on the Peroxide of Hydrogen. 35 



Should I not have been anticipated, and should you deem it worthy 

 of a place in your Journal, the present paper may be acceptable to 

 some of your readers. Yours with respect, 



Edwin D. Faust, M. D. 



In the first American edition of Turner's Chemistry, pages 121 

 and 122, we find the foUoAving interesting details, respecting the in- 

 fluence of some substances, on the peroxide of hydrogen. 



" The most remarkable property of the peroxide of hydrogen is 

 the facility with which it is decomposed. The difRised day light 

 does not seem to exert any influence over it, and even the direct so- 

 lar rays act upon it tardily. It effervesces from the escape of oxy- 

 gen at 59° F., and the sudden application of a higher temperature, 

 as of 212° F., gives rise to such a rapid evolution of gas as to cause 

 an explosion. Water, apparently by combining ^vith the peroxide, 

 renders it more permanent ; but no degree of dilution can enable it 

 to bear the heat of boiling water, at which temperature it is decom- 

 posed entirely. All the metals except iron, tin, antimony, and tellu- 

 rium, have a tendency to decompose the peroxide of hydrogen, con- 

 verting it into oxygen and water. A state of" minute mechanical di- 

 vision is essential for producing rapid decomposition. If the metal 

 is in mass, and the peroxide diluted with water, the action is slow. 

 The metals which have a strong affinity for oxygen are oxidized at 

 the same time, such as potassium, sodium, arsenic, molybdenum, 

 manganese, zinc, tungsten, and chromium ; while otliers, such as 

 gold, silver, platinum, iridium, osmium, rhodium, palladium, and 

 mercury, retain the metallic state. 



"The peroxide of hydrogen is decomposed at common tempera- 

 tures by many of the metallic oxides. That some of the protoxides 

 should have this effect, would be anticipated in consequence of then* 

 tendency to pass into a higher state of oxidation. The protoxides of 

 iron, manganese, tin, cobalt, and others, act on this principle, and 

 are really converted into peroxides. The peroxides of barium, 

 strontium and calcium may likewise be formed by the action of the 

 peroxide of hydrogen on baryta, strontia, and lime. But it is a sin- 

 gular fact, and I am not aware that any satisfactory explanation of it 

 has been given, that some oxides decompose the peroxide of hydro- 

 gen without passing into a higher degree of oxidation. The perox- 

 ides of silver, lead, mercury, gold, platinum, manganese, and cobalt. 



