of Qxymuriatic Gas and Oxygens , iff 
It is a compound of oxymuriatic gas and oxygene, mixed 
with some oxymuriatic gas. This is proved by the results of 
its spontaneous explosion. It gives off, in this process, from. 
~ to -f its volume of oxygene, loses its vivid colour, and be- 
comes common oxymuriatic gas. 
I attempted to obtain the explosive gas in a pure form, by 
applying heat to a solution of it in water ; but in this case, 
there was a partial decomposition ; and some oxygene was 
disengaged, and some oxymuriatic gas formed. Finding that 
in the cases when it was most pure, it scarcely acted upon 
mercury, I attempted to separate the oxymuriatic gas with 
which it is mixed, by agitation in a tube with this metal ; 
corrosive sublimate formed, and an elastic fluid was obtained, 
which was almost entirely absorbed by ~ of its volume of 
water. 
This gas in its pure form is so easily decomposable, that it 
is dangerous to operate upon considerable quantities. 
In one set of experiments upon it, a jar of strong glass, 
containing 40 cubical inches, exploded in my hands with a 
loud report, producing light; the vessel was broken, and 
fragments of it were thrown to a considerable distance. 
I analysed a portion of this gas, by causing it to explode over 
mercury in a curved glass tube, by the heat of a spirit lamp. 
The oxymuriatic gas formed, was absorbed by water ; the 
oxygene was found to be pure, by the test of nitrous gas. 
50 parts of the detonating gas, by decomposition, expanded 
so as to become 60 parts. The oxygene, remaining after 
the absorption of the oxymuriatic gas, was about 20 parts. 
Several other experiments were made, with similar results. 
So that it may be inferred, that it consists of 2 in volume of 
oxymuriatic gas, and j. in volume of oxygene ; and the oxy- 
mdcccxi. X 
