312 Bacon — Phenomena Observed in CrooJces 1 Tubes. 



that, under these limiting conditions, the electric discharge 

 can only take place by a disruption of atoms (failing chemical 

 combinations, of which after electrolysis of the residual aque- 

 ous vapor probably none would remain) similar to the electrol- 

 ysis, which alone enables the current to pass through water 

 and other liquids ? 



There is, of course, the intermediate possibility of the mere 

 disruption of molecules into nascent atoms, but this probably 

 would not continuously intensify the vacuum by enabling the 

 elements to escape, though it might be an intermediate stage. 



The extremely tenuous condition of the residual elementary 

 gas or gases in a Crookes tube, reducing exchanges of charges 

 to a minimum, would apparently be a favorable condition 

 for such disruption, and probably the high temperature would 

 be another. 



Holderness, N. H., Aug. 18, 1906. 



