Mr. E. Howard on a new fulminating Mercury. 227 



vention of mercury ; and that, according to the Dutch chemists, 

 the product of ether, is always in the inverse ratio to the pro- 

 duct of nitrous etherized gas. Should a further proof.be thought 

 necessary, of the existence of the nitrous etherized gas in the 

 fulminating mercury, as well as in the white dense fumes, it 

 may be added, that if a mixture of alcohol and nitrous acid 

 holding mercury in solution, be so dilute, and exposed to a 

 temperature so low, that neither ether nor nitrous etherized gas 

 are produced, the fulminating mercury, or the white fumes, will 

 never be generated : for, under such circumstances, the mer- 

 cury is precipitated chiefly in the state of an inflammable oxalate. 

 Further, when we consider the different substances formed by 

 an union of nitrous acid and alcohol, we are so far acquainted 

 with all, except the ether and the nitrous etherized gas, as to 

 create a presumption, that no others are capable of volatilizing 

 mercury, at the very low temperature in which the white fumes 

 exist, since during some minutes they are permanent over water 

 of 40 Fahrenheit, 



section xvi. 



Hitherto, as much only has been said of the gas which is 

 separated from the mercurial powder by dilute sulphuric acid, 

 as was necessary to identify it with that into which the same 

 acid can resolve the nitrous etherized gas; I have further to 

 speak of its peculiarity.* 



* It must be first noticed, that it is never pure when obtained from the nitrous 

 etherized gas; nor am I aware how it is to be purified, unless the nitrous gas could be 

 taken from it, without being converted into nitrous acid ; for, by that acid, it would 

 probably be itself converted into nitrous gas. 



Gg 2 



