112 Dr Turner's Experiments on the Application of 
lion of water and carbonic acid, but still the residue contained 
some explosive mixture. 
Olefiant gas and hydrogen were mixed in various proportions, 
and supplied with sufficient oxygen for complete combustion. 
AVlien the hydrogen bore a small proportion to the olefiant 
gas, a platinum-ball or the pure metal had no more effect than 
when no hydrogen was present. 
When equal parts of these gases were present, a platinum 
ball had very little effect when cold, but if introduced when 
heated till it could he barely held in the hand, it caused a copi- 
ous deposite of dew, with rapid diminution of volume. The 
residue was explosive. 
A cold platinum-ball had very little effect when the olefiant 
gas was to the hydrogen as 1 : 2, but if gently warm it acted vi- 
gorously, and I have thus obtained -even the entire consump- 
tion of the inflammable mixture, though this effect cannot be 
relied on. 
A platinum-ball, strongly heated, was put into a similar mix- 
ture, containing olefiant gas and hydrogen in the proportion 
of 1 : 3. It caused a dense deposite of dew at the moment of 
v its introduction, became red hot, and set fire to the mixture, 
which exploded with great violence. 
Carbonic oxide gas was made the subject of similar experi- 
ments. A platinum-ball was put into a mixture composed of 
equal parts of this gas and oxygen, without any immediate effect : 
some diminution had taken place in the course of a few minutes, 
which was not much greater in twenty-four hours. A little car- 
bonic acid had been formed, however, on the absorption of 
which, the residual gas was found strongly explosive. Pure 
spongy platinum acted in a similar manner. Balls No. 1. and 
2. were brought in contact with different portions of a similar 
mixture, soon after they had ceased to be red hot. Rapid di- 
minution succeeded, and carbonic acid was formed abundant- 
ly, but the residual gas was still explosive. 
Spongy platinum was made red hot, and immediately after 
ceasing to be luminous, was covered by a jar of a similar mix- 
ture. The redness quickly reappeared, and the moment it did 
so, the gas exploded. Sir H. Davy has shown that a mixture 
of carbonic oxide and oxygen is inflamed by a heat considerably 
