J «8 Exper'wients on the Solution t of Phofphtnis 



.The bottle, when obfervcd in the dark, exhibited no light ;• the water agitated in every 

 JircifVion produced no light ; but it was feen to inflame immediately upon the tontaft of 

 •;d^e atmofphere by taking out tiie cork ; and when the light difappeared, it was capable of 



bein-^ produced again by agitating the fame water, which immediately before did not ex- 

 ?hibit any light by the ftrongeft agitation. 



In this experiment the flame likewifc arofe from the phofphoric particles on the furfacc 

 .of the water, with the vapours of the phofphorus which it condenfcd by burning. The 



total want of H^ht in the included air before it was open arofe from the total want of 

 •pure air, which is ncccflary for the produfVion of this phenomenon. 



EXP. X. 

 I DISSOLVED a fmall piece of phofphorus in pure oil of turpentine. The oil be- 

 came flightly turbij, afterwards clear, afiumed a yellowidi colour, and emitted a flight fmcU 

 of phofphorus. A cryftal phial was half filled with this folution. I was defirous of ob- 

 ferving whether agitation would afford a flame in the air, as in the former experiment; but 

 I did not perceive the leaft light. I obferved the fame thing with the prepared oil of 

 thyme, containing phofphorus. The temperature of the atmofphere was 15 degrees 



above zero. 



EXP. XI. — Obfervation on Phofphornta! Alkohol. 



PHOSPHORUS diflblves in alkohol when it is very pure. In proportion as the folution 

 is effefled, the alkohol lofcs its proper fmell, and alTumes that of phofphorus, which is 

 very difagrecable. The alkohol takes up very little of the phofphorus, and continues en- 

 tirely limpid. I attempted, but conltantly in vain, to obfcrve the phenomenon of the flame 

 in the air of the veflcls, which I had partly filled witli phofphorated alkohol. Its habitude 

 was in every refpeft fimilar to that of phofphorated oil of turpentine at the ordinary tern- 

 perature of the atmofphere. 



EXP. XII. Water caufes Phofphorated Alkohol to fnne very Jlrongly. 

 ■ ' \S in perfeft darknefs a drop of phofphorated alkohol be poured into a cryftal decanter at 

 the bottom of which is a fmall quantity of pure water, a very Angular phenomenon is ob- 

 fervable. At the moment when the phofphorated alkohol comes into contaft with the 

 water, a biilliaiit light is difengaged, which pafles with a ferpentine motion, and rapid, 

 crackling along the furfacc of the water. The air within the vcflel then becomes entirely 

 luminous, and remains for fome time in this ftate. If the bottle be unclofed, and air blown 

 iuto it ; the white vapours difappear, the air becomes tranfparent, and the phofphorefcence 

 difappears : but if the mixture be again agitated, feveral luminous points arc feen at its 

 furface, the air of the bottle becomes again inflamed ; and this may be renewed until the 

 whole of the phofphorated alkohol has been confumed. 



If a pen be dipped in water, and in this ftate it be plunged in phofphorated alkohol ; at 

 the moment of contact of the two fluids a fuddcn light fprcads through the air, and very 

 perceptible flames arc feen, in a dark place, to iflTue from time to time out of the mouth of 

 the phial. 



EXP. XIII. Water is not the only Subjlance which fets fire to Phofphorated Alkohol. 

 I HAVE obferved that the phenomenon of the inflammation of phofphorated alkohol 

 not only takes place with cold and with boiling water, but alfo with concentrated fulphuric 



acid. 



