EFFECT OF GALVANISM IN METALLIC ARBORIZATIONS. 1J9 



wkenvjtfjs no longer in contact with the apparatus. Pure 



wa^erikiauxTurved tube, which has been placed in the gal-? 



vanic circuit, likewise retains for a short time the power 



of contracting the muscles of a prepared frog. I conceive Mode in 



therefore, that its galvanic decomposition i» effected in the ^^i^h itsde- 



" 1 1 r. composition 19 



followmg way. Let us suppose a thread of water formed effected. 



of three integrant particles, fig. 10, each composed of two 

 atoms of oxigen, represented by ®, and one of hidrogen, 

 represented by h: and let it be observed, that what is said 

 of this thread may be afterward applied to any quantity 

 of this fluid. 



The moment a galvanic current is established, the ele<?tric 

 polarity manifests itself between the elementary particles of 

 the water, so that they appear to be the complement of the 

 pile in action. Now since the oxigen is attracted by the -J- 

 or zinc po\e, and hidrogen by the — or copper pole, we are 

 naturally led to infer, that each of the two principles re- 

 quires, at the instant of its production, an el ectrogal vanic 

 state opposite to the poles which attracts it; and as this 

 reaiioning maybe extended to ail the particles of water in 

 the direction of the galvanic current, it follows, that, if we 

 take them two by two, the homogeneal principles will re^ 

 pel each other, and the heterogeneous principles attract : 



feach other, alternately*. Thus as soon as the oxigen, ® , 

 passes to the state of elastic fluid in consequence of the 

 attraction of the pole endued with vitreous electricity, its 

 hidrogen A, by virtue of this electricity, repels its similar h\ 

 and euters into combination with the oxigen, */, of the ad- 

 jacent particle; at the same timeVi', being repelled, transmits 

 irts movement to the homogeneous atom, h'\ anditse If unites 

 with the oxigen, ''» o^ the third particle, the hidrogen of 

 which, h', must finally assujne the state of gas, since it 

 is in immediate contact with the poje chafged with resinous 

 electricity. In the whole of this process, it appears, the 

 particles of water at the extremities of the conducting 

 thread are alone decomposed, while the iptermediate ones 

 reciprocally change their component principles in succe$» 

 sion, but without altering their nature. This theory agrees 



* The idea of this polarity, analogous to that which exists in the pil», 

 I conceive distinguishes Ihe axplanation 1 here giye from any other. 



completely 



