442 
Mr. Faraday on new compounds 
action upon it. Nitric acid gradually acts upon it, producing 
nitrous acid, nitric oxide gas, carbonic, and sometimes hydro- 
cyanic acid, &c. but the action is not violent. Sulphuric 
acid acts upon it in a very remarkable and peculiar manner, 
which I shall have occasion to refer to more particularly 
presently. 
This fluid is a mixture of various bodies ; which, though 
^hey resemble each other in being highly combustible, and 
throwing off much smoke when burnt in large flame, may yet 
by their difference of volatility be separated in part from each 
other. Some of it drawn from the condenser, after the pres- 
sure had been repeatedly raised to so atmospheres, and at a 
time when it was at 28 atmospheres, then introduced rapidly 
into a stoppered bottle and closed up, was, when brought 
home, put into a flask and distilled, its temperature being 
raised by the hand. The vapour which came off, and which 
caused the appearance of boiling, was passed through a glass 
tube at o®, and then conducted to the mercurial trough ; but 
little uncondensed vapour came over, not more than thrice 
the bulk of the liquid ; a portion of fluid collected in the 
cold tube, which boiled and evaporated when the temperature 
was allowed to rise ; and the great bulk of the liquid which 
remained, might now be raised to a comparatively high 
point, before it entered into ebullition. 
A thermometer being introduced into another portion of 
the fluid, heat was applied, so as to keep the temperature 
just at the boiling point. When the vessel containing it was 
opened, it began to boil at 60° F. As the more volatile por- 
tions were dissipated, the temperature rose : before a tenth 
part had been thrown off, the temperature was above 100°. 
