muriatic Acid in its different States. 243 
of nitric and muriatic acids, which has been regarded as hyper- 
oxymuriatic acid, but which I stated some years ago to possess 
the properties of oxymuriatic acid gas,* is actually that body, 
owing its peculiar colour to a small quantity of nitromuriatic 
vapour suspended in it, and from which it is easily freed by 
washing. 
Few substances, perhaps, have less claim to be considered as 
acid, than oxymuriatic acid. As yet we have no right to say 
that it has been decompounded ; and as its tendency of com- 
bination is with pure inflammable matters, it may possibly 
belong to the same class of bodies as oxygene. 
May it not in fact be a peculiar acidifying and dissolving 
principle, forming compounds with combustible bodies, ana- 
logous to acids containing oxygene, or oxides, in their pro- 
perties and powers of combination ; but differing from them, 
in being for the most part, decomposable by water ? On this 
idea muriatic acid may be considered as having hydrogene 
for its basis, and oxymuriatic acid for its acidifying principle. 
And the phosphoric sublimate as having phosphorus for its 
basis, and oxymuriatic acid for its acidifying matter. And 
Libavius's liquor, and the compounds of arsenic with oxymu- 
* The platina, 1 find by several experiments, made with great care, has no share 
in producing the evolution of this gas. It is formed during the production of aqua 
regia. The hydrogene of the muriatic acid attracts oxygene from the nitric acid. 
Oxymuriatic acid gas is set free, and nitrous gas remains in the solution, and gives it a 
deep red colour. Nitrous acid and muriatic acid produce no oxymuriatic acid gas. 
Platina, during its solution in perfectly formed aqua regia, gives only nitrous gas 
and nitmus vapour ; and I find, that rather more oxymuriatic acid gas is produced, 
by heating together equal quantities of nitric acid of 1.45, and muriatic acia of 1 18, 
when they are not in contact with platina, >han when exposed to that metal. The 
oxymurictL acid gas, produced from muriatic acid by nitric acid, I find combines with 
about an equal volume of hydrogene by detonation. 
