ON THE WATER IN MURIATE OF AMMONIA. 1^5 



and the carbonic oxide he supposes combine and form an 

 acid gas, which unites with the ammonia; and when the 

 salt formed by this union is decomposed by an acid, this 

 gas he imagines decomposes water, and forms muriatic 

 and carbonic acids. I have already given my reasons, - 

 which I need not repeat, for considering every thing re- 

 lating to this gas as at present in the highest degree doubt- 

 ful; and with regard to its supposed agency in decomposing 

 water I also pointed out to him an inconsistency in his inconsistence* 

 statement, which he calls imaginary, but which is real, and iuhisstate- 



... . . , „., ., , 11 nient £tJ " u"* 



remains still unexplained. While he supposed, by a very explained. 

 circuitous mode of reasoning, that it decomposes water, I 

 observed to him, that he had not ascertained the fact; and 

 that he had even stated as one of the properties of this gas, that 

 it is "very slowly absorbed by water," a statement directly 

 at variance with the supposition, that it decomposes water; 

 for the result of this decomposition must be an instanta- 

 neous reduction of volume by the absorption of the muriatic 

 acid, which is one of its products, and a rapid absorption 

 of the carbonic acid, which is its other product. He has 

 accordingly since stated, that the gas, immediately on 

 coming into contact with water, is decomposed, and con- 

 verted into carbonic and muriatic acid gasses: and he adds 

 r * in my first notice of the gas I mentioned its being ap- 

 parently slightly absorbed by water only among its most 

 obvious qualities, those which made the first impression on 

 me, and led me to consider it as a new substance." 

 But he forgets to explain how in a result so obvious, and 

 in which there appears to be no room for fallacy, he should 

 first have found, that this gas is very slowly absorbed by 

 water; and afterward, when I had pointed out to him that 

 this was incompatible with his supposition that it decom- 

 poses water, that he should have discovered, that immedi- 

 ately on coming into contact with water it is resolved tnto 

 muriatic and carbonic gasses, which must be quickly 

 absorbed. 



These are points however, on the consideration of which F artner re . 

 it is not necessary to enter. Whatever importance may be marks on the 

 attached to them as connected with the discussion on the sub J ect * 

 nature of oximuriatic acid, they are of no importance in 



regard 



