Proposal for an Lnprovement of ike Galvanic Trough. 15 



bustion with oxygen, fluorine, chlorine, and iodine in one pro- 

 portion, would be thus expressed — calca, calcula, calcana, and 

 calcama. 



I throw out these hints for discussion, rather than with any 

 wish for their adoption, and for the purpose of directing the 

 attention of chemists towards the subject of nomenclature, which 

 ought to be settled on some fixed principles ; and in naming a 

 new class of compounds, great caution should be used to pre- 

 vent the necessity of alteration. 



In my last paper, presented to the Society two months ago, 

 I ventured to suggest that it v/as probable, diat new species of 

 matter, which act with respect to inflammable bodies, like oxy- 

 gen, cldorine and fluorine, would be discovered. I had not hoped, 

 at that time, to be able so soon to describe the properties of a 

 body of this kind, v/hich forms an acid with hydrogen, like 

 chlorine and fluorine, and which in some of its"combiiiations 

 resembles oxygen. 



This new fact will, I hope, do something towards settling the 

 opinion of chemists respecting the nature of acidity, which seems 

 to depend upon peculiar combinations of matter, and not on any 

 peculiar elementary principle. 



It is probable that iodine will be found. in many combinations 

 in nature. We may expect that it will be discovered in various 

 marine vegetables, and in sea water ; and probably the loss of 

 weight indicated in the analysis of certain fossil substances may 

 depend upon its expulsion. 



Its compounds with the metals will probably form a new class 

 of pigments ; and it is not impossible, that the triple salts it 

 forms containing oxygen, may be made substitutes for nitre iu 

 the manufacture of gunpo\^■der. 

 Paris, Dec. 10, 1813. 



III. Proposal for an Iviprovemenl <f the Galvanic Trough. 



f^ T Warcli 14, 1814. 



^'«) — -If you should deem the following worthy a place in your 

 next number, it is much at your service. I beg to remain ' 



Your most obedient servant. 

 To Mr. Tilloch. A. B. 



The late important and highly interesting discovery of Sir H. 

 Davy has rendered the Voltaic battery an apparatus of such 

 extensive application, that any improvement, or any suggestion 

 which may tend to an improvement, cannot be unacceptable. 



Plate I. fig. 1. A. The trough, which should be made of carth- 

 tnware, witii partitions and lateral grooves for the plates to slip 



into. 



