on the Nature of certain Bodies. iS3 



coi'idusion we shall find warramed by facts, which are ini-. 

 nicdiatilv to follow. 



I now made a number of experiments, with the hopes 

 of obtainino; iho muriatic acid free from water. 



I first heated to whiteness, in a well luted porcelain re- 

 tort, a mixture of dry <:ulphate of iron, and muriate of lime 

 which had been previously ignited ; hut a few cubic inches 

 of gas only were obtained, though the mixture was in the 

 quantity of several ounces ; and this gas contained sulphu- 

 reous acid. I heated dry muriate of lime, mixed both with 

 phosphoric glass and dry boracic acid, in tubes oi porce- 

 lain, and of iron, and employed the blast of an excellent 

 forge ; but bv neither of these methods was any gas ob- 

 tained, thoaofh when a little moisture was added to the 

 mixtures, muriatic acid was developed in such quantities, 

 as almost to produce explosions. 



The fuming muriate of tin, the liquor of Libavius, is 

 known to contain drv muriatic acid, i attempted to sepa- 

 rate the acid from ihis substance, by distilling it with sul- 

 phur and with phosphorus; but without success. I ob- 

 tained only triple compounds, in physical characters, some- 

 thing like ihe solutions of phosphorus, and sulphur in oil, 

 which were non-conductors of electricity, which did not 

 redden dry litmus paper, and wh.ich .evolved muriatic acid 

 gas with great violence, heat, and ebullition on the contact 

 of water. 



I distilled mixtures of corrosive sublimate and sulphur, 

 and of calomel and sulphur; when these were used in their 

 connnon states, muriatic acid gas was evolved ; but when 

 they were dried by a gentle heat, the quantity was exceed- 

 ina:iv diminished, and the littie gas that was generated gave 

 hydrogen bv the aciion of potassium. During the dislillar 

 tion of corrosive sublimate and sulphur, a very small quan- 

 tity of a limpid fluid passed over. When exarnined by 

 transmitted light, il aj)peared yellow Ish green. It emitted 

 fumes of muriatic acid, did not redden dry litmus paper, 

 and deposited sulphur by the action of water. I am in- 

 clined to consider it as a modification of the substance dis- 

 covered by Dv. Thomson, in his experiments on the action 

 of oxymunaiic acid on sulphur, 



MM. Gav Lussac and Tlienard* have mentioned, that 

 ihev endeavoured to procure dry muriatic acid by distilling 

 a mixture of calomel and phosphoriKi, and that they ob- 

 laitK'd a fluid which they consider as a compound of nui- 



• The Moniteuf before cjiiotctl. 



M 4 rialic 



