Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 001.djvu/270

 2. The Duration of the Cold, produc'd by this Experiment, depends upon several Circumstances; as First, upon the Season of the year, and present temperature of the Air; For, in Summer and Hot weather the Cold will sooner decay and expire. Secondly, upon the Quantity of the Salt and Water: For, if both these be great, the effect will be as well more lasting, as more considerable. Thirdly, for ought I yet know, we may here add the Goodness & Fitness of the particular parcel of Salt, that is imploy'd: for, though it be hard to discern beforehand, which will be the more, and which the less proper; yet some trials have tempted me to suspect, that there may be a considerable disparity, as to their fitness to produce Cold, betwixt parcels of Salt, that are without scruple look't upon as Sal Armoniack: Of which difference it were not perhaps very difficult to assign probable reasons from the Nature of the Ingredients of this compound Concrete, and the waies of preparing it. But the Duration of the Cold may be conceived to depend also, Fourthly, upon the Way of putting in the Salt into the Water For, if you cast it in all at once, the Water wil sooner acquire an intense degree of Coldness; but it will also the sooner return to its former temper; Whereas, if you desire but an inferious degree of that Quality, but that may last longer (which wil usually be the most convenient for the Cooling of Drinks,) then you may put in the Salt by little and little. For, keeping a long Weather-glass for a good while in our impregnated Mixture, I often purposely try'd, that, when the tincted liquor subsided but slowly, or was at a stand, by putting in, from time to time, 2. or 3. spoonfuls of fresh Salt, and stirring the Water to quicken the Dissolution, the Spirit of Wine would begin again to descend, if it were at a stand or rising, or subside much more swiftly than it did before. And if you would lengthen the Experiment, it may not be amiss, that part of the Sal Armoniack be but grosly beaten, that it may be the longer in dissolving, and consequently in Cooling the Water. Whilst there are dewy drops produced on the outside of the Vessel, 'tis a sign, that the Cold within continues pretty strong; for, when it ceases, these drops especially in warm weather, will by degrees vanish. But a surer way of measuring the duration of the Cold, is, by removing from time to time the Seal'd Weather-glass out of the Saline Mixture into the same common Water, with part of which it was made. And though it be not easie to determin anything particularly about this matter; yet it may somewhat assist you in your Estimates, to be inform'd, That I have in the Spring by a good Weather-glass found a sensible adventitious Cold made by a pound of Sal Armoniack at the utmost, to last about 2. or 3. hours.

3. To cool Drinks with this Mixture, you may put them in thin Glasses, the thinner the better; which (their orifices being stopp'd, and still kept above the Mixture) may be mov'd to and from it, and then be immediately pour'd out to be drunk: Though, when the Glass, I imployed, was conveniently shap'd, as, like a Sugar-loaf, or with a long Neck, I found it not amiss to drink it out of that, without pouring it into any other; which can scarce be done without lessning the Coolness. The refrigeration, if the Glass-viall be convenient, is quickly perform'd: And if one have a mind to cool his hands; he may readily do it by applying them to the outside of the Vessel, that contains the refrigerating Mixture; by whose help, pieces of Chrystal, or Bullets for the cooling of Rh