On the Action of Oxalic Acid upon Chloride of Sodium. 445 



belong to the inductive action of currents of electricity de- 

 scribed in the first section of the first series of my Experi- 

 mental Researches. I have investigated them to a consider- 

 able extent, and find they lead to some exceedingly remark- 

 able and novel consequences. I have still some points to 

 verify, and shall then think it my duty to lay them (in con- 

 tinuation of my first paper) before the Royal Society. 

 I am, my dear Sir, very truly yours, 

 Royal Institution, Nov. 20, 1834. MlCHAEL Fa RAD AY. 



LXIII. On the Action of Oxalic Acid upon Chloride of So- 

 dium. By Mr. Arthur Thorold Wood.* 



FT is not generally known that the decomposition of chloride 

 * of sodium may be readily effected by the action of oxalic 

 acid; indeed, it is presumed that the fact is altogether new, as 

 our best chemical authors make no mention of it. 



That such decomposition does take place may be proved 

 by several simple experiments: for example, if chloride of 

 sodium and oxalic acid be distilled with water in a retort, 

 muriatic acid will pass over ; and when its production ceases, 

 upon allowing the contents of the retort to cool, a salt having 

 the characters of oxalate of soda will crystallize, mixed to a 

 certain extent with chloride of sodium according to the pro- 

 portions of the materials employed. 



As the muriatic acid in this experiment is very dilute, and 

 as oxalic acid cannot exist in the free state without a certain 

 proportion of water, the fact of the decomposition of chloride 

 of sodium may be more satisfactorily proved by taking oxalic 

 acid in crystals, and fused chloride of sodium, reducing them 

 to fine powder, and heating them in a glass tube containing a 

 slip of litmus paper, when muriatic acid will be instantly and 

 copiously evolved, and the litmus paper, of course, reddened. 

 When the evolution of the muriatic acid gas ceases, the dry 

 contents of the tube may be transferred to a piece of pla- 

 tinum foil, and intensely heated before the blow T -pipe flame; 

 the oxalate of soda will decompose, and carbonate of soda 

 will remain in sufficient quantity to restore the blue of the 

 reddened litmus paper when wetted with water, or to change 

 the yellow of turmeric paper to brown. 



If it be merely required to show that alkali is evolved from 

 chloride of sodium by the oxalic acid, it may be done simply 

 by heating the two, folded in a bit of platinum, for a minute 

 or so before the blow-pipe flame, then adding a drop of water 

 and applying the usual test papers. 



* Communicated by the Author. 



