94 Mr. Davy's Lecture on some new analytical Researches 
common states, muriatic acid gas was evolved ; but when they 
were dried by a gentle heat, the quantity was exceedingly di- 
minished, and the little gas that was generated gave hydrogene 
by the action of potassium. During the distillation of corro- 
sive sublimate and sulphur, a very small quantity of a limpid 
fluid passed over. When examined by transmitted light, it 
appeared yellowish green. It emitted fumes of muriatic acid, 
did not redden dry litmus paper, and deposited sulphur by 
the action of water. Iam inclined to consider it as a modifi- 
cation of the substance discovered by Dr. Thomson, in his 
experiments on the action of oxymuriatic acid on sulphur. 
M. M. Gay Lussac and Thenard * have mentioned, that 
they endeavoured to procure dry muriatic acid by distilling a 
mixture of calomel and phosphorus, and that they obtained a 
fluid which they consider as a compound of muriatic acid, 
phosphorus, and oxygene. In distilling corrosive sublimate 
with phosphorus, I had a similar result, and I obtained the 
substance in much larger quantities, than by the distillation of 
phosphorus with calomel. 
As oxymuriatic acid is slightly soluble in water, there was 
reason to suppose, reciprocally that water must be slightly 
soluble in this gas ; I endeavoured therefore to procure 
dry muriatic acid, by absorbing the oxygene from oxy- 
muriatic acid gas by substances, which when oxygenated, 
produce compounds possessing a strong affinity for water. 
Phosphorus, it is well known, burns in oxymuriatic acid gas ; 
though the results of this combustion, I believe, have never 
been minutely examined. With the hopes of procuring mu- 
riatic acid gas, free from moisture, I made the experiment 
* The Moniteur before quoted. 
