Mr. E. Howard on a new fulminating Mercury. 219 



very small tubulated retort, 50 grains of the mercurial powder, 

 and poured upon it 3 drams, by measure, of sulphuric acid, 

 diluted with an equal quantity of water, and extricated the gas 

 with the assistance of a gentle heat. I first received it over 

 quicksilver, the surface of which, during the operation, partially 

 covered itself with a little black powder.* 



The gas, by different trials, amounted from 28 to 31 cubical 

 inches ; it at first appeared to be nothing but carbonic acid, as 

 it precipitated barytes water, and extinguished a taper, without 

 being itself inflamed, or becoming red. But, upon letting up to 

 it liquid caustic ammoniac, there was a residue of from 5 to 7 

 inches of a peculiar inflammable gas, which burnt with a green- 

 ish blue flame. When I made use of the water-tub, I obtained, 

 from the same materials, from 25 to 27 inches only of gas, 

 although the average quantity of the peculiar inflammable gas 

 was likewise from 5 to 7 inches ; therefore, the difference of the 

 aggregate product, over the two fluids, must have arisen from 

 the absorption, by the water, of a part of the carbonic acid in its 

 nascent state. The variation of the quantity of the inflammable 

 gas, when powder from the same parcel is used, seems to de- 

 pend upon the acid being a little more or less dilute. 



With respect to the nature of the peculiar inflammable gas, 

 it is plain to me, from the reasons I shall immediately adduce, 

 that it is no other than the gas (in a pure state) into which 

 the nitrous etherized gas can be resolved, by treatment with 

 dilute sulphuric acid. 



The Dutch chemists have shewn,^ that the nitrous etherized 

 gas can be resolved into nitrous gas, by exposure to concentrate 



• I cannot account for this appearance, 

 t Journal de Physique, p. 250, October, 1794. 



F f 2 



