of Electrical and Chemical Ckatiges. 35 



galvanism and electricity, which had been always maintained 

 by Volta, out of all doubt, by some very decisive experiments. 



In 1S04, MM, Hisinger and Berzelius stated that neutro- 

 saline solutions were decomposed by electricity', and the acid 

 matter separated at the positive, and the alkaline matter at the 

 negative poles; and they asserted that in this way muriate of 

 limemight bedecomposed; and drew the conclusion that nascent 

 hydrogen was not, as had been generally believed, the cause 

 of the appearance of metals from metallic solutions. These 

 valuable observations ought to have explained distinctly the 

 source of the appearance of acid and alkaline substances at 

 the two extremities of the pile ; yet the paper was never trans- 

 lated into English, nor at all attended to ; and one of their 

 facts was contradicted by the assertion of, generally, a veiy 

 accurate observer, Mr. Cruickshank, who in his early experi- 

 ments mentioned that he had not been able to decompose 

 muriate of lime in the circuit. 



In 1805 various statements were made, both in Italy and 

 England, respecting the generation of muriatic acid and fixed 

 alkali from pure water. The fact was asserted by MM. Pac- 

 chioni and Peele, and denied by Dr. Wollaston, M. Biot, 

 and the Galvanic Society at Paris*. Mr. Sylvester, who con- 

 ducted his experiments with some care, stated, that if two 

 separate portions of water were electrised out of the contact 

 of substances containing alkaline or acid matter, acid and al- 

 kali were generated ; so that up to this time the question, 

 whether these substances were liberated from their combina- 

 tions, or formed from their elements by electricity, could not 

 be considered as decided : a circumstance not so much to be 

 wondered at, when the novel and extraordinary nature of the 

 whole class of galvanic phasnomena is considered. 



It was in the beginning of 1806+ that I attempted the solu- 

 tion of this question ; and after some months' labour I pre- 

 sented to the Society the Dissertation, to which I have re- 



* Some writers have very incorrectly referred the origin of these re- 

 searches to the observations of Hisinger and Berzelius ; Annates de Chim. 

 vol. li. 1 cap. pag. 167; but these observations were never quoted by any 

 writer of the day on the pretended production of muriatic acid and alkali ; 

 and I was not acquainted with them till after my fundamental experiments 

 were finished; and, when in drawing up an account of them, I looked 

 back through the whole series of periodical publications to find accounts 

 of experiments bearing upon the same question, and I believe I first di- 

 rected the public attention to the value of those researches. A\'hoever 

 will take the trouble to read the Bakerian Lecture for 1800", will be con- 

 vinced of the gradual develo[)inent of the whole subject from the investiga- 

 tion respecting the pretended formation of muriatic acid and fixed alkali. 



t Phil. Trans. ISO/. 



F 2 ferred. 



