Expeflmmti with the Oxygenated Muriai of Potajlj. 2^3 



Expenment VI. Strong nitrous acid difengaged the oxygenated muriatic acid from this 

 fait. During the folution of two or three grains of the oxygenated muriat in this acid, a 

 •grain or two of phofphorus was dropped into the glafs containing the mixture ; when a 

 number of vivid flaflies appeared in the liquor, darting forth at intervals for a confiderable 

 time. This is one of the moft ftriking experiments I ever faw ; but a little caution i$ 

 ficceflary in performing it, the phofphorus being fomeciines thrown out of the mixture *. 



Experiment VII. The muriatic acid diflblved this fait, a great deal of the oxygenated 

 acid being given out. A few grains of the fait added to an ounce of the acid rendered it a 

 very powerful deftroyer of vegetaWc colours. This mixture may probably be ufed with 

 advantage in taking ftains of ink, Sec. out of linen or cotton. 



Phofphorus addea to this acid along with the fait did not produce the fame effeft as 

 with the nitrous acid ; no light appearing, as in the laft experiment. 



Experhnetit VIII. On putting a little of the fait into the fulphuric acid, a violent crack- 

 ling, or a great number of fmail exploGons, took place, and a very firong fmell of nitrous 

 gas was produced ; the mixture at the fame time afluming an orange colour, which difap* 

 peared after it liad Itood a fhort time. A very fmall piece of phofphorus having been 

 dropped on about two grains of the fait (previoufly thrown into the acid), an cxplofion im- 

 mediately took place, which blew out a great part of the mixture upon my handj an ac* 

 cidentthat might have proved ferious if I had not had water near me. 



Experiment l^. Finding a great quantity of gas to be difengaged from this fait by the 

 fulphuric acid, which had a very ftrong fmell of nitrous gas, I put forty grains of the fait 

 into a glafs retort, and poured upon it nearly an equal weight of fulphuric acid diluted 

 •with water. With the heat of a lamp the gas began to come over very rapidly, and was 

 received in a glafs jar placed in a bafon of water. A conGderable portion of it appeared 

 to be abforbed by the water, which acquired a yellowifli colour. This colour difappeared on 

 (landing a few days, and a brown matter was depofited, which being carefully collected 

 and dried weighed one grain, and appeared to be manganefe ; for a little of it, being put into 

 the muriatic acid, fo far oxygenated it that it would deftroy the blue colour of a diluted 

 folution of indigo in the fulphuric acid. The precipitate before mentioned, that was firll 

 produced in the alkali employed, did not appear to have this efFedV. The quantity of this 

 fediment that I had an opportunity of colle£ling was fo fmall, that I could not try many 

 other experiments with it: indeed I did not always fucceed in procuring it; for I found 

 that, unlefs the difengagement of the gas was very rapid, but little of it could be ob- 

 tained. 



Experiment X. On two drams of the fait in a glafs retort, I poured an equal weight of 

 fulphuric acid diluted with a little water, and adapted the retort to Woulfe's apparatus. 

 The heat of a lamp was applied; and prefently the gas began to efcape, and was abforbed 

 by the water in a confiderable quantity ; to which it communicated a yellowifli colour, 

 and a liquid began to trickle down the neck of the retort into the receiver. This had con. 

 tinned but a fliort time before a violent expIoCon took place, which broke the retort and 

 two of the receivers to pieces, together with feveral other glafles which were on the table. 

 This was feveral times repeated, but with more caution than before ; and I always found, 



■s This curious experiment was firft noticed by J. Collier, and was coronruaicated bjr him to the Society 

 ibinc time ago, 



Voi. II,- Oct. 1798. Q.<1 A»t 



