The elementary nature of chlorine / Papers by Humphry Davy (1809-1818).

  • Davy, Humphry, Sir, 1778-1829.
Date:
1902
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Licence: In copyright

Credit: The elementary nature of chlorine / Papers by Humphry Davy (1809-1818). Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by UCL Library Services. The original may be consulted at UCL (University College London)

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    As there are no experimental evidences of the exist- ence of oxygene in oxymuriatic acid gas, a natural question arises, concerning the nature of these com- pounds, in which the muriatic acid has been supposed to exist, combined with much more oxygene than oxymuriatic acid, in the state in which it has been named by Mr Chenevix, hyperoxygenized muriatic acid. Can the oxymuriatic acid combine either with oxygene or hydrogene, and form with each of them an acid com- pound ; of which that with hydrogene has the strongest, and that with oxygene the weakest affinity for bases ? for the able chemist to whom I have just referred, conceives that hyperoxymuriates are decomposed by muriatic acid. Or, is hyperoxymuriatic acid the basis of all this class of bodies, the most simple form of this species of matter ? The phsenomena of the composition and decomposi- tion of the hyperoxymuriates, may be explained on either of these suppositions ; but they are mere suppositions un- supported by experiment. I have endeavoured to obtain the neutralizing acid, which has been imagined to be hyperoxygenised, from hyperoxymuriate of potash, by various modes, but uni- formly without success. By distilling the salt with dry boracic acid, though a little oxymuriatic acid is generated, yet oxygene is the chief gaseous product, and a muriate of potash not decomposable is produced. The distillation of the orange coloured fluid, produced by dissolving hyperoxymuriate of potash in sulphuric acid, affords only oxygene in great excess, and oxymuriatic acid. When solutions of muriates, or muriatic acid are electrized in the Voltaic circuit, oxymuriatic acid is evolved at the positive surface, and hydrogene at the negative surface. When a solution of oxymuriatic acid in