JYS EXPERIMENTS WITH THE ELECTRIC PILE. 



combine with the tion produced by the pofitive pole is eafily obfervable. No- 

 hidrogenof thing more is neceflary, than to arm it with a leaf of gold, and 

 water; the po- , " . ., ./ i •. r . i i , • • 



fitive with its the negative pile with a bit or charcoal ; when, on bringing 



oxigen. them into contaft, the gold leaf will burn with a bright flame, 



tion of metals ^"'^ ^^^ charcoal remain untouched. If the charcoal be placed 

 has different de- in contad with the pofitive pole, and the gold leaf in con- 

 the'"oxigena- ^^^ ^'^^ ^^^ negative, the charcoal will burn, and the gold 

 tion. melt. The hidrogenation produced by the negative pole is 



driTnSbe- '' ^^^^ diftinft, fo that it is feldom perceived: but fads may be 

 comesa gas s lef$ adduced however, that prove its exiftence. If a little vefTel 

 cllvanilmhu'^* of iron or platina, filled with mercury, be placed in contaa 

 drogenates and with the negative pole, on touching the furface of this fluid 

 oxigenates me- p^gtal with the pofitive condu6lor, we obtain a point or circle 

 way alfo. of a powder very different from the black oxide of mercury. 



If the pofitive which is produced when the mercury is placed in contact with 

 be armed with^ the pofitive pole, and touched with the negative condu6lor. 

 gold leaf, and the The oxide produced in the latter cafe arranges itfelf in the 

 bk^of charcoal* figure of little fiars, equal to thofe produced by pofitive elec- 

 on making the tricity with the powder: and the circular figures on the mer- 

 kaf'v^n bum° ^^"''^ ^^ ^^^^ negative pole are likewife equal to thofe produced 

 with a bright by the powder eledrified with the negative conduftor. 

 flame, and the jj^ ^ -[g j|^g jg^ ^f ^hi^h are not made to communicate 

 charcoal remain „ . „ 



unaltered : by means of a conducing fubftance, the chemical aftion of the 



if the fituation flrata compofing it is very unequal. The plates of zinc are 

 of the two be re- .,,,r. . ;-,.n r 



verfed, the char- oxided leis in proportion to their diftance from the pofitive 



coal will burn, pole; fo that thofe neareft the negative pole have frequently 

 jnelt^ no traces of oxidation, and feem rather to have been protected 



The hidrogena- from the afllon of the water by which they are wetted, than 

 tlna'-^ but if" sittacked by the a6tion of the pile. This may be rendered ftill 

 mercury, in a more evident by placing every fifth pair in contact with an iron 



^Mna°^be°"aced ^"'^' ^^^® °^'^^'' ^"^ °^ ^^''^'^ '^ plunged in water. In this 

 in contadl with experiment the oxidation of thefe wires will be in the inverf< 



the negative j-^tio of their difiances from the pofitive pole; irj the centre the 



pole, ana Its fur- .... , •■ , , ■ ^ , 



face touched by Wire Will not be more oxided than another fimply phmged in 



acondu<flor from water for att equal length of time, and all the wires beyond 



fpot^oVcilcle of ^h's will be flill lefs oxided. Hence it is evident, that another 



a powder differ- a6tion, the reverfe of oxidation, has taken place. 



b"ack oTide,^ Of all the effects of the pile, its adion on the human body 



which is produ- has been leafl examined. The fliock, or rather palpitation, 



r'^cTte drcMm ^^^^ '^ excites, has been confidered as too fimple, to be fub- 



ftances, will be jected to ftricl inquiry; and the flafli, as well as its adlion on 



found on the 41,-, 



iurface. "'^ 



11 



