the phofphorated Hydrogen Gas. 475 



By the clofe adhefion of my finger to the mouth of the decanter, I foon perceived that a 

 confiderable vacuum was produced, or, in other words, that a great portion, or perhaps 

 even the whole of the phofphorated hydrogen gas contained in the decanter had become 

 diflblved in with the water. 



I then, not without difficulty, withdrew my finger from the orifice of the decanter, in 

 order to examine more attentively the properties of the fluid it contained, as well as to 

 difcover whether fomc particles of gas, capable of inflammation by the contaft of air, 

 might not remain. But fcarcely had the atmofpheric air entered the decanter, when a 

 ftrong explofion took place, attended with a very brilliant light. From this efiieft I was 

 well convinced that the whole of the phofphorated hydrogen gas had not been abforbed by 

 the water contained in the decanter, and therefore I fuddenly clofed the orifice, to pre- 

 vent the continuance of the combuftion, which would certainly have produced a con- 

 fiderable quantity of phofphoric acid, and, confequently, have produced a degree of 

 uncertainty in the refult of my enquiries. 



The decanter being exaftly clofed, I again fliook it feveral times, from a notion that I 

 fhould thus fucceed in completely fixing the laft portions of hydrogen gas, which ftill 

 remained undiflblved. 



In hopes of fuccefs, and impatient to afcertain the new properties which might have 

 been acquired by the impregnated water, I refolved to open the bottle a fecond time, and 

 expofe its contents to the contact of the air. Another explofion foon followed, but 

 lefs violent than the firft. After this event, I did not again clofe the bottle, but obferved 

 that an extremely pale flame continued to efcape from it during feveral minutes. 



When there no longer remained any apparent figns of combuftion, I proceeded to fraell 

 and tafte the fluid in the decanter. Its fmell was extremely difagreeable, and very different 

 from that afforded by gafeous phofphorated hydrogen : and its tafte, though very bitter, 

 was neverthelefs infipid and naufeous. Its colour inclined to yellow. 



With the tinfture of turnfol it foon became perceptibly red, which I attributed to the 

 fmall portion of phofphoric acid produced at the moment when the explofions took 

 place, as well as during the time of the gradual inflammation which fucceeded the fecond 

 detonation. 



I was now, therefore, obliged to repeat the operation, by diflblving fome phofphorated 

 hydrogen a fecond time in water, in order to afcertain, by a greater attention to my ex- 

 periment, in what exa£t proportion this folution might be efFefted, and alfo to prevent the 

 combuftion from taking place in the vefiiel: otherwife my trials would have remained 

 Inconclufive. 



{To be concluded in our ttext.) 



3 P 2 Scientific 



