Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-10-08
tratlon of the new compound. BY destroying its

tration OF the new compound, By destroying its
tension.
Its action upon the animal economy, is very
great; the smallest drop instantly whitens the
skin, raises huge blister, aud produces a Sc
we're momentary pain. In this respect NJ
somewhat resembles the gas acid Hnoric hut
n Is not so dreadful and inc table "A poison as
this latter: il seems TO merely destroy the Gu
ticle OF the part. Doubtless IL taken interior
ly, IL might be attended with serious conse.
quences- 1t rs, however. Instantly decompos-
ed and the oxygen totally disengaged by the
substances OF the organs of the human body
snch hS the nerves and muscles, the liver, the
spleen, &c. and by all metals aud brides. In the
uecomrosItions no new bO.ly is formed, the OK
ysen Is expelled with load explosion, and the
animal, metallic, OF oxided substance is with
drawn IN the same state that il was introduce
ed into the base. ltWould be extremely dam
gerous TO operate upon considerable quaint.
/ ~ al time, since its expansive force resem-
Dies that OF gunpowder The simple non. me.
tallic bodies have 10 effect upon il at the or
binary temperature; hut the case is very diff
tertnt with many of them, such as rbon, sui.
phur, &c 81 an elevated temperature eXplo-
siob ensnes, ohpaDied by the formation of
gas. acid, carbOnic, sulphurous &c.
The action OF light and radiatiug caloric
Is nuratory on this new body; and most pro-
manly lie loadstone is also without influence.
We isust, therefore, conclude that its reduc.
ton by metallic divides and animal organic
substances, is the effect of electrical actions,
or OF some other fluid at present unknown
LIZ is without action OH vegetable colors and
combines with no oxy de To form a salt a cam
not therefore, be regarded as an acid since il
Is destitute OF every characteristic of AN acid
except tue common acidifying principle-the
oxygen. When LETT long exposed TO the air,
II inses great portion of its oxygen
thus ~ is found that the admirable experi-
ments made by baron Humboldt & Guy Lus-
sac, IN 1905, on the affinity of water for air and
oxygen, which they found did not exceed
i-Soth part OF IT'S volume of the latter, and
lt,as,
turS, ana under the ordinary pressure of the
atmosphere, and 10 be totally null in vacuum,
are only true IN the simple contact of water
win AR or oxygen The presence OF AN acid
ehtlreiH changes the affinity. forgot TO mem
uon, That when the decomposition of The per
oxygenaied water is taking place by the in
huence OF the metal oXyde, or organic sub-
slauce, the addition of an acid suddenly ar
rests Tue reduction. ~ gives stability to the new
compound. Hence il appears that ONLY those
bodies mat are attracted TO the negative pole
OF me VoItaic battery, are capable of reduc-
ing this singular compound
Doubtless this discovery will oxcita tho -.
tefesi and curiosity OF our American chymists
anu philosophers and invite You to comm.
nlcate these facts to the New York Iu,titnte
aud to your learned frends.-The narrow linn,
lis oil letter preclude me from entering into
further details. The facts here stated i was
myself wi'ueSs 10. MIR. Thenard made all
Tue experiments in our presence at the coIIepe
OF rama, with that ability and zeal for which
he ~ 80 h'snIy distinguished among the ablest
chymists of the age.
Mr Guy Lnssac has lately discovered that
Ihe ieunc,l0n OF the per oAyde of manganese
ny I'VE sulphnric acid, does not produce sui.
p .att' an was hitherto supposed but gives
olrth TO new acid. (and of course TO a new
san inferior in the quantity of its acidfyiur
ptlnciple to sHlpburic acid, and holding an
ln.srmedlaie station between the suphnreous
aliu Huipnuiic. he mas proposed to call it hy.
pc snltnric but Professor 'rhenard has demo.
minated IL Snlphant BY "a new termination IN
ant OF The eenericaI word agreeably 10 the ee.
mus OF The chymical nomenclature. l forgot
Gay LuSsac. participated in the discovery oi
his colleague Mr.. I'heuard.