388 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 
were also obtained during the investigation of the absence of hy- 
drogen, 
Thus far, then, the elements obtained from the fulminate of silver 
were: 
Silver het sive) \TREST 
Oxygen. . 5,341 
Cyanogen . . 17.160 
Feossv 3.) h sly ithe 2942 
100.000 
The loss is very nearly equal to the quantity of oxygen combined 
with the silver, it could not be hydrogen or water, neither of which 
could have escaped the search made by the experimentalists, it could 
only therefore be oxygen contained in the fulminic acid, a supposi- 
tion ultimately confirmed. Fulminate of silver, therefore, contains 
2 atoms of silver, 
2 atoms of oxygen combined with the silver, 
2 atoms of oxygen combined with the elements of fulminic 
acid, 
2 atoms nitrogen, 
2 atoms of cyanogen, = j el cde eacialanen 
It was desirable, if possible, to ascertain the products of the de- 
tonation of this substance, but after some trials the danger made it 
necessary to desist. Endeavours were then made to decompose it by 
heat, when previously mixed with substances that could not furnish 
oxygen. Glass in impalpable powder always exploded it, but 
chloride of potassium and sulphate of potash fused and finely pul- 
verized could be mixed with it by the finger or 2 cork without pro- 
ducing explosion. The chloride of potassium gave inconvenient and 
uncertain results, in consequence of its partial decomposition by the 
silver, and the production of carbonate of potash, as well also as of 
carbonate of ammonia. When the sulphate of potash was used, the 
gaseous and other results furnished by heating the fulminate were 
first collected, examined, and ascertained, and then the residue in 
the tube was mixed with oxide of copper, and heated for the decom- 
position of the substance operated en. A quantity of nitric acid was 
produced in the latter part of the operation, and at times also car= 
bonate of ammonia in minute quantity; in the latter case no water 
could be perceived, and it appeared that the formation of one of 
these compounds excluded that of the other; for it was found by 
direct experiment that when the fulminate was first slightly moistened 
much carbonate of ammonia was formed: thus then a new proof 
was obtained of the absence of hydrogen from the compound, for 
the quantity of carbonate of ammonia was so small, it could not 
have resulted from any proportional quantity of hydrogen in union 
