W. G. Mixter — On Electrosynthesis. 53 



After trying various forms of apparatus, that shown in the 

 figure was adopted. The wires E from the induction coil dip 

 into the tap water in the inner tubes A and the tap water in 

 the jacket tubes C is connected by the insulated wire D. The 

 wires are supported by the insulating cords F, and the stand- 

 ards and clamps are of wood. The eudiometers are placed 

 about three feet apart, it having been found when they were 

 only a few inches apart that an electrical discharge in one 

 sometimes produced a glow in the other from which the con- 

 ducting wires were removed, and when close together and in 

 series that the results were discordant. Experience also showed 

 that it is necessary to let the apparatus stand some hours before 

 commencing an experiment. A current of 2*2 volts and 1 to 

 1*6 amperes from one storage cell was used on the primary of 

 the coil, giving a spark in air of 7 to 10 millimeters and of 

 course a much feebler current through the wire D. A current 

 of higher potential discharged perceptibly into the air from 

 the wires E. Two cells were used and the coil was connected 

 at times with only one eudiometer to complete the reaction in 

 order to find the residual gas not entering into combination. 

 The gases were dried by solid potassium hydroxide at B. 

 To absorb carbon dioxide half to one cubic centimeter of a 

 saturated solution of potassium hydroxide was introduced and 

 made to coat the eudiometer four or five centimeters above B. 

 The vapor tension of the solution was too small to interfere with 

 the results. The absorption of water and carbon dioxide was so 

 rapid while the discharge was taking place in the eudiometers 

 that only one or two per cent of the volume of the gases was 

 water or carbon dioxide or both together. This was found by 

 reading the eudiometer when the current from the coil was 

 stopped and again some hours later. With gases at a pressure 

 of 150 mm or less a glow about the tube A, visible only in a 

 darkened room, usually appeared on putting the coil in action, 

 while in some cases a stronger current than that described 

 was required to start the glow discharge, but when once 

 started the feeble current gave a fairly constant glow. The 

 discharge between the glass surfaces in the eudiometers was of 

 course alternating and so was the current in the connecting wires 

 and hence not measurable by electrolytic methods. Many 

 experiments were made with the discharge from large metallic 

 electrodes in oxygen and hydrogen at low pressures. Some- 

 times there was slow combination, but usually the mixture 

 exploded, and hence attempts to use the direct discharge were 

 abandoned. A Wimshurst machine was also tried without suc- 

 cess. When connected with the eudiometers described they 

 appeared to act as condensers, the discharge in them being 

 alternating. At some future time I hope to measure the cur- 

 rent by electrical methods and to determine the quantity of 



