337 



Art. XV. Proceedings of the Roi/al Society. 



The sittings of the Royal Society were resumed on Thursday, 

 November 4th, at which meeting the Croonian Lecture, by Sir 

 Everard Home, was read. It consisted of a further investiga- 

 tion into the component parts of the blood. 



Thursday, November Wth and \Wi.—Th(t Bakerian Lecture 

 was read, " On the Composition and Analysis of the inflamma- 

 ble gaseous Compounds, resulting from the destructive Dis- 

 tillation of Coal and Oil, with some Remarks on their relative 

 heating and illuminating Powers. By W. T. Brande, Esq., 

 Sec. R.S." In this Lecture, Mr. Brande details a series of 

 analytical and synthetical experiments on the gases men- 

 tioned in the title, which lead him to infer that there exists no 

 other definite compound of carbon and hydrogen than olefiant 

 gas, and that what has usually been termed light hydro- 

 carbonate, is merely a mixture of olefiant and hydrogen gases ; 

 consequently, affording varying results when submitted to ana- 

 lysis. Mr. Brande refers the sulphureous odour which is 

 frequently perceived during the combustion of coal gas, in 

 which no sulphuretted hydrogen can be detected, to the pre- 

 sence of sulphuret of carbon. This lecture also contains a de- 

 tailed inquiry into the relative heating and illuminating powers 

 of olefiant gas, and of the gases afforded by the destructive 

 distillation of coal and oil, and concludes with some compara- 

 tive researches on the properties of solar and terrestrial radiant 

 matter. 



Thursdaij, November 25th. A paper was communicated by 

 Dr. Young, entitled, " On the Elasticity of the Lungs," by 

 James Carson, M.D. 



Tuesday, November 30th. This being St. Andrew's day, the 

 Society met according to annual custom, for tlie election of 

 officers, which the Scrutators, having exairiined the lists, de- 

 clared as follows :— 



