130 On some new Electro-chemical Phcenomena* 



not very evidently attracted by either pole, unless the flame be 

 of a very large size. It may, however, be conceived with regard 

 to cs'-bnre'.ttJ hvdroger. '.hat the carbonic acid which is fo-T!,ed 

 docs actual!', pass oft' 'o the positive suiface, and that the polarity 

 of its iiame is influciictd rather by the combustible, than by the 

 product of combustion: this idea is in some measure sanctioned 

 by the appearances oxhibiLed bv the flame of the sulphuret of 

 carbon, wliich is directed towards the negative ball, although the 

 sulphureous acid visibly passes towaids the positive side, and it is 

 fair to infer that the carbonic acid accompanies it. 



An attempt was made to detect the carbonic acid by means of 

 caustic potash : for this purpose a piece of linen, moistened with 

 the alkaline solution, was applied to each conductor, and a cur- 

 rent ol carbonic acid, issuing from a small tube, was directed be- 

 tween them. The linen was then put into dilute muiiatic acid, 

 and it was expected that the effen'escence would be greatest in 

 that removed from the positive pole : this generally appeared to 

 be the case ; but I cannot say that the results were satisfactorily 

 distinct, nop indeed does the method admit of the accuracy re- 

 quired. 



The experiments related in the second section of this lecture 

 suggest an explanation of the pha?nomena alluded to, as observed 

 by Mr. Erman, more consonant with the known laws of electri- 

 city than that which he has suggested. The flame, for instance, 

 of oil, wax, &c. must be considered as consisting chiefly of those 

 bodies in a state of vapour ; and their natural electricities being 

 positive, it is obvious that, when connected with the positive pole 

 of the battery, and with a gold-leaf electrometer, the leaves will 

 continue to diverge ; but when applied to the negative pole, that 

 electrical state will be annihilated by the inherent positive energy 

 of the flame, and consequently the leaves of the negative electro- 

 meter will not diverge. On the other hand, the flame of phos- 

 phorus is negatively unipolar. Now it has been shown, that 

 this flame (owing probably to the rapidity with which it is form- 

 ing a powerful acid by combination with a large portion of oxy- 

 geh) is attracted by the positively electrified surface, and conse- 

 quently that it is itself negative, so that it would transmit nega- 

 tive electricity to the electrometer, but would annihilate the po- 

 sitive power, and thus appear as an insulator under the particular 

 circumstances which Mr. Erman has described. 



XXIII. Ai'- 



