ANALYTICAL EXPERIMENTS ON MURIATIC ACID. 



95 



afford means of estimating the degree of condensation of 



oxigen in each substance. , 



These experiments, having occupied a great deal of time, Boracic add 



have prevented us from continuing those we had begun on decomposable 

 , • i x- , i , i , , i , . . . , . by a mixture 



boracic acid. Y et we had already learned, that this acid is of charcoal and 



capable of being decomposed at a very high U mperature metai « 

 by a mixture of charcoal with iron or platina, and forming 

 borurets : for Mr. Descotils, on exposing such mixtures to 

 a forge fire, has obtained metallic buttons, which, treated 

 with uitromuriatic acid, yielded him very evident quantities 

 of boracic acid; and which, from our experiments on the 

 nature of the boracic acid, could be nothing but a combina- 

 tion of bore, platina, and iron. 



TIL 



The Bakerian Lecture. An Account of some new analytical 

 Researches on the Nature of certain Bodies, Sfc. By 

 Humphry Davy, Esq., Sec. R. S., F. R. S. Ed., and 

 31. R. I. A. 



I 



( Concluded from page 2A.J 

 8. Analytical Experiments on Muriatic Acid. 



Have made a greater number of experiments upon this Numerous ex- 

 substance, than upon any of the other subjects of research periments 

 that have been mentioned; it will be impossible to give any ™-' c a"ij t mU "" 

 more than a general view of them within the limits of the 

 Bakerian lecture. 



Researches carried en some years ago, and which are de- Muriatic acid 

 tailed in the Journals of the Royal Institution, showed, that gas contains 

 there were little hopes of decomposing muriatic acid, in its mucl wa er * 

 common form, by Voltaic electricity. When aqueous so- 

 lution of muriatic acid is acted upon, the water alone is de- 

 composed ; and the Voltaic electrization of the gas affords 

 no indications of its decomposition ; and merely seems to 

 show, that this elastic fluid contains much more water than, 

 has been usually suspected*. 



I have already laid before the Society an account of some 

 experiments made on the action of potassium on muriatic 



* See p. 31. 



acid. 



