71 



geometricians ; but he further insists that, for the investigation of ab- 

 struse and latent truth, and the evolution of intricate problems, the 

 analytical method is on every consideration to be preferred to the 

 geometrical. 



Observations and Experiments upon oxygenized and hyper oxygenized 

 Muriatic Acid ; and upon some Combinations of the Muriatic Acid in 

 its three States. By Richard Chenevix, Esq. F.R.S. and M.R.I. A. 

 Read January 28, 1802. [Phil. Trans. 1802, p. 126;] 



The author introduces the subject of his paper by stating that 

 Mr. Berthollet, having observed a large portion of common muriate 

 of potash to be always produced along with the hyperoxygenized 

 muriate, had formed an ingenious conjecture, that the quantity of 

 oxygen, relatively to the acid, was greater in the salt than in dis- 

 engaged oxygenized muriatic acid ; but that no experiments having 

 appeared since the year 1788 to prove this assertion, he was induced 

 to examine the properties of the salt, and the nature of the acid it 

 contains. He next mentions such authors as have treated any part 

 of his subject ; and intimates that Mr. Hoyle of Manchester appears 

 to him to be the chemist, who, after Mr. Berthollet, has approached 

 nearest to the truth. He then proceeds to describe the means by 

 which he has determined that the acid contained in his hyperoxyge- 

 nized muriate of potash is, in fact, an acid sui generis ; and those by 

 which he arrived at the proportion of oxygen. After which he treats 

 of the saline combinations of oxygenized and hyperoxygenized mu- 

 riatic acids. 



To determine the proportion of oxygen in hyperoxygenized mu- 

 riatic acid, he distilled one hundred grains of hyperoxygenized mu- 

 riate of potash in a coated glass retort, and collected one hundred 

 and twelve cubic inches of oxygen gas, = 38*3 grains. He then 

 precipitated by nitrate of silver the salt which remained in the re- 

 tort, and a small portion of it that had been volatilized into the tube, 

 and obtained a quantity of muriate of silver, corresponding with 

 twenty of muriatic acid ; and hence he concluded that one hundred 

 parts of hyperoxygenized muriatic acid contained, 



Oxygen 65 



Muriatic acid 35 



100 



He then passed a current of oxygenized muriatic acid through a 

 solution of potash, and distilled the liquor to dryness in an appara- 

 tus, by which he could ascertain whether there was any disengage- 

 ment or absorption of oxygen from the liquor or from the salt it held 

 in solution. No oxygen was disengaged or absorbed ; and hence it 

 appears that the same quantity was now condensed in the hyperoxy- 

 genized muriate of potash as was originally contained in a relative 

 quantity of oxygenized muriatic acid. The salt thus obtained, Mr. 

 Chenevix, for the sake of brevity, calls entire salt. He analysed it, 



