#» the fpecific Gravities , &c. ef Saline Suhjlances, 205 
the furface of which was expofcd to the common atmofphere, 
jitter the operation had continued ten minutes near one-fourth 
of the quantity had difappeared ; the remainder became fit for 
refpiration, and yet was weakly inflammable. By further agi- 
tation it was diminifhed half, and then admitted a candle to 
burn in it though feebly ; but, on continuing the agitation a 
little longer, it came to extinguifh a candle. Upon this I fhall 
remark, fird, that it clearly follows, from this experiment, 
that if the external refpiral.de air had no accefs to the infideof 
the jar, half nearly of the inflammable air was converted into, 
or confided of, refpirablc air, fince fuch quantity of air was 
found in it after the operation. Now it is abfolutely impoflible 
that either could happen ; for inflammable air could not be 
converted into half nor even one-third or one-fourth of its 
volume of refpirable air, as even one- fourth of refpirable air con- 
tains more matter than four times its bulk of inflammable air ; 
it is then evident, that the external air mud have had accefs to 
it.. Secondly, I agitated about half a pint of inflammable air, 
obtained from iron and previoufly palled through lime-water 
and kept over mercury, in about twelve times its bulk of wa- 
ter, out of which its air had been boiled in a glafs bottle clofed 
with a glafs-Aopper. The agitation continued at feveral times at 
lead two hours. A large quantity of the air was indeed abforbed, 
as appeared by opening the bottle in water ; but the remainder 
appeared, by the nitrous ted, as noxious, and was alio found 
to be as inflammable as at fird. Even Dr. priestley atteds, 
that inflammable air, which had been united to water for one 
month, was afterwards as inflammable as ever. 3 pr. 267. 
The true explanation of the fird experiment appears, there- 
fore, to be the following : Fird, Water eafily imbibes inflam- 
mable air, but does not combine with it ; for after it has im- 
bibed 
