344 THE ROYAL INSTITUTION. [CHAP. VI. 



that produced the gas and globules lie gave the name 

 first of alkaligen ; for on the 1 6th he says, ' Gras 

 from alkaligen in alcohol;' also 'gas from ether and 

 gas from oil of turpentine.' 



On the 17th he again experimented on this gas 

 from the alkaligen in ether and turpentine, and says, 

 ' The gas which had been collected from the globules 

 under oil of turpentine by the action of water burnt 

 in contact with the air. Does it (the matter of the 

 globules) not form gaseous compounds with ether, 

 alcohol, and the oils ?' 



Then he notes the action of the alkaligen on 

 mercury. ' Forms with it a solid amalgam, which soon 

 loses its alkaligen in the air.' ' This amalgam amalga- 

 mates with platina and iron, but soon flies off on ex- 

 posure to the air.' * Query, Does it amalgamate with 

 phosphorus ? ' 



'Probably whenever it meets with hydrogen it 

 dissolves in it.' ' Probably forms an aeriform com- 

 pound with ether.' 



On October 19 he made his famous experiment by 

 which he showed beyond question that potash can 

 give up its oxygen. ' When potash was 

 introduced into a tube having a platina 

 wire attached to it, so (fig.), and fused 

 into the tube so as to be a conductor 

 i.e. so as to contain just water enough, 

 though solid and inserted over mercury, 

 when the platina was made negative, no gas was 

 formed and the mercury became oxydated, and a 

 small quantity of the alkaligen was produced round the 



