^^6 Outlines of a Vlczu of Galvanlfm. 



will be exactly analogous to tliofe produced in the feries with 

 plates ; filvcr, and all the more oxidable metals, oxidating 

 ill water, in the ulual place ; and gold and platina evolving 

 oxygen gas. 



Thus, when into two final! glafs tubes, conne61ed bvmoift 

 animal iubftance, and iilled with dillilled water, two gold 

 wires are intrftduced from a large battery, in the proper 

 order, oxygen is produced in one quantity of water, and 

 hydrogen in the other, nearly in the proportions in which 

 they are required to form water by combultion *. And if 

 the procefs be continued for fome time, the apparatus being 

 expofed to the atmofpherc, the water in the oxvgen-giving 

 tube will become impregnated with an acid (apparently the 

 nitrous) ; whilll that in the hydrogen-giving tube will be 

 found to hold in folution an alkali, which, in certain cafes, 

 has appeared to be llxed f. 



From fome experiments it would appear probable that 

 the quantities of hydrogen produced in feries are fmall, and 

 the quantities of alkali great, in pro[)ortion as the iurfaces of 

 contaft of the lead oxidable metals with the water are more 

 extended * . 



All the oxygenated folutions of bodies pofTefling Icfs afiinity 

 for oxygen than nafcent hydrogen, are dccompofed when 

 expofed to the acliun of the metal occupying the place of tht- 

 lead oxidable part of a ieries in the compound circle. 



Thus, fulphur may be produced from fulphuric acid ; and 

 copper and other metals precipitated in the metallic form 

 from their folvents J. 



But little knowledge has yet been obtained concerning the 

 chemical chano;es takino; place in the fecond elafs of galvanic 

 batteries. But from ieveral experiments it would appear that 

 they are materially difierent in ihe laws of their produ£lion 

 from thofe taking place in the firft clai's. 



Thus, when linele metallic wires with water are placed 

 as feries in powerful batteries of the fecond order, the in- 

 fluence producing oxygen feems to be tranfmitted bv the 

 point, in the place of that part of the plate, which was ap- 

 parently incapable of undergoing oxidation; wliilfl; the hy- 

 drogen is evolved from that point, where the oxidating part 

 of the primary feries appeared to exirt§. 



w Original experiment, D. 



•}• Mr. Cruiklhank, the firft difcoverer of the galvanic produiTtion of 

 alkali, ruppofes that the hydrogen wire in common waitr generati.s am- 

 moniac. Perhaps the prefcnct; of nuifcular fibre is cotinet>ed with the 

 production of fixed alV.ali in tiic experiment detailed in the text, 



X Mr. Nicholfon, Mr. Ciuikfhank, und Mr. tlenry jun. 



§ 6. 



