The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-08-27
an t8feUarleoue.
FOR IHE ENQUIRER.
NEW THEORY OF HEAT, &c. &c.

Chemists seem tobe so scarce amongst
us, that unless we dog the heels of those in
Europe, we shall be far enough out
stript in the track Of discovery |; and even
their philosophical works are so long in
making their way among us, and even then
reach so very few of our hands, that unless
our newspapers, should now and then,
turn aside srom the march of armies and
the tricks of politicians. aud give us peep
Into these new discoveries, we should be
left to grope in the shade, whilst the other
hemisphere was sutinsed with the bright
beams of physical science.
Amongst the most extraordinary things
of the present day, are the following facts
and saeculations advanced by DR.. Davy OF
Lcnt,on Since Lavois;er's time il has been
generally held. that the airs Tor yGSSes)
are certain materials or bases united with
light and heat, which last keeps them sus-
pended in state of volatility; light and
feat Cor caioric) are, therefore, according to
4 real specific substances. Perhaps 1T is
an idea almost as old as the world, that ar
was necessary TO combustion or, in other
words, that no body can burn unless it be
in air--It was however left 10 modern
times 20 assert that it is nos evs-y part
Of this atmosphere vi ours which Is suitable
TO combustion but that his is IN general q
comp sition of two gasses, one OK which only.
CrpFen tor purs) air aids combustion
and thai this pas forms about % parts IN the
100 os the air we breathe; the rest being ge =
Berally Nitrogen Cr azQtic gas, an air fatal
20 the fire Of gpood sc. The theory OF heat,
among the French chemists. was therefore
this-tha, the burning body attractsthe OK
ygsn from its hear and hgl., which being
icft fee, united with other boaies--and
that this was the source of that heat, which
xy- exnerience from hre---Mr. Davy how
ever attempts to overlurn this hypothesis
according 90 him. oxygen is not essential to
III combustioD--indeed, itnever did appear
go TO me. q hriori-because, 1t all SaSses con-
tain hear and light, is it not as possible 10
disengage these from the other gasses as
from oxygen The following is taken from
my ote book for 1900:
:" G anuot some body be discovered, the az
6ni,y between which and azot is greater
than between azot and It's caioric on the
one hand and the Oxygen on the other9 l!
so. would not it's decomposition take place
and heat be producedl Would not much
heat be produced-because, there is as much
more of azot in our tmosphete than Oxy
gene, as 70 is more than % +: and is there
not as much more heat in it than oxygen,
as exceeds 4444, these figures expressing
the specific GRANTEES OF the tw gases DO,
that there is not only more heat IN Azot,
but more azot in the atmosphere. Dir.
Davv. has verified the above in the Cd ex-
perimen, in Inch ne combines potassium
and arseDicin The nitrogen gas.
tt, facts of Mr.. Davy are one thing
his ,h-orv Is another. His opinion, that heat
and iiehl arc not specific substances, but
mere particles of the burning body struck
of by violent agitation and electrical polar
rcpuiSion and hen penetrating other bodies,
seems not 20 be sufficiently supported by ex
pertinent Indeed, why may there not be
as many gases or ETHEREAL bodies. impal,
bable 20 our senses, as gross solid bodies,
which we see around US ? Why, ascr:be the
subtler changes, which take place in the
EAST, to.onc or iguo only of the formers
ZENO.