ing silk
worm chrysalids in alkohol, which dissolves their acid without being
charged with any of the gummy parts of the insect; and, by evaporating
the alkohol, the acid remains tollerably pure. The properties and
affinities of this acid are not hitherto ascertained with any precision;
and we have reason to believe that analogous acids may be procured from
other insects. The radical of this acid is probably, like that of the
other acids from the animal kingdom, composed of charcoal, hydrogen, and
azote, with the addition, perhaps, of phosphorus.

TABLE _of the Combinations of Sebacic Acid, with the Salifiable Bases,
in the Order of Affinity._

_Bases._ _Neutral Salts._

Barytes Sebat of barytes.
Potash potash.
Soda soda.
Lime lime.
Magnesia magnesia.
Ammoniac ammoniac.
Argill argill.
Oxyd of
zinc zinc.
manganese manganese.
iron iron.
lead lead.
tin tin.
cobalt cobalt.
copper copper.
nickel nickel.
arsenic arsenic.
bismuth bismuth.
mercury mercury.
antimony antimony.
silver silver.

_Note._--All these were unknown to the ancient chemists.--A.

SECT. XLIII.--_Observations upon Sebacid Acid, and its Combinations._

To obtain the sebacic acid, let some suet be melted in a skillet over
the fire, alongst with some quick-lime in fine powder, and constantly
stirred, raising the fire towards the end of the operation, and taking
care to avoid the vapours, which are very offensive. By this process the
sebacic acid unites with the lime into a sebat of lime, which is
difficultly soluble in water; it is, however, separated from the fatty
matters with which it is mixed by solution in a large quantity of
boiling water. From this the neutral salt is separated by evaporation;
and, to render it pure, is calcined, redissolved, and again
cristallized. After this we pour on a proper quantity of sulphuric acid,
and the sebacic acid passes over by distillation.

SECT. XLIV.--_Observations upon the Lithic Acid, and its Combin