AND SCHONBEIN 43 



In former times I noticed that whenever I per- 

 formed electrical experiments for some time continu- 

 ously, for which purpose I employed a very powerful 

 battery, the whole atmosphere of my room smelt of 

 phosphorus for hours afterwards. I was convinced 

 that this could not result from the action of electricity 

 on the organs of smell, since it continued even after 

 the disengagement of electricity had ceased ; but it 

 seemed impossible to determine how it originated. 

 I hope you will let me know what results you obtain 

 by continuing these experiments. 



With the greatest respect, 



Yours most obediently, 



JAC. BEEZELIUS. 



IX 

 Schonbein to Berzelius 



MY DEAR BARON, 



I take the liberty of sending you a little 

 work 1 that has just appeared, in which I have dis- 

 cussed some physico-chemical questions. As you 

 will see from its contents, the views which I have 

 developed as to the relation between voltaism and 

 chemism differ in important respects from those of 



1 He refers to the book dated December 1843, and dedicated 

 to A. de la Rive, entitled, Beitrage zur Pliysikalisclien Chemie, 

 Basel, 1844. It is divided into three parts : (1) On the fre- 

 quency of contact- action in chemistry. (2) On the cause of 

 increase of conductivity of water by means of acids, alkalis and 

 salts. (3) On the action of hydro-electric currents. 



