XII. A new eudiometer, accompanied with experiments, elucidating its application

The important part which atmospheric air performs, in maintaining the principle of life in animals, in combustion of every description, the acidification, and oxidation of a great variety of substances, and in numerous other processes both of nature and art, gives a high degree of interest to every thing calculated to extend our knowledge of its nature and properties. The evidence furnished by modern chemistry, of the existence of many other aeriform substances, increases this interest, especially when it is considered that, owing to their possessing some of the most, obvious properties of atmospheric air, as transparency, elasticity, and a power of great expansion, on being exposed to an encrease of temperature, they were with very few exceptions till lately, confounded either with common air, or not even suspected to exist.