The Experiments of Ramsay 



of Ramsay's communication to the world of 

 science. Not only have the earlier results been 

 confirmed, but those which this skilful experi- 

 menter has obtained since then fully confirm his 

 original hopes/' 



We may therefore follow Ostwald's example 

 and have full confidence in the man who has 

 already enriched Science by so many admirable 

 discoveries. This is all the easier because in his 

 latest results we find an order which our imagina- 

 tion could never have foreseen but which satis- 

 fies our reason. 



We already know that the emanation, when 

 isolated and pure, transforms itself spontane- 

 ously into helium. If we now enclose in a small 

 glass phial this same emanation with a little 

 water, during a month, the period of the trans- 

 formation, the water will be seen decomposing 

 gradually into its components, oxygen and 

 hydrogen, but, in contrast with the previous case, 

 very little helium is formed; what is found is 

 chiefly neon, a gas belonging to the same series 

 as helium, but whose atom is five times heavier. 



If, on the other hand, we confine the emanation 

 with a solution of copper sulphate or nitrate 



81 



