THE 
AMERICAN JOURNAL 
OP 
PHARMACY. 
JANUARY, 1841. 
ART. LVI. — ON THE HYDRARGYRO-BINIODIDES OF PO- 
TASSIUM, THE YELLOW IODIDE OF MERCURY, AND A 
COMPOUND OF BINIODIDE OF MERCURY AND AMMONIA. 
By Ambrose Smith. 
A compound of biniodide of mercury and iodide of potas- 
sium, was discovered by Bonsdorf, and designated by him, in 
accordance with his views respecting these and similar com- 
binations, iodo-hydrargyrate of potassium, terminating the 
electro negative in ate; according to Berzelius, whose nomen- 
clature is generally adopted here, it is made to terminate in 
ide. For a more detailed account of these compounds, we 
are indebted to Polydore Boullay. In a paper addressed to 
PAcademie des Sciences in Paris, giving an account of a series 
of mercurial double iodides, in which the iodides of mercury 
and potassium are included, this able chemist first states in 
general terms, that, by dissolving as much biniodide of mer- 
cury in the saturated solution of the electro-positive iodide as it 
will take up with the aid of heat, a salt is formed which consists, 
estimating its composition by the quantity of iodide employed, 
and of biniodide dissolved, of 
One atom of the electro-positive iodide, and 
Three atoms biniodide of mercury. 
vol. vi. — no. mi. 34 
