Chap. 3.] Nitrous Acid or Aqua Perils. ij 



through them. In thefe trials a diminution of bulk 

 was always obferved ; indeed five parts of oxygenous 

 gas being added to three of common air, almoft the 

 v/hoie difappeared. By continuing his experiments, 

 he found that an acid was produced, and that acid was 

 the nitrous. 



The MURIATIC acid, in its ordinary ftate, is a 

 yellowifti- coloured fluid, and emits fumes which do 

 not give the air a red tinge like the nitrous acid, but 

 produce an appearance of mift. Thefe fumes are 

 noxious to the lungs, and fmell like burning foot* 

 The muriatic acid is diftinguifhed from the vitriolic 

 and nitrous in the ilrong adhefion of its component 

 parts, which is evinced by its not parting with oxygen, 

 and of courfe its having little action on inflammable 

 fubftances. So ftrong indeed is the attraction between 

 the principles, whatever they are, which form this 

 acid, that they have never been feparated. Its bans 

 therefore is wholly unknown to us, and we have no 

 other evidence than analogy to lead us to conclude 

 that, like other acids, it contains oxygen. M. Ber- 

 thollet conjectures the radical of the muriatic acid to- 

 be of a metallic nature. The muriatic acid is by far 

 the mod abundant of all the acids in the mineral king- 

 dom ; it is naturally combined with lime, magnefia, 

 and natron, or the foflil alkali ; wirh the latter it 

 forms the immenfe beds of fal gem or rock fait, and 

 the faline matter which gives fdtnefs to the ocean. 



As the muriatic acid can only fubfift in the gafleous 

 (late in the ordinary temperature and preffure of the 

 atmofphere, it is necefTary to ufe water in order to 

 condenfe it. But the ordinary muriatic acid is ca- 

 pable of being combined with an additional quantity 

 of oxygen, by being diltilled with the mineral fubftance 

 Called manganefe, or with certain preparations of lead 



and 



