]^Q ON THE NATURE OF OXIMURIATIC ALID, 



water are formed, and this water must be supposed to be 

 retained in combination with the muriatic acid, into 

 which the oximuriatic is converted. But it does not 

 admit equally of explanation on Mr, Davy's hypothesis. 

 The oximuriatic acid may be supposed indeed to combine 

 with the liidrog-en of the carburetted hidrogen to form 

 muriatic acid. But whence is the oxigen derived, which 

 converts the carbon into carbonic acid? The result, in 

 strict conformity to the hypothesis, ought to' be the con- 

 version of the oximuriatic acid into muriatic acid, and 

 the deposition of the carbon in a state ana!a<^ous to char- 

 coal. This is indeed the result when some of these gasses 

 ai*e acted on by a certain quantity of oximuriatic acid ; 

 but when the quantity is hirger, the product is uniformly 

 carbonic acid. 

 ^ . 'i'here appears to me to be only one source of arabiguity 



source of am- attending this experiment, and that probably a very trivial 

 b;guUy Qjj^^ rpi^^^ inflammable gasses, which have been regarded 



as binary compounds of carbon and hidrogen, are probably 

 rather ternary compounds of carbon, hidrogen, and oxigen ; 

 and on this supposition it iriay be said, that, while the 

 oximuriatic acid combines with the iiidrogen, and forms 

 muriatic acid, the carbon and oxigen of the inflammable gas 

 auswered. remain in union, and form carbonic acid. This explanation 

 however implies the existence of a miich larger quantity 

 of oxigen, than there are any grouiids for supposing does 

 enter into the composiLton of these gasses. It besides fails 

 to account for the large qtjantity of oximuriatic acid that is 

 required. Little more than one measure of oximuriatie acid 

 gas to one measure of hidrogen is required for mutual satu- 

 ration« so that the whole is converted into muriatic acid gas. 

 But not less than four measures of oximuriatic acid gas to 

 one measure of carburetted hidrogen are necessary to produce 

 the full change into carbonic acid ; and if less be employed, 

 there is either a deposition of charcoal, or a formation of car- 

 bonic oxide. Now this quantity cannot be required merely 

 fo*- the saturation of the hidrogen contained in the carbu- 

 retted hidrogen, and what other agency can it be supposed 

 to exerts by which it produces the conversion of the car- 

 bon 



