ANALYSIS OF OXYGEN.
With the modified method of computation discussed in detail on page 88 it is seen that such exceedingly exact analyses of oxygen as were formerly made are unnecessary, and further calculation is consequently very simple if we know the percentage of nitrogen to within a fraction of 1 per cent. We have used a Haldane gas-analysis apparatus for analyzing the oxygen, although the construction of the apparatus is such that this presents some little difficulty. It is necessary, for example, to accurately measure about 16 cubic centimeters of pure nitrogen, pass it into the potassium pyrogallate pipette, and then (having taken a definite sample of oxygen) gradually absorb the oxygen in the potassium pyrogallate and measure subsequently the accumulated nitrogen. The analysis is tedious and not particularly satisfactory. Having checked the manufacturer's analysis of a number of cylinders of oxygen and invariably found them to agree with our results, we are at present using the manufacturer's guaranteed analysis. If there was a very considerable error in the gas analysis, amounting even to 1 per cent, the results during short experiments would hardly be affected.