On the analysis of the blood and urine, in health and disease : with directions for the analysis of urinary calculi / by G.O. Rees.

  • Rees, G. O. (George Owen), 1813-1889.
Date:
1836
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the analysis of the blood and urine, in health and disease : with directions for the analysis of urinary calculi / by G.O. Rees. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    We will now proceed to the examination of the earthy and metallic salts: these will be found insoluble in water; an acid must there- fore be used to dissolve them, which easily effects the purpose. The dilute nitric acid, per- fectly pure, is to be preferred; care being taken to use little more than is absolutely necessary to effect the solution. It will be observed, that when the acid is added, a lively effervescence occurs, occasioned by the carbonic acid showing its presence. The phosphoric acid may now be proved present, by the addition of a few drops of the solution of nitrate of silver to a portion of the saline fluid, and then neutralising the excess of nitric acid with pure ammonia *; when the yellow phosphate of silver will be precipitated. The existence of this acid may also be demon- strated before the blowpipe, by subjecting a portion of the dry salts to the action of the * Great care must be taken that too great a quantity of nitric acid be not added in performing the solution of the salts; for in that case, the great excess of nitrate of ammo- nia (which is formed on the addition of the ammonia) tends to hold the phosphate of silver in solution. This fact of the solubility oi' the phosphate in ammoniacal salt will probably account for the frequent disagreements of chemists as to the existence of phosphates in some animal matters.