Method of distinguishing the Tribes of Salts. For the Saline Spirit of Sal
Armoniack, as it is in many other manifest Qualities very like the Spirit
of Urine, so like, that it will in a trice make Syrrup of Violets of a
Lovely Green, turn a Solution of good Verdigrease into an Excellent Azure,
and make the Solution of a Sublimate yield a White Precipitate, insomuch
that in most (for I say not all of the Experiments) where I Aim onely at
producing a sudden change of Colour, I scruple not to use Spirit of Sal
Armoniack when it is at hand, instead of Spirit of Urine, as indeed it
seems chiefly to consist (besides the flegm that helps to make it fluid) of
the Volatile Urinous Salt (yet not excluding that of Soot) that abounds in
the Sal Armoniack and is set at liberty from the Sea Salt wherewith it was
formerly associated, and clogg'd, by the Operation of the Alcaly, that
divides the Ingredients of Sal Armoniack, and retains that Sea Salt with it
self. What use may be made of the like way of exploration in that inquiry
which puzzles so many Modern Naturalists, whether the Rich Pigment (which
we have often had occasion to mention) belongs to the Vegetable or Animal
Kingdome, you may find in another place where I give you some account of
what I try'd about Cocheneel. But I think it needless to exemplifie here
our Method by any other Instances, many such being to be met with in divers
parts of this Treatise; but I will rather advertise you, that, by this way
of examining Chymical Liquors, you may not onely in most Cases conclude
_Affirmatively_, but in some Cases _Negatively_. As since Spirit of Wine,
and as far as I have try'd, those Chymical Oyles which Artists call
Essential, did not (when I us'd them as I had us'd the several Families of
Salts upon that Syrrup) turn Syrrup of Violets Red or Green, nor the
Solution of Sublimate White or Yellow, I inferr'd it may thence be probably
argued, that either they are destitute of Salt, or have such as belongs not
to either of the three Grand families already often mention'd. When I went
to examine the Spirit of Oak or of such like Concretes forced over through
a Retort, I found by this means amongst others, that (as I elsewhere show)