[en] This thesis deals with the first of a series of experiments done at the University of Amsterdam to study the properties of spin polarized atomic hydrogen (spa H) and deuterium (spa D) at very low temperatures (T approximately 0.3 K) and in high magnetic fields (B approximately 10 T). The experiments show that spa H and spa D may be subjected to experimental investigation like any normal (i.e. stable) gas. Chapter 2 deals with the experimental apparatus and in particular the development of a reliable method to cool atomic hydrogen to very low temperatures which turned out to be decisive for the experiments. An account of the first experiments with spa H can be found in chapter 3. These experiments showed that spa H can be stabilized for extended periods of time (at low temperature and in high magnetic fields) by covering all surfaces with a superfluid film of ₄He. The gas was detected by triggering recombination by locally breaking the helium film and measuring the heat of recombination. This method turned out to be very sensitive and easy to implement. In chapter 4 the physical picture of the gas is discussed. This includes a discussion of the density profile and the phenomenon of thermal leakage from the open structured sample cell. The density profile may be used to detect Bose-Einstein condensation. A second series of experiments is discussed in chapter 5. These measurements were aimed at achieving high densities and to study the limiting processes. They demonstrate that spa H behaves as a gas. Recombination measurements with spa D at low temperatures are discussed in chapter 6 and show that recombination predominantly occurs on the surface of the helium film. (Auth.)