The works of the Honourable Robert Boyle, Esq., epitomiz'd by Richard Boulton ... ; illustrated with copper plates.

TITTLE V. Of the Magnetical Particles in the Air.

TITLE VI. Of the Destruction, Generation, Absorpsion and Extrication of the Air.

* 1.1AIr being a body not only concern'd in agreat many Phenomena of Nature, but likewise so necessary to the Preservation of Animals; Is

thought it of no small use to thy whether it might be Artificially prepar'd and obtain'd from Bo∣dies which seem'd not at all to abound with Air; for could it be done, it would not only be considerable in helping to explain several Phae∣nomena of Nature, but to preserve Divers much longer under Water. To try therefore whe∣ther it might be effected, and whether that which seem'd to be Air, were truly so; I made use of the following Experiments, taking a durable Springiness or Elasticity as the Criterion, by which I should judge, whether the Air genera∣ted were Genuine or not.

EXPERIMENT I.

• Jan. 17.* 1.2 FIlings of Steel, and a conveniently shap'd Glass, which contain'd Oyl of Vitriol, and was seal'd at both Ends, but with a Hole open'd near one of them, were coveigh'd into a long and large Tube, so much Water being put in with them as was sufficient to dilute the Oyl. This being done, and the External Tube and the Water exhausted, till the Mercury in the Gage was so far rais'd in the open Leg, that lit∣tle remain'd in the seal'd Leg; we clos'd up the External Tube exactly, and observ'd, that when the Oyl was caus'd to run out of the internal Tube, by acting upon the Metal it caus'd seve∣ral Bubbles, and a sensible Heat; when this Con∣flict had continu'd some time, so much Air was generated, as depress'd the Mercury in the open Leg down to the Bottom; and rais'd it so much in the other, that the Air above it was more

• compress'd, than when the Atmosphere had free Liberty to press against it. The Spring of this newly produc'd Air was so strong and durable, as to keep the Mercury at ••he same height 3 or 4 Days; and some Days after, a Boy having heedlesly remov'd the Tube from its usual Station, the Mer∣cury in the Gage ascended an Inch and a half, at which Height it continu'd till the 25th of January.

EXPERIMENT II.

• March. 8.* 1.3 A Glass Viol, which was large enough to hold a Pint, was fill'd with Flower of Wheat drench'd with Water; and the Orifice being clos'd with a Cork and strong Cement, after the Glass had been placed 13 Days in a warm Place, it was burst by the Violent expansion of the included Matter, tho' the Night before, part of the Glass below seem'd empty. The Taste of the included Matter seem'd to me on∣ly a little sowrish; but to another manifestly a∣cid.

EXPERIMENT III.

• March 9.* 1.4 BRuised Raisins with a little Water being put into a Bolt-head; when it was exhau∣sted, I plac'd it in a warm Place. In four Days no Air was generated; but some time after the Bolt-head was burst in pieces, and the Raisins thrown about.

EXPERIMENT IV.

• Feb. 22. A Glass, which would hold about 3 Pound of Water, having a sufficient Quantity of Raisins put into the Water, a Bladder was ty'd to the Neck of it, which had all the Air squeez'd out, and, in two Days time, it was so fill'd with Air, that we could not tye it up, without losing some of the Water.

EXPERIMENT V.

• April 28. SPirit of Salt, and Filings of Steel, being put into a wide mouth'd Glass, we cover'd it with a Receiver, fitted with an Eel-Skin and a Wire, to the latter of which, a thin Glass Vessel was ty'd, hermetically seal'd at the Bottom, and fur∣nish'd with a sufficient Quantity of Filings of Cop∣per. This being done, and the Receiver exhau∣sted, we thrust the Glass which contain'd the Filings, against the Bottom of the Viol, and broke it off; whereupon the Filings falling into the Menstruum, a considerable number of Bubbles were generated. The Viol being kept ¼ of an Hour longer in Vacuo, the Liquor acquir'd not the least Greenness.

EXPERIMENT VI.

* 1.5A Bubble of Air about the Size of a Pea, being left at the Top of a round Viol with a long narrow Neck, the Cavity of it being fill'd

with fine Oyl of Turpentine, and then inverted into a Viol fill'd with the same Liquor; Another Viol which had a Bubble in the Top, was fill'd with Alcohol of Wine, and inverted it into the the same Liquor. On the sixth Day the Bubble in the Oyl disappear'd, and on the seventh, that in the Spirit of Wine vanish'd.

EXPERIMENT VII.

• May 23.* 1.6 A Receiver, which had been three Years ex∣hausted, was open'd; and a black opacous Liquor, which we judg'd to be Frog's Spawn, which was contain'd in a Viol, being taken out, was of a stinking Smell, but not mouldy. It had yielded some Air.

EXPERIMENT VIII.

IT is observ'd, that when Miners meet with running Waters under Ground, they are by those, supply'd with Air enough for Respiration; tho' it is observ'd, that standing Waters do not afford Air.

Experiments about the Production of Air, and the Examining thereof propos'd.

• Sect. I. To produce Air by Fermentation in Receivers exactly clos'd; and in seal'd Glasses.
• Sect. I. To separate Air from Liquors, by boyling; or by the Engin.

• Sect. I. To obtain Air by Corrosion, especially with Spirit of Vinegar.
• Sect. I. To separate Air by Sulphureous and Animal Menstruums.
• Sect. I. To produce Air in Vacuo by Burning-Glasses and hot Irons.
• Sect. I. To obtain Air from Gun-powder, and other nitrous Substances.
• Sect. II. The Air produc'd may be examin'd, by trying whether it will Preserve or Revive.
  • 1. Animals.
  • 2. Flame.
  • 3. Fire.
  • 4. The Light of Rotten Wood, Fish.
• Sect. II. To examine it's Spring, and the Duration of it, as also it's Weight, and whether it will help to raise the smoak of Liquors.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Concerning the Produ∣ction of the Air.
• * 1.2

  Air genera∣ted by a mixture of Oyl of Vi∣triol and Filings of Steel.
• * 1.3

  Flower moi∣sten'd with Water.
• * 1.4

  Raisins in∣cluded in Vacuo with Water.
• * 1.5

  Air shut up in Oyl of Turpentine and Spring Water.
• * 1.6

  Frog's Spawn: