124- Dr. Kane on the Theoretical Constitution 



fnr considered the degree of weight which should be attached 

 to the extension of the ammonium theory proposed by Graham, 

 I shall now pass to the objections which have appeared to Rose 

 to lie against some portions of my theory. 



Admitting the consistency and completeness of the arrange- 

 ment which the compounds of ammonia with the dry oxy- 

 gen acids and with the hydrogen acids assume according to 

 my views, the illustrious analyst of Berlin yet considers that 

 the assimilation of the hydrated ammonia salts of oxygen acids 

 to those salts of the same acids which contain two equivalents 

 of base is forced and unnatural ; and he says that in place of 

 attending to the great fact of the isomorphism of ammonium 

 and potassium, I have neglected and suppressed that fact. 

 This I by no means did ; but this isomorphism was not the 

 only thing to be taken into account. In fact, when all things 

 were considered, the argument about the isomorphism of 

 the two alkalies is of most force on the other side, and my 

 opinion is that on the side of ammonia we have outflanked, 

 as it were, the line of metallic bases, and that the constitution of 

 ammonium, subamidide of hydrogen, is that which we shall 

 hereafter find the alkaline metals to possess. The masterly 

 researches of Rose himself on the sulphates and carbonates of 

 ammonia are, as I believe, remarkably in favour of my view. 

 In the carbonates of ammonia C O 2 . N H 3 + CO 2 . NH 3 . HO 

 and C O 2 H O + C O 2 . H O . N H 3 what complete evidence do 

 we obtain of the identity of type of N H 3 = Ad H and II O ? 

 In like manner if we look upon the series 



SO 3 . AdH + SO 3 HO. AdH, 

 S O 3 . O H + S O 3 H O . Ad H, 

 S O 3 . O Cu + S O 3 H O . Ad H, 

 S O 3 . O Cu + S O 3 CuO . Ad H, 



we are driven, in order to avoid considering the recognised 

 ammonium salt as a salt with two equivalents of base, to the 

 adoption of the views of metallic ammoniums already suffici- 

 ently refuted. 



On my theory the only hypothetic assumption is the exist- 

 ence of amidogen. The subsequent principles adopted that 



1. Ammonia N H 3 is N H 2 . H = Ad + H, 



2. Sal-ammoniac Cl H . N H 3 is Cl H + H Ad, 



3. White precipitate Cl Hg 2 N H 2 is Cl Hg + Hg Ad, 



* S i a f }s0 3 .HONH 3 isS0 3 .OH + HAJ, 



5. The black substance Cl Hg 4 N H 2 is Cl Hg 2 + Hg 2 Ad, 



6. Ammonium if ever isolated N H 4 is H 2 Ad, 



are all experimental and necessary results ; there is nothing 



