ammonia and of potass were found by the author not to correspond with any of the preceding. Although agreeing perfectly with one another in their action upon the heart and systemic capillaries, they differ extremely in their effects on the nervous tissue ; ammonia being particularly distinguished from all inorganic compounds in this respect, and being very analogous to poisons derived from or- ganic products, which it also resembles in its chemical properties.
The general conclusion which the author is led to draw from these researches is, that there exists a close relation between the chemical properties of the substances experimented upon, and their physiolo- gical effects ; his experiments tending to prove, that, when introduced into the blood, substances which are isomorphous exert similar ac- tions on the living tissues. He notices, however, two exceptions to this law ; namely, the similarity of the actions exerted on the pul- monary tissue by the salts of lead with those of silver, although these salts are not isomorphous ; and also the action on the nervous tissue of the salts of ammonia being different from that of the salts of potass. But he remarks that the oxide of lead bears a close analogy to the oxide of silver in its relation to organic compounds. The general fact previously announced by the author in his memoir read to the Academy of Sciences at Paris, namely, that salts with the same base have analogous actions, may be considered as a corollary of the above law.
February 4, 1841.
Sir JOHN W. LUBBOCK, Bart., V.P. and Treas., in the Chair.
David Francis Atcherley, Esq., was balloted for and duly elected into the Society.
A paper was read, entitled, "On some Electro-Nitrogurets." By Wm. Robert Grove, Esq., M.A., F.R.S.
The author states that he has made many attempts to render per- manent the ammoniacal amalgam, and that he has succeeded in freezing it by means of solid carbonic acid, during which solidification, and also while in its solid state, it underwent no chemical change. He subsequently attempted to procure a permanent compound by electrolyzing a solution of hydrochlorate of ammonia with an ex- tremely fusible alloy at the cathode ; but this attempt was unsuc- cessful. It then occurred to him, that by using an oxidable metal at the anode, which could be revived in conjunction with nascent hydrogen and nitrogen at the cathode, one or both of these elements might be combined with the solid metal, and so form permanent compounds.
The experiment made in this manner with the metals zinc, cadmium, and copper, was perfectly successful. A spongy mass col-
