BONES, (Encycl.) From a discovery made by Mr Scheele, of a method of producing the phosphoric acid in large quantity from bones, it has been asserted, that this acid is naturally contained in the bones, united with a calcareous earth. From many experiments, however, it appears that no acid is naturally contained in calcined bones; nor can the acid of phosphorus be extracted from them but by means of the vitriolic acid: whence it seems probable, that the phosphoric acid in this case is produced by the combination of a certain quantity of earth with the vitriolic acid. — With regard to the earth of bones itself, it appears to be very different from the calcareous kind: it is much more soluble in the vitriolic acid, and may be precipitated from that or any other by means of the caustic volatile alkali, which cannot be done with the calcareous earth.