342 On iwo new Compounds 
tated by water, unless the ether has previously been dried, and 
then water occasions a turbidness. Nitrate of silver does not 
precipitate it. When burned, muriatic acid fumes are liberated, 
but the greater part of the chloride remains in the capsule. 
It is soluble in the volatile oils, and on evaporation is again 
obtained in crystals. It is also readily soluble in fixed oils. The 
solutions when heated liberate muriatic acid gas, and the oil be- 
comes of a dark colour, as if charred. 
Solutions of the acids and alkalies do not act with any energy 
on the substance. When boiled with solutions of pure potash 
aud soda, it rises and condenses in the upper part of the vessel ; 
and though it be brought down to the alkali many times, and 
reboiled, still the alkali, when examined, is not found to contain 
any chlorine, nor is any change produced. Ammonia in solu- 
tion is also without action upon it. These solutions do not ap- 
pear to dissolve more of it than pure water. 
Muriatic acid in solution does not act at all upon it. Strong 
nitric acid boiled upon it dissolves a portion, but does not de- 
compose it: as it cools, part of the chloride is deposited unal- 
tered, and the concentrated acid, when diluted, lets more fall 
down. The diluted portion being filtered, and tested with nitrate 
of silver, gives no precipitate. It does not appear to be either 
soluble in, or acted upon by, concentrated sulphrrie acid. It 
sinks slowly in the acid, and, when heated, is converted into va- 
pour, which, rising through the acid, condenses in the upper 
part of the tube. 
It is not acted upon by oxygen at temperatures under a red 
heat. A mixture of oxygen and the vapour of the substance 
would not inflame by a strong electric spark, though the tem- 
perature was raised by a spirit-lamp to about 400°. When oxy- 
gen mixed with the vapour of the substance is passed through a 
red-hot tube, there is decomposition ; and mixtures of chlorine, 
carbonic oxide, carbonic acid, and phosgene gases are produced. 
A portion of the chloride was heated with peroxide of mercury 
in a glass tube over mercury; as soon as the oxide had given off 
oxygen, and the heat had risen so high as to soften the glass con- 
siderably, the vapour suddenly detonated with the oxygen with 
bright inflammation. The substances remaining were oxygen, 
carbonic acid, and calomel; and I believe there was no decom- 
position or action, until so much mercury had risen in vapour as 
to aid the oxygen by a kind of double affinity in decomposing 
the chloride of carbon. 
Chlorine produces no change on the substance, either by ex- 
posure to light or heat. 
When iodine is heated with it at low temperatures, the two 
substances melt and unite, and there is no further action. ven 
heate 
