1817.) Axote and Oxygen. 193 
azote and oxygen, after the manner of Cavendish, as nilrows acid 
gas, and not nitric acid, as it has generally been conceived 
hitherto ; and it must be regarded the same compound as that 
formed by electrifying nitrous gas. 
It may be proper now to state the points of agreement and dis- 
agreement in the present views of chemists in regard to the com- 
pounds of azote and oxygen. The notion that nitrous gas contains 
just twice the quantity of oxygen that nitrous oxide does, united to 
a given quantity of azote, seems universally admitted. Another 
compound, containing twice as much oxygen as nitrous gas, is also 
admitted by some, namely, nitrous acid gas. And nitric acid is 
allowed to contain five times the oxygen that nitrous oxide does. In 
addition to these four compounds, Gay-Lussac, Berzelius, Thomson, 
and J, admit a fifth, pernitrous or subnitrous acid, which contains 
three times the oxygen that nitrous axide does. This is the com- 
pound I formerly called mitrows acid, and what is so called by Ber- 
zeliusand Thomson. It will still be the proper name, if the exist- 
ence of an intermediate compound between this and nitric acid 
cannot be established. Of this more in the sequel. Berzelius has 
some peculiar notions in regard to azote. He conceives that azote 
is formed of oxygen and a substance he calls miéricum; and that’ 
azote + a given quantity of oxygen forms nitrous oxide, and azote 
— the same quantity of oxygen leaves nitricum. 
The subject of greatest ditference amongst us is in regard to the 
absolute weights of the elements azote and oxygen which combine 
to form the several compounds. Gay-Lussac, and most of the 
other chemists I have mentioned who follow him as volumists, con- 
tend that the proportions are as under, viz. :— 
Measures. Measures, Measures, 
100 azote + 50 oxygen 100 nitrous oxide 
Sas a LUO asa nec 200 nitrous gas 
ge ARS Si | Tiamat subnitrous acid ; 
100 .... + 200 ...... = 100 nitrous acid gas (150, Davy) 
SSR RRR “id=: ae: nitric acid. 
Hoi wu i 
But from the views I entertain on the subject as derived from 
experiments, the true proportions of the compounds would be more 
nearly stated as under :— 
Measures. Measures, 
100 azote + 62 oxygen = 100 + nitrous oxide QOO 
100 .... + 124 1.4... = 200 + nitrous gas ©O 
TD ccs He LO Ake oS subritrous acid a0 
100 .... + 248 ....., = 100 + nitrous acid gasOdO 
O06 00s 1 OI ey eats be nitric acid °) 
Vor. IX. N° III. N 
