the Jldrianople Red, and other fixed Colours, 8£c. 2o7 
ties, is disengaged in such abundance, that if the absorb- 
* ing bodies are susceptible of taking fire, or if combusti- 
ble bodies are in the neighbourhood, a spontaneous in- 
flammation will take place. 
To prove to the persons present, to whom chemical 
experiments were not familiar, the theory of these in- 
flammations, I made the following experiments 1st, 
The incandescence of a mixture of iron filings and sul- 
phur kneaded in water. — 2d, The inflammation of boiled 
linseed oil by means of highly-concentrated nitric acid a 
— 3d, The inflammation of phosphorus in atmospheric 
air, as well as in pure oxygen gas, placed for that pur- 
pose in a porcelain capsule over boiling water, in order to 
separate the molecule by fusion without having recourse 
to friction. — 4th, The inflammation of phosphorated hy- 
drogen gas by the contact of the atmosphere— an imita- 
tion of w ill - with - the - wi s p . - — 5th, The combustion of py- 
rophorus thrown into the atmosphere, and in pure oxygen 
gas. — -6th, The reduction into a charry igneous mass, 
produced by the action of the atmospheric air of torrefied 
bran put quite hot into a bag, the texture of which was 
not too close. 
I was well aware, that essential or volatile oils become 
resinous, and that drying oils boiled with metallic oxides 
become thick and hard in consequence of their combina- 
tion with oxygen. It was also for this reason that my 
skains, covered with a mixture of boiled linseed oil, were 
exposed during the whole day to the air, extended and 
insulated on poles ; but I then supposed them to be sat- 
urated with oxygen, and consequently incapable of pro- 
ducing the least accident. I was so secure in this point 
that I caused a great deal of impregnated cotton to be 
dried at several times in w arm apartments ; they w r ere 
not deranged but at the moment when they were washed 
in order to be dyed. It may however be possible that the 
Vol. i. k k 
