402 Supplement to the Memoir on 
This presumption has been verified by M. Berzelius; but the 
analysis which he made of this salt does not correspond exactly 
with the composition of the subnitrite at the maximum. Ac- 
cording to this chemist, the subnitrate at the maximum contains : 
Acid. possi pba s rSl 
cr A a wea ge DOD 
He thinks that it contains more than four times as much base as 
the octohedral nitrate. If, according to my analysis of the sub- 
nitrate of lead at the minimum, we admit that it only contains 
four times as much, we shall have the following proportions: 
AGG ia ins aoe es . ow LOY ay 108 
Oxide), dotpvsds i « 89°04". 812 
and for the proportions of the subnitrite at the maximum: 
Acid paises feats oe «1/980 
OXIGE HS. cies se bee's 90:20 
and | found by experiment the composition of this last salt to 
be: Acithiia ssi oeuivied pow) B90 
Oxides. ces's/sis Poereiare OUR ke 
M. Berzelius and I have seen that when we boiled the octo- 
hedral nitrate of lead with lead, there was not formed any ni- 
trate at the minimum of oxidation, but a combination of nitrous 
acid and of oxide of lead; that according to the duration of 
the ebtllition, and the quantity of lead employed, we obtained 
two different subnitrites. We have seen besides, that a portion 
of the acid was reduced into nitrous gas. The agreement which 
subsists between these observations does not admit of there 
being any doubt on the subject. The same agreement seems 
to subsist between our analyses of the subnitrites ; for the sub- 
nitrite at the minimum is formed : 
Berzelius. Chevreul. 
Acid and’ water: ..0\\o.4< ate aisle) 20 wre: 220 
Oxide vs... in ein ista  ghis oe Ne Oibey Gl 
The subnitrite at the maximum: 
Berzelius. Chevreul. 
AME wid ose as gs nal in ALTO oma), OA 
RPEICE 5 Het hi ens oh aaa eae: | 
The difference is zero in the first analysis, and 0°275 in the 
second, Although there is this agreement, I have every reason 
to think that the nitrites which M. Berzelius has examined dif- 
fered from those which | prepared, and this is the place to ex- 
plain the results on which we differ. I premise that I do not 
mean to assert positively by this exposition, that I am right: I 
wish merely to obtain new foundations for the facts and reason- 
ings which led me to the conclusions published in my former 
paper. : ‘ ri 
M. Berzelius didnot find any water in the subnitrite at the 
maximum : 
