071 Alcohol, Ether, and Aqueous Solutions, 161 



tlie acetic. * The absorption of oxygen during the action of 

 voltaic electricity on alcohol, is an analogous effect to these in- 

 stances. Where the alcohol held ^^g of potash in solution, it 

 was stated that carbonate of potash was precipitated, and that 

 the liquid became red from the formation of resinous matter. 

 The carbonic acid here comes in place of the formic and acetic 

 acids, which are formed in a strong alcoholic solution of potash, 

 exposed to the atmosphere, which is also known to acquire a red 

 colour from the production of resinous matter. The formation 

 of carbonic acid marks a more powerful oxidation ; and accord- 

 ingly, is only observed during voltaic action, when the disposing 

 affinity of potash comes into play, and the electric agency is of 

 an energetic description. 



The positive gas could, in certain circumstances, be made to 

 appear in addition to the negative, as by diluting the alcohol 

 with an equal bulk of water, or by dissolving ^Jg of potash in 

 alcohol of sp. gr. .840 ; and also by arrangements producing 

 certain electrical effects, as by reversing the battery after it had 

 been some time in action, or by performing the experiment in 

 metallic vessels, instead of those of glass or porcelain. 



The view, that the hydrogen evolved from alcohol under 

 voltaic agency proceeds from water contained in the alcohol, 

 was farther confirmed, by passing the same electric current 

 through alcohol sp. gr. .796 at 60° F., holding a minute quan- 

 tity of potash dissolved, and through water holding the same 

 quantity of potash dissolved, in the arrangement to which Dr 

 Faraday has given the name of the volta-electrometer ; when 

 it was found that the same quantity of gas was evolved from 

 both negative poles, shewing that in both solutions, water was 

 the subject of decomposition. 



In the whole circumstances, I conceive it to be quite clear 

 that the hydrogen proceeds from decomposed water ; but a ques- 

 tion of some interest remains, Does the water thus decomposed 

 enter into the constitution of the alcohol, when alcohol of very 

 low sp. gr. is acted on .? Although it has been very generally 

 held that alcohol is a hydrate, this view has been hitherto rather 

 a more or less j)robable theoretical inference from expei-imental 

 results, than an experimental result itself; but if it can be 



• New Ediii. Phil. Journ. xxviii. 231. 

 vol.. XIX. NO. XXXVII. JULY 18.'}.'5. I 



