Relations of the Physical and Chemical Forces. 67 



By increasing the number of electrolytic cells in series 

 indefinitely, conjointly with the amount of electrode 

 surface exposed to the electrolyte, the amount of copper 

 deposited in each of all the cells in series will be the same 

 as in the first experiment with one cell only in circuit with 

 the Daniell's cell. Hence we have from the chemical 

 action of a single voltaic cell, an indefinitely large amount 

 of chemical action produced simultaneously in the electro- 

 lytic cells, as shown by the galvanometer and by the total 

 amount of copper deposited. Again, if in an extended 

 series of electrolytic copper cells an indefinite number of 

 electrolytic silver-cyanide cells be coupled up in the same 

 series, an indefinitely large amount of copper and silver 

 will be deposited simultaneously in the copper-silver series 

 from the chemical action of a single Daniell's cell. And, 

 generally, whenever an electric current is transmitted 

 through an electrolyte, without the evolution of gas at 

 the electrodes, an indefinitely small amount of chemical 

 decomposition in a single voltaic cell will produce an 

 indefinitely large amount of chemical decomposition in 

 a series of electrolytic cells. Moreover, as the electric 

 current from a small magneto-electric machine, turned by 

 hand, is an efficient substitute for the current derived from 

 a voltaic cell, the power of one man, or the chemical force 

 generated in the human body, from which muscular power 

 is derived, will, consequently, generate an indefinitely large 

 amount of chemical action in a series of electrolytic cells. 



One of the earliest industrial applications, with which 

 I was associated, of the principle of the indefinite increase 

 of the magnetic, electric, and chemical forces, from 

 quantities indefinitely small, was made by Mr. J. B. 

 Elkington,* in the year 1867, to the electrolytic process of 

 refining copper. In this now important industry, in which 



* James B. Elkington's Patent, November 3, 1865, No. 2838. 



