8 R. W. Fox on Electrical Action. 



If we suppose the positive electric poles to adhere to, or 

 have an affinity for, the atoms of oxygen, and the negative 

 poles for the atoms of hydrogen, the external or acting poles 

 which surround these atoms will, on this hypothesis, possess 

 opposite properties to the adhering poles, and impart to oxy- 

 gen negative, and to hydrogen positive characters. 



Between these strong opposite affinities, the force of elec- 

 trical attraction or adhesion to the atoms of matter may be 

 variously modified, according to the nature of the latter. 

 Hence atoms may act on each other in consequence of their 

 electric properties, and have these properties modified, and 

 in some cases even reversed, by the inversion of the poles 

 when acted upon by other atoms around which the electricity 

 is more energetic and decided. Electricity excited in bodies 

 by induction will illustrate this hypothesis; and the apparent 

 anomalous chemical compounds which so often occur, such, 

 for instance, as oxygen or hydrogen with the same simple 

 elements, may serve as examples. 



In the case of voltaic action the atomic electric affinities may 

 be partially superseded, and an uniform direction simulta- 

 neously imparted to all the corresponding elementary poles in 

 the circuit, an undulatory motion, or actual rotation of tWse 

 elementary poles, being generated by their reaction. 



Fig. 5. may illustrate how a rotatory motion of the electric 

 elements might operate in producing decomposition. 



Fig. 6. 

 O O O • O Hydrogen. 



® & Oxygen. 



O O O O Hydrogen. 



© ® B • Oxygen. 



Let the shaded circles (fig. 5.) represent atoms of oxygen, and 

 the unshaded ones those of hydrogen, included within the vol- 

 taic circuit; and let the straight lines denote the electric ele- 

 ments with their negative or oxygenous poles outwards, and the 

 zigzag lines those having their positive or hydrogenous poles 

 outwards. In this case, the electric elements xxx are in the 



