INQUIRIES RESPECTIN^O MURIATrq ACID. 151 



combined dry muriatic acid ; but they have been all unsuc- ^"^y ^""^ ^^' 



^ , Combined, 



cesstul. 



I heated intensely, in an iron tube, silex in a very rninnte Silex heated 

 state of division, and muriate of soda that had been fused; 0/30^^"^'*^® 

 but there was not the smallest quantity of gas e\'X)ived. In 

 this case, the silex had been ignited to whiteness befo.e it 

 was used ; biit when silex in its common state was employed, 

 or when aqueous vapour was passed over a mixture of dry 

 silex and dry salt in a porcelain tube, muriatic acid gas was 

 developed wilh great rapidity. 



I have stated, page 79*, that a sublimate is formed by Oxide of bora- 

 the combustion of the olive coloured oxide of boracium in p'"'" burned 



• 1 ^ , • , , . • -1,1 • '" oximuriati* 



oximunatu: acid. On the idea that this might be boracic aci4. 



acid, and that dry muriatic acid might be separated in the 

 process, I examined the circumstances of the experiment; 

 but I found the sxiblimate to be a compound of boracic and 

 muriatic acid, similar to the compound of muriatic and 

 phosphoric acid. 



I heated freshly sublimed muriate of ammonia with pot- Muriate of 

 assium ; when the quantities were equal, as much hidrogen ammoma heat- 



1.1- 111 ■ f ed with pot- 



gas was developed as is generated by the action or water assium. 



on potassium ; much ammonia was evolved, and muriate of 

 potash formed ; when the potassium was to the muriate as 

 4 to 1, less hidrogen appeared, and a triple compound of 

 muriatic acid, ammonia, and potassium, or its protoxide 

 was formed, which was of a dark gray colour, and gave 

 ammonia and muriate of potash by the action of water. 

 There was not the slightest indications of the decomposition 

 of the acid in the experiment. The process, in which this 

 decomposition may be most reasonably conceived to take 

 place, is in the combustion of potassium ui the phosphuret- 

 ted muriatic acid, deprived by simple distillation with pot- 

 assium of as much phosphorus as possible. I am preparing' 

 an apparatus for performing this experiment, in a manner 

 which, 1 hope, will lead to distinct conclusions. 



* Journal, vol. XXIV, p. 15, 16. 



%h 



