Academy of Sciences, Paris. 149 
“© X, When silver in a state of minute division is put into oxy- 
genized nitrate or muriate of potash, all the oxygen of the salt 
is instantly liberated. The silver is not affected, and the salt re- 
mains neutral as before. The action is much less lively when the 
silver is in a less divided state: and the action is always less vio- 
lent with the muriate than with the nitrate. 
_ © XI. Iron, zinc, copper, bismuth, lead and platinum, possess, 
like silver, the property of separating the oxygen of the oxy- 
genized nitrate and muriate of potash. Iron and zinc are oxi- 
dized, while oxygen is evolved: the others are not sensibly oxi- 
dized.--They were all used in the state of filings. 
*€ The action of gold and of tin was likewise tried. They pre- 
duced no sensible action on the neutral solutions ; or, at most, 
only a few bubbles were liberated, and these at intervals. 
*©XII. The peroxide of manganese and that of lead are also 
capable of decomposing the oxygenized nitrate and muriate of 
potash. Only a small quantity of these oxides is required to ex- 
pel the whole of the oxygen from the solution. The effervescence 
is brisk. J believe that the peroxide of manganese undergoes no 
alteration. It is not impossible that the peroxide of lead may 
be reduced to a lower degree of oxidation. 
** XIII. Though nitric acid, as is known, has no action on the 
peroxide of manganese and of lead, the oxygenized nitric acid 
dissolves both of them with facility, accompanied by a great dis- 
engagement of oxygen gas. Potash produces in the manganese 
solution a black flocky precipitate ; and in that of lead, a brick- 
coloured precipitate. The latter is less oxidized than peroxide 
of lead ; for, treated with nitric acid, it yields nitrate of lead and 
a flea-coloured residuum, On adding the potash there is instantly 
a strong effervescence. 
** XIV. The oxygenized sulphates, phosphates, and fluates, 
exhibit with the oxide of silver, with silver, and probably with 
other bodies, the same phenomena as the oxygenized nitrate and 
muriate of potash; and the greater number of the oxygenized 
alkaline salts possess the same properties as the oxygenized salts 
of potash.—The cause of the phenomena we shall hereafter at- 
tempt to resolve. 
‘With this view, let us recollect the phenomena exhibited by 
oxide of silver, and silver, with the neutral oxygenized nitrate of 
potash, Silver in fine powder rapidly liberates the oxygen of this 
salt. It undergoes, itself, no alteration; while the oxygenized 
nitrate is reduced to the state of simple nitrate-—The oxide of 
silver liberates the oxygen of the oxygenized nitrate still more 
rapidly than does the silver ; is itself decomposed, reduced, and 
the silver entirely precipitated : and in the liquid only common 
neutral nitrate of potash is found. In these decompositions the 
' K 3 4 chemical 
