ON MURIATIC FTHER. 179 



the most dilute infusion of litmus; the strongest alkalis have No test indi- 

 1 - . /. •! • 1 1 • ^1 cates the pre- 



no action ou it ; the solution of silver is not rendered lu the ^^^^^^^ of murU 



least turbid by it: and all this whether it be used in the atic acid in it, 

 gaseous or liquid state, or dissolved in water. But set it on ^ greal'quan- 

 fire, and ianmediately such a large quantity of muriatic acid tity when 

 is developed, that it precipitates a concentrated solution of 

 nitrate of silver in a solid mass, sufix)cates those who inhale 

 it, and is even visible in the form of vapour in the surround- 

 ing air. 



Is the muriatic acid formed in this combustion, as we is the acid then 

 might be tempted to suppose? or is it only set at libert3^ formed,oronly 

 which is possible ? These questions Mr. Thenard afterward 

 endeavours to solve. 



If the muriatic acid be formed in the combustion of the If the former, 

 ethereous gas, the radical of this acid must exist in the gas ; jf^^^^f^^liTthe 

 and it must necessarilyproceed from the alcohol, or from the alcohol, the 

 muriatic acid decomposed by the alcohol, or, which is ira- ^*^^^» orboti. 

 probable, though not impossible, from both together. In Tests of these 

 the first case, on distilling a mixture of niuriatic acid and J.JJ"®^^^ supposi- 

 alcohol, we should find after the distillation all the muriatic 

 acid employed, beside what arises from the combustion of 

 the gas formed. In the second case, on the contrary, a large 

 quantity of acid ought to disappear in the distillation : but 

 the whole of this quantity, and no more, ought to reappear 

 on the combustion of the acid formed, in the third case, 

 a loss of acid should be occasioned by the distillation ; but 

 this loss should be more than compensated by the quantity 

 of acid, which is produced from the combustion of the gas 

 formed. 



Now if the process be performed with 450'937 grq.m. Proof that the- 

 [6062-722 grs.] of muriatic acid, of the specific gravity of [^"^^^^^f ^f^^^^j^^^ 

 11*349, at temperature 5° [39*2° F.], with an equal bulk of alcohol alone, 

 highly rectified alcohol, 23 lit. [quarts] of ethereous gas 

 will be formed at the temperature of 21° [68° F.]. and pies- 

 sure -745 met. [29*2 in.], and 122-288 gram. [1888*738 grs.] 

 of acid disappear. Consequently the first supposition is 

 false, since it is demonstrated, that, if the radical of the 

 muriatic acid exist in the ethereous gas, it must proceed, 

 not from the alcohol solely, but either from the muriatic acid 

 alone, or from the muriatic acid and alcohol. 



IS 2 Z.et 



