CHEMISTRY. ] 75 



dependent on any peculiar principle or form of mat- 

 ter ; but must be regarded as the general result of 

 intense chemical action. 



Ultimate Atoms of Oxygen. 



Oxygen, being a permanently elastic fluid, must 

 consist of atoms that repel each other ; hence, a com- 

 pound atom of oxygen, or a number of atoms united 

 together, seems quite impossible. 



Chlorine. 



A permanently elastic gazeous fluid, the oxymuri- 

 atic gas of former chemists. It is not respirable, 

 but supports combustion, although it contains no 

 oxygen. It is best procured from a mixture of sul- 

 phuric acid, salt, and manganese. 



Chlorine was discovered by Scheele in 1774, and 

 by him named dephlogisticated muriatic acid, (mu- 

 riatic acid deprived of its hydrogen). The term 

 oxymuriatic acid was afterwards applied by the 

 French chemists. It is a permanently elastic gaze- 

 ous fluid, and is highly injurious when respired, even 

 largely diluted with atmospheric air. Its colour is 

 greenish yellow, whence its name. Phosphorus and 

 some of the metals are spontaneously ignited by 

 chlorine. The compound results of some, possess 

 acid properties ; others are not acid. The com- 

 pounds formed with chlorine are termed chlorides. 

 It is characterized by the property of destroying 

 every vegetable colour with which it comes in contact. 



The Bleaching Liquid. 



For the generation of chlorine, manufacturers of 

 bleaching liquid usually mix 10 cwt. of salt with from 

 10 to 1 4 cwt. of manganese, to which mixture, after 

 its introduction into the alembic, from 12 to 14 of 



