Expenmmts Id dvcoin^ofe the Muriatic Add. -ai^ 



gas, in the proportion of 143 of the former to 116 of the 

 latter, was rapidly diminiflied by eleftrical fliocks; 30 of 

 which reduced the whole to 1 1 1 ''. The remainder confifted 

 of niuriaiic acid and azot gafes, with a fmall proportion of 

 oxygenous gas. The depofit formed on the tube was of the 

 fame kind as before, but much more abundant. 



Exper, 6. The fame appearances were occafioned, much 

 more remarkably, by elertrifving muriatic acid with oxy-i- 

 genousgas; and tlie contratlion continued till the mercury 

 rofe fo as to touch the extremity of the platina condudor. 

 At each explofion, a dcnfe white cloud wjs feen in the tube, 

 which foon fettled on its inner furfacc, and was of cxaflly 

 the fame chemical compofitioa as the one already defcribed. 

 Nitrous gas and muriatic gas, when electrified together, un- 

 derwent a fimilar change. 



In order to afcertain whether the mercury by which the 

 gafes were confined, in the above experiments^ had any in- 

 fluence on their refults, they were repeated in an iuftrument 

 made, purpofcly for the occafion, by Mr. Cuthberlfon, of 

 London. It coafilled of a glafs tube, ground at each end, 

 with the view of receiving two ftoppers, each perforated with 

 platina wire, which projo^cd into the cavity of the tube. 

 When the ftoppers were in their places, the extremities of 

 the wires were at the diftance of about half an inch ; and, 

 by properly difpofing the apparatus, elc6lrical (hocks might 

 be pafll'd, through any gas or mixture of gafes, with the 

 conta6l only of glafs and platina. 



Expcr. 7. In this tube X ele6lrified the muriatic acid gas, 

 and then admitted to it an infufion of litmus. The fudden 

 dcftruclion of its colour evinced the formation of oxygenated 

 muriatic acid. Not the fmalleft depofit appeared on the tube. 



Experiments 8 and 9. The fame phcenomenon took place 

 when an infufion of litmus was brought into contaft with a 

 mixture of conntion air and muriatic acid, and of oxygenous 



* This experiment fuggcfts an additional reifun to that already givtn 

 for the greater diminution of the tuft than of the fublequcnt portions of 

 the muri:itic acid g.u, ; for the former may be prel'umed to have been 

 much more adulterated, than the latter, with the atmofpherical air of the 

 vclfels. 



gas 



