16 On a Combumlion of 



I have said that nicrci'.ry has no action upon this gas in 

 its purest tonn at conimon temperatures. Copper and an- 

 timony, vvhieh so readily burn in oxymiiriatic gas, did not 

 act upon the explosive gas in the cold: and when they were 

 introdaccd into it, being heated, il was instantly decom- 

 posed, and its oxygen set free ; and the metals burnt in the 

 oxvmuriatic gas. 



VVhen sulphur was introduced into it, there was at first 

 no action, but an explosion soon took place: and the pe- 

 culiar smell of oxyniuriate of sulphur was perceived. 



Phosphorus produced a brilliant explosion, by contact 

 \\ ith it in the cold, and there were produced phosphoric acid 

 and solid oxymuriate of phosphorus. 



Arsenic introduced into it did not inflame; the gas was 

 made to explode, when the metal burnt with great brilliancy 

 in the oxvmuriatic gas. 



Iron wire introduced into it did not burn, till it was 

 heated so as to produce an explosion, when it burnt wiih a 

 most bril!iai)t light in the decomposed gas. 



Charcoal introduced in it ignited, produced a brilliant 

 flash of light, and burnt with a dull red light, doubtless 

 owing to Its action upon the oxygen mixed with the oxy- 

 uuiriatic gas. 



it produced dense red fumes when mixed with nitrous 

 gas, and there was an absorption of volume. 



When it was mixed with muriatic acid gas, there was a 

 gradual diminution of volume. By the application of heat 

 the absorption was vapid, oxynturiatic gas was formed, and 

 a dew appeared on the sides of the vessel. 



These L-.\perin)ent3 enable us lo explain the contradictory 

 accounts that have been given by different authors of the 

 properties of oxyniuriatic gas. 



That the explosive compound has not been collected be- 

 fore, is owing to the circumstance of water having been 

 used for receiving the products from hyper-oxymuriaie of 

 potash, and unless the water is highly saturated with the 

 exjilosive gas, nothing but oxymurialic gas is obtained; or 

 to the circumstance of too dense an acid having been em- 

 ployed. 



This sulisiance ]iri)duce5 the phsenomena which Mr. 

 Chenevix, in his able paper on oxymuriatic acid, referred to 

 the hvper-oxvgenized muriatic acid ; and they prove the 

 truth of his ideas rti^pccting the possible existence of a com- 

 pound of oxymurialic gas, and oxygen in a separate slate. 



'J'he explosions produced in attempts to procure the pro- 

 ducts of hvpcroxymuriatc of potash by acids are evidently 



owing 



