Faraday to George Frederick Chambers   5 July 1860¹

S.W | Hampton Court | 5, July 1860

Sir

One of the most powerful & ready things in dec[o]louring the solution of permanganate of potassa is a little solution of sulphurous acid. Being what Schoenbein calls an ozone solution a trace almost of oxywater or per oxide of potassium or sodium or barium will do the same thing there being antozone compounds. As you think a salt of soda was used so I have no doubt that a sulphite of soda would answer the purpose. A very little only of any of these things is necessary to decolour a deep coloured solution of the permanganate. Put a little water into a bottle burn a sulphur match in the bottle - shake the fumes & the water together - filter it & you will have a solution that will do[.]

I am Sir | Your Obedient Servant | M. Faraday

Geo. F. Chambers Esq | &c &c &c