66 Lampic Acid. 
Lampate of ammonia is of a brown colour, volatile, evaporates 
below 212°, and gives a very disagreeable odour, like that of 
burning animal matter. 
Lampate of lime is very deliquescent, ofa caustic bitter taste. 
Lampate of magnesia has a sweetish astringent taste, some- 
thing like that of sulphate of iron. 
All these salts are inflammable, and burn with flame, leaving 
a large residue of charcoal. 
But, according to the author, the most curious and distin- 
guishing characters of the lampic acid arise from its action upon 
the metallic oxides. 
Lampate of gold. When some of it is poured into a solu- 
tion of muriate of gold, the metal in a few hours is precipitated 
in the metallic forni, and a thin film of gold attaches itself to the 
glass. The reduction is almost instantaneous if the mixture be 
heated. If the lampate of potash or of soda be poured into the 
same solution, a light yellow precipitate is thrown down, decom- 
posable by a very low heat, and which then gives a beautiful pre- 
cipitation of the metal. 
Lampate of platinum. | The colour of muriate of platinum is 
much heightened by the acid, but the muriate is not reduced. 
Lampate of potash and of ammonia both precipitate from it a 
yellow very crystalline salt, not reducible separately by a boiling 
heat; but when mixed, an instant precipitation of metallic pla- 
tinum ensues, which coats the tube: the liquid becomes colour- 
less. 
Lampate of silver. The acid added to nitrate of silver gives 
a precipitation, which at first is of a purplish brown colour—an 
effect resulting from the action of the metallic particles on the 
rays of light. A portion of the metal lines the tube, and part 
falls to the bottom. It is easily fused by the blowpipe. The so- 
lution of oxide of silver on the lampic acid is of a sea green co- 
Jour. A heat below 212° decomposes it, and precipitates the 
metal. : 
Lampate of mercury. When the acid is added to a solution 
of nitrate of mercury, a metallic shower takes place, and globules 
of mercury accumulate at the bottom of the vessel. It acts 
readily on the red oxide of mercury, yielding a white bulky salt 
sparingly soluble in water. Dried on blotting-paper it sponta- 
neously decomposes in a few days, yielding globules of mercury. 
Lampate of mercury exposed to heat in-a retort, a violent efferve- 
scence takes place ; metallic globules immediately begin to col- 
lect, and dense fumes are given off, which when condensed are 
pure lampic acid. 
Lampate of copper. Black oxide of copper dissolved in the 
acid gives a liquid of a beautiful blue, which by gentle evapora- 
‘tion 
