitre, which shoots after the Vitriolated Tartar, because it is much more soluble in water.
[CHAP. III.]
Of the Marine Acid.
PROCESS I.
To extract Sea-salt from Sea-water, and from Brine-springs. Epsom Salt.