PROCEEDINGS 



OPTHB 



PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



FORTIETH SESSION, 1841-42. 



CONTENTS. 



Professor Gordon on Dynamometrical Apparattis, 41 



Dr. Balfour on the Fertilization of Plants, 43 



Mr. Griffin on an Improved Method of Preparing Oxygen Gas, . . .44 

 Mr. Griffin's Apparatus for the Formation of Water, . . . .46 



Dr. Stenhouse on Divi-divi, 47 



Dr. Stenhouse on Artificial Ultramarine, 49 



Mr, Wilson on Comparative Experiments made with different Manures, . 51 



Dr. Thomson on the Nature and Cure of Blindness produced by Oil of Vitriol, 62 



Mr. Griffin on the Statical Relations of the Gases, 53 



List of Books added to the Society's Library in the years 1840, 41, 42, . . 59 



2M February, 1842, — The President in the Chair. 



Mr. Crum stated, that the Council had had under their consideration 

 the propriety of publishing Abstracts of the Proceedings of the Society, 

 and Dr. R. D. Thomson enumerated some of the advantages to be ex- 

 pected from such a publication. A Committee was appointed to re- 

 port on this subject. The following communication was then read: — 



XL — On Dynamometrical Apparatus; or, the Measurement of the 

 Mechanical Effect of Moving Powers. By Professor Gordon. 



1*10! correct measurement of the mechanical effect developed by 

 moving powers has long been a desideratum, and numerous Dynamo- 

 meters have been invented and applied to this purpose ; but in Britain 

 tliere is none known to have been used which can be depended upon, 

 and of which the indications are not in a great measure subject to the 

 discretion of the observer. 



During a visit to Metz, in 1839, the author saw the various Dynamo- 

 metrical apparatus of M. Morin, of which this paper gave a detailed 

 account. 



The fallacy of making the product of the effort and the duration 

 the measure of the mechanical effect was first demonstrated, and it 

 was shown that it is the product of the effort and the distance through 

 which it is exertedy which should be obtained directly from a Dynamo- 

 meter, and not the quantity of motion, as has been too frequently done. 



In order that a Dynamometer may be a convenient and accurate 



No. 3. 



