410 New analytical Researches, ^c. 



Of all known substances belonging to the class of acids, 

 the dry muriatic acid is that which seems to possess the 

 strongest and most extensive powers of combination. It 

 unites with all acid matters that have been experimented 

 upon, except carbonic acid, and with all oxides (including 

 water), and all inflammable substances that have been tried, 

 except those which appear to be elementary, carbonaceous 

 matter and the metals ; and should its basis ever be sepa- 

 rated in the pure form, it will probably be one of the most 

 powerful agents in chemistry. 



I have lately made several nev/ att.empts to procure un- 

 combined dry muriatic acid ; but they have been all un- 

 successful. 



I heated intensely, in an iron tube, sikx in a very mi- 

 nute state of division, and nnn-iate of soda that had been 

 fused; but there was not the smallest quantity of gas evolved. 

 In this case, the siiex had been ignited to whiteness be- 

 fore it was used; but when silex in its common state was 

 employed, or when aqueous vapour wes passed over a mix- 

 ture of dry silex and dry salt in a porcelain tube, muriatic 

 scid gas was developed with great rapidity. 



I have stated, pap:e "i)''^, that a sublunate is formed by 

 the combustion of the olive-coloured oxide of boracium in 

 oxymuriatic acid. On the idea that this mi2;ht be boracic 

 acid, and that dry muriatic acid might l)e separated in the 

 process, I examined the circumstances of the experiment; 

 but I found the sublimate to be a compound of boracic and 

 muriatic acid, similar to the compound of muriatic and 

 phosphoric acid. 



I heated freshly-sublimed muriate of ammonia with po- 

 tassium ;. when the quantities were equal, as much hydro- 

 gen gas was developed as is generated by the action of water 

 on potassium ; much ammonia was evolved, and muriate 

 of i>otash formed ; when the potassium was to the muriate 

 as 4 to 1, less hydrogen appeared, and a triple compound 

 of muriatic acid, ammonia, and potassium, or its protoxide 

 was formed, which was of a dark-gray colour, and gave 

 ammonia and muriate of potash by the action of water. 

 There was not the slightest indication of the decomposi- 

 tion of the a'jid in the experiment. The process in which 

 this decomposition may be most reasonably conceived to 

 take place, is in the combustion of potassium in the phos- 

 phnretted muriatic acid, deprived by simple distillation 

 with potasrium of as much phosphorus as possible. I am 



* Page 1 u; of the present volume. 



preparing 



