52. = Scientific Intelligence. 
of oxygen are added and the whole exploded, as in E. v. Meyer’ 8 
method, ‘aqueous vapor and carbon dioxide are formed in a con- 
oxygen between-these two combustible gases does not take place 
according to the law laid down by Bunsen. As to the cause of 
the discrepancy, he says that’ | while his experiments were made 
with dry gases in dry tubes, he has observed that see aqueous 
vapor is hag in the tube, less hydrogen n and more carbonous 
oxide is burned. e ratio of H,O: CO, is always Teena and 
the more, ‘the reater the amount of moisture present. On the 
other hand, in presence of carbon dioxide, more hydrogen and less 
earbonous oxide is burned. Now v. Meyer's experiments were 
with moist gases. Moreover, the variation in the ratio of the com- 
es is peculiar. As the oxygen increases, this ratio 
at ncreases, reaches a maximum, when the amount of com- 
bustible gases burned is about 30 to 35 per cent, and then falls 
uniformly — to the limiting value reached when the coma late 
bonous oxide in the unburned residue. Since therefore relatively 
more lane. is always b Ae than carbonous oxide, the attrac- 
tion of o eater oe ‘she former than for ~ _— ges 
