[ 4.3 ] 



X. Oil the Voltaic Polarisation of certain Solid and Fluid 

 Substances. By Prof. Schcenbein. 



To the Editors of the Philosophical Magazine and Journal. 

 Gentlemen, 

 T READ a paper containing an account of the results of 

 -*- my researches on the voltaic polarization of solid and fluid 

 bodies, before the scientific meetings which took place at 

 Bale and Fribourg, some months ago. 



This memoir, I think, will soon be published in the 

 Biblioth. Univ. and in PoggendorfF's Annalen, and the sci- 

 entific public thereby enabled to appreciate the facts re- 

 lated in it. The sort of investigations alluded to could not 

 but lead me to make numerous experiments similar to those 

 which were mentioned the other day in the French Academy, 

 as performed by MM. Matteucci* and Peltier, of vvhich I have 

 however, up to this present moment, but a very imperfect 

 knowledge. Having from want of time not yet been able to 

 draw up a regular paper on the results of my most recent 

 voltaic researches, and thinking them not quite void of sci- 

 entific interest, I beg the favour of your giving in the forth- 

 coming Number of your widely circulated Journal a place to 

 the general statements, the tenor of which is as follows : 



1. A platina wire polarized either in the positive or nega- 

 tive way loses its peculiar condition by being heated red-hot. 

 (I call positively polarized a wire which has acted for some 

 time the part of the negative electrode in water slightly acidu- 

 lated by sulphuric acid ; and I term negatively polarized a 

 wire which has in the same liquid performed the function of 

 the positive electrode.) 



2. A platina wire positively polarized loses its peculiar con- 

 dition by being plunged only for a single moment into an at- 

 mosphere of chlorine. 



3. A platina wire positively polarized loses likewise its 

 electromotive power by being placed in an atmosphere of 

 oxygen ; but in order to destroy entirely the polarity of the 

 wire, it is necessary that it should remain for some seconds 

 in the gas mentioned. 



4. A platina wire negatively polarized loses its peculiar 

 condition by being put into an atmosphere of hydrogen, but 

 in order to obtain this effect, it is required that the wire in 

 question should remain for some seconds in the gas. 



5. A platina wire polarized either negatively or positively 

 is not sensibly aflected by being placed in an atmosphere of 



• Hee p. 469 of our iast number and volume. — Edit. 



