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AND ON SOME SUBJECTS OF CHExWICAL THEORY. 31 



The doctrine I have illustrated, affords a satisfactory expla- 

 nation of the properties of the compounds formed by oxymu- 

 riatic acid with certain inflammables, particularly with sulphur 

 and phosphorus. These undoubtedly present an anomaly in 

 the other views that have been given of their constitution. In 

 the old doctrine, they are considered as compounds of two real 

 acids ; — one of muriatic, with phosphorous or phosphoric acid ; 

 the other of muriatic, with sulphurous or sulphuric acid. But 

 they have none of the properties which would be looked for in 

 such a combination ; they have no acidity, or if any appear in 

 one of the compounds with phosphorus, it is to a very limited 

 and doubtful extent ; and they are substances even which have 

 little energy of chemical action. In the, new doctrine they are 

 considered as compounds of chlorine with their bases, sulphur 

 and phosphorus, Of course, as these bases form powerful acids 

 with oxygen, and as chlorine is considered as an element of 

 similar agency as oxygen, communicating similar powers, and 

 conferring acidity even on hydrogen, they might, with not less 

 reason than on the other doctrine, be expected to be acids of 

 the greatest strength. The view I have stated accounts for their 

 characters. They are ternary compounds, of the radical of mu- 

 riatic acid with the particular inflammable, — sulphur, or phos- 

 phorus, with oxygen. The oxygen is not in sufficient quantity 

 to communicate acidity, or, in one of the combinations of phos- 

 phorus, does so only to a very slight extent. But when water 

 is added, a sufficient proportion of oxygen is supplied to pro- 

 duce this result, and the acidity is exalted by the correspond- 

 ing hydrogen entering into the combination. What has been 

 called Phosgene Gas, procured under certain circumstances 

 from the action of oxymuriatic gas and carbonic oxide, may 

 be regarded as of a similar nature, the agency of a small por- 

 tion of water or of hydrogen being probably essential to its for- 

 mation, 



