JfATURE OF OXtMURIATIC ACltt. gg^ 



W^hich he farther admits to be owing to the disengagement 

 of carbonic acid. The dispute therefore with regard to the 

 fact is at an end ; and the production of carbonic acid in 

 these experiments, which I had always maintained to be the 

 resultj but which Messrs. Davys had denied, is established 

 beyond the possibility of doubt. 



Mr. J. Davy, however, forms a singular conclusion with Hisconclu*- 

 regard to this. Having stated the results of his experi- 

 ments, h£, adds : •' after the precedingstatement of facts, Mr. 

 Murray, I should conceive, will be induced to renounce his 

 conclusion, that the production of carbonic acid in his expe- 

 riment was established beyond the possibility of doubt; and 

 admit, that what he considered as carbonic acid was actually 

 the new gas just described ; and I should likewise imagine, 

 that this gentleman, in future, will be more cautious in his 

 assertions and criticisms on the labours of others." It is but 

 justice to Mr, J. Davy to state on what grounds these expec- 

 tations are founded. 



V The result of the experiment with carbonic oxide, oximu- grounded on 

 fTatic acid, and hidrogen gasses led him to repeat the expe- formation of a 

 rirtient with the two former gasses alone. Having exposed new acid, 

 therefore a mixture of carbonic oxide and oximuriatic acid 

 without hidrogen to light, he obtained a similar result, a 

 total condensation by ammonia without the slightest re- 

 mains of carbonic oxide* By farther researches he founds 

 that an acid gas is formed from the mutual acvioB of the 

 oximuriatic and carbonic oxide gasses, which combines 

 with ammonia, and forms a concrete salt, and from the 

 agency of this gas he explatns the production of carbonic 

 acid in my experiments. '• I have now to announce", J_he 

 remarks, "the existence of a new acid gas, which operated 

 in Mr. Murray's experiments without his knowledge of its 

 presence, and was the cause of tho<e phenoniena, which htt 

 erroneously attributed to the formation of carbonic acid 

 gas." He supposes it to combine with the ammonia which 

 is added, and to form a concrete salt ; and " the decompo- 

 *' sition," he adds, " of this ammoniacal salt with effer- 

 ** vesceiice by dilute nitric acid deceived Mr. Murray." 



On reading this paragraph I expected it to be proved, 

 that no carbonic acid is disengaged fVQi& the concrete salt, 



and 



