4|,8 j Dr. Henry's Experiments on Ammonia. 
acid than the unexpanded gas, and required less oxygen for 
saturation. Calculating, from the diminished product of car- 
bonic acid, how much gas had been decomposed by electriza- 
tion, it appeared that the decomposed part, in all cases, was 
about doubled. The smaller product of carbonic acid from 
the electrified gas, was sufficiently explained by a deposition 
of charcoal on the inner surface of the glass tube, too distinct 
to be at all equivocal, and most abundant from the olefiant 
gas. No addition whatsoever of nitrogen was made by the 
electrization. It appears, therefore, that the hydro-carburetted 
gases, like ammonia, are separated by electrization into their 
elements, the carbon being precipitated, and the hydrogen 
evolved in a separate form, and acquiring a state of greater 
expansion. This change, however, is effected much more 
slowly, than the disunion of the elements of ammonia. 
From a portion of carbonic acid gas, carefully dried by 
muriate of lime, and electrized with platina conductors, we 
obtained, after removing the undecomposed gas by caustic 
potash, a residuum equal to about one twentieth the whole gas 
which had been employed. It was found on analysis to con- 
sist of oxygen and carbonic oxide gases, in such proportions 
as to inflame on passing an electric spark through it without 
any addition-, and to be thus convertible again into carbonic, 
acid. In the experiments of M. Saussure, jun.* that ingenious 
philosopher obtained only carbonic oxide by the same opera- 
tion, owing doubtless to the electricity having been conveyed 
by conductors of copper, which would become oxidized, and 
prevent the oxygen from being evolved in a separate form. 
Carbonic oxide, electrified with similar precautions, did not 
* Journal de Physique, Tom. L 1 V. p. 450. 
