Chemistry and Chemical Arts. 14] 
heat, pure hydrogen gas decomposes it into phosphorus and ammo- 
nia, withont the production of water, nitrogen or hydrogen; sul- 
phuretted hydrogen decomposes it at ared heat and asubstance sub- 
limes, which condenses in the state of a yellowish white powder, 
which contains sulphur and phosphorus, and which dissolves com- 
pletely in caustic potash with the disengagement of ammonia. 
In order to analyze the phosphuret of nitrogen, a determinate 
weight of it was mingled with an equal weight of the oxide of lead, 
to which was added nitric acid. ‘The mixture was dried, calcined 
and weighed, which gave the phosphoric acid. Again, a certain 
quantity was mixed with the hydrate of baryta, and the mixture pla- 
ced in a retort and covered with hydrate of baryta; the neck of the 
retort was afterwards drawn out to a point and introduced within a 
matrass, half filled with water, so that the opening was about one 
half of an inch below the surface of the liquid. ‘To the matrass was 
adapted a second vessel containing concentrated hydrochloric acid. 
After the heat was applied, until the decomposition was completed, 
it was left to cool, when the hydrochloric acid passed over into the 
first matrass, and all the ammonia was condensed in the state of hy- 
drochlorate. In order to learn the quantity of this alkali, it was com- 
bined with chloride of platina and calcined, the platina weighed, &c. 
It resulted from these experiments that the phosphuret of nitrogen 
has the following composition : 
Phosphorus.) peice OB25ouiesy 2 eelatem 
INitroweny 22) arise). OAT AAI 8 Ws ca Qiatoms: 
17. A new compound of Iodine and Oxygen, the Hyper Iodic 
Acid, by M. M. Ammermunier and Maenus. (Ann. de Ch., t. 
53, p. 92.)—It is impossible to obtain the hyper-iodic acid by the 
method which Seruuuas followed in procuring the hyper-chloric 
acid: for in heating the iodate it does not give rise to the hyper-io- 
date. In preparing the iodate of soda by the process of Lizzie, 
which consists in saturating alternately with chlorine and carbonate 
of soda, iodine diffused through water, there is often formed on evap- 
oration, a white deposit, heavy and crystalline, which is the basic 
hyper-iodate of soda. ‘The best way of preparing this salt is to pass 
chlorine through a solution of iodate of soda, to which caustic soda 
is added. The hyper-iodic acid is obtained by decomposing with 
water, the hyper-iodate of silver. ‘'This acid is soluble in water and 
the solution may be heated to ebullition without causing its decom- 
