54 ExperlmcKts and Obfcrvnticns on the defiant Gas 



confequencc of the invitiition of the Philomathic Society of Paris, throw fome light on the 

 qucftions of the Dutch chemills. The olefiant gas, pafTed through an ignited porcelain 

 tube, afrbnleil hydrogene gas mixed with carbonic acid; a large quantity of carbone was 

 dcpofited in the glafs tube in which the tube of porcelain terminated. The diflerence re- 

 marked in this experiment and that of the Dutch cheniifls is owing probably to the high 

 degree of heat given to the tube of porccLsin '. The carbonated hydrogenous g.is, deprived 

 of carbonic acid, and afterwards mixed with the oxigcnated muriatic acid gas, did not 

 form oil as before. The olefiant gas had depofited its carbone upon the alumine in palling 

 through tubes which contained that earth. The ethereal gas burns with t!ie oxigenatcd 

 riuriatic acid gas, and aftoidi witii it the fame oil as the olefiant gas ; which appears to 

 mark a great analogy between them. They may probably differ only in the unequal 

 quantity of combined caloric. 



In general it follows, from all thefe comparative experiments, that the mod dcnfe olefiant 

 gas, containing lefs of caloric than the carbonated hydrogenous gafes afibrded by alcohol 

 and ether pafied through tubes of glafs, poflcflcs the difpofition to form oil only by virtue 

 ofiheproximity of itsconditucnt molecules; and that itlofcs this property only when tiicy be- 

 come fcparated more apart by the introniifilon of a gieatcr quantity of caloric between them. 



It follows alfo, that the olefiant gas is converted into fimplc carbonated hydrogenous 

 j;as, whenever a procefs is executed which increafes the diftancc between its component parts. 

 In this way, the attraction between the particles of the hydrogene and carbone is dimi- 

 nifhed, upon^feparating them by virtue of a greater proportion of caloric introduced between 

 them. This happens whenever the olefiant gas is made to pafs through ignited tubes, of 

 ■what nature foever ; or by (Irongly eledlrifying it. The fame experiments prove alfo, 

 that the difFerence obferved, and fo accurately noted, by the Dutch chemills, between the 

 tlirec kinds of carbonated hydrogenous gas, which they diflinguifli by the names of ei.'y, 

 cbtahicd from ether, and cbtaii:ed from alcohol, though each may be obtained indifcriminately 

 cither from alcohol or ether, arifes only from the methods of treating thefe inflammable 

 ■fluids, and is conftantly reducible to tliis ; that in forming the olefiant gas a lefs quantity 

 of caloric enters the mafs, and a compound is determined, in which the hydrogene and 

 carbone are more concentrated, and more difpofed to form oil by the addition of oxigene, 

 more condenfed itfelf than the ftate of vital air as it exills in the oxigcnated muri.itic 

 acid gas ; whereas, by more ftrongly heating the alcohol or the ether, by accumulating 

 more caloric in their vapour, thefe fluids become more completely decompofed ; their 

 elements more widely feparated ; and their fimultancous attraftion, which might be 

 adapted to form oil with oxigene, is fo far diminiflied, that they are no longer capable of 

 that tranfition. Hence we may conceive, how from the fpecific gravity of o.gog, which 

 diRinguifhes the olefiant gas, it becomes, at the fame time that it lofes this property, 

 fo light as 0.436. 



We fare not of opinion with the Dutch chemlfts, from the alumen, filex, and tube of 

 elay having ferved to form the olefiant gas, while glafs, lime, and magnefia afibrded only 

 the carbonated hydrogenous gas, not olefiant, that the former of thefe bodies podcfs a 



* Or perhaps to the difference between the tubes made ufc of. In the porceliin tube (like that of ^Ijfs) the 

 fcmi-vitrificaiion migl.t cover ihc filex and alumine, or change its qualities in other refpcfls. N. 



t Either M. FoOrcroy or MM. Hccht and Vauquelin. Bin this department of refcarch certainly demands 

 experiment. Is it probable that any confidcrable dilfercncc of temperature took place when clay and liine were 

 •rcrpeOivcly Ignited ia the glafs tube : Ii would be cafy to prove this by giving the higlitr tcmpeiature decUivily 

 to the clay. I>i. 



peculiar 



