- 
“ig 
Pivot i 
il. Experiments on Air. By Henry Cavendith,. E/g. 
FB. ie 5S, ep Ss. A. 
Read’ Jan. rs, 1784. 
es following experiments were made principally with a: 
view to find out the caufe of the diminution which 
éommon air is weil known to fuffer by. all the various ways in: 
which it is phlogifticated, and to ditcover what: becomes of the: 
air thus. loft or condenfed ; and as. they feem: not only te de- 
termine this point, but. alfo to throw great lisht.on the con- 
ftitution and. manner of production of dephlogifticated air, F 
hope they may be not. unworthy the acceptance of. this. fo-- 
giety. | 
Many gentlemen have fuppofed that fixed air is either geme-- 
rated or feparated from atmofpheric air by phlogiftication, and: 
that the obferved diminution is owing to- this caufe 3: my firft 
experiments therefore were made in order to afcertain whether 
any fixed air is really produced thereby... Now, it muft. be ob- 
ferved, that as al) animal and vegetable fubflances contain fixed. 
air, and yield it by burning, diftillation, or putrefaction, no- 
thing can be concluded. from experiments in which the air is- 
phlogifticated by them. ‘The only methods I know, which are- 
not liable to. ebjeétion, are by the calcination of metals, the- 
burning of fulphar or phofphorus, the mixture of nitrous.air,, 
and the explofion of inflammable air. Perhaps it may: be fup- 
pofed, that lought to add to thefe the electric. {park ;. but E 
: think, 
