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VTTT Experiments on the Analyfis of the Heavy Infiammable Air. 
By William Auftin, M. D. Fellow of the College of Phyfaam ; 
communicated by Charles Blagden, M. D. Sec. R. S. 
Read December 24, 1789. 
N a Paper read before the Royal Society in the year 17 
JL I fuggefted an idea, that the heavy inflammable air is a com- 
pound of the light inflammable and phlogiffiicated airs. At 
that time I had obferved, that the heavy inflammable an, or at 
Raft fixed air, is formed upon the decompofit.on of nitrous 
ammoniac by heating it in clofe veffels ; and that this an 
affeded by the eledrical Ihock, like other elaftic fluids into 
whofe compofition the light inflammable air enters. The con- 
dition which I then drew from thofe fads feems to e up- 
ported by feveral fubfequent experiments which now a to 
the liberty of laying before the Royal Society. ou 
hereafter be found, that the real conftitution of the heavy 
inflammable air differs from what I conceive to be therefu 
the fads below recited, the fads themfelves may fti 1 ha 
their ufe, as they exhibit feveral properties hitherto unobferve 
of the moft extenfive compound body we know, excepting 
Several elaftic fluids containing the light inflammable air, 
as the hepatic and alkaline airs, being decomposed by he 
eledric fpark, I was induced to try it on the heavy inflamma 
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