some new Objects in Chemical Philosophy. 
6y 
V. Some Considerations of Theory illustrated by new Facts. 
Hydrogene is the body which combines with the largest 
proportion of oxygene, and yet it forms with it a neutral 
compound. This on the hypothesis of electrical energy would 
shew, that it must be much more highly positive than any 
other substance ; and therefore, if it be an oxide, it is not likely 
that it should be deprived of oxygene by any simple chemical 
attractions. The fact of its forming a substance approaching 
to an acid in its nature, when combined with a metallic sub- 
stance, tellurium, is opposed to the idea of its being a gaseous 
metal, and perhaps to the idea that it is simple, or that it exists 
in its common form in the amalgam of ammonium. The 
phenomena presented by sulphuretted hydrogene, are of the 
same kind, and lead to similar conclusions. 
Muriatic acid gas, as I have shewn, and as is further proved 
by the researches of MM. Gay Lussac and Thenard, is a 
compound of a body unknown in a separate state, and water. 
The water, I believe, cannot be decompounded, unless a 
new combination is formed ; thus it is not changed by char- 
coal ignited in the gas by Voltaic electricity ; but it is decom- 
pounded by all the metals ; and in these cases hydrogene is 
elicited, in a manner similar to that in which one metal is 
precipitated by another ; the oxygene being found in the new 
compound. This at first view, might be supposed in favour 
of the idea, that hydrogene is a simple substance ; but the 
same reasoning may be applied to a protoxide as to a metal ; 
and in the case of the nitromuriatic acid, when the nitrous acid 
is decomposed to assist in the formation of a metallic muriate, 
the body disengaged (nitrous gas,) is known to be in a high 
state of oxygenation. 
Ks 
