4i6 Dr. ingenhousz’s Account of a 
gifticated and aether air fpreads with fuch a velocity 
through the whole mafs as to be almoft inftantaneous. 
It is well known, that mechanical power chiefly de- 
pends upon the velocity with which a body is endowed 
in the inftant of exei'ting it; or that the momentum , or 
force of a body, muft be computed by multiplying the 
quantity of matter into the velocity with which it moves. 
Thus, if this new compound of dephlogifticated and 
aether air expands with ten times greater velocity than 
any other inflammable explofive air, its force will be 
about ten times greater. 
As it fee ms to be probable, from what is already 
faid that this compound of explofive air may be put to 
more ufes than that of an amufing experiment, I think 
it worth while for men engaged in this branch of natural 
philofophy to look out for a method of producing at 
pleafure any quantity of dephlogifticated air required^ 
Confidering the rapid progrefs which is daily made on 
the important fubjedt of air, I cannot but flatter myfelf, 
that this great difcovery is not far off. The benefit 
which would arife from fuch a difcovery for animal life 
muft encourage every philofopher to purfue this objedt. 
Indeed, if we confider that nitre contains this wonderful 
aerial fluid in a moft concentrated ftate, and that the ni- 
trous acid feems to be nothing elfe but this beneficial 
fluid 
