KAIILENBERG — ACTION OF SOLUTIONS ON TASTE. 21 



considered below in connection with the taste of cathions. It is 

 evident from the result* obtained that iodine ions do not have 

 as salty a taste as do bromine and chlorine ions. The salty teste 

 of the chlorine, bromine, and iodine ions decreases as the atomic 

 weight increases. The mobility of these ions as determined 

 from the conductivity of the respective sodium salts is nearly the 

 same. 



In working with sodium nitrate, I found that all the indi- 

 viduals could taste a jf^ solution, though very faintly. They 

 found it impossible to describe the taste. The £ solution 

 was a trifle salty to eight, but they said it was quite a different 

 taste from that of sodium chloride. Of the others, three could 

 not describe the taste, four said it was a smooth taste, and one per- 

 son said it was more like that of borax than common salt to him. 

 In £ solutions sodium nitrate is dissociated over eighty per 

 cent, and in ^ about 90 per cent. It follows that neither 

 the Xa nor the X0 3 ions have a very pronounced effect on 

 the sense of taste. The slightly salty taste of the £ solution 

 is probably due to the X0 3 ion, for the sodium ion does not 

 produce such an effect, as is evident from the taste of solu- 

 tions of sodium acetate. The speed of migration of the sodium 

 ion is about -f of that of the hydrogen ion, and the speed of 

 the X0 3 ion is about -f that of the hydrogen ion. 



Sodium sulfate was tasted in ■§■ solution, though not as 

 salty. It was found difficult to describe the taste. Even in 

 i^- solution this substance did not produce a salty taste. In -g% 

 solution a salty taste described by some as slightly bitter was 

 recognized, though all agreed that the "salty taste'' was different 

 from that produced by common salt. In ■£■ solutions Xa 2 S0 4 

 is dissociated about 75 per cent, and in ^- about 62 per cent. 

 The result shows that the S0 4 ion does not have a very pro- 

 nounced taste. The mobility of the ion 4" S0 4 is about that 

 of the halogen ions mentioned above. 



Solutions of sodium acetate of the strengths -£, ^, and -fa 

 were distinctly tasted but in no case reported as salty. The 

 taste was variously described as smooth, sweetish, faintly alka- 



