hat contact was expected.

392. This insulating power of ice is not effective with electricity of
exalted intensity. On touching a diverged gold-leaf electrometer with a
wire connected with the platina, whilst the tin case was touched by the
hand or another wire, the electrometer was instantly discharged (419.).

393. But though electricity of an intensity so low that it cannot diverge
the electrometer, can still pass (though in very limited quantities
(419.),) through ice; the comparative relation of water and ice to the
electricity of the voltaic apparatus is not less extraordinary on that
account, Or less important in its consequences.

394. As it did not seem likely that this _law of the assumption of
conducting power during liquefaction, and loss of it during congelation_,
would be peculiar to water, I immediately proceeded to ascertain its
influence in other cases, and found it to be very general. For this purpose
bodies were chosen which were solid at common temperatures, but readily
fusible; and of such composition as, for other reasons connected with
electrochemical action, led to the conclusion that they would be able when
fused to replace water as conductors. A voltaic battery of two troughs, or
twenty pairs of four-inch plates (384.), was used as the source of
electricity, and a galvanometer introduced into the circuit to indicate the
presence or absence of a current.

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 silv