256 Scientific Intelligence. 
consist of nitrogen, it seemed very evident, from the result, that nitro- 
gen and oxygen must be very different from each other in their mag- 
netic relations. z 
zygen.—A stream of oxygen was sent down through air between 
the poles. When there was no magnetic action it descended vertically, 
and when the magnetic action was on, it appeared to do the same; at 
all events, it did not pass off equatorially. But as there was reason, 
from the above experiments with nitrogen, to expect that oxygen would 
appear, not diamagnetic but magnetic in air; so the place of the stream 
was changed and made to be on one side of the axial line. In this 
case it fell perfectly well at first into a catch-tube placed beneath; but 
as soon as the magnet was rendered active, the stream was deflected, 
being drawn towards the axial line, and fell into another catch-tube pla- 
ced there to receive it. So oxygen appears to be magnetic in common 
air. Whether it be really so, or only less diamagnetic than air (a mix- 
ture of oxygen and nitrogen), we shall be better able to consider here- 
after. 
“ Hydrogen.—This gas proved to be clearly and even strongly dia- 
magnetic ; for notwithstandiug the powerful ascensive force which its 
stream has in the atmosphere, because of its small specific gravity, still 
it was well deflected and sent equatorially. Considering the lightness 
of the gas, one might have expected that it would have been drawn 
casionally cross and contradict each other, still there are some very 
striking considerations which arise in comparing the gases with each 
them. The condition of nitrogen, as being highly diamagnetic, is also 
important. The place of hydrogen, as being less diamagnetic than 
nitrogen, and of chlorine, which, instead of approaching to oxygen, 18 
above hydrogen, and also of iodine, which is probably far above chlo- 
r of course owes tts place to the proportion and the individual 
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