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ARTICLE XXIV. 
On certain Combinations of a New Acid, formed of Azote, 
Sulphur, and Oxygen ; by J. Pevouze. 
From the Annales de Chimie et de Physique, vol. xvi. p. 151.* 
Davy made the important observation that nitrous gas (deut-' 
oxide of azote) was susceptible of absorption by a mixture of potash 
or soda and an alkaline sulphiie, and that from this action a peculiar 
matter resulied, whose principal characteristic was to disengage abun- 
danily protoxice of azote when brought into contact with acids. His 
experimenis are recorded in vol. xx. of the Revue Britannique (tor 
1802): an extract is also given in the Traité de Chimie of Berzelius, 
vol. ii. p. 50. 
Davy. believing the presence of the potash and soda, in a free state, 
necessary to the absorption of the deuioxide of azote by the sulphites, 
and remarking moreover that the acids no longer disengaged nitrous 
gas, but protoxide of azote, from these new combinations, considered 
them as formed of this latter gas and an alkali, and proposed to give 
them the name of nzéroxides of potash and soda. He attempted unsuc- 
cessfully to obtain analogous compounds with ammonia, baryta, strontia, 
and lime. 
To explain the disappearance of the deutoxide of azote, Davy sup- 
posed that the potash and soda, although incapable of absorbing this 
gas when wholly formed, might yet take it up during its formation, and 
combine with it by the aciion of the affinities which decompose the ni- 
trous gas and convert it into protoxide of azote. 
The celebrated English chemist extended his observations no further. 
The salts which he had obtained not having been disengaged from the 
extrinsic matter with which they were combined, he was unable either 
to submit them to analysis, or to examine their principal characteristics; 
and thus he left their description very incomplete. 
Upon passing an aqueous solution of sulphite of ammonia, cooled to 
the point at which it begins to congeal, into a small tube filled with 
deutoxide of azote, which has been exposed for several minvtes to a tem- 
perature of —15° to —20°(Reaum.), the volume of the gas gradually di- 
minishes; and upon withdrawing the tube by degrees from the cooling 
mixture, and agitating it until the congealed matter is liquified, repeating 
* The Editor is indebted for the translation to Mr. J. E. Taylor. 
