Experiments in Volla'ic Electricity. 425 



bulfi, and a great quantity of gas arises from both wires — in con- 

 tact with the positive, it is fixed and oxidcd in a moment — in 

 contact witli the negative the metal first resumes its former bril- 

 liancy and fluidity, then appears more fluid and brilliant ; lastly, 

 it l)cgin>^ to swell and become dull, gradually increasing in size 

 till it be';omcs more th^.n fen times its original bulk. In this 

 state it appears like a spongy light metallic mass, covered with 

 protuberances, of very irregular shai^e, being a comj^lete amal- 

 gam of mercury and ammonia. When the connexion is broken 

 by removing the positive wire from the ammonia, a vast quan- 

 tity of hydrogen gas is liberated bv the amalgam, and the mer- 

 cury gradually returns to its former state. When solution of 

 pure soda'or potash is made use of, nearly the same appearances 

 occur as with the ammonia, excepting the swelling of the mer- 

 cury. Under lime-water it is fixed and oxided slowly, when in 

 contact with the positive, hut appeared evidently inclined to 

 form an amalgam ; when touching the negative^ a quantity of gas 

 arose from both wires. 



Under alcohol or ether the same appearances were visible as 

 under distilled water ; the quantity of gas was increased if the 

 spirit was heated or fired; no change takes place in the globule 

 under naphthaunless the mercury is ignited bv the Voltaic stream, 

 in which case a great deposit of charcoal is visible on the ne- 

 gative side. Under ether holding phosphorus in solution, the 

 positive wire in contact with the mercury causes it to lose its 

 fluidity and be oxided rapidly ; and it is so much flattened that 

 it covers four times the surface it occupied before, extending 

 itself in a singular manner in every direction from the positive 

 wire, till it ceases to touch it, leaving around it a circular space; 

 gas is given out by the wire not touching the metal as under 

 water. No effect takes place under phosphorized olive oil, and 

 very little under olive oil holding sulphm- in solution, the mer- 

 cury being slowly fixed by the positive wire, but no perceptible 

 gas given out by either wire. 



From the foregoing experiments I venture to draw the fol- 

 lowing conclusions: That the change in the mercury from a 

 fluid to a more solid substance when in contact with the positive 

 pole is simply occasioned l)y the metal being oxided, which 

 oxygen unites with the hydrogen from tlie negative wire when 

 touching it, and restores it to its fluidity. That this is proved 

 by its being difficult or impossible t<» fix the mercury under a 

 fluid which has power rapidly to dissolve the oxide formed. 

 That phosphorus and sulphur are still simple substances, and 

 have no metallic base ; that carbon has never been metallized, 

 as in that case it would in all probability form an amalgam with 

 the mercury under naphtha, instead of being deposited in its 



state 



