The remaining gas was introduced into a tube graduated to,02 cubic inches. It measured ¹⁴/₅₀; hence ¹¹/₅₀ had been absorbed. Consequently, 100 cubic inches of pure water are capable of absorbing 11,8 of nitrous gas. In the water thus impregnated with nitrous gas I could distinguish no peculiar taste;[110] it did not at all alter the color of blue cabbage juice. [110] Dr. Priestley found distilled water, saturated with nitrous air, to acquire an astringent taste and pungent smell. In some unboiled impregnated pump water, I once thought that I perceived a subacid taste; but it was extremely slight, and probably owing to nitrous acid formed by the union of the oxygene of the common air in the water, with some of the nitrous gas. _b._ To determine if the absorption of nitrous gas was owing, to a decomposition of it by the water, as Humbolt has supposed, or to a simple solution; I procured some nitrous gas from nitrous acid and mercury, containing about one seventieth nitrogene. ,5 cubic inches of it, mingled with ,25, of oxygene, from sulphuric acid and manganese left a residuum of,03. 5 cubic inches more were introduced to 3 of water, procured in the same manner as in the last experiment, in the same cylinder. After the diminution was complete, the cylinder was transferred in a small vessel containing mercury, into a water bath, and nearly covered by the water. As the bath was heated, small globules of gas were given out from the impregnated water, and when it began to boil, the production of gas was still more rapid. After an hour’s ebullition, the volume of heated gas was equal to 1,4 cubic inches nearly. The cylinder was now taken out of the bath, and quickly rendered cool by being placed in a water apparatus. At the common temperature the gas occupied, as nearly as possible, the space of,5 cubic inches: these,5 mingled with,25 of oxygene, of the same kind as that employed before, left a residuum nearly equal to,03. From this experiment, which was repeated with nearly the same results, it is evident, 1. That nitrous gas is not decomposable by pure water. 2. That the diminution of volume of nitrous gas placed in contact with water, is owing to a simple solution of it in that fluid. 3. That at the temperature of 212°, nitrous gas is incapable of remaining in combination with water.