178 Prof. Berzelius and Dr. Marcet's Experiments 



fifth and one-sixth of its volume, a circumstance which ap- 

 peared to be owing to the destruction of the volatilized por- 

 tion of the liquor ; for the gas soon afterwards recovered its 

 former volume. On examining the superior part of the tube, 

 we perceived traces of a condensed liquid. Whether this 

 liquid was concentrated sulphuric acid, or simply a small 

 portion of the oily liquor, remained to be determined. We 

 repeated the experiment in the following manner. 



A quantity of the oily liquor was suffered to evaporate in 

 oxygen gas of known purity, and previously dried with mu- 

 riate of lime. Some of this gas was introduced into the eudio- 

 meter, and exploded by the electrical spark. It lost between 

 one-fifth and one-sixth of its volume; but we perceived, even 

 then, traces of a condensed liquid in the superior part of the 

 eudiometer. This liquid, in about a quarter of an hour, be- 

 came opaque, and ultimately formed white specks, which we 

 found to be sulphate of mercury. No oxygen gas remained 

 in the tube after the explosion ; but the gaseous residue con- 

 sisted of sulphureous acid gas, and, as we shall see afterwards, 

 of the carbonic acid, and the carbonic oxyd gases. This expe- 

 riment having still left undetermined, whether the vestige of 

 liquid we had observed, was or was not to be ascribed to the 

 formation of water, we tried to decide this point by means of 

 oxymuriatic gas, in the following manner.* 



3. We caused a succession of bubbles of oxymuriatic gas, 



• In relating the experiments in which oxymuriatic gas (or chlorine) is concerned, 

 we have used the old nomenclature, and have explained the phenomena according to 

 the notions, respecting the nature of this agent, which prevailed previous to Sir H. 

 Davt's ingenious experiments and speculations on the subject. But those who con- 

 sider his views, as sufficiently established to supersede entirely the old hypothesis, may 

 easily adapt to our statements the language which belongs to the new doctrine. 



