157 



in regard tu alcohol, thnt water, entering as such into the constitu- 

 tion of pyroxylic spirit, is resolved under voltaic agency into its 

 elements, its hydrogen being evolved at the negative pole, and its 

 oxygen employed in giving rise to the secondary effects of oxida- 

 tion. 



As pyroxylic ether (hydrate of methyline of D. and P.) bears 

 the gaseous form, ho galvanic experiments were attempted with it; 

 but, as the author had formerly observed no evidence of the pre- 

 sence of water in sulphuric ether under electric agency, he is dis- 

 posed to adopt the analogous view as in regard to alcohol, and to 

 consider pyroxylic spirit as a hydrate of pyroxylic ether, which lat- 

 ter substance, like sulphuric ether, he regards not as an oxide, but 

 simply as a ternary combination of its constituents. 



The results formerly stated to the Society in proof of the secon- 

 dary origin of chlorine or iodine, when aqueous solutions of the cor- 

 responding hydracids and haloid salts are submitted to voltaic 

 agency, have been confirmed with stronger voltaic powers, the oidy 

 difference being, that the chlorine or iodine, and also the corre- 

 sponding hydracid, from the secondary decomposition of which, by 

 nascent oxygen, the chlorine or iodine proceeds, are sooner carried 

 over from the negatively electrified solution into the positively 

 electrified water, than when smaller powers are employed. The 

 decomposition of binoxide of iodine in an aqueous solution of starch, 

 has also been ascertained, by analogous methods, to be a secondary 

 action. 



The appearances presented during the electric decomposition of 

 alcoholic solutions of acids, alkalies, and salts, have been found to be 

 very analogous to those observed in the corresponding aqueous solu- 

 tions, the principal difference being', that the oxygen of the decom- 

 posed water of the alcohol rarely appears at the positive pole, for 

 reasons formerly explained. An ordinary oxyacid salt dissolved 

 in alcohol is slowly resolved, under voltaic action, into its constituent 

 acid and base, with evolution of hydrogen at the negative pole ; 

 and, where the base is not of difficult reduction, a portion of it is 

 reduced by the hydrogen. By experiments conducted on principles 

 exactly analogous to those with aqueous solutions, it was found 

 that the appearance of iodine at the positive pole, in an alcoholic 

 solution of iodide of potassium, is a secondary effect due to nascent 

 oxygen. 



By instituting a comparison between the electric action on alco- 



