Dr. Kane on the Compounds of Ammonia. 67 



from those experiments, although I myself did not finally adopt It until by the 

 development of the nature of the other quicksilver combinations vpith ammonia, 

 the complete identification of the principle of action of oxygen and amidogene, 

 particularly as exerted in the two classes of water and of ammonia sub-salts, left 

 no room in my mind for any other hypothesis. 



The objection to the assumption of the existence of an hypothetic body, 

 amidogene, which might be supposed to weigh powerfully against the general 

 acceptance of this theory, is deprived of a great deal of its force when we come 

 to examine it with somewhat more care. In order to arrive at an idea of the 

 actual nature of ammonia, and of the position it is suited to occupy in the general 

 scheme of chemical reactions, we must investigate the laws of its affinities, and 

 study accurately the analogies which it presents in its combinations, with those of 

 other bodies of simpler constitution, and the history of which is as yet better 

 understood. From these data must our conclusions be drawn, and decompositions, 

 frequently of an accidental character, and mostly dependant on the peculiar 

 manner in which the affinities of the decomposing body may be exerted, should 

 be considered of but secondary importance, and subordinate to the study of the 

 general history of the substance, although still suited, under proper limitations, 

 to guide us usefully in our course. It is right that the exertions of chemists 

 should be directed to effect the isolation of amidogene, and it is to be hoped that 

 the same success which crowned the beautiful researches of Gay Lussac on Prus- 

 sic acid, will reward their efforts ; but even should this radical, like those of so 

 many of the most important series in organic chemistry, for a longer time elude 

 our grasp, it is proper and just to assume it to exist, if we, by so doing, can 

 obtain a more satisfactory explanation of phenomena, and link together classes of 

 facts previously disconnected and obscure. 



Prop. III. — That amidogene may combine with metals, and that the metallic 

 amidides have a singular tendency to combine with the chlorides or oxides 

 of the same metals. 



The formation of the amidides of potassium and sodium, gives sufficient proof 

 of the first part of this proposition, and there have been found in the researches 

 on the ammoniacal combinations of quicksilver, numerous instances of the truth 

 of the latter principle. Thus white precipitate must be looked upon as a com- 



K 2 



