ON HYPKROXIMURIATE OF POTASH. 31 1 



to have made up his mind, whether this new compound 



enters, like other acids, into union with the different bases, 



or whether in the act of sucli union the hidrogen is again 



abstracted : for in one place he states, ** that the compounds, 



** which have been usually considered as muriates, or as 



" dry muriates, are properly combinations of oximvriaiic 



•* acid with inflammakle bases*^^ thus setting aside any 



uniofi with the muriatic acid : and in another he asserts, 



that " muriate of ammonia is a com'^iound o\' muridtic acid 



** gas with amraonia"i*. 



The process for forming the hyperoxiniuriat" of potash, Formation of 



to which I purpose to confine my observations, is this.— hyperoximu- 



' . . nateof ijoush. 



Jolack oxide or manganese is put into a retort connected 



with a Woulfe's apparatus, into the bottles of which a solu- 

 tion of potash is pomed. Muriatic acid is added to the 

 manganese, and heat applied. 



Oximuriatic acid passes over and combines with the pot- 

 ash ; and after the operation is completed, two distinct salts 

 are found in the bottles, viz. hi/peroximurzate, and common 

 muriate of potash. 



The muriatic acid is of course the body, from which the T^e new the- 

 oximuriatic is to be derived, by some change operated in it ory accounts 

 by the oxide. The new theory says, that muriatic acid is a ductionofoxi- 

 combination of oximuriatic with hidrogen. The oxigen nimiaticacid; 

 then of the manganese combines, from superioraffinity, with 

 this hidrogen to form water, and thus liberates the oximu- 

 atic acid. So far the application might be deemed satis- 

 factory. 



Let us now proceed to account on the same principles for but how does 



the phenomena which occur, when this peculiar acidifying ^} ^PP'y ^^ 'he 



. , . -111'/.! formation of 



principle cotnes into contact with the solution oi potash, the hyperoxi- 



There are two ways in which this may be attempted. — We muriatp of 



must suppose, as Mr. Davy seems Inclined to do, that muriate 



of potash is a combination of oximuriatic acid with metallic 



potassium, or that it is a compound of muriatic acid with 



potash. 



Let it be granted, that it is a combination of oximuriatic' Dlfficultieg in 



acid and potassium. When the oximuriatic acid (th« form- V f Jst* suppo- 



sition. 



* Phil. Trans. 1810 ; or Journal, toI XXVII, p. 327. 

 t Ib»d. p. 328. 



atioQ 



