40 On two new Compounds [1S20. 



heat. A mixture of oxygen and the vapour of the substance 

 would not inflame hy a strong electric spark, though the tem- 

 perature was raised by a spirit-lamp to about 400. When 

 oxygen mixed with the vapour of the substance is passed 

 through a red-hot tube, there is decomposition ; and mixtures 

 of chlorine, carbonic oxide, carbonic acid, and phosgene gases 

 are produced. A portion of the chloride was heated with per- 

 oxide of mercury, in a glass tube over mercury ; as soon as the 

 oxide had given off oxygen, and the heat had risen so high as 

 to soften the glass considerably, the vapour suddenly detonated 

 with the oxygen with bright inflammation. The substances 

 remaining were oxygen, carbonic acid, and calomel ; and I 

 believe there was no decomposition or action, until so much 

 mercury had risen in vapour as to aid the oxygen by a kind of 

 double affinity in decomposing the chloride of carbon. 



Chlorine produces no change on the substance, either by 

 exposure to light or heat. 



When iodine is heated with it at low temperatures, the two 

 substances melt and unite, and there is no further action. 

 When heated more strongly in vapour, the iodine separates 

 chlorine, reducing the perchloride to the fluid protochloride of 

 carbon, and chloriodine is produced. This dissolves, and if no 

 excess of iodine be present, the whole remains fluid at common 

 temperatures. When water is added, it generally liberates a 

 little iodine ; and on heating the solution, so as to drive off all 

 free iodine, and testing by nitrate of silver, chloride and iodide 

 of silver are obtained. 



Hydrogen and the vapour of the substance would not inflame 

 at the temperature of 400 Fahr. by strong electrical sparks ; 

 but when the mixture was sent through a red-hot tube, the 

 chloride was decomposed, and muriatic acid gas and charcoal 

 produced. 



The vapour of the perchloride of carbon readily detonates by 

 the electric spark with a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen 

 gases; but the gaseous results are very mixed and uncertain, 

 from the near equipoise of affinities that exists among the ele- 

 ments. 



Sulphur readily unites to it when melted with it, and the 

 mixture crystallizes on cooling into a yellowish mass. When 

 heated more strongly, the substance rises unchanged, and 



