ON AQUA REGIA. 261 
body into an oxide, an acid, and sometimes even into a 
salt. 
26. The oxide, at the moment of its formation, may com- 
bine with nitrous acid, the oxidating power of which is less 
than that of the two other acids of nitrogen.* 
If the oxide formed does not enter into a combination, it 
continues to remain under the influence of the oxidating 
agent, it is raised to higher stage of oxidation, and convert- 
ed not either into a simple nitrogenous acid (effect of nitric 
or hyponitric acid on ethereal oils, on parafin, &c, sub- 
stances free from oxygen,) or into a nitrogenous double 
acid (nitro-naphthalinic acid, &c.) 
If, finally, this acid reacts on an oxysalt, produced by its 
influence, a salt may be formed raised to a higher stage of 
oxidation (effect of nitric acid on naphthalin, benzin, &c.) 
Even by other acids than those formed by the influence 
of the said acids, the oxidation may be brought about (effect 
of hyponitric acid on neutral fatty bodies.) 
The formation of organic, not nitrogenous, acids, produ- 
ced under circumstances as above, and the effect of hyponit- 
ric acid on fatty matters, are most important facts, serving 
as evidence that this acid acts, indeed, the part of an oxi- 
dating as well as of a dehydrogenating means. 
If, however, an oxyacid, with compound radical, con- 
taining hydrogen, may be produced by the oxidating action 
of hyponitric acid, it may, likewise, happen, that by the 
action of the same, or of that of nitric acid, on other organic 
bodies bases may be formed, acidity and basicity being re- 
spectively dependent on an opposed tendency, resulting 
from the various manners in which the molecules are ar- 
ranged, or the circumstances under which this grouping 
takes place, and on those under which these bodies com- 
bine, &c. Nothing, therefore, stands in the way of the for- 
* From instances to be adduced in the sequel, it will appear that 
these processes are ; indeed, of the kind as stated. 
