1844.] of Bodies generally existing as Gases* 121 



On examining the form of the curve given by these press- 

 ures, it is very evident that, as on former occasions, the press- 

 ures at low temperatures are too great to allow the condensed 

 liquid to be considered as one uniform body, and the form of 

 the curve at the higher pressures is quite enough to prove that 

 no ether was present either in this or the former fluids. On 

 permitting the liquid in the tube to expand into gas, and treat- 

 ing 100 parts of that gas with oil of turpentine, eighty-nine 

 parts were dissolved, and eleven parts remained insoluble. 

 There can be no doubt that the presence of this latter sub- 

 stance, soluble as it is under pressure in the more condensable 

 portions, is the cause of the irregularity of the curve, and the 

 too high pressure at the lower temperatures. 



The ethereal solution of olefiant gas being mixed with eight 

 or nine times its volume of water, dissolved, and gradually 

 minute bubbles of gas appeared, the separation of which was 

 hastened by a little heat. In this way about half the gas dis- 

 solved was re-obtained, and burnt like very rich olefiant gas. 

 One volume of the alcoholic solution, with two volumes of 

 water, gave very little appearance of separating gas. Even the 

 application of heat did not at first cause the separation, but gra- 

 dually about half the dissolved olefiant gas was liberated. 



The separation of the dissolved gas by water, heat, or change 

 of pressure from its solutions, will evidently supply means of 

 procuring olefiant gas in a greater state of purity than hereto- 

 fore ; the power of forming these solutions will also very much 

 assist in the correct analysis of mixtures of hydrocarbons. I 

 find that light carburetted hydrogen is hardly sensibly soluble 

 in alcohol or ether, and in oil of turpentine the proportion dis- 

 solved is not probably T yth the volume of the fluid employed ; 

 but the further development of these points I must leave for 

 the present. 



Carbonic Acid. This liquid may be retained in glass tubes 

 furnished with cemented caps, and closed by plugs or stop- 

 cocks, as described ; but it is important to remember the soft- 

 ening action on the cement, which, being continued, at last re- 

 duces its strength below the necessary point. A tube of this 

 kind was arranged on the 10th of January and left; on the 15th 

 of February it exploded, not by any fracture of the tube, for 

 that remained unbroken, but simply by throwing off the cap 



