246 COMPOUND OF CARBONIC OXIDE AND OXIMURIATIC GAS. 



minutes the condensation will have ceased, and the combina- 

 tion of the twogasses will be complete. 



Complete ab- j t j g re q U i s ite, that the gasses should be dried for forming: 



sence of water . . . . 



necessary. this compound; if this p ecaution is neglected, the new gas 



will be far from pure: it will contain a considerable admix- 

 ture of the carbonic and muriatic acid passes, which are pro- 

 duced in consequence of the decomposition of hygiometrical 

 water. Indeed there is considerable difficulty in procuring 

 the new gas tolerably pure; a good air pump is required, 

 and perfectly tight stopcocks, and dry gasses, and dry 

 vessels. 

 Attempt to I have endeavoured to procure the gas', by passing a mix- 



form it in a hot ture f car bonic oxide and chlorine through an eai then-ware 

 earthen tube. tt 



tube heated to redness; but without success. 



Its specific The specific gravity of the gas may be inferred from the 



gravity. specific gravities of its constituent parts jointly with the 



condensation that takes place at their union. According to 



Cruickshank, 100 cubic inches of carbonic oxide weigh 29*6 



grains; and according to Sir Humphry Davy, 100 of chlorine 



are equal to 76*37 grains: hence as equal volumes of these 



gasses combine, and become so condensed as to occupy only 



half the space they before filled, it follows that 100 cubic 



inches of the new compound gas are equal to 105'97 grains. 



Thus this gas exceeds most others as much in its density as 



it does in its saturating power. 



Affinities of To ascertain whether chlorine has a stronger affinity for 



chlorine for hidrogen than for carbonic oxide, I exposed a mixture of the 



hidrogen and ° . 



carbonic oxide three gasses in equal volumes to light, .both the new com- 



equal. pound and muriatic acid gas were formed, and the affinities 



were so nicely balanced, that the chlorine was nearly equally 

 divided between them. And that the attraction of chlorine 

 for both these gasses is nearly the same, appears to be con- 

 firmed by muriatic acid not being decomposed by carbonic 

 oxide, or the new gas by hidrogen. 

 K , h The chlorine and carbonic oxide are, itis evident from these 



new com- last facts, united by strong attractions; and as the properties 

 pound. f t |j e su bstance as a peculiar compound are well character- 



ized, it will be necessary to designate it by some simple 

 name. 1 venture to propose that of phosgene, or phosgene 

 gas; from fwt, light, and yito^ait to produce, which sig- 

 nifies 



