CHEMICAL SCIENCE. 239 



chine, can convert the whole of it into hydrogen gas without the pro 

 duction of any oxygen whatever. He claims, also, that, by changing 

 the electrical poles, he can convert the whole of the jar of water into 

 oxygen gas, without producing any hydrogen ; that, after producing 

 the hydrogen, as above, and passing it through spirits of turpentine, 

 it becomes catalized, and then will burn with a clear and brilliant 

 flame, and this, too, without any loss to the turpentine by the passage 

 of the gas through it. In regard to light, independent of the other 

 applications of the power, Mr. Paine claims to have discovered a 

 means of producing it from water, by electricity, at a cost infinitely 

 less than any mode now in operation. 



The apparatus employed is a common magneto-electric machine, 

 consisting of two compound permanent horse-shoe magnets about 12 

 inches long, placed one above the other, and about four inches apart. 

 Between their ends is a pair of helices, so attached to a wheel above 

 that they can be put in rapid rotary motion. These helices are the 

 chief peculiarity of the apparatus by which Mr. Paine claims that he 

 increases enormously the electrical power of the magneto-electric ma- 

 chine. It is well known that the power of such a machine, with the 

 ordinary helices, up to a certain point, depends upon the amount of 

 surface of insulated copper-wire in the helices. It is only upon the 

 surface of this wire that the electricity can be conducted. Mr. 

 Paine's helices differ from the above in this, that the wire which forms 

 the coil is made hollow, being formed by twisting or winding very 

 thin strips of copper, forming it into a tube. This wire or tube is 

 then covered with India-rubber or gutta-percha to insulate it, and 

 filled with water. This water is so arranged as to be brought in con- 

 tact with the current of electricity induced from the magnets in the 

 same manner as the wire that surrounds it. It will thus be understood 

 that the main secret of Mr. Paine's discovery is the introduction of a 

 coil of ivater into the coil of icire in the helix. His helix, instead of 

 being an insulated solid wire, is an insulated tubular wire filled with 

 water, the water answering, as it were, the purpose of a reservoir for 

 the accumulation of the electricity. In further carrying out this ar- 

 rangement the pole-changer is so made that there is a discharge from 

 each helix only once in three revolutions, by which the decomposing 

 effect of the current is much enhanced. From the negative pole of 

 the helices a copper wire passes to a large open-mouthed glass jar, 

 partially filled with water. Within this jar is placed a bell-glass, 

 open below, and reaching to within about four inches of its bottom ; 

 the top of the bell-glass is closed with a brass cap, resting upon the 

 sides of the outer jar. The wire passes through this cap and nearly 

 to the bottom of the bell-glass, terminating in a circular metallic box, 

 which is hollow and perforated with small holes, and which contains 

 the electrodes, where the electric current comes in contact with the 

 water and decomposes it. The construction of these electrodes is pe- 

 culiar. They are made of platinum, and differ from such as are com- 

 monly used in this respect. They present to each other a very large 

 amount of surface and angles in close proximity. This is effected by 

 havin^ one electrode constructed like a honeycomb, and the other 



