] There is the power running
beautifully through the wire, which I have made thin on purpose to shew
you that we have those powerful forces; and now, having that power, we
will proceed with it to the examination of water.
I have here two pieces of platinum, and if I lay them down upon this piece
of paper [the moistened paper on the tinfoil], you will see no action; and
if I take them up, there is no change that you can see, but the
arrangement remains just as it was before. But, now, see what happens: if
I take these two poles and put either one or the other of them down
separately on the platinum-plates, they do nothing for me, both are
perfectly without action; but if I let them both be in contact at the same
moment, see what happens [a brown spot appeared under each pole of the
battery]. Look here at the effect that takes place, and see how I have
pulled something apart from the white--something brown; and I have no
doubt, if I were to arrange it thus, and were to put one of the poles to
the tinfoil on the other side of the paper--why, I get such a beautiful
action upon the paper, that I am going to see whether I cannot write with
it--a telegram, if you please. [The Lecturer here traced the word
"juvenile" on the paper with one of the terminal wires.
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