422 MM. Liebig and Gay-Lussac on [June, 



one of azote, and that obtained in distilling the residuum with 

 oxide of copper consists of 100 volumes of the first gas and 37*4 

 of the second. 



Although this result is not in perfect agreement with, the first, 

 and although the experiments which we detail have not all the 

 accuracy we could wish, it appears to us nevertheless probable, 

 that in the decomposition of the fulminate of silver mixed with 

 the sulphate of potash, only half of the carbon is converted into 

 carbonic acid ; that a quantity of azote is evolved which corre- 

 sponds exactly with what ought to happen if the azote and the 

 carbon were in the fulminate in the state of cyanogen, and that 

 consequently the silver in the residuum exists in the state of 

 subcyanuret. 



If the elements, which analysis has made us acquainted with, 

 in the fulminate of silver are the true ones, it is easy to obtain 

 the true equivalent number of fulminic acid ; for admitting that 

 the oxide of silver which acts as a base in the fulminic acid is 



exactly half that contained in the fulminate, we have = 



38-764 : 61-236 :: 145-161 (oxide of silver) : 229-31 : now, 

 by calculation, fulminic acid will be composed of 



1 atom of oxide of silver 145*161 



2 atoms of cyanogen 65-584 



2 atoms of oxygen 20-000 



230-745 



In order to verify this result, w r e prepared fulminate of barytes 

 by decomposing fulminate of silver with chloride of barium, 

 and after having dried it at the temperature of 212°, we treated 

 it with muriatic acid, which formed chloride of barium and 

 chloride of silver : 38-33 of fulminate of barytes produced 15-85 

 of chloride of barium, and from this the equivalent number of 

 fulminic acid is readily deduced, and is 228-873. The agree- 

 ment between these three results is as near as can be expected 

 in experiments, the danger attending which does not allow of 

 their repetition, and we shall admit 230-745 as the equivalent 

 number of fulminic acid, which is the result of calculation. 



Being now acquainted with the nature of the elements of ful- 

 minate of silver, we shall direct our attention to the manner in 

 which the)- are combined. 



If silver be an essential principle of fulminic acid, we must 

 necessarily admit the existence of almost as many peculiar acids 

 as there are metals ; for the greater part may replace silver, and 

 form each a fulminic acid. With zinc alone for instance, a ful- 

 minate is produced which is perfectly analogous to that of 

 silver ; but is it probable that bodies, the properties of which are 

 so different, should replace each other in the same atomic pro- 

 portion, and form, with cyanogen and oxygen, acids which are 





