FULM1NATION. 
den and copious disengagement of caloric 
from a portion of powder which is decom- 
posed by the acid. An acid somewhat less 
concentrate likewise extricates a consider- 
able quantity of caloric, with a good deal of 
gas ; but, as it effects a complete decompo- 
sition, it causes no explosion. An acid di- 
luted with an equal quantity of water, by the 
aid of a little heat, separates the gas so much 
less rapidly, that it may with safety be col- 
lected in a’pneumatic apparatus. But, what- 
ever be the density of the acid (provided no 
explosion be produced), there remains in the 
sulphuric liquor, after the separation of the 
gas, a white inflammable and uncrystallized 
powder mixed with some minute globules of 
quicksilver. 
“ To estimate the quantity, and observe 
the nature, of this uninflammable substance, 
I treated 100 grains of the fulminating mer- 
cury with sulphuric acid a little diluted. 
The gas being separated, I decanted off the 
liquor as it became clear, and freed the in- 
soluble powder from acid by edulcoration 
with distilled water; after which I dried it, 
and found it weighed only 84 grains ; con- 
sequently had lost 16 grains of its original 
weight. Suspecting, from the operation of 
the nitric acid in the former experiment, that 
these 84 grains (with the exception of the 
quicksilver globules) were oxalate of mer- 
cury, I digested them in nitrate of lime, and 
found my suspicion just. The mercury of 
the oxalate united to the nitric acid, and the 
oxalic acid to the lime. A new insoluble 
compound was formed ; it weighed, when 
washed and dry, 48.5 grains. Carbonate of 
potass separated the lime, and formed oxa- 
late of potass, capable of precipitating lime- 
water and muriate of lime ; although it had 
been depurated from excess of alkali, and 
from carbonate acid, by a previous addition 
of acetous acid. That the mercury of the 
oxalate in the 84 grains had united to the 
nitric acid of the nitrate of lime was proved, 
by dropping muriatic acid into liquor from 
which the substance demonstrated to be ox- 
alate of lime had separated ; for a copious 
precipitation of calomel instantly ensued. 
“ The sulphuric liquor, decanted from the 
oxalate of mercury, was now added to that 
with which it was edulcorated, and the 
whole saturated with carbonate of potass. As 
effervescence ceased, acloudiness and precipi- 
tation followed ; and the precipitate being col- 
lected, washed and dried, weighed 3.4 grains: 
it appeared to be a carbonate of mercury. 
Upon evaporating a portion of the saturated 
sulphuric liquor, I iound nothing but sul- 
phate of potass; nor had it any metallic 
taste. There then remains, without allowing 
for the weight of the carbonic acid united to 
the 3.4 grains, a deficit from the 100 grains 
of mercurial powder of 12.6 grains, which I 
ascribe to the gas separated by the action of 
the sulphuric acid. To ascertain the quan- 
tity, and examine the nature of the gas so se- 
parated, I introduced into a very small tu- 
bulated retort 50 grains of the mercurial 
powder, and poured upon it three drachms, 
bv measure, of sulphuric acid, with the as- 
sistance of a gentle heat. I first received it 
over quicksilver ; the surface of which, dur- 
ing the operation, partially covered itself 
with a little black powder. 
“ The gas, by' different trials, amounted 
to from 28 to 31 cubical inches; it first ap- 
peared to be nothing but carbonic acid, as 
it precipitated barytes water, and extinguish- 
ed a taper, without being itself inflamed, or 
becoming red. But upon letting up to it 
liquid caustic ammonia, there was a residue 
of from 5 to 7 inches of a peculiar inflammable 
gas, which burnt with a greenish-blue flame.' 
When I made use of the water-tub, 1 obtain- 
ed 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 va- 
riation of the quantity of the inflammable 
gas, when powder from the same parcel is 
used, seems to depend upon the acid being 
a little more or less dilute. 
“ With respect to the nature of the pecu- 
liar 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, bv 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 
sulphuric acid, and that, by using a dilute 
instead of a concentrate acid, a gas is ob- 
tained which enlarges the flame ot a burning 
taper, so much like the gaseous oxide of 
azote, that they mistook it for that substance, 
until they discovered that it was permanent 
over water, refused to detonate with hydro- 
gen, and that the fallacious appearance was 
owing to a mixture of nitrous gas with in- 
flammable gas. 
“ The inflammable gas separated from the 
powder, answers to the description of the gas 
which at first deceived the Dutch chemists: 
1st, in being permanent over water; 2dly, 
refusing to detonate with hydrogen ; and, 
3dly, having the appearance of the gaseous 
oxide of azote, when mixed with nitrous 
gas. 
