which becomes a violet coloured Gas by Heat. Sg 
hydrogen to unite to the potassium, and the substance quits 
the potassium to unite to the hydrogen. 
The new substance, I find, is not decomposed when Voltaic 
sparks are taken in it in its gaseous state from ignited points 
of charcoal : at first there are white fumes, probably from the 
action of moisture or hydrogen in charcoal, on the substance; 
but these fumes soon cease, and when the tube in which the 
experiment is made is cooled, the substance appears unaltered. 
From all the facts that have been stated, there is every 
reason to consider this new substance as an undecompounded 
body. In its specific gravity, lustre, the high number in which 
it enters into combination and colour, it resembles the metals; 
but in all its chemical agencies it is more analogous to oxygen 
and chlorine; it is a non-conductor of electricity, and possesses, 
like these bodies, the negative electrical energy with respect 
to metals, inflammable and alkaline substances, and hence 
when combined with these substances in aqueous solution and 
electrized in the Voltaic circuit, it separates at the positive 
surface *, but it has a positive energy with respect to chlorine, 
for when united to chlorine in the compound acid I have de- 
scribed, (page 78), it separates from the chlorine at the 
negative surface. This likewise corresponds with their relative 
attractive energy. Chlorine expels the new substance from 
all its combinations on which I have made any experiments. 
The new substance seems to possess a stronger attraction 
for most of the metals than oxygen ; but it is expelled from 
phosphorus and sulphur by oxygen : I found by passing oxy- 
gen and the compound of it with phosphorus through a glass 
tube heated red, phosphorous acid w^as formed, and the violet 
gas appeared. 
MDCCCXIV. N 
