114 



Repetition 

 the exp. 



OK GRAVITATION. 



of I prevented the communication of caloric by my hands, or 

 of radiation f:om my body, by coatin<^ the tin vessel with 

 many layers of woollen cloth carefully wrapped round it; 

 over which there was a tin case, the entire nearly two inches 

 in thirkness, and covered externally with three wet towels. 

 In the course of the experiment I dipped my hands fre- 

 quently in pnow water, and also sprinkled the towels. 



Hbvinof repeated this experiment with similar results be^ 

 fore the Rev. Mr. Hincks, Lecturer on Chemistry in the 

 Cork Institution, I now venture to lay it before the public. 

 Mr. Bincks ©n repeating the experiment in a glass bottle, 

 found the heat of the vessel, by means of a thermometer 

 placed between it and the covering, to be inferior to that of 

 the enclosed fluid, and on a par with the atmosphere, which 

 proves in a most satisfactory manner, that there could be no 

 commmiication of caloric from the hands. Some extremely 

 interesting conclusions may be drawn from this experiment. 

 What is the cause of the increased heat ? certainly not aris- 

 ing from a diminution of capacity. Is caloric material or 

 immaterial? Is friction adequate to account for animal 

 heat? Should this experiment on critical examination be 

 found correct, these, and some other speculation on heat, 

 will occupy a more extensive inquiry. 



Sir, I have the honour to remain, 



Your very obedient humble servant, 



JOSEPH READE, M. D. 



VIIT. 



Further Remarks on Professor Vince's Answer. By a Cor- 

 respondent. 



Hemarks on 

 P.of Vince's 

 letter upon 

 gravitation. 



JLT is not the "mathematical," but the literary " abili- 

 ties" of lijs country, that will be impeached, according to 

 Proiessor Vince's ideas, by the observations contained in his 

 answer; since " the errours in the works of Dytiscus" con- 

 sist, if his explanation is admitted, in having first mistaken 

 a plural number for a singular; and secondly, in having 



wantonly 



