146 ON TK£ KATVUE of OXIMURIATIC ACtl). 



dicated. Ori transferring it into water a farther diminution 



took place, the water filling rather more than half the jar# 



On passing the gas through lime \vater it communicated to 



it an abundant milkiness, and this repeatedly. A small 



portion of air remained, which on approaching a lighted 



taper to the orifice of the tube exhibited a weak flame. 



though there in this experiment then the greater part of the carbonic 



-was uo source oxide bad been converted into carbonic acid. On repcat- 

 of oxigen to .^ . . , f . .... 



form the car- '"g it With rather a larger proportion of oximunatic acid, 



bonic acid, on three measures and a half to one measure of carbonic oxide 

 hypotheris. ""^ **"^ ^^ hidrogen, the changes were similar, but even 

 more perfect, the residual air being scarcely, if at all, in- 

 flammable. This result appears to be conclusive in proof 

 of the existence of oxigen in oximuriatic acid, and to be 

 free from the ambiguity which attends the experiment 

 where water is employed to favour the action of the gasses. 

 Hydrogen only h supplied, and how is its agency to beex- 

 , plained i On the one theory it laaay be conceived to form 

 water by attracting oxigen from a portion of the oximuriatic 

 acid, and this, favouring: its transition into muriatic acid, 

 promotes its farther decomposition, so as to afford oxigen 

 likewise to the carbonic oxide, aud convert it into carbonic 

 kcid« But IB the opposite theory, although it may be as- 

 sumed that the hidrogen will convert the oximuriatic into 

 muriatic acid, what is to produce tt^e oxigenation of the 

 carbonic oxide > Jld sHt s'lo i»;;«i^if;- 

 A mixture of Cruickshank had foafid, thet nc> explosion is produced 

 carbonic oxide by the electric spark in a mixture of carbonic oxide and 

 »ticacid gas oximuriatic acid gasses. To confirm the preceding results, 

 expos, d lo the I repeated this experiment with a due attention to the 

 fo Vsmin^' object I had in view ; one measure of dry carbonic oxide,, 

 The ca bonic and two measures of oximuriatic gas being subjected to 



oxide remain- the action of the electric spark over quicksilver for fifteen 

 *!cl unchanged. . , ^.^ , . ' , ^ , 



minutes* INo detonation was produced, nor any sensible 



- effect, farther tha)i a diminutiou of volume to the extent of 



■ half a meastire from the action of the quicksilver on the 



'idximuriatic acid. On removing the excess of oxirauriaiic 



' aicid gas, by water, the residual air occupied almost ex- 



' iictly the volume of one measure; when transmitted 



through lime watef it did not render it milky ; it burned 



with 



