OK-THE NATURE Ol OXIMURIATIC ACID. St^* 



iappear inimical to it/ do, when minutely investigated, 

 afford additional proof of its accuracy, and of the incor- 

 ftctness of the old hypothesis. 



Mr. Murray was con finned in the belief of the existence of Mr. Murrliy^^ 

 oxigen in oxiiij^uriatic gas from the results of some experi- ^^jfhoxi^ut^ 

 ment which lie made with this substance and sulphuretted ticandsul- 

 hidroo-en yas. He states, that when a small quantity of the P^"''etted Jii, 

 latter is admitted into a ^lobe containing a large quantity of 

 the former, no deposition of sulphur takes place ; and only ^ 

 a slight cloudiuebs is produced, which soon disappears, and 

 leaves the gas as transparent as at first. It is Mr. Murray's 

 opinion, that sulphuric acid, or probably sulphurous acid 

 gas, is formed, besides the muriatic acid gas. I shall 

 silently pass by the experiments of this gentleman in which 

 water interfered, for obvious reasons. And before I com- 

 ment on the above result?, I ask permission to mention those, 

 nhich were obtained by Mr. Davy and myself in repeating 

 this experiment in diflfcrent forms. On adding 3 measures These repekV- 



of dry sulphuretted hidrosren to 6 measures of oximuriatic ^^ ^^ ditFer^* 



• • , , •. 1 , ■ • 1 forms, 



gas in ajar over recently boiled mercury, there was a vjvid 



inflammation, a condensation equal to 2 measures, and a 

 slight deposition of sulphur. The colour of the gas was 

 not entirely destroyed, but it soon disappeared, and the 

 sulphur at first precipitated was no longer visible; but its 

 place was supplied by a fine amber coloured dew, similar 

 to the oximuriate of sulphur of Dr. Thomson, and there 

 was a farther condensation equal to 2 measures. The mu- 

 riatic ^as thrown into the air had not the slightest smell of 

 sulphurous acid gas, but it had the peculiar one of oximu- 

 riate of sulphur; and the water, by which some of it had 

 been absorbed, produced only a slight cloudiness with 

 muriate of barytes. 



From these results it appears, that muriatic acid gas and ResuTts. 

 oximuriate of sulpl^urare the only substances formed. 



We have ascertained by direct trial that oximuriate of Oximuriate ^ 

 sulphur rises in vapour in muriatic acid gas. For the acid ;„ var)our"in 

 gas, after confinement over mercury in contact with this sub- muriatic aicik 

 stance, had its very peculiar smell, and alfected muriate of S***' 

 barytes with a cloudiness, 



Fr^ra Mr. Murray's account it appeared probable, th^t Gaseous "tri|^ 

 t a gaseous 



