Mr. Davy’s Lecture on some 
n 
II. On the Changes produced by Electricity in JVater. 
The appearance of acid and alkaline matter in water acted 
on by a current of electricity, at the opposite electrified me- 
tallic surfaces was observed in the first chemical experiments 
made with the column of Volta.* 
Mr. CRuicKSHANK-f supposed that the acid was the nitrous 
acid and the alkali ammonia. M. DesormesJ soon after 
attempted to show by experiments, that muriatic acid and 
ammonia were the products, and M. Brugnatelli § asserted 
the formation of a new and peculiar substance, which he has 
thought proper to call the electric acid. The experiments said 
to be made in Italy, and in this country, on the production of 
muriate of soda are recent, || and the discussions with regard 
to them still alive. As early as 1800, I had found that when 
separate portions of distilled water, filling two glass tubes 
connected by moist bladders, or any moist animal or vegetable 
substances, were submitted to the electrical action of the pile 
of Volta by means of gold wires, a nitro-muriatic solution 
of gold appeared in the tube containing the positive wire, or 
the wire transmitting the electricity, and a solution of soda 
in the opposite tube ; but I soon ascertained that the muriatic 
acid owed its appearance to the animal or vegetable matters 
employed ; for when the same fibres of cotton were made use 
of in successive experiments, and washed after every process 
in a weak solution of nitric acid, the water in the apparatus 
• Nicholson’s Journal, 4to. Vol. IV. p. 183. f Ibid. Vol. IV. p. 261. 
J Annales de Cbimie, Tom. XXXVII. p. 233. § Phil. Mag. Vol. IX. p. 181. 
jj By M. Pacchioni, and by Mr. Peele. Phil. Mag. Vol. XXI. p.279. 
q; I shewed the results of the experiment to Dr. Beddoes at this time; and men- 
tioned the circumstance to Sir James Hall, Mr. Clayfield, and other friends in 
1801. 
