QQ FAFER INFLAMED IN NITROUS GAS. 



Galvanic dcfla- Tlie four laft experiments prove, I think, that double quati' 

 grations. ^^^^^^ of galvanic fluid only burn double lengths of wire, and not 



the fquare, as eledlrical difcharges do *. 



I am, with the greateft refpefl. 

 Sir, 



Your very humble fervant, 



JOHN CUTHBERTSON. 

 Poland. Street, , Soho, 

 ^ March 21, 1804. 



Ml, 



Letter from a Correjpondent, containing an Ohfervation of the 

 fpontaneous Inflammation of Papet in Nitric Acid Gas. 



To Mr. NICHOLSON. 



Dear Sir, London, May 22, 1804-. 



Paper Inflamed j[ HAT feveral different inflammable bodies, while in a ftate 

 of inflammation or of ignition, burn with an enlarged flame, 

 and continue ignited when immerfed in nitric acid gas, is, I 

 fuppofe, commonly known ; but that paper itfelf would take 

 fire and flame mofl beautifully in this gas, and at not a very 

 elevated temperature, has not, that I recoiled, been already 

 obferved. By the following accidental circamftance this phe- 

 nomenon was feen this morning in the public le£ture-room, 

 while reading on the fubje6l of nitrous acid. In putting to- 

 gether the different parts of the Wolfe*s apparatus, having 

 ready only a bent tube much fmaller than the lateral aperture 

 of the globe condenfing receiver, I filled up that aperture, 

 partly with a piece of writing paper which projected into the 

 receiver, and partly with almond pafle. Soon after the acid 

 had begun to diftil, and while the apparatus was filled with 



* It is not faid whether the two troughs were ufed collaterally 

 or longitudinally. Elearical jars may be confidered as being al- 

 ways combined in the former mode. This fubjeft feems to require 

 comparifon with the fafts given in Mr. Wilkinfon's letter in our 

 Journal, Vol. VII, p. 207 ; but the communication came too late 

 for me to offer any remarks upon it^ W. N» 



4. reddilh 



