JXTJ 11 '11LO l T Atf IH1CO9 



76 EXPERIMENTS ON SOLAR PHOSPHORI. 



to the same influence, gave evidence of partial decomposition, 



while others resisted the greatest galvanic power he could 



' ^ in 

 apply to> them. 



With respect to galvanic influence and its evident effects in 

 decomposing compound bodies, there appears to be strong indi- 

 cations of a well-grounded support to the theory of light, as laid 

 down in these pages. First, the instrument is composed of 

 metals, the menstnia of water, of acids, and alkalies ; and 

 according to the existing view of chemical analysis, it will be 

 admitted that oxygen, hydrogen, and azote are present, and 

 that we therefore have what is here asserted to constitute the 

 requisites to produce light. The result of the action is this, 

 the menstrua and the metals are decomposed, and give a 

 portion of their component parts at the opposite extremities of 

 the galvanic apparatus. 



Before we proceed further in adducing the proofs in support 



of this hypothesis, it is necessary to present a few of the 



-i r r . , . . 



opinions in bnet or some eminent authorities. 



Sir H. Davy observes, that the difficulty of refracting radiant 

 heat, may be conceived to depend on the greater size of the ag- 

 gregated particles, and that according to Newton, any matter 

 moving with great velocity in right lines, may be conceived 

 capable of communicating an expansive motion to the particles 

 of bodies. 



It is also remarked by Sir H. Davy, that if specific 1 highly 

 rare imponderable fluids be assumed to account for the pheno- 

 mena, as many must be adopted as there are different series of 

 effects produced by different rays. There must be a matter of 

 a violet light, a matter of a blue light, a deoxidating ethereal 

 matter, a calorific solar matter, and a calorific terrestrial -matter, 



WHICH IS VERY CONTRADICTORY TO THE USUAL SIMPLICITY OF 



CAUSES. 



But the experiments on solar phosphori render such a con- 

 clusion quite improbable. Pyrophorus, of Canton, if exposed 

 to the blue rays pale yellow light, and not blue, as it ought to 



