] 98 Electrochemical Researches on 



faces of the conductors, this power of ignition was modified, 

 yet still the amalgam was only produced in thin films, and 

 I could not obtain globules sufficiently large to submit to 

 distillation. When the transmitting wires were of iron of 

 the same thickness, the iron acquired the temperature of 

 ignition, and combined with the bases of the earths in pre- 

 ference to the mercury, and metallic alloys of a dark gray 

 colour were obtained, which acted on water with the evo- 

 lution of hydrogen, and were converted into oxide of iron, 

 and alkaline earths. 



Whilst I was engaged in these experiments, in the be- 

 ginning of June, I received a letter from Professor Berzelius 

 of Stockholm, in which he informed me that,' in conjunction 

 with Dr. Pontin, he had succeeded in decomposing barytes 

 and lime, by negatively electrifying mercury in contact with 

 them, and that in this way he had obtained amalgams of the 

 jnetals of these earths. 



I immediately repeated these operations with perfect suc- 

 cess ; a globule of mercury, electrified by the power of the 

 battery of 500, weakly charged, was made to act upon a 

 surface of slightly moistened barytes, fixed upon a plate of 

 platina. The mercury gradually became less fluid, and after 

 a few minutes was found covered with a white film of ba- 

 rytes ; and when the amalgam was thrown into water, hy- 

 drogen was disengaged, the mercury remained free, and a 

 solution of barytes was formed. ' 



The result with lime, as these gentlemen had stated, was 

 precisely analogous. 



That the same happy methods must succeed with strontites 

 and magnesia, it was not easy to doubt, and I quickly tried 

 the experiment. 



From strontites I obtained a very rapid result ; but from 

 magnesia, in the first trials, no amalgam could be procured. 

 By continuing the process, however, for a longer time, and 

 keeping the earth continually moist, at last a combination 

 of the basis with mercury was obtained, which slowly pro- 

 duced magnesia by absorption of oxygen from air, or by the 

 action of water. 



fV?l these amalgams I found might be preserved for a con- 

 siderable 



