1. 120 grains of the powder were put into about a half ounce of alcohol, digested for six hours, then, washed with more alcohol, filtered and carefully dried.
2. On weighing the dry powder, the loss appeared to be but one grain, so that it contains very little of any substance which is soluble in alcohol.
3. 115 grains (four grains having been lost in the transfer from the filter) were collected and put into rather more than eight times their weight of cold distilled water, and digested for two hours.
4. This watery solution was then filtered, and on weighing, the residue appeared to be 48 grains, so that 67 grains must have been dissolved.
5. 10 grains of the insoluble residue (4) were put into a flask, with 10 ounces of distilled water, and boiled for 1 hour.
6. A small portion of this solution, on being tested with nitrate of barytes, gave a copious white precipitate, with oxalic acid, a white cloud; with ammonia, a slight white cloud; with muriatic acid, a slight bluish tinge. From these tests it was inferred that sulphate of lime was present, with perhaps a slight trace of muriate of lime.
7. The remainder of this solution was filtered, and on weighing the dried residuum, the loss appeared to be 2 grains, so that sulphate of lime probably constitutes nearly ⅕ of the insoluble residence (48 grains. 4.)
8. The watery solution, (4) which was supposed to contain 67 grains, was evaporated, and left a residue that weighed but 34 grains, so that 33 grains must have disappeared in the process.
9. Some of this residue dissolved in distilled water, was tested with carbonate of soda, forming an immediate white cloud; with nitrate of barytes, the same; with ammonia, the same; but with oxalate of ammonia, it did not form any cloud until it had stood some time, and then it was slight. From these tests it was inferred that sulphate of magnesia was present.
10. A portion of the dried residuum (7) was treated with diluted muriatic acid, which dissolved nearly the whole of it, with considerable effervescence. The new compound, on examination, proved to be muriate of lime; so that it may be concluded the residuum (7) was principally carbonate of lime.