34 
; | 
situation over mercury, the gas will take fire 
when suffered to escape into the air by in- 
clining the phial . 
“* Remark. This last is a hazardous expe- 
riment, the phial is often burst to pieces ; it 
is therefore necessary to strround it with a 
cloth in order lecataih dengan events. An 
elastic gum-bottle may be used for this pur- 
pose with safety. 
‘* EXPERIMENT HI. ; 
*« Accension of phosphoraied hydrogen gas 
by means of oxygen gas. 
*: Fill @ receiver with oxygen gas and con- 
vey into it a few bubbles of phosphorated 
hydrogen gas. At the instant of the union 
of the gases a brilliant flash of fire takes place, 
accompanied with a report. 
«<The rationale of this experiment is ana- 
logous to the former. 
<< Remark. Great caution is necessary in 
performing this experiment. The dilatation 
of the gases, which takes place during the 
‘explosion is so great, that the vessel is apt to 
be blown to pieces. Not more than & single 
smal} bubble of the phosphorated hydrogen 
gas should be conveyed into the oxygen gas 
at once, except the receiver be made ef very 
thick glass. 
‘© EXPERIMENT IIT. 
*«< Accension of phosphorated hydrogen gas, 
by means of oxigenated muriatic acid gas: 
*« If fresh-prepared phosphorated hydrogen 
gas and oxygenated mruriatie acid gas are min- 
led together over mercury, a considerable 
tonation takes place, accompanied with a 
lambent green flame and dense white vapours. 
GENERAL SCIENCE. 
“* Rationale. All that happened in the 
last experiments take place in this instance. 
The oxygenated muriatic acid gas is robbed 
of its oxygen, and becomes converted into 
simple muriatic acid gas; and water and 
ay Pa acid are produced. ‘The evolved 
eat inflames the phosphorus which was dis- 
solved in the gas. 
_‘* Remark. For the success of this expe- 
riment it is essential that botli gases are fresh 
prepared. The receiver in which the mix- 
ture is made should be very strong, in order to 
guard against accidents. 
** EXPERIMENT IY. , 
‘* Phosphorated hydrogen gas burns with a 
green lightin nascent oxygenated muriatic acid 
gas; under the surface of water. . 
‘© Put into an ale-glass,' or Florence flask, 
one part of phosphoret of Hime, broken into 
pieces of the size of a pea (not in small frag- 
ments or in powder) and add to it half'a part 
of oxygenated muriate of potash. Fill the 
vessel “with water, and bring carefully into 
contact with the materials at the bottom of 
the fluid, three or four parts of concentrated 
sulphuric acid. This may be most conyeni- 
ently done, by letting the acid fall through a 
Jong-necked funnel, reaching to the bottom 
of the vessel, or by causing it to pass down 
the sides of it. As soon as the decomposi- 
tion of the water and that of the osypeumiel 
muriate takes place, flashes of fire dart from 
the surface of the fluid, and the phosphoret 
illuminates the bottom of the vessel with a 
beautiful green light.” 
Arr. V. Lectures on the Elements of Chemistry ; delivered in the University of Edin: 
burgh, Ly the late Josten Buacx, M. D. &c. Now published from his Manuscrips, by 
i obison, LI.. D. Professor of Natural Philosophy in the University of Edin- 
em: 4to. Two Vols. 
THE name of Dr. Black will proba- 
bly be remembered as long as the sci- 
ence of chemistry exists: his two great 
discoveries of latent heat and of the 
cause of that difference observable be- 
tween the properties of the mild alkalies 
and alkaline earths, and of these sub- 
stances, when in a caustic state, must 
be acknowledged, by all philosophers, as 
having communicated the impulse, and 
pointed out the way to the splendid in- 
vestigations of modern chemistry. These 
claims on the remembrance of posterity 
could never have been set aside, even if 
the present publication had not taken 
place. Still it is in a high degree satis- 
factory to possess a record of them in 
the words of their author, more espe- 
cially as we by this means become ac- 
quainted with the manner, and may 
form some faint idea of the effect pro- 
duced by the lectures of this celebrated 
teacher. Professor Robison, the former 
pupil, and intimate friend of Dr. Black, 
was entrusted, by his executors, with the 
arduous and delicate office of revising 
the loose manuscript notes, from which 
Dr. Black delivered his lectures, and re« 
ducing them to a state proper for pub- 
lication. The documents of Dr. Black’s 
fame could not have been committed to 
abler hands: the volumes before us ex- 
hibit a very accurate representation, not 
only of the opinions, but, we doubt not, 
of the very words of the author; while 
the notes, which the editor has supplied, 
from the stores of his own knowledge, 
confer an additional value on the work. 
A very interesting life of Dr. Black, 
by the editor, is prefixed, in which the 
progress of his discoveries is minutely 
and satisfactorily detailed, and a very 
equitable estimate formed of his philo- 
sophical merit.. It was not to be ex- 
pected that the friendly partiality of his 
biographer should touch otherwise thaa 
