ON TUE MURIATIC ACID IN ITS DIFFERENT STATES. ^QQ 



gas disappear, and a limpid fluid, precisely the same as 

 Libavius's liquor, is formed. It occurred to me, that if this 

 substance is a combination of muriatic acid and oxide of 

 tin, oxide of tin ought to be separated from it by means of 

 ammonia. I admitted ammoniacal gas over mercury to a and ammonia- 

 small quantity of the liquor of Libavius ; it was absorbed ^^^ ^^' ^°™*^ 



. , with this a solid 



with great heat, and no gas was generated ; a solid result compound, 



was obtained, which was of a dull white colour ; some of 

 it was heated, to ascertain if it contained oxide of tin ' 

 but the whole volatilized, producing dense pungent fumes. 



Another experiment of the same kind, made with great 

 care, and in which the ammonia Avas used in great excess, 

 proved that the liquor of Libarius cannot "be decompounded 

 by ammonia ; but that it forms a new combination with 

 this substance. 



I have described, on a former occasion, the nature ef Action of oxi- 



the operation of phosphorus on oximuriatic acid: and j ""^"^^^'^^cido^ 



'■ r 1 , ... pjiosphyrus, 



have Stated, that two compounds, one fluid, and the other 

 solid, are formed in the process of combustion; of which 

 the first, on the generally received theory of the nature of 

 oximuriatic acid, must be considered as a compound of 

 muriatic acid and phosphorous acid, and the other of 

 muriatic acid and phosphoric acid. It occurred to me, that, 

 if the acids of phosphorus really existed in these combina- 

 tions, it would not be difficult to obtain them, and thus 

 to gain proofs of the existence of oxigen in oximuriatic 

 acid. 



I made a considerable quantity of the solid compound of Compound of 

 ©ximuriatic acid and phosphorus by combustion, and satu-^^^^^^l^^^^l^^-j^^ 

 rated it with ammonia, by heating it in a proper receiver 

 filled with ammoniacal gas, on which it acted with great 

 energy, producing much heat ; and they formed a white 

 opaque powder. Supposing that this substance was com- 

 posed of the dry muriate and phosphate of ammonia ; as 

 muriate of ammonia is very volatile, and as ammonia is 

 driven ofi' from phosphoric acid by a heat below rednesp, 

 I conceived, that, by igniting the product obtained, I 

 should procure phosphoric acid. I therefore introduced The result not 

 «ome of the powder into a tube of green glass, and heated brniShto. 

 it to redness, out of the contact of air, by a spirit lamp : 

 Y % but 



