[ 495 ] 
nue to ele&rify the Man in whofe Hand the Plate 
is held ; but if you touch any Patt either of the 
Man or Plate, the Pieces of Glafs, which before 
were upon their Ends, immediately fall down. - 
Some few Years ago, Sir "James Lowther * brought 
fome Bladders fill’d with inflammable Air, collected 
from his Coal-mines, to the Royal Society. This 
Air flamed, upon a lighted Candle being brought 
near it. This Inflammability has occaiion’d many 
terrible Accidents. Mr. Aland , a worthy Member 
of this Society , made at that time, by Art, and fhew’d 
the Society , Air exactly of the fame Quality. I was 
defirous of knowing if this Air would be kindled by 
electrical Flalhes. I accordingly made fuch Air, by 
putting an Ounce of Filings of Iron, an Ounce of 
Oil of Vitriol, and four Ounces of Water, into a 
Florence Flask ; upon which an Ebullition enlued, 
and the Air, which arofe from thefe Materials, not 
only fill’d three Bladders, but alfo, upon the Appli- 
cation of the Finger of an electrified Perfon, took 
Flame, and burnt near the Top and out of the Neck 
of the Flask a confiderable Time. When the Flame 
is almoft out, (hake the Flask, and the Flame revives. 
You mud, with your Finger dipped in Water, moiften 
the Mouth of the Flask as fafi as it is dried by the 
Heat within, or the Ele&ricity will not fire it : Be- 
caufe the Flask, being an Electric per fe y will not 
fnap at the Application of the Finger, without the 
Glafs being firft made non-electric by wetting. It 
has fometimes happen’d, if the Finger has been ap- 
plied before the inflammable Air has found a ready 
Exit from the Mouth of the Flask, that the Flafh has 
filled 
* See thefe TranJ. N°. 44.2. p. 282. 
