230 CO^fBlNATfON8 OF OXIMURIATIC GAS AKD OXIGEN. 



5v General Conclusions and Observations, illustrated hy^ jE^jpw 

 paiiments. 



Former infer- AH the conclusions, which I ventured to draw in my last 



ences confirm- communication to the Society, will, I trust, be found to be 



cot^ftrrned by the whole series of these new inquiries. 



Oximuriatic Gxfmurlatic sfas cbmbirtes with inflammable bodies, to 

 gas combines „ • i i • t , . , . . 



with inflam- iO\m simple binary compounds; and in these cases, when it 



niable bodies, acts upon oxides, it erther produces the expulsion of their 



oxigen, or causes it to enter into new combinations. 



The oxigen If it be said, that the ttxigeti arisres frOni the decomposi- 



not from its de- ^. r. ^i • • ^- V i " r ,i • i 



composition, ^^^" ^^ ^"^ oxiinunatic gas, and not from the oxides; it 



may be asked, why it is always the quantity contained in 

 the oxide ; and why in some cases, as those of the peroxides 

 of potassium and sodium, it bears no'relation to; the quan- 

 ■ tity of gas. • ; - , 



Noacid matter If there existed any acid matter in 05timut(a1ic gas, com.> 

 bined with oxigen, it ought to be exhibited in the fluid 

 compound of one proportion of phosphorus, and two of 

 oximuriatic gas; for this, on such an assumption, should 

 consist of muriatic acid (on the old hypothesis, free from 

 water) and phosphorous acid ^ but this substance has no 

 effect on litmus paper, and doe^ not act, under common cir- 

 cumstances, on fixed alkaline bases, such as dry lime or 

 magnesia. Oximuriatic gas, like oxigen, must be combined 

 in large quantity with peculiar inflammable matter, to form 

 acid matter. In its union with hidrogen, it instantly reddens 

 the driest litmus paper, though a gaseous body. Contrary 

 *. to acids, it expels oxigen from protoxides, ^qd combine^ 

 with peroxides. 

 Decomposi-'' When potassium is burnt in oximuriatic gas, a dry com- 

 tion of potash p^ynd jg obtained. If potassium combined with oxigen is 

 employed, the whole of the oxigen is expelled, and the same 

 compound formed. It is contrary to sound logic tasay, that 

 this exact quantity of oxigen is given off from a body not 

 known to be compound, when we are certain of its existence 

 in another; and all the cases are parallel. 

 Production of An argument in favour of the existence of oxigen in oxi- 



oxirnariatic muriatic gas may be derived by some persons from the cir- 

 gdsfrommu- ° n- o -ii • p •• -j 



riatic & oxide cumstances of its formation, by the action oj muriatic acia 

 of manganese. * 01^ 



