J J On a new fulminating Mercurj. 



Section II. 



But mercury, and moft, if not all its oxyds, may, by- 

 treatment with niiric acid and alc()h<)l, be converted into a 

 whilifli cr^^ftallil'ed powder, poflefling all the inflammable 

 properties of gunpowder, as well as many peculiar to itfelf. 



I was led to this difcavery by a late alTertion, that hydro- 

 gen is the bafis of the muriatic acid : it induced me to at- 

 tempt to combine different fubftances with hydrogen and 

 oxy""en. With this view, I mixed fuch fubftances with al- 

 cohol and nitric acid, as I thought might (by predifpofing 

 affinity) favour, as well as attraft, an acid combination, of 

 *he hydrogen of the one, and the oxygen of the other. The 

 pure red oxyd of mercury appeared not unfit for this por- 

 pofe ; it was therefore intermixed with alcohol, and upon 

 both nitric acid was aftufcd. The acid did not a6t upon 

 the alcohol fo immediately as when thefe fluids are alone 

 mixed together, but firft gradually diflblved the oxyd : how- 

 ever, after fome minutes had elapfed, a fmell of ether was 

 perceptible, and a white denfe fmoke, much refenibling that 

 from the liquor Jumam of Libavius, was emitted with ebul- 

 lition. The mixture then threw down a dark-coloured prev 

 cipitate, which by degrees became nearly white. This pre- 

 •ipitate I feparated by filtration ; and, obferving it to be 

 cryftallifed in fmall acicular cryftals, of a faline tafte, and 

 alio finding a part of the mercury volatilifed in the white 

 fiimes, I muft acknowledge I was not altogether with- 

 out hopes that muriatic acid had been formed, and united 

 to the mercurial oxyd. I therefore, for obvious reafons, 

 poured fulphuric acid upon the dried tryftalline mafs ; when 

 a violent effen efcence enfued, and, to my great aftonifliment, 

 an explofion took place. 



The Cngulariiy of this explofion induced me to repeat the 



fulminant au prccipite du nitrate d'argent par I'acide oxalique, dans lequel 

 M.Klapioth avoit dccouvert la propriete de fufer avec vivacitc lorfqu'on 

 I'expoie a la chalcur. M. Ameilon avoit aulE, depuis longtems, fait cod- 

 'noitre que I'acide .oxalique communiquoit cette propriete au mfercure, 

 ^vioique muins fortemen: qu'a I'argcntj mais cct effet (he continues) eft 

 /ort tioigne de Cwlai qu'on defigne par la fulmination."— i^'J^a/fj de 

 Citjmir, Jjsxa.l.f, it. 



proG;«& 



