Condensation of Several Gasses into Liquids. 38 $. 
44 EmUlwine Fluid euchlorine was obtained by inclosing chlorate of pot- 
ash and sulphuric acid in a tube, and leaving them to act on each other for 24 
hours* . In that time there had been much action, the mixture was of a dark 
reddish-brown, and the atmosphere of a bright yellow colour. The mixture' 
was then heated up to 1 00°, and the unoccupied end of the tube cooled to 0° ; 
by degrees the mixture lost its dark colour, and a very fluid ethereal looking 
substance condensed. It was not miscible with a small portion of the sulphu- 
ric acid which lay beneath it ; but when returned on to the mass of salt and 
acid, it was gradually absorbed, rendering the mixture of a much deeper colour 
even than itself. 
44 Euchlorine thus obtained is a very fluid transparent substance, of a deep 
yellow colour. A tube containing a portion of it in the clean end, was open- 
ed at the opposite extremity ; there was a rush of euchlorine vapour, but the 
salt plugged up the aperture : whilst clearing this away, the whole tube burst 
with a violent explosion, except the small end in a cloth in my hand, where 
the eu chlorine previously lay, but the fluid had all disappeared. 
44 Nitrous Oxide — Some nitrate of ammonia,: previously made as dry as could 
be by partial decomposition, by heat in the air, was sealed up in a bent tube, 
and then heated in one end, the other being preserved cooL By repeating 
the distillation once or twice in this way, it was found, on after-examination, 
that very little of the salt remained undecomposed. 1 The process requires 
care. I have had many explosions occur with very strong tubes, and at con- 
siderable risk. 
44 When the tube is cooled, it is found to contain two fluids, and a very 
compressed atmosphere. The heavier fluid, on examination, proved to be 
water, with a little acid and nitrous oxide in solution the other was nitrous 
oxide. It appears in a very liquid, limpid, colourless state y and so volatile, 
that the warmth of the hand generally makes it disappear in vapour. The 
application of ice and salt condenses abundance of it into the liquid state 
again. It boils readily by the difference of temperature between 50° and G® 
It does not appear to have any tendency to solidify at — 10°. Its refractive 
power is very much less than that of water, and less than any fluid that has 
yet been obtained in these experiments, or than any known fluid. A tube be* 
mg opened in the air, the nitrous oxide immediately burst into vapour. 
The pressure of its vapour is equal to above 50 atmospheres at 45®. 
44 Cyanogen — Some pure cyanuret of mercury was heated until perfectly 
dry. A portion was then inclosed in a green glass-tube,, in the same manner 
as in the former instances, and being collected to one end, was decomposed 
by heat, whilst the other end was cooled. The cyanogen soon appeared as at 
liquid : it was limpid, colourless, and very fluid ; not altering its state at the- 
temperature of 0°. Its refractive power is rather less, perhaps, than that of 
water. A tube containing it being opened in the air, the expansion within 
did not appear to be very great ; and the liquid passed with comparative slow- 
ness into the state of vapour, producing great cold. The vapour, being col- 
lected over mercury, proved to be pure cyanogen. 
44 A tube was sealed up with cyanuret of mercury at one end, and a drop of 
water at the other ; the fluid cyanogen was then produced in contact with the 
water. It did not mix, at least in any considerable quantity, with that fluid, 
but floated on it, being lighter, though apparently not so much so as ether 
