combinations of Oxymuriatic Gas and Oxygene, &c. 1 g 
of oxymuriatic gas equal to 164.5 grains, 5 proportions of 
muriate of potash equal to 367 grains ; and 5 of oxygene equal 
to 37, 5 grains, combined with one of potash, equal to 48, must 
unite in triple union with one of oxymuriatic gas equal to 32.9, 
to form one proportion, equal to 118.4 grains of hyperoxy- 
muriate of potash. 
3. On the Combinations of the Metals of the Earths, with 
Oxygene and Oxymuriatic Gas. 
The muriates of baryta, lime, and strontia, after being a 
long time in a white heat, are not decomposable by any simple 
attractions : thus, they are not altered by dry boracic acid, 
though, when water is added to them, they readily afford 
muriatic acid and their peculiar earths. 
From this circumstance, I was induced to believe that these 
three compounds consist merely of the peculiar metallic bases, 
which I have named barium, strontium, and calcium, and 
oxymuriatic gas ; and such experiments as I have been able 
to make, confirm the conclusion. 
When baryta, strontia, or lime, is heated in oxymuriatic 
gas to redness, a body precisely the same as a dry muriate is* 
formed, and oxygene is expelled from the earth. I have 
never been able to effect so complete a decomposition of these 
earths by oxymuriatic gas, as to ascertain the quantity of oxy- 
gene produced from a given quantity of earth. But in three 
experiments made with great care I found that one of oxy- 
gene was evolved for every two in volume of oxymuriatic gas 
absorbed. 
I have not yet tried the experiment of acting upon oxy- 
muriatic gas by the bases of the alkaline earths ; but I have 
D 2 
