204 Additional Ohfervatiom on HydrocarhanaUt, 



Two fmall meafurcs* of this waflied gas, fired over mercury with one of oxigen, were 

 reduced to 1.6 meafures; the whole of which was carbonic acid, except one-fourth of a 

 meafure which contained oxigen, with a little azote. 



This experiment, therefore, as well as the former, after making a deduftion for the 

 azotic gas, clearly fliews that the fefiduary inflammable gas muft have been the gafeous 

 oxide of carbon. 



The refults obtained in all thefe experiments with the pure hydrocarbonates and 

 oxigenated muriatic acid gas, are very eafiiy underftood ; for it is evident that the oxi- 

 genated acid muft give out its excefs of oxigen to the carbon and hidrogen of the inflam- 

 mable gas from a fuperior affinity •, in confequence of which we have no lefs than four new 

 compounds, viz. common muriatic acid, water, carbonic acid, and the gafeous oxide of 

 carbon. Thus, then, we fee that the gafeous oxide may be obtained without the aid of 

 metals, their calces, or even the carbonic acid ; and this fimple mode of formation appears 

 to me to demonftrate its nature and conftituent principles beyond all poflTibiiity of doubt. 

 This will be ftill further confirmed by the following experiment : 



One meafure of hydrocarbonate from camphor, mixed with 3.8 meafures of oxigenated 

 muriatic acid gas, were introduced into a bottle, which they completely filled ; this was 

 clofely flopped, and inverted over mercury. After ftanding for twenty-four hours, the 

 ftopper was withdrawn under the mercury, which in confequence immediately afcended 

 and occupied two-thirds of the bottle. The gas a£ted upon the furface of the metal, and 

 retained a little of its natural greenifh yellow colour •, it was not, therefore, entirely de- 

 compofed. A little diflilled water being introduced, a further abforption took place, and 

 the refiduary gas, amounting only to .8 of a meafure, was entirely abforbed by lime water, 

 except a bubble, too fmall to examine, or even to eftimate. Now, by comparing this with 

 the former experiments, we perceive that when one part of the inflammable gas is mixed 

 with only two. of the oxigenated muriatic acid gas, we have both carbonic acid and gafeous 

 oxide formed, becaufe the excefs of oxigen in the oxigenated acid is not fufHcient to con- 

 vert the whole into carbonic acid ; but when one part of the inflammable is mixed with 

 nearly four of the oxigenated, then the whole is converted into carbonic acid and water, the 

 excefs of oxigen being fufllcient for this purpofe. The proportion of oxigen in the gafeous 

 oxide may likewife be eftimated from thefe experiments. 



The elFedls of the oxigenated muriatic acid on the other hydrocarbonates, were very 

 nearly fimilar. 



When firfl mixed, a fmall diminution in mofl inflances took place, but after ftanding 

 for twenty-four hours, the oxigenated acid was completely decompofed, in confequence of 

 which the hydrocarbonate was converted into water and carbonic acid gas, and thefe le* 

 mained only a very fmall proportion of inflammable gas, which had all the properties of the 

 gafeous oxide. 



• Two kinds of meifures were employed in thefe experiments, the contents of the large one being fix 

 ' times that of the fmall. 



Being 



