510 Prof. Kane on the Action of Ammonia 



we have therefore the result — 



Mercury 56*41 



Ammonia 2-61 ? 



Water and loss . , . . 4*09 



or in 100 parts — 



Mercury 83*48 



Oxygen 6*59 



Ammonia 3*86 



Water and loss .... 6*07 



a result almost identical with the former. 



B. — 52*22 grains were dissolved in muriatic acid and de- 

 composed by chloride of tin. There were obtained 43*74? of 

 mercury corresponding to 83*76 per cent. 



C. — As the constancy of the amount of mercury and am- 

 monia in the preceding results, proved completely that the 

 loss did not arise from error, but probably from water pre- 

 sent, the following experiment was made to ascertain whether 

 water existed in such quantity : A small green glass retort was 

 blown, with a pretty long neck ; to it was attached a tube con- 

 taining potash ; and the ammoniuret in the retort having been 

 decomposed by a red heat, its gaseous elements were allowed 

 to escape ; the mercury condensed in the neck of the retort 

 and the water in the potash-tube ; the result, though not ab- 

 solutely true, is sufficiently accurate for the determination of 

 the point required. 



Weight of retort and material 75*38 



Weight of retort 63*00 



Ammoniuret used 12*38 grains 

 Weight of retort and mercury-residue . 73*35 

 Weight of retort 63 00 



Mercury remaining 10*35 



Weight of potash-tube before 278*28 



Weight of potash-tube after 278*95 



Water absorbed . . 0*67 



We thus obtain as results — 



Mercury . . . 1035 . 83*62 

 Water ... *67 . 5*39 

 Gases and loss . 1*36 . 10*99 



But the gases consist of oxygen and ammonia, the former 



