Mr. Murray on Chlorine and Chlorate of Potassa. 397 



"The combination with oxygen of the gaseous compounds of 

 hydrogen, such as ammonia, olefiant gas, carburetted hydro- 

 gen, muriatic acid gas, &c. is not effected by platinum powder. 



" When a jet of hydrogen is directed upon a mixture of pla- 

 tinum powder, and nitrate of platinum and ammonia, the mix- 

 ture becomes ignited, with decrepitation, and the emission of 

 inflamed sparks. The same effect takes place with the black 

 powder, which is separated by zinc from solutions of platinum, 

 and which is a mixture of protoxide of platinum and of the 

 metal itself. This powder, with the aid of oxygen, has the 

 property of gradually converting alcohol into acetic acid. 



"Among the other metals which I have hitherto subjected to 

 experiment, I have found the property of converting a mixture 

 of hydrogen and oxygen into watei", to belong only to nickel, 

 as obtained by the decomposition of its oxalate ; the effect in 

 this case is produced very slowly." 



MR. MUUllAY ON THE MEDICAL APPLICATIONS OF CHLORINE 

 AND CHLORATE OF POTASSA. 



From the circumstance of chlorine elevating the tempera- 

 ture of the cutis, as Mr. Murray has already pointed out in 

 the Philosophical Magazine, vol. Ix. p. 61, 100, he is inclined 

 to think the administration of a solution of chlorate of potassa 

 to such persons as are labouring under that singular malfor- 

 mation of the heart, in which black and red blood intermingle 

 and circulate through the body, would prove extremely 

 beneficial ; and it is his wish that this substance should be put 

 to the test in some other diseases, for he has a strong con- 

 viction of its being worthy of a place in our Pharmacopoeias. 

 The utility of chlorine, so far from being founded on conjec- 

 ture, has been experienced by himself: for instance, when he 

 has accidentally lacerated his hand, by introducing it into a 

 vessel of chlorine the wound has afterwards granulated and 

 healed kindly. Moreover, by inhaling some of this gas in a state 

 of dilution in atmospheric air, whilst under catarrhal in- 

 flammation, the cough and other severe symptoms have sub- 

 sided. On this account, he would wish to offer chlorine to 

 the notice of the medical world, as extremely likely to prove 

 beneficial in cases of phlhisis puhnonalis even, especially in 

 its early stage. This formidable disease being connected with 

 dyspepsia and scrofula, is furtlier likely to meet with a con- 

 siderable check, from his having found the preparations of 

 chlorine favourable to the relief of dyspeptic symptoms. The 

 nitro-muriatic or chlorine bath has l>t;en serviceable both in 

 dyspepsia and scrofula. Tlie application of chlorine in an 

 aerial form requires caution and great circumspection : a 



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