new inflammable Air or Gafs, See. 417 
fluid combined with phlogifton, which feems to be im- 
bibed by the vegetable alkali, when the acid is expelled 
by heat in the form of this air ; that this beneficial aerial 
fluid exifts alfo, in a moft concentrated ftate, in bodies al- 
moft every where to be found, as are calces of metal, 
principally that of iron ; that common water contains it 
in great abundance, fo that the light and warmth of the 
fun extracts it to one fifteenth of the bulk of the water, 
as Dr. priestley found, that even the mafs of our at- 
m >fphere is nothing elfe but this very air foiled with 
i mpurities. If w 7 e confider, I fay, all this, is it not rea- 
fouable to hope, that we are near the important inftant 
when this falubrious aerial fluid will be procured for 
many ufeful purpofes in a fufficient quantity, either by 
the difcovery of a ready way to let loofe this air from 
the bodies in which it is as it were imprifoned, or by fil- 
trating or purifying common air from its impurities? 
EXPLANATION OF THE FIGURE. 
a a the piftol barrel. 
B the large cylinder or air box. 
b the place where the piftol barrel unfcrews from the 
air box. 
c the piftol handle.. 
© the 
