Dr. Kolbe on Conjugate Compounds. 171 



ance r' of the conductor completin<y the circuit =r, the ex- 

 penditure of these arrangements arising from the galvanic 

 consumption of matter in using 1000 elementary series com- 

 bined in the manner of the compound series, would amount 

 to y^l^^th only of that caused by their arrangement in the 

 form of a pile. Consequently, in the former combination, the 

 polarization would also be remarkably slight ; we might also 

 thus avoid the use of constant series, and in the selection of 

 a liquid might merely take into consideration, in addition to 

 its conducting power, its chemical relation to the two metals, 

 so as to avoid chemical action between them. 



If n be very considerable, so that r in nr' may be disre- 

 garded, we have q^E^„^^^^. 



in a very large (strictly considered infinite) number of elemen- 

 tary series; the greatest possible effect of the conductor closing 

 the circuit is thus obtained, considering r' as one, without any 

 galvanic consumption of matter, for then no electric current 

 exists in the elementary series. Perhaps we can arrive still 

 nearer the mark, as in a very large number of elementary 

 series, not only the thickness of the smooth metallic plates, be- 

 tween which the liquid is enclosed, but also the thickness of the 

 layers of the liquid is reduced to a minimum : thus the whole 

 apparatus may be confined in a comparatively limited space. 



XXVII. Contributions to the Knowledge of Conjugate Com- 

 pounds. By Dr. H. Kolbe, Chemical Assistant in the 

 University of Marburg^. 

 'T'HE examination of the products arising from the decom- 

 ^ position of sulphuret of carbon by means of chlorine has 

 led to the discovery of an interesting series of bodies, which 

 belong, almost without exception, to the class of the so-called 

 conjugate compounds!, and among them the substitution of 

 chlorine by hydrogen is particularly observed, which will pro- 

 bably throw considerable light on the constitution of certain 

 organic combinations. These compounds, produced almost 

 by the direct combination of their elements, have such a strong 

 similarity to those considered to belong to organic chemistry, 

 that it is impossible here to draw a distinct line between or- 

 ganic and inorganic bodies. 



I have already:]: shown that chlorine and sulphuret of car- 

 bon carefully dried are decomposed into a mixture of chloride 

 of sulphur and perchloride of carbon; this takes place not 



* Communicated by the Chemical Society ; having been read April 7> 

 1845. 

 t " Corps copules " of Gerhardt. X Liebig's Annal. vol. xlv. p. 41. 



