Christian Friedrich Schoenbein to Faraday   21 April 1839

My dear Sir

Presuming an account of the proceedings of the swiss association for the advancement of Science of last year¹ will not prove disagreeable to you I take the liberty of sending you two copies of it one of which you will perhaps be so kind as to present to the Royal Society. The Gentleman who will deliver them to you is a former pupil of mine Mr. Burckhardt² M.D. of Bâle. He is going to make a stay in London with the intention of getting acquainted with the principal hospitals and scientific establishments of your great metropolis. By furthering in any way you think fit the views of Dr. Burckhardt you will lay me under many obligations and I can assure you that by so doing your kindness will be bestowed upon a young man whose character is excellent and whose family connexions at Bâle are highly respectable.

My leisure-time is continually devoted to making voltaic researches and in the course of these two last months I have been lucky enough as to ascertain a series of facts which, to my opinion, will sooner or later become of some importance to organic Chemistry. If possible, I shall before long send a paper to the Editors of the Phil. Mag. which will contain a detailed account of my results³.

Another subject intimately connected with the chemical theory of Galvanism has taken up much of my time lately. I have made out many cases, where currents are excited appa‑rently quite independently of chemical action. According to the chemical theory of the pile no current ought to be produced by an arrangement consisting for instance of spongy platina, compact platina or gold and strong acetic acid, there coming no chemical action into play in the case. But the fact is that under the circumstances mentioned a current makes its appearance and what is still more strange, that the current during circuits being closed changes its direction in such a manner, that s[p]ongy platina is in the beginning negative and afterwards positive.

Another circumstance also ill agreeing with the theoretical views of the present day is the fact, that Silver and even Copper being placed within acetic acid bear to spongy platina the same voltaic relations as Gold or compact Platina does. All the currents spoken of disappear after having lasted for some time but by introducing bubbles of air into the acid fluid near the metals immersed new currents can be excited. Being convinced of the correctness of the chemical theory of Galvanism I cannot but suspect that the currents in question are due to some (as yet hidden) chemical action proceeding from spongy platina. I shall not spare neither pains nor time to trace out the true cause of the strange phenomena alluded to.

Flattering myself with the hopes of being soon favored with a letter from you I am my dear Sir

Your's | most truly | C.F. Schoenbein

Bâle April 21, 1839.

Address: Doctor Faraday | &c &c &c | Royal Institution | London