II. Examination of the gases occluded in meteoric iron from augusta co., Virginia

Abstract

The investigation by Graham of the gases given off by meteoric iron from Lenarto, in Hungary, when heated in a vacuum produced by a Sprengel pump, excited much interest at the time of publication, but does not seem to have been followed up by any similar examination of other meteorites. I have made use of pieces of the iron found about three years ago in Augusta Co., Virginia, the description and analysis of which were published by me in the ‘American Journal of Science’ for July 1871, in order to repeat the experiment of Graham, and ascertain I whether similar results to his would be obtained. A large part of the work of the extraction and analysis of the gaseous contents of this iron has been done by two of the students in my laboratory, Mr. F. P. Dunnington, of Baltimore, and Mr. J. B. Adger, of South Carolina, to whom I am much indebted for their assistance. Two preliminary experiments were made,—the first with some shavings from the cutting of the iron upon a planing-machine; the second with a solid piece of the metal planed to smooth, clean surfaces, and quite free from any crust or scale. The shavings were subjected to the purification practised by Graham, namely, washing with a hot solution of potassic hydrate, followed by washing with distilled water and thorough drying. The solid strip of iron was not so treated, care having been taken to use no oil upon the tool employed in cutting it. Both specimens gave off gas readily when heated in the Sprengel vacuum, the amount in each case being larger in proportion to the bulk of the iron than in the experiment of Graham; and analysis showed that the same gases were present as those found by him, with the addition of carbonic anhydride in not inconsiderable amount.