454 
IMPORTANT DISCOVERIES IN SCIENCE. 
admitted, then the constitution of the 
portion examined must have been 
Sulphurous acid. 63*87 
Sulphuric acid. 62 90 
Nitric acid 34 50 
Sulphite of lead 140 
Water 7 33 
160*00 
his approaches pretty closely to 
3 atoms sulphurous acid . . 12 
2 atoms sulphuric acid . . . . lO 
1 atom nitric acid 6 75 
1 atom water 1*125 
29*875 
Probably the -water was in combination 
•with the sulphuric acid . — Records of Science. 
NOTICE OF SOME RECENT IMPROVE- 
mentsin science. 
electricity. 
electricity by CONTACT.-Ac- 
cording to Karsten, the metals, and, perhaps, 
all solid bodies, become positive in fluids; and 
the fluid in which they are plunged becomes 
negative. 
2. A solid, which is half immersed in the 
fluid, acquires an electric polarity ; the sub- 
mersed portion possesses positive electricity, 
and that which is not immersed, negative 
electricity. 
3. Solid bodies present a great difference 
in their electro-motive force, in relation to the 
same fluid, and this difirerence is the true 
cause of the electrical, chemical, and mag- 
netic activity of the circuit. 
4. If two solid electromotors, but of differ- 
ent electro-motive force, are immersed in the 
same fluid without touching, the most feeble 
electromotor receives the opposite electricity 
to that of the strongest eleclfomotor, and be- 
comes, of consequence, negatively electric. 
5. The half of the weakest electromotor, 
which rises above the fluid, exhibits the oppo- 
site electiicity to that of the immersed portion, 
and becomes, consequently, positively elec- 
trical. 
6. The electro-motive electricity of a fluid 
depends on the property of being reduced by 
two solid electromotors, of difft-rent force, to 
such a state that the two electromotors re- 
ceive opposite electricities. In general, all 
fluids which are bad conductors of electricity, 
possess the properly which has been pointed 
out ; but not fluids which are not conductors, 
nor those which are good conductors. How- 
ever, the intensity of the electro-motive force 
of fluids does not depend only on the more or 
less imperfect conductibility, but on other 
relations which are not sufficiently known. 
7. The electro-motive effects of two metals, 
which forma circuit in the same fluid, are 
founded upon the continual excitation and 
neutralization of the opposite electricities 
which take place in the fluid. They are 
produced by the electro-motive action of the 
strongest and weakest of the electromotors 
upon the fluid, and are accelerated by the 
immediate contact of two solid electromotors, 
when the latter are good conductors. 
8. The chemical changes which take place 
in the fluid are, it is true, in proportion to the 
neutralization of the two electricities produ- 
ced by the solid elements of the chain. But 
these chemical changes, and the neutralization, 
do not follow as cause and effect. 
9 In the system of chains which forms 
the pile of Volta, the opposite electricities are 
completely neutralized by the solid elements 
of each chain ; that rs to say, by the pairs of 
plates ; and there is no electrical current from 
one pair to the other. (UJmtitvt. 150.) 
ELECTRICITY FROM DEOXIDA- 
TION. Ir is well known, that when the 
peroxide of manganese is brought in contact 
with platinum, positive electricity passes 
into the platinum, and the negative into the 
finger, or whatever body the peroxide is 
touched with. De Larive has ascertained 
that the development of the electricity 
proceeds from chemical action, as it is very 
weak with distilled water, but becomes strong- 
er with acids or alkaline solutions ; for wood 
being substituted for the platinum, the same 
effects are produced when the finger is dipped 
in an acid or alkaline solution, and applied to 
it. (Ibid, 155.) 
PEROXIDE OF LEAD, according to 
Munck, when brought in contact with other 
electromotors, as copper, zinc, carbon, and 
peroxide of manganese, developes negative 
electricity much more strongly than any other 
body hitherto examined ; and forms an excel- 
lent conductor of electricity. Hence, it may 
be employed with great advantage in the con- 
struction of dry piles, and even in common 
piles, instead of copper. (Poggendorjf*s Ann, 
(1835-6.) 
CAPILLARY ATTRACTION. 
1. Dutrochet, some years ago, observed, 
that when two distinct fluids in a tube are se- 
parated from each other by a partition having 
capillary pores, the liquid soon begins to pass 
in currents through the dividing medium ; but 
tlie quantity of liquid in each is not the same , 
so that one of the fluids acquires a greater vo- 
lume than the other. The stronger stieam 
Dutrochet terms endosmose, and the weaker 
current exosmoie. Some have supposed, that 
the difference in the adhesion of the particles 
of different liquors was the cause of this phe- 
nomenon ; and that the endosvwse always 
took place from the side of the less glutinous 
fluid. But when solutions of gum and sugar 
were tried, the endosmose took place from the 
gum to the sugar, even when the former was 
twice as much concentrated as the latter. 
Many acids, as nitric, muriatic, phosphoric, 
and acetic, when they are separated from wa- 
ter, by an animal membrane, receive the 
endosmose from the latter. Concentrated 
sulphuric acid destroys the membrane ; and, 
when diluted, exhibits no signs of endosmose. 
When oxalic acid and water are employed, 
the endosmose proceeds from the acid to the 
