[158] See the excellent memoir of Fourcroy and Vauquelin on the sulphureous acid, and its combinations. Annales de Chimie, ii, 54. Or Nicholson’s Phil. Journal, vol. i, pag. 313.
[159] Unless the sum of affinity of the potash, oil, nitrous oxide, and earths, should be inch as to enable the nitrous oxide to combine with the earth, whilst the oil and alkali remained in combination, & c.
[160] For when a little of the mixed salt was introduced into a solution of sulphurated hydrogene, globules of gas were given out during the solution.
[161] Carbonate of ammoniac formed at a high temperature, containing near 60 per cent alkali, and capable of combining with small quantities of acids without giving out its carbonic acid. Of this salt a particular account will be given in the experiments on the ammoniacal salts, which I have often mentioned in the course of this work.
[162] It may not be amiss to mention some appearances taking place in the decomposition of nitrous gas by sulphurated hydrogene, though it is useless to theorise concerning them. The sulphur deposited is at first yellow; as the process proceeds, it becomes white, and in some instances I have suspected a diminution of it.
[163] Predisposing affinity, the existence of which at first consideration it is difficult to admit, may be easily accounted for by supposing the attractions of the simple principles of compound substances. And this doctrine will apply in all instances where the constitution of bodies is known. Predisposing affinity ought not to be considered as the affinity of non-existing bodies for each other; but as the mutual affinity of their simple principles, disposing them to assume new arrangements.
[164] See the above mentioned elaborate memoir of Fourcroy and Vauquelin.
[165] The different persons who have respired nitrous oxide have, as will be seen hereafter, given different accounts of the taste; the greater number have called it sweet, some metallic. One of my friends, in a letter to me dated Nov. 13, 1799, containing a detail of some experiments made on the respiration of nitrous oxide, at Birmingham, denotes the taste of it by the term “sweetish faintly acidulous.” To me the taste both of the gas and of its solution in water, has always appeared faintly sweetish.
[166] Section 2.
[167] Vol. ii. pag. 91.