P2 On the Oxymuriate of Lhne. [Jan. 



jacid, and without saturating the lime. At length, when half of 

 the lime is thus saturated, the other half forms a true binoxy- 

 muriate with the acid gas, jand any additional acid in that case 

 expels the gas in torrents. We have an instance nearly similar 

 to this in the article phosphate of soda, as prepared in this 

 country ; when in solution it exhibits alkaline properties, and 

 requires as much acid to neutralize it as is sufficient for half the 

 soda in the solution ; the other haif of the soda taking a double 

 proportion of phosphoric acid, and bein^ in that state neutral. 



The old oxymuriate of Jime being ?o largely mixed with 

 iijuriate, I was desirous to know whether they could in part be 

 separated by their diiferent solubility in water. On trial it ap- 

 peared that the two salts were nearly equally soluble. I obtained 

 a solution of the sp. gr. 1*14, by adding a small portion of water 

 to a large one of the salt; successive portions of water were 

 added, and liquors of various strengths obtained from that above 

 to 1*01. In all these solutions, both muriate and oxymuriate 

 were found ; but the oxymuriate was proportionally rather more 

 abundant in the first produce: so that, it should seem, oxymu- 

 riate is rather more soluble than muriate of lime 3 and that they 

 are not to be separated in this mode. 



Solutions qf oxymuriate of lime absorb nitrous gas rapidly. 

 100 measures of 1-034 absorb about 270 measures of nitrous 

 gas. The li<|uid is afterwards acid, and requires about 200 

 measures of lime water to saturate it. Calculating from the 

 quantity of nitric acid which the nitrous gas should produce, 300 

 measures of lime water would be requisite to saturate it. Hence 

 it maybe concluded, that the 100 measures of oxymuriate of 

 lime solution are, in reality, 100 measures of lime water holding 

 the salts in solution; that is, liquid oxymuriate of lime from the 

 dry salt is, lime water holding in solution simple oxymuriate and 

 mmiate of lime. 



From the experiments I have made by way of double decom- 

 position upon oxymuriate of lime, and the alkaline and earthy 

 salts, I have no doubt that oxy muriatic acid combines with most 

 bases in the same way as with lime ; and that a class of salts 

 denominated oxymuriates actually exist, at least in a liquid form. 

 Chenevix, in his paper on oxy muriatic and hyperoxy muriatic 

 acids, seems to doubt of the existence of these salts ; and infers 

 from' his experiments, that potash and soda are no sooner 

 saturated with oxymuriatic acid gas, than the solutions resolve 

 themselves into simple muriates and hyperoxymuriates. This 

 resolution is undoubted in certain instances, and when the solu- 

 tions are of great density ; but there must be some important 

 circumstances attending these operations, that have yet escaped 

 notice. The oxymuriates of lime and potash are eminently 

 useful in bleaching 5 but a mixture of the solutions of muriate 

 ,©f potash and byperoxymuriate would be of no avail in that 



