298 Extrication of the Alkalijiahle Metals, 



this wire were made to reach into the mercury in the capsule L, 

 Over the mouth of the bell F, after the introduction of the flask 

 and coil, some bed-ticking was tied, so as to prevent contact be- 

 tween the platina and mercury, and to check as much as possible, 

 any reunion between the radical taken up by the one, and the 

 chlorine liberated by the other. Into the bell T, a saturated so- 

 lution of the chloride to be decomposed was poured, and some 

 coarsely powdered crystals of the same compound added. Of 

 course the solution, by penetrating the ticking, came into con- 

 tact with the mercury. 



Electrolytic Process. 



The peculiar mechanism of my apparatus, by which, in ten 

 seconds, the acid may be thrown on or off" of the plates, enables 

 the operator, within that time, after a due arrangement of the 

 poles is made, to put either or both of the deflagrators in opera- 

 tion, or to suspend the action of either or both. This mode of 

 completing or breaking the circuit gives a great advantage in de- 

 flagrating wires ; or in the processes, wherein dry cyanides, phos- 

 phurets, or carburets are to be exposed to voltaic action in vacuo, 

 or in hydrogen. It enables us to arrange every part of the ap- 

 paratus so as to produce the best effect upon the body to be acted 

 upon, and then to cause a discharge of the highest intensity of 

 which the series is capable, by subjecting the plates to the acid 

 previously lying inactive in the adjoining trough. 



In the case in point, where a chloride was to be decomposed, 

 the deflagrators could be made to act through the same elec- 

 trodes, either simultaneously or alternately. Of these facilities I 

 thus availed myself: 



Having supplied each deflagrator with a charge of diluted acid 

 of one fourth of the usual strength, I began with No. 1, and at 

 the end of fi.ve minutes superseded it by putting No. 2 into ope- 

 ration. Meanwhile, having added to No. 1 as much more acid 

 as at first, at the end of the second five minutes, I superseded No. 

 2 by No. 1 ; and in like manner, again superseded No. 1 by No. 

 2. Having thus continued the alternate action of the deflagra- 

 tors for about twenty minutes, both were made to act upon the 

 electrodes simultaneously, the balance of acid requisite to com- 

 plete the charge having been previously added. 



