264 M. Balard on the Nature of the [Oct. 



gen, to be transformed into chlorous acid ; and that the 

 latter saturating the undecomposed part of the base, forms 

 a true chlorite. 



By this view the product consists of a mixture of a chloride 

 and a chlorite. The chlorine, in acting upon the metallic 

 oxides in contact with the water, is, therefore, supposed to 

 present analogous phenomena with sulphur, which, in the 

 same circumstances, produces a mixture of sulphuret and 

 hypo-sulphite. Further, it is conceived that these chlorites, 

 when brought in contact with putrid or coloured organic 

 matter, yield up to them all the oxygen of their acid and 

 base, and are changed into chlorides ; and that it is only 

 by their oxidating action that they bleach and disenfect. 



If we endeavour to resolve the question a priori from 

 theoretical considerations, we are inclined to regard the 

 last supposition as the most plausible. In fact, the com- 

 binations of simple bodies with compound bodies, are com- 

 mon, and although the hydrates of chlorine, bromine, and 

 phosphorus, present us with incontestable examples of the 

 union of a simple with a compound oxygenated substance, 

 the compounds of this nature are still very limited. It is, 

 then, good reasoning only to admit the existence of similar 

 compounds, when the phenomena which relate to their 

 production cannot be explained by any view consistently 

 with facts in general. It appears impossible to suppose 

 that a body which possesses such a strong affinity for the 

 metals as chlorine, could unite with these oxides without 

 decomposing them. Observation holds the same language 

 as theory, and seems to support the theory of the chlorites. 



Chemists, in considering that the compounds which we 

 are considering, possessed the power of dissenfecting and 

 bleaching like chlorine itself, were obliged to suppose that 

 this substance existed in such an ephemeral state of com- 

 bination as enabled it to exercise the same kind of action as 

 if it had been free. But we have lately been taught that 

 chlorine and analogous substances are not the only ones 

 which possess bleaching powers, the same property being- 

 characteristic of peroxide of hydrogen, and the hyperman- 

 ganates. Indeed, all the facts with which we are acquainted 

 would induce us to conclude, that the oxygenated agents are 

 as well fitted for bleaching as chlorine. Perhaps the view 



