8 Baker, Influence of Moisture on Chemical Change in Gases. 



hydrogen and oxygen in contact with platinum without 

 causing explosion in the dried gases. A thin silver wire 

 can, however, be melted in the mixture without causing 

 explosion. 



Mr. J. C. Thomson has recently done some experi- 

 ments for me on the hydrogen sulphide and sulphur 

 dioxide mixture. He finds that liquid alcohol and liquid 

 sulphur dioxide (both having high specific inductive 

 capacity) can bring about the decomposition in the 

 mixture, while carbon tetrachloride, whose specific induc- 

 tive capacity is low is inert. Also metallic aluminium 

 and metallic mercury are apparently unable to affect the 

 change. 



