On a new fulminaling Mercury. 205 



SECTION XIIL 



llie muriatic acid digefted with the mercurial powder, dlflblves a portion of \t, 

 without extricating any notable quantity of gas. The diflblution evaporated to a dry falt> 

 taftes like corrofive fublimate 5 and the portion which the acid does not take up, is left in 

 the ftate of an uninflammable oxalate. 



SECTION XIV. 



Thefe effects all tend to eftablifh the cxlftencc of the nitrous etherized gas, as a conftt- 

 tuent part of the powder ; and likewrfe corroborate the explanation I have ventured to 

 give, cf the a£tion of the fulphuric acid. Moreover, a meafured ounce and a half of ni- 

 trous acid, holding lOO grains of mercury in folution, and 2 meafured ounces of alcohol, 

 yield 90 cubical inches only of gas : 'whereas, without the intervention of mercury, they 

 yield 210 inches. Upon the whole, I trufl it will be thought reafonable to conclude, that 

 the mercurial powder is compofed of the nitrous etherized gas, and of oxalate of mercury 

 with excefs of oxygen. 



ift, Becaufe the nitric acid converts the mercurial powder intirely into nitrous gas, 

 carbonic acid gas, acetous acid, and nitrate of mercury. 



adly. Becaufe the dilute fulphuric acid refolves it into an uninflammable oxalate of mer- 

 cury, and feparates from it a gas referabling that into which the fame acid refolves the 

 nitrous etherized gas.. 



3dly. Becaufe an uninflammable oxalate is likewife left, after the muriatic acid has 

 converted a part of it into fublimate. 



4thly. Becaufe it cannot be formed by boiling, nitrate of mercury in dulcified fpirit of 

 nitre \ although a very inflammable oxalate is by this means produced. 



5thly. Becaufe the difi^erence of the produft of gas, from the fame meafures of alcohol 

 and nitrous acid, with and without mercury in folution, is not trifling ; and, 



6th]y. Becaufe nitrogen gas was generated during its combuftion in the glafs globe. 



Should my conclufions be thought warranted by the reafons I have adduced, the theory 

 of the comtwftion of the mercurial powder will be obvious to every chemift. The hy- 

 drogen of the oxalic acid, and of the etherized gas, is firfl: united to the oxygen of the 

 oxalate, forming water*; the carbon is faturated with oxygen, forming carbonic acid gas;. 

 and a part, if not the whole of the nitrogen of the etlierized gas, is feparated in the ftate 

 of nitrogen gas ; both of which laft gafes, It may be recollefled, were afcer the explofion 

 prefent in the glafs globe. The mercury is revived, and, I prefume, thrown into vapour; 

 as may well be imagined, from the immenfe quantity of caloric extricated, by adding con- 

 centrate fulphuric acid to the mercurial powder. 



• Drops of water ^were obferved on the internal furface of the globe, the day after feveral explofions'E^d; 

 been produced in its centre. 



IwilL 



