286 ' General Acnunt of the "Nitrous Oxide, 



Se£t. 2. Wjben nitrous acid is formed in procefles of combuftion in nitrous oxide, fo as 

 to remain in the refidual gas, the quantity of free nitrogen evolved never equals more than 

 -|- of the volume of the nicrous oxide deconipofed, though when this fubltance is not pro- 

 duced, 10 of nitrous oxide give out about ii of nitrogen. 



Se£l. 3. The heat produced by even the flow combuftion of bodies in nitrous oxide, is 

 in all cafes fufiicient to keep up the procefs for a certain time, after the original heating caufe 

 is removed : but in proportion as the volume of nitrogen increafes, the inflammation 

 diminifhes in vividncfs, and it uniformly ceafes before the whole of the gas is decompofed. 

 Charcoal and iron ceafe to burn in nitrous oxide when it is mingled with an equal volume 

 ,of nitrogen ; yet the combuftion of phofphorus will continue (though feebly) in a gas con- 

 Citing of 4 nitrogen and 1 nitrous oxide. 



"VI. On the Jnalyfis of Nitrous Oxide. 



Sefl:. 1. a. One hundred cubic inches of nitrous oxide weigh at temperature 55% 

 Fahrenheit, and atmofpheric preflure 30. about 50.2 grains. 



b. Four cubic inches of this gas, when perfectly decompofed by the combuftion of 

 charcoal, are converted into about 3.2 cubic inches of carbonic acid, and 4.2 cubic inches 

 of nitrogen ; no nitrous acid being produced in the procefs. 



c. Likewife 2 cubic inches of nitrous oxide require, for their complete decompofition> 

 about 2.2 cubic inches of hidrogen, and evolve during the inflammation, a quantity of 

 nitrogen, nearly equal to it in volume. 



I. Comparing thefe faiSts with other fa£ts relating to the produ£tion of nitrous oxide, we 

 may conclude that 100 parts of this gas are compofed of about 37 parts oxigen and 63 

 parts nitrogen, * exifting in a much more condenfed ftate than when in their fimpic 

 forms. 



c. The oxigen appears to be combined with the nitrogen much more intimately in 

 nitrous oxide than in nitrous gas ; a phenomenon that may be eafily accounted for, when 

 we confider the general law of faturation. + 



VII. On th£ A£lim of Nitrous Oxide on Living Beings. 



Seft. I. Nitrous oxide when taken into the mouth taftes faintly fweetifli. Its odour Is 

 weak, but agreeable. It is refpirable, and produces very peculiar efFefts, when made to 

 aft on the fyftem by means of the lungs. 



The fenfations it occafions are in general analogous to thofe connefted with intoxication 

 from fermented liquors. 



* This eftimation is very analogous to that of the Dutch cheiaifts. Journal de Phyfique, tom. XLUI. 

 part II. page 331. 

 J- The affinity of one body for aneth$jr is iijverfely as its faturation with it. 



a. Healthy 



