compound of iodine and oxygene. 213 
combined with water, without applying the name acid to the 
anhydrous solid. It is not at all improbable that the action of 
the hydrogene in the combined water is connected with the acid 
properties of the compound ; for this acid may be regarded as 
a triple combination of iodine, hydrogene, and oxygene, an 
oxyiode of hydrogene, and it is possible that the hydrogene 
may act the same part in giving character, that potassium, 
sodium, or the metallic bases perform in the oxyiodes ; and as 
hydrogene combined with iodine forms a very strong acid, and 
as this acid would remain, supposing all the oxygene to be 
taken away from the oxyiodic acid, it is a fair supposition 
that its elements must have an influence in producing the 
acidity of the substance. 
Rome, February io, * 815 . 
