The production of neon and helium by the electrical discharge

Last year two papers were published by two of the authors (J. N. C. and H. S. P.) "On the Presence of Neon in Hydrogen after the Passage of the Electric Discharge through the latter at Low Pressures"; also a note by the third author (I. M.). Since that time a very large number of experiments have been made, but the problem of where the neon comes from, and also the helium which was often noticed to be present, as yet has not been finally solved. Last December a paper was read at the Royal Society by the Hon. R. J. Strutt, in which he described a new form of apparatus, and his unsuccessful attempts to obtain either neon or helium. The important point about the apparatus used was that all the operations were carried out so as to avoid transference of gases. These precautions were, as far as possible, to guard against atmospheric contamination of the gases under observation.