for decomposing the Muriatic Acid. 195 



shocks are passed repeatedly through a confined portion of car- 

 bonated hydrogenous gas, the water held in solution by the 

 gas, is decomposed by the carbon, which forms a constituent 

 part of it ; that carbonic acid is formed ; and an addition made, 

 of hydrogenous gas. Hence, the bulk of the carbonated hydro- 

 gen gas is considerably enlarged by this process ; which shews, 

 by its results, that the affinity of carbon for oxygen, is rendered 

 'much more powerful and efficient by the electric fluid. I have 

 since found, that other oxygenated substances are decomposed, 

 by electrifying them with carbonated hydrogen gas. Nitrous 

 gas, for example, is speedily destroyed by this process, and 

 carbonic acid arid azotic gases are obtained. 



Every attempt to decompose the muriatic acid, must be 

 founded on the presumption that it is an oxygenated substance; 

 and those bodies promise to be the most successful agents, that 

 possess a strong affinity for oxygen. Now, of all known bodies, 

 charcoal most strongly attracts oxygen ; and I have, therefore, 

 repeatedly attempted the destruction of this acid, by passing it 

 over red-hot charcoal. But, in a series of experiments, which I 

 made some time since, with this view, in conjunction with Mr. 

 Rupp, we soon found reason to be dissatisfied with the difficulty 

 and uncertainty of this process. An immense production of 

 hydrogenous gas took place ; but it was not easy to determine 

 whether it had its origin from real acid, or from water. Our 

 experiments, however, though insufficient to furnish decisive 

 proof, induced us to believe that it had the latter origin. 



It next occurred to me, that the comparative affinities of the 

 muriatic radical, whatever it may be, and of charcoal, for oxygen, 

 would be elegantly and satisfactorily ascertained, by electrifying 

 together the carbonated hydrogen and muriatic gases. If the 



C c 2 



