Mr. Davy on a Combination , &c. 
162 
I passed the solid oxymuriate of phosphorus in vapour, 
and oxygene gas together through a green glass tube heated 
to redness. 
A decomposition took place, and phosphoric acid was 
formed, and oxymuriatic gas was expelled. 
Now, if oxygene existed in the oxymuriate of phosphorus, 
there is no reason why this change should take place. On 
the idea of oxymuriatic gas being undecompounded, it is ea- 
sily explained. Oxygene is known to have a stronger attrac- 
tion for phosphorus than oxymuriatic gas has, and consequently 
ought to expel it from this combination. 
As the new compound in its purest form is possessed of a 
bright yellow green colour, it may be expedient to designate 
it by a name expressive of this circumstance, and its relation to 
oxymuriatic gas. As I have named that elastic fluid Chlorine, 
so I venture to propose for this substance the name Euchlo- 
rine, or Euchloric gas from ev and x^ u P 0 ^ The point of No- 
menclature I am not, however, inclined to dwell upon. I shall 
be content to adopt any name that may be considered as most 
appropriate by the able chemical philosophers attached to this 
Society. 
*** In page 27, line 11, of the Bakerian lecture, for f< water separated and Lib a- 
yius’s liquor was formed,” read “ a compound of water and Libavius’s liquor se- 
parated.” In page 21, it is stated that magnesia is not decomposed by oxymuriatic 
gas at a red heat. From some experiments of M. M. Gay Luss ac, and Thenard, 
Bullet, de la Societ. Phil. Mai, 1810, it appears that oxygene is procured by passing 
oxymuriatic gas over magnesia, at a high temperature, and that a muriate indecom- 
posable by heat is proved. They attribute the presence of this oxygene to the decom- 
position of the acid, but according to all analogies, it must arise from the decompo- 
sition of the earth. 
