J. SAKUliAi: DETEilMlNATION OF THE 'J'EMPERATUllE 



Mao-nus confesses that these numbers have no absokite value: but, 

 at the same time, he regards it as proved that the temperature of the 

 steam is nearly the same as that of the solution, the difference being- 

 due to the unavoidable loss of heat by radiation. Such is the con- 

 clusion Magnus has draAvn from his experimental results, and this 

 seems to have lieen accepted by chemists and ])hysicists as being 

 convincing. Even those who had held the opposite view seem never 

 to have criticised the method Magnus employed, or the results lie 

 obtained. 



It seems to me, however, that the conclusion he draws from the 

 results of the experiments is open to criticism. As the double-walled 

 vessel, which he employed, was made entirely of metal, its walls must 

 have been heated up by conduction nearly to the temperature of the 

 boilino- solution it contained, and the steam enclosed by such walls 

 must have had nearly the temperature of the latter ; that is, a tem- 

 perature more or less approaching that of the solution, and that 

 quite independently of its temperature wlien generated. His num- 



