80 Mr. Davy’s Lecture on some new analytical Researches 
K 
The peculiar inflammable substance, when heated nearly 
to redness in hydrogene, or nitrogene, did not seem to dis- 
solve in these gasses, or to act upon them ; it merely gained 
a darker shade of colour, and a little moisture rose from it, 
which condensed in the neck of the retort in which the expe- 
riment was made. 
On the fluid menstrua containing oxygene, it produced 
effects which might be looked for from the phenomena of 
its agency on gasses. 
When thrown into concentrated nitric acid, it rendered it 
bright red, so that nitrous gas was produced and absorbed, but 
it did not dissolve rapidly till the acid was heated ; when there 
was a considerable effervescence, the peculiar substance dis- 
appeared, nitrous gas was evolved, and the fluid afforded 
boracic acid. 
It did not act upon concentrated sulphuric acid till heat 
was applied ; it then produced a slight effervescence ; the 
acid became black at its points of contact with the solid ; and 
a deep brown solution was formed, which, when neutralized 
by potash, gave a black precipitate. 
When heated in a strong solution of muriatic acid, it gave 
it a faint tint of green ; but there was no vividness of action, 
or considerable solution. 
On acetic acid heated, it had no perceptible action. 
It combined with the fixed alkalies, both by fusion and 
aqueous solution, and formed pale olive coloured compounds, 
which gave dark precipitates when decomposed by muriatic 
acid. 
When it was kept long in contact with sulphur in fusion, 
it slowly dissolved, and the sulphur acquired an olive tint. It 
