395. On fusing a little chloride of lead by a spirit lamp on a fragment of
a Florence flask, and introducing two platina wires connected with the
poles of the battery, there was instantly powerful action, the galvanometer
was most violently affected, and the chloride rapidly decomposed. On
removing the lamp, the instant the chloride solidified all current and
consequent effects ceased, though the platina wires remained inclosed in
the chloride not more than the one-sixteenth of an inch from each other. On
renewing the heat, as soon as the fusion had proceeded far enough to allow
liquid matter to connect the poles, the electrical current instantly
passed.

396. On fusing the chloride, with one wire introduced, and then touching
the liquid with the other, the latter being cold, caused a little knob to
concrete on its extremity, and no current passed; it was only when the wire
became so hot as to be able to admit or allow of contact with the liquid
matter, that conduction took place, and then it was very powerful.

397. When chloride of silver and chlorate of potassa were experimented
with, in a similar manner, exactly the same results occurred.

398. Whenever the current passed in these cases, there was decomposition of
the substances; but the electro-chemical part of this subject I purpose
connecting with more general views in a future paper[A].

[A] In 1801, Sir H. Davy knew that "dry nitre, caustic potash, and
soda are conductors of galvanism when rendered fluid by a high degree
of heat," (Journals of the Royal Institution, 1802, p. 53,) but was
not aware of the general law which I have been engaged in developing.
It is remarkable, that eleven years after that, he should say, "There