26 Dr. Murray’s Experiments on [Jan. 
ARTICLE VY. 
Experiments on Muriatic Acid Gas, with Observations on its 
Yhemical Constitution, and on some other Subjects of Chemical 
Theory. By John Murray, M.D. F.R.S.E. Fellow of the 
Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.* 
Some years ago I proposed, as decisive of the question which 
has been the subject of controversy on the nature of oxymuriatic 
and muriatic acids, the experiment of procuring water from 
muriate of ammonia, formed by the combination of dry ammo- 
niacal and muriatic acid gases. Muriatic acid gas being the 
sole product of the mutual action of oxymuriatic gas and hydro- 
gen, it follows, that if oxymuriatic gas contain oxygen, muriatic 
acid gas must contain combined water; while, if the former be 
a simple body, the latter must be the real acid, free from water. 
When muriatic acid gas is submitted to the action of substances 
which combine with acids, water is obtained; but though the 
most simple and direct conclusion from this is, that the water is 
deposited from the muriatic acid gas, the result may be accounted 
for on the opposite doctrine, by the supposition that it is water 
formed by the combination of the hydrogen of the acid with the 
oxygen of the base. Ammonia, however, containing no oxygen, 
if water is obtained from its combination with muniatic acid gas, 
we obtain a result which cannot be accounted for on this hypo- 
thesis, but must be regarded as a proof of the presence of water 
in the acid gas. And this again affords a proof equally conclu- 
sive of the existence of oxygen in oxymuriatic gas. 
The results of the experiment which I had brought forward 
were involved in much controversial discussion; and a brief 
recapitulation of the objections that were urged to it is neces- 
em as an introduction to the experiments I have now to submit; 
and to the consideration of the present state of the question. 
The original experiment was performed by combining thirty 
cubic inches of muriatic acid gas with the same volume of ammo- 
niacal gas carefully dried. The salt formed was exposed in a 
small retort with a receiver adapted to it to a moderate heat 
gradually raised. Moisture speedily condensed in the neck of 
the retort, which increased and collected into small globules.+ 
This result was admitted by those who defended the new 
doctrine, when the experiment was performed in the manner I 
have described—water being obtained, it was allowed “ in no 
inconsiderable quantity.” But, to obviate the conclusion, it was 
asserted, that this is water which has been absorbed by the salt 
from the atmosphere. This was affirmed by Sir Humphry Davy, 
* From the Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, vol, viii. part ii. 
+ Nicholson’s Journal, xxxi. 126. 
