1816.) during ithe Year 1815. ~ pha 
of ammoniacal gas absorbed by box-wood charcoal is increased 90. 
times. When the gases are rarified the solid bodies absorb a 
greater bulk of them than when they are of the density produced 
by the pressure of the atmosphere. This might have been ex- 
pected, supposing the absorption to be occasioned by an attraction 
between the solid body and the gas, as is obviously the case. When 
a piece of charcoal, saturated with one gas, is put into another gas, 
it allows a portion of the first gas to escape, and absorbs a_ portion 
of the new gas. The quantity of gas, thus expelled, is always the 
greater the more there. is an excess of the gas which produced it. 
Two gases united by absorption in charcoal, often experience a 
greater condensation than each would in a separate state. For 
example, the presence of oxygen gas in charcoal facilitates the 
condensation of hydrogen gas : the presence of carbonic acid gas or 
of azotic gas facilitates the condensation of oxygen gas: and that of 
hydrogen gas the condensation of azotic gas. Yet no perceptible 
combination takes place between the gases thus absorbed together. 
M. de Saussure likewise examined the absorption of the different 
gases by liquids, in order to determine whether Dalton’s theory was 
consistent with the phenomena. Most of my readers, I presume, 
know that, according to Mr. Dalton, the absorption of gases by 
liquids is merely mechanical, and not influenced by chemical affi- 
nity. The quantity absorbed, according to him, is either (2) 
(4) *, (4) °, or (4) °, that is to say, liquids absorb their own bulk of 
carbonic acid gas, sulphureted hydrogen gas, and nitrous oxide ; 
=th of their bulk of olefiant gas; ~,th of their bulk of oxygen 
and nitrous gas; and =!.th of their bulk of azote, hydrogen, and 
carbonic oxide. M. de Saussure found the absorption of different 
gases by water and alcohol as in the following table. 
OO eee 
100 volumes of 
100 volumes of Alcohol. . 
Water, | gpiiGre 064 
7 Volumes. Volumes, 
Sulphurous acid gas ......-seeeesees 4378 11577 
Sulphureted hydrogen .........+.+4.- 258 606 
SAI DOMIC! acid 5} 5's ad aispldleegaiblecrs awe 106 186 
RIROUS OFI0G ‘ain: 52), 2 ichio dn aga cie'sis in 76 153 
DMERAMURES 052%, . ob ne ctashebccstey 15'S 127 
REMEROULERES 372... Sut iodee eoek atiosie 65 16°23 
CAEDODIC OXIDE, ». 0005,cbiv'ss'sfer'e sents c 62 14°5 
Oxy-carbureted hydrogen............ 5'1 7:0 
WEVOLGMENL P59 eRe wy arcs tases ts 5 hale 46 51 
BANE 5 case Vacrisn'ss » dveiepteviad edhe 4| 4:2 
From this table we see that one part of Dalton’s theory, namely, 
that gases are absorbed in the same proportion by all liquids, is 
inaccurate ; for alcoho) obviously absorbs a much greater Pong 
tion of the gases than water. The proportions of sulphureted 
hydrogen, carbonic acid, and nitrous oxide, absorbed by water, are 
90 different, that Mr. Dalton’s opinion, that water absorbs exactly its 
