On the new discovered Substance called Iode. 6} 
Hence we may conclude, that in the sodas of sea-weed in which 
there is abundance of sulphuretted sulphites, the new substance 
is in the state of acid; it is not even manifested in the mother 
waters of these sodas, except when the sulphuretted sulphites 
are destroyed. 
ode is not altered by charcoal and sulphurous acid, because 
these substances cannot furnish it with hydrogen in 6rder to pass 
to the state of acid, It does not decompose water at a low er a 
high temperature. It takes the colour frem indigo, and is driven 
from its combinations by the mineral acids, and even by the 
acetous acid. It combines with most of the metals without any 
gas being extricated. When any of these combinations are made 
under water, for example, that with zinc, nothing is extricated ; 
the liquor, at first strongly coloured, soon becomes as limpid as 
water: the alkalies precipitate from it a substance which has all 
the characters of oxide of zinc, but which nevertheless retains a 
little of the new acid. Water has also been decomposed, and 
oxide of zine and the new acid are produced. This combination, 
like all those which contain the new acid, gives sulphurous acid 
when we treat it with sulphuric acid. Eighteen grammes of 
iode dissolve nearly three grammes and a half of zine: hence 
we may conclude that the relative weight of oxygen is as 1 to 20, 
or 15 to 100. With the oxymuriatic acid a compound is formed 
of an orange yellow colour, crystalline, volatile, deliquescent, 
and appearing to exist in two different proportions. 
lode forms, it is said, a fulminating powder with ammonia; 
but the theory of this phenomenon is very simple, when we con- 
sider that the iode has a great tendency to combine with hy- 
drogen, 
From the above description we cannot avoid comparing iode 
with chlorine, and the new acid with the muriatic acid. It is 
also equally remarkable, that the hydrogen is constantly neces- 
sary to make the iode pass to the state of acid. It appears that 
this substance performs in nature the same functions with 
respect to one class of bodies, that oxygen performs for another. 
All the above phenomena may be accounted for by supposing that 
the iodeis an element, and that it forms an acid on being com- 
bined with hydrogen ; or rather, that this last acid is.a com- 
pound of water with an unknown base, and that iode is this same 
base united with oxygen. The former hypothesis appears more 
probable than the latter, and it serves at the same time to give 
more probability to that in which we consider the oxymuriatic 
acid as a simple body. On adopting the new acid, the name 
which suits it best will be that of the hyd) iodic acid. 
XIV. On 
