660 
Among the organic acids and salts we observed some that were 
electrifying. To this eategory belong the fatty acids, soluble in water, 
which have been discussed in a previous publication '). With strong- 
er concentrations the sign is found to be positive, with weaker 
Ones negative, with a definite concentration, of course, passing through 
zero. The behaviour of bezoic acid, salicylic acid and lactic acid is 
completely analogous ’). 
With citric acid and hippuric acid the charge is, indeed, always 
negative, but in the strongest solutions that can be made at room- 
temperature, it approaches the point of transition, i.e. the negative 
charge begins to decrease again, so that whenever still more con- 
centrated solutions of ammonia-salts can be made, a positive charge 
comes forth. If the solubility of citric acid and hippuric acid were 
still greater, the point of transition from the negative to the positive 
phase would, with these salts, also be reached or passed. 
In comparing the curves of hydrochloric acid, chlorammonia, 
benzoas ammonicus, and benzoic acid, a general view is obtained 
by means of the hypothesis that the influence of the anion contributes 
most to the charge of the drops in the nebula, because the anion 
lies most on the surface of the drops. In spraying, however, the 
disc takes a positive charge, especially when the large and volatile 
molecules have lost their superficial layer. 
When meanwhile, by the side of the complete molecules, ions 
make their appearance in the liquid, an algebraic sum of charges 
is the consequence of it. A positive charge, as alluded to just now 
combines with the negative, which is imparted by the anions on 
the surface of the drops. With increasing dilution the algebraic sum 
comes nearer to zero and the point of transition is even passed. 
So far as we can see, the cation does not play an important part 
in this process. = 
Resuming we found first of all that the negative charges of the 
strong solutions of the anorganic salt are extremely small; further, 
that the form and the intensity of the negative phases of the charges 
of benzoas natricus and benzoic acid are strikingly uniform and 
that even their points of transition coincide. 
It may be conceived, therefore, that although the cations and 
anions in these solutions are equal in number, the latter are driven 
1) H. ZWAARDEMAKER and H. ZeEHUIZEN: “On the Sign of the Electrical 
Phenomenon and the Influence of Lyotrope Series Observed in this Phenomenon”. 
Proceedings Vol. XXI. p. 417. 
*) Also lactic acid in concentrated solution gave a strong positive charge; lactates 
were not at our disposal. 
