20 
Mr. Davy's Lecture on some 
barytes : the acid matter exposed to a strong heat evaporated 
without leaving any residuum. 
IV. On the Transfer of certain of the constituent Parts of Bodies 
by the Action of Electricity. 
M. Gautherot has stated,* that in a single Galvanic 
circle of zinc, silver, and water, in an active state, the oxide 
of zinc formed is attracted by the silver;^ and M. M. 
Hisinger and Berzelius detail an account of an experiment, 
in which solution of muriate of lime being placed in the positive 
part of a siphon, electrified by wires from a Voltaic pile, 
and distilled water in the negative part, lime appeared in the 
distilled water. 
These facts rendered it probable, that the saline elements 
evolved in decompositions by electricity were capable of being 
transferred from one electrified surface to another, according 
to their usual order of arrangement ; but to demonstrate this 
clearly, new researches were wanting. 
I connected one of the cups of sulphate of lime, mentioned 
page 13, with a cup of agate by asbestus ; and, filling them with 
purified water, made the platina wire in the cup of sulphate of 
lime transmit the electricity from a power of 100 ; a wire in the 
agate cup received it. In about four hours a strong solution of 
lime was found in the agate cup, and sulphuric acid in the cup 
of sulphate of lime. • By reversing the order, and carrying on 
the process for a similar time, the sulphuric acid appeared in 
the agate cup, and the solution of lime on the opposite side. 
Many trials were made with other saline substances, with 
* Annales de Chimie, Vol. XXXIX. page 203. f Ibid. Vol. LI. page 171.. 
