88 Notice of the 



case of phosphorus, the olefiant gas seemed to suspend the 

 usual action between the supporter and combustible, without 

 undergoing any change itself. If the nature of this influence 

 of olefiant gas is the same in both cases, it forms a singular 

 and interesting subject of inquiry, readily accessible in its 

 most minute details in the case of phosphorus. 



Notice of the singular Inflation of a Bladder. By Thomas 

 Graham, A.M., F.R.S. E., Lecturer on Chemistry, 

 Glasgow. 



In the course of an investigation respecting the passage of 

 mixed gases through capillary openings, the following singular 

 observation was made. 



A sound bladder with stopcock was filled about two-thirds 

 with coal gas, and the stopcock shut ; the bladder was passed 

 up in this flaccid state, into a bell-jar receiver filled with car- 

 bonic acid gas, and standing over water. The bladder was 

 thus introduced into an atmosphere of carbonic acid gas. In 

 the course of twelve hours, instead of being in the flaccid state 

 in which it was left, the bladder was found distended to the 

 utmost, and on the very point of bursting, while most of the 

 carbonic acid gas in the receiver had disappeared. The bladder 

 actually burst in the neck, in withdrawing it from under the 

 receiver. It was found to contain 35 parts of carbonic acid 

 gas by volume in 100. The substance of the bladder was 

 quite fresh to the smell, and appeared to have undergone no 

 change. The carbonic acid gas, remaining without in the bell- 

 jar, had acquired a very little coal gas. 



The conclusion is unavoidable, that the close bladder was 

 inflated by the insinuation of carbonic acid gas from without. 



In a second experiment, a bladder containing rather less 

 coal gas, and similarly placed in an atmosphere of carbonic 

 acid gas, being fully inflated in fifteen hours, was found to have 

 acquired 40 parts in 100 of this latter gas. A small portion 

 of coal gas left the bladder as before. 



A close bladder, half filled with common air, was fully in- 

 flated in like manner, in the course of 24 hours. The en- 



