196 Miscellanies. 
the electrolyzation of water is supposed to be owing to the liberation of 
a new body of a halogenous character, ranking with chlorine, iodine, &c. 
Among other things, it was discovered, Ist. That this peculiar odor re- 
mains even after the current ceases to pass. 2d. This odor is remarked 
only at the positive electrode—that is, in the vessel containing the oxygen 
gas, no trace being perceptible in the hydrogen. 3d. The odoriferous 
principle is easily retained for any length of time in a well-stopped vessel. 
4th. The evolution of it is dependent upon the following circumstances : 
a, the nature of the metals constituting the positive electrode; b, upon 
the chemical constitution of the electrolyzed fluid; and c, upon the tem- 
perature of the liquid or electrode. 
Of the metals, only gold and platinum, when used as electrodes, fur- 
nish the odor; neither the oxidizable metals or charcoal possessing this 
property. It is discovered that the odor is developed at the positive elec- 
trode, from distilled water that is mixed with chemically pure, common, 
and fuming sulphuric acid, with phosphoric acid, with chemically pure 
nitric acid, with sulphate.of potash, phosphate of potash, and nitrate of 
potash. Watery solutions of chlorine, bromine, iodine, hydrochloric 
acid, and hydrobromic acid, prevent its formation; also the smallest quan- 
tity of nitrous acid, protosulphate of iron, protochloride of iron, and pro- 
tochloride of zinc. If to a vessel of oxygen formed at the positive elec- 
trode, there is added a little iron, zinc, tin, or Jead filings, pulverized 
charcoal, arsenic, bismuth, antimony, or a drop of mercury, and the ves- 
sel shaken, the odor disappears; the same is produced by heated gold or 
platinum, and by solutions of the protosulphate and protochloride of iron. 
If gold or platinum foil be placed for a few moments in the oxygen 
gas containing the principle in question, they become polarized ; that is, 
they acquire the property of exciting a current in any liquid in which they 
may stand in the relation of cathode, although it is of very short dura- 
tion. For this polarization to take place, it is necessary that the metals 
should be at the ordinary temperature, and should not have the least 
moisture on their surface. Platinum heated, or having been kept in con- 
tact with hydrogen, loses the property of becoming polarized ; their po- 
larization is of some duration after the exposure of the metals to the at- 
mosphere. The oxygen that has been deprived of its odor in any of the 
ways above mentioned does not polarize gold or platinum. 
Platinum and gold become polarized when held before a stream of or- 
dinary negative electricity passing from a point. The peculiar odor is 
also perceptible in the atmosphere surrounding the point from which the 
electricity is passing; if the point be platinum, and heated, all odor is 
lost until the wire has cooled down to a certain point. 
From these and other facts, the author undertakes to show by a series 
of reasoning, that the odor is owing to a new electro-negative element 
ranking with chlorine, bromine, &c., and always present in air and wa- 
