62 AMALOAM PRODUCED FROM AMMONI4 



metals of the fixed alkalis might be explained on this hy- 

 pothesis. 

 Less distinct The same mode of reasoning may be applied to the factf 

 fban S ihe P re- °^ tne raeta Uization of the earths and ammonia, and per- 

 ceived thecy. haps with rather stronger evidences in its favour; but still 

 it will be less distinct and simple, than the usually received 

 theory of oxigenation, which I have applied to them. 



The general facts of the combustion, and of the action 

 of these new combustible substances upon water, are cer- 

 tainly most easily explained on the hypothesis of 'Lavoisier; 

 and the only good arguments in favour of a common prin- 

 ciple of inflammability flow from some of the novel analo- 

 gies in electrochemical science* 

 Isnothldrogen Assuming the existence of hidrogen in the amalgam of 



the common ammonium, its presence in one metallic compound evidently 

 element of in- ( ' r . . , • • . , j • 



flammable leads to the suspicion or its combination in others* And in 



bodies? the electrical powers of the different species of matter there 



are circumstances, which extend the idea to combustible 

 substances in general. Oxigen is the only body, which can 

 be supposed to be elementary, attracted by the positive sur- 

 face in the electrical circuit; and all compound bodies, the 

 nature of which is known, that are attracted by this surface, 

 contain a considerable proportion of oxigen* Hidrogen it 

 the only matter attracted by the negative surface, which 

 can be considered as acting the opposite part to oxigen ; 

 may not then the different inflammable bodies, supposed to 

 be simple, contain this as a common element? 

 Alkalis earths, Should future experiments prove the truth of this hypo- 

 and metallic thesis, still the alkalis, the earths, and. the metallic oxides 

 to the same" 8 w '^ belong to the same class of bodies. From platina to 

 class of bodies, potassium there is a regular order of gradation as to their 

 physical and chemical properties, and this would probably 

 extend to ammonium, could it be obtained in the fixed 

 form. Platina and gold in specific gravity, degree of 

 oxidability, and other qualities differ more from arsenic, 

 iron, and tin, than these last do from barium and strontium. 

 The phaenomena of combustion of all the oxidable metals 

 are precisely analogous. In the same manner as arsenic 

 forms an acid by burning in air, potassium forms an alkali, 

 and calcium an earth ; in a manner similar to that in which 



osmium 



