374 Observations and Experiments 



on the theory of chlorhie, we cannot, hence, unequivocally reas- 

 sume the Lavoisieriau doctrine in all its extensions, although it 

 may be fair to institute the following deductions. 



Thehydrogcnated sulphur changed the oxygenated muriatic acid 

 into simple muriatic acid, giving out hydrogen, and absorbing a 

 portion of its acidifying principle. Now this seems to be oxygen, 

 from its property of producing sulphuric, phosphoric and carbonic 

 acid, facts which we have already cited. The quantity of oxygen 

 absorbed corresponds to the quantity of hydrogen emitted: now the 

 hvdrogenated sulphur absorbed from 100 parts of oxygenated 

 muriatic acid gas eight parts of oxygen ; there remain there- 

 fore combined with the 85 parts of muriatic acid gas only seven 

 of surplus oxygen, and the properties of the acid gas are scarcely 

 those of simple muriatic and not oxygenated muriatic : hence 

 we conclude, that the muriatic acid gas may be surcharged with 

 oxygen to a certain point, without evincing the properties of oxy- 

 genated muriatic acid gas ; that the ultimate portions of oxygen 

 under the circumstances in which they exist, determine its true 

 formation, and thus subtracting its properties restore it to the 

 state of simple muriatic acid gas. This reasoning is not entirely 

 void of probability, as in like manner it is known that sulphureous 

 acid has divers quantities of oxygen without altering its pro- 

 perties ; so also nitrous acid, the ultimate portions of oxygen 

 uniting and constituting it sulphuric or nitric acid : Hence may 

 we not suspect that muriatic is a simple gradation of oxygenated 

 muriatic acid ? I know that the modern doctrine opposes this 

 mode of reasoning, and considers these bodies as in a state of 

 mixture and not in divers degrees of oxygenation ; but this does 

 imt appear to me to be yet well ascertained; and if it were, it 

 is easv to apply it to our case. 



The water which lodged over the bubbles of hvdrogenated sul- 

 phur in the cavities of the apparatus, and in which the gas was 

 washed, was milky, and contained sulphuretted hydrogen and car- 

 bonic acid gases.' The limevvater in the balloon glass was con- 

 verted into a bydrosulphuret of hme, and calcareous" carbonate 

 was formed, which, after being washed and dried, gave lime 1 14, 

 carbonic acid gas 84, water 2 = 200. The carbonic acid gas 

 consisted of 51-4 oxygen, 19 carbon, 10-6 water =84. Here 

 we find a quantity of oxygen equal to. 17*4 more than what 

 should really be found if the carbonic acid gas was all formed 

 at the expense of the 34 parts of oxygen which accompanied 

 the sulphur submitted to experiment, recollecting that the sul- 

 phuretted muriatic acid was at 10' of Reaumur (55°Fah.) under 

 the barometric pressure of 27 inches eight lines (French), spe- 

 cific gravity 1'7, and composed of 100 parts of sulphur, 181 

 muriatic acid, 34 oxygen, =315 parts. Neither the extra 17-4 



parts 



