shop-talk
[Top] [All Lists]

Muriatic acid: The etymology

To: "'Shop-talk'" <shop-talk@Autox.Team.Net>
Subject: Muriatic acid: The etymology
From: Harry Trafford <traff@icon.hmsd.ufl.edu>
Date: Mon, 09 Feb 1998 15:32:40 -0500
In 1712, during the Franco-Prussion border disputes, a young chemist =
named Murry von Pusson was asked to formulate a solution to clean the =
corrosion from the soldier's brass buckles. He was experimenting with =
bubbling hydrogen chloride gas through water.
The noxious fumes wafted up from his basement workshop and into the =
living quarters, where Mrs. von Pusson was working away in the kitchen. =
Her nose began burning upon smelling the fumes of the solution that =
Murry was concocting. The angry Mrs. von Pusson screamed down at him, =
Murry, you will stop making that smelly stuff, right now, or find =
another place to work on it! If you don't, it will be a very cold winter =
for you, if you catch my drift! "=20

Well, Murry got the hint (wink-wink, nudge-nudge) and moved his =
experiment up to the attic and opened the windows, where the fumes would =
not bother his wife. Well, his experiments were successful and his =
solution was marketed as "Murry's Amazing Cleaning and Etching Acid that =
was made in his attic". That name was way too long in French or =
Prussian, and people just began asking for "Murry's Attic Acid" which is =
now known world-wide as Muratic acid.

Glad to help,
Harry

----------
From:   Ken Landaiche[SMTP:ken_landaiche@dlcc.com]
Sent:   Monday, February 09, 1998 1:41 PM
To:     'Joe Flake'; shop-talk@Autox.Team.Net
Subject:        RE: Shop Lighting and Leaks

Since muriatic acid is hydrochloric acid, why does it have a different
name?=20

Ken Landaiche




<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
  • Muriatic acid: The etymology, Harry Trafford <=