318 OBSERVATIONS ON MURIATIC ACID, 



illation, a circumstance which serves to account for the discor- 

 dant results with regard to its production *. 



It deserves remark, that while there runs through the whole 

 series of acidifiable bases in relation to their combinations with 

 oxygen and hydrogen, a general analogy, there is also some 

 deviation, and something with regard to each that is specific. 

 Sulphur affords the most perfect example of their agency. It 

 forms an acid with hydrogen ; it forms another with oxygen ; 

 and a third, still more powerful, from the joint action of oxy- 

 gen and hydrogen. Carbon forms an acid with oxygen ; it also 

 forms a series of acids of greater strength with oxygen and hy- 

 drogen ; it acquires no acidity, however, from hydrogen alone ; 

 and with an inferior proportion of oxygen it forms an oxide. 

 Phosphorus bears a strict analogy to sulphur, except that its 

 combination with hydrogen does not give rise to acidity, a cir- 

 cumstance in which it resembles carbon. Nitrogen is peculiar 

 in forming two oxides with different definite proportions of 

 oxygen ; it is doubtful if it forms a free acid with oxygen 

 alone ; but it conforms to the general law, and forms a powerful 

 acid with oxygen and hydrogen. .Assuming the existence of a 

 simple radical of muriatic acid, it resembles sulphur, phospho- 

 rus and carbon, in forming an acid with oxygen, and one still 



more 



* The difficulty of entirely excluding water and hydrogen from the consti- 

 tuents of this gas is sufficiently, apparent. And the fact, that it cannot be form- 

 ed from them by the action of the electric spark, but only by the continued ac- 

 tion of solar light, is favourable to the above opinion. The conversion of car- 

 bonic oxide into carbonic acid, by the joint action of oxymuriatic gas and hydro- 

 gen, an experiment which I performed when the new hypothesis with regard to 

 the nature of chlorine was brought forward, and which was attempted to be in- 

 validated by some singular controversial methods, I consider as depending pro- 

 bably on the same principle. 



