1825.] Dr. Bosiock on the Boiling Point of Ether. 199 



I was desirous of ascertaining whether any analogous effect 

 Avould be produced upon water, and for this purpose a small por- 

 tion of well boiled distilled water was plunged into a flask of 

 water that was in a state of rapid ebullition. The water in the 

 tube was not perceptibly affected ; the lamp which had been 

 employed to boil the water being removed, the ebullition 

 instantly ceased : some fragments of cedar were then dropped 

 in, and peroeptible streams of bubbles were, for some time, 

 emitted from them. In a second experiment, copper filings 

 were employed ; a number of bubbles instantly attached them- 

 selves to the filings, and quickly rose to the surface, frequently 

 carrying up the metal along with them. I will not, however, 

 venture to determine how far, in the case of the water, the eflect 

 might depend upon a quantity of air still dissolved in it, or upon 

 air which adhered to the surface of the bodies introduced, 

 although from the quantity of eftect, and the length of time 

 during which it continued, I should scarcely think it ought to 

 be altogether ascribed to this source. 



I have simply related the facts as they occurred to me, with- 

 out attempting any explanation of them ; the results were new 

 to me, and very unexpected ; but I believe they will be found to 

 be correctly stated. 



I am. Gentlemen, yours, very truly, 



J. BOSTOCK. 



Feb. '21, 1825. 



Since the above was written, I have performed some addi- 

 tional experiments on the boiling point of water, which appear 

 to show in a more decisive manner than the former, that this 

 fluid has the same property which I have noticed in etiier, 

 although in a much less degree. 



A saturated solution of muriate of soda was heated over a 

 lamp ; at 210° it was in a state of strong agitation, and simmered 

 loudly; at 214° single bubbles were discharged; at 218° or 

 219° it might be said to be in the boiling state, but the thermo- 

 meter continued to rise until 222°, when the fluid was in strong 

 ebullition. A test tube, containing water deprived of air by 

 boiling, was plunged into the heated brine, and in a second or 

 two it began to boil. The lamp was then withdrawn, vi'hen the 

 brine soon ceased to boil, but the eljullilion continued in the 

 water for some time longer; it ceased at about 218° or 217°, 

 but was instantly renewed by drcjpping in pieces of cedar wood. 

 The brine was again placed on tlie lamp, and a test tube was 

 plunged into it, containing a portion of water together with a 

 theimometer. Tiie water in the tube did not begui to boil until 

 the thermometer had risen to between 210*^ and 217"^, when 

 ebullition first <;onnnencod ; the fragments of wood u'erc tlieu 



