for decomposing the Muriatic Acid. igi 



fusion, was scarcely diminished at all ; and that the deposit, 

 though it still occurred, was less copious in quantity. This 

 deposit was not, like corrosive sublimate, soluble in water; but 

 had every property of the less saturated salt, calomel. 



The mercury by which the muriatic acid was confined, was 

 therefore evidently oxidated ; and, to the combination of a part 

 of the gas with the oxide thus produced, the diminution of bulk 

 was doubtless to be ascribed. But it was uncertain from whence 

 this oxygen was derived. It might either result from the de- 

 composition of the acid gas, or of the water chemically com- 

 bined with it. The following experiments were therefore made, 

 to determine this point. 



Experiment 1. Through 1457 measures of muriatic acid gas, 

 300 electrical shocks were passed. There remained, after the 

 admission of water, 100 measures of permanent gas, (or not 

 quite 7 from each hundred of the original gas,) which, on trial, 

 appeared to be purely hydrogenous. 



Exper. 2. Of the gas, dried by muriate of lime, 176 measures 

 received 120 shocks. The residue of hydrogenous gas amounted 

 to 1 1 measures, or rather more than 6 per cent. 



These experiments, and other similar ones, made on compa- 

 rative portions of muriatic acid gas, in its recent state, and after 

 exposure to muriate of lime, convinced me that it was impos- 

 sible, by this method, wholly to deprive the muriatic gas of 

 water. The recent gas, however, when electrified in smaller 

 quantity than in experiment 1, gave a larger proportion of hy- 

 drogenous gas ; which shews, that some portion of its moisture 

 was removed, by exposure to muriate of lime. In order, if pos- 

 sible, to procure the gas perfectly dry, another mode of preparing 

 it was resorted to. Alum and common salt were first well 



