244 On the Proportion of 



EXPERIMENTAL ENQUIRY 



into the proportion of the se- 

 veral GASES or ELASTIC FLUIDS, 



constituting the atmosphere. 



B;^ JOHN DALTON. 



Rcffd Nov 12, i8oz. 



In a, former paper which I submitted to this 

 society, " on the constitution of mixed gases," 

 I adopted such proportions of the simple elastic 

 fluids to constitute the atmosphere a;s were then 

 current, not intending to 'Warrant the accuracy 

 of them all, as stated in the said paper ; my 

 principal object in that essay was, to point out 

 the maimer m which mixed elastic fluids exist 

 together, and to insist upon what I think a 

 very important and fundamental position in 

 the doctrine of such fluids : — namely, that the 

 elastic or repulsive power of each particle is 

 confined to those of its own kind; and con- 

 sequently the force of such fluid, retained in a 

 given vessel, or gravitating, is the same in a 



