Present condition of the volcanoes of southern Italy

The studies of Day and Shepherd at Kilauea have demonstrated the presence of water in the unaltered lava gases at this volcano, and that chlorine and fluorine are present only in very small amount. They have also shown that the gases at the time of their escape from the lava were in a state of unstable chemical equilibrium, and that they were undergoing interreactions which, being exothermic, might in part explain the maintenance of the high temperature of the lava.Without entering into discussion of these results, it may be said that they were of such a character that it was deemed advisable to extend the observations and studies to other volcanoes. There were several special reasons for this.The confirmation of the presence of water at other volcanoes was a matter of interest in connection with Brun's hypothesis, though this may now be considered as definitely disproved by . . .