THE CONTENTS.
The INTRODUCTION.
Section I. A general view of preceding Discoveries relating to Air Page [1]
Sect. II. An Account of the Apparatus with which the following Experiments were made [6]
PART I.
Experiments and Observations made in, and before the Year 1772. [23]
Sect. I. Of Fixed Air [25]
Sect. II. Of Air in which a Candle, or Brimstone, has burned out [43]
Sect. III. Of inflammable Air [55]
Sect. IV. Of Air infected with Animal Respiration, or Putrefaction [70]
Sect. V. Of Air in which a mixture of Brimstone and Filings of Iron has stood [105]
Sect. VI. Of Nitrous Air [108]
Sect. VII. Of Air infected with the fumes of burning Charcoal [129]
Sect. VIII. Of the effect of the calcination of Metals, and of the effluvia of Paint made with White-Lead and Oil, on Air [133]
Sect. IX. Of Marine Acid Air [143]
Sect. X. Miscellaneous Observations [154]
PART II.
Experiments and Observations made in the Year 1773, and the Beginning of 1774.
Sect. I. Observations on Alkaline Air [163]
Sect. II. Of common Air diminished, and made noxious by various processes [177]
Sect. III. Of Nitrous Air [203]
Sect. IV. Of Marine Acid Air [229]
Sect. V. Of Inflammable Air [242]
Sect. VI. Of Fixed Air [248]
Sect. VII. Miscellaneous Experiments [252]
Sect. VIII. Queries, Speculations, and Hints [258]
The APPENDIX.
Number I. Experiments made by Mr. Hey to prove that there is no Oil of Vitriol in water impregnated with Fixed Air [288]
Number II. A Letter from Mr. Hey to Dr. Priestley, concerning the effects of fixed Air applied by way of Clyster [292]
Number III. Observations on the Medicinal Uses of Fixed Air. By Thomas Percival, M. D. Fellow of the Royal Society, and of the Society of Antiquaries in London [300]
Number IV. Extract of a Letter from William Falconer, M. D. of Bath [314]
Number V. Extract of a Letter from Mr. William Bewley, of Great Massingham, Norfolk [317]
Num. VI. A Letter from Dr. Franklin [321]
Number VII. Extract of Letter from Mr. Henry of Manchester [323]
THE INTRODUCTION.
SECTION I.
A general view of preceding discoveries relating to air.
For the better understanding of the experiments and observations on different kinds of air contained in this treatise, it will be useful to those who are not acquainted with the history of this branch of natural philosophy, to be informed of those facts which had been discovered by others, before I turned my thoughts to the subject; which suggested, and by the help of which I was enabled to pursue, my inquiries. Let it be observed, however, that I do not profess to recite in this place all that had been discovered concerning air, but only those discoveries the knowledge of which is necessary, in order to understand what I have done myself; so that any person who is only acquainted with the general principles of natural philosophy, may be able to read this treatise, and, with proper attention, to understand every part of it.