Muriatic Acid in its different States. 237 
compound as that produced by the action of oxymuriatic acid 
on lead ; and in this process the muriatic acid must loose its 
hydrogene, and the lead its oxygene ; which of course would 
form water ; these able chemists, indeed, from the conclusion 
of their memoir, seem aware, that such an explanation may be 
given, for they say that the oxymuriatic acid may be con- 
sidered as a simple body. 
I have repeated those experiments which led me first to 
suspect the existence of combined water in muriatic acid, with 
considerable care ; I find that, when mercury is made to act 
upon 1 in volume of muriatic acid gas, by Voltaic electricity, 
all the acid disappears, calomel is formed, and about .5 of 
hydrogene evolved. 
With potassium, in experiments made over very dry mer- 
cury, the quantity of hydrogene is always from 9 to 11, the 
volume of the muriatic acid gas used being 20. 
And in some experiments made very carefully by my 
brother Mr. John Davy, on the decomposition of muriatic 
acid gas, by heated tin and zinc, hydrogene equal to about half 
its volume was disengaged, and metallic muriates, the same 
as those produced by the combustion of tin and zinc in oxy- 
muriatic gas, resulted. 
It is evident from this series of observations, that Scheele’s 
view, (though obscured by terms derived from a vague and 
unfounded general theory, ) of the nature of the oxymuriatic 
and muriatic acids, may be considered as an expression of 
facts ; whilst the view adopted by the French school of che- 
mistry, and which, till it is minutely examined, appears so 
beautiful and satisfactory, rests in the present state of our 
knowledge, upon hypothetical grounds. 
li 
MDCCCX. 
