On a niw fuhnhiathig Mercuty. gSt 



l»it J, Of, admitting the nitrous etherifecl gas to bfe a confti- 

 tuent principle of the powder, from a portion of the oxygen, 

 not taken up by the nitrous gas, being united with the carbon 

 of the etherifed gas. 



Section XIII. 

 The dilute muriatic acid, digefted with the mercurla? pow- 

 der, difTolvcs a portion of it without extricating any notable 

 quantity of gas. The diflblution evaporated to a dry fait, 

 taftes like corrofive fubhmate ; and the portion which the 

 acid does not take up, is left in the ftate of an uninflam«- 

 mable oxalat. 



Section XIV, 



Thefe efFefls a'l tend to eftablifh the exiftence of the ni- 

 irous etherifed gas as a conftituent part of the powder, and 

 Ukewife corroborate the explanation I have ventured to give 

 of the adlion of the fulphuric acid. Moreover, a meafured 

 ounce and a half of nitrous acid, hoUing loo grains of mer- 

 cury in folution, and two meafured ounces of alcohol, yield 

 i^o cubical inches only of gas ; whereas, without the inter- 

 vention of mercury, they yield 210 inches. Upon the whole, 

 I trufl it will be thought reafonable to conclude, that the 

 mercurial powder is compofed of the nitrous etherifed gaa, 

 and of oxalat of mercury with excels of oxygen. 

 • I ft, Becaufe the nitric acid converts the mercurial powder 

 =*ntirely into nitrous gas, carbonic acid gas, acetous acid, and 

 •nitrat of mercury, 



adly, Becaufe the dilute fulphuric acid refolvcs it into an 

 uninflammable oxalat of niercury, and feparates from it a 

 •gas refembling that into which the fame acid refolves the 

 nitrous etherifed gas. 



•3dly, Becaufe an uninflammable oxalat is likewife left, 

 after the muriatic acid has converted a part of it into fub- 

 limate. 



4thly', Becaufe it cannot be formed by boiling nitrat of 

 mercury in dulcified fpirit of nitre, although a very inflam- 

 mable oxalat is by this means produced. 



5thly, Becaufe the difference of the product of gas, from 

 the fame nieafures of alcohol and nitrous acid, with and 

 without mercury in folution, is not trifling : and, 

 ■• i 6lfhly, 



