V Miscellanies. 191 



subject were made over mercury in cylindrical vessels which con- 

 tained 180 or 200 cubic centimetres of oxygen, extracted from chlo- 

 rate of potash. The oil formed at the surface of the metallic fluid, 

 a stratum of 33 millimetres in diameter, and about three millimetres 

 thick, (about j\ of an inch). The receivers were replenished, as it 

 became necessary, by fresh gas. They were exposed to a diffused 

 light, and to a temperature not exceeding 75° F. in summer, and ap- 

 proaching to zero in winter. The volumes were reduced to 60° F., 

 and to a pressure of 29.2 inches. . 



1. Olive Oil. — This was exposed during five months without any 

 sensible action on the gas, and without absorbing more than its vol- 

 ume of oxygen. The most rapid absorption was in the sixteenth 

 month. In the course of four years, it had observed 380 cubic cen- 

 timetres of gas. The oil was then a little thicker, and had entirely 

 lost its color. It was very rancid. The residue of the gas, 124 

 c. c. consisted of 



Carbonic acid, - -. - - - 81.7 

 Azote, - . - - - - - ■ 14.9 



Hydrogen, - - - - - - 23.2 



Oxygen, - - - - - - 4.2 



124. 

 2. Oil of Siveet Almonds. — In the first week it absorbed 3 c. c, 

 in one year 140 c. c, and in four years 427 c. c. In the last year 

 the absorption was 30 c. c. The remaining 142 c. c. of gas con- 

 tained Carbonic acid, _ _ _ _ _ 96. 



Hydrogen, ---___ 20.4 



Azote, - - - - - - 18.7 



Oxygen, --____ g.g 



142 



3. Hemp Seed Oil. — This oil is siccative. The two former ar? 

 not drying oils. It was of a deep greenish yellow. The absorption 

 during three months was slow, then increased in rapidity, and the 

 color gradually disappeared ; the oil thickened, and a gelatinous pel- 

 licle appeared on the surface. In the course of a year, the oil had 

 absorbed 577 c. c, in the second year 29 c. c, and in the third 14 

 c. c. The whole gas disappeared, amounted to 620 c. c. The oil 

 was semi-fluid. 



