CARBON ELECTRODES. 1 49 



The strongest solution obtained was practically opaque 

 with a thickness of i to _> cms., yet contained only .16 per cent, 

 of solid matter. A resinous black mass was obtained on 

 evaporation; this easily redissolved in water. The solution 

 was acid to litmus. The solid can be precipitated by salts, 

 strong acids, and alkalies as an amorphous mass very difficult 

 to filter. The solution has thus very distinctly colloidal pro- 

 perties. After precipitation of the brown solid by neutral salts 

 the liquid remains distinctly coloured and has a more acid 

 reaction than before. 



This fact, with other indications, convinced me that there 

 were at least two substances present, both containing very high 

 percentages of carbon. A slight rise of temperature above 

 iOO°C. converts them into insoluble substances with a loss of 

 weight of approximately 30 per cent. If this black residue is 

 ignited a slight but distinct smell of burnt sugar is evolved with 

 a small quantity of white fumes. As mentioned above, gas 

 carbon, battery carbon, and other "dense forms all gave rise to 

 similar results. When wood charcoal was tried, the usual brown 

 solution resulted, but this solution was neutral to litmus. With 

 graphite a pale yellowish solution was obtained having acid pro- 

 perties. I have not had time to carry the experiments further, 

 but it would seem fairly certain,, combining my results with 

 the earlier ones of Berthelot and others that under 

 the conditions of the experiments 1 have carried out 

 graphite yields graphitic acid only, and charcoal a brown sub- 

 stance, or mixture of substances ; while all the denser forms of 

 carbon yield a mixture of the two. It would further follow 

 that graphite must be a constituent of these more refractory 

 varieties. 



< hving to lack of time I have not yet been able to put 

 forward any very definite results, yet the method of procedure 

 described appears to promise interesting results if carried out in 

 a thoroughly efficient manner. The action of high tension 

 electricity in the formation of carbon compound- seems to have 

 been little studied up to the present, and yet it appears to 

 approach more nearly to natural methods than any other. 

 There is little actual expenditure of energy ; there are no violent 

 changes of temperature or powerful reagents used. In the 

 animal or vegetable cell the most elaborate compounds are built 

 up c tep by step from simple ingredients with the aid of the 

 energy of the sun's light and heat. I believe I am correct in 

 stating that though the actual energy consumed in the cell is 

 infinitesimal yet there may be relatively enormous potential 

 differences between the various contiguous molecules present, 

 and in this difference of potential energy is to be found one of 

 the chief agents engaged in the elaboration of the more com- 

 plex cell products. If this is so, then, we can most nearly imitate 

 the natural processes by employing similar differences of poten- 

 tial energy in our own work. The products obtained by such 



