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IV. The Bakerian Lecture : on some new Electro-chemical Phe~ 
nomena. By William Thomas Brande, Esq, F, R, S. Prof, 
Chem, R, I, 
Read November 25, 1813. 
§. I. 
It has been ascertained by Sir H. Davy, that when compound 
bodies capable of transmitting electricity are submitted to the 
operation of the Voltaic pile, their proximate and ultimate 
elements are separated with uniform phenomena ; that acids 
are attracted towards the positively electrified surface, and 
that alkaline and inflammable substances take an opposite 
direction and collect at the negative pole. 
Of the ultimate chemical elements of bodies, the greater 
number exhibit the last mentioned character, and a few only 
appear to be attracted towards the positive extremity of the 
Voltaic instrument; and as bodies possessed of dissimilar elec- 
trical powers attract each other, it has been concluded, that 
the inherent electrical state of the former is positive, that of 
the latter negative. 
These chemical effects were at first regarded as peculiar 
to the Voltaic pile, and were considered to depend upon the 
operation of a new agent, termed the Galvanic fluid, until 
Dr. Wollaston, in the year 1801,* succeeded in imitating 
the effects by means of the electrical machine, and thus 
♦ Phil. Trans. 1801, p. 435. 
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