#4<4 OBSERVATIONS ON MURIATIC ACID. 



that acids commonly attract, metallic oxides, in the inverf* 

 ratio of their action upon metals, or, in other words, in pro- 

 portion to their own affinity of compofition. Thus, the phos- 

 phoric and fluoric acids fometimes rank before the fulphuric ; 

 Hyp. ox. ra. and the nitric, as I before faid, is generally very low. Hyper- 

 Julc. f ° ll0WS tHlS ox >g er " zec l muriatic acid feems to follow the fame rule ; and 

 takes its place, in the order of affinities for metallic oxides, 

 after many of thofe acids which it can expel from earths and 

 alkalis. 

 *The metallic The other hyperoxigenized muriates, I have not yet fuffi- 



their metaUnd c * entlv examined. I (hall, however, mention at prefent, that 

 not their acid 1 have afcertained the muriatic falts, formerly known by the 

 oxTe^ed!"^ ftran g e name of butters of the metals, to be muriates, and not 

 hyperoxigenized muriates; and the extraordinary proportion 

 of oxigen, to be combined, not in the acid, but in the metallic 

 Oxide. 



In the courfe of different experiments, I have known hyper- 

 oxigenized muriatic acid to be formed in two cales, where I 

 could not have expected it. 

 Precipitation of In the analyfis of fome menachanite from Botany Bay, given 



from mur^cid" to me laft ? ear h Y the ^ e ^ e ^ of the Ro y al Society, I ob- 

 l>y potaih, gave ferved, that while the oxide of titanium was precipitated from 



oxigen to the t j ]e mur j at i c ac \$ [ n w hich it was diflblved, the excefs of oxi- 

 latter, and form- 

 ed «x* m. potaih. gen in the oxide pafled over to the muriatic acid and the 



potato, already in the liquor, and that hyperoxigenized mu- 

 riate of potafli was formed. I have attempted the fame 

 , experiment with black oxide of manganefe, but could not 

 fucceed. 

 "Whennitro-mu- There is, however, a itill more extraordinary formation of 

 t'Tled f Cld ' 1 ti- **" s ac '^' * n l ^ e diftillation of nitro-muriatic acid upon platina. 

 sa, the metal is Oxigen is abforbed by the metal; yet, not only oxigen ized, 



cxided, endox. b ut a [f c> hyperoxigenized muriatic acid is formed. I have 



and byfc-ox. m. ; r ° . 



acid are formed, repeated the experiment ieveral times; and am well con- 

 vinced of the fact, however contrary to theory it may appear. 

 I have tried the action of oxigenized muriatic acid, upon 

 nitric acid, in the hopes of forming hyperoxigenized muriatic 

 acid ; but there was no action to this effect among their 

 elements. 



This faftlmpcr- The fact of the production of a peculiar gas, by the diftilla- 



fectly feen be- ^ Qn Qj p n itro-muriatic acid upon platina, has been obferved by 



