158 ^^ '^"^ NATURE OF OXl MURIATIC ACID. 



this gas, and is necessary to its transition to the elastic form. 

 Ill treating charcoal in oximuriatic acid gas, all the circum- 

 stances are thus unfavourable to the oxigenation ; as the 

 products of this, the muriatic acid, and the carbonic acid, 

 both require water to tlieir constitution, while there is no 

 Want of what source whehce it can be supplied. There is another prin- 

 p^^fngliffinit *^^P^^» which also probably operates in givinpj rise to this 

 probably too apparent anomaly. When a metal is placed in oximuriatic 

 operates m this ^^id gas, its oxigenation is probably the result of that sin- 

 gular kind of chemical action named disposing affinity, 

 being promoted, according to the language usually em- 

 ploj'^ed to express this, by the affiiiitj*»of the muriatic acid 

 to the metal in its oxidated state. The combination of hi- 

 drogen with the oxigen of oximuriatic acid is in conformity 

 td the same law probably promoted by the attraction of 

 muriatic acid to water. But this cause does not operate 

 when charcoal is heated in oximuriatic acid gas, for there 

 is tio sensible, or at least no forcible attraction exertetji be- 

 ttv^een muriatic acid and the product of the oxigenation of 

 charcoal, whether it be carbonic oxide or carbonic acid. 

 Hehce too chjircoal is not acted on by liquid muriatic acid, 

 while metals are oxidated and dissolved liy it. 

 This anbmaly Of this phenomenon therefore, apparently so singular, 



not so easily ^^ explanation, which I conceiA^e is satisfactory, may be 



3<;coimtel for . i -i • » • 



«>9 Mr. Pavy*s g^ven, while it VemaiPis an anomaly on the opposite theory j 



hypothesis. f^j.^ q^ the assumption that oximuriatic acid is an acidify- 

 ing principle having a strong attraction to inflammable 

 bodies, no cause is assigned, Avhy it should not combine 

 with charcoal, as well as with hidrogen, or with metals. 



Th3 question It will probably now be apparent, that all these facts are 



is therefore, connected with the general question, whether water com- 



•whether water ^ ^ ^ '^ ... ,. 



be essential lobincs intimately with muriatic acid, and is essential to itk 



theconstitu- constitution in the elastic state. On the assumption that 



Von of muna- ... . . 



tic acid gas. thjs is true, they are capable of being explained by the 



common theory of the reliction between muriatic and oxi- 

 muriatic acid ; on the denial of this proposition, the theory 

 Mr. Davy has proposed affords another mode in which they 

 are accounted for. But neither of these hypotheses (for as 

 such only can they be ri?garded) is established by these facts 



to 



