WATER IN MURIATIC ACID GAS. 278 



This experiment was performed in the same apartment in 

 which my former experiments had been executed, and the air 

 was at the same temperature of 60\ It is perfectly decisive 

 in proving, that the salt absorbs no water from air in a common 

 state of dryness and temperature. 



As much of the salt was collected as could he removed from A portion of 



the vessel : it weighed 23*5 grains. It was introduced into a th,s monate g* 

 ,..,,.., . 11 ammonia, be- 



small retort connected with a small globular receiver, and the i ng exposed 



body of the retort being in part surrounded with sand, heat t0 liear > S ave 



was applied by a lamp. A little of the salt suddenly rose in 



vapour into the neck of the retort. Afterwards moisture con* 



densed beyond the salt where the neck was kept cool ; the 



heat was slowly raised until the salt was sublimed into the 



top and beginning of the neck of the retort. The sand bath 



was then removed, a chaffing dish was applied, and the heat 



continued for half an hour. In the course of the experiment, 



the moisture increased, and extended over about one inch and 



a half of the upper side of the neck of the retort, where the 



cold was applied. The half of this space next to the bulb 



appeared quite wet, being covered with compressed globules of 



water of a considerable size, on the remaining part the globules 



were very minute. 



I formerly related an experiment in which muriate of am- More water 

 monia, after it had afforded a portion of water at a low heat, inferred to 

 was sublimed through ignited charcoal, to ascertain if, by the parated in an 

 higher temperature, and by the chemical affinities exerted by ? X P- **n 

 charcoal, an additional quantity might be abstracted. Portions 

 of carbonic acid, and carburetted hydrogen gases, were accord- 

 ingly obtained ; and a quantity of water was condensed. This 

 latter result led to the conclusion, that the high degree of 

 heat had produced a more perfect separation of the water, and 

 that, therefore, if such a temperature were applied to the salt 

 alone, more water might be obtained from it than by an inferior 

 heat, while any supposed source of fallacy from the presence 

 of the charcoal, might be avoided. 



was apparent to a still greater extent than in the above experiment. , 

 Such a result, with regard to any other salt, would be ascribed to the 

 abstraction of water by the agency of the air ; and I see no reason 

 why the same conclusion should not be drawn with regard to it. At 

 the end of a week the salt remained perfectly dry* 



A fact 



