}2J DECOMPOSITION OF BORACIC ACID. 



uid mucus ? in its tmcoagulated state. There appears, however, to be 

 some animal substance beside the albumen, at least in the 

 greatest part of them, to which I have hitherto assigned the 

 name of mucus, but whether properly or not, must be the 

 subject of future consideration. 



I am, Sir, 



Your obedient servant, 

 Liverpool, Aug. 3, 180Q. J. BOSTOCK. 



IT. 



The Bakerian Lecture. An Account of some new analytical 

 Researches on the Nature of certain Bodies, fyc By 

 Humphry Davy, Esq. Sec. R. S. F.R. S. Ed. and M. 

 R.J. A. 



{Continued from vol. XXIII, p. 334. J 



6. Experiments on the Decomposition and Composition of 

 the Boracic Acid. 



Boracic acid Ji.N the last Bakerian Lecture* I have given an account of 

 decomposer . an ex p er i aien t } j n w hich boracic acid appeared to be de- 

 composed by Voltaic electricity, a dark coloured inflamma- 

 ble substance separating from it on the negative surface. 



In the course of the spring and summer, I made many 

 attempts to collect quantities of this substance for minute 

 examination. When boracic acid, moistened with water, 

 was exposed between two surfaces of platina, acted on by 

 the full power of the battery of five hundred, an olive- 

 brown matter immediately began to form on the negative 

 surface, which gradually increased in thickness, and at last 

 appeared almost black. It was permanent in water, but 

 soluble with effervescence in warm nitrous acid. When 

 heated to redness upon the platina it burnt slowly, and gave 

 off white fumes, which slightly reddened moistened litmus 

 paper; and it left a black mass, which, when examined by 



* Phil. Trans, for 1808, p. 43 ; or Journal, vol. XX, p. 331. 



the 



Attempt to ef. 

 feet this in 

 quantities. 



