387 



The product from mercury was corrosive sublimate. 



The compound formed with iron was of a bright brown, iridescent, 

 like the Elba iron ore, volatile at a very moderate heat, and forming 

 brilliant crystals on the sides of the vessel. 



Tin afforded Libavius's liquor, having its usual properties. 



When instead of the metals themselves their oxides were exposed 

 to the action of oxymuriatic gas, oxygen was given off, in most cases 

 at a heat below redness ; and the quantity was the same as had been 

 previously absorbed by the metals. 



From the whole of the present series of experiments, Mr. Davy de- 

 rives confirmation of his former opinion respecting the simple nature 

 of oxymuriatic gas, the leading property of which is its tendency to 

 unite with inflammable bases, forming binary compounds. Since its 

 affinity is in most cases greater than that of oxygen, it either pro- 

 duces the expulsion of the oxygen, or causes it to enter into new 

 combinations. He considers the oxygen that is expelled to arise from 

 the oxide, because it is in proportion to the quantity which the oxide 

 contained, and bears no relation to the quantity of acid. 



If the oxymuriatic gas consisted of any acid matter combined with 

 oxygen, its acidity, says Mr. Davy, should appear when it is united 

 to phosphorus. But when two parts of this gas are combined with 

 one of phosphorus, the compound has no effect on litmus paper, and 

 does not act on dry lime or dry magnesia. But by union with hy- 

 drogen it forms an acid ; in the same manner oxygen communicates 

 acid properties to sulphur and phosphorus. 



Although its affinities are in general superior to those of oxygen, 

 Mr. Davy notices some exceptions. For instance, the boracic and 

 phosphoric acids are not decomposed by it ; and the same appears to 

 be the case with the peroxides of iron and arsenic. 



Of all the different bodies supposed to be elementary, nitrogen is 

 that which has the weakest tendencies to combination in general; and 

 it does not hitherto appear to have any affinity for oxymuriatic gas. 



With respect to the simple or compound nature of nitrogen, Mr. 

 Davy has not yet arrived at any satisfactory conclusion, although the 

 general result of his attempts to decompose it has shown an apparent 

 evolution of hydrogen, and other effects which could only be ascribed 

 to the presence of oxygen. 



But, on the contrary, the numerical expression for nitrogen, which 

 corresponds to 13'4, does not accord with any simple proportion of 

 oxygen and hydrogen ; and this, together with other circumstances, 

 occasion Mr. Davy to resist the inference of its being decompounded. 



The author concludes with reflections on the nomenclature of oxy- 

 muriatic gas, and its compounds ; since it appears to him that an 

 alteration is necessary to assist the progress of discussion, and to 

 diffuse just ideas on the subject. 



It is to be regretted that the great discoverer of this substance did 

 not originally affix to it a simple name to which we might now recur; 

 but his term dephlogisticated can hardly be adopted in the present 

 state of science. 



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