v 104f 0N THE NATURE OF CERTAIN BODIES. 



to the boracic acid, which is a good conductor as long as it 

 contains water ; but which, when freed from water and made 

 fluid by heat, is then a nonconductor. 

 Alkalis &c. The alkalis, and the earthy compounds, and the oxides, 



when solid 1 " but as ^T as we cau °^ tam them, though nonconductors when 

 conductors solid, are on the contrary, all conductors when rendered 

 when fused. fluid fay ^ 



Water in mu- When muriatic acid, existing in combination with phos- 

 gas. p| lorous or phosphoric acid, is rendered gaseous by the ac- 

 tion of water, the quantity of this fluid that disappears at 

 least equals from one third to two fifths of the weight of the 

 acid gas produced ; a circumstance that agrees with the in- 

 dications given by the action of potassium*. 

 Muriate of I attempted to procure a compound of dry muriatic and 



•pour passed Va " cai 'bonic acids, honing that it might be gaseous, and that 

 through lg- the two acids might be decomposable at the same time by 

 " lted charcoal * potassium. The process that I employed was by passing 

 corrosive sublimate in vapour through charcoal ignited to 

 whiteness; but 1 obtained a very small quantity of gas, 

 which seemed to be a mixture of common muriatic acid gas 

 and carbonic acid gas ; a very minute portion of running 

 mercury only was obtained, by a long continuation of the 

 process ; and the slight decomposition, that did take place, 

 I am inclined to attribute to the production of water by the 

 action of the hidrogen of the charcoal upon the oxigen of 

 the oxide of mercury f . 

 Muriatic acid In mixing muriatic acid gas with carbonic acid, or oxigen, 

 frfom^orae" 0l hidrogen, the gasses being in their common states as to 

 other gasses, moisture, there was always a cloudiness produced ; doubt- 

 less owing to the attraction of their water to form liquid 

 muriatic acid. 



* Page 101. 



f These facts, and the other facts of the same kind, explain the diffi* 

 culty ef the decomposition of the metallic muriates in common processes 

 of metallurgy. They likewise explain other phenomena in the agencies 

 of muriatic salts. In all cases when a muriatic salt is decomposed by an 

 acid, and muriatic acid gas set free, there appea'S to be a double affinity, 

 that of the acid for the basis, and of the muriatic acid for water; pure 

 muriatic acid does not seem capable of being displaced by any other 

 *ci<l. t 



On 



