M. C. Lea on Ammonia, Mercury, and Nitric Acid. 375 
in it, which substance is so unstable that it is’ decomposed by 
mere contact with cold water; second, that it is unnece y 
complicated. If we assign to the compound the formula 
Hgs NO, NO,+2HO, 
differing from the foregoing by 1 at. H and 1 at. O, we greatly 
? 
simplify our view of its constitution, and refer it to the class of 
substituted ammonias. : 
Adopting this view, we are able to explain its formation by 
the action of ammonia on mercuric nitrate, by a very natural 
equation 
3(HgONO,)-+NH,= "1% No, NO,+2HO+2NO, 
strongly acid) 
ot only is the formula here proposed more in harmony with 
the views entertained at the present day, which tend as far as 
possible to refer such compounds to the ammonia type, but, what 
18 somewhat remarkable, it accords with the analyses of all three 
of the chemists just mentioned, much better than the formula 
hitherto adopted. To make this ae I subjoin them. In 
the second column opposite the word ammonia I have grouped 
together the atoms NH, derived partly from the substituted am- 
monia and partly from the 2HO in order to complete the com- 
Parison of the results of calculation and analysis. 
Calculated ac- Cale, by the 
new bod 
(unless ammonia be added in excess, the solution always remains 
cording to the formula here Found. 
old formula — : * 
C.G.Mits-  Pagens- 
20h Os. MP (NONOs+2H0. Kane.  cherlich. ag 
Mercury, 17-72 1595 641 75°47 74-12 
Ammonia, oy 4:15 (NH,)430 378 4-40 
2 
Oxygen, (20) 415 (30) 6°08 6-05 5:92 
i NH,0? 17.49 
Nitric acid, 13-98 1367 1266-1488 NG 
100-00 100-00 100:25 
It becomes at once evident on inspection that the formula I 
here propose is greatly more in accordance with the analyses 
than the dld one. The mercury agrees better with all of them; 
€ ammonia and nitric acid at least equally well. But it is 
(as was to be expected) in the oxygen that the difference is most 
Striking. Mitscherlich and Pagenstecher found 6:05 and 5°92: 
the new formula gives 6°08, the old 415. This would seem to 
Conclusive, 
iladelphia, Oct, 1st, 1861. 
