THE BLEACHING COMPOUNDS OF CHLORINE: O71 
On the first supposition it is admitted, that chlorine, in acting on 
some metallic oxides, combines with, without decomposing them, so as 
to form compounds which are not very permanent. The gas being thus 
but slightly retained, acts upon vegetable colours as if it were free; that 
is to say, it destroys them, either by dehydrogenating them in a direct 
manner, or occasioning their oxidation by means of the oxygen of the 
water. The chlorine, by taking away the hydrogen, either of the water 
or the colouring matter itself, is converted into hydrochloric acid, and 
subsequently into a hydrochlorate. 
On the second supposition, on the contrary, it is supposed that the 
chlorine acts upon the metallic oxide employed, so as to decompose 
part of it; that one portion of this chlorine unites to the metal to form 
a chloride, and the other to its oxygen to become chlorous acid; and 
that this, saturating the portion of the base undecomposed, thus forms 
a true chlorite. In this manner of regarding the subject, the product 
obtained. is complex, and contains a mixture of chloride and chlorite. 
It is thus supposed that chlorine and water act upon the metallic oxides 
like sulphur, which, under the same circumstances, produces a mixture 
of sulphuret and hyposulphite. It is also supposed that these chlorites, 
coming into contact with putrid organic or colouring matter, yield to 
them all the oxygen both of their acid and base, and are converted into 
chlorides; and that it is thus entirely by an oxidizing action that they 
serve as decolorants and disinfectants. 
In attempting to resolve the question @ priori, upon theoretical con- 
siderations, we are tempted to consider this last supposition as the most 
probable. In fact, the combinations of simple with compound bodies 
are not common; and although the hydrates of chlorine, bromine, and 
phosphorus are incontestible examples of the union of a simple body 
with an oxygenated compound, combinations of this nature are not 
numerous. . It is therefore good logic to admit of the existence of simi- 
lar compounds, only when the phenomena which are concerned in their 
production cannot be explained by other views more consistent with 
general facts. It appears, also, difficult to suppose, that a body which 
so readily combines with the metals as chlorine does, could unite with 
their oxides without decomposing them, as is the case with the other 
metalloids, and remain in contact with the metals, with which it forms 
very neutral and permanent compounds, without so doing. 
The facts hitherto observed agree with theory, and seem to support 
in preference the hypothesis of the chlorites. 
Chemists, indeed, considering that the compounds which we afte now 
considering had the property of disinfecting and decolorizing, like chlo- 
rine itself, were at first induced to think that this body existed in them 
in some sort of ephemeral combination, which allowed of its exerting 
the same kind of action as if it were free. But it has been since ad- 
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