The Bakerian Lecture, On some chemical Agencies of Electricity. Read November 20, 1806.

1807. (London, W. Bulmer and Co., 1807). 4to. No wrappers as extracted from "Philosophical Transactions" 1807 - Part I. Pp. 1-56 and 1 engraved plate. A bit of browning to the plate. Clean and fine, wide-margined.. First printing of a milestone paper in electrochemistry in which Davy shows that electricity is capable of decomposing the most stable elements."Humphry Davy was one of the most brilliant chemists of the early nineteenth century. His early study of nitrous oxide brought him his first reputation, but his later and most importent investigations were devoted to electrochemistry. Following Galvani's experiments and the discovery of the voltaic pile, interest in galvanic electricity had become widespread. The first electrolysis by means of the pile was carried out in 1800 by Nicholson and Carisle, who obtained oxygen and hydrogen from water. Davy began to examine the chemical effects of electricity in 1800, and his numerous discoveries were presented in his Bakerian lecture to the Royal Society on November 20, 1806 (the paper offered here). His experiments, along the lines stated in this paper, lead to his discoveries of potassum and sodium in 1807 and the year after to barium, calcium and boron.(A Source Book in Chemistry p. 243). - Sparrow: Milestones of Science No 52. - Wheeler Gift: 2511.