* Lioo-oo. 



432 Prof. Kane on the Powder formed by 



And taking the mean result of all, we get, for the composi- 

 tion of this yellow powder, 



Mercury 8680^ 



Chlorine 8'03 



Ammonia 3*87 



Oxygen and loss 1*30 J 



In the processes, A and B, a small quantity of the yellow 

 powder was lost, in consequence of its being not perfectly in- 

 soluble in water. This quantity, I have reason to believe, 

 varied from one to two per cent, and by the means of calcu- 

 lation we employed, the mercury and chlorine constituents 

 are given above what is correct in that proportion. As far as 

 I can judge, by considering the circumstances of the experi- 

 ments, I conceive the mean to be consequently too high ; and 

 I believe the analysis C. by itself, to approach closer to the 

 truth. By it we have in 100 of the yellow powder, 



Mercury 86*23 1 



™ orin ? r- 



Ammonia, 



•77 

 ;-83 f 



Oxygen and loss ... 2*17 J 

 This yellow powder is generated evidently by the reaction 

 of water on white precipitate, in which one-half of the chlorine 

 and ammonia are converted into sal-ammoniac, a correspond- 

 ing portion of the mercury being oxydized. I shall compare 

 the results of this reaction with each of the formulae for white 

 precipitate that I have previously given. 



2{(2Ch+Hg)-f (2NH 3 + Hg)}+2H = 

 j(2Ch + Hg) + (3Hg + 2NH 3 )}+2ChNH 4 . 



Here two atoms of white precipitate and two of water, mu- 

 tually reacting, give two atoms of sal-ammoniac and one of 

 the powder. On this idea, the yellow powder should con- 

 sist of Mercury 84*12^ 



Chlorine 7*36 



Ammonia 3*56 



Oxygen 4*96 



These numbers, with the exception of oxygen, fall below 

 the lowest experimental result, and probabilities are therefore 

 rather against this formula being true. Let us next try the 

 result of reaction with that formula for white precipitate which 

 does not include oxygen, and supposes the ammonia to exist 

 as amidogene. 



2{(2Ch + Hg) + (2NH 2 + Hg)}+4H = 



{(2Ch + Hg) + 2Hg + (2NH* + Hg)}+2ChNH\ 



^ 100-00 



