On tig vatkus Comhinatlons ofCarhon whh Owgen, j 



an abforption of fomewhat better than two meafures. The remaining gas amounting to 

 10^ meafures, was found by the tell of nitrous gas to contain no fenfible quantity of dif- 

 engaged oxygen. Two meafures of this refiduary gas being fired with one of oxygen, were 

 reduced to one meafure, which was found to be carbonic acid gas; hence the whole refi- 

 duary gas would require about 5! meafures of oxygen to faturate it, and produce five mea- 

 fures of carbonic acid. It would appear, therefore, that notwlthftanding the apparent 

 change which the hydrocarbonate underwent in the firfl: explofion, yet the final refults are 

 not fenfibly varied, for by comparing the two experiments together, it will be found that 

 the proportions of hydrocarbonate, oxygen, and carbonic acid produced, are very nearly 

 as three to one, which ihey fhould be where no change is efFe£led. I varied thefe experi- 

 ments in different ways, but conftantly found the fame refults. 



Alcohol may likewife be converted into a fpecies of hydrocarbonate, by making its va- 

 pour pafs through a red hot tube ; and it is rather fingular that this gas ftiould be fo dif- 

 ferent in its properties from that obtained from aether in t^c fame way ; for the latter, as 

 has been already obferved, is a pure hydrocarbonate. 



Having obtained a large quantity of this hydrocarbonate from the decompofition of alco- 

 hol, it was well agitated with lime water, but little or no diminution took place, a cir- 

 cumfl:ance which would feem to prove, that pure fpirit does not contain oxygen. I next 

 took its fpecific gravity, and found that it was lighter than common air in the proportion 

 of 12 to 23, whereas that from aether is lighter only in the proportion of 15 to 23. Whea 

 burned in a receiver containing pure or common air, much carbonic acid, and a confide- 

 rable proportion of water, were produced. After feveral trials I found, that four parts 

 of this gas require 4^ of oxygen to faturate them, the produ£ls being three parts of car- 

 bonic acid, with water. But four parts of hydrocarbonate from sether require feven of 

 oxygen to faturate them, and 44- meafures of carbonic acid with water are produced. 

 Hence the difference between thefe gafes muft be manifeft; it likewife appears from thefe 

 experiments, that sether contains lefs carbone and more hydrogen than alcohol ; for it 

 will be found by calculation, that the proportion of carbone to hydrogen in xtKer is very 

 nearly as 3 to i, but in alcohol as 4 to i ; indeed this circumftanee feems to be confirmed 

 by the depofition of charcoal which takes place in the procefs for obtaining sether. 



From the foregoing experiments, therefore, we perceive, that none of the hydrocarbo- 

 nates at prefent known, are fimilar in their properties to the gafeous oxides of carbone, 

 being much lighter, and yielding a far lefs proportion of carbonic acid when combined 

 with a given quantity of oxygen. 



After acquiring a knowledge of the nature and propsfties of thefe gafes, we are no 

 longer at a lofs to account for their production ; we know that the common hydrocarbo- 

 nates confift of carbone united with, or held in folution by hydrogen, fo there can be 

 Mttlc doubt that the gafeous oxides are nothing more than carbone united with, or held in 

 folution by oxygen, and then converted into the gafeous ftate by caloric •, that they con- 

 tain oxygen, is manifeft from, the very fmall additional quantity which is found fufBcient 

 . to 



