134 ON THE NATURE OF OXIMURIATIC ACID. 



muriatic acid 

 gas 



oximuriatic lirelycou verted into muriatic acid gas. This experiment 

 acjdan hi ro- ^j^ Davy regards as synthetic, the oxinanriatic acid and 

 hidrogen forming he supposes the muriatic acid by their 

 combination. There is obviously however another mode of 

 not decisive: accounting for the result. Regarding oximuriatic acid as 

 a compound of muriatic acid and oxii^tn, the oxigen may 

 be supposed to combine vxith the hidrogen and form water, 

 while the muriatic acid remains in the elastic state. Mr. 

 Davy has remarked indeed, that, when the gasges have 

 been rendered as dry as possible, there is no sensible depo- 

 sition of water; but no difficulty attends the supposition, 

 that this may arise from the portion of water which is formed 

 being retained in combination with the acid gas. 

 cr ths decom- Oximuriatic acid gas decomposes sulphuretted hidrogen, 

 phuVatted hU* sujphur is deposited, muriatic acid gas is produced, and, when 

 drogen by oxi- the gasses have been previously dried, the condensation Mr* 

 Davy found is not equal to ^V* This decomposition, in 

 conformity to his hypothesis, must be supposed owing to 

 the hidrogen combining with the oximuriatic acid, and 

 forming muriatic acid. According to the common theory 

 the results must be ascribed to the oxigen of the oximnri-* 

 atic acid combining with the hidrogen and forming water, 

 which the muriatic acid holds combined with it; and the 

 experiment presents nothing inconsistent with tliis explana- 

 tion, 

 or that of am- Ammonia, it is well known, is decomposed by oximnri- 

 monia by the ^^-^ ^^-^^^^ ^^ ^y j^^g stated, that, in making this expe- 

 same gas: , •' ' » n r 



riment, he has found, contrary to what has been asserted, 



that there is no sensible production of water; there is a 

 condensation of nearly the whole acid and alkaline gasses, 

 nitrogen gas remains, and dry muriate of ammonia is 

 formed. The experiment therefore affords no evidence of 

 the existence of oxigen in oximuriatic acid, but neither is it 

 inconsistenfwith that hypothesis ; for the water, that^, in con- 

 formity to it, must be supposed to be formed, may exist in 

 combination with either or both of the principles of the 

 compound salt. 

 or the cases Gay-Lussac and Thenard have proved, it is remarked by 



i«pro ured ^^» Davy, by a copious collection of instances, that, in 

 from oximuri- the usual cases where oxigen is procured fiotu oximuriatic 

 "^^^ acid. 



