could not interfere with my results. In respect of the ether, I have since found that the process is satisfactory; for when I purposely added ether vapour to air, so as to increase its bulk by one-third, treatment like that above removed it, so as to leave the air of its original volume. There was yet a slight odour of ether left, but not so much as that conferred by adding one volume of the vapour of ether to 1200 or 1500 volumes of air. I find that when air is expanded ¼th or ⅓rd more by the addition of the vapour of ether, washing first of all with about 1⁄6 th of its volume of water, then again with about as much water, and lastly with its volume of water, removes the ether to such a degree, that though a little smell may remain, the air is of its original volume.
As already stated, it is the presence of other and more volatile hydrocarbons than olefiant gas, which the tensions obtained seemed to indicate, both in the gas and the liquid resulting from its condensation. In a further search after these I discovered a property of olefiant gas which I am not aware is known (since I do not find it referred to in books), namely its ready solubility in strong alcohol, ether, oil of turpentine, and such like bodies [1]. Alcohol will take up two volumes of this gas; ether can absorb two volumes; oil of turpentine two volumes and a half; and olive oil one volume by agitation at common temperatures and pressure; consequently, when a vessel of olefiant gas is transferred to a bath of any of these liquids and agitated, absorption quickly takes place.
Examined in this way, I have found no specimen of olefiant gas that is entirely absorbed; a residue always remains, which, though I have not yet had time to examine it accurately, appears to be light carburetter hydrogen; and I have no doubt that this is the substance which has mainly interfered in my former results. This substance appears to be produced in every stage of the preparation of olefiant gas. On taking six different portions of gas at different equal intervals, from first to last, during one process of preparation, after removing the sulphurous and carbonic acid and the ether as before described, then the following was the proportion per cent. of insoluble
- ↑ Water, as Berzelius and others have pointed out, dissolves about ⅛th its volume of olefiant gas, but I find that it also leaves an insoluble residue, which burns like light carburetter hydrogen.
