Compqfition of Azote.— Galvanifm. 275 



tliemfelves Into this bottle which was prepared- for them, extricates himfelf by making 

 <hem pafs through by imperceptible cracks *. Such are the means which are always ufed 

 when we will not fee that which is too obvious. Thus it was that phlogifton was made to 

 pafs through crucibles, and azote through tubes and retorts. 



I muft obferve, that in order to fucceed in thefe experiments, it is abfolutely neceflary 

 that the water which is ufed (hould contain gas in a ftate of diflblution, whether it be 

 oxygenous gas, or carbonic acid gas. The more gas it containsj the greater quantity of 

 organized azote will be formed. 



It is to be wifhed that the change, which earths undergo from the oxygen which they 

 abforb in decompofing the vapours of water, were attentively inveftigated. I do not 

 doubt but that fuch an inveftigation would lead to fome very important difcoveries. 



I fubmit thefe ideas to the enlightened criticifms of thofe illuftrious French chemifts, 

 the editors of the Annales de Chimie, the fathers and creators of this fcience. Before 

 their time, chemiftry was only a crude mafs of fafts, ill arranged, and worfe explained. 



VII. 



An Account of fome Experiments made with the Galvanic Apparatus of Signor Volta. By 

 Mr. Davy, Superintendant of the Pneumatic Inftitution, Communicated by the Author. 



AN purfuing a courfe of experiments on the galvanic influence I have made fome new 

 obfervations. They are connected with the curious fafts already detailed in Mr. Nichol- 

 fon's Philofophical Journal, and they may poflibly lead to elucidations of the phaenomena. 

 The apparatus that I employed was conftruded for Dr. Beddoes, and never confided of 

 lefs than 1 10 pairs of metallic plates. I found the fenfible galvanic fhock very much in- 

 creafed when the parts communicating with the condudtors were moiftened with folution 

 of green fulphate of iron. A pile ere£ted with pieces of cloth, wetted in that fubftance, 

 afted rather more intenfely than a fimilar pile eredled in the ufual mode. It, however, 

 loft its powers in a (horter time : perhaps a folution of fulphate of zinc may be employed 

 with advantage. 



a. Struck with the curious phsenomena noticed by Meflrs. Nicholfon and Carlifle t» 

 namely, the apparent feparate produAion of oxygen and hydrogen from different wires, or 

 from different parts of the water compleating the galvanic circle, my firft refearches were 

 diredled towards afcertaining if oxygen and hydrogen could be feparately produced from 

 quantities of water not immediately in contatl with each other.* 



• " Through fome unperceived fraaure," Vol. I. p. 194. " The feeds of this plant infinuate thera- 



*' felves into veffelsof water, through the fmalleft apertures," p. 30S. 



t Philof. Journal, page 183, Vol. IV. 



N n a Two 



