«I0 Sxperimtnis ie decompofe the Muriatic Acid. 



One of the firfl: objefts, in the analyfis of a compound body, (houIJ be its complete 

 reparation from all other fubftances, which, by their prefence, may tend to introduce 

 uncertainty into the refults of the procelTes that are employed. But it is feldom that a 

 Cmplicity fo defirable can be obtained in the obje£i:s of chemical refearch ; for, agreeably 

 to a known law of affinity, the laft portions of any fubftance are feparated with peculiar 

 difficulty ; the force of attrafVion appearing to increafe, as we recede from the point of 

 faturation. In a liquid ftate, the muriatic acid is a totally unfit fubjedt for analytic 

 experiment; for, in the flrongeft form under which it-can be procured, it ftill contains a 

 large proportion of water. This watery portion, befides the complexity which it in- 

 troduces into the refults of experiments, prevents any combuftible fubftance that may be 

 applied, from a£ting on the truly acid part ; becaufe that clafs of bodies, having lefs diffi- 

 culty in attraiSling oxygen from water than from the acid, will neceflarily take it from the 

 former fource. The ftate of gas, therefore, is the only one in which the muriatic acid 

 can become a proper objeft of analyfis. 



In the ferles of experiments on this gas, which I am now about to defcribe, I employed 

 the eleftric fluid, as an agent much preferable to artificial heat. This mode of operating 

 enables us to confine accurately the gafes fubmicted to experiment ; the pha;nomcna that 

 occur during the procefs, may be diftin£lly obferved ; and the comparifon of the produfls, 

 with the original gafes, may be inftituted with great exaftnefs. The aftion of the ele£tric 

 fluid itfclf, as a decomponent, is extremely powerful ; for it is capable of feparating from 

 each other, the conftituent parts of water, of the nitric and fulphuric acids, of the volatile 

 alkali, of nitrous gas, and of feveral other bodies, whofe components are ftrongly united. 

 I began, therefore, with examining attentively the cfi^efts of the electric muriatic acid 

 gas, without admixture *- 



S E C T I O N I. 



On the EffeBs of Eleilricity on Muriatic Acid Gas. 



When ftrong eledlrical ftiocks were pafled through a portion of muriatic acid gas, con- 

 fined in a glafe tube over mercury, the following appearances took place. The bulk of the 

 gas, after 20 or 30 (hocks, was confiderably diminiflied ; and a white depofit appeared on 

 the inner furface of the tube, which confiderably obfcured its tranfparency. In fome 

 inftances, both the contra£lion and depofit were much more remarkable than in others. 

 The gas which iffijed from muriate of foda, foon after the afflifion of fulphuric acid, 

 and while the charge was yet warm, exhibited thefe appearances in an eminent degree. 



• The gafes fubmhted to the a£lion of eleftricity, in the following experiments, were confined in ftraight 

 glafs tubes of various diameters, armed at the fealed end with a conduftor of gold, or of piatina, 

 but generally of the latter metal i The (hocks were as ftrong as eould be given without breaking the 

 tubes, which, notwithftanding every precaution, were often ftiattered by the force of the explofion. Each 

 jceafure of gas is equal to the bulk occupied by a grain of mercury, 



^ Of 



