EULOGY ON GAY-LUSSAC. 157 



WORKS ACCOMPLISHED BY MEANS OF THE BATTERY OP THE POLY- 

 TECHNIC SCHOOL. 



We have now reached the period when, treading in the path so suc- 

 cessfully opened by Nicholson and Carlisle and followed by Berzelius 

 and Hisinger, Sir Humphry Davy succeeded, by means of the battery, 

 in transforming potash and soda into metals which could be kneaded 

 with the fingers, like wax; which float on the surface of water, because 

 lighter than it, and which ignite spontaneously in this liquid, diffusing 

 the brightest light. 



The announcement of this brilliant discovery, at the close of 1807, 

 created a profound sensation in the scientific world. The Emperor 

 Napoleon took part in it, and placed at the disposal of the Polytechnic 

 School the fund necessary for the erection of a colossal battery. While 

 this powerful instrument was being constructed, Messrs. Gay-Lussac 

 and Thenard, to whom it was to be confided, conceiving that ordinary 

 affinity, well directed, would suffice for the production of potassium and 

 sodium, attempted various very dangerous experiments, and succeeded 

 beyond their expectations. Their discovery was published March 7, 

 1808. From this time the two new metals, which were only obtained in 

 very small quantities by the battery, could be produced in great abun- 

 dance, and thus became the usual instrument of chemical analysis. 



As may be easily imagined our two celebrated countrymen did not 

 allow the means of investigation they had just so skillfully prepared 

 to remain idle in their hands. They placed the potassium and sodium in 

 contact with nearly all known chemical substances, and noticed, during 

 the experiment, the reactions most fertile in theoretical consequences. 

 We will content ourselves by citing here the decomposition of the acid 

 formerly known as boracic, and the discovery of its radical, called by 

 its discoverers boron. We must likewise rank very high in their inves- 

 tigations the very difficult and varied experiments by which they deter- 

 mined the actions exerted by the two new metals on ammonia; the 

 results of their work on fluoric acid, now called fluohydric, and the 

 discovery of the new gas which they named fluoboric. Following the 

 chain of their researches, the two illustrious chemists were led to 

 attempt the analysis of the substance then denominated oxygenated 

 muriatic acid ; they made known the results of their numerous experi- 

 ments February 27, 1809. Their communication fiuished with this para- 

 graph, which I transcribe literally: "According to the facts reported in 

 this memoir, it might be supposed that this gas (oxygenated muriatic 

 acid gas) is a simple body. The phenomena which it presents are suffi 

 ciently well explained in this hypothesis ; we do not seek, however, to 

 vindicate it, because it seems to us that they are explained still better 

 by regarding oxygenated muriatic acid gas as a compound body." 

 They made by this declaration a large concession in favor of the pre- 

 vailing opinions of the Society of Arcueil ; to those supported with 



