158 



holic and on aqueous solutions of cblorides and iodides, under cir- 

 cumstances in which no secondary actions could take place at the 

 poles, the appearances led to the conclusion, that these salts are not 

 dissolved as such in water, but as muriates and h3'driodates. The 

 solution was placed in a tube connected by means of asbestus with 

 two other tubes containing distilled water, the positive pole being 

 introduced into one of the tubes containing water, and the negative 

 into the other. When an alcoholic solution of a chloride or iodide 

 was in the outer tube, no acid was observed to be produced in the 

 alcoholic solution, but only at the point of contact between the solu- 

 tion and the water. On the other hand, when an aqueous solution 

 was employed, a plentiful production of the corresponding hydracid 

 was observed in that solution on its positive side. These appear- 

 ances are exactly those which ought to be observed, if we suppose 

 chlorides and iodides to be dissolved as such in absolute alcohol, 

 and as muriates and hydriodates in water. In none of these cases 

 was clilorine or iodine produced, except at the positive pole in the 

 positive water, by a secondary action on the corresponding hydracid. 

 When etherial solutions of various substances, such as potash, 

 chromic acid, and metallic chlorides, are submitted to galvanic ac- 

 tion, there is no symptom of decomposition either of the solvent or 

 of the dissolved body. Thus no exception has yet beeii met with 

 to the general conclusion, " Tliat when solutions of binary combina- 

 tions of elementary bodies in water, alcohol, or ether, are submit- 

 ted to voltaic agency, the dissolved substance is not decomposed, 

 but only tiie solvent, if itself an electrolyte." A few cases, how- 

 ever, comprehended within the law still remain to be experiment- 

 ally investigated. 



Sir Charles Bell gave a Verbal Notice regarding the import- 

 ance of the Circulation in the ]Medulla Oblongata, and 

 the office of the Vertebral Artery. 



Monday, Srf April 18^7. 

 The Right Honourable LORD GREENOCK, Vice-President 



in the Chair. 

 The following Donations were presented : 



Comptes Rendus Hebdomadaires des Seances de I'Acaderaie des 

 Sciences (1S37, l^' Semestre), Nos. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.—% the 

 Academy. 



