8 On some Chanlcal Agencies of ElectricUy. 



was decomposed and evaporated to more than one-half of its 

 oriifinal quantitv ; llic acid was strong, bin the alkali in as 

 minute a portion as in the last experiment. It acted, in- 

 deed, rather more vividly on the tests, on account ot the 

 greater diminution of the fluid, but presented the same re- 

 sults after being heated. 



It was now impossible to doubt that the water contained 

 some substance in very minute quantities, capable of causing 

 the appearance of (ixcd alkali, but which was soon exhaust- 

 ed ; and the question that immediately presented itself was. 

 Is this substance saline matter carried over in distillation ? 

 or is it nitrogen gas vxhich exists in minute portions in all 

 water that has been exposed to air, and which, if an element 

 of the fixed alkali, would under the circumstance of the ex- 

 periment have been soon exhausted, whilst its absorption 

 from the atniosphere would be impeded by the saturation of 

 the water with hydrogen ? 



I was much more inclined to the former than to the latter 

 supposition. I evaporated a quart of the distilled water that 

 I had used, very slowly, at a heal below 140*^ Fahrenheit, 

 in a silver still ; a solid matter remained, equal to 7-lOths 

 of a grain ; this matter had a saline but metallic taste, and 

 was deliquescent when exposed to air : I could not obtain 

 from it regular crystals ; it did not aficct turmeric or litmus, 

 but a part of it, after being heated red, in a silver crucible, 

 exhibited strong alkaline properties. It was not possible to 

 make a minute analysis of so small a quantity, but it ap- 

 jieared to me to be principally a nnxture of nitrate of soda 

 and nitrate of lead; and the metallic substance, it is most 

 likely, was furnished bv the condensing tube of the common 



sdn.' 



The exislence of saline matter in the distilled water be- 

 ing thus distinct, it was easy, to determine its operation in 

 the exjxiriment. I filled the two gold cones with water in 

 the visual manner; that negatively electrified, soon attained 

 the maximum of its effect. upon turmeric paper. I then in- 

 troduced into it a very minute portion of the substance ob- 

 tained by the process of evaporation that has been just de- 

 scribed ; 



