and Observations on Iodine. 4^3 
of this ingenious chemist seem to have been founded upon the 
want of effervescence in the process; and his experiments 
were made at a very early period of the investigation, and 
probably before this time he has found reason to alter his 
opinion. 
It is probable that a binary compound of iodine and oxygene 
may be formed, but tlie facts presented by the action of acids 
on the triple compounds are not sufficient to prove its exist- 
ence. 
When small quantities of very diluted sulphuric acid are 
digested on the triple compounds of potassium and barium, 
the fluid obtained is always acid, and always precipitates mu- 
riate of baryta. I thought it possible that the compound of 
iodine and oxygene might possess this property ; but on col- 
lecting the precipitate and examining it, it appeared to be a 
mixture of the triple compound and sulphate of baryta, and 
from all the facts it appears that in the action of acids on the 
triple compounds new combinations only are formed.* 
I take the liberty of proposing for the triple compounds the 
names of oxy-iodes, because, when decomposed by heat, they 
* When sulphuric acid is made to dissolve as much of the triple compound of po- 
tassium by heat as possible, the mixture congeals by cooling into a yellow transparent 
substance, extremely deliquescent, and very acid. On decomposing it by heat, neutral 
sulphate of potassa remains. Now as oxygene and iodine are the only substances 
driven off by heat, it may be asserted that the acid property of the mixture depends 
upon these two principles; yet this conclusion does not follow according to sound 
chemical logic : iodine alone destroys the alkaline properties of potassa, and oxygene 
and iodine in combination with potassium form a difficultly soluble and almost taste- 
less substance. This substance, the triple compound, has only a weak attraction for 
sulphuric acid, and it might be expected that in combining with sulphuric acid it 
would not deprive it of its acid properties. 
MDCCCXIV. 3 S 
