^Jdiiional Remarks en Galvanic EUBricity. tgg 



Four meafures of this gas were next exploded by the eleftric fpark In a (Irong glafs jar 

 over mercury, and the whole difappeared, except about -j't of a meafurej this was not in- 

 flammable, and appeared to be azote. 



From thefe experiments it would feem, that this compound gas obtained from water by 

 means of gold wires, confifts of nearly two parts hydrogen and one oxygen, mixed with a 

 little azote, being nearly the proportions elliniating by bulk, which are faid to enter into 

 the compofition of water. 



It has been fuppofed, although not proved by Mr. Nicholfon, that the gas which efcapes- 

 from the wire connefted with the filver extremity of the pile is hydrogen, whilft that 

 difengaged by the one connefled with the zinc is oxygen gas. 



In order to fatisfy myfelf about the nature and proportions of thef« gafes, I took a glafs 

 tube ;o inches in length, and by means of the blow pipe bent it in the middle, until the 

 legs formed an acute angle refembling the letter V ; while the glafs was red hot, I con» 

 trived to blow an opening at the angle about -^^ of an inch, or a little better in diameter. 

 Two gold wires pafled through corks fccured by cement, were introduced into the legs, 

 and brought within an inch of each other at the bend. The tube was then filled with 

 diftilled water, and a finger being placed on the opening at the angle, to prevent the fluid 

 from efcaping, it was placed in a tea-cup containing water, with the angle downwards,^ 

 the legs having an inclination of about 45 degrees. The extremities of the wires being 

 then brought into contaft with thofe of the pile, a quantity of gas was difengaged from 

 both, but by far the greateft from that connedled with the filver ; by this contrivance the 

 gafes from the two wires were obtained perfe£l;ly diftinft, each gas afcending in the leg of 

 the tube which contained its generating wire. When a fufRcienc quantity of the two aeri- 

 form fluids had been thus obtained, they were examined as follows : 



One meafure of the gas from the filver fide, was mixed with one of nitrous gas, fome 

 red fumes were obferved, and a diminution which amounted to 4- of a meafure took place ; 

 the refiduum confided of a mixture of nitrous and hydrogen gas. 



Two meafures of this gas mixed with one of pure oxygen, being next introduced into a^ 

 ftrorg glafs jar. over mercury, and fired by the eleftric fpark, the whole very nearly 

 difappeared, not more than -f of a meafure remaining ; this refiduary gas appeared from the- 

 nitrous teft to be chiefly oxygen. A denfe white vapour was perceived over the mercury 

 for fome time after the explofion. 



One meafure of the gas from the zinc fide being. mixed with two of very pure nitrpus' 

 gas, the whole very nearly difappeared, and another meafure of nitrous gas being added^ 

 the total diminution amounted to nearly three meafures. From thefe experiments it would 

 appear, that the gas obtained from the filver wire was chiefly hydrogen gas, and that from' 

 the zinc wire, nearly pure oxygen. 



Having been favoured by Mr. Nicholfon with fmall pieces of platina wires, I. contrived' 

 to faften them to filver ones, and thefe la(l being covered with a compofition of refin and 

 beeswax, the.platina alone was expofed to theadi|>noJf the water, &c. By means o£ 



thefe 



