Serullas on an Hydriodide of Carbon. 421 
vation of temperature decomposes it, for the heat which altered 
in no respect a card on which it was placed, was sufficient to 
effect this decomposition—manifested by the volatilization of 
iodine, and the deposition of charcoal. This result establishes 
a difference between this new compound and that discovered by 
Mr. Faraday, which could be volatilized without alteration, 
and which was decomposed only at a high temperature. 
Water dissolves very little of it; it is, on the contrary, very 
soluble in alkohol, from which it is precipitated by water. 
Being heated at a spirit of wine flame, in a bell, over mercury, 
red iodide of this metal was formed, carbon was set at liberty, 
and a gas was disengaged; but the experiment having been 
made on a very small scale, enough of gas was not obtained 
for examination. 
The new compound may also be obtained by putting the 
alloy of potassium and antimony into the concentrated alcohol ; 
were this liquor too watery, there would be formed only iodide 
of potassium. 
The Editors of the Annales state, in a note, that M. Serullas 
has transmitted to them several specimens of the new compound 
which he has discovered. Its existence, as a peculiar body, is 
incontestable; but it remains to know its elements more cor- 
rectly. 
On a peculiar Acid which is formed when we combine Cyanogen 
with the Alkahs. By Mr. F. Wochler, of Heidelberg*. 
He passed cyanogen into water of barytes, at the bottom of 
which there lay some crystals of hydrate of the earth. The 
water was at first coloured yellow, and then brown, while there 
fell down an azotized carbon of the same colour, and the crys- 
tals at the bottom dissolved. The liquid had not the smell of 
cyanogen, but that of hydrocyanic acid. To separate the hy- 
drocyanate of barytes, he transmitted through it a stream of 
carbonic acid, and after having separated the carbonate of ba- 
rytes by the filter, he boiled the liquid to expel the hydrocyanic 
acid. But there was still produced carbonate of barytes, co- 
loured brown by the azotized carbon. By evaporation he ob- 
tained a white salt, insmall silky needles; but which was soiled 
by azotized carbon, and some carbonate of barytes, which were 
deposited during the evaporation. These two compounds formed 
anew, when in the intention of purifying the salt, he re-dissolved 
it, to make it crystallize. We shall shew the reason of this 
presently. 
The solution of the salt thus obtained, which is always more 
or less coloured by azotized carbon, does not afford a blue with 
the solutions of iron. 
* Annalen der Physik, T. 81. p. 95, 
