328 • ON THE MURIATIC ACID IN .ITS DIFFERENT STATES. 



riatic acid with potassium. Muriate of ammonia is a com^ 

 pound of muriatic acid gas and ammonia; and when acted 

 on by potassium, it is decompounded; the oximuriatic acid 

 may be conceived to combine with the potassium to form 

 muriate of potash, and the ammonia and hidrogen are set 

 free. 

 Heat and light The "vivid combustion of bodies in oximuriatic acid gas, 



results of in- „j first view, appears a reason why oxigen should be ad- 

 tense agency of ? j i j r> 

 combination mitted in it; but heat and light are merely results of the in- 

 '^^^'y- tense agency of combination. Sulphur and metals, alka- 

 line earths and acids become ignited during their mutual 

 agency ; and such an etlect might be expected in an opera- 

 tion so rapid as tliat of oximuriatic acid upon metals and 

 inflammable bodies. 



It may be said, that a strong argument in favour of the 

 hypothesis, that oximuriatic acid consists of an acid basis 

 united to oxigen, exists in the general analogy of the com* 

 pounds of oximuriatic acid and metals to the common 

 neurral salts. But this analogy, when strictly investigated, 

 will be found to be very indistinct; and, even allowing itj 

 it may be applied with as much force to support an opposite 

 New view of doctrine, namely, that the neutral salts are compounds of 



theromposinonj^ jjj^^y^lej.; and the metals of bases with hidrogen: 



of neutral salts, ' . ^ . . . o ? 



and that in the case of the action of oximuriatic acid and 



metals, the metal furnishes hidrogen to form muriatic acid, 

 and a basis to produce the neutral combination. 

 Quantity of hi- That the quantity of hidrogen evolved during the decom, 

 drogen evolved position of muriatic acid gas by metals is the same, that would 

 acTfTby m'eu?s be produced during the decomposition of water by the sanie 

 no proof of the jjQfjigs, appears, at first view, an evidence in favour of the 

 water"*^^ o existence of water in muriatic acid gas; but as there is only 

 one known combination of hidrogen with oximuriatic acid, 

 one quantity must always be separated. Hidrogen is dis- 

 engaged from its oximuriatic combination by a metal, in the 

 same manner as one metal is disengaged by another from 

 similar combinations; and of all inflammable bodies that 

 form compounds of this kind, except perhaps phosphorus 

 and sulphur, hidrogen is that which seems to adhere to 

 oximuriatic acid with tljc least force, 



I have 



