gO(j ZIGZAG MOTION OF THE ELECTRIC SPARK. 



as no gaseous matter whatever escaped, must we not suppose, 

 that both component parts of the muriatic acid which disap- 

 peared entered into the composition of the two products, 

 water and pyroinucous acid ? If only one entered, the other 

 would be given off; but this was not the case, for no gas 

 whatever, as I have shown before, was produced ; of conse- 

 quence we may I think conclude, that muriatic acid is com- 

 posed of oxigen and hidrogen. 



Upon strict analogy we cannot conclude less than that the 

 oximuriatic gas or chlorine gas of Davy is a compound. 

 This when heated along with sugar forms malic acid even in 

 more abundance than the muriatic acid does. The malic 

 acid, when submitted to heat capable of decomposing it into 

 its elementary principles, gives us an acid (the pyromucous), 

 water, a large portion of carbonic acid, and some carburetted 

 hidrogen. Hence it must be composed like sugar of oxigen, 

 hidrogen, and carbon: consequently the malic acid is of 

 known composition. If the chlorine gas was simple we could 

 not obtain bodies the composition of which is known, and in 

 which no such principle is found. Instead of obtaining malic 

 acid, which is a ternary combination, we should have ob- 

 tained of course a quaternary compound, or a direct com- 

 pound of oxigen, hidrogen, carbon and chlorine; which would 

 have been a body unknown to us, or a new substance. If I 

 can in any degree draw the attention of your more able cor- 

 respondents to this subject, so as to enlarge more upon it, 

 my sole aim will be fully answered. 



Farnley Wood, near Huddersfield, I. N. 



June the 10th, 1812. 



IX. 



On the Zig-zag Motion of the Electric Spark. In a Letter 

 from I. A. De Luc, Esq. F. R. S. 



To W. NICHOLSON, Esq. 



f»p«rt in the JL have found in your No. 144, two papers, on which I shall 

 leclriUy .* C take tJle ]l[ievt y of communicating to you some remarks : 



