IfiS Foi'mation of muriatic Acid ly Galvanism. 



as is usual with similar bodies when half burnt (semi- 

 combusto). 



" Around the edges of the vessel, on the bladder, there 

 was formed a deep purple ring, which surrounded a circular 

 space rendered entirely colourless, or white. 



" A drop of this fluid tinged the skin of the hand, after 

 some hours, with a beautiful rose colour. 



'* Having obtained, in various successive experiments, 

 the same liquid, possessing constantly the same properties, 

 I chose that obtained in the last experiment to subject it to 

 chemical examination. The very able chemist of this uni- 

 versity, Sig. Giuseppe Branchi, had the goodness to enter 

 zealously into my views ; and in his laboratory we easily 

 proved, 



'' 1. The existence of a volatile acid by the white va-? 

 pours which were formed by ammonia placed near it. 



*' 2. That this acid was certainly oxygenated muriatic 

 acid, since it formed in nitrate of silver a curdy precipitate, 

 the luna cornea of the antients, or the muriate of silver of 

 the moderns. From these facts we may draw the following 

 positive and undeniable results : 



" 1. Muriatic acid is an oxide of hydrogen, and is there- 

 fore composed of hydrogen and oxygen. 



" 2. Oxygenated muriatic acid, and of course muriatic 

 acid, contains less oxygen than water does. 



** 3. Hydrogen has not one degree of oxygenation, but 

 "many. One of these constitutes water, another below it 

 oxygenated muriatic acid, and, below this, there is another 

 which constitutes muriatic acid. 



" I shall mention the other degrees in another memoir, 

 which will be published immediately. 



" These, my much esteemed friend, are the decisive facts 

 and experiments, which exclude every doubt, and which 

 confirm my fortunate conjectures. ]t is long since experi- 

 mental philosophy mav be said to have become a source of 

 wonders. The transmutation of azote into nitrous acid, 

 and ox hydrogen into water, appears to me truly wonderful, 

 and your genius will enable you readily to judge whether 

 the same epithet may be applied to the metamorphosis of 

 water into the true solvent of gold and platinum, into that 

 volatile substance which attacks and neutralizes pestilential 

 miasmata, and presents so many resources to philosophy 

 and the arts. 



** After having thus discovered the elements of this re- 

 fractory subfiUnce, I am engaged in determining their pro- 

 portions by experiment and calculation. 



" To 



