286 BALARD’S RESEARCHES CONCERNING THE 
which has changed its nature, there appear a few drops of an oily liquid, 
which seems to be a mixture of the chloride of cyanogen and of azote, 
described by Sérullas. The liquid contains hydrochloric acid and eyanic 
acid of Sérullas, and the compressed gas which fills the bottle is a mix- 
ture of chlorine, azote, carbonic acid, and chloride of cyanogen. 
Sulphuret of phosphorus is also decomposed by chlorous acid. The 
action at first is slow in the cold; but the mixture gradually becomes 
warm, and it is then more rapid. The elements of these compounds 
both combine with oxygen, and chlorine is disengaged in abundance. 
The liquor contains however, besides sulphuric and phosphoric acid, 
some hydrochloric acid. 
Sulphuret of carbon acts in the same manner with chlorous acid; but 
the effervescence is more brisk, for the gas which is disengaged is a mix- 
ture of chlorine and carbonic acid. The liquid contains both sulphuric 
and hydrochloric acid ; which leads to the supposition that, in this case, 
as in the former, part of the sulphur is converted by the nascent chlo- 
rine into chloride of sulphur, which is afterwards decomposed by the 
contact of the water. 
Marsh carburetted hydrogen is not acted on by chlorous acid, either 
in the dark or in the solar light ; but it is not the same with bicarbu- 
retted hydrogen. This gas is decomposed at common temperatures, 
chlorine is disengaged, and there are found at the bottom of the vessel 
some drops of an oily fluid, which are heavier than water and have an 
zthereal smell; these are undoubtedly a chloride of carbon, the na- 
ture of which I have not directly determined. 
Chlorous acid and ammonia give rise by their mutual action to very 
different phenomena, according to the circumstances under which the 
action occurs. 
If very dilute ammonia be added to chlorous acid, also very dilute, 
a disengagement of bubbles of azote is perceived ; it is however not co- 
pious, and much less than it would be if the whole of the substances 
mixed were decomposed. The liquid which is thus obtained, rendered 
alkaline by a sufficient addition of ammonia, still possesses the property 
of decolorizing the solution of sulphate of indigo. But the disengage-_ 
ment of bubbles of gas continues to take place; the alkalinity gradually 
disappears, and on the contrary the liquor becomes acid, and in this 
state it no longer decolorizes indigo. These facts render the existence 
of a chlorite of ammonia very probable, which is an ephemeral chlorite, 
already described by M. Soubeiran. 
If a mixture of a more concentrated ammoniacal solution and 
chlorous acid be made with the greatest precaution, and so as to keep 
down the slight heat which is developed during their re-action, a 
white cloud is produced, which renders the liquor opake for some time. 
