Chemistry and Physics. 281 
honor of discovery of the pile, since he di efore it was discovered. 
Prof. James D. Forbes, in his sketch of the progress of mathematical and 
physical science in the Encye. Brit., (8th ed.) has given the best account of 
the labors of Galvani and Volta to be found in English. In that essay 
Prof. Forbes says (§ 765) respecting the discoveries of Davy, “ Potassium 
was discovered in the laboratory of the Royal Institntion on the 6th of 
October, (Oct. 19th ?) 1807, and sodium a few days later. The battery 
used contained 250 pairs of plates of 6 and 4 inches square.” Davy in 
reality employed, it is probable, two batteries; one of one hundred pairs 
“ 6 inch plates, and another of one hundred and fifty pairs of 4 inch 
ates 
7. On the Electrolysis of Sulphuric acid ; by Dr. Axton GEnTHER. 
(Liebig and Kopp’s Annal., Feb. 1857).—The following experiments were 
undertaken for the purpose of deciding the question whether an electro- 
lyte of different constitution than the simple binary relation of atom for 
atom of each element is capable of decomposition by the current. Pre- 
vious experiments with chromic acid, chlorid of iron and chromate of 
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