a 
58 J. W. Mailet on Osmious Acid. 
tallic acid—feebler in its relations as an acid than arsenic acid, 
Arseni- 
heat to vaporize it. SbO, isa body of distinctly acid properties. 
Both SbO, and SbO, are converted by heating in the air into SbO, 
—the so-called antimonious acid—which seems therefore to be 
the most stable oxyd when strong .bases and acids are not pre 
sent. It is most probable that, as Frémy maintains, SbO, is not 
itself an acid, but that a so-called alkaline antimonite is in fact 
& mere mixture of an antimoniate with the compound of anti 
monic oxyd and alkali (28b0,=SbO,+Sb0O,). 
In the bismuth column, the teroxyd is homologous as a base 
with teroxyd of antimony, but shows little tendency to play the 
part of an acid with even the strongest bases. This oxyd and 
the metal itself are volatile at high temperatures. BiO, also 
seems to be devoid of acid properties, but the compound Bi0, 
probably exists, and is homologous with SbO,, forming alkaline 
salts of little stability. 5 : 
zelius dark brown substance, su < naee ot ae 
ot a to ammonia, which, dissolved in hydrochlori¢ 
© a brown : sh 
chlorid of osmium compound, su the sesq 
, 
a 
3 
