^74 K^w Pitblicatiom. 



the other vegetable colours, and convert^; thcni into white. 

 It deprives all flowers of tiieir colour, and bleaches cloth, 

 yellow wax, filk, &c. It is by means of it^ excefs of oxygen 

 that it produces thcfe effects; and by lofing it!^ excefs of ox- 

 ygen it returns to the ftate of 'finiple muriatic acid gas, which 

 is then entirely foluble in water. 



*' Oxygenated muriatic gas extinguiflies burning bodie^^ 

 and fpeedily dcttroys animals immerfed in it. 



** This gas has the property of decompofing ammonia : 

 its excefs of oxygen combines with the hydrogen of the am- 

 monia (which is compofed of one part of hydrogen and fix of 

 azot), and forms water, while the azot is left free. 



** Oxygenated muriatic gas is not fo foluble in water as 

 tke plain muriatic acid gas, which can in no manner be 

 collected over water: it is, however, foluble in ie to a certain 

 degree, and then forms liquid oxygenated murlat, which h 

 the real folvcnt of gold, platina, Sec. as may be proved by 

 putting into that liquor fomc gold leaf, which will be fpeedily 

 di looked. 



*' In the nitro-murlatic acid It is the agent that difTolves 

 gold, for that acid is a mixture of muriatic acid and nitric 

 acid. In this mixture the muriitic acid, the radical of whicri 

 has a great affinity for oxygen, combines with the oxygen 

 of the nitric acid, and, by thcfe means, becomes oxygenated 

 muriat, and the bafe of the nit/ic acid remains free; fo that 

 in this li(juor no more acid perhaps is left. The nitric acid 

 has lofi; its acidity by loling Its oxygen, and the muriatic 

 ;icid has loft; its acidity by combining with the oxygen of the 

 jtitric acid. Thcfe are two facts which, as already fuid, are 

 difficult to be explained. 



" The oxygenated muriat is gradually decompofed by the" 

 contact of light which difengages its excefs of oxygen. By 

 lofing this excefs of oxygen it pailes to the Hate of pure mn^ 

 tiatic acid; and the oxygen thus difengaged combining with 

 caloric, forms pure air, called oxygen gas.'* 

 An Epitome cf ChcmTjlrj. By William IJcnry. Small i^mo^ 

 Johnfon, St. Paul's Church-Yard. 

 THIS valuable little volume is divided into three parts. 

 Pdrt I. intended to facilitate to the Itudcnt the acquifuioii 



of 



