and other Gafes afforded by Alcohol and Ether. 53 



" Thefe gafcs have this in common, that they are compofed of hyJrogene and carbone. 

 They are fpecies of carbonated hydrogenous gas. 



" It appears probable, moreover, that the proportions of thefe conftituent parts do not 

 differ, or at leaf!: that they differ very little if equal weights of each were examined. 



" They differ from each other in feveral other refpefts -, as their fpccific gravity, their 

 manner of burning, and the feveral methods by which they are produced. 



" The moft remarkable dilTerence is certainly the formation of an oil by the mixture 

 of oxigenated muriatic acid gas with the carbonated oily gas. 



" This gas is produced in its greateft purity in the dillillation of ether, or of a mixture 

 of alcohol and concentrated fulphuric acid. 



" Ether mixed with the fame fulphuric acid alfo affords it, but lefs pure. 



" It is alfo obtained by ca\ifing the vapours of alcohol and ether to pafs through a tube 

 of clay ignited by tire ; but this likewife is not perfeflly pure. 



" This effe£l is equally obferved hy taking the component parts of the tube, namely, 

 alumine and filex ; which taken feparately communicate to the gas this property of forming 

 oil, if the vapour of the alcohol or the ether pafs over thefe fubftances. 



" Thefe vapours palTmg through a llmple tube of glafs ignited, afford the two other 

 fpecies of gas, accordingly as either ether or alcohol is taken : and thefe two lafl gafes do 

 not prefent the leafl appearance of oil, formed by mixing them with the oxigenated mu- 

 riatic acid gas. 



" The gas which has the property of forming oil lofes it by being made to pafs through 

 an ignited glafs tube. It depofits charcoal. 



" Eleftric (hocks have the fame effetl, but without the precipitation of carbone. It is 

 moreover obferved, that the volume of the gas is augmented when it pafl'es from the 

 oily {late to that which is incapable of forming oil. 



" Thefe fpecies of gas, laflly, as well the oily as thofe obtained from ether or alcohol, are 

 truly permanent gafeous fluids, and mull not be regarded either as the vapours of ether 

 preferving the aeriform (late for a time, or as hydrogene gas holding particles of ether or 

 alcohol in fufpenfion. We have kept thefe gafes for whole months over water; we have re- 

 peatedly paffed them through that fluid ; and we have expofed them to re-agents. 1 hey 

 have always preferved their properties without alteration and without lofs." 



In the twenty-fourth and laft paragraph, the Citizens Bondt, Deiman, Paats van Trooft- 

 wyk, and Lauwerenberg, conclude their interefling refearches by various queflions which 

 their experiments have not refolved. They demand, i. How the oil is formed by the car- 

 bonated oily hydrogenous gas, in its mixture with the oxigenated muriatic acid- gas : whether 

 it be by the addition of a portiqn of oxigene from the latter, or a fubtraflion of part of 

 the hydrogene from the former. 2. What is the nature of this oil, of which hitlierto they 

 have n A yet procured a fufhcient quantity for a proper examination; but which neverthelcfs 

 appears to them to be a kind of ether. 3. Why is the oily gas formed when ether and 

 alcohol pafs over alumine, filcx and clay, but not over glafs. 4. Whether the difference do not 

 arife from the circumftance (fay they) that the one contains a greater quantity of caloric 

 thari the other; and whether it be not tlius tliat the firft gas lofes its property of affording 

 oil in proportion as its bulk is augmented by clc£lricity, without occafioning a precipitation 

 of carbone. — That they cannot pofitively reply to thefe queflions is afcribed by them to the 

 ftate of vegetable chemidry, which is Icfs advanced than that of the air and of minerals. 



The cxperimentit made upon the okfiant gas by the citizens Hccht and Vauquelin, m 

 Z confcqucnce 



