S36 Dr Blichner's Hypothesis, S^-c. 



combustion at the surface of contact of the inflammable matter ; 

 and the fact is proved, by holding a taper or a piece of burning 

 phosphorus, within a large flame made by the combustion of al- 

 -cohol ; the flame of the candle, or of the phosphorus, will appear 

 in the centre of the flame, proving that there is oxygen even in 

 its interior part. 



'' The form of the flame is conical, because the greatest heat 

 is in the centre of the explosive mixture. 



" The heat diminishes towards the top of the flame, because 

 in this part the quantity of oxygen is least. 



" When the wick increases to a considerable size from collect- 

 ing charcoal, it cools the flame by radiation, and prevents a pro- 

 per quantity of air from mixing with its central part ; in conse- 

 quence, the charcoal thrown off* from the top of the flame is only 

 red hot, and the greater part of it escapes unconsumed.'"' 



Hypothesis regarding Magnetism. By Dr Buchneu. 



i HE following hypothesis is proposed in the first volume of 

 Dr Blichner's Elements of Chemistry, at present in the press ; 

 it has been inserted by the author in a German Scientific Jour- 

 nal, (Archiv fur die gesammte Naturlehre, 1825, No. 12.) 

 However bold it may be, it appears to us, that, with regard to 

 the subject to which it applies, nothing should be absolutely re- 

 jected. The new analogies which it is the object here to ex- 

 plain, open a field entirely free to the imagination of natural 

 philosophers. 



** There are still,'' says Dr Biichner, " so many obscure things 

 in the phenomena of magnetism, that it would be rash to pre- 

 sent any explanation of these phenomena, otherwise than as a 

 mere hypothesis. We may admit as demonstrated, that the mag- 

 netic influences are as extensive in their operation as light, ca- 

 loric, and electricity, but that they are in a state of reciprocal 

 neutralization, which prevents their being made sensible. There 

 is but a small number of bodies which have the property of 

 breaking this state of equilibrium, and manifesting north and 

 south polarities. Among these we distinguish the loadstone, 

 iron, steel, nickel, cobalt, &c. To what is this remarkable pro- 

 perty owing ? Is it to a peculiar crystallisation of these bodies, 



