33ft "^ THE MURIATIC ACID IN ITS DIFFERENT STATE?. 



produce compounds differing considerably in degree of 



volatility. 



I cannot conclude the subjedt of the applicatidil of these 



doctrines, Avithoufe^asking permission to direct the attention 



of the Society to soine of the theoreticial relations of the 



jfacts noticed in the preceding pages. 

 Extraordinary That a body principally composed of oximuriatid acid 

 nature of the .^^^ ammonia, two substances which have been generally 

 compound of , , , , .^ j'r- 



eximuriatic Conceived incapable of existnig together, should be so dii- 



acidandam- ficult of decomposition, as to be scarcely affected by any 

 laonia. „ , » , . . , ■ j- 



of the agents of Chemistry, is a. phenomenon oi a per- 

 fectly new kind. Three bodies, two of which are per- 

 manent gases, and the other of which is considerably vola- 

 tile, form, in this instance, a substance neither fiisible nor 

 vola:tilc at a white heat. It could not have been expected, 

 that ammonia would remain fixed at such a temperature; 

 but that it should remain fixed in combination with oxi- 

 muriatic acid would have appeared incredible, according 

 to all the existing analogies of chemistry. The experi- 

 ments, on which these conclusions are founded, are, how- 

 ever, uniform in their results; and it is easy to repeat; 

 Complexity of them. They seem to show, that the common chemical pro- 

 composition not j^j^^j ^jj^|. (complexity of composition is uniformly con- 

 always connect- '^ ^^ . 



ed with facility nected with facility of decomposition, is not well founded. 

 of decomposi- f^^ compound of oximuriatic acid, phosphorus, and ara«. 

 monia, resembles an oxide, such as silex, or thatof colum. 

 bium in its general chemical characters, and is as refrac 

 tory when treated by common reagents; and except by 

 the effects of combustion, or the agency of fused potash, 

 its nature could not be detected by any of the usual methods 

 of analysis. Is it not likely, reasoning from these circum- 

 stances, that many of the substances, now supposed to be 

 elementary, may be reduced into simpler forms of matler ? 

 And that an intense attraction, aud an equilibrium of at- 

 traction, may give to a compound, containing several con- 

 stituents, that refractory character, which is generally at- 

 tributed to unity of constitution, or to the homogeneous 

 nature of its parts? ' 

 Other com- Beside the compound of the phosphoric subliniate and 



pounds of tte ammonia, and the other analogous compounds which have 

 oxuiuiriatic ' , 



aci4 ^eeu 



