172 OBSERVATIONS 6N MURIATIC ACID. 



along with it ; and does not amount fo near to proof as the 

 The exiftence of pofition of the former chemift : fo that, in fact, the exiftence 

 aacTnot yeT^' °^ n yP erox 'g en i ze( l muriatic acid, and of its combination with 

 proved. potafh, refts, at prefent upon the conjecture of Mr Berthollet ; 



a conjecture however which, as well as his whole diflertation 

 upon the fubject, bears all the marks of genius which fo ftrongly 

 eharacterifc every production of that fagacious philofopher. 

 Some notice has been taken of other faline combinations, 

 formed by caufing a current of oxigenized muriatic acid to 

 pafs through folutions of the alkalis, or earths, or by otherwife 

 combining them. MefT. D'Olfus, Gadolin, Van-Mons, 

 Lavoifier, and others, have flightly mentioned fome ofthefe 1 

 combinations. But, with the exception of Mr. Berthollet, I 

 know of no chemift who has approached fo near to the real 

 ftate of the combination of muriatic acid and oxigen with pot- 

 afh, as Mr, Hoyle, of Manchefter. The true nature of this 

 fait, however, is one of thofe things which many perfohs have 

 credited without proof; and which many others have been on 

 the eve of difcovering. 

 New obs. and J fhall now proceed to lay before the Society, an account of 



of that ftate. the obfervations and experiments which have led me to con- 

 clude, that muriatic acid does exifl in the form of oxigenized 

 and hyperoxigenized muriatic acid, as announced in the title 

 of the prefent communication ; and that, in either ftate, it is 

 capable of entering into faline combinations. 

 Order of narra- With this view, I fhall defcribe, 



]Jl, The means by which I think I have fucceeded, in afcer- 

 taining the conftituent parts, as well as the proportions, in 

 oxigenized and hyperoxigenized muriatic acid. 



2dlj/, I fhall mention fome of the combinations of the muria- 

 tic acid, in its three ftates. 



In treating upon the firft of thefe objects, I muft in fome 

 meafure anticipate the fecond ; and muft fuppofe fome things 

 known, which are hereafter to be defcribed. This inconve- 

 nience is inevitable ; as the natural order of things leads me to 

 treat of the acid, before I confider the bodies into the compofi- 

 tion of which' it enters. 

 Hyperox. mur. I expofed to the heat of a lamp, 100 grains of hyperoxige- 



Um P ° , dMre V i- ' nized muriate °* P otaul - li decrepitated gently, and in a fhort 

 tated, melted, time melted. After remaining in fufion nearly an hour, I 

 remained in fu- a n ovve£ i it to cool ; it cryftallized as formerly, and had loft 

 ****** :-.;;* 7 2i5 per 



