OXY-MURIATIC ACID.

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HRS. B.

You are mistaken in your conclusion; for thoughwc cannot deoxygenate this acid, yet we may addoxygen to it.

CAROLINE.

Why then is not the least degree of oxygenationof the acid, called the muriatous , and the higherdegree the muriatic acid ?

HRS. B.

Because, instead of becoming, like other acids,more dense, and more acid by an addition of oxy-gen, it is rendered on the contrary more volatile,more pungent, but less acid, and less absorbable bywater. These circumstances, therefore, seem toindicate the propriety of making an exception tothe nomenclature. The highest degree of oxygena-tion of this acid lias been distinguished by the addi-tional epithet of oxygenated , or, for the sake ofbrevity, oxy, so that it is called the oxygenated ,or oxy-muriatic acid. This likewise exists in agaseous form, at the temperature of the atmo-sphere ; it is also susceptible of being absorbed bywater, and can be congealed, or solidified, by acertain degree of cold.

EMILY.

And how do you obtain the oxy-muriatic acid: