1 70 M. Henrici on the Theory and Application of Electricity. 



to deduce hence their chemical attraction, we must evidently 

 admit the existence of a great difference in the quantity of 

 their peculiar electricities in the various atoms of bodies ; the 

 most positive bodies must contain the largest amount of posi- 

 tive, and the negative bodies the largest amount of negative 

 electricity. But how can electro-chemical attraction occur, 

 when two positive or negative bodies act on each other? and 

 yet such bodies combine with each other in the most varied 

 proportions. 



Thus it is vain to endeavour to find a physical basis for the 

 electro-chemical views. But there exists between the elec- 

 trical relations and the general chemical character of a body, 

 a parallelism which cannot be mistaken (as I have already 

 endeavoured to prove elsewhere), and I am still of the opinion 

 that it deserves attentive consideration. 



5. The compound galvanic series presents a peculiarity 

 which, in my opinion, deserves to be considered more carefully. 



If n represents the cells of like constitution, the electromo- 

 tive force of which is expressed by E, their resistance being 

 = r, when united with an homologous metal, and provided 

 with a common conductor whose resistance is =/' (previously 

 to which the circuit is not perfectly complete), the intensity 

 of the current (Q) in the latter is 



r + nr 

 When the elements are arranged in the form of a pile, the 

 intensity of the current Q' is 



nr+r'' 

 When r* is =sr, we have Q = Q' = 



[71+ l)r' 



and it is then a matter of indifference in what manner the ele- 

 ments are combined as regards the effects. If we now examine 

 the intensity of the current in the elements of the compound 

 series, theory gives the equation 



_ E 

 ^~r + n7-'' 

 we thus arrive at the remarkable conclusion, that when r' is 

 srr, the intensity of the currents in the elementary series is 



only — of that contained in the pile series ; in other words, 



the same mechanical (or other) effect of the conductor closing 

 the circuit, produces under these circumstances in the pile a 

 consumption of matter 7i times greater than occurs in the 

 compound series formed of the same elements. Thus, were 

 it possible, by mechanical arrangements, to render the resist- 



