©8SERVATI0NS ON MURIAtlC ACID. 237 



with the oxide of mercury. As foon as I have Hated forae but erroneously 

 experiments that prove Mr. Fourcroy's opinion to be errone- For > 

 ous, and endeavoured to eftablifh the analyfis of corrofive 

 fublimate and of calomel, I (hall take notice of a fait hitherto 

 unknown, which really is hyperoxigenized muriate of mer- 

 cury. 



I took a portion of corrofive fublimate, and precipitated by Corrof.fub: pre- 



potafh. The liquor was filtered j and, upon being tried, ci P itated b y P ot - 



, • i • r n r f *t ' am gave muriate 



nothing but muriate ot potafh was found. JNo re-agent of potafh and no 



could difcover the fmalleft trace of hyperoxigenized muri- h yp ,0x,m « acid# 



atic acid. 



Sulphuric, nitric, phofphoric, and many other acids, poured Tne acids difen- 

 upon corrofive fublimate, did not difengage either muriatic, orj-jj^jf * mfi 

 hype roxigenized muriatic acid. Nitrate of filver, poured into 

 a folution of corrolive fublimate, gave an abundant white 

 precipitate. 



From thefe experiments it is evident, that muriatic acid, not Confeq. mum- 



hyperoxigenized muriatic acid, is combined with the oxide of tlc and J not .^- °. x * 

 Jr *? +\m* m. acid exifts mi 



mercury in corrofive fublimate. cor. fub. 



To determine the proportions of this fait, I took one hundred Component 



parts, and precipitated by nitrate of filver. I then took another f a !". ts Hv**¥ m 

 , tation with pot- 



hundred, and precipitated by potafh. The refult of thefe two am and with m« 



experiments was fuch as to eftablifh the proportions of corro- trate o{ filver * 



live fublimate as follows : 



Oxide of mercury ' - - 82 



Muriatic acid - - - ] 8 



100. 

 But, the acid of this fait not being charged with a fuper- To meafure the 



abundance of oxigen, we muft look for the excefs in the me- °* l & a > I0 ° 8 rs « 

 ° . of mercury were 



tallic oxide. I took 100 grains of mercury, and diffolved them diflblved in ni- 



in nitric acid ; then poured in muriatic acid ; and, at a very tri . c acid >, mur * 



.11 \ i i r * r ■ r » .. • « acid was tnen 



gentle heat, evaporated to drynels. I afterwards lubhmed, poured in, and 



in a Florence flafk, the fait that remained, and obtained the fa,t ( cor * 



143,5 of corrofive fublimate. But, 143,5 of corrofive fubli- fubiimeT— 11 



mate contain 26 of acid; which will leave 117,5 for the 1 43«5> of which 



mercurial oxide ; and, if 117,5 contain 100 of mercury, 100^/"^;^ 



of the oxide will contain 85. Therefore, the oxide of mer- 15 per cent, of 



cury in corrofive fublimate, is oxidized at the rate of 15 per th ? 0Xlde wa * 



cent. 



To 



