ON SOME CHEMICAL ACENCTE!? OP EircYRldlTYi Sof' 



Two cups made of compact sulpliate of lime, contaiiiine Action of elec^ 



. i» ' ... u .,^ J t jA tricity in de- 



about 14 gram-measures of water each, wei<fe (Connected to-composiugcora- 



gother by fibrous sulphate of lime, Mhich Was moistened by pounds, 



pure water: the cups were filled with this fluid; platina 



wires from the Voltaic battery of lOQ pairs of plates of six 



inches were introduced into them, so that the circuit of elec, 



tricity was through the fibrous sulphate of lime. In five 



minutes the water in the cup connected with the positive 



wire became acid ; that in the opposite cup strongly tinged 



turmeric. After an hour the fluids were accurately exw 



amined; when it was found that a pure and saturated sow 



lution of lime had been produced in the cup containing the 



negative wire, which was partially covered with a crust of 



lime; and that the other cup was filled with a moderately 



strong solution of sulphuric acid. 



I procured two cubical pieces of crystallized sulphate of 

 strontites, of about an inch ; a hole was drilled in each ca- 

 pable of containing about eight grains of water: the cubes 

 were plunged in pure water in a platina crucible ; 9-nd the 

 level of the fluid preserved a few lines below the surface of 

 the cubes ; two platina wires were introduced into the 

 holes, which were filled with pure water. The disengage- 

 ment of gas, when the wires were connected with the bat- 

 tery of 100, proved that the sulphate of strontites was suf-t 

 ficiently porous to form a proper conducting chain. The 

 results were much longer in being obtained in this experi- 

 ment than in the last: some time elapsed before a sensible 

 eifect could be perceived ; but the termination was similar. 

 In 30 hours the fluid in the cavity containing the negative 

 wire had gained the propefrty of precipitating solution of 

 sulphate of potash ; and the presence of sulphuric acid in 

 the other cavity was evident from its effect upon solution 

 of muriate of barytes. 



I made an experiment upon fluate of lime under like cir- 

 cumstances; but the crystallized fluate not being equally 

 permeable to moisture, the two cavities were connected by 

 moist asbestus. This decomposition was likewise very 

 slow; but in the course of two days a pretty strong solu- 

 tion of lime was obtained in one tube; and an acid fluid 

 '}W the otherj which precipitated acetitc of lead, and left a 

 scot upon the glass from which it had been evaporated. 



Sulphat* 



