Oxymuriatic Gas and Oxygen, &e. 407 
ithe mixture in contact with boracic acid, but no elastic 
product, except mercury, was evolved. 
T made some potash by the combustion of potassium in 
a glass tube, and ignition of the peroxide I added to it dry 
boracic acid, and heated the mixture torredness. Sub-borate 
of potash was formed, and»there was not the slightest in- 
dication of the presence of moisture*. 
It is evident from this chain of facts, that common potash 
and soda are hydratss ‘andthe bodies formed by the com- 
bustion of the alkaline metals are, as I have alwavs stated, 
pure metallic’ oxides, \(as far as our knowledge extends) free 
from water}. 
I shall 
* These processes must not however, be considered as showing that ho- 
racic acid that has been heated to whiteness is entirely free from water ; they 
merely prove that such an 2¢id gives off to water by combination with pure 
potash ata red heat. Ihave found that boracic acid in perfect fusion, and 
that_has beenylong, expased.to. the blast, of asforge,and) that has long ceased 
to effervesce, gives lobules of hydr« én; when dry iron filings are made 
to act upon it.” Padded foe grdial Po ysaegead id mplete fusion, in 
a crucible of platina,:75 grains of flint glass that had sheer previously heated 
to whiteness, and immediately reduced) inte pawder, inva hak inon mortar: 
by raising the heat,so as to;praduce, combination ‘a copious effervescence 
was produced} and after inteiise Ignition for half’ Ah hot, the mixture yras 
found to have lost three grains and aiqwarter/9) 911! | 
The combinations of boracic, acid with, potash, and soda,that have been 
heated to redness, I find lose weight, when, their temperature is raised to a 
rauch higher degree: “Thus, in an experiment made in the laboratory of my 
sing John’ George Children, Esq. and in which (Mr. Children wes so kind 
as to co-operate, 7A grains of | hydrat,.of| petash,, ixed: with, 96 of boracic 
acid that had been heated as ae f kosietaey Be arr, lost by 
fusion together in'a red heat’ b) grains, but on raising the tefiperature to 
whiteness the: loss increasdd to labovesI8 gains) 9(55'5 (pairs of hydrat of 
this kind, continued to lose weight for half an hour,during which time they 
were frequently heated ‘to whi Bele) aint a peers pe ‘od the whole loss 
g 
. toda, mixed with 80. of see acid) examined, at dntenvals ina process of 
was 14 grains, of which at/FeasPone erain andia half ihay-béreferred to the 
acid. 9. grains of soda, ignited to whiteness imarplatinacriisitile, with 140 
of dry flint glass, lost 22°2 grains; 80 grains of bo agic lass were added to 
this mixture; a fresh effervescence Siok" ce dna “iter inter ise ignition for 
afew muitiutes, there was an additional lose of weighit of faGr ¥rains and a 
half. The energy with which water adheres} to, certains bodies in other 
cases, is shown by the experiments of VI. Bertholler, Mem. dy’ Ar cuccit, tom, i. - 
page 47, Indeed it is impossible to say that a nevtral com ound, or a fixed 
acid, is ever entirely free from water; it is/orly the first p portions that are 
aly penpated. ‘e ys ag of wateran obtymesypytash eae soda 
ere to be judged of from their loss -of weight, in ining, with boracic 
acid, it would appear to he Wen tets oO ae ke fae i from 23 
ore the seconds! SUSI © § Tl 820097 OF .UISK ' 
ter the experiments detailed inimy two dastspapers, it) may perhaps 
es Farag he at.least.to. those ealichinned Brjush.ehemica! philoso- 
phers who have closely followed the progress of science, to offer any new 
evidences to prove that potassium and sodiim are’ not hydrurets of potash 
and soda, particularly as MM. Gay Lussac and Thenard, the ingenious ad- 
yocates of this notion, have acknowledged, in the Moniteur to which I have 
before referred, that it is pot tenable; but on a subject se intimately con- 
Cc4 . nected 
