muriatic Acid in its different States. 245 
pounds will probably afford simple modes of ascertaining the 
proportions of the elements, in the different oxides, acids, 
and alkaline* earths. 
If, according to the ingenious idea of Mr. Dalton, hydrogene 
be considered as 1 in weight, in the proportion it exists in 
water, then oxygene will be nearly 7.5 ; and assuming that 
potash is composed of 1 proportion of oxygene, and 1 of 
potassium, then potash will be 48, and potassium* about 40.5 ; 
and from an experiment which I have detailed in the last 
Bakerian lecture, on the combustion of potassium in muriatic 
acid gas, oxymuriatic acid will be represented by 32.9, and 
muriatic acid gas, of course, by 33.9; -and this estimation 
agrees with the specific gravity of oxymuriatic acid gas, and 
muriatic acid gas. From my experiments, 100 cubical inches 
of oxymuriatic acid gas weigh, the reductions being made for 
the mean temperature and pressure, 74.5 grains ; whereas by 
estimation they should weigh 74.6. Muriatic acid gas I find 
weighs, under like circumstances, in the quantity of 100 cubic 
inches, 39 grains ; by estimation it should weigh 38.4 
grains. 
It is easy from these data, knowing the composition of any 
dry muriate, to ascertain the quantity of oxide or of acid it 
would furnish by the action of water, and consequently the 
quantity of oxygene with which the inflammable matter will 
combine. -f* 
* Sup-posing potash to contain nearly 15.6 per cent, of oxygene. 
f I 'ave stated in the last Bakerian lecture, that during the decomposition of the 
amalgam from ammonia, 1 in volume of hydrogene to 2 of ammonia is evolved : it is 
rem .rkable, that whatever theory of the nature of this extraordinary compound be 
adopreJ, there will be a happy coincidence as to definite proportions. If it be supposed 
that the hydrogene arises from the decomposition of water ; then the oxygene that 
MDCCCX. 2 K 
