of the Slow Combustion of Ethel'. 73 



To this singular compound, possessed of such distinctive 

 characters, it will, no doubt, be deemed right to give a name, 

 and I will venture to suggest that Hydro-carburet of Azote, 

 will not inappropriately express its composition. 



Exp. 17. — Some solution of muriate of platinum was taken, 

 in which all excess of acid was neutralized carefully by soda. 

 When the solution of hydro-carburet of azote was added to it, 

 and gently warmed, a violent action, almost amounting to an 

 explosion, took place ; much of the mixture was thrown about, 

 and a very black precipitate was formed. This consisted of 

 metallic platinum, mixed with a large quantity of a deep black 

 powder. The latter was separated on a filter, and gently 

 warmed, to dry it. It had scarce parted with its moisture when 

 it exploded with flame and noise, and nothing was left but 

 reduced platinum. 



Exp. 18. — A small lamp trimmed with nitric ether with the 

 wire glowing, was placed under a bell-glass full of atmospheric 

 air, and surrounded with water. A great absorption took place, 

 amounting to one-fourth, when the lamp was extinguished. 

 Upon examining the residual air and the water, the former was 

 found to contain a large proportion of nitric oxide, and the latter 

 of nitric acid. When nitric ether alone was placed in the same 

 situation, an absorption, after some time, took place ; and the 

 water contained nitric acid, but no nitric oxide was formed. 

 These experiments were repeated, with the same results, after 

 having put some pieces of potash into the ether. 



It was with a view of throwing some light upon the changes 

 produced in the air by the slow combustion effected by the 

 aphlogistic lamp, that the last experiments were instituted ; but 

 as this inquiry has led me into a wider field than I had at first 

 anticipated, and in which I am still engaged, I shall reserve 

 this further discussion for a future communication, and shall 

 conclude this paper with a brief recapitulation of the principal 

 facts established. 



It appears, then, that the acid formed during the slow com- 

 bustion of ether is the acetic, but combined with some compound 

 of carbon and hydrogen, differing from ether or alcohol. In 



