166 Neiu Metliod of preparing Fuhnlnativg Mercury. 



effect was produced by putting a little of the same prepara- 

 tion on an electric pile, with a piece of paper interposed, and 

 making a spark pass through the middle of it by means of a 

 metallic plate : the paper will be either perforated or torn. 



KEW METHOD OF PKEPAKIXG FULMINATING MERCURY. 



By Brugnattlli. 

 The process described bv Mr. Howard for obtaining ful- 

 minating mercury, which I have several times prepared in 

 my laboratory, suggested to me the idea of preparing this 

 singular production by making ether by nitric acid on mer- 

 curial oxides without the application of heat, which frc^ 

 quently produces so rapid and so spontaneous an efferves- 

 cence that it occasions the loss of a great part of the mate- 

 rials. My process is as follows : 



On two gros of the oxidulous sulphate of mercuiy called 

 iurlith mineral pour an ounce of pure alcohol, and add at 

 two different times ten gros of concentrated and rutilating 

 nitrous acid. The mixture will immediatelv enter into effer- 

 vescence, and the alcohol becomes etherized and is reduced 

 to vapour. These vapours are at first rare and light, but 

 they gradually become more copious and dense : they pass 

 into the receiver, whence they issue in clouds and occupy the 

 lower parts of the apartment, diffusing themselves in the air 

 to a great distance. I never saw any effervescence produce 

 so manv vapours. The mercurial mass loses its yellow co- 

 lour and becomes gray. When the matter has been suf- 

 fered to cool, collect the concrete part on a ijlter, and wash 

 and dry it. This substance fulminates like Howard's mer- 

 cury, and possesses all the other properties of that prepara- 

 tion. 



By treating in the same manner the other mercurial ox- 

 ides, I was able to convert them all into fulminating mer-" 

 cury. 



The quantity of white vapours disengaged during this 

 process, and their singular gravity, which far surpasses that 

 of airj mductd me tu make researches respecting their na- 

 ture. For this purpose I proceeded in the following man- 

 ner: — I put into a glass tubulated retort two gros of turbitli 

 mineral, adapted to it a double-necked retort, and to the 

 latter a second large tubulated receiver. Having luted the 

 joinings, I poured over tiie mercurial powder in the retort an 

 ounce of alcohol, and then a gros of concentrated rutilating 

 nitrous acid, closing exacily the tubulature. An efferves- 

 i-ence took place, and the white vapours soon filled the 

 lower part of tlic receivers, ^\'h^■n the effervescence had^ 



subsided, . 



