h}j Means, of Dcebereiner's Eudiometer. 273 



proportion of that gas, the action of the elements of the ex- 

 plosive mixture on each other becomes more and more dis- 

 tinct. There is not, however, as with carbonic oxide, any 

 production of carbonic acid ; but in the course of a few mi- 

 nutes the inside of the tube becomes coated with a brownish 

 substance, soluble in water, and communicating to it the same 

 colour ; having a smell resembling tliat of a burnt animal 

 substance, and yielding ammonia on the addition of a drop 

 or two of liquid potash. It was prcxluced in too small a quan- 

 tity to enable me to submit it to a more minute examination ; 

 but its characters appeared to resemble those of a product ob- 

 tained by M. Gay-Lussac by mixing cyanogen with ammonia- 

 cal gas. 



If oxygen be added to a mixture of hydrogen and cyano- 

 gen, in quantity sufiicient to saturate both the gases, it is still 

 necessary, in order that an immediate effect should be pro- 

 duced by the sponge, that the hydrogen should exceed the 

 c\'anogen in volume. A decided actioji then takes place: an 

 immediate absorption ensues; fumes cf nitrous acid vapom- 

 appear, which act on the surface of the mercury ; and after 

 removing the nitrous acid by a drop or two of water, and trans- 

 ferring the gas into a dry tube, carbonic acid is found to have 

 been produced, equivalent in volume to double that of the cy- 

 anogen. 



\ . Fff(:ct of adding various other Gases to an Explosive Mix- 

 ture of Hydrogen and Oxygen^ 

 It had been already ascertained by Professor Doebereiner, 

 that one volume of oxygen dilutCvl with 99 volumes of nitro- 

 gen is still sensible, whee mixed with a diie proportion of hy- 

 drogen, to the action of the sponge. Carbonic acid also, even 

 (I find) when it, exceeds the explosive mixture ten times, re- 

 tards only in a slight degree the energy of the sponge. Oxy- 

 gen, hythogen, and nitrous oxitle gases, when employed to 

 dilute an explosive mixture, are equally inelHcient in prevent- 

 ing the mutual action of its ingredients. Ammonia may be 

 added in ten times the volume of the explosive mixture, and* 

 Mun'iatic aciti gas in six times its volume, with no other effect 

 than that of rendering the action of the sponge less speedy. 



VI. Mixtures of Carbonic Oxide and Carburctted Hydrogen 

 •with Oxygen. 



When mixtuies of these gases are exposed to the sponge, 

 the carburctted hydrogen seems to stand entirely neutral. The 

 carbonic oxiile is converted into carbonic acid, in the same 

 gradual manner as if it iiad been mixed with oxygen only; and 

 the cnrbuii'tlfd hvdr<»geu ronmins unaltered. 



V'(.l. <>.->. No. ;)'}l. .'/yj// J8'2.1. Mm VII. M/j- 



