4 HISTORY OF GALVANISM. 



itfelf, and from the effects of galvanifm in general, it may be 

 conjectured that it refemblcs a large iurface of an electric 

 charged to a low intenfity. 

 Crinckfliank's Mr. Cruickfliank, in a fecond communication, gives an ae- 

 JVJ 1 P le e a PP ar t a 1 J us count of fome experiments which he performed with an inter- 

 gafes diftindt. rupted wire of gold. By means of a bent glafs tube he con- 

 trived to keep the gafes obtained from each wire perfectly 

 diflinct. That from the filver end of the pile he found to be 

 chiefly hidrogen, and that from the zinc end nearly pure ox- 

 igen. Both the gold wire and one which he ufed of platina 

 were evidently tarnifhed on the zinc end, after being expofed 

 His general con- for fome time to the influence. He draws the following gene- 



clufions. i. Sil- ra j conclutlons from his experiments. ]/?, From the filver end, 

 ver end of the . l J . ■ 



pile gives chiefly » *t be immeifed in water, whatever be the nature of the wire, 



hidrogen. 2. Re- there is difengaged a quantity of hidrogen gas mixed with a 



duftionofme- r ,, . & ° . M J . ? & , „ T , 



tallic folution at lma H quantity of oxigen gas and ammonia. 2d, Where a me- 



this end. 3. Zinc tallic folution is ufed in (lead of water, the metal is reduced and 

 oxigen. eS l/o/ ls depofited at tne er, d °f tne wire. 3 d, When the wire at the 

 produces oxida- zinc end confifis of gold or platina, oxigen gas is difengaged 

 tl0a ' mixed with a little azote and nitrous acid ; the quantity of gas 



is only about one-third of what is difengaged at the filver end, 

 fo that the gafes exift in the proportion requifite to produce 

 water. 4-th, When the zinc wire is formed of an imperfect 

 metal, it is partly oxidated, partly diflblved, and a little oxigen 

 only is difengaged. Fluids which contain no oxigen Mr. 

 Cruickfliank thinks are incapable of tranfmitting the influence, 

 whilft. all thofe which contain it appear capable of conducting 

 His Invention of the influence. Mr. Cruickfhank then proceeds to give an ac- 

 a new galvanx coun t of a new method of placing the metals horizontally in a 

 atrough. kind of trough, which in fome refpecls appears to be more con- 



venient than the form of the apparatus originally invented by 

 Volta. 

 Mr. Davy ob- Mr. Davy propofed this curious fubject of enquiry, whether 

 tams the oxigen ^ e ox j<r en ant | hidrogen gafes evolved by the interrupted wire 

 from one portion . & r * ■ t u A r ' , r 



of water, and the when immerled in water, can be procured from two portion* 

 hidrogen from f water kept diftin6t from each other? For this purpofe he 

 netted r portion" cau ^ tne wires to terminate in two glaffes of water, and by 

 means of his fingers eftablifhed a communication between the 

 two glafles. The gafes he found were produced as in the for- 

 mer cafe. When the water ufed was very carefully boiled, he 

 found that the gafes evolved were nearly pure, and in the pro- 

 portions 



