498 MM. Bunseu and Schischkofl's Chemical 



or iu 100 parts of the dissolved solid substance, — 



II. 



Sulphate of potash . . . 65*29 



Carbonate of potash . . . 23'48 



Hj'posulphite of potash . . 4-90 



Sulphide of potassium . . O'OO 



Hydrate of potash . . . . 1*33 



Sulphocyanide of potassium. 0*55 



Nitrate of potash .... 2*48 



Charcoal 1"86 



Sesquicarbonate of ammonia. 0*11 



Sulphur 0-00 



100-00 



As a check, a measure of the liquid was evaporated with 

 sulphuric acid, and determined as neutral sulphate of potash. 

 The mass obtained weighed 0*4286 grm. From the analysis, 

 one measure ought to have given 0*4345 grm. salt. The agree- 

 ment could not be expected to have been closer, and it may be 

 regarded as a guarantee for the accuracy of the analysis. 



From a comparison of this analysis (II.) with that of the 

 residue (I.), the conclusion may be drawn that the smoke has 

 essentially the composition of the residue ; that in the former 

 the sulphur and nitre of the powder are somewhat more com- 

 pletely burned to carbonate and nitx'ate of potash ; and instead 

 of minute quantities of sulphide of potassium, considerable traces 

 of carbonate of ammonia are found. 



In order to settle the third question, respecting the nature of 

 the gases, we collected them for analysis by means of the appa- 

 ratus previously described, fig. 2. 



If the gases produced by the regular combustion of the gra- 

 nular powder, and issuing from the tube^Cj, be drawn through 

 the tubes //, by the mouth, a taste of almost pure carbonic acid 

 is perceived. If they be allowed to escape through the nose, 

 there is not the least smell of cyanogen, sulphurous acid, or 

 binoxide of nitrogen, and scarcely perceptible traces of sulphur- 

 etted hydrogen. Mixed with air, no visible red vapours are 

 produced. Now as a few tenths per cent, of cyanogen, or bin- 

 oxide of nitrogen, or sulphurous acid, may be thus detected, it 

 may be assumed that tliese three constituents are not present in 

 the gas under investigation. Of the gaseous products which, 

 besides these, could result from the combustion of powder, there 

 remain therefore only carbonic acid, sulphuretted hydrogen, and 

 traces of oxygen, carbonic oxide, hydrogen, nitrogen, and prot- 

 oxide of nitrogen. The carbonic acid and sul])huretted hydrogen 

 are first determined in the absorption- tube by potash, and the 



