656 
FEEDEEICK GUTHRIE ON THE THEEMAL EESISTANCE OF LIQUIDS. 
Acetone 
Thermal resistance in 
millimetres, 
millims. 
. . . 35-14 
Specific 
Thermal resistance. 
8-51 
Oxalate of ethyl . 
. . . 36-56 
8-85 
Sperm-oil .... 
. . . 36-56 
8-85 
Alcohol 
. . . 37-53 
9-09 
Acetate of ethyl . 
. . . 37-53 
9-09 
Nitrobenzol . . . 
. . . 40-81 
9-86 
Oxalate of amyl . 
. . . 41-29 
10-00 
Butylic alcohol . 
. . . 41-29 
10-00 
Acetate of amyl . . 
. . . 41-29 
10-00 
Amylamine 
. . . 41-88 
10-14 
Amylic alcohol . . 
. . . 42-26 
10-23 
Oil of turpentine . 
. . . 48-53 
11-75 
Nitrate of butyl . . 
. . . 49-01 
11-87 
Chloroform . . . 
. . . 49-98 
12T0 
Bichloride of carbon . 
. . . 53-35 
12-92 
Mercury amyl . . . 
. . . 53-35 
12-92 
Bromide of ethylen . 
. . . 54-34 
13-16 
Iodide of amyl . . 
. . . 54-80 
13-27 
Iodide of ethyl . . 
. . . 58-66 (?) 
14-20 (?) 
§ 61. A special determination was made with the strongest oil of vitriol, H 2 S0 4 , and 
with the same diluted with fourteen times its volume of water. The strong sulphuric 
acid showed a specific resistance of T33, and the dilute of 1 exactly. 
§ 62. The results obtained from endeavours to connect mercury with the above series 
have given me the number 0T3 as the specific resistance of that metal. But there is so 
little difference between the depression produced when the cones are in contact, and 
that which occurs when 1 millim. of mercury interposes, that a slight error in observa- 
tion would make a very great difference. I give this number for mercury therefore 
with very great reserve, and only to show that the resistance of water is many times 
greater than that of mercury. 
§ 63. At the conclusion of one of his papers “ On the Absorption of Heat by Liquids,” 
Dr. Tyndall uses the expression “ bisulphide of carbon is the rock-salt of liquids.” It 
appears from the Table (§60) that we may with equal propriety say that “ water is the 
silver of liquids,” at least of the non-metallic ones ; for it shows as great a preeminence 
amongst liquids as silver does amongst metals. 
§ 64. It appears that after water itself those liquids have least resistance which 
contain hydrogen easily replaceable by a metal, as acetic acid, sulphuric acid, and gly- 
cerine. This fact forcibly suggests the experiments of Herr Magnus on the conducti- 
vities of the gases, and the extraordinarily great conductivity of hydrogen. As, however, 
