48 
SELECTED ARTICLES. 
If this new view were confined merely to the expressing 
in a more simple manner the facts which we have pointed 
out above, it would scarcely require any further attention; 
but if it leads us to forsee the better, to classify the better, to 
explain the better, numerous reactions, it then becomes neces- 
sary to allot it a place among the provisional theories of or- 
ganic chemistry. To verify the exactness of the theory, it is 
proper to examine the facts concerning the negative, and the 
positive bodies which we suppose to exist in oxamide, as well 
as this substance itself, and to see not only whether any thing 
opposes the resemblance, but also if the facts could be fore- 
told by an incontestible analogy. 
We remark at once, that if ammonia acts similarly to an 
hydracid, although in an inverse sense, it should act, like them, 
with regard to the metals, since on loosing hydrogen, the re- 
maining elements form an electro-negative body. Thus, by 
heating potassium or sodium, for example, with ammonia, it 
should form amidets of these metals, of which we could pre- 
dict the composition and characteristic properties. These 
amidets should be produced according to the following for- 
mula: 
N 2 H 6 + K==H 2 -f K, N 2 H 4 . 
N 2 H 6 +Na=H 2 +Na, N 2 H 4 . 
In other words, by acting on ammonia, the potassium and the 
sodium should furnish two volumes of hydrogen in decom- 
posing four volumes of ammonia. Thus the above metals, by 
acting on ammonia, should liberate the same quantity of hy- 
drogen as if they acted on water. This is precisely the re- 
sult at which MM. Gay Lussac and Thenard arrived in their 
numerous experiments on this subject. 
But they did not always observe a disappearance of ammo- 
nia equal to a volume double to that of the hydrogen formed. 
Their experiments never gave for four volumes of hydrogen 
disengaged, more than seven volumes of ammonia decom- 
posed. It is therefore necessary to recur to new trials to 
verify it under this point of view. 
