HENRY DEACON 189 



4. As to the best arrangement of the 

 substances. 



5. As to the effects produced in and by 

 currents of gas of different velocities. 



6. As to the effect of various proportions of 

 air, or of oxygen and hydrochloric acid. 



He supports his thories by an accumulation 

 of results given in tabulated form ; and he 

 illustrates his ideas by means of many 

 geometrical diagrams. 



He thus states his conclusions: 

 i. That the same mixture of gases, and 

 and at the same temperature, the amount of 

 hydrochloric acid decomposed by the acid of a 

 molecule of the copper salt in a given time, 

 depends upon the number of times the 

 molecules of the mixed gases are passed 

 through the sphere of action of the copper 

 salt. Conversely, that the activity of a 

 molecule of copper depends upon the speed 

 with which fresh matter is presented to, and 

 the products are removed from it. Not that 

 force is in this way created, but using 

 Bunsen's words, " Catalytic action is not an 

 equivalent to an unlimited amount of labour, 

 but for every decomposition effected, an 

 equivalent amount of force is absorbed, just 

 as in the case of a weight raised by a falling 



