54 DR. R. ANGUS SMITH ON 



About this time the amount of sulphuretted hydrogen in 

 the gas was 6 per cent. 



The absorbed gases were — 



Per cent, Sulph. Hydr. Eesidue. 



1. 82*68 ly'S^^ 



2. 8578 14*22 I Passed through 



3. 89*72 10*28 y metallic salts, 



4. 95*40 4*6o I SH removed. 



5. 96*20 3"8oJ 



6- 96-07 1-58 2-35 



7- 96'43 278* 0-79 



8. 97*62 0*06 2*31 



9- 97*09 1-93 1*98 



Note. — ^The figures obtained will be given at the end of the paper. 



Another series was obtained with the following result, 

 using as absorbing agents metallic salts and alkalies : — 



Gases absorbed. Gases not absorbed. 



I 97*08 292 



2 97*27 2*73 



3 97*69 2*31 



4 97*71 2*29 



The residue from 6 to 9 remains with little change. No. 7 

 appears anomalous, the amount of vapour of water not 

 being known, and no provision having been made for cal- 

 culating the gases free from it. Taking the amount of car- 

 bonic acid as 95 and that of sulphuretted hydrogen as 1*5, 

 the amount of carbon will be 0*05 13, and of sulphur 

 0'002i8. The sulphur is to the carbon as i to 24*8, 

 whilst in albumen it is as i to 33 '4. The sulphur escapes 

 more readily than the carbon, in proportion to its amount. 

 The cause may be made quite clear when the whole amount 

 in solution is ascertained; but the supposition of a part of 

 the carbon undergoing a lower oxidation than in carbonic 

 acid, will explain why less than an equivalent should escape 

 when albumen decomposes. 



It must be allowed that in all these there is a constant 

 diminution of nitrogen, but no absolute proof of its elimina- 



* +H0. 



