Oxymuriatic Gas and Oxygen, Se. Al7 
the action of water containing the oxide of tin, at the maxi- 
mum of oxidation. 
Silver and lead produced horn-silver and horn-lead, and 
bismuth, butter of bismuth. The absorption of oxymu- 
riatic gas was in the foliowing proportions for two grains 
of each of the metals: for arsenic 3°6 cubical inches, for 
antimony 3:1, for tellurium 2*4, for mercury 1°5*, for 
zine 3°2, for iron 5°8, for tin 4, for bismuth 1°5, for copper 
3:4, for lead -9, for silver, the absorption of volume was -;, 
and the increase of weight of the silver was equivalent to 
ifs Of a grain t. : iets 
In acting upon metallic oxides by oxymuriatic gas, I 
found that those of lead, silver, tin, copper, antimony, bis- 
muth, and tellurium, were decomposed in a heat below red- 
ness, but the oxides of the volatile metals more readily than 
those of. the fixed ones. The oxides of cobalt and nickel 
were scarcely acted upon ata dull red heat. The red oxide 
of iron was not affected ata strong red reat, whilst the black 
oxide was rapidly decomposed at a much lower tempera- 
ture; arsenical acid underwent no change at the greatest 
heat that could be given it in the glass retort,'whilst the 
white oxide readily decomposed, | - 
In cases where oxygen was given off, it was found ex- 
actly the same in quantity as that which had been absorbed 
by the metal. Thus two grains of red oxide of mercury 
absorbed ,2 of a cubical inch of oxymuriatic gas, and af- 
forded 0°45 of oxygen {. Two grains of dark olive oxide 
from 
* The gas in these experiments was not freed from aqueous vapour, and 
as stop-cocks of brass were used, a little eas might have been absorbed by the 
surface of this metal, so that the processes offer only approximations to the 
composition of the oxymuriates. The processes on lead, tellurium, iron, 
antimony, copper, tin, mercury, and arsenic, were carried on in three suc- 
cessive days, during which /the height of the mercury in the barometer 
varied from 30-26 inches to 30°15, and the height of that in the thermometer 
from 63°5 to 61 Fahrenheit. , 
The experiment on silyer)was made at the temperature of 52 Fahrenheit; 
and under a pressure equal to that of 29-9 inches. . 
+ This agrees nearly with another experiment made by my brother, Mr. 
John Davy, in which 12 grains of silver increased to 15°9 during their con- 
version itito horn-silver, 
_ + Lhave made two analyses of corrosive sublimate and calomel, with con- 
siderable care. 1 decomposed 100 grains of corrosive sublimate, by 90 grains 
of hydrat of potash. ‘This afforded 79*5 grains of orange-coloured oxide 
of mercury, 40 grains of which afforded 9°15 cubical inches of oxygen gas; 
the inuriate of silver formed from the 100 grains was 102°5. 
100 grains of calomel, decomposed by 90 grains of potash, afforded 82 
grains of olivecoloured oxide of mercury, of which 40 grains gave by des 
composition by heat 4°8 cubical inches of oxygen. ‘he quantity of horn- 
silver formed from the 100 grains was 53°75 yrains, s 
In the second analysis, the quantity of oxide obtatned from corrosive 
Vel. 37, No. 158, June 1811, Dd sublimate 
