58 Mr. J. Enright on Electrifications due 



quadrants ? Was the escaping hydrogen electrified, and if 

 so what was the sign of the charge ? I proceeded to repeat 

 the experiment. 



The quadrants were short-circuited, and the insulated dish, 

 after being momentarily put to earth, was, as before, con- 

 nected to the insulated quadrants. A second fragment of 

 potassium was tossed into the water in the dish. The spot 

 moved 28 divisions to the left, then turned and moved up the 

 scale to the right, coming to rest at 200 divisions from zero. 

 The quadrants were once more short-circuited, and the experi- 

 ment again repeated. The spot moved 40 divisions to the 

 right. I could not possibly explain such irregular behaviour. 

 I carefully looked up the connexions and tested the instru- 

 ment. It was in good order. I again repeated, but with 

 similar results. 



Sodium was used instead of potassium, and although the 

 deflexions with it were also irregular, the tabulated results 

 showed a contrast. When sodium was used, 40 per cent, of 

 the deflexions were first to the left; when potassium was used, 

 70 per cent, were first to the left. Speaking broadly, this 

 seemed to indicate that when potassium was used the dish 

 received a negative charge, when sodium was used the dish 

 took a positive charge ; and as I fancied that such a result 

 would enable me to set up some theory with regard to the 

 atomic charges, I tried very hard to eliminate what I then 

 believed to be accidental exceptions and to prove that in 

 reality such was the case. 



The porcelain dish was replaced (1) by a glass beaker, and 

 (2) by a metallic dish, the experiment being repeated in 

 every other particular, but without obtaining greater regu- 

 larity in the deflexions. 



I wish to remark here that the method of testing the 

 electrification by keeping the insulated vessel from which gas 

 is escaping in connexion with the insulated quadrants during 

 the reaction is faulty, inasmuch as that under the circum- 

 stances a deflexion may be caused by the inductive action of 

 the charged needle on the quadrants. It has, however, this 

 great advantage, viz., that one can see distinctly every varia- 

 tion that may take place during any interval. It will be 

 noticed that throughout the inquiry I use this method for 

 preliminary testing, and that I conclude nothing until 1 

 verify by the more rigid process of allowing the reaction to 

 go on while the insulated plate is disconnected from the 

 quadrants, and testing the electrification at its close. 



Having failed to get a definite and constant result with 

 water, I proceeded to try other liquids. Sodium and dilute 



