ON THE NATURE OF OXIMURIATIC ACID, 



139 



to ihe exclusion of the other, and botb, therefore, stand pre- 



cisf'ly on equal grounds. 



Comparing them for a moment under tliis point of view, Unity and sim. 



tlie unitv and bimpliGity of the common theory are much in P^'^uy of th« 

 n I • • 1 1 M- -11 1 • common 



its favour. 1 here is 8onve improbabuity mtho hypothesis theory, 

 of two acidifying principles distinct from eacli other, but 

 exerting similar chemical agencies. The explanations which 

 this involves of the combinations of tbc&e principles with .n- 

 flamniables and metals, and of the relation of water to them, 

 are extremely complicated; while on the more simple 

 system opposed to this, nothing more is required than the 

 assumption, if not proved, at least not improbable, of the 

 existence of a portion of cpmbmed water in muriatic acid 

 gas. And instead of any generalization, there is in the for- 

 niation of the hypothesis, that oximuriatic acid is an acidi- 

 fying principle, an evident adaptation to the phenomena 

 peculiarly related to this question ; since it does not appear, 

 that this principle enters into tlie composition of any acid 

 but the muriatic, or gives rise to uciclity in combining with 

 any substance hut hidrogen. 



Ifistead of leaving the subje6^, however, on these general Modes of de. 

 grounds, it were desirable to gain more conclusive evidence, cidingthe 

 There are two modes of proof,, by which the question may 

 b© deteTmined. Either it may be shown, that muriatic acid 

 dpes, or does not contain combined water; or it may be 

 proved, that oxigen does or does not exist in oximuriatic 

 acid. It is ouly necessary, that the fa6ls, on which the con- 

 clusion with regard to these propositions is to rest, should , 

 not be capable of being accounted for by the one hypothecs 

 as well a& by the other; and to attain this is extremely dif- 

 licult from the facility with which both can be adanted to 

 the phenomena. 



Thus no proof would appear at first view more decisive Argument 



of the existence of combined water in muriatic acid uas, and ^/^^ water be- 



', \ , , , \ '^ mg necessary 



the tiecesfiity of this to the transition of the acid to the elastic to the decom- 



form, than that afforded by the fact established by the ex- P^^'^'onofa 



. "^ muriate by an 



periments both of Gay*Lussac and Thenard, and of Mr. acid iBcoueiu- 



Davy — that if a dry muriate, muriate of potash for ex- ^'^®" 



ample, be heated with a concrete acid, as the phosphoric or 



boracic, it is not decomposed, nor is any muriatic acid gas 



diseo- 



