AUGUSTUS ALLExN HAYES. 423 



results, by the discovery of the organic alkaloid sanguinaria, a com- 

 pound remarkable for the brilliant color of its salts, although itself 

 nearly colorless. In 1827 he investigated the compounds of chro- 

 mium, and his paper on this subject was highly praised by Berzelius. 

 Removing to Boston in 1828, he resided in that city or its vicinity 

 until his death. He devoted his time to chemical investigations, and 

 also filled successively the posts of director of an extensive manu- 

 factory of colors and chemical products at Roxbury, of consulting 

 chemist or director of some of the most important manufacturing es- 

 tablishments in New England, and of State Assayer of Massachusetts. 

 In 1837 he conducted an elaborate investigation upon the economical 

 generation of steam and the relative value of fuels, which, in 1838, led 

 to a novel arrangement of steam-boilers, afterwards generally adopted. 

 Some of the results of this investigation are embodied in the " Report 

 to the Navy Department of the United States on American Coals 

 applicable to Steam Navigation, and to other Purposes," by the late 

 Walter R. Johnson. To Doctor Hayes belongs also the credit of the 

 important application of the oxides of iron in refining pig-iron in the 

 puddling-furnace so as to produce without loss a pure malleable iron. 

 Still earlier, the refining of copper was, under his direction, rendered 

 a much shorter and more certain operation by the introduction of the 

 scales of oxide of copper produced in refining. His researches on the 

 difference in the chemical constitution and action of sea waters, on and 

 below the surface, on soundings, and at the entrance of rivers, form part 

 of an investigation undertaken under a commission from the United 

 States Navy Department to examine and report on the subject of 

 copper and copper sheathing as applied in the construction of national 

 vessels, and his report embodies a vast amount of scientific and com- 

 mercial information. In 1859-60, while considering the question of 

 water supply for the city of Charlestown, he found, as his earlier analy- 

 sis indicated, that the deep water of Mystic Pond was far less pure than 

 the surface water. The question of difl^usion under a flowing surface 

 came up for study, with the responsibility of accepting or rejecting the 

 source of supply. He had proved that a copper strip or wire, passing 

 vertically through two masses of water of slightly unlike composition, 

 would become polarized and exhibit electrolytic action. This mode of 

 testing the exact limits of the impure water was applied under his 

 direction, and it was shown that a compound affording sulphur, when 

 decomposed, could be detected by its action on the strip forming a 

 black sulphide, and the limits of the existence of this compound were 

 read on the surface of the strip of copper, or silvered copper. Nu- 



