A new Fulminating Silver. ; 273 
fulminating silver. The experiments I have made throw some light on the subject, 
while they afford additional proofs of the extreme delicacy of the test. 
I filled a long narrow-necked matrass (smaller than a florence flask), with chlo- 
rine gas ; placed it upright on a table, and successively dropped into it small portions 
of the new fulminating silver, until the number of separate explosions exceeded six 
hundred; when some fragments of the test on the table exploded, and the odour of 
chlorine was perceived. On examining the matrass, it was found sufficiently cracked 
.to admit the gas to escape. In the course of this experiment, the explosions were 
uniformly accompanied with flame, and the appearance of a small dense white cloud. 
These phenomena, at first, occurred in the neck of the matrass, and part of the cloud 
sunk into the matrass, whilst the remainder rose into the air; but they took place, 
lower and still lower in the glass, as the number of explosions increased. The in- 
terior of the matrass was found covered with a finely divided dark purple substance, 
which readily dissolved in ammonia ; and the solution treated with pure nitric acid in 
slight excess, gave a white precipitate, which melted at a dull red heat, and was chlo- 
ride of silver. 
In another experiment, a dry half ounce phial, having a narrow mouth, was filled 
with chlorine gas; small portions of the test were introduced, until one hundred 
and ninety-nine explosions had taken place. A little pungent vapour arose from the 
phial, and a peculiar odour was emitted, resembling that of chlorine in a state of 
great dilution. ‘The vapour in the phial still possessed the property of bleaching ; 
for it soon rendered moist litmus paper, white. A dark dove coloured substance re- 
mained principally at the bottom of the phial. It was chloride of silver, and 
there was a very minute portion of a crystallized substance attached to the upper 
part of the phial, which exhibited the properties of sal-ammoniac. 
In a third experiment, a long dry tube of about the capacity of two cubic inches, 
was filled with chlorine gas, and the test was added until it ceased to explode. There 
was now distinctly perceived an odour precisely similar to that of the compound 
which is formed when fulminate of zinc is agitated in contact with chlorine gas. This 
compound is a yellow, oily, volatile fluid, resembling azotane in appearance, but having 
none of its explosive properties. Its odour is so acrid and peculiar that it can scarcely 
be mistaken. Its taste is sweetish, and astringent, with a certain degree of pungency, 
which remains for some time on the palate. It is apparently insoluble in water, but 
readily forms a sort of saponaceous compound with ammonia. It does not imme- 
diately redden litmus paper, but acquires this property after a short time. It is, I 
presume, a compound of fulminic acid and chlorine. There appears to be another 
compound of the same substances, but in different proportions. I obtained it by dis- 
tillation after exposing the fulminating silver, and other analogous compounds, either 
diffused in water or dissolved in it to the action of chlorine gas. It is a colourless, trans- 
parent, and volatile fluid, haying a peculiar and disagreeable smell and a taste at first 
