ANALYSIS OF OLEFIANT GAS. 6^) 



I thitik then I may conclude, ihat the characters nnd In devitiifica- 

 properties, by which transparent is distinguished from deVi- ^'°" "^ '* 

 trifled glass, are not solely the effect of crystallization, 

 either of the same Integrant particles, or of some of its ele- 

 ments, which would form a new compound, the others be« 

 ing separated by precipitation; but that there is really a a change of 

 change of proportions in the compound, by the volatiiiza- by'^^^iatuL^. 

 tion of a certain part. It is not when the progress of chemi- tion of some 

 cal analysis daily teaches us, that less than a thousandth P*"* 

 part of its substance added, or substracted from a compound, 

 produces striking changes in its properties, that we can ad- 

 mit the explanation of so many charactejs, and of such 

 striking properties, simply by the mode of structure. 



XI. 



Analysis of Ohjinnt Gas: hy Mr. Theodore de Saus- 



SURE*. 



Ti 



HE inflammable gasses produced by the decomposi- Carburetted 

 tion of vegetable substances were long considered as sim- hidrogen 

 pie compounds of hidrogen and carbon: but, when the ^^^^^j^'j^^^^ 

 proportions of these elements were endeavoured to be as- tain oxigen, 

 certained by the quantity of carbonic acid gas produced in 

 their combustion, and that of oxigen gas employed to bura 

 them ; it was found, that more water was formed, than 

 ought to have resulted from the oxigen used : whence it 

 was necessarily admitted, that the inflammable gas must 

 have furnished the oxigen for this surplus of water. Mr. 

 Berthollet has made the greatest number of experiments BenhoUei's 

 on this subject: he has subjected to analysis several mt^am- «xpenment«, 

 mable gasses, obtained from the distillation of moistened 

 charcoal, of oil, and of camphor; and he has found, that 

 these gasses, all of which had been considered as com- 

 pounds of hidrogen and carbon, and had been termed 

 carburetted hidrogens, contain oxigen also, and should be 



* Ano. le Chim. vol. LXXVIII, p. 57. ll«id to the Society of , 

 Physics and Natural History at GeccTa, April, 1810. 



called 



