99 



stitution of Great Britain, and in the University of London, was 

 commenced. 



February 2, 1832. 



WILLIAM GEORGE MATON, M.D , Vice-President, 

 in the Chair. 



Charles Octavius Morgan, Esq., Joseph Jackson Lister, Esq.,Wil- 

 liam Gravatt, Esq., the Hon. William Francis Spencer Ponsonby, 

 Captain Sir Samuel John Brooke Pechell, R.N., Frederick Madden, 

 Esq., John Edward Gray, Esq., and Alexander Barry, Esq., were 

 elected Fellows of the Society. 



The reading of the Rev. Dr. Ritchie's paper, entitled " Experimental 

 Researches in Voltaic Electricity," was concluded. 



The author adduces many facts in refutation of the theory by 

 which Volta endeavoured to explain the development of electricity 

 in galvanic circles. He shows that the contact of dissimilar metals 

 is not necessary for producing that effect, for galvanic action may 

 be obtained by employing only one metal, if the two ends of the 

 same copper wire be coiled into helices of different diameters, and 

 immersed into dilute nitric acid. The experiments of Mr. Parrot 

 of St. Petersburgh are cited as leading to results totally different to 

 those on which Volta rested the foundations of this theory. The 

 author points out several important marks of distinction between 

 voltaic and common electricity, and denies that the latter is capable 

 of passing into the former. He shows by an experiment that the 

 free electricity developed by heat is independent of that developed 

 by galvanic action. Chemical decompositions are effected in a 

 totally different manner by voltaic and by ordinary electricity; for 

 in the former case the two elements of the decomposed substance 

 are found disengaged at the opposite poles, but in the latter they 

 are developed at the same point, and appear more as the effect of 

 a cleavage of the molecules by the mechanical agency of electricity. 

 The author conceives that in a galvanic circle of zinc and copper 

 with interposed water, the superior attraction of the zinc for oxygen 

 produces an arrangement of the molecules of the water such that 

 the particles of oxygen entering into the composition of each are 

 all turned towards tiie zinc. This definite arrangement produces 

 in its turn, by production on the neutral electric fluid contained in the 

 metal, a corresponding definite arrangement of the two electricities 

 along the whole electric circuit. Hence electro. magnetic effects 

 may be obtained without any chemical decomposition ; this latter 

 effect taking place only when the attraction of the metal for one 

 of the elements of the fluid is greater than that between the two ele- 

 ments of the fluid : and upon this principle the author conceives that 

 the phenomena of the secondary piles of Ritter, and those observed 

 by M. de la Rive, may be explained. By adopting the theory of 

 the successive decomposition and recomposition of each particle 

 of fluid in the line of action, we avoid the necessity of supposing 

 the transference of the disengaged element through the intervening 