“ The gas separable by the same acid, 
from nitrous etherized gas, and from the 
mercurial powder, have therefore the same 
properties. Every chemist would thence 
conclude, that the nitrous etherized gas is a 
constituent part of the powder, and the in- 
flammable and nitrous gas, instead of the in- 
flammable and carbonic acid gas, had been 
the mixed product extricated from it by di- 
lute sulphuric acid. 
“ It however appears to me, that nitrous 
gas was really produced by the action of the 
dilute sulphuric acid ; and that, when pro- 
duced, it united to an excess of oxygen pre- 
sent in the oxalate of mercury. 
“ To explain how this change might hap- 
pen, I must premise, that my experiments 
have shewn me that oxalate ot mercury can 
exist in two, if not in three states. 1st. By 
the discovery of Mr. Ameilon, the precipitate 
obtained, by oxalic acid, from nitrate of mer- 
cury, fuses with a hissing noise. The pre- 
cipitate is an oxalate of mercury, seemingly 
with excess of oxygen. Mercury dissolved 
in sulphuric acid and precipitated by oxalic 
acid, and also the pure red oxide of mer- 
cury digested with oxalic acid, give oxalates 
in the same state. 2dly. Acetate of ntercu- 
7 $ 7 ' 
ry, precipitated by oxalic acid, although a 
true oxalate is formed, has no kind of inflam-, 
inability. I consider it as an oxalate with 
less oxygen than those above-mentioned. 
3dly. A solution of nitrate of mercury, 
boiled with dulcified spirit of nitre, gives an 
oxalate more inflammable than any' other ; 
perhaps it contains most oxygen. 
“ The oxalate of mercury remaining from 
the powder in the sulphuric liquor is not 
only always in the same state as that preci- 
pitated from acetate of mercury, entirely de- 
void of inflammability, but contains globules 
of quicksilver, consequently it must have 
parted with even more than its excess of 
oxygen ; and if nitrous gas was present, it 
would of course seize at least a portion of that 
oxygen. It is true, that globules of quick- 
silver may seem incompatible with nitrous 
acid ; but the quantity of the one may not 
correspond with that of the other, or the di- 
lution of the acid may destroy its action. 
“ As to the presence of the carbonic acid, 
it must have arisen either from a complete 
decomposition of a part of the oxalate ; or 
admitting the nitrous etherized gas to be a 
constituent principle of the powder, from a 
i portion of the- oxygen, not taken up by the 
nitrous gas, being united with the carbon of 
the etherized gas. 
“ The muriatic acid, digested with the 
mercurial powder, dissolves a portion of it, 
without extricating any notable quantity of 
gas. The dissolution evaporated to a dry 
salt tastes like the corrosive sublimate ; and 
the portion which the acid does not take up, 
is leit in a state of an uninflammable oxa- 
late. 
“ These effects all tend to establish the 
existence of the nitrous etherized gas, as a 
constituent part of the powder ; and likewise 
corroborate the explanation I have ventured 
to give »f the action of the sulphuric acid. 
Moreover, a measured ounce and a half of 
nitrous acid, holding 100 grains of mercury 
in solution and two measured ounces of al- 
cohol, yield 90 cubical inches only of gas : 
whereas, without the intervention of mer- 
cury, they yield 210 inches. Upon the 
whole, I trust it will be thought reasonable to 
conclude, that the mercurial powder is com- 
posed of the nitrous etherized gas, and of 
oxalate of mercury with excess of oxygen. 
1st. Because the nitric acid converts the 
mercurial powder entirely into nitrous gas, 
carbonic acid gas, acetous acid, and nitrate 
of mercury. 2dly. Because the dilute sul- 
phuric acid resolves it into an uninflam- 
mable oxalate of mercury, and separates 
from it a gas resembling that into whic h 
the same acid resolves the nitrous ether- 
ized gas. 3dly. Because an uninflam- 
mable oxalate is likewise left, alter the mu- 
riatic acid has converted a part of it into 
sublimate. 4thly. Because it cannot be 
formed by boiling nitrate of mercury in dul- 
cilied spirits of nitre ; although a very in- 
flammable oxalate is by this means produc- 
ed. 5thlv. Because the difference of the 
product of gas, from the same measures of 
alcohol and nitrous acid, with and without 
mercury in solution, is not trifling ; and, 
6thly. Because nitrogen gas w r as generated 
during its combustion in the glass globe. 
“ Should my conclusions be thought war- 
ranted by the reasons I have adduced, the 
