32 Improvements in Physical Science (Jan, 
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Water absorbs 44 times its bulk of this gas; alcohol, 23 times 
its bulk; and sulphuric ether and oil of turpentine, at least as much 
as water. It combines with potassium, mercury, and several other 
bodies, and forms a set of bodies to which Gay-Lussac has given 
the name of cyanurets. The term cyanides would have been more 
proper; for cyanogen in these combinations acts a part exactly 
analogous to that of chlorine and iodine, which are obviously sup- 
porters of combustion, Therefore the names of all their combina- 
tions with combustibles ought to be analogous to those of the com- 
pounds of oxygen and the same bodies; that is to say, they should 
end in ide, What is called prussiate of mercury is a cyanide of 
mercury. 
Vv. METALS. 
1. Platinum.—Dobereiner has shown, as Mr. Smithson Tennant 
had done long ago, that when nitre or nitrate of soda is melted in 
a platinum crucible; a portion of the platinum is oxidized. But 
none of the other nitrates seem to possess this power. He tried 
nitrate of barytes, nitrate of strontian, and nitrate of lime, without 
obtaining any oxide of platinum. The oxide obtained had a reddish- 
brown colour, almost the metallic lustre, and was completely 
soluble in sulphurie acid. 
2. Copper.—When copper is dissolved in nitric acid, the solution 
is at first green and muddy ; by degrees a yellow precipitate falls to 
the bottom, and the liquid becomes transparent and blue. Professor 
Hildebrant has examined this yellow precipitate, and concludes 
from his experiments that it is an oxide of copper containumg more 
oxygen than the black oxide of copper. The fact would be curious 
and important, if this be really the case ; but Hildebrandt’s experi- 
ments do not appear to me quite satisfactory. They would require 
repetition, and several points ought to be determined with more 
ea. than he has done. (See Schweigger’s Journal, vol. xi. 
» 169. 
‘ 3. Iron.—Dr. Henry has observed a curious effect produced upon 
cast-iron when left in contact with solutions of muriate of lime or 
muriate of magnesia. Most of the iron was removed, the specific 
gravity of the mass was reduced to 2°155, and what remained con- 
sisted chiefly of plumbago, and the other impurities present in cast- 
iron. (See Annals of Philosophy, vol. v. p. 66.) 
4. Nickel—Lampadius has given us a set of experiments on 
pure nickel, which have been inserted in the Anmals of Philosophy 
(vol. v. p. G1). Its magnetic energy compared with that of iron 
he found as 35 to 55. He alloyed it with gold, platinum, copper, 
and iron. He did not succeed in uniting it with silver, It com- 
bined readily with phosphorus and sulphur. . 
