of Oxymuriatic Gas and Oxygene. 161 
Let a glass vessel containing brass foil be exhausted, and the 
new gas admitted, no action will take place ; throw in a little 
nitrous gas, a rapid decomposition occurs, and the metal 
burns with great brilliancy. 
Supposing oxygene and oxymuriatic gas to belong to the 
same class of bodies ; the attraction between them might be 
conceived very weak, as it is found to be, and they are easily 
separated from each other, and made repulsive by a very low 
degree of heat. 
The most vivid effects of combustion known, are those pro- 
duced by the condensation of oxygene or oxymuriatic gas ; but 
in this instance, a violent explosion with heat and light are 
produced by their separation, and expansion, a perfectly novel 
circumstance in chemical philosophy. 
This compound destroys dry vegetable colours, but first 
gives them a tint of red. This and its considerable absorba- 
bility by water would incline one to adopt Mr. Chenevix’s 
idea that it approaches to an acid in its nature. It is probably 
combined with the peroxide of potassium in the hyperoxy- 
muriate. 
That oxymuriatic gas and oxygene combine and separate 
from each other with such peculiar phenomena, appears 
strongly in favour of the idea of their being distinct, though 
analogous species of matter. It is certainly possible to defend 
the hypothesis that oxymuriatic gas consists of oxygene united 
to an unknown basis ; but it would be possible likewise to de- 
fend the speculation that it contains hydrogene. 
Like oxygene it has not yet been decomposed; and I 
sometime ago made an experiment, which, like most of the 
others I have brought forward, is very adverse to the idea of 
its containing oxygene. 
