384 On definite Proportions. 
a.) Common muriatic acid. 
Radical 41:09%*8” 100‘:0000 
Oxygen 58:90°¢2” 143°3633 
b.) Oxymuriatic acid. 
Radical 31*742 100-00 Muriatic acid 77-232 100000 
Oxygen 68°258 215°06 Oxygen .. 29°768 29:454 
, c.) Hyperoxymuriatic acid. 
Radical 14°85 100-000 Muriatic acid 36:14 100-000 
Oxygen 85°15 573429 Oxygen .. 63°86 176224 
“In order to discover the degree of oxidation which is 
wanting between the oxymuriatic and hyperoxymuriatic 
acids, I determined to examine with accuracy the analysis 
of the hypcroxymuriate of ammonia. Some years: since, 
when I was investigating the chemical modes of decom~ 
posing ammonia, TI attempted to decompose the muriate of 
ammonia by means of a solution of hyperoxymuriate of 
lime, in an apparatus which had been weighed, and to as- 
certain the quantity of the nitrogen, which escaped, by the 
loss of weight. I found, however, that an excess of acid 
was required for the decomposition of the salt, and the 
apparatus lost in the mean time very unequal quantities of a 
gas, which had a very strong smell of oxymuriati¢e acid. 
Not being able to obtain from the experiment any result 
applicable to the object which I then had in view, T pur- 
sucd it no further: but when T began to make computa- 
tions respecting the composition of ammonia, and of the 
muriatic acid, [I found that the hyperoxymuriate of ammo- 
nia must be so constituted, that the excess of the oxygen’ 
of the acid must be twice as great as would be required for 
forming water with the ammonia. And since this salt, ac- 
cording to Mr. Chenevix, begins to be decomposed a few 
moments after it has been formed, it followed that, besides 
water and nitrogen, it ought to afford a new stage of oxy- 
genization of the muriatic acid, in which 100 parts of the 
radical should be combined with 358366 of oxygen; that 
is, a multiple by 22; which did not however appear very 
probable. 
But it was also possible that it might afford water, nitro- 
gen, nitrous oxide, and the muriatic oxide which was 
wanting. I therefore mixed a solution of hyperoxymurtiate 
of potass with a solution of sulphate of ammonia, both of 
which were perfectly neutral, and boiled them for some 
time 
