COMBINATIONS OF OXIMURIATIC ACID AND METALS. 11 



a class of bodies similar to metallic oxides, and consisting of 

 metals in union with chlorine or oximuriatic acid. 



These combinations are the principal subject of the fol- 

 lowing pages. I shall do myself the honour of giving an ac- 

 count of the experiments I have made to ascertain the pro- 

 portions of their constituent parts, and likewise of describing 

 some that have not yet been noticed. 



I shall have to relate also the attempts I have made to as- Doctrine of 

 dertain the proportions of sulphur in several sulphurets, and ^^^^^^^ ^^^^ 

 the experiments I have performed to estimate the quantity 

 of oxigen in some metallic oxides. The general analogy of 

 definite proportions led me to both these undertakings. This 

 analogy, it will be perceived, I have constantly kept in view, 

 and have had recourse to, both for detecting inaccuracies in 

 my own experiments, and in considering the results of the 

 experiments of others. 



As the nomenclature connected with the old hypothesis New nomen- 

 respecting oximuriatic acid is inconsistent with the new views Mature, 

 of this substance, 1 shall venture to call the compounds of 

 the metala and chlorine to be treated of, by the names which 

 my brother has proposed for them. 



1. On the Combinations of Chlorine and Copper ^ ^c. 



Thert are two distinct combinations of chlorine and cop- Oximuriatic 



per, boih of which may be directly made by the combustion S^^ combines 

 \, ,, . ,. ,, • -,,Ti .1 1 • , with copper in 



©I this metal in chlorme gas. When the gas was admitted two propor- 



into an exhausted retort containing copper filiugs, the filings t'O'^s. 

 became ignited, a fixed fusible substance quickly formed, 

 and the interior of the retort soon became lined with a fine 

 yellowish brown sublimate. The former substance evidently 

 contains least chlorine, for when it was heated alone in chlo- 

 rine gas, it absorbed an additional portion, and was converted 

 into the latter. Hence the fixed compound may, in confor- 

 mity with the principles of Sir Humphry Davy's nomen- 

 clature, be called cuprane, and the yellow sublimate, 

 cupranea. 



Cuprane may be procured in several other ways. It may Istcompoundj 

 be obtained by heating together copper filings and corrosive ^^^^^jp^^^^"* 

 sublimate; and it was thus first discovered by Boyle, who 

 called it resin of copper, from its similitude to common re- 

 sin. 



