Obfervations on inflammable Air. 361 
the inflammable air of vegetable or animal bodies than 
that of metals, and it is eafily decompofed in water. 
This property of inflammable air of metals which I 
have difcovered, throws great light upon the analylis of 
the decompofition of that air which I have made in two 
different ways. The firft is to fire it together with com- 
mon or dephlogifticated air, in veffels filled with very 
pure quickfilver, and alfo in veffels filled with diftilled 
water. The fecond method is to decompofe it by fhaking 
it in pure diftilled water. In the firft procefs a great 
number of experiments are required in order to obtain a 
fenfible refiduum ; befides, the igneous part is loft. The 
fecond method requires an exceedingly long time, but it 
is the moft complete ; for which reafon I have ufed it for 
the decompofition of other kinds of air. 
