s long as a precipitate of argentic chloride forms, there is obtained on
evaporation brilliant white plates, of a very explosive nature, of
potassic argentic fulminate, C(NO_{2})KAg.CN, from whose aqueous solution
nitric acid precipitates a white powder of hydric argentic fulminate,
C(NO_{2})HAg.CN. All attempts to prepare fulminic acid, or nitro-aceto-
nitrile, C(NO_{2})H_{2}CN, from the fulminates have failed. There is a
fulminate of gold, which is a violently explosive buff precipitate, formed
when ammonia is added to ter-chloride of gold, and fulminate of platinum,
a black precipitate formed by the addition of ammonia to a solution of
oxide platinum, in dilute sulphuric acid.

Fulminating silver is a compound obtained by the action of ammonia on
oxide of silver. It is a very violent explosive. Pure mercury fulminate
may be kept an indefinite length of time. Water does not affect it. It
explodes at 187 deg. C., and on contact with an ignited body. It is very
sensitive to shock and friction, even that of wood upon wood. It is used
for discharging bullets in saloon rifles. Its inflammation is so sudden
that it scatters black powder on which it is placed without igniting it,
but it is sufficient to place it in an envelope, however weak, for
ignition to take place, and the more resisting the envelope the more
violent is the shock, a circumstance that plays an important part in caps
and detonators. The presence of 30 per cent. of water prevents
decomposition, 10 per cent. prevents explosion. This is, however, only
true for small quantities, and does not apply to silver fulminate, which
explodes under water by friction. Moist fulminates slowly decompose on
contact with the oxidisable metals. The (reduced) volume of gases obtained
from 1 kilo. is according to Berthelot, 235.6 litres. The equation of its
decomposition is C_{2}HgN_{2}O_{2} = 2CO + N_{2} + Hg.

Fulminate of mercury is manufactured upon the large scale by two methods.
One of these, commonly known as the German method, is conducted as
follows:--One part of mercury is dissolved in 12 parts of nitric acid of a
specific gravity of 1.375, and to this solution 16.5 parts of absolute
alcohol are added by degrees, and heat is then slowly applied to the
mixture until the dense fumes first formed have disappeared, and when the
action has become more violent some more alcohol is added, equal in volume
to that which has already been added. This is added very gradually. The